Harlequin Historical #162: Knight's Lady

Gareth Sommerville, heir to the Earl of Winchester, has had a great mistrust of women ever since the betrayal of his late wife. Now determined to marry only for duty, Gareth asks his father to choose a wife for him while he goes to visit one of their vassals. Upon arriving at his destination, he disguises himself as a lowly knight in order to root out those responsible for ambushing him. Gareth is an adequate warrior & the main caretaker/farmer among his brothers. However, he must use all his skill & cunning to win against the Harcourts' counterfeit conspiracy. I'm usually a bit leery of plots that have the 'difference in station' theme, but this one wasn't that much of a problem here because again, we find the Harcourts busy plotting their intrigues. What really endeared Ari to me was her tendency to put her foot in her mouth at the worst possible time. It added a very nice touch to their poignant love story.

The second book in the Sommerville brothers trilogy features oldest brother and heir to the earldom Gareth as widower and very bitter where women are concerned. Gareth now thinks all women are evil and greedy for money until he meets Arianna the goldsmith's granddaughter.. but the last thing she wants is a wealthy man. Will love conquer the differences in their stations? This is a great book. I love the way Gareth and Arianna's character's grow and change. It is a wonderful love story with a great plot and brilliant characters.