Review: Starting Again at Crofton Hall (Modern Crofton Book 5) by Rebecca Cohen

Rating: 5🌈

I’m so delighted that Rebecca Cohen continues to add to her amazing Crofton series, both past and present. With each new release, I seem to find myself loving the new book and with it, the latest couple it’s centered around.

In this case, half of which we’ve already met before. That’s Robin Flint, friend of Ben Redbourn, 16th Earl of Crofton, and a future Viscount Whetford in his own right. He’s been in a hidden relationship and he’s done. Robin is so relatable on multiple levels. He’s had a some truly bad judgments he’s made in his past, but you can understand why he made them when you get the reasons and the emotions of the situation at the moment. He’s just so human, even with his upbringing and financial portfolio. He’s been hurt and he’s so unsure about himself.

Then there’s DI Simon MacLove. Recently divorced, and relocated to the area, Simon has his share of damage done to him by his ex. Bruised, insecure about what he brought to the partnership, Simon’s in recovery as well . He’s a wonderful mixture of competent law enforcement, compassionate and understanding man who’s attracted to Robin, and questioning adult with a damaged relationship in the past.

These men are so wonderful to read about as they maneuver through the tricky course of their current lives and their painful pasts to head to their HEA. That it includes a murder, a mystery, several scary sisters on both sides, and their friends makes this a journey of depth, full of discussion, discovery, laughter, hot sex, and lots of love.

Plus Ben and Ashley are never far from center with their own issues and thoughtfully worked through resolutions. Much to our delight.

This is probably one of my favorites in this series. I absolutely adored every single second I spent inside Crofton and nearby locations. It’s really an addiction by now.

I’ve listed all the books by era below. I’m highly recommending them all. They must be read in order to understand all the characters, their personalities and relationships as well as events that are referenced to.

The writing is crisp, plotting superb, and the characters are always full of life and energy! Just amazing.

“The Crofton Universe :

The Crofton Chronicles–Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart):

🔷The Actor and the Earl #1

🔷Duty to the Crown #2

🔷Forever Hold His Peace #3

Available as a Complete Series Boxset

Plus:

“The Love and the Anger “

Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart)–Sebastian/ Anthony 10 years together

The Earls of Crofton–Historical: (Different eras–can be read as individual standalone novels): Anthony, Earl of Crofton (Early Stuart) James, Earl of Crofton (Restoration) Charles, Earl of Crofton (Regency)

The Modern Crofton–Contemporary: 🔷Saving Crofton Hall #1

🔷Making History at Crofton Hall #2

🔷Below Stairs at Crofton Hall #3

🔷Getting Married at Crofton Hall #4

🔷Starting Again at Crofton Hall #5

Standalones in the Crofton Universe “Much Ado About Lady Macbeth”Note: Sebastian Hewel is a minor character

Starting Again at Crofton Hall (Modern Crofton)

Description:

After making a decision that will change his life forever, Robin Flint arrives at Crofton Hall, looking for a place to recover and start again. Love is not enough to continue living a lie.

An unexpected meeting where sparks fly was meant to be a one off, but Simon MacLove is just too wonderful to cast aside. But since Robin hadn’t intended to continue things, Robin didn’t tell Simon, a local police officer, that he was a millionaire trust fund baby and the future Viscount Whetford. Robin has a lot of baggage, but so does Simon, and whether they can carry it together and is very much up in the air, especially as Robin’s now ex-boyfriend, movie star Dorian Marsten, hasn’t accepted things are truly over between them.

Meanwhile, Ben and Ashley are still enjoying their post-honeymoon bliss, and have decided to work on the next generation of Redbourns. Only it’s not so easy when neither of them have the necessary biological equipment, meaning the road to them becoming parents isn’t going to be straightforward.

This is the fifth Modern Crofton novel. Each story features a new couple falling in love at Crofton Hall, with the continuing life and love of Ben Redbourn, 16th Earl of Crofton, and the man of his dreams, Ashley (was Niven now Redbourn).