A Notorious Vow
The Four Hundred Series
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4.5 • 11 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Joanna Shupe returns to New York City’s Gilded Age, where fortunes and reputations are gained and lost with ease—and love can blossom from the most unlikely charade
With the fate of her disgraced family resting on her shoulders, Lady Christina Barclay has arrived in New York City from London to quickly secure a wealthy husband. But when her parents settle on an intolerable suitor, Christina turns to her reclusive neighbor, a darkly handsome and utterly compelling inventor, for help.
Oliver Hawkes reluctantly agrees to a platonic marriage . . . with his own condition: The marriage must end after one year. Not only does Oliver face challenges that are certain to make life as his wife difficult, but more importantly, he refuses to be distracted from his life’s work—the development of a revolutionary device that could transform thousands of lives, including his own.
Much to his surprise, his bride is more beguiling than he imagined. When temptation burns hot between them, they realize they must overcome their own secrets and doubts, and every effort to undermine their marriage, because one year can never be enough.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Shupe's third Four Hundred historical (after A Scandalous Deal) craftily combines details of New York's Gilded Age with enchanting romance. Lady Christina Barclay and her parents, the Earl and Countess of Pennington, left their home in England to visit her cousin in New York City, planning to marry Christina off to the highest bidder and restore their family fortunes. When her parents threaten to force her to marry elderly and sinister Mr. Van Peet, she flees to the home of her cousin's neighbor, Oliver Hawkes, a reclusive, wealthy inventor who has shunned the snobs of high society because of their cruelty about his deafness. Christina and Oliver have become friends; he is enchanted by her beauty, and she is attracted to his kindness and intelligence. Oliver offers to marry Christina to save her from marriage to Van Peet, provide the funds her family needs, and give her an annulment in a year, but as their friendship develops into mutual desire, their arrangement is impeded, leaving them wondering whether to keep their agreement or dare to explore a genuine marriage. Scintillating romance is at the heart of this tale of affable protagonists overcoming the wounds of their pasts.
Customer Reviews
PHENOMENAL!!
WOW!! This was a PHENOMENAL book.! A handicaps view of what life could have been in the Gilded Age.
Lady Christina Barclay has been a pawn for her parents to use as they saw fit, with their fortunes gambled and spent in extravagant fashion they are now destitute, their only recourse is family in the United States. Christina becomes her parent’s best chance to revive their finances.
She will be sold to the highest bidder, in exchange for settling their debts!
The only reprieve Christina gets is stealing a few hours alone in the neighbors secluded garden. Unfortunately, the neighbors massive dog knocks her down and she loses consciousness, Oliver Hawkes is a recluse he doesn’t do well with people but the young woman and her plight intrigues him. Christina’s parent’s scheming knows no bounds , and he reluctantly agrees to a marriage of convenience, saving Christina from the fate her parents planned for her.
Oliver is a brilliant millionaire who has chosen to stay out of society because of his limitations his deafness has caused him. He hasn’t always been deaf, a sickness took his hearing when he was 14, he can read lips and speak, but after being ridiculed he just uses sign language.
Life for Christina and Oliver takes an unexpected turn when Oliver’s greedy cousin declares him unfit, just when they’ve come to realize that they have a connection and love is blossoming he’s carted off to an asylum!
A fast paced and well written story keeps the reader on edge. Joanna Shupe has really researched the plight of “handicaps” in the Gilded Age! If someone was institutionalized regardless of their monetary worth the treatments were horrific! The mention of ice baths just gave me the shivers! Once again Joanna Shupe has a PHENOMENAL read, she never disappoints!
Now I’m ready for Frank’s story!
I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher, via Edelweiss. This is my honest unbiased opinion.