From gentlewoman to despair!

Forced by her strict and unloving father’s death to leave the vicarage she’s grown up in, Olivia Poole catches a coach into an unknown future. Boarding the public transport with nothing but a small travelling bag stuffed with a paltry assortment of belongings and keepsakes, Olivia is bound for a place called Sutton Hall, and hopefully a job as a housemaid. Nothing to take with her but a good education and the LIST.
When Grayson Grier found himself his beloved father’s heir before his time he was shattered. When he found his heirdom included guardianship of a very young girl, he was dismayed. Yet he did his duty by her, leaving her in the care of his superior Butler and Housekeeper. He’d employed a governess for Juliana lately to make sure knew how to go on in society, and was prepared to have her make her come out. Grayson rarely visited Sutton Hall. Too many memories.
But when the situation changes at Sutton Hall he hurries down there to put things in good order.
(I loved the confrontation between Olivia and Juliana’s governess BTW. Heroic even.)
That’s when Grayson meets Olivia and his calmly ordered life is thrown into disarray. And let’s not forget Olivia has a LIST!
An interesting twist on involvement across the class boundaries, with a few spanners thrown into the works. Seeing how the fair Olivia would handle each challenge that’s thrown her way kept me interested. Grayson just kept getting in his own way, and at times I utterly despaired of him. There were some lovely moments in the novel, especially the hints of a December romance between the rather charming butler and delightful housekeeper, beautifully done.

An Independently Pub. ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. ( )