Although Falling OUT is the third book in Lucinda Brant's Falling Series, I read Falling IN (Book 2) first, which made me interested in reading more of her writing and pick up this book with a sense of curiosity. Where the former was about the thrill of unexpected romance, Falling OUT explores what happens when love must grow within the framework of an existing bond. Deborah “Deb” Cavendish and Julian Hesham are the central roles of this story, and their lives have been intertwined since their childhood. In an unconventional twist, the two were married under peculiar circumstances – so peculiar that Deb remembers it only as a half-forgotten dream. Deb grows up in England as a spirited young woman who refuses to be hemmed in by the expectations of society, while Julian is raised abroad, distant in every sense. Years later, when they cross paths, their long-ignored marriage becomes a legal and emotional reality. Can Julian and Deb decide whether their marriage will remain one of convenience, or will they develop it into something real?

If you are in the mood for a historical romance that tugs at your heartstrings and also gives you some light moments, Lucinda Brant’s Falling OUT is a good choice. Set in the Georgian world she has crafted so vividly in Falling IN, Brant takes what could easily be a marriage-of-convenience plot and turns it into something deeper. I’ll admit to being skeptical when I read about a childhood marriage as the premise of this story. But Brant builds the chemistry between the protagonists patiently, moving their relationship from wary formality to one of genuine emotional connection. The plot moves at a steady pace. It’s light and humorous at first; then we see it deepening as secrets surface and emotional stakes get higher. Deborah comes out as brave and practical – the kind of woman who doesn’t wait around for someone else to save the day. Julian, on the other hand, must peel back layers of habit and history to meet Deborah on equal ground. Compared to Falling IN, which was about unexpected romance, Falling OUT feels more introspective. It’s less about falling headlong in love, but more about learning to build it, brick by brick.

Once again, author Lucinda Brant takes the reader back to England in the days of George III in Falling Out. Her heroine, Deborah Cavendish, is regarded as an eccentric, a label given to those who do not follow every rule of etiquette of the time. While she is of high birth, she fled England to nurse her elder brother Otto, who had shocked everyone by falling in love and marrying a gypsy. After the death of his mother, Deborah brings their son Jack back to England and her home in Bath. In the beginning of the book, Deb, at the age of twelve, is married to a fifteen-year-old lad, who is drunk. She barely remembers the occasion, but is aware that feelings play little part in marriages among the titled classes; it’s land, fortune, and family ties to retain one’s place in society. Yet Deborah hopes that she will one day fall in love and marry. Then she meets Julian Hesham, who, unknown to her, may be suitable, but has a problem with the law in Paris. There seems to be no way to overcome so many obstacles, even if he were to love her in return.

I was thrilled to read that Falling Out by Lucinda Brant is based on a real-life event. Among the petticoats and the peculiarities of Georgian England, Deborah has a mind of her own, but is also mindful of current traditions. You cannot help but warm to her, as you will to many of the other characters. The gossip, the bastard son seeking revenge, and the desperate need to keep up appearances. There are just enough descriptions of the scenes and clothing to take you back three hundred years. There is a duel, an attempted kidnapping, and, most horrifying, a suggested annulment of marriage in the days when divorce was unheard of. A very enjoyable read, and fans of both historical novels and tales of romance will love this book.