Though Rose Sherbourne is sister to a duke, her life hasn't been easy. Her mother was involved in a scandal, and the shocking event Rose witnessed affected her so strongly that she didn't speak for several years. Her siblings treat her like fragile glass, but there is someone who understands her and lets her be herself. Seventeen-year-old Rose finds comfort and solace in the stables, and she has a true friend in Charles Holland, the young stable master. Though Charles finds Rose attractive and is half in love with her, he knows that their relationship can never be more than friendship because of the difference in their stations in life. Although it's painful, Charles leaves to find another position and to follow his dream of owning land of his own. He never answers the letters that Rose has sent to him.
Years have passed, and Rose has recovered her speech. She has never married, and has chosen to act as a companion to Lady Bonneville. While she has moved Charles to the back of her mind, she can't let go of wanting to find answers about her mother, who deserted her family years ago after the scandal and has never contacted them again. When Lady Bonneville decides to visit a friend, Lady Yardley, Rose jumps at the chance to accompany her as this lady was a close friend of her mother's and may have some answers. Once there, Rose is caught snooping in Lady Yardley's personal correspondence by the steward, who turns out to be none other than Charles Holland.
Both Charles and Rose are shocked to see the other, and while they both feel happy, they are also both wary. Charles' loyalty is to his employer, and someone going through her papers could be a threat. Rose can't confess her real motivation, so her made up excuses sound lame, and rouse Charles's suspicion even further. While they are initially somewhat stilted with each other, the more they meet, the more their old friendship and easy camaraderie comes back. Soon, Rose tells Charles the truth and he agrees to help her despite how it endangers his own livelihood. In addition to their friendship, their attraction, which never really died, returns in a big way. Their chemistry is as strong as ever, and before their passion gets out of control, Charles confesses that he is about to leave for America to follow his dream of owning his own land.
ONE WILD WINTER'S EVE is a different take on the forbidden love between classes as it's usually about a high-ranking man and a woman of a lower station, so this story was a breath of fresh air. Charles is an excellent hero. He is not carrying a chip on his shoulder, and he is not surly and resentful. He's hard working, realistic, and determined. He's also loyal, and his helping Rose causes jeopardy to not only his dreams, but his very life. Rose is not a typical haughty aristocrat, concerned only with material things and social standing. Her actions when Charles is endangered are heroic. Together, these two just fit. They are honest, they talk, and they are on fire for each other. I love both these characters, and Anne Barton provided a very satisfactory solution to their quandary. This well written, enjoyable, and romantic story receives my solid recommendation.
ONCE YOU'VE HAD A TASTE OF SCANDAL . . .
As the Duke of Huntford's sister, Lady Rose Sherbourne
follows the rules of well-bred society. Always
chaperoned.
Never engaging in unseemly behavior. Well, except for
that
one summer, years ago. And yet she's never been able to
forget that handsome stable master or the stolen moments
they shared. She's always wondered what might have
happened
if he hadn't disappeared without a word . . . Now she's
about to find out.
YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK
Charles Holland never expected to see Lady Rose again.
And
yet the years haven't lessened his devotion-or his
desire-in
any way. Despite their differences in class, Charles
cannot
stop himself from wanting to possess her. But as they
uncover one intimate secret after another about her
family,
they realize that, this time, their love may come at a
very
dear price . . .
She was tired of being dismissed, deserted, and forgotten. Years
might have passed, but the ache in her chest was a permanent,
palpable thing. Mama was missing; Papa was dead. And now Charles was
here, in the flesh, exposing all the hurt and the grief once again.
She couldnβt walk away.
βWhy do you want me to leave, Charles? Does it make you uncomfortable
that the girl who once visited you in the stables has made an
appearance in your new life?β
βNo.β His brows, several shades darker than his golden hair, drew
together. It was a glimpse of the old Charlesβthe one who would
sooner die than hurt her, the one who looked at her with undisguised
longing. βI heard some of the staff in the hallway. I didnβt think
youβd want to be discovered here. With me.β
Well, that did make senseβ¦but wait. As of this moment, she was
through with giving people the benefit of the doubt. Especially the
ones whoβd let her down.
βIf you are truly concerned for my reputation,β she said, βwhy donβt
you leave? Itβs what a gentleman would do.β
She regretted the words the moment sheβd uttered them. Sheβd only
meant to point out that his behavior was less than gallant, not to
belittle his station or to wound his pride.
Throwing off the mask of polite behavior, he leaned toward her and
curled his mouth into a wicked smile.
βYou should know, Rose, that Iβm no gentleman.β
His breath was a caress on her neck, his words a heady elixir. This
was the closest heβd ever come to flirting with her. And she had to
admitβ¦she liked it. So much so, that she almost forgot he had caught
her brazenly riffling through the contents of his employerβs desk
drawer.
But the suspicion in his beautiful brown eyes told her that he hadnβt
forgotten.
βWhat were you really doing in here?β His whispered question invited
her confidences and promised understanding.
But this was not the Charles sheβd known beforeβpredictable, solid,
and safe. As his heavy-lidded gaze shifted over her, her pulse leaped
in her throat, confirming her thoughts. There was nothing safe about
him.
βExcuse me, I must go.β Just as she started to sweep past him,
footsteps sounded in the hall. Charles grasped her upper arm, pulled
her away from the desk, and almost carried her to the shadowed area
between the large open door and a bookcase. He pressed her back
against the shelves and held a calloused finger to her lips.
Roseβs whole body tingled.
Charles stood very close, his torso a mere inch from Roseβs. It was
too dark to see his faceβto see anything, reallyβbut somehow she felt
the intensity of his gaze upon her, heating her skin. The air fairly
crackled around them. And his finger still rested on her lips.
It was funny how one little transgression led to another. Her heart
pounded in her chest from fear, desire, and delight at her own
daring. No one would believe that the always obedient and demure Rose
was hiding in the shadows of Lady Yardleyβs drawing room. With a man.
The same virile, breathtakingly handsome man whom sheβd once believed
she loved. The man sheβd never been quite able to forget.
© 2003-2026