I received a copy of The Lord’s Unlikely Betrothal by Ella Matthews from NetGalley. This historical romance book is the third addition to the author’s Dashworth Brothers series. The story follows the youngest brother, Lord Christopher, and Miss Sophia Jacobs. Both of them are caught by the ton in an unfortunate situation due to a misunderstanding and forced to get engaged.
Christopher and Sophia are caught in an incident, and the ton forces them to get engaged. They reluctantly agree to the arrangement to save their families’ reputation. Sophia has her eyes set on another man; someone she has admired for years. On the other hand, Christopher has a reputation for being unserious and immature because of his past behaviour. With the engagement, all their plans have changed. Stuck together, Sophia and Christopher decide to find ways to break their engagement without harming their reputations in society. They start spending time together, and to their surprise, they get along really well.
The story completely leans into the slow burn romance trope along with fake dating. There is definitely chemistry between Sophia and Christopher from the beginning. As they spend time together, they start seeing each other through a different lens. Sophia is aware of Christopher’s reputation, and she is a little judgmental about him. She starts to realise that there is a whole different side to him; his persona is more like a front in public, but with family and her, he is different. The small, intimate moments between them continue to deepen their bond.
The development of their relationship was the best part of the story. Both have insecurities about themselves. Sophia is always careful and cautious, unlike her sisters, who say or do whatever pleases them; she believes she is dull for someone like Christopher, who has a thriving social life. Christopher is gentle and more playful than how he lets others perceive him. As their connection grows, they feel comfortable showing their true selves and accepting their issues. The emotional stakes are high because Sophia and Christopher believe their flaws might not be accepted. There is a constant pull and push, balanced with banter, making their romantic payoff feel worthwhile.
The Lord’s Unlikely Betrothal by Ella Matthews is a fun and romantic historical romance. It is not highly dramatic, which I really liked, but it also has an emotional weight. These characters are so well-written and coupled with the previous couples, the family scenes are so cute. It’s more of a character-driven romance, and a proper slow burn; I really liked reading it.
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