I just finished a regency romance by Nichole Van, a new to me author, called Seeing Miss Heartstone. I really enjoyed a fresh take on a secret love!
Belle Heartstone has used her brilliant financial mind to add to the fortune her father left for her. Unfortunately, she is a woman in regency times, and expected to wed. Under pressure from her mother to marry someone she cannot abide, Belle decides to take matters into her own hands and propose to someone of her choosing---only he turns her down flat. Colin Radcliffe, the Marquess of Blake, needs money, but isn't desperate enough for a marriage of convenience. However, when a mysterious benefactor finances his trip to India to seek a fortune, he accepts, and begins writing letters to the man he believes is helping him dig out the financial burdens he is under. But when he returns home to England to seek out the identity of his partner, he sets in motion events that will change his life forever.
I loved the character of Belle and how she was presented as a unique woman of Regency times who was financially independent, but still cared about society's rules. She was so unaware of her own charms it made her relatable as she tried to figure out the best way to handle the consequences of her actions. At times, it was a little too drawn out as she vacillated between what she had to do and how badly she didn't want to do it, but with the depth of emotion drawn between her and Colin, I could see why she did what she did. I was really invested in Colin and Belle getting their happily-ever-after, but their love story had a lot of twists and turns! The ending was definitely swoon-worthy, though, and worth the read. I'll definitely be looking for more by this author.
You can get your copy here
Here's the back copy:
Miss Belle Heartstone—heiress and savvy businesswoman—needs a husband. Immediately. As in, yesterday would not have been soon enough. Her mother’s attempts at matchmaking have been disastrous. So Belle decides to solve the problem her way—survey the market and purchase the best groom available.
Colin Radcliffe, Marquess of Blake—debt-ridden and penniless—needs a large infusion of cash. Desperately. Preferably cash that does not come with a wife attached. It is no surprise, then, when he receives Miss Heartstone’s brazen proposal—her cash, his title, their marriage—that he politely declines.
But before he leaves her, Blake suggests something truly radical: Maybe before finding a husband, Belle should find herself.
His simple words send them both on an unexpected journey, spanning continents and years, entwining their lives in ways neither could have foreseen. Can two lonely souls move past societal expectations and forge a unique life together?
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