Joanna Leighton has never desired a husband. She’s seen what love can do to a person and she refuses to subject herself to that pain. She’s satisfied to help her uncle, the physician of Roselund Heights, tend to his patients. When the quiet and secretive artist Colin Aldridge moves to town her resolve softens, and she begins to wonder if love is perhaps worth the pain it inevitably brings. Joanna’s wounds run deep and when secrets and sorrows arise, she’s tempted to close off her heart forever. Can she trust Mr. Aldridge enough to risk the pain and give him her heart? Or will she decide she’s better off spending her life alone?
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Violence - 0/5
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Language - 0/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 0/5
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Summary
Since her mother's death, Joanna has fought to control everything around her, alienating herself from her sister. When a stranger arrives in Roselund Heights, Joanna must learn that not everything can be controlled and love is not something she should run from.
What I did like about this book was that it expressed how differently everyone grieves the loss of a loved one. Joanna bottled her emotions up and didn't start to grieve until several years after her mother's death. The interaction with her younger sister also seemed true to life, with her sister anxious for more independence and Joanna unwilling to allow it.
There were some details I found hard to accept. Primarily, it was the lack of a chaperone staying with Joanna and her sister when their father was away. Neither of them was of an age where such would have been acceptable. Also, the author leaned heavily on the use of the word 'very' when more descriptive words could have been used. The romance between Joanna and the stranger came across as forced, in my opinion.
I would recommend this to anyone who has dealt with the grieving process and enjoys a clean, Regency read.