It was a decent story. It had a little more angst/drama than most by Grey. The audio was difficult to listen to because the narrator had awkward pacing to the sentences. Also, the narrator's accents were not the greatest which at times distracted from the story. I liked the story though. ( )

“Nobility marries money” is a well-tried trope, and one that always attracts my attention. In this case it turns out even better than the “standard” storyline because of two twists in the setup. First, the nobility part of the equation, Robert, is not even aware he is an earl until an uncle he never met dies and he suddenly inherits the title. Second, the money part of the deal, Daniel, is a self-made man and owns a large, successful business, but he has to work hard for it and by no means does he have money coming out of his ears. This makes both main characters very real and modern. Also, what solutions these two men come up with are hard-earned, and that brings the age-old idea of combining aristocracy and business into the twenty-first century. And, as far as I am concerned, very successfully so.

Robert has built a life he is happy with: he is a barrister and helps people who can’t afford expensive lawyers, he lives in a small village far away from the hubbub of London, and he cares far more about seeing justice done than making a lot of money. I liked him from page one. But then Fate intervenes, and the uncle who disinherited Robert’s mother for marrying “the wrong man” dies and since Robert is the only male relative, he is now the new Earl of Hantford. The historic manor house, an apartment in London, and lots of headaches accompany the title since the buildings need repairs at a level of investment Robert can’t afford on his salary.

Daniel is an American from Texas and he has started an Internet business that has made him happy, successful, and very wealthy. He now lives in New York City, he is a team player, and I loved the way he runs his company. But there is one thing he is missing in the eyes of NYC high society: his money is not “old” enough compared to what they own. Since Daniel used to be teased, even harassed, mercilessly when he went to school and the fifteen-year reunion is coming up, he would dearly like to impress them with a title.

Robert and Daniel meet via an online-based dating site/matchmaker – Robert’s mother and Daniel’s assistant are the driving forces behind the original meeting. From there on out, the men are on their own, and while they get off to a good start, there are so many issues they have to deal with that their path is not a smooth one. A businesslike arrangement seems to make sense at first, but then emotions begin to emerge and things get more muddled. Meanwhile there are issues with the old manor house, then Robert is torn between doing what he loves and taking on a new role as earl, and Daniel’s competition tries some nasty things that had me yelling at the screen. The seemingly straightforward original “arrangement” turns into quite an adventure and I loved every moment!

If you like the idea of old blood meeting new money, if you want to watch two men from different backgrounds but with similar ideas about what’s right and what’s wrong meet and learn to work together, and if you’re looking for a read that is exciting, emotional, interesting, and very satisfying in the end, then you will probably like this novel.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )