Tristan leads a very quiet life and always strives to be the perfect gentleman. He does so because he has a dark secret that he’s ashamed of. A secret few understand, including his grandmother. Raised by his grandmother after his parents double-suicide, she knows all too well the struggles he has faced and somewhat overcome. Unfortunately, even as a grown man well into his twenties, he still lives in the shadows of his vice.

Zosia was extricated from her homeland of Poland and has become a prisoner of sorts in her London townhouse. Without explanation, she is placed in the custody of the English King and is told she must marry a suitable Englishman. She accepts her fate and set her eyes on Tristan whom she has been watching from afar. She knows that he is everything her ideal husband should be: handsome, an upstanding member of society and most importantly, has great political connections.

One evening while Tristan is going for an evening walk, he spies his beautiful neighbor sitting by the window as she brushes her hair. He is transfixed. She catches him watching her, opens the window and strikes up a rather unorthodox conversation with him. He is dumbfounded by her lack of manners, well, lack of by English standards. He is initially put-off by her, but he is also intrigued. After paying her a visit one day, he learns she is an amputee. She has lost part of one of her legs when part of a building collapsed on her during a fire. Despite her situation, she remains entirely independent and self-confident.

Tristan and Zosia begin spending more time together and learning about each other. Tristan decides to reveal his deep, dark secret and to his pleasant surprise, found Zosia to be very compassionate. He quickly develops feelings for her and when he discovers the King himself is her guardian, he seeks his grandmother’s help in gaining the King’s consent on their marriage. He soon learns more about her than he bargains for. Zosia herself is unaware of her own history and the pivotal role she will play in Russian and Polish politics.

This review was a bit challenging to write for me because there was so much going on in this book. There was a depth and intensity to this novel that is rarely found in regency romances. Tristan’s secret is something I would not have expected from his character. Zosia is so much more than a pretty face. She is very politically astute and has grand ambitions to help save the people of her country. Together, they are a very complex, interesting and passionate pair.

Amidst the developing relationship between these two, Delilah also gave us great insight into the actual political relationship between Russia and Poland during the 18th century. However, although very interesting, the political undertones made the story a bit heavy and difficult to follow at times.

I like it when I can escape into a novel and be completely absorbed by it, but I love it when I can do that while learning something historically relevant. Delilah wraps up this trilogy with an impressive tale of two damaged people who find hope, love and acceptance in each other.

Reviewed by: Isalys