About the Book:

 A meeting of minds…

But a most unsuitable match!

When lady’s companion Sara Standish meets Cameron Fitzallen, he has his jacket off and he’s mending mill machinery. He is manly, capable—though it’s most improper for him to set her heart aflutter! He is a mill owner—trade—after all. They share the same aim to help impoverished children, but in the eyes of the ton, she must not mix with him. That doesn’t stop her craving his company, or his touch…

Click on title below for direct Amazon buy link:                                         The Enticing of Miss Standish (The Cinderella Spinsters Book 3)

My Review:

Sara Standish and her two best friends, Emma and Olivia, believed they’d never marry, and planned to reside together, combining their finances and pursuing their individual interests.  Emma and Olivia unexpectedly found love, and both have recently wed, leaving Sara at somewhat of a loss.  She can’t afford a residence of her own in town, so she persuades her matchmaking aunt to allow her to become the companion / assistant to Lady Trent, a marchioness with similar causes as Sara’s.  Their current project is to visit multiple factories and mills, observing and assisting with the schooling of children who are orphaned or factory workers.

Cameron Fitzallen is a workhouse orphan, who has worked at a mill since he was six years old.   Now thirty-one, he is soon to become majority owner, thanks to the patronage of current owner.  Mr. Hughes observed that even as a young boy, Cameron had an ability to problem solve and was a hard worker.  Mr. Hughes sponsored Cameron’s education, and he has since patented several inventions.  Cameron has also established a school for the children, and has done much to improve the conditions of the mill.  Though he is a bit cynical about the group of “reformers” visiting the mill, he is well aware of Sara, who appeals to him immediately at the physical level.  When she poses a question to him, he’s somewhat abrupt with her, believing her to be just amusing herself, with no sincere interest.

Sara is hurt by Cameron’s curtness because she believed that she saw attraction in his eyes, just as she felt for him.  Determined to put the incident behind her, and move on, she finds that her path will cross again and again with Cameron.  Seeing that he was mistaken in his initial judgment of Sara, Cameron soon apologizes.  He then finds himself becoming her escort to other factories, using his acquaintance with the owners to pave her way.  When the air has been cleared between Sara and Cameron, she boldly tells him that she is fighting an attraction to him.  Cameron declares that he feels the same attraction, but they mutually decide not to pursue it, as their class difference makes a genuine relationship impossible.

Keeping their distance is not quite that easy, as Sara and Cameron become more smitten with each meeting.  Not only is the physical desire strong, but their admiration for each other’s character grows, as well.  Cameron can see that Sara is genuine in her desire to work for reform, while she admires the care he takes with his employees and his mill.  They begin to think that maybe, just possibly, they can share a life in spite of the difference in their social standings.

I have a lot of admiration for Cameron and Sara.  He’s a hard working, intelligent, self-made man.  Though he did have help, he overcame the obstacles of his birth to become a wealthy and respected man.  He treated Sara with care and courtesy, after their initial misunderstanding, and tried to act in the way he thought best for her.  I absolutely love Sara’s honesty, particularly how she was very open in her communication with Cameron about how she felt.  She did waffle, though, on her feelings about whether a relationship between them would work.  When it appeared that they were going to be brave and become a true couple, “someone” steps up to break them apart.  THE ENTICING OF MISS STANDISH is a lovely romance which is going to require two people to step out of their comfort zones and go against what society deems is correct.  Their relationship is passionate and loving, and they truly belong together.  I was rooting for them to make a go of it.  There is also much interesting historical information about factory life in the 1830’s, as well as a delightful trip on a train.  Julia Justiss has written a warm and engaging story which appealed to me both historically and romantically, and I highly recommend it.    ~Rose