About the Book:

He knows he ought to forget her…

When William Townsbridge returns from Portugal and meets Eloise Lamont, the new cook his mother has hired, he’s instantly smitten. The only problem, of course, is that she’s a servant – completely off limits for a gentleman with an ounce of honor. But as they become better acquainted, William starts to realize he must make Eloise his. The only question is how.

Eloise loves her new position. But William Townsbridge’s arrival threatens everything, from her principles to her very heart. Falling for her employer’s son would be monumentally stupid. All it can lead to is ruin, not only for the present, but for her entire future. So then, the simplest solution would be to walk away. But can she?

Click on title below for direct Amazon buy link:                                                           Falling for Mr. Townsbridge (The Townsbridges Book 3)

My Review:

William Townsbridge has returned home to ponder his future, as he’s completed his last assignment.  Though he loves his family, he knows he won’t be staying long, as his mother is bound to start urging him to find a bride, and to even begin matchmaking.  Though he’s never been all that interested in food, other than needing it to survive, William is in rapture over the delicious dinner and dessert.  When he learns that the family has a new cook, he decides to make her acquaintance.  Rather than the round and jolly middle aged servant he thought he’d find, there is instead a beautiful young woman.

Eloise uses the title of “Mrs. Lamont,” though she’s not married, as is customary for cooks and housekeepers.  Ellie is French, and has an aristocratic heritage, but her family has fallen on hard times, thus, causing her to seek employment.  She is surprised at William’s casual behavior, and his invading her territory.  Though she’s not shy about speaking up, she’s also fighting an instantaneous attraction to him, one she’s determined to suppress.  She recognizes that William finds her similarly appealing, and hopes that he will not pursue a relationship that can go nowhere.

William is basically an honorable man, and makes a decision right from the start to avoid Ellie, as he’s never been the kind of man to take advantage of servants.  It’s not long before his own desires get the better of him, and he’s taking drastic measures that will allow him and Ellie to pursue their mutual passion.  His muddled senses don’t see that Ellie is not that kind of woman, and rather than become William’s mistress, she chooses to leave the Townsbridge family’s employ, and vanishes.

I am a great fan of a well written novella.  FALLING FOR MR. TOWNSBRIDGE is very short, and therefore doesn’t provide much interaction between William and Ellie.  I felt that their instant lust happened much too quickly, and that I didn’t really get to know these characters in depth.  I didn’t like the change in William, as he decided to pursue Ellie, and I would have liked to see her be a bit stronger.  What I appreciated the most about the story is that William makes his decision based solely on his feelings, without knowing that Ellie has some blue blood running through her veins.  Overall, FALLING FOR MR. TOWNSBRIDGE is a light and entertaining read, one which will delightfully fill a couple of hours.    ~Rose