The arrival of the new Earl of Hawkesbury has the entire village aflutter - everyone except Lavina Ellison, that is. In fact, in Livvie's eyes, he is just as arrogant and thoughtless as his brother - who stole the most important person in her world.
Nicholas is weighed down by guilt, by ancestral obligations, and by the legacy of war. He hadn't anticipated that a perfunctory visit home would engage either his mind or his heart. Then the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. But between society's opposition, his brother's reckless past, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles for the two of them to ever truly get along.
This was such a fun read! I loved the interaction between Nicholas and Lavina! The Elusive Miss Ellison is a sweet story of forgiveness and second chances. Both characters had to summon their courage. There's one line I highlighted in the book: "faith demanded courage; his future required hope." I think that's true of life in general. We must trust that God is guiding our steps and know that His plans for us are good. I really like the fact that when Nicholas and Lavina first met, it was with her bent down in her garden. And the story ended with Nicholas finding her there once more but he was there not to visit her father...but in pursuit of her. This was an all around good read! I enjoyed the humor, was excited when Nicholas surrendered his life to God and couldn't help but smile at such a sweet ending!
I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publications for my honest review.
