Believe in Love

Scandal Meets Love, Book 5

By: Amanda Mariel, Dawn Brower

Narrated by: Anne Damman

Lady Brooke Linwood never could have guessed what would happen after she literally ran into the Duke of Grafton. Now the devilishly handsome duke won't leave her alone, and with each moment they spend together Brooke's determination to resist him slips a little more. Dare she believe in love, or is it only her body at stake?

Drake has loved Lady Brooke since he was a boy, and once promised to come for her when he was grown. Little did he know that his father would leave their estate and fin aces in ruin. Drake struggled to right his affairs, all the while dreaming of the day he could go to Brooke. Now, after ten long years, he is in a position to claim her. But will she have him?

Can a love formed in childhood then neglected for a decade be reignited?

©2020 Amanda Mariel (P)2020 Amanda Mariel

Together At Last

Brooke has been ignored by her parents.  She spent her summers at her grandparents’ county estate.  She and Drake were great friends.  At the end of a happy summer Drake told Brooke that he would come to get her, and they would travel the world.  Ten years have passed, and she has not heard from him.  Why has he never gotten in touch with her?  Drake is now Duke of Grafton.  They meet in London at the beginning of the Season.  Drake tells her his is looking for a wife.  Brooke is certain she is not the one, or is she?  This is a sweet and heartwarming romance.  There are some misunderstandings and missed cues.  Brooke and Drake are likable characters.  The ladies of Fortuna are delightful.  Friends, a second chance, a happy ending, and great narration.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this audiobook.   

Sweet story, contrary heroine

I enjoyed this sweet story of childhood friends, separated by time and circumstance, who find each other again as adults. The story could have ended on an HEA then and there but for the contrary heroine. Brooke and Drake were childhood friends, although a bit too young to be sweethearts, but they made plans to travel and see the world together. Drake went away and the plans never came to fruition. When Brooke sees Drake again several years later, she is hurt and feels abandoned that he never came for her. He had his reasons, but will they be enough to convince Brooke? Can he make her believe in love? I enjoyed this sweet story and Drake's efforts to win over Brooke. He just forgets to actually SAY the words she needs to hear. True Regency fluff with minimal angst.

Very good narration that made it easy to relax and enjoy the story.

I received a free copy of this audiobook via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Beautiful Regency Romance!

This is the fifth novella in the Scandal Meets Love Series, a standalone story. Brooke and Drake's story is sweet, and heartwarming. I liked Drake's determination. This is a beautiful childhood friends / second chance romance. Anne Marie Damman did a great job bringing this story to life. Looking forward to more in the series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

good book

I really enjoyed this book. It was different from the usual stories. Will definitely read more from these authors.

Felt Sorry for the Hero!

I loved the first scene in this book, showing the hero and heroine ten years before the bulk of the book happens, when they are teens(?). Their affection for each other and dreams for a shared future are so clear, innocent, and sweet. What could possibly go wrong? Far too much, it seems. They don't see each other for ten years, and it actually isn't clear why they have been separated for so long. (The book blurb on the bookseller’s website is more forthcoming! But I don’t re-read those before starting a story!) It actually took a fair amount of time in this relatively short novella for the hero to let the reader (let alone the heroine) know—and then it seemed a bit weak to keep them separate for so long. It's clear these two have cared for each other for probably as long as they've known each other. But misunderstandings and miscommunication obstruct their present; I felt myself becoming quite frustrated by this, as those never seem like quite enough to keep a romantic hero and heroine apart for much of the story when a few simple words to clear the air would resolve everything quickly. I was surprised, given all that was happening between them, that the couple became intimate so fast, even before even a betrothal. Then, I felt sorry for the hero when the heroine spurned him before she even left his room after their tryst. It just seemed way over the top and downright silly given how she's supposed to have felt about him for so long. It's never good when you wish the hero would find a different heroine because of how she treats him! That first scene between them was so sweet; this really could have been a much more satisfying story on several levels.