Forget Me Not

Estranged childhood friends navigate an arranged marriage in the touching first historical romance of Eden’s the Gents series (following the Lancaster Family series). At 12, Julia Cummings has already lost her mother and two siblings, so she feels especially abandoned when her friend and neighbor, 18-year-old Lord Lucas Jonquil, leaves home intending never to return. When he and Julia reunite eight years later, Julia’s heart has hardened and she has no desire to resume their friendship. So of course it’s then that Lucas’s parents and Julia’s father announce they’ve arranged for the two to be married without either of their knowledge. Luckily, Lucas’s social circle, who call themselves the Gents, are available to counsel Lucas on how to navigate the situation. The unhurried pace allows Julia and Lucas’s relationship to evolve naturally as they work their way through a series of misunderstandings and reconciliations, egged on all the while by the affable, often amusing advice of the Gents. Julia is an admirable heroine who resists the social convention of the Georgian era, determined to have a marriage built on mutual respect, and Lucas’s sincere attempts to understand and please her will win the hearts of romance fans. Eden’s light, sweet story is sure to delight. (Sept.)