Doubts and Desires: A Victorian Historical Romance (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781967169788)

Louisa Northcott faces her second Season with quiet resolve. Her first wasn't disastrous, but it failed to deliver the heart-stirring romance she craves. She longs for more than a "suitable" match, she wants someone who quickens her pulse. She never expects to meet such a man before even leaving for London.

Maxwell Harlow, a tall, handsome, and aloof Anglo-Scottish industrialist, captures her attention the moment she encounters him in the stables at Highfield. He's in Yorkshire to lease the vacant Northcott Manor, Louisa's family estate, but he's already engaged to an aristocratic bride. Disappointed, Louisa turns her focus back to the coming Season.

Maxwell, meanwhile, has never sought marriage. Focused solely on success during Britain's Industrial Revolution, he has little interest in anything that might compromise his autonomy. But when Lord Dent, an indebted viscount, offers his daughter's hand for a fee, Maxwell initially declines. Purchasing a bride leaves a bitter taste. Yet the appeal of securing a noble connection leads him to accept the deal. With a wedding planned, he seeks a home for his future wife, which brings him to Northcott Manor. There, he notices Captain Northcott's eldest daughter, but Louisa is off-limits.

Still, fate intervenes. At a London society event, Maxwell and Louisa cross paths again. One innocent yet careless moment alters everything, throwing their lives into turmoil. Maxwell must choose between the rigid control of his career and the unpredictable stirrings of his heart.

Louisa refuses to give up hope. She believes Maxwell will come to love her, truly, deeply. But her faith is tested, again and again.

Just as happiness seems within reach, a devastating crisis threatens everything. Louisa begins to question whether Maxwell ever truly cared. Has she misjudged him? Has he deceived her all along?

In the end, only faith, and love, can overcome the doubts and reignite the desires that first drew them together.

Tropes:

✅ Victorian Romance

✅ Slow Burn

✅ Love vs Duty

✅ Class Differences

✅ Forbidden Attraction

✅ Industrialist Hero

✅ Faithful Heroine

✅ Second Chance at Love

✅ Emotional Angst

✅ Fated Lovers