Sadie Bosque
Books: Historical Romance
Necessary Arrangements: An Agreement with the Soldier (2021)
Necessary Arrangements
An Agreement with the Soldier (2021)
Set in England in 1817.
Miss Samantha Lewis twice had her coming seasons interrupted for periods of mourning. So she is quite old to be on the marriage mart despite her looks and her dowry.
John Godfrey never expected to become the Baron of Ashbury. He was a third son and went into the military, but life is uncertain, and after the death of his two older brothers, his father spent his fortune, rather than leave anything to John. (Nice guy.)
The story opens with a series of letters between Sam and her brother Ben, with the final letter being sent after Ben's death, as a way to try and give herself closure.
You are gone and no amount of correspondence is going to bring you back. But I feel like I can't move on without saying these last words to you.
John desperately needs an heiress, despite his dreams of finding the women whose letters he accidentally received when he was in the hospital.
Sam's best friend, Evie, needs to be married, to escape her guardians.
Since he is her guardian, he has a legal right to use the inheritance and make investment decisions. So, at the moment, he is happily squandering her fortune away. He can't spend all of it. Fortunately, there's a clause in the contract only allowing a certain percentage. But after that is gone, the Montbrooks will only get more desperate.
This story has many twists and turns, which I liked. But what I really liked was people talked to each other, even when they were in the wrong, or hurt by another's actions.
Also, Sam had a wonderful family.
"You know," she said carefully. "I think Stanhope deserved what he got."
Isabel grimaced uncomfortably. "To be humiliated so publicly. I don't know. I never wished him ill."
"You didn't have to," Sam said smugly. "You have a sister for that."
Even if her brothers are overprotective.
"If she'll have you, I have no right to stand in her way. But be warned. Husband or no husband, if you hurt her, we'll come for her," he said menacingly. Then suddenly he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "And then we'll come for you."
John was badly broken by what he experienced at war, but he was open with Evie & Sam about that from the beginning. He never pretended he was ok, and was clear he felt himself a danger.
More importantly, he isn't magically healed by love. He continues to struggle, and unfortunately, Sam had to deal with some of the repercussions of that.
All of which made the story feel very real.
I enjoyed this and recommend it.
Rating: 8/10