This book was absolutely charming and delightful. Elise Marion's tone is beautifully lighthearted and whimsical while still being able to interweave topics of wealth and hardship and finding ways to support family and friends. Marion's writing is engaging and accessible. This love story is sweet and steamy, with a wonderful mix of side characters. Marion has crafted a story about friends, family, love and the lengths people are willing to go in order to protect and take care of those things.
The heroine-Helena, is strong, loving and selfless. She is the eldest in her family and their survival after their parents death two years ago has fallen heavily on her shoulders. Helena is also surrounded by a strong group of female friends who also find themselves in hardships, so they all come up with a plan on how they can gain money to help support themselves as needed. Their plan is an unconventional one but a necessary one because of their status in society, their education and the limitations that are put on women, their prospects are very limited past marrying for financial stability. Sebastian, the hero, is very family oriented and someone who sees the world in strict lines and rules. Sebastian has felt the strong pull to be an upstanding citizen in society to show his family off in a better light than his late father did. Sebastian plans to marry this season after he finds the wife he deems to be a prefect match.
This story first unfolds with Sebastian's interest seeming to fall on Harriet, Helena's younger sister (who is a beauty), but sparks fly between Sebastian and Helena. Helena, has often been overlooked in society and at 23 she is considered a spinster, but when Sebastian meets her he is fairly instantly attracted to her voluptuousness and as they banter he sees her wit, humor and how their interests align. I love how Sebastian loves Helena's curves and how he finds her sexy, where as in the past Helena thinks she has been overlooked because of them. I also really liked that Helena was not constantly looking down on herself because of her body shape, it was just a part of who she is. I love that Sebastian pretty early on knows that he is falling for Helena and that he pursues her with care, loving words and gentle caresses. Watching Helena and Sebastian fall in love and explore those feelings was really lovely. I love that Sebastian was not afraid to be very vocal in how he felt and how attracted he was to her, and I love that Helena is also bold in her feelings and how with Sebastian she is able to stand up for herself and her choices. The third act conflict was a bit frustrating but necessary to explore Sebastian's growth and show how his understanding of the world and how it works has shifted.
I would definitely recommend this book. I loved all the relationships that varied from new love, family, friendship and found family. I loved the exploration and discussions around what you would be willing to do to protect and keep those you love safe, well feed, housed and clothed. I loved the growth our hero went through in learning to love and understand what that love really means, and learning that things are not always right and wrong. I am looking forward to the continuation in this series as well as continuing to explore Elise Marion's backlist.