I did not realize this was the 5th book in a series but it read fine as a stand alone. The book is intriguing enough I will be going back to read the previous ones. I didn’t need to read the previous titles to enjoy this one. I won’t get into the plot of the book except to say that Caroline, the main character, has had quite a life. Her birth is a scandal and as an orphan is farmed out to various families to raise her. This seems to give her the strength she finds to get on with her life. Highly recommended!