This is an exciting story of intrigue, sabotage, lost royalty and love. This review may contain spoilers.
This story starts with a man looking for a wife for his two daughters and places an advert in a news paper and with a woman who is looking for a husband to travel with.
The heroine is a 16 year old lady who was French and had survived the Terror. She arrived with her surviving family, but after 20 years, she is the only one left. She is looking for a man who travels that she can travel with to go to France, now that Boneparte was jailed. She wants to get back her estate and title.
The hero is the nephew of the man who advertised for a wife that could speak 3 languages, be a mother to his daughters, support his international business and travel.
Both of the main characters have goals and where the interact, action happens. But no one said anything about love.
This story was great! My only co.plaint was that this was attraction at first sight, but the hero was live at first sight. The heroine was more restrained, which is believable. But that was a minor part of the novel and it was a good solid story. It made sense, it was well-edited and proofed which made it very easy to read. I felt like I was watching a movie. When there was an action scene, I could see how the interactions took place. It was very descriptive. I give this book a solid 5 stars.

Romance and Treachery

Daisy is searching for a husband. She advertises to find one, but the one who answers denies doing so. Is there a game afoot? It turns out that his uncle used his name, but Garrick wants Daisy to marry him, anyway. As the two get to know one another, they fall in love, but there is treachery and danger around them. With shipments disappearing, and someone attempting to kill those around Garrick, what does he find in the end? Can he and Daisy survive the treachery that surrounds them? If you like historical romance with mystery, treachery, and intrigue, you might want to pick up this entertaining story.

One Fantastic Story! Unique, Suspenseful and Gripping! The second in Matrimony series, Because of You will hold your attention from start to finish. It's a rollercoaster ride that weaves a story from beginning to end with threads of intrigue, violence and brims with tension building twist and turns Cerise Deland has given readers a book that is well-written, filled it with great cast of characters that come off the pages and pull you into this emotional ride that keeps you involved until the very end, sizzling passion, danger and a mystery to solve. With setting descriptions and action sequences that are wonderfully vivid that brings the story to life and as the uncertainties escalates the suspense builds and villains abound which brings this read together perfectly.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

I really like the premise of this series - relationships that are contracted through essentially a Regency style personals ad. In this one Cerise DeLand takes that contracted matrimonial relationship and puts a serious spin on it. This is not a straight forward two people write each other, decide they are compatible and agree to marry based on their letters to each other.

The heroine in this story is Marguerite "Daisy" Molyneux, who is ex-pat French high nobility, and the last of her family. She is in need of a husband to help her reclaim some of her family legacy in France, and through the matrimonial ads finds a candidate in London. When she travels there, he fails to meet with her, and she finds her way to his home, to find that the contracted spouse is injured gravely from being recently run down in the street. There, she meets his nephew, Garrick Ruxton.

They initially clash, but it quickly becomes apparent that they find each other far more attractive than repellent.

It turns out that her previously intended spouse runs a lucrative import/export business, and Garrick had recently returned from abroad. He had been accused of a heinous crime and had escaped abroad when he could not find evidence for his innocence. He was able to return after years, and is helping in his uncle's business and has been pulled into a mystery of missing goods. It turns out that his interests and Daisy's interests coincide, with his uncle's encouragement, Garrick and Daisy wed, and travel to France where they face danger by investigating the missing goods and escalating political tensions because of Napoleon's resurgence in power.

Garrick and Daisy investigate her family's legacy and work to reclaim the evidence of her claim. She has to face her own memories of her family's traumatic escape during the Revolution, when she was just a child, and it is obvious she suffers PTSD. They also face the danger of investigating the missing goods from the Ruxton business, because it becomes apparent that it is linked to the crime Garrick was blamed for in the past, and possibly linked to treasonous actions against the British.

In interesting story with the political/conspiracy twists, family trauma/PTSD, interspersed with the marriage of convenience becomes love story, and a story of family betrayal. I am enjoying this new series.

3.75 stars out of 5

This is Book 2 in the Matrimony series. Although Daisy survived the Terror by escaping to England, everything else in Normandy is lost, her family, her home - all gone. She is determined to at least regain her land, but in order to do that, she needs the support and backing of a husband. So she pays to post an advert in the local news sheet for a husband . When she gets a response to her ad, they both begin writing letters to each other and finally agree to meet and marry. But when the day of the marriage arrives, the gentleman doesn't show up. Not willing to be stood up, Daisy tracks down his home and pays him a visit, only to find Garrick, the name that signed the letters, but not necessarily the man who wrote them. It turns out Garrick's uncle Daniel had been the one writing to her the whole time. They would have been married, too, if the murder attempt on Daniel hadn't gotten in the way. Garrrick and Daisy both set out to solve the mystery behind the murder attempt and regain her lands, and in the process embark on a passionate love story.
An exciting story that was well-written and nicely paced with plot twists that kept me intrigued and interested till the end. The backdrop of the story and the details on the Terror seemed to be well-researched and added authenticity to the plot. The characters were well-defined and I enjoyed following their story. A wonderful story! I am looking forward to continuing the series.
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

A news sheet totally devoted to martial bliss leads a young lady, an emigre from France, to seek a husband for a happy marriage and to help regain her estate in France. After many letters and an agreed upon time to meet, he doesn't show up. Her desperation leads to the news sheet for his address. The man who wrote the letters is not the man she marries. A very passionate love story involving a dangerous plan of deceit, an unsolved murder, attempted murder, missing cargo, blackmail and treason. Set in England and France still in turmoil with Napoleon on Elba. This series has an exciting element of going in many directions.
Descriptive open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Daisy needs a husband, because France in 1815 only honors the word of a man. Patriarchy, y’all. 🥲
Daisy needs a hubby because she is ready to reclaim the family property that she and her family had to flee during the Reign of Terror when she was a child. As an adult, she’s an émigré in England, and now the only surviving family member. To find a husband she places an ad in a paper, and ends up corresponding with a Mr. G Ruxton. Mr. G is in search of a wife to be mother to his two daughters & wants someone who has an excellent command of French language and culture to suit his social strata. Voilà! After a period of exchanging letters they decide to arrange a date/time to meet to get married only Mr G is a no show.
Furious at being ghosted, and desperate for the hubby who said he would help reclaim her family property, Daisy confronts Mr. G … and meets the finest specimen that she’s ever seen. Good news the finest specimen happens to be Mister Garrick Ruxton (yay!). Bad news, the person who she corresponded with wasn’t Garrick, but his uncle Daniel (boo, catfished!).
Garrick is shocked that his uncle would find a wife via newspaper advertisement let alone correspond with this stunning woman, and decides he wants Daisy for HIMSELF (mine!). Garrick thinks he is the better option because he “who truly wants her for herself is who she deserves.” The real Mister G is Instantly Enamored.
Turns out the reason uncle Daniel missed the original IRL meetup with Daisy was because he was pushed into oncoming traffic and almost murdered. Yikes. Nephew Garrick has come in to run uncle Daniel’s family shipping business, try to solve Daniel’s attempted murder, and did I mention that he wants Daisy as his wife?
For reasons, Garrick and Daisy marry (whew, dodged a bullet there, sis) and must solve mysteries of attempted murders, accusations of attempted murder, discover who has been stealing goods from the shipping company, and a find Daisy’s family’s deed so she can claim the familial estate.

Loved:
- the tropes: Road trip! Marriage bed! Marriage of convenience! Forced proximity! Sick bed scenes!
- The mysteries that the characters had to solve and the ones that the reader had to unravel throughout the book.
- FMC, Daisy: despite her tragic history as a child, she’s grown up to become a woman who knows what she wanted and goes after it. One of her first few thoughts when meeting Garrick was “Mr. G. Ruxton in the flesh was a mouth-watering mountain of a man. Delicious.” In addition to deciding to claim her family property she decides she wants Garrick, too.
- The language: example, Daisy sees Garrick while he is nursing her back to health (sick bed!) and thinks “Mr. Ruxton. The one who was so perfect to gaze upon that one could imagine he had just descended from the skies and folded his wings as he took up mortal form. He even made her feel heavenly.” Swoon!
- MMC, Garrick: the one who wants Daisy for himself, not what she can do for his social and political standing 🥹 he’s hot, Daisy describes him as an angel multiple times and since Daisy is perfect I believe her. Just kidding listen to this: “He filled the doorway. Framed, as if by a master portraitist, he was the perfect picture of a dark Apollo. Tall. Taller than she. Even at this distance, she could see he had inches on her. Broad of shoulder. A man of muscle and might. An angular face, straight, strong nose, and blunt, square jaw. And lips that showed humanity and humor. Such men were rare.” 🥰

Didn’t love:
- there were a couple of things that Daisy and Garrick weren’t communicating with each other about, and i spent a lot of the time fearful of a big miscommunication trope (not personally my fave).
- Then there were some spicy scenes that seemed to be leading up to something very fun, but then just when it got to the good stuff (you know what I mean) the scene kinda just… faded away…or was described with such flowery language I had to do a double take like “wait what happened?” 😅 and then next thing you know Garrick and Daisy were cleaning up and lying all boneless and stuff, ya know? 🥲 something to consider if you like/don’t like spice because this could be perfect for the “closed-door but gimme a peephole” crowd. Idk if that’s a thing, but that’s how I would describe the spice. Oh, maybe like edging, but except as a reader…

1.5🌶️/5 because we did have some spice
4 ⭐️/5 loved the romantic writing

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own 🫶

Daisy and her family escaped the Great Terror in France and established new lives in England, but now she is the only family member who survives. She wants to find a husband and begin a new life. She answers Garrick Ruxton’s advertisement for a wife and mother for his two daughters. He sounds like the honorable, caring man she seeks. Garrick Ruxton has had a difficult time over the past few years. He is trying to find the theft of shipments in his uncle’s company; he has been falsely accused of murder, and he is faced with Daisy’s anger over an appointment not kept. What he did not do is advertise for a wife. It seems his uncle, Daniel Ruxton, did so and used his name. What a tangle. This is an exciting story with lots of action, intrigue, blackmail, and betrayal. This is a page turner with twist, turns, and surprises, not all of them good. Garrick, Daisy, and Daniel’s daughters are caught up in a scheme gone bad and turned dangerous. Garrick and Daisy are attracted and marry. They immediately embark on an adventure that answers many of the questions plaguing Garrick. There is finally a happy ending for Garrick, Daisy, and the two little girls.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

From the opening pages of this fast-paced and suspenseful romance, I was completely engrossed in the novel as Daisy Molyneaux takes the only option open to her of reclaiming what has been lost during the Great Terror. What she does not realize is that she is stepping into another pit of vipers but this time she has Mr Garrick Ruxton at her side. Having answered an advertisement and built a relationship with a man who promises marriage, Daisy discovers that he is not at all what she thought, but that his nephew is a man she can trust and who will protect her. From beginning to end, the novel keeps the reader's attention and I found I was unable to put the book down. Although some horrific truths are unraveled, the novel does come to a good conclusion and Daisy and Garrick discover their own future in each other. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Because of you is the second book in the Matrimony series.

‘Daisy’ Molyneaux is desperate. All her family is dead. Her home in Normandy, attacked by mobs. But she needs a husband who will help her regain her rights. So, she posts an advertisement for a husband. After writing many letters she agrees to marry, and they are to meet. Only he never shows up. She returns everyday with the hope he will be there until finally she is forced to go to the newspaper office to find out where the man lives.

Garrick Ruxton appears as a hero after an accident in the Ruxton carriage returns to him and he begins to care for her. Garrick agrees to accompany Daisy to France and solve his own problems with his shipping company.
Garrick must find all those guilty before he is accused of treason. Before Daisy loses all hope of regaining her rights.

This was a fun quick afternoon read. The characters are strong and determined to solve their problems, but they are also good and kind to others. I really enjoyed this book and am interested in reading more in the series.

4.5 Stars
Miss Marquerite ‘Daisy’ Molyneaux is desperate, she survived the Terror, escaping to England from her Normandy chateau but now all her family is dead. Now that the little general has abdicated, she has a chance to gain back her lands. But she needs a husband who will help her regain her rights. So she pays to post an advert for a husband. When the man who answers is not one she could ever love, but his nephew could be, can she accept his proposal? Garrick Ruxton appears to her like a golden-haired hero, a handsome creature & who vows to accompany Daisy to France and, in the bargain, solve his own problem. His shipments, meant for British forces on the Continent, constantly go missing. He knows not who or how or why the thieves steal his goods. Worse, someone has attempted to kill his uncle. Daisy, too.
The second book in the series & it’s very easily read on its own. A well written fast paced book that starts at a run & doesn't stop until the epilogue. I loved both Garrick & Daisy, both strong characters who have suffered hardships & are both ripe for falling in love. There is the mystery of the missing goods from the Ruxton shipping company as well as who is trying to kill members of the family. There are twists & turns, surprises, treason, blackmail & all the time Garrick & Daisy are falling deeper in love. However if she gains her lands will they be separated? A riveting read which I devoured
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Nothing is ever black and white!
Mysteries abound and so many questions linger to be answered as Daisy hunts out the man who promised to marry her and make her a mother through their letters. Yet as tragedy strikes and danger looms, the desperation to chisel out a place of belonging becomes so much more than Daisy ever hoped. Where that quest for compassion and the hope love could flourish and transform her days blooms beyond craving, for two so intensely at first sight, thanks to one ill-intentioned accident and undeniable heady want.
Leading to a sweet romance, that seeds from adversity, sprouts a binding friendship and blossoms beyond steamy heated attraction, under an ominious cloud of dread that catches hold, doggedly stalks and kept me on edge.
Deland has created two characters so easy to love as they embark on an adventure to find what once was lost, hunt out betrayal, answer so many dangerously pressing questions and ultimately thwart malicious power hungry schemes. Whilst rising the lingering suspicions Uncle Daniel is up to no good.
A hard to put down read that engagingly flows from page to page and demands answers. Rings with intricate detail and research as an unvarnished snapshot of 'The Terror' comes to life and remains interwoven throughout the tale's backdrop. The haunting horror it inflicted on the émigrés who fled, and the destruction it manifested, all seen from the view point of our disillusioned and lost heroine, Daisy. In perseverance: hers to regain her family’s chateau and domains and Garrick's to solve the many mysteries that started with who murdered Adam Foley, who seems to have reason to attack them and leave his uncle for dead while scheming to relieve their company of goods promised for military aid.
An emotionally entangling, well written, read riddled with suspense, a need to connect, soothe vulnerability, find acceptance and belonging and stop the sickening quest for power and greed. With a series premise that continues to pull me in, intrigue and thrill...looking forward to the next!

Miss Daisy Molyneaux has only one hope of reclaiming her birthright, that is with a husband at her side. The newspaper that runs unusual personal advertising has helped in the first stage of that.

Mr Garrick Ruxton is in the middle of personal and business chaos. Now he has one more problem to deal with.

This historical romance has lots of adventure and a dangerous mystery for our characters. From London to war torn Normandy not knowing who can be trusted. The action starts on the first page and never stops.

Great fun.

An advert leads to his nephew....

This wasa solid read. Daisy is a French immigrant, the great granddauaghter of Louis the XV, The last of her family has died and she seeks to marry a man she met through an advert and through letters, so she can inherit. When he fails to show up, she tracks him down, only to find G. Ruxton is not who she thinks. Daniel Ruxton is the widower she was to marry, but its his nephew, Garrick Ruxton who she meets, as Daniel was pushed into a carriage and the search is on for who harmed him.

Garrick wants Daisy immediately and instantly. He does not want his uncle to marry her. They can help each other out.
Suspense and steam.

Great storyline and character development made this book a hot and enjoyable read!
Extremely entertaining, captivating and interesting sexy read. I could not put it down. Wonderfully written with strong, intriguing characters. I want to read more from this author.

This is an exciting, suspenseful mix of fiction and history wrapped into one. I learned some things about the ‘TERROR” in France that I never knew. The author does a great job of weaving her story into real history. I felt Daisy’s pain and disillusion and also her joy of the new life she is living. It was interesting to see Garrick’s reaction to Daisy’s return to her ancestral home, and thought they didn’t really address the issue, their honesty with each other was very appealing. I found Daniel to be an enigma, sounding one way and doing another. The true villain was well hidden until the end and the climax was very well done. It was well paced, well written and the characters are people I would have loved to have met!

I received this ARC copy for free and these are my own opinions

Desperate to marry, Daisy advertises for a husband. She hopes to get her lands in France restored back to her after the Revolution. When she finally meets up with her husband to be, she finds herself attracted to the man’s nephew instead of his sickly uncle. Garrick is immediately attracted to the woman his uncle had been having a correspondence with. While looking into irregularities in his uncle’s business, he also promises to take care of Daisy and help her regain her property in France. Through their adventures together they quickly find themselves falling in love. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.