Book Review: Highcliffe House by Megan Walker

Book Description:

1813, Brighton, England

When Anna Lane offered her heart to Alexander Lennox, she did not expect to learn he had secretly promised his suit to another. Hurt and embarrassed, Anna begs her father to take her to the seaside where she can escape the gossip of the ton and recover, but her father insists they remain in London so he can attend to some business. Feeling the sting of rejection again, Anna longs for the day when she can dictate her own future and find a companion who will love her for who she is.

Born into modest circumstances, Graham's hard work and ability to spot a good investment has allowed him to provide for his mother and younger sisters. Now, with a new opportunity in his sights, Graham approaches Mr. Lane, his business partner and mentor, hoping to persuade him to travel to Brighton to close the deal. Graham must act fast or else he might lose his chance to turn his meager earnings into permanent financial stability.

To Graham's relief, Mr. Lane is interested in his proposal, but he counters with one of his own. He has business elsewhere, so Anna--whom he trusts with his business affairs--will accompany Graham to Brighton, and if she gives a good report, he will invest. Both Anna and Graham hesitate. Though they have a passing acquaintance through Anna's father, the two have never truly got along. Anna feels that Graham is only interested in money, while Graham feels that Anna is stubborn and self-absorbed.

The two reluctantly travel to Brighton together, and Anna is determined to find fault with every inch of the seaside town--including Graham. She is tired of feeling like a pawn being moved about by other people's desires. But while staying at Highcliffe House and seeing the kind and gentle way Graham treats his family, Anna wonders if there is more to her rival than she thought.

But it will take more than a day at the beach for these two headstrong hearts to admit that if they set aside their misconceptions about each other and be vulnerable enough to share their true selves, they might have a chance at real love.

Rorie's Review:

This is an enjoyable, fast read, with one of my favorite tropes - enemies to lovers. I felt for both Anna and Graham as they were both very much misunderstood by the other, causing most of the negative feelings they held towards one another. As is typical in these types of books, there was miscommunication, but it wasn't so blatant and easily avoided that it drove me nuts, which I really appreciated.

The story flowed well, and the author did a great job bringing each of the characters to life. Tabs was an absolute hoot. I highly recommend this book.

Title: Highcliffe House
Author: Megan Walker

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: May 2024 
ISBN: 1639932445
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

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