Only Beloved by Mary Balogh

A nice ending to a wonderful series.

We've met both George, the Duke of Stanbrook, and Dora Debbins, spinster music teacher, in the previous Survivors' Club books. George is the older duke who had lost his son in the war and then created a hospital where many of the worst cases from the war were sent; those with both mental and physical ailments. 

Dora had once thought that she would marry and have a family. But the year of her come out, her father caused a scandal that ended in her parents' divorce. So Dora stayed home and helped to raise her sister Agnes. Agnes married once, was widowed, and then married one of the Survivors, Flavian, in Only Enchanting. In the meantime, Dora has been teaching music in a small town. It's a cozy life that leaves her mostly content. Until the day, over a year after she met him, the duke comes to propose marriage.

George has watched his six friends get married. And he doesn't begrudge them that. Even though his own marriage wasn't good and it ended when his wife committed suicide. But now he's realizing that he is lonely. He's not interested in the very young women that society would believe him to pick for his wife. And whenever he imagines the rest of his life, he sees Dora in his mind. And, yes, she's old (at 39) but he doesn't need an heir, his nephew Julian is good enough. So, the duke goes to propose.

They both go into the marriage with open eyes, knowing that contentment is the goal. But perhaps, there may be just a little more...

Four stars

This book came out May 3, 2016

Survivors' Club #7

Follows Only a Kiss

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own