Childhood sweethearts, missed opportunities, and a marriage proposal. Constance Lysander and Jonathan Sykeston are childhood sweethearts, however Jonathan left for war and returns 10 years later to find Constance married... except her husband has married 2 other woman and suddenly died and left them all with his debts. Constance needs a husband, someone who can support her and be a good father to her daughter, and who better than the man she has loved all her life? Except, Jonathan is not the same, not after the injuries he suffered in the war, both emotionally and physically. Jonathan thinks he doesn’t deserve to be loved, that he doesn’t deserve to be Constance’s husband but he can’t find it in himself to deny her anything. So Constance proposes to Jonathan and he accepts... except he lays down specific rules they will have to follow so that he will not get hurt... yet Constance wants more. She wants the man she knows Jonathan to be underneath all the pain, to be with her, she wants a marriage of love, she wants him... now he has to see if he can resist her long enough and if he can find it in himself to heal and see that he’s not as broken as he thinks and that he deserves to be loved and love in return. There is also the matter that Jonathan’s superior has betrayed him and he could be court-martialed any day.. and that his butler wrote fake love letters to Constance to convince her that he wants her in his home... and that Constance is being hounded by a business partner who demands she give him money. Can these two people survive all their secrets and past hurt and move into a life they both so desperately want? This was a continuation of the first story, but can be read as a standalone ( though I think you’d find it more fun to see the characters from the first book cameo in this book). This story definitely deals with the insecurities and self doubt you can have after traumatic events and how healing has to begin with yourself. Jonathan was definitely a super grumpy antisocial character but he melts for the sweet optimistic Constance. I would say the only thing for me was that the resolution between the major issue between them seemed to be over so fast and I was expecting a bit more work on Jonathan’s part in addressing everything that had occurred between them. Constance is super sweet and forgiving but I was hoping they would discuss the major issue between the two of them more and that there would be a bit more of time for them both to heal from the damage of the major conflict between them. I do enjoy grand gestures and Jonathan definitely tried his best. Overall a sweet story and definitely would rec for anyone who likes romance novels with heart.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Paperbacks for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*