WITH THIS RING is Book three in Celeste Bradley's
Worthington
series. I believe this story can still be enjoyed
without having read the previous stories in this series. As
I read this book, I was charmed by both the hero and
heroine. At first I thought that WITH THIS RING would be a
conventional historical romance, but Aaron and Elektra
surprised me. How can you not love a heroine who takes
matters into her own hands and whose introduction to the
hero is when she points a loaded pistol at him after
abducting him?
In WITH THIS RING, nobody is who they appear to be. This
makes for some almost farcical moments, but it also helps
define who the characters really are. Lord Aaron Arbogast
is returning from a ten year exile a more cautious, purpose-
filled man than when he went away. He left England years
ago as a young man hounded by scandal and the notorious
moniker "Black Aaron". The complete details surrounding
that scandal are finally revealed toward the end. However,
one thing he has in common with Elektra is an inflated
sense of guilt and responsibility. Aaron has spent years
trying to be, what he believes to be, a better man in order
to gain the approval of his grandfather and thus claim his
full inheritance.
In Elektra's case, she takes it upon
herself to try to restore her family's fortune and good
name. I love that Aaron saw the real Elektra. Some family
members see her as frivolous and not interested in anything
serious. He is able to see past the surface to the good
person she really is and that everything she does is for
the benefit of her family -- most especially her youngest
sister. That elevates his desirability in my eyes. They
both see the best in each other.
I think the ruse involving Aaron posing as his valet Henry
Hastings, and his valet pretending to be Lord Aaron
Arbogast, is entertaining. I think Aaron continues with it
for as long as he does is because it gives him some freedom
to be himself and get out from under the "Black Aaron"
cloud. The secondary storyline involving the real Henry
Hastings and the romance that develops between him and the
maid is charming.
I don't think that the romance between Aaron and Elektra
would work for me if I didn't like the main characters as
much as I do. Thankfully for me, they turned out to be
fabulous. However he may have been when he was younger,
Aaron is very gallant and quick to come to a lady's
assistance. I also think he's a total sweetie and very self-
aware when it comes to his feelings, especially his
feelings for Elektra. I found the way she flabbergasted him
to be adorable. I was worried that Elektra would turn out
to be shallow, but that is not the case. As the story wore
on, she impressed me as being a very strong woman who makes
a plan and goes after what she wants, while still having a
tender heart when it comes to those she cares about.
WITH THIS RING is a charming and very romantic story with
lots of laughs along the way. The ending puts a perfect cap
on the story. I look forward to reading more books in this
series to see what happens to some of my favorite
supporting characters like Elektra's brother Lysander and
her cousin Bliss.
Elektra Worthington is the lovely middle daughter of the
eccentric, impoverished Worthington family. Her beauty means
nothing to her except as her currency to return the
Worthington name to its former glory of status, riches, and
dominance in the ballrooms of Regency England. To this end,
she will stop at nothing—even if she must kidnap a rich lord
in the process. If this lucky gentleman is just returning
from a long absence and knows nothing of the Worthington
reputation, well, a girl shouldn’t look a gift lord in the
mouth…right?
THE PRICE OF PASSION
Lord Aaron Arbogast, returning to England after a decade-old
scandal—of which he was not truly guilty, but instead took
the blame out of loyalty to a good friend—is the last of his
line. He will someday become the Earl of Arbodean and
inherit the estate…if, that is, he can prove to his ailing
grandfather that he is a reformed man. Falling for a woman
like Miss Worthington could cost him everything. But his
desire for her? Priceless…
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