Lily of the Valley

 

About the Book:

Cumberland, 1786

Amateur inventor Kester Barrington prefers the peace and quiet of his estate to the bustle of Society. But when his tight-knit group of friends, the Gents, descends on Livingsley Hall for their annual gathering, he stoically joins in their activities. It all seems exhausting—until an unexpected addition to the party catches his eye: his new neighbor, the lovely Violet.

Violet Ridley longs to make friends in this new corner of the country, but her family’s fortune was made through investments rather than inheritance, and Society can be fickle. So when tragedy forces her family to shelter at neighboring Livingsley Hall, Violet is delighted to receive a warm welcome from the Gents. In particular, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Kester. The pair is a study in contrasts: Violet, with her sunny disposition, and Kester, with his prickly facade. Their connection is impossible to deny, but both Kester and Violet harbor heavy constraints. As their association becomes increasingly tangled and confused, their only hope of pursuing a life together is to trust one another with the very truths that could tear them apart.

My Review:

I want to say right now that I wish I could be a part of The Gents family! It would be so amazing to have friends like them who love you even when you don’t love yourself.

Kes Barrington is dubbed the “Grumpy Uncle” for a very good reason. He is surly and standoffish at times, and acts as though he would be perfectly content to live on a deserted island. But, no one truly finds out why he acts like that until Violet Ridley enters his life. With her sweet spirit and gentle ways, she helps Kes see that he can be himself and doesn’t need to live a life of regret.

Kes is also able to help Violet in ways she didn’t think possible. She has a guiding phrase that you are to always be happy, and if not, be silent. She carries this unrealistic burden and cannot get free of it until she confesses it to Kes. I rejoiced with her when she was able to see “that being genuine was more important than appearing cheerful, and being seen and understood was far better than being silent.”

Having both Kes and Violet looking to invent solutions to problems that have affected their lives was a brilliant part of the story. Both of them can appreciate the resourcefulness and the complex thoughts of the other person. I look forward to seeing Kes continue with his inventions and Violet being a part of the process.

I highly recommend this beautiful love story and the continuation of the stories of The Gents. If you enjoy clean and wholesome historical novels that you can recommend to younger and older ladies alike, read this book. You will be so happy you did.

I was given an e-copy of the book. Thank you to the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review; all opinions are my own.