A Countess of Convenience (Captivating Countesses Book 1)

Jenna
Jaxon
Genre: 
Historical

Judith Harper is more dead than alive when her sister-in-law, Dora Harper, brings her back home to her parents. She has been unresponsive since November, and it is now March. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Welbourne have only been told Judith fell ill. But Dora knows the truth. The physician, Lord Farringdon, is called, and he has the solution to Judith’s malady. After drilling a hole in her head, she revives the next day and is her old self. She is shocked to learn her husband, Simon, is dead as a result of a duel and her in-laws are now the guardians of her only child. Her childhood friend John, Lord Haxby, comes to visit, and she enlists his help to set things right. John sees Judith has feelings for Lord Farringdon and sets out to convince her Farringdon is the wrong man for her.

“A Countess of Convenience” takes the reader into a skewed world where many situations and people are not as they appear. Watching Judith’s relationships develop with both Lord Haxby and Lord Farringdon is beautiful. Both men are awkward in their proposals and chose the worst times to ask for Judith’s hand, but one of them will prevail. Lord Farringdon has little depth and is one dimensional although he is a major player in this story. The background information about Judith’s accident and Simon’s death is repetitive, slowing down an otherwise excellent story. On the other end of the spectrum, the climax and ending felt rushed. Still, a wonderful story filled with secrets and intrigue, and a great beginning for the Captivating Countesses series.

Belinda Wilson