The Hathaways Book 2
We met both Winnifred Hathaway, an invalid who never fully recovered from a bout of scarlet fever, and Kev Merripen, a Romany taken in by the Hathaways when he was found at deaths door as a child, in the first book. They have loved each other since childhood, but Merripen refuses to to acknowledge their feelings.
I needed a bit of angst and longing and this book is crammed with it. Merripen does not disappoint on that score. His longing and desire for what he believes he cannot have is palpable. He cannot stand it when another man touches Win, to the point where he has to be held back to stop him from harming the man.
At the beginning of this book, Win has returned from France after trying a new treatment for her condition. After a year apart, Merripen is even harder to reach, and refuses to acknowledge their feelings for each other, so she agrees to be friends. Win has much recovered but she will still be weaker than others. However, she’s willing to risk everything to have a life with Merripen.
Merripen and Cam also have their own mysterious past to resolve while we delve deeper into the lives of all the Hathaways. There is a real sense that this series is about the Hathaways as a whole, rather than just individual stories, and how they pull together time and again. It is very much about family loyalty, support, and sacrifice.
Oh, it was good. The plot was crammed with immersive details of the period and the feels were strong. I love Merripen with his brooding angst and his desire for Win. The love scenes also reflected this nicely with a perfect blend of heat and emotions. This one hit all my requirements for a book to get lost in, and I flew through it.
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
