Matchmaking mayhem in Mayfair!Sally Cowan, Countess of Norwood, spent ten miserable years married to an overbearing oaf. Now she’s free, she plans to have some fun. But before she kicks her heels up, this Dashing Widow sets out to launch her pretty, headstrong niece Meg into society and find her a good husband. When rich and charming Sir Charles Kinglake gives every sign that he can’t get enough … every sign that he can’t get enough of Meg’s company, Sally is delighted to play chaperone at all their meetings. Charles is everything that’s desirable in a gentleman suitor. How disastrous, when over the course of the season’s most elegant house party, Sally realizes that desire is precisely the name of the game. She’s found her niece’s perfect match—but she wants him for herself!
There are none so blind as those who will not see…
From the moment Sir Charles Kinglake meets sparkling Lady Norwood, he’s smitten. He courts her as a gentleman should—dancing with her at every glittering ball, taking her to the theatre, escorting her around London. Because she’s acting as chaperone to her niece, that means most times, Meg accompanies them. The lack of privacy chafes a man consumed by desire, but Charles’s intentions are honorable, and he’s willing to work within the rules to win the wife he wants.
However when he discovers that his careful pursuit has convinced Sally he’s interested in Meg rather than her, he flings the rules out the window. When love is at stake, who cares about a little scandal? It’s time for charming Sir Charles to abandon the subtle approach and play the passionate lover, not the society suitor!
Now with everything at sixes and sevens, Sir Charles risks everything to show lovely Lady Norwood they make the perfect pair!
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Charming Sir Charles is the fifth book in the Dashing Widows series by Anna Campbell. This series originally was of three young widows just out of mourning who decide to have some fun… fortunately for those of us who have loved this series, Anna Campbell decided to continue on with three more widows and a jilted suitor from one of the previous books.
Sir Charles Kinglake was all that a girl could wish in a husband. Kind, sophisticated, rich and madly attractive as well. Unfortunately the woman of his dreams persists in thinking of him as a friend not a lover.
Sally Cowan, Countess of Norwood married at seventeen to a man she’d quietly grown to despise. She believes her self too old for romance. So when she starts to have feelings for Sir Charles the man she believes is interested in her niece she panics!
Charles was a wonderful hero and I really felt sorry for him that Sally refused to see and accept he was interested in her. Everyone could see he was smitten with Sally and that they were more suited for each other, and yet she struggled to see it. It was very obvious that Sally’s previous marriage had truly destroyed her confidence. One of my most favorite moments was when Morwenna stepped in and had a heart to heart with Sally to help her see clearly! I’m so happy these two wonderful people finally found their way and gained their HEA! Another fantastic story to add to this series. I am really enjoying all the “Dashing Widows”!
3,5 stars
After reading ‘Mistletoe and the major’ (a very intense and emotional Christmas story that I just adored) I was really looking forward to Anna Campbell’s new book. The problem with adoring an intense story is that your expectations are maybe too high for the next story? Because although I loved the writing (the love scenes were really good and everything I could ask for), I must confess that after ending the story I was left a little bit unsatisfied with it.
Sir Charles Kinglake was everything that you could hope for in a regency man, He is a gentle and cultural man who can also be strong when needed. Sally Cowan’s niece Meg was also a great character and I’m sure that if the writer ever decides to write a book about her, her story will be a very fascinating one and her future husband will have his hands full with her. So I think that the problem lays with Sally Cowan’s character. I found it difficult that after such a passionate event and such a passionate declaration van Charles, she would turn her back to all that. Yes, she had had a bad marriage but if you have such strong feelings, wouldn’t you want your dreams to come true? At the end she did go for the dream but I wasn’t totally convince about her strong feelings for him.
The story is told from both POV’s. There is no cheating.
‘Charming Sir Charles’ is a novella so that’s perfect when you are in the mood for a romance story but you don’t have much time. Anna Campbell does know how to write passionate, lovely historical romance stories and like always I’m looking forward to her next book.