A Return of Devotion ~ Review

A Return of Devotion
Haven Manor #2
By Kristi Ann Hunter

For more than thirteen years Daphne Blakemoor has been out of the notice of society following the biggest misstep of her life - one that ruined not only her but her best friend as well. Kit has reclaimed the life that she gave up with her recent marriage but Daphne still calls Haven Manor home though everything is about to change. With most of the children that they've housed and cared for over the years placed in homes, Daphne and Jess have less to do but they are about to take on new rolls so that can stay on. Daphne has assumed the role of housekeeper while Jess the role of cook and the three remaining older children various roles in the estate staff.

William, the new Marquis of Chemford has decided to make the estate his temporary residence and his arrival has created a most unexpected situation, one that has Daphne's long-held secret teetering on the edge of discovery. She's sure she can come up with a plan to keep Lord Chemford from ever seeing Benjamin, the son she has never claimed as her own. She just needs a little time. Of course, her actions just might have Lord Chemford looking for a new housekeeper.

William needs to escape from the pressures that have come to him following his father's death. He's determined to be as different from his father as he can be and his first decision has him seeking the peace and solitude of the country estate his father never set foot on. But peace is the last thing he is about to find when his seemingly wacky housekeeper all but thwarts his every step with her demands.

Daphne has allowed herself one too many times to be caught up in her imaginings and Lord Chemford's coming has just added a new element to her dreams. But that is all they will ever be, even had she not ruined her future she would never have been within his social circle as she was on the outer edges. But what harm could come from dreaming?

This is the second book of the Haven Manor series. The first book A Defense of Honor introduced readers to the world of societies castoffs - children who could never be accepted by the society that brought them forth as they were the result of a lady's ruination and poor judgment. Daphne was one of these lady's but she refused to give up her son though none of the children that she, Kit, and Jess knew of her ties to Benjamin. The long-abandoned estate in which they had been living is now no longer an option for providing a safe haven for castoff children. Caring for the children has been Daphne's life and in a sense her identity with everything that has taken place she finds herself without a purpose. William comes to Haven Manor with his own deep wounds that are tied to his parents failed marriage and his father's lack of involvement. Can these two wounded souls find healing in letting go of their secrets?

Fans of Kristi Ann Hunter's work will enjoy her return to Regency-era England. This book could be read on its own but readers will be left with questions much like William is if they don't read the first book before starting this one. I highly recommend this book it is the perfect way to spend a long snowy weekend (the last two weeks have brought several feet - so a cozy corner with a warm cup of tea and a pile of books is my weekend plan).

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts are my own.


About the Book:
Daphne Blakemoor was content living in her own secluded world for the last twelve years. She had everything she needed--loved ones, a true home, and time to indulge her imagination. But when ownership of the estate where she works as a housekeeper passes to a new marquis with an undeniable connection to her past, everything she's come to rely upon is threatened.

William, Marquis of Chemsford's main goal in life is to be the exact opposite of his father. Starting a new life in the peace and quiet of the country sounds perfect . . . until his housekeeper turns his life upside down. 

Both Daphne and William have spent their lives hiding from the past. Can they find the courage to face their deepest wounds and, perhaps, forge a new path for the future together?