I'm likely in the minority, but this one was just mediocre to me. They spend most of the book 'going head-to-head' and trying to get under the other's skin, which just doesn't do much for me. It took a long time for them to actually understand the other, and even in the end, they needed outside forces to help them along or else they might have just remained apart. Which isn't very romantic to me either.
And it doesn't carry as much weight as the other things, but the hero seemed *extraordinarily* modern in his views on labor. I don't mind when protagonists see the need for child labor laws, or are anti-slavery, or want schools for the children of their workers or something, there definitely *were* people who held those views, and I'm all for our leads being some of them! But I feel like the hero's views in this book would have been quite forward even just 20 years ago, much less 100! I don't even disagree with them, it just felt almost like a modern person had time travelled to the past, rather than a historic character just being particularly advanced for their time. ( )

I haven't read the first two books in this series, but I think the third can be read on its own. The prologue sets the stage well for the relationship and the stakes feel high for this couple. I felt the heroine could have had a bit more depth, but I loved that she had professional interests and skills. Enjoyable read for fans of historical romances. ( )

I enjoy this series, the fake engagement trope in full force here ( )

Maxwell Crenshaw's father is up to his old tricks, and even a heart attack doesn't slow him down. Not content to have married off his daughters August and Violet to a duke and an earl, Mr. Crenshaw is determined to secure Crenshaw Ironworks' legacy by forcing Max to marry. He doesn't go so far as to pick the bride this time around, but he refuses to listen to Max's objections. If Max isn't at least engaged by Christmas, Mr. Crenshaw will make sure that August's foundry project comes to a crashing halt. As long as he gets his way, he doesn't care what effect it would have on either August or the firm. Max is understandably furious for himself and August but can't figure out how to get out of it. Then he renews his acquaintance with Lady Helena.

Max and Helena met in The Devil and the Heiress when they joined forces to save his sister Violet from scandal. The sparks between them were intense, but their focus was on Violet. Plus, Max would head back to New York to resume running Crenshaw Ironworks. Helena would continue her work running an orphanage and getting her London Home for Young Women started. But the lovely young widow runs into a snag when her benefactors start pulling out because (gasp!) she is associating with fallen women. It seems that her father has been dropping hints behind her back about the unsuitability of her actions. But if she had a husband who supported her efforts, he would withdraw his objections.

I liked Max and Helena. Unlike their fathers, they are kind-hearted with great empathy for others. Max understands the needs of his company's employees and their families, fighting for fair wages and working conditions. As a woman of her time, Helena understands that women often have no control over their lives and futures and wants to help as many as possible take back some of that control.

After a few encounters with Helena remind Max of how attracted he is to her, he hits on the idea of proposing a mutually beneficial arrangement. He suggests that they enter into a fake courtship and engagement, thereby getting their fathers off their backs. This will give him time to solidify August's project before he returns to New York and give Helena the respectability required to raise the funds she needs.

I enjoyed watching the development of Max and Helena's relationship. Though their courtship is fake, their chemistry is all too real. It manifests early in their ability to push each other's buttons. Helena seems to get an inordinate amount of pleasure from riling up Max. Meanwhile, Max would like to find a way to get that passion into his bed. As they spend time together "courting," Max and Helena discover that they have quite a lot in common, leading to the admission that they like each other. The attraction between them continues to grow until they can no longer resist. And while the explosive passion they experienced convinces Max he'd like to make their engagement real, for Helena, it reminds her that marriage between them is impossible. I ached for Max as Helena put more and more distance between them to protect his legacy and her heart. Her reason was heartbreaking, and I ached for what it meant for her dream of happiness. Max tried to convince her that his love for her was strong enough to withstand the problem, but Helena's past wouldn't let her believe. August and Violet's solution to the issue was unorthodox but gave Helena the courage to go to Max with her heart open at last.

One of my favorite things about this book is the passion Max and Helena exhibit for the things they believe in. This is illustrated when they discover they both want the same property for their projects. Each is passionately eloquent in describing their plans, goals, and what they believe the results will be. For each of them, it's the first time they understand the full scope of what the other does. I liked how the issue was resolved. Helena also opened Max's eyes to the plight of the women she helped and stood up to his patronizing solution. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her convert his point of view. There are several good follow-up scenes also.

There is a teaser for the next book, and I can't wait to read it. My heart ached for Camille at the beginning of the first book. In this book, the twist involving her at the house party opened many possibilities, and I can't wait to see what she does.

#netgalley ( )

American Maxwell (Max) Crenshaw has certainly gotten his travel miles in over the last year or so. His very rich, manipulative, overbearing, social-climbing parents have taken his two sisters to England to force them into marriages with aristocrats. So far, that has been successful because they have bought a duke and an earl for husbands. Luckily for his sisters, those were also love matches. Max made the trek across the ocean both times to try to save a sister – only to fail. Now, he’s back in London again because his father is very ill. However, when Max arrives, he learns his father may be ill, but he is still manipulating his children’s lives. The latest target is Max himself – and unfortunately, his father knows Max’s weak spot is his sister Autumn. Being a very canny and smart man himself, Max will figure out a way to thwart his father and still not hurt his sister.

Widowed Lady Helena March is a perfect lady, but she is refusing her father’s demand that she should marry again. Helena likes her life as it is and she spends all of her time working for her charity. Unfortunately, that charity has the ability to sully Helena’s pristine reputation because one of the groups they help is unwed mothers. Even a remote association with that group could harm her reputation and Helena is very directly involved. When her father’s insistence she marries again turns to him actually working against her charity if she doesn’t marry, she knows she has to do something or lose the charity.

Helena and Max have met before because she has befriended his sisters and even helped him save Violet from ruin during his last trip. So, it was quite natural for the two of them to team up to thwart their parents. It would strictly be a business arrangement where each obtained their goals and then parted ways. After all, he lives in New York and she lives in London and neither has any desire to relocate. Can they keep it strictly business? There is the problem of that electric tingle they both feel when they are close. But – nothing could come of that with an ocean between them.

There are certainly many ups and downs – including manipulative parents – but Max and Helena still manage to fall in love. But then, there is still that ocean thing. Can they overcome that? You’ll just have to read this lovely book to find out. As always with this author, the story is nicely paced and well-written. The characters are all very likable and well developed – and the best part is seeing the parents being dealt with. I can definitely recommend this read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )