Eloise Bridgerton has always been incredibly independent and content to become a spinster with her best friend Penelope - in fact she has pretty much already achieved this goal, having recently reached the age of twenty-eight and with no husband in sight. But when Penelope all of a sudden gets married, Eloise makes the rash decision to head out to the countryside to meet with her correspondent of a year, the recently widowed Sir Phillip, a dedicated botanist and father to two unruly children. But when she reaches his remote home, she soon regrets this decision. Despite this unfortunate truth, she has made arrangements to stay for several weeks. Only time will tell if her uncertainty and dislike will fade into something more favorable.
I didn’t really like the dynamic between the two love interests - to me, their eventual romance felt forced and unnatural, and I could easily foresee Eloise being unhappy within a few years of their match. However, it was interesting to see different mental health issues be addressed, even if it was within the context of a historical novel. I would give it three out of five stars.