ARC Review: A Match Made in Bed by Cathy Maxwell

Series:	Spinster Heiresses #2
Pub. Date:	April 17, 2018
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	384 pgs
Source:	Edelweiss

This is the second installment of Cathy Maxwell's Spinster Heiresses series featuring a group of three heroines with "new money" so to speak, and less-than-desirable family connections. Our spinsters, Leonie, Cassandra and Willa bonded over their struggle on the marriage mart, each with a father seeking to purchase a title with his daughter's life. Last season, when the newly-appointed Duke of Camberly appeared on the scene, our trio made a game of his attention.

Despite the game in play, Cassandra Holwell is carrying a torch for the Duke of Camberly - if only Soren York would stop popping up at all the social events. But when Cassandra learns the truth about the duke and Soren is out to defend her honor, she starts to see him in a different light. I didn't always like Cassandra and felt she was unfairly hard on Soren at times, but she seemed to work through it within a reasonable time. I did feel bad for her at one point in the story, but I admired her willingness to keep moving on despite a huge setback.

Soren York is trying his best to save his birthright and restore the family coffers after the spendthrift ways and gambling of his father and grandfather. While he needs to marry a heiress, he only has eyes for Cassandra Holwell. I enjoyed Soren's flirtations and wooing attempts, rebuffed as they were. Despite the way Cassandra treated him, he was still willing to come to her defense when it mattered, which was commendable. I liked his grit and open-mindedness. His first marriage and business dealings in Canada showed that, unlike most of society at the time, he was accepting of individual and cultural difference. I really liked him as a hero, especially that he worked so hard to make the marriage with Cassandra work.

I thought our couple would have more trouble rubbing along given the long-standing feud between their families. But both showed maturity and unwillingness to repeat past mistakes. Soren was definitely more invested in the relationship on the front end, but Cassandra caught up without dragging it out too far. I did feel like this couple communicated at a better-than-average level. They didn't attempt to keep malicious secrets, and were able to come to a reasonable conclusion to any disagreements they had.

I still wish we had more interaction between our spinster heiresses, as I did enjoy their friendship at the beginning of If I Should Ever Love You. Leonie didn't appear in this installment at all, and we only got small snatches of Willa. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Avon.

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