Daniel Banks is a clergyman. Unlike many men in this
profession who have become vicars because it was the only
available way to make a living, he has a strong faith and
a true calling. That makes it doubly unfortunate that
his wife has left him for parts unknown because a man of
the cloth who is estranged from his wife is not going to
be greatly in demand. Daniel's brother-in-law has
arranged for him to accept a position under the
jurisdiction of Nick Haddonfield, a friend. While Nick
grumbles about Daniel's circumstances, he gives him a
chance.
Daniel married very young, and hastily. He was eager to
start his career and knew he needed a wife. Olivia
was pretty and willing, so against his father's wishes,
they married. It soon became apparent that Olivia was
selfish, mean, and downright evil. She was cruel to the
child they took in and were raising as their own. She
blackmailed the child's mother, and she stole money.
When all this came to light, she took off, leaving
Daniel. The child's birth mother was now in a position
to take him back, and the boy's leaving broke Daniel's
heart as they had a genuine love for each other and were
truly father and son. So it is a sad, broken-hearted man
who has come to the Haddonfields. Any divorce or
annulment would surely be the end of Daniel's career,
which he loves, so he just plugs away, one day at a time.
The vicarage, it turns out, is a mess. Substantial
repairs are needed, so Daniel is invited to stay in
Nick's home until his own is habitable. It's a bustling
household, which includes Nick, his wife and child,
several sisters, visiting brothers, and assorted
servants. One of Nick's sisters, Kirsten, is working on
putting the vicarage in order, and helping Daniel find
some quiet amidst the chaos. She finds Daniel
attractive, and doesn't know that he is a married man.
Daniel likes Kirsten, not realizing that she sees him as
a man, not just a vicar. When she finally is driven to
steal a kiss, Daniel is horrified to find himself
initially responding. He backs away, and blurts out the
truth of his marriage.
Not long after, Daniel receives word that his wife has
died. He is honest enough to not even pretend to grieve.
Soon, he and Kirsten have developed a firm friendship,
and they begin to explore that simmering attraction that
has been there from the beginning. Daniel may be a
vicar, but he's also a man who feels love and passion.
Kirsten is perfect for him. She fits his life,
she understands him, and she has wonderful solutions to
many of his problems. She has also been wounded by
fickle relationships, and carries a secret
burden. Their love begins to heal them both, and puts
them on the road to happiness - or does it?
The evil Olivia is still in the picture, and it's
heartbreaking to see these two wonderful people lose
their chance at happiness because of one evil, greedy
person. If ever two people were perfect for each other,
and deserving of a happy ever after, it's Daniel and
Kirsten. They are so skillfully written that their love
and heartbreak jump off the page and pull you in. I
cared for them, which is what a skillful author will make
you do. I wondered how this was going to all work out -
there are moments when your heart will break for Daniel
and Kirsten, when it seems there is no hope. Then Grace
Burrowes performs her usual magic and takes you in a
whole another direction. DANIEL'S TRUE DESIRE is a
beautifully written, warm, and passionate love story
that left me with a book hangover in the best sense. I
love this book and give it my highest recommendation.
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes
comes a
brand-new Regency romance filled with love, desire, and drama.
An honorable life
Daniel Banks is a man of the cloth whose vocation is the last comfort
he has left-and
even his churchman's collar is beginning to feel like a noose. At the
urging of family,
Daniel attempts to start his life over as vicar in the sleepy Kentish
town of Haddondale,
family seat to the earls of Bellefonte.
Challenged by passion
Lady Kirsten Haddonfield has resigned herself to a life of
spinsterhood. Then the
handsome new village vicar, Reverend Daniel Banks, becomes a guest of
the
Haddonfield family while the vicarage is being renovated, and Kirsten
finds herself
rethinking her position. Lady Kirsten does not know that Daniel's past
is about to cast a
shadow on love's future.
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