Waiting for Love by Carol Coventry
Youngest sibling and only daughter, Oliva Taverston is preparing to make her debut in London. She can’t help but feel dread over the prospect of leaving the comfort of her family and their country estate, Chaumbers, to become a wife and start life with another family. She feels her roots to her home grow stronger when her brother hires her childhood infatuation to be the steward of their estate. Years ago as a teenager, she embarrassed herself in front of him by proclaiming her love, but she is now mature. Mature enough to know that there could be something more between them.
After failed ventures in Canada, Benjamin has returned to Chaumbers and the Taverston family with an adopted daughter, Hannah. He knows the Taverston brothers view him as a good friend, since he was a classmate and frequent visitor as a young man. But now, as their steward, he is bound to succeed and part of that is keeping a clear boundary between Earl and employee. The history between Benjamin and the family makes this difficult, but it becomes even more of a challenge when he comes to admire Oliva for the woman she is.
My Thoughts
This series is not merely a collection of four romance novels, but instead it is a portrait of a family changing and growing. As each novel is released, the portrait becomes richer with more characters entering the family, deeper relationships, and new challenges that the family faces together. The first book, Counting on Love, was a lovely novel, but the following two books have really elevated the whole Taverston saga to a permanent place in my heart and mind.
While Holding onto Love still might be my favorite book of the series (it’s a close call though!) Benjamin is my favorite MMC. His POV is nuanced and complicated. His kindness and loyalty resonate from the bottom of his heart, and it is especially sweet to see him with his adopted daughter. While Oliva is the spirited youngest sibling who can ride horses like the wind, she also shows maturity that is usually missing from young debutantes in historical romance. She is never bratty over her circumstances and tries to do what is right for her family.
Since the beginning of the series, the family has grown beyond the four Taverston siblings. Now their inner circle includes spouses, family of their spouses, and close friends, such as Viscount Haslet, Alice, and Benjamin. Amongst their shenanigans, they love and look out for one another fiercely. Sometimes I am shocked to remember that these are fictional characters, because it feels like such an honor to know them.
One of the strengths of this book is that the protagonists from the earlier novels were very present and drove the plot. Along with the memories and romance between Oliva and Benjamin, the family dynamics made up a large part of this story. I love epilogues, so I enjoyed seeing the married life of the two brothers and their wives within the novel.
I thought it was meaningful that much of this book took place at Chaumbers, as it was an important and special place for all, but especially Olivia and Ben. It’s a charming, imperfect place. Of course, as it is Oliva’s debut season, I also was entertained by the fantastical elements of the ballrooms and the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. The marriage mart storyline is always enjoyable, especially when it sets up opportunities for a jealous MMC.
Carol Coventry does not back away from angst and grit. While it means that I found myself a bit moodier while reading it, it is worth all of the difficult feelings to be able to experience the resolution in its full effect. While all the elements of romance are there and masterfully constructed, the way she includes weightier topics sets it apart from the genre. It just hits differently.
Up next is Crispin. I’m very curious to read his story. Both of his potential love matches were eliminated in this book. I hope that the rest of the cast will make strong appearances in his novel, even though the summary makes it seem like it takes place outside of Chaumbers. I’m at least hoping for a beautiful wrap-up before I have to say goodbye to the series and the family.
Content Warning: If you are dealing with fertility or pregnancy issues, you might want to check trigger warnings before reading. There are some sensitive topics.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This my honest review.
The links included in this blog are affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking the link, I, as an Amazon Associate, can earn a small commission at no extra cost from you. Thank you for supporting my blog.