by Mary Balogh
Part of Westcott, book 1
First published 2016
Anna Snow has spent her entire life in a Bath orphanage, never knowing her origins. When Humphrey Westcott, Earl of Riverdale, dies, Anna learns he was her father and has left her his entire fortune. She also discovers she has siblings who exist in London's high society. Anna approaches her newfound family with excitement, eager to share her unexpected wealth and build relationships. Her siblings reject her completely. They refuse her money and her presence in their lives. Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, serves as guardian to the new young earl. He typically maintains careful distance from others, but Anna's situation moves him to help. As Anna struggles to navigate London society and her family's hostility, Avery guides her transformation from orphan to lady. His involvement awakens emotions he has suppressed for years. Anna must learn the rules of aristocratic life while facing relatives who see her as an unwanted reminder of their father's secrets. Avery finds his protective walls crumbling as he grows closer to the determined young woman who threatens to upend his carefully controlled world.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adult-fiction, 19th-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Bath, London
Period: 19th-century
382 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Berkley