Reviewer: Tracy How to Play the Game of Love by Harmony Williams
Series: Ladies of Passion #1
Publication Date: October 17th 2016
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He’s everything she thinks she doesn’t want.
When Miss Rose Wellesley’s father threatens an arranged marriage, she knows she'd better settle on a choice quickly or end up having no say in who she marries. Fortunately, she's garnered a rare invitation to Lady Dunlop's "Week of Love" house party, an annual affair notorious for matchmaking. Her plans to expedite a proposal would go smoothly if not for the brash younger sister she must chaperone, her outspoken, disagreeable best friend, and the bullish Lord Hartfell who seems determined to dog her every step.
Lord Hartfell embodies every last thing Rose dislikes in a man. He’s domineering, tenacious, argumentative, and a little too casual with his nudity for her tastes. Worst of all, Rose can't seem to get him—or his kisses—out of her mind.
Rose is determined to find a more appropriate husband, even if her heart disagrees with how unsuitable the stubborn lord is…
Rose, her sixteen-year-old sister, Daisy, and her friends Francine and Mary are all at a house party. This is what Rose thinks of as her last chance. Her father has said that if she doesn’t choose a husband soon that he’ll choose one for her. She’s had marriage proposals but she hasn’t loved any of them. She wants love – is that so wrong? Her father wants her married before Rose’s sister has her first season and he’s not about to take no for an answer.
The house party that the girls are at are is a notorious week-long party that supposedly is the week of love. Many couples get married after meeting at this party every year and Rose wants that too. The first night Rose sees Captain Frederick Paine and falls in love. He helped her out of a mud puddle once when she was younger and she found him honorable. Now he’s not only honorable but a soldier and good-looking. Unfortunately when Rose starts to make her move it seems that Frederick isn’t interested in her and she’s thwarted by a man named Lord Hartfell. She tries to get away from him throughout the week but it seems they’re paired together quite often. As much as Rose doesn’t want to admit that she likes him she seems to be falling for him. When she finds out who he really is, she’s incensed and hurt and wants nothing to do with him. In the end will the love she feels conquer the hurt?
Cute book, I must say. I liked the whole idea of the story and the set-up. It had a happy feel to it and Rose’s friends were supportive and just lovely people. That being said I really didn’t like Rose for most of the book. There, I said it. It’s horrible to say but she just annoyed me to no end. She was set on Frederick even when he almost gave her the cut direct. I think it was more like she wasn’t even on his radar despite she how hard she was trying to get noticed. Lord Hartfell had his quirks as well but he didn’t really deserve the nastiness that spewed from Rose’s mouth. She would kiss him then tell him off. It got old after a while.
I can’t give any spoilers away about the end of the book and what was kind of the big reveal. I will say that I thought it was well done and enjoyed how the author softened Rose up a bit in the end. It was a little too late for my liking but it was nice to see.
The story was good and I liked the writing if not the heroine. I think I’ll check out the next book in the series in the hopes that I find out some information that was left out of book one about another couple.
Rating: 3 out of 5