Hawthorne Dorning either finds a way to turn his family’s vast botanical resources into a successful commercial venture, or the estate the Dornings have called home for centuries could be broken up. He loves the land and he’s never shied away from hard work, but he knows nothing about creating perfumes or fragrances.Margaret Summerfield has put aside her passion for scent-making to tend to the … to the serious business of raising her little nieces. She’s no longer the girl who wandered the countryside by the hour, lost in the pleasures of nature, nor does she want to be. Hawthorne needs her help, but what does he have that could possibly tempt Margaret to entangle herself with his dreams?
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I love family series books and this Grace Burrowes series is a gift that keeps on giving with brothers and sisters galore. I would suggest starting with book 1 so you know the characters who twine through the books.
Another great entry in the series. Enjoyed watching these two characters come together and make a success of both their lives and their business enterprises. Hawthorne Dorning is charged with making their estate prosperous by using their botanical bounty, he is the one everyone else in the family relies on to be steady. However, he knows nothing about making their product different enough that the ‘ton’ will buy it. Margaret Summerfield is a widow, in charge of her two nieces and their inheritances, and trying very hard to keep both the girls and their money from an obnoxious brother-in-law. Thorne and Margaret have a history, being neighbors for many years, and also have hidden desires for each other. They strike a deal to work together and in the process, a happily-ever-after for all.
Interesting secondary characters.
I love her books, romantic without in your face sex scenes.
This most recent book in Grace’s True Gentlemen series finds yet another of the.Dorning men falling in love with a most worthy woman. An engaging and heart warming story. I highly recommend.
Grace Burrowes created another little gem of a story. A Lady of True Distinction combines her usual flair for romance with some of my favorite topics: herbalism and perfume. The result is a heady swirl of a novel that skips the typical drama and misunderstandings to give you a pure romance. I loved Hawthorne as a hero, and Margaret was a perfect foil. Their relationship develops so subtly and sweetly, a charming second chance romance with characters I’d totally have over for tea.
Excellent!
Yeeehhj finally, I did it!
Mrs Grace Burrowes was the last author in my list for Le Festival du Roman Feminin I haven’t yet read a piece of her work.
She has written so many books, I didn’t know with which one to begin for. So I took the easy road and choose her latest release to date, launched right ten days before the event.
I needed a little time to adjust Mrs Burrowes writing style, I’m no writing style specialist nor language expert but this author’s work was very specific to her name and so different from what I have read so far.
Despite this being the seventh in a series, i never felt lost.
After I turned the last page, I did comprehend all the different layers that composed Margaret ‘s personality, she is utterly loyal and payed her share for her past mistakes but will do anything for those under her care. The last twist surprised me but when I give some thoughts about it, it was ran smoothly by Mrs Burrowes, she distilled the right amount of clues, I do registered them but did not put them together.
Well done!
Hawthorne is probably not the first Dornings sibling who comes to mind but he is the one whom to rely on and so everyone relies on him, he is the quiet hard worker managing everything on the earldom estate, and his last near impossible task unsettles him.
So what began as a journey to help restore his family wealth turned to a pas-de-deux to rescue himself and Margaret.
« “You are the one who works hard, who never complains, who behaves well under all circumstances, who is loyal to his loved ones, and who knows how to kiss a woman so she dreams delightful dreams and stares out of windows, hoping to see you riding over the hill.” »
It was not the usual tale, there was no unnecessary angst nor miscommunication, Hawthorne is a very reliable man, he tells his thoughts and ponders all the ins and outs before acting and once he has made an oath, he won’t bulge. I adored how forthright he is, he does not lie nor hide behind banalities. He tells what he feels and what he hopes.
Bancroft was a ruffian I enjoyed hating him and his dismissal from Margaret’s life was awesomely crafted. I hope to read in the future more about the Dornings siblings, like Valerian and Miss Petter.
A Lady of True Distinction is a charming second chance romance set in Dorset, England. The novel is well -paced, the characters are superbly written and the rural setting is perfect. The romance which developed between neighbors Thorne Dorning and Margaret Summerfield captivated me and kept me turning the pages.
Hawthorne Dorning is one of my favorite Grace Burrowes male leads. He is a good, caring man who is liked and respected by everyone in the community. Thorne has assumed the role of land steward of Dorning Hall. He takes his responsibilities seriously. He deals with his older brother, Lord Casriel’s, demands, listens to his younger brothers concerns and works alongside his tenants during planting and haying seasons. The Dornings are the classic example of land rich and cash poor land owners. Casriel has issued an ultimatum to his brothers; they need to make their Father’s botanical inheritance into a thriving business or he will be forced to sell off pieces of the estate.
Margaret Summerfield is a widow who is raising her two young nieces. Margaret’s estate Summerton is thriving. She follows a successful crop rotation plan, visits her tenants and attends the local community events. Margaret was well regarded for her medicinal herbal remedies and perfumes before she married. Thorne is aware of Margret’s knowledge and visits her.
I love Grace Burrowes’ descriptive writing style and her dialogue. Loved when Thorne arranged a picnic dinner with sandwiches, his brother’s favorite chocolates and flowers in Margaret’s bluebell woods. I fell a bit in love with Thorne as he listened to Margaret’s talk about her lonely childhood, tempted her with apple tarts and chocolates and romanced her.
Margaret trusts Thorne enough to confide in him that she believes that her brother-in-law is scheming to take her nieces to the family estate. Bancroft Summerfield’s estate is heavily mortgaged and he needs to marry a wealthy heiress and get control of his niece’s inheritance to avoid bankruptcy.
Hoping to avoid this situation, Thorne and Margaret decide to marry by special license. Bancroft exercises his right as co guardian and the girls are taken to his home for a two week visit. Loved that Thorne and his brothers worked together to bring the girls home. Thorne accepted Margaret’s past actions without hesitation. He truly understands why the girls are so important to her and what she has given up to raise them
The conflict between Margaret and Bancroft kept the plot moving. Loved the scene when Bancroft told Thorne that Margaret killed her first husband and that was the real reason the girls should be raised by him. Bancroft is one of the author’s best villains- a greedy, jealous, bully masquerading as a charming, gentleman farmer. Bancroft’s actions combined with Thorne and Margaret’s romance held my interest throughout the novel. The conclusion has several surprising plot twists and reveals.
And the epilogue? It’s a perfect peak into the Dornings future!
A Lady of True Distinction has all the feels—it’s an emotional, deeply romantic story with captivating characters and a fabulous storyline! It’s the perfect romantic read for a rainy weekend-be prepared to spend the afternoon with the Dornings as their story will captivate you from the first page.
This is the seventh book in the True Gentlemen series, but can be read as a standalone book. It was the first book I have read in the series and was just as wonderful as all of Grace Burrowes’s books! It was so well written and easy to read. Once I started to read the book, I couldn’t put it down. The characters were so sweet and enjoyable to read about. There were several obstacles (guardianship of children, family projects, etc) they had to overcome to have their HEA and in the end it worked out so well. I would highly recommend this book.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.