Following the passing of his father and an unforgivable act by a family member ending in near ruin for his family, Simon Montgomery, the new Earl of Cartwright, is forced to return home without finishing his education. However, that doesn’t stop Cart from absorbing every morsel of knowledge he can.

Unfortunately, doing so and applying his every moment to restoring his family’s lost heirlooms while seeing to his sister’s upbringing and attempting to wrangle his mother’s frivolous spending habits has made him somewhat of a recluse, a man unsure of how to live life unless it’s focused around academia, order, and routine. But what happens when Cart is faced with a woman as intelligent as he but far more cunning?

Miss Judith Pengarden has lived her entire life under her eldest sister’s firm yet loving guidance. When she discovers her family is in jeopardy of losing their home, Jude decides to use her skills to help them pay off their unsettled debts. However, when Jude attempts to steal from the wrong house, she finds herself alone, locked in a dank room at the night watchman’s residence, and she vows to stop thinking so spontaneously and risking her family’s name to scandal. Unfortunately, there are some loose ends that need to be tied up before she can. Luckily for her, however, she may have just met the man who can help her family and also steal a piece of her heart.

When Jude meets Lord Cartwright at a London garden party, he seems the perfect man to solve all her problems—a recluse unfamiliar with London Society and studied in antiquities. A lord like none she has met, Jude soon realizes that Cart is more valuable to her than any painting, sculpture, or vase. But when she’s caught in possession of Cart’s long-lost family heirloom, completely unaware of what it really means, can she convince him that things are far from what they seem? That despite the deceit and subterfuge, her heart is in the right place. With her family…and with him.

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I received this book from the author for an honest review.  I really toiled with my rating in this book.  I mean is it a 4.5 or 5.  I was just back and forth. Then I went back and reread a scene…Christina will know…the Door scene…..yep it still gutted me so 5 stars it is.

AHHH!!   OMG If you would have told me before reading this book I would be dumping Harold, from The Lady Forsaken Series, I would have said you are cray cray…GASP…however Harold I think we may need to take a little break so I can see how I am feeling about Lord Cartwright/Cart.  No hard feelings right???

Lord Cartwright/Simon/Cart is so unlike any hero that Christina has written before.  He is so nerdy and awkward but I fell in love with him.    He is the person at a gathering with their nose stuck in a book.  He is unsure of himself socially and really could care less about breaking a Ton rule.  He is just after getting his family Earldom back in the right financial shape it should be after being stolen from by his uncle.

Judith/Jude wants to help her sister Marce but knows Marce will not have any of that.  Her and her twin steal a vase to hopefully sell for money.  This money she will give to her sister to call off the debtors who keep sending final collection notices.

When Jude and Cart meet, they are both thrown together and thought that they might just “tolerate” the others company but they actually get along.  Then something happens to Cart and he gets upset at himself for making a fool out of himself. When any other Ton woman would have run away, Jude stays to help him.

The two are so similar and they both love art.  Granted he loves to find it and she loves to steal it…Snickers…..but I just loved how put out she makes him.  She makes him feel alive and actually interested in life again.  I love how he uses scientific data to tell us the readers how he feels about Jude.  I love how she is so confused because she is guilted by why she is friending him yet also she is so consumed with spending as much time with him as she can

The side characters are amazing.  Sam I wanna throat punch.  Payton just needs a hug.  Garret *purr* needs to find the right woman.  THEO!!  OMG she steals the book!!  LOVE HER!!  But I am telling you …Christina is going to make us wait until the very last to know about Marce!  I FREAKING need to know about her!!  I am consumed with the need to know!!!  AHHHHH,………….

Christina McKnight is a book lover turned writer. From a young age, her mother encouraged her to tell her own stories. She’s been writing ever since. Currently, she focuses on Historical Romance.

Christina enjoys a quiet life in Northern California with her family, her wine, and lots of coffee. Oh, and her books…don’t forget her books! Most days she can be found writing, reading, or traveling the great state of California.