Again the Kindle app and its ability to borrow from the library  comes to my rescue with this little gem by Alicia Rasley called The Wilder Heart, a Regnecy Novella (Regency Escapes). In this lovely afternoon read you meet the lonely widow Madeleine who resides with her younger sister-in-law Caroline and her 6 year old sea crazy son Paul all overseen by her aged Nanny. 

With the death of her poet husband Madeleine is left to survive on a small amount of money and has decided that in this Valentine season she will offer up her services as a poem writer for the sailors in need of verse for their sweethearts. This brings us to our hero – the  Captain Walker who is in need of a verse for a young innocent he feels would be perfect as his wife.

I don’t want to give away too much plot but the story is told from both of their points of view and follows them through the Valentine season until the ball. What I love about this story is that Madeleine who is a woman and not an innocent has no qualms in the fact that she will NOT be a mistress and in the same way Captain Walker is aware that she is a woman of quality and does not suggest it. But at the same time this widow admits that she misses marriage and the benefits that come with it. You see the sister in law grow in her confidence as well and learn a bit about the sea. A lovely romantic tale about a widow ready to become a wife once more. All in all a terrific short read!! I am definitely going to see if I can search out more by this author!! 

A Regency Novella