I read and enjoyed the prequel and Gerald's story and expected to enjoy this one just as much. However, I had problems with the hero Charles in this piece. I remember not thinking much of him in Blame It On Bath and hoping he wouldn't get his story. I was eventually able to tolerate his character, but I didn't feel that connection to the main characters that I prefer to fully enjoy a story. I could see the growth of his character in this book, but it still wasn't enough for me to see Charles as a hero. While not keen on Charles, I did like Tessa. I enjoyed her fierceness and intelligence and her struggle to be seen as an intellectual equal with the other businessmen. It was especially hard to see such a hardworking and intelligent woman with Charles. It wasn't that he was a bad person, I just couldn't find anything to recommend him and make him stand out as a mate for her. I wonder if I had read this book first, if I would have felt the same way about Charles. In the book he makes comparisons to his brothers and how he always fell short in his fathers eyes and I could see why. Compared to them, he was indolent and rudderless. Maybe if I had started with him, I wouldn't have felt as apathetic and might have enjoyed the book more.
