So looking at my checklist of things to cover. 
 Speaking of covers i like this one simple and pretty. With the Manor in the background. I also like the fact it keeps in theme with the first novel. I hate it when book covers suddenly change and then they don't match the rest of the series. It drives me up the wall because then I've got to go and find a matching book cover. (Most recently this happened to me with the Glamorist series. The first cover doesn't match the rest and now I've got to go re buy the book in paperback. But the cover is pretty so I'm not going to protest to much.) Anyway nice cover, it caught my eye and I decided to buy the book on the spot and then i checked myself and started reading the series first to determine if i wanted to invest the money. 
 I almost scrapped the thought of purchase. I didn't enjoy this book as much, i considered putting the book down. But then I really liked the first one and i wanted to finish this one (in part because I've got this reading challenge thing going on.) Some parts caught my attention like the drama of the fire but then I found myself skimming a little. Possibly because I wasn't as intrigued by William as i was his brother. (...Well i just revealed my type) But once Patience's brother arrived I started getting more interested. I would like to point out I was totally feeling Patience's ire with her brother when he arrived back home. For one thing he ditched his former love without even the decency to at least notify her he'd moved on. And then he started to go over Patience's head namely with bringing in O'Connell. But Sarah totally turned him around and i could see the caring brother underneath it all. (Kudos to Sarah I'm glad she changed my feelings on Rawdon it's a sad thing when siblings are at odds.) Still though he could have at least let Cassandra know! 
 The characters were interesting (off and on) the plot was kind of average. It was interesting to see what's happening with William since we'd only seen him from his brother's POV in the first book, but i tended to find myself rolling my eyes when i had to read his section, I'm pretty sure i called him an idiot at one point. (view spoiler)[ he did win me over when he found out about the stable fire though, and with the fact he did not start drinking even though he was tempted to. I would have given up the book right then if he'd given in. Especially since I'd started expecting more from him. (Kudos again to the author for having a believable character arc.) He cemented my like when he totally owned Riley in the barnyard fight. Okay it technically wasn't a barnyard but still. I was all like YES! (hide spoiler)] but the overall story wasn't as gripping for me, like i said I was skimming for a lot of the book's beginning (and some of the end as well). 
 Will I ever read this book again? That totally depends on whether or not I like the third book. Do I recommend this to be read? Sure.