Moonlight on My Mind (Second Sons)
1841. Last year, impetuous red-haired London beauty, Julianne Baxter, had accused Patrick Channing of murdering his older brother, the next Earl of Haversham. However, as she thinks about that night, the more she believes she made a terrible mistake. Now she is alone in a carriage headed to Scotland, Patrick’s last assumed location, to give him the news of his father’s unexpected death and the imminent disaster facing his family.
To society, erstwhile veterinarian Patrick Channing committed fratricide. The last person he expects to see while hiding in a small Scottish town is his accuser. Patrick and Julianne, powerfully attracted to one another, plan a marriage of convenience. Marriage is the only way to save her reputation, and since a wife cannot be forced to testify against her husband, Patrick will avoid the hangman’s noose. Returning to England, the newlyweds realize the murderer is not only on the loose but looking to kill again.
I enjoyed this romantic period novel and the snippets of veterinary lore. The plot and characters kept me turning the pages, and of course, there is a satisfying “happily ever after” ending.
