Snapdragons
Just before his unseen Irish bride arrives for their arranged marriage, Niles Greenberry flees to the shelter of a fellow Gent, one of a group of lifelong friends. To Niles’ surprise, a determined Penelope Seymour shows up in Yorkshire, pursuing the marriage so she might secure a loan and start the horse breeding operation she wants to establish at her property, Fairfield.
Niles dreams of buying property of his own so he can stand as a Member of the Parliament of late Georgian England. He’s suspicious of Penelope’s motives as she attempts to get to know him, but it doesn’t take long for him to see her sweet nature. As their different dreams seem impossible to reconcile, though, it seems love can only lead to heartbreak—except this is a sweet romance, so all comes right at the end.
Readers will be served by familiarity with the previous books in the Gents series, as the other couples return to oversee Niles and Penelope through their courtship. The romance develops at a slow, gentle pace, with each scene between the couple being analyzed for nuance by their respective friends. As always, Eden presents, in flawless prose, distinct characters who grow together in convincing, heartfelt ways.
