Mrs. Sommersby's Second Chance

Laurie Benson

Aug 2019 · The Sommersby Brides Book 4 · Harlequin

About this ebook

She’s played Cupid for others—now she’s met her own unlikely match! “A charming historical romance [with] a pair of attractive, down-to-earth leads.” —All About Romance

Widowed society matchmaker Mrs. Clara Sommersby thinks self-made businessman William Lane is just the man for her neighbor’s overlooked daughter. He’s successful and confident, if emotionally distant, until suddenly—shockingly—his attention turns to Clara herself!

She thought her days of romance were over—but is this younger man intent on giving her a second chance?

Ratings and reviews

Mrs. Sommersby’s Second Chance is the final book in The Sommersby Brides series by author Laurie Benson. I’ve been waiting for Clara’s story since Ms. Benson first mentioned it many months ago. Although I’m sad to say goodbye to these characters, I can’t think of a better or more perfect ending for “The Sommersby Brides” series than for Aunt Clara to get her HEA! Mrs. Clara Sommersby has been in all the previous books in this series. She is a loving and devoted Aunt, who has been there for all three Sommersby sisters since they were young. She has been a widow for a long time and has no desire to remarry and lose her independence. Mr. William Lane is a new character for us. Lane is a successful self-made businessman in Bath on a business opportunity. He is a friend and business partner to the Earl of Hartwick. “Hart” is a well known and loved character from a previous book and series. Oh my, I absolutely loved every single thing about this book! Ms. Benson truly did an outstanding job on this story. I always enjoy seeing an older hero/heroine. Clara is actually older than Lane in this story which is a refreshing change, Clara is 45 and Lane is 37. Clara is a well-loved character from the previous books and it’s nice to finally get to find out more about her background and to see her as an independent, successful woman, not just a companion to her nieces. As for Lane, what a perfect choice for Clara! I love that he’s immediately attracted to her. The fact that she is older than him, never really was an issue in his eyes, and made me love him even more!  Growing up as an orphan in a Foundling Home has made him feel like he never belonged anywhere, until Clara. Ms. Benson truly pulled out all the stops on this final book in the series. It was pure perfection from beginning to end. Beautiful, well-written and perfectly paced story, with characters that grab your heart. The secondary characters were fabulous, especially an adorable, mischievous pup named Humphrey. It was wonderful to get to see the Sommersby sisters one more time, along with Hart, Sarah, the Dowager Duchess of Lyonsdale and a few other characters from previous books. Although I really hated to see this series end, I finished the book with a big smile on my face. I have enjoyed this series tremendously, and I look forward to seeing what Ms. Benson has for us in the future! She’s definitely an author to follow! Highly recommend!

Bath, England 1820 Sigh. What a wonderfully engaging story of the heart, that takes you on a journey of two unlikely people meeting by happenstance and forming an attraction. Laurie Benson's wonderful descriptions and charming characters makes it seem like you are there, and wouldn't that be amazing? Her stories are as close as you can get to feeling the atmosphere and even imagining the taste of the restorative waters. Mrs. Clara Sommersby has made a place for herself in Bath, having been widowed for many years and now owns the hotel next to the baths. Of course that is not public knowledge and she has a male cousin managing it for her. She has been known to do a little matchmaking and maintains her independence. William Lane is in Bath looking at making a business deal. He wants to buy the hotel next to his coffeehouse since he discovered a spring he discovered a spring underneath. He meets Clara while trying to determine if he should take a drink of the restorative waters or not. I loved the banter between these two and their slow buildup iin attraction (although he is attracted to her at the first meeting!) They both have pasts that have made them the people they are but I was especially pulled in to Lane's and really felt for him. Wonderful secondary characters and of course who could not love Humphrey! Really enjoyed the age difference and the second chance for Clara to find true happiness and Lane to realize he is not defined by his upbringing. A little sad because this is the last in the series, but wow, what a romance of the heart. Cannot wait to read more by this author who is on my must read list!!

Mr. William Lane came to Bath from London to secure business matters. While debating on whether he should drink the local waters, he meets Mrs. Clara Sommersby, a most lovely widow. Clara has thrived since her husband's passing, and she enjoys her independence. She likes the very serious and dedicated Mr. Lane, but she will not have a man dictacte her affairs, and besides he is too young for her. Clara and her friend Eleanor, the Dowager Duchess of Lyonsdale, cannot resist their matchmaking impulses and Clara takes upon herself to match William to her neighbour's overlooked daughter Harriet. But it is soon apparent to everyone that this is not the way things are going. Charming. This is what MRS. SOMMERSBY'S SECOND CHANCE is: utterly charming! On the surface, this is a very simple story - boy meets girl - but beneath the surface, there is so much going on! There's the age difference: Clara is 45 and William 37, and it was not well regarded at the time, 1820. And how refreshing it is to have a Regency romance with older characters, and especially an older woman. I loved how everyone behaved according to their age - Eleanor is older than Clara, Harriet is nineteen, and it was apparent in how everyone acted. Very subtly, we are made aware of ageism, class differences, and the precariousness of a woman's independence, as well as Society's preoccupations with appearances. William and Clara come very different backgrounds, but they are fundamentally very much alike: they have worked hard for what they have and intend to succeed in their future endeavours. They are very different: he is reserved and too serious while she is bubbly and gregarious, yet they complement each other so well. They also have tragic backstories, and I loved what the author did with Clara's marriage. They were just so lovely, I couldn't wait to see them together, but oh the obstacles they had to face! There are so many wonderful characters in this story! The Dowager threatens to steal the show with every one of her appearances, and whose interactions with Clara are simply delightful; the dialogues between William and his friends, the Earl of Hartwick and the Duke of Lyonsdale, are fabulous and made me laugh quite a few times. Even Clara's dog, Humphrey, was perfect; not too cute, just a fun puppy. I thought it absolutely marvellous that both Clara and William earned my respect with their actions; there is no telling here, gentle readers, only showing. Clara is admirable, a fantastic heroine. You could feel that shimmering moment of awareness when Clara and William look at each other that first time when they acknowledge that they cannot ignore what has passed between them. All the attraction was ever so palpable, yet with none of those endlessly hardening and tightening body parts. Subtle, nuanced, and smooth: this is what this romance is all about. An impeccable sense of time and place. MRS. SOMMERSBY'S SECOND CHANCE is such an intelligent story, I wondered how Clara and William would react when a conflict would arise, one that the reader knows is inevitable. There was no lack of communication, but there were things that had remained unsaid because there was no need for them to be discussed until they came up. And how wonderful to witness the characters deal with the issues like reasonable adults. What a grand love story with a perfect ending, oh my heart!

About the author

Laurie Benson is an award-winning historical romance author. Her novel An Unexpected Countess was voted Harlequin's 2017 Hero of the Year. She began her writing career as an advertising copywriter, where she learned more than you could ever want to know about hot dogs and credit score reports. When she isn't at her laptop avoiding laundry, Laurie can be found browsing museums or taking ridiculously long hikes with her husband and two sons. For more info go to: lauriebenson.net.