Review: How to Woo a Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffries

Holly‘s review of How to Woo a Reluctant Lady (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Book 3) by Sabrina Jeffries

The third novel in Sabrina Jeffries’s “Hellions of Hallstead Hall” series, featuring the independent and talented Lady Minerva Sharpe.

When a charming rogue proposes she marry him to meet her grandmother’s ultimatum, the Sharpe clan’s strong-willed sister makes a tempting counter-offer that preserves her inheritance and ignites his imagination.

Lady Minerva Sharpe has the perfect plan to thwart her grandmother’s demands: become engaged to a rogue! Surely Gran would rather release her inheritance than see her wed a scoundrel. And who better to play the part of Minerva’s would-be husband than wild barrister Giles Masters, the very inspiration for the handsome spy in the popular Gothic novels she writes? The memory of his passionate kiss on her nineteenth birthday has lingered in Minerva’s imagination, though she has no intention of really falling for such a rakehell, much less marrying him. Little does she know, he really is a covert government operative. When they team up to investigate the mystery behind her parents’ deaths, their fake betrothal leads to red-hot desire. Then Minerva discovers Giles’s secret double life, and he must use all the cunning tricks of his trade to find his way back into her heart.

I’m really enjoying Jeffries’ Hellions of Halstead series. This latest installment was different in that the lady didn’t want to be married, but the gentleman did. I always love stories where the reluctant heroine needs to be wooed into a relationship by the besotted man.

Minerva Sharpe has wanted Giles for a long time, but he sees her as a child. Not only was she too young for him, but her older brothers made it clear she was off limits to the likes of him. Until her 19th birthday when they shared a kiss – one that rocked Giles and Minerva both. Determined to save her from himself, Giles says some nasty things to her. As a result, Minerva creates a villain in her novels based on Giles.

The problem is she uses real-life situations and since Giles really is a government agent, he needs her to stop before other people realize she’s writing about him and get suspicious. The best way to make that happen? Marry her. The fact that he’s in need of a wife, truly enjoys Minerva’s company, and finds her extremely attractive is just icing on the cake. But of course he needs to convince her…

Minerva has seen what marriage can to do a person and knows it isn’t for her. She’s perfectly content to remain alone for the rest of her days, being the favorite aunt and writing novels. She doesn’t want a husband who will dictate her life, or stop her from doing the things she loves. Giles is an enigma to her. She’s vowed to hate him, but he makes it very difficult to stay angry with him. He seems to genuinely care for her, yet she knows that can’t be so. Can it?

Giles was a bit of a surprise. Though it was alluded to in previous novels that he had more substance than we saw, it was still a shock to see him as an upstanding barrister rather than a playboy. He had a reputation as a wild man-about-town who gambled too much and spent a lot of time with the opposite sex. That wasn’t truly who he was, he only played it up to keep his cover for his government work. Proving it to Minerva was difficult, but he persevered. It was good to see that his reputation wasn’t just brushed aside. That was a major sticking point with Minerva and she didn’t let him off the hook about it easily. At the same time, it was easy to see he cared for her and wanted to see her happy. I’m a sap for a man who truly wants his woman to be happy, even if that means making sacrifices in his own life to see it happen.

Minerva had every reason to want to remain single. She had a means to support herself through her writing and she’d have her freedom. She didn’t expect Giles to intrigue her as much as he did. Though she was reluctant to enter into a marriage with him, she still took the time to get to know him. I liked that she didn’t judge him solely on his past behavior, but agreed to consider the man he was when he was with her.

Giles’ lack of trust in Minerva began to grate after awhile. It was understandable that he was concerned with what she’d put in her books early in the story, but as their relationship progressed and he came to know her better I thought that was a weak argument on his part. Similarly I was disappointed with the way Minerva brushed it aside as fairly minor once she found out. That should have been the major problem between them, not a minor side-issue.

That aside, this was a well told love story. I really enjoyed both Giles and Minerva as well as the full cast of secondary characters. With each story, the series just gets better.

4 out of 5

The series:

This book is available from Pocket Star. You can buy it here or here in e-format.