Will's True Wish

The spare to the heir, Will seems to have a life that is all the drudgery of the earldom without many of the benefits. Acting as virtual bodyguard and factotum to the Earl, he also is wrangling his younger brothers, searching for a suitable woman to be an earl’s wife and finding time to engage in his true passion: his dogs. He’s not only a fan of his dogs, he’s steadily gaining a solid reputation as a trainer and breeder, and would like nothing more than to spend all of his time with the furry creatures that seem to be his only friends.

Susannah is one of those women who didn’t capture a husband during her season, and now wants nothing more than to aid her younger sister in making an advantageous match. Convinced, and fairly content with the thought that she is ‘on the shelf’, her books and her own interests are enough, or were until she sees potential in a match with Will’s family.

Knowing each other for years provides a point of interest, even as Susannah isn’t quite sure she can tolerate the dogs. While not completely “afraid’ of them, she’s unsure and doesn’t quite ‘get’ Will’s fascination, she does appreciate their camaraderie and comfortable times together.

But soon, dogs are disappearing for inclusion in the night crawler gambling festivities, Wil is unable to silently bear witness. He wants to find the culprit behind the thefts, but worries that he may be placing himself and his family in the middle of a scandal with the Tonne. Can he actually manage to solve the puzzle AND keep his family (and Susannah’s) free from the taint of scandal should the culprit be titled?

I loved Will: he’s an introvert while dedicated to his family, he also wants to lead his own life, as so many ‘spares’ are allowed to do in families like his. A bit inside his own head, Will isn’t selfishly following only his own path, he’s dedicated much of his life to the family and seeing everyone settled. Susannah had fewer options open as a woman, but she’s a solid match for Daniel: the two are well-suited and while she doesn’t think love and marriage will be for her, she is enjoying her time with Will, and possibly starting to see new possibilities. With the mystery and potential pitfalls, the sweetness of Will and the dogs, this is another solid installment in the series.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters, and the dogs (I am a dog person). The heroine is not, so maybe not a pre-req to liking the book. The hero is a dog trainer and the relationships in the book are really entertaining as seen through his eyes as he relates most things in his life to aspects of a dog’s life.

His brothers are interesting, one roguish, one bookish, and one a peer coming into his own. The author fleshes them out so they are not stereotypical which makes the book even better. If you’re following the series, this is Suzanne’s story. Not my fav character in other books about these sisters, but in this book, she shines.

Loved the dogs, too! Big dogs especially, although there is a small pug who has a prominent role in the story. I thought it was funny, well written, and I can’t say I ever remember a story along these lines before. Another good Grace Burrowes’ novel.