I've had some major mixed feelings after reading this book, BUT the fact I'm still thinking about it a few days after reading it is not necessarily a bad thing.

Trigger warning for rape (implied and described) and alcoholism.

Basically, a former soldier finds himself a very poor Earl after the death of a gambling addict family member. Poor Roman Gilchrist, now Earl of Rochdale, is now responsible for paying off all of the gambling debt, ASAP. Cue the search for a rich wife who is in want of a title, and lo and behold, a young lady who ruined his commission due to a scandal many years ago, a lady who he once wished to marry, is available!

What Rochdale doesn't know is that Leonie has been suffering for years after the "scandal" and depends on alcohol to get her through her days. She has no wish to marry as she has no desire to ever be physically intimate with a man again.

But Leonie is forced into matters by Rochdale's persistence and her family's need for title. She begs for a marriage in name only, which he never promises, and soon finds herself the Countess of a ramshackle estate and in charge of a family that she is increasingly unable to hide her problem from.

Secrets, lies, and misunderstandings plague the characters' journey to their HEA. I often found myself annoyed with their actions, and found Roman to not be a very likeable hero. I get Leonie's troubles, I understand her bad behaviors, and I can forgive them. He is kind of an ass for how he treats her.

Plus, I'm sorry, but if Leonie was raped I find it super hard to believe she'd be so easily swayed into sex and find it so super enjoyable right away. Sex is the glue holding these characters together for a long time, and I just didn't buy it.

I was also a bit sad about the lack of time we get with the Spinster Heiresses (Leonie's friends) who drop off the page as soon as Leonie is wedded and bedded. We know one is short, one is tall, and one is Leonie, and they like to play a stupid points game to make flirting more fun. I'm told we'll see the tall one's story next.

Leonie's journey to sobriety also seems a bit quick, and I wish there was an epilogue showing the characters a few years later to see how they all fared, slip-ups and all.

Thank you to Avon for the ARC!