I enjoy a Regency romp as much as the next person but sometimes it is really nice to get out of the British Isle and into someplace new. Ginny Moore understands the feeling and gives us a book that takes place in both. When the book opens, we see our two main characters, Henry and Ellie breaking up. The book then alternates between flashbacks of five plus years ago and two months prior to the breakup. Moore does a great job of alternating between two time periods to show the relationship develop between these two, showing us, rather than telling us what they mean to one another. Without giving much away, Ellie marries another, is widowed, and now as a free woman, wants to go to Italy. She cannot go alone so Henry offers to go with her and pose as her husband. (Gasp!) No one needs to know as they are going in the heat of the summer when the fashionable are residing in the country. And off to Italy they go!

The heat of summer in Italy only increases the scent of fresh pining these two have for one another. And while the angst and yearning is written so beautifully and emotionally, there are times you just want these two to *confess already* their love and desire for one another. It only gets worse when Ellie propositions Henry to show her passion since she has never experienced it, even while married. These two friends are such good friends but also seem to miss the mark with each other so...many...times. It did frustrate me at times that once again they were so close to saying something and then deny themselves and talk themselves out of confessing their feelings. But I get it. I have no patience. It could be a me thing.

There is an epistolary angle to this book which is always appreciated. There is a "same time each year" as they always seem to meet at Christmastide and catch up as if they never left off which is also such fun. The side characters are different than the usual friends of the ton and offer different, mature, helpful support. 

Something to note is that Henry is a painter, an artist, who has lost his muse, his ability to create. He is looking for inspiration and of course, he finds it in Ellie. The grand gesture at the end of the book is beautiful and emotional and I adored it. I highly recommend this book and author and look forward to reading more HEAs from Ginny.