Never Hollowed By The Stare

Introducing Mr. Winterbourne – Joanna Chambers

Lysander Winterbourne appears to lead a charmed life. Handsome, amiable, and a renowned sportsman, he is the darling of London society. As far as Adam Freeman is concerned though, Lysander is just another spoiled aristocrat.

A wealthy mill owner, Adam has no time for the frivolous world of the ton, but when his younger brother becomes engaged to Althea Winterbourne, he reluctantly agrees to be introduced to society–with the Winterbourne clan’s golden boy as his guide.

Resigning himself to a few days of boredom, Adam is surprised to learn that there is much more to Lysander than his perfect surface. But will Adam have the courage to introduce Lysander Winterbourne to his own secret self?

I rarely buy into one-day love affairs but I’m sold on Lysander and Adam’s men-about-Town romance. Joanna Chamber’s novellete is short but fully-fleshed out. It introduces Lysander Winterbourne of the illustrious Winterbourne family, a typical upper class clan that’s high on the instep but short on the money. Lysander’s sister Althea is set to marry Simon Freeman, a man of commerce who has political ambitions. Lysander was ~~asked~~ commanded to squire around Adam, the older Freeman brother and the one who holds the purse strings. Even though both found each other attractive, it was good that Joanna Chambers did not exaggerate the insta-lust levels as some authors are wont to do but instead kept it palpable but gentlemanly.

This!

Freeman lifted his half-full glass and drained it. He set it down with a decisive click, took a deep breath and said firmly, “I am not looking for a wife, Winterbourne.”
Just that.
A dozen questions teemed in Lysander’s mind. What did Freeman mean? Merely that he was a confirmed bachelor? Or was there something more to his confession? Could it be that Freeman was like Lysander? That he was more interested in his own sex than the fairer variety? Lysander’s heart began to race at the thought, and his mouth grew dry. He thought of Freeman lunging at him with his blade, his muscular body taut and lean, expression concentrated, and …Lysander wanted him.
The wanting was like hunger, a yearning that went beyond mere desire, toppling over into pure need.
And it was that, finally, that made Lysander speak, that made him put caution to one side and utter the truth, or one truth anyway.
“I am not looking for a wife either.”

That and the dance. And bonding over fencing.

The story is nice, enjoyable pretty straight forward and while not exactly the kind that will blow your mind, it’s enough to tide you over until the next good book. In fact, it felt like a beginning a series. If JC makes a series out of this I would be glad to read the rest of it.

Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love

Soundtrack: Go Places
Artist: The New Pornographers
Album: Challengers

(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39706695-introducing-mr-winterbourne)