Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Making History at Crofton Hall

SERIES:  Modern Crofton

AUTHOR:  Rebecca Cohen

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  322 pages

RELEASE DATE:  February 24, 2022

BLURB:

Crofton Hall is buzzing with anticipation for the filming of the Secret Histories TV special about a scandalous affair that has been hidden for over four hundred years.

The hall’s new historian, Dara Callaghan, is drawn not just by the hall’s rich history but to TV producer, Nathan Lorimer. Nathan is finally ready to start dating again, several years after the death of his husband. There’s something about Dara, a quietly spoken Irishman, and the romance that surrounds Crofton Hall, that makes him want to take a chance.

Meanwhile, Ben Redbourn, 16th Earl of Crofton, is trying to persuade his boyfriend Ashley Niven that he’d like to don doublet and hose and play Sebastian to his Anthony. But Ashley’s not having any of it… until someone else agrees to the take the part of the 1st Earl of Crofton’s lover.

This is the second Modern Crofton novel, featuring Benjamin Redbourn, the 16th Earl of Crofton and descendant of Anthony Redbourn, 1st Earl of Crofton from my historical series, The Crofton Chronicles. While designed to be read as a standalone, events that lead to this novel follow chronologically from Saving Crofton Hall.

Trigger warnings: discussion of grief and dealing with bereavement

REVIEW:

Well this was really lovely!  I so enjoyed the first book in this Modern Crofton series where the current Earl of Crofton, Ben Redbourn, meets his match in Ashley Niven.  They are featured in this book as well, but it’s really the focus on the building romance between new Crofton Hall historian Dara Callaghan and the TV producer tasked with bringing the Secret Histories episode on the first Earl of Crofton to the screen.

Dara doesn’t have his position at Cambridge funded so the professor he works under recommends him to Ben Redbourn, the 16th Earl of Crofton, who is interested in producing a history of the family home that could maybe be an item to enhance the venue.  Crofton Hall has recently opened for events such as weddings with an eye on perhaps even more.  But after the recent discover of letters between the first Earl and his male lover, it seems there are more secrets in Crofton Hall to be uncovered.

Nathan Lorimer has been tasked with producing a TV segment of Secret Histories which explores historical surprises. In this case, the segment will explore the 1st Earl’s relationship with a fairly well known Shakespearean actor.  Their letters had been discovered along with an original Shakespeare folio which has led to this segment – driven initially by Dara’s supervising professor at Cambridge, Madeline Timmory.

As Dara, the Earl and Nathan explore the possibilities of the past and what might be included in the TV show, things get very interesting.  There is they mystery of the twins, Bronwyn and Sebastian Hewel – one of whom is the wife of the first Earl and one his lover.  There is the mystery of who is buried in the family crypt.  There is the mystery of the exact nature of these three individuals relationships and there progeny as well.

Thrown into this mix is Nathan and Dara’s burgeoning romance.  Nathan was widowed at a young age, only a year married and he hasn’t been ready to get back out there four years after his husband’s death.  But something about Dara makes him think maybe he is ready.  Dara for his part has not been lucky in love. He’s a romantic at heart and he feels like Nathan is an authentic guy that he could maybe have something special with.

Then there is the chaos of the TV show, the archeologists, the professors’ enthusiasm and of course Ben and Ashley.  Ashley doesn’t like the limelight, but he’s not too keen on Ben being in the glare of the spotlight with someone else either 😉  Let’s just say the green monster rears his ugly head a bit 🙂

Overall, this is a slow burn, nicely paced second chances romance with two more mature characters looking for their HEA.  I really loved the book and the multiple stories being told here.  There’s enough steam and momentum to keep things moving without a lot of angst.  The setting is brilliant and the little historical gems and discoveries are a nod to the previous historical series featuring the first Earl as well.

Recommended particularly for fans of this series who will love the revisit of these characters (both past and present),but I think any slow burn fan will enjoy this.

RATING:

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