Un amor inadecuado (A Most Unsuitable Man) Book

It's been a very long while since I last read a Beverley book and I had forgotten how good she is in making the reader feel entangled in her heroes feelings and heartaches:)

The heroine is Damaris Myddleton, a commoner who recently inherited a huge fortune. She decides to use her money to buy herself a titled husband. The book starts where the candidate she's almost betrothed with, the Marquess of Ashart, asks another woman to be his wife. Losing her self control, she manages to become a spectacle in front of everyone and decides to leave Rothgar Abbey the next day. At this point, the Marquess's close friend, Octavius Fitzroger, comes to her rescue. Fitz proposes that they flirt each other in front of everyone, so people would think that she got over Ashart. Damaris accepts and finds that flirting with Fitz comes very easy to her; he is a handsome man after all, even if he's untitled and poor.

Fitzroger is a man of many secret talents. He used to act as a bodyguard for important persons during the war, while this facet of his is unknown to the public. He's actually on a mission here in Rothgar Abbey: to protect his friend Ashart, from a possible assasination attempt. He also can't help liking Damaris's spirit and determination though and wants to help her get aquainted with the ton's ways. When Rothgar sends all of them to Ashart's anchestral home to retrieve some important documents, Fitz believes he can combine both tasks while keeping the assasination threat a secret. It seems though that he underestimated Damaris in more than one ways: not only is she quick to realize he's actually guarding Ashart, but his admiration for her seems to become something much more. However a match between them could never be; Damaris wants to marry a titled man which Fitz is not, and besides Fitz is being shunned by the ton and his family because of a major scandal. Even if Damaris wanted to fight for them, he's determined not to let her because he feels himself unworthy of any decent woman. Besides, even if they did want to marry, her guardian, Rothgar, would hardly be likely to give his consent and that would mean they would be left without any money until she comes of age.

I can understand how some readers may dislike Damaris, since she was almost ruthless in her pursuits. However, I admired her determination, spirit, honesty and cunning mind. Fitz however, was absolutely magnificent. A true knight in shining armor, looking out fot all the people he cared about while expecting nothing in return. He's made mistakes in the past, but tries desperately to cling to any honor he has still left; it may not matter to others anymore but it means a lot to him. But he was too unbending in the end and needed a strong push to leave some of the burdens of the past behind him, so Damaris was right for him in that way.

I really loved this book! It was heavier in suspense and intrigue than I usually like, but that didn't leave the romance at the backstage. On the contrary, the romance was always predominant and I could really feel the attraction between those two become friendship and then love. My heart just ached for those two to get together and I could feel their anguish every step of the way. Lovely, deeply emotional book that was a pleasure to read. I just wish the epilogue was longer and showed some of their married life together.