Good continuation of the series. At the end of A Kiss in the Moonlight, Dara has married Michael Brogan, the man Elise set her heart on. At the beginning of this book, the entire family lives together. Elise is jealous, hurt, and angry and feels that Dara is gloating over her happiness. She wants out of that situation, so she sneaks off without telling anyone, determined to return to her home in Ireland.

Elise takes some money and sets out in a mail coach for Liverpool in a fit of self-righteousness. However, the driver is drunk, and there is a terrible storm, so many of the passengers opt to wait for the next coach, leaving only Elise and a disreputable-looking stranger. It isn't long before a nearby lightning strike causes a horrific crash, leaving her with the stranger named Kit. Their only option is to go to the next coaching inn and catch the next mail coach. She disdains "Mr. Ruffian" but expects him to help her.

"Mr. Ruffian," aka Kit, is actually Christopher Fitzhugh-Cox, Duke of Winderton, who is also running away from home. A spoiled brat himself, he left home when the woman he loved married his uncle. Following in the footsteps of Shakespeare's Prince Hal, he has been wandering around the country for several months, living the life of "the common man."

I enjoyed this road trip story and its effects on Elise and Kit. At the time of the wreck, each is focused on their own inconvenience, but when they realize they are the only survivors, they team up. That isn't to say they immediately became friends. On the contrary, they are still focused on their own problems rather than what the other wants. But after a series of misfortunes, some of their creation, they begin to look at things differently. Distance from the issues that sent them running opens their eyes to the error of their ways.

I liked watching the relationship between Elise and Kit develop. Their interactions were initially antagonistic, but they soon realized they were more alike than expected. Elise is stubbornly independent and makes foolish decisions when her temper is up. Kit had his moments of foolishness, but he is a gentleman at heart, and an unwilling protectiveness kicks in. Neither expected the sparks of attraction that flared between them. There are some fun scenes as they battle each other, then slowly turn to liking and respecting. Each is surprised to realize that their feelings have turned to love.

A couple of twists leading up to the conclusion bring home the changes Kit and Elise have experienced during their adventures. I ached for Kit's pain and loved Elise's confidence that she would see him again. The ending was terrific, and Kit's big moment was perfectly done.

My favorite secondary character was Tamsyn, the dog. I loved how she adopted Kit and Elise and how they loved her immediately. She's there when she is needed, whether for comfort or protection.

I liked the ending and the lead-in to the next book. I suspected from the first book that Gwendolyn and Mr. Steele would be a couple, so I can't wait for this one.

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