Her Caprice Regency Romance
Boroughs Publishing Group
February 12, 2019
263
A MOST PRIVATE BATTLE
Since Beatrice Thornton was 13 years old she's been living with a secret that could ruin her family forever. Her parents are the only ones who know, and now, seven years later, they are forced to put on a sham for Beatrice's late first Season. The plan, make Beatrice as mousy and ill-clothed as possible so no suitor would consider her. Then they can all escape back to their country home in Dorset to keep the terrible secret safe. But the unthinkable happens... Beatrice meets a man who gives her hope of a normal life, and Beatrice dares to love with horrible consequences.
Captain Henry Gracechurch has resigned his commission after living through the horrors and waste of war. Recently returned from Spain, he is cajoled by his formidable godmother to make an appearance at one of her famous balls. When he sees a young woman abandoned on the dance floor, honour commands him to save the day. Nothing could have prepared him for meeting the person who is a balm to his soul and gives wings to his heart. But winning Beatrice Thornton will take every ounce of courage he has, and this is a war he will win, no matter the cost.
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
It is 1812 in London and it is time for Beatrice Thornton’s season when she and other girls would attend a ball with the intention of finding a husband while their mother’s were determined to make a good marriage for their daughters. Beatrice is twenty and the last thing in the world her mother wants is for her to find a husband, in fact she goes out of her way to ensure that Beatrice wears the worst gowns, that her hair and makeup do nothing for her and that no man would want to marry her or even dance with her.
Since the age of thirteen Beatrice has been told that marriage was not for her due to the fact that she has a secret, a secret that could hurt not only her but her family, as secret that her parents and only her parents are aware of and are doing everything in their power to keep her isolated.
When Beatrice is forced to dance with a man who leaves her standing in the middle of the ballroom it is Captain Henry Gracechurch who comes to her rescue. He insists that Beatrice dance with him and as much as she tries to give him a way out he refuses to take it. He even asks if he can see her again. Beatrice is thrilled that Henry showed an interest in her even though she knows that there is no future in it. Years of hiding and being alone have made her hungry for any attention and Henry is willing to give it to her for a little while at least.
Henry has resigned his commission from the military and years of fighting and witnessing death have left him with nightmares, in our day and age we would call it PTSD. The only thing that seems to give him any peace is when he thinks of Beatrice and as impossible as it is he feels that he loves her. Other than taking her to the park Beatrice’s mom is not very happy about her seeing Henry, she has lived with fear of Beatrice’s secret coming out and fear of what would happen to her it it did.
I don’t want to give anything away but this was a beautiful love story about a girl who was hidden from the world, dressed horribly and who lived in fear, a fear instilled in her by her mother. Henry is such a wonderful character, a true hero and a man any woman would want to be with. There is betrayal, romance, secrets, surprises and characters you can’t help but love, what more can you want in a book.