Resisting the Forbidden Widow - Maggie Weston (HH #1882 - Oct 2025)

Series: Widows of West End (Book 3)
 
He has a list of eligible brides
But his assistant isn't on it…
 
After losing her husband so young, Mary vowed to never love again. Her new position as Cameron Sykes's assistant is the perfect guarantee of independence. Until Cameron tasks her with helping him find a titled wife!
 
As they try to find his perfect bride, it's only Mary that Cameron can imagine at the altar…and in the marriage bed! Yet she can't give him the Society approval that his hardworking parents desperately craved. But can he resist the all-consuming lust that's threatening to derail his plans?
 
This was an enjoyable Victorian workplace romance. The story opens with a prologue where we see Mary applying for a position as Cameron's assistant. He resists the idea of hiring an attractive young woman as his assistant, realizing that she could be a distraction. I loved watching her stand up to his prejudice and convince him to give her a three-month trial period, and stating her requirements for when (not if!) he hires her permanently.
 

"Because the one thing I enjoy more than honest work is proving somebody wrong. And now you've made it a question of my pride, Mr. Sykes. All that remains is to prove myself invaluable to Sykes Trading."

 

"Why do you make that sound like a threat?"

 

Feeling calm for the first time in months, Mary lifted her eyes bravely back to Cameron Sykes's. "It's not a threat, Mr. Sykes." She smiled softly when his grin broke free. "It's a promise."

 
Two years later, Mary has lived up to her promises. Sykes Trading is doing better than ever, and Mary has her finger on the pulse of the entire business. She earned Cameron's respect and admiration. I loved their banter, the way they pushed each other's buttons, and the underlying sparks that neither wanted to admit.
 
I enjoyed the development of Mary and Cameron's relationship. After two years working together, they know and understand each other very well. Both have emotional baggage that affects their outlook on life. The death of Mary's husband threw her into a deep depression that only staying busy keeps at bay. She has sworn never to marry again, refusing to risk that depth of feeling ever again. Cameron is a self-made man, enormously wealthy and good-looking, but considered a "climber." He fell in love with a titled woman who rejected him because of his lack of pedigree, leaving him determined to prove her wrong.
 
Cameron and Mary's work relationship becomes complicated when two things happen. First, he asks her to help him find a titled wife. His motivation is simple - he's ready to marry, and he wants to show up the woman who rejected him. This bothers Mary, but she refuses to accept why it does so. The second complication comes when an encounter with one of Cameron's business associates ends with her badly injured. Cameron's panic, anger, and fear are telling, but he hasn't yet reached the point of acknowledging why.
 
I liked how Cameron's caretaking of Mary opened his eyes to his feelings for her. His diminishing interest in his bride-finding ball was in direct contrast to his growing realization of what he feels for Mary. I laughed out loud at how he tried to fool his friends into believing his interest was only professional. The extra time spent with her also helped him understand the depth of her grief over her husband's death and her fear of loving again. I liked how Mary understood Cameron's motivation for his actions. She understood how the other woman's rejection affected him and how it revealed his hidden insecurities.
 
Thanks to their intensifying attraction, Mary and Cameron must face their growing feelings for each other. Cameron finally knows his heart, but he also understands Mary's fears. I loved his patience and willingness to wait until she was ready. The ending was perfect for these two, and the epilogue was a good wrap-up to the series.