The Words and the Bees — Irene Davis

New York, 1897. The study of insects has been Cecilia Downing's lifelong passion, but when both her professional and domestic hopes are dashed, she finds herself wondering if she is an entomologist—or merely an entomologist's discarded mistress? Cecilia retreats to her family's home in the Hudson Valley to rest, regroup, and maybe research ant species, only to find that her uncle has hired her childhood friend to redesign the estate grounds.Daniel Carter hasn't seen Cecilia in nearly twenty years, and—thanks to the terrible stray dog he's definitely not adopting—their reunion is a rocky one. His work at her uncle's estate is the project which will catapult his landscape design career to the next level, and he's not about to let Cecilia, or his growing attraction to her, derail his work.The more time Cecilia spends with Daniel, the more intrigued she is. Her childhood playmate has grown up handsome and clever, with a wicked talent for rhymes, but the innocence of their childhood days is long gone. Can Cecilia risk letting her guard down, or will she once again find herself advancing a man's career at the expense of her own?Looking for a twist on the usual historical romance? The Whitford Crew is a series of full-length standalone novels set in and around Gilded Age New York City, with slow-burn romances, cinnamon roll heroes, and open-door love scenes. The Words and the Bees also includes a STEM heroine, a troublesome dog, and two dozen increasingly dirty limericks.The Whitford Crew1. Anyone But the Earl2. Head Over Wheels3. The Words and the Bees