I absolutely adore Bethany Bennett and have just loved this first series by her. Each and every one of these books in the Misfits of Mayfair series has just worked so well for me! Bennett's writing is compulsively readable, her characters are interesting and understandable, and the plots have been a great backdrop to fuel a budding romance! This third book in the series is the perfect cherry on top of this trilogy, Bennett balances the development of a new relationship with the past couples beautiful while creating a linking plot line that connects them all in an interesting and serendipitous way. This is a must read novel in my eyes that is best read in in order so you can truly grown and understand each of these heroine's and the men they give their hearts to.
Lady Emma is a single mother, with many dark secrets in her past (which you know about through the previous novel), she is also ready to turn over a new leaf and be open and truthful when it comes to the people she loves and trusts with her whole heart. Mal, is a naval captain, who is now land bound with duty to the dukedom he is now in charge of after his brother's death. Mal and Emma have already had a chance meeting and a passionate night spend together in the small coastal town that she and her son reside, but with this chance re-meeting they decide to enter into an affair as they both spend the next few weeks in London.
The chemistry between Emma and Mal leaps off the page, they are both so taken with the other and Bennett really shows this in such a beautiful way through their playfulness with each other and the instinctually trust they opening give. This novel is sweetly sensual and through the exploration of a physical relationship these two are able to deepen their understanding of each other. I really love that Bennett shows the development of their trust through small and domestic moments-a conversation in a kitchen while baking, a moment of play with her son, a parental instinct to protect, all these moments are carefully woven throughout the novel to show us how Mal and Emma operation around and with each other in beautifully balanced way. The comfortability that these two feel with each other is developed through a friendship, through moments of trust and through moments of understanding. While yes, this novel does have a third act conflict, it just shows the fear that sometimes drives poor decisions, but through this conflict they are both given the opportunity to learn how to better communicate and to truly trust and share all their secrets. I love that Emma is a strong and bold woman, who will do anything for her son, and who knows what she wants as needs as a widow. I love that Mal is so loving and gentle with Emma's son, he loves her son like his own and he shows this through how he treats him. This novel not only has beautiful female friendships at its heart, but it really develops a charming camaraderie between all the males as well. The family that all these couple develop together is so endearing and Bennett does a lovely job showing this and creating a perfectly heartwarming end to this trilogy.
I can not recommend this book and this series highly enough! This is definitely a series I will re-read again and again, it has also provided me with a new auto-buy author. I just can not wait to see where Bethany Bennett goes from here, I am so excited and can not wait to read her next novel!
Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.