They had a deal...From the moment she met the devil-may-care Duke of Margrave, Edie knew he could change her life. And when he agreed to her outrageous proposal of a marriage of convenience, she was transformed from ruined American heiress to English duchess. Five years later, she's delighted with their arrangement, especially since her husband is living on another continent.But deals are made to be broken...By marrying an heiress, Stuart was able to pay his family's enormous debts, and Edie's terms that he leave England forever seemed a small price to pay. But when a brush with death impels him home, he decides it's time for a real marriage with his luscious American bride, and he proposes a bold new bargain: ten days to win her willing kiss. But is ten days enough to win her heart?
An American Heiress in London. Book 2
Well, this was a good book but it also felt like a let down.
Edie is mentioned in the first book, she is kinda that one time when Belinda was mistaken and considered the union of Edie and Stuart as her personal failure, having no idea that this was Edie's goal to have a nominal husband all along, just so she won't have to return to New York where all her nightmares originated.
Stuart had a near-death experience in Africa and in those last moment he thought of Edie. Now that he survived he wants to go back and become a real couple with his wife, even if it means to break his promise.
By now he has no idea why Edie is s against their marital life and asked him to leave, so at least he holds hope in his heart that he can capture Edie's attention and they could be husband and wife.
I must admit some of his wording wasn't the best (by the way it sounded) that actually he wanted family, something eternal to have. I could understand the idea, but just the wording wasn't to my liking.
Stuart offers a 10-day deal, so they try to communicate and date to know each other more and by the end of it Edie must take initiative to kiss Stuart.
Edie is terrified at first, she is too traumatized by her experience (she was obviously SA'd in New York) and she can't imagine going to bed with another man. She has enough money to get out of the estate that became her own home just to distance herself and live a peaceful life she acquired.
Honestly, I felt so bad for Edie, although I may not agree with what happened in the end, but I just felt bad that he life and the joy she could have was destroyed by a man. She was stigmatized, her reputation ruined and it was a stroke of luck that she met Stuart who was ready to strike a deal with her, her money in exchange he goes to Africa, out of sight out of mind.
With their agreement of 10 days Stuart was really attentive and took things step by step, you could feel his sincerity. Part of the book they want to outwit each other.
All before he finds out the truth about what happened in New York.
Fro one side he tries to heal Edie and from another he has a plan how to destroy the man.
I must say I was not a big fan of how the whole deal was resolved.
Maybe it should have served as a comparison, but it kinda painted Stuart in bad light.
Because when they finally reached the final stage Stuart basically got lost in pleasure (too pent up after pining for so long) and forgot to pay attention to Edie only finding herself in a wrong condition. Like how is he different from the other man in that moment. And this moment was such a cliffhanger. In order to atone Stuart was ready to accept any punishment Edie wanted to bestow on him, but eventually when they had the peak heart-to-heart talk Edie explained why she froze. It's like things were different with Stuart, although she knows they're two different men but she realizes there is a room for change, but she also has her moments, she can progress from it, they can discuss what to do with it, she felt sorry for years her experience haunted her and ruined her life. All in all it felt like Edie came out of that experience by herself. But I honestly wished there was more depth to this part and more explanation.
This is why I say it felt like a letdown.
I could explain it only by how Edie left me with so many feelings throughout he book and how she felt, that I wanted that moment to be more profound, almost catrphic for her and myself as a reader.
So even if I like Laura Lee Guhrke as an author I do not think that every of her books will be perfect for me or that they can't have misses.
RATE: 3,5/5.
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