Sophia has sacrificed everything for her younger sister, Lucy. She has removed them from the only home they ever knew, taken on the care of Lucy’s illegitimate son, George, and even assumed the role of a widow and mother to erase all hint of scandal from the boy’s birth. But rumour continues to follow them like the darkest of clouds, and Sophia must adapt to her new existence as a false widow with no prospects beyond the doors of her small cottage.
Lord Haughton will stop at nothing to prevent the slightest whiff of disgrace from tainting his family’s name. When he learns of his younger brother’s latest indiscretion-one that leaves a bastard child in his wake-Haughton rushes across the country to offer the boy’s mother a comfortable living in exchange for her silence about the child’s true parentage. But he arrives only to have his generous offer thrown back in his face by Sophia Brixton, a sharp-tongued and sharper-witted woman who proceeds to toss him out of her house. But just because he is banished from her home does not mean he is so easily banished from her life.
My View
This is the first book I have read by Quenby Olsen and I found it a very enjoyable read, it is a light and witty tale of finding love in the most unexpected places.
When Finnian’s father dies and he doesn’t only just take on the title he also takes on his brother’s secret debts and disgraces, it is going through the bills and letters in his father’s office that pertain to his younger brother David, that he finds a letter from a woman claiming to have had conceived and delivered David’s child. His illegitimate son! Finnian will do anything in his power to make sure that his family is not touched by any kind of scandal so he decides to pay off the mother to keep her silent.
He personally travels the country to meet this woman who could ruin his family, he fully expects to have the contract signed the money paid and then return to London within a matter of hours. Only what he doesn’t expect is the mother has done a bunk and his nephew is being raised by the mother’s sister. Sophia turns out to be completely different to what he is used to and more than that she downright refuses his offer.
Finnian doesn’t know what to do he isn’t accustomed to being refused and certainly not now he has the title, but yet this fiery redhead had done just that and said no to him and practically told him to bugger off.
Finnian is great, the way he gets affronted every time Sophia refuses him is very funny he acts like the Lord of the manner that he is and I did at first think that he was a bit too pompous and arrogant for his own good. You soon realise that he is just trying to keep his head above water since he inherited the title life has been one giant headache.
“Please, Sophia. Don’t apologize.” His voice was nearer, she realized. He was nearer. “Never before have I interrupted a more beautiful scene.”
Sophia had been looking after her nephew over the last few months since her sister went and did a bunk in the middle of the night. She has sacrificed so much for her selfish sister, Lucy. She moved them to a tiny village in the country and hid her sister away until she had the baby and then took on a new identity of a young widow passing the baby off as her own so her sister wouldn’t have to suffer from the stigma of being a flighty unwed single mother.
Sophia is really at the end of her tether since Lucy ran she is now the sole carer of George, her nephew. She gets sneers sent her way but she carries on even though the money is running out and George is getting bigger. But she wouldn’t change anything, this is her life now and this is what she will fight tooth and nail to protect which is exactly what she does when a dangerously handsome Lord turns up.
He is a dangerous hot-headed man who knows exactly what his looks and wealth can do to a woman, but he is equally brusque and gruff and he doesn’t really communicate very well except when he is dishing out orders. When I first met Finnian I was in two minds about him, to me he was one of those characters that took a bit of warming to, but he won me around eventually and I do like characters that little bit more when they work extra hard to win your affection.
Sophia, I did like instantly she is a solid woman she had been chucked in at the deep end by her selfish and senseless sister, but she is managing she is proud and extremely protective of her nephew. She is a woman after my own heart telling the aristocratic Finnian exactly what she thinks of him. And then chucking him out on in arse is pure brilliance.
The chemistry between Sophia and Finnian is very much love to hate they are definitely at their best when bickering or when she is giving him grief but they have some really adorable moments and the author has captured their caring and kindred spirits perfectly especially when they are bonding over baby George.
“Don’t be facetious,” he chided her, as he bounced George on his knee. “Then please refrain from being such a clod, stomping in here with your bags of money. Not every problem can be whisked away under the influence of a few battered coins.”
I did like this, it started off a bit slow for my liking and it took a while for the character’s personalities to really show themselves but once that had happened it was a charming and fun read and one that I would recommend. This would be perfect for first-time Historical Romance readers it is fun, light and a lovely read. The characters are so different but yet once they have thawed and got past each of their own issues they do make a lovely couple I did think it very unexpected but yet they work well.
I found Olsen’s writing to be utterly charming she builds the plot and characters up nicely if a little slowly but still she is definitely a new author that I will be reading again.
Sweet and charming.
This was a complimentary copy via the author in exchange for an honest review.
The First Born is out now and can be found on Amazon.
Chicks,Rogues and Scandals 