Tag: clean

The Regency Brides Collection: 7 Romances Set in England during the Early Nineteenth Century – Review

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regencybridesby Amanda Barratt, Angela Bell, Susanne Dietze, Michelle Griep, Nancy Moser, MaryLu Tyndall, and Erica Vetsch

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Barbour Books (November 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1683223713
  • ISBN-13: 978-1683223719

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Romance is a delicate dance bound by rules and expectations in Regency England…
Seven couples must navigate society’s gauntlet to secure the hand of true love….

Charity and Luke are strangers who were forced to marry three years ago.

Adelaide and Walter share a love of music and disdain for elitism.

Caroline and Henry are thrown together by three orphans.

Helen and Isaac harbor his unlikely secret.

Esther is empowered to choose between two men.

Sophia is determined not to choose a man like Nash.

Jamie and William face a daunting London season together.

Will their faith grow and love prevail in a time when both were considered luxuries the elite could not afford?

Barbour Books brings us another great collection of Regency stories.

First Comes Marriage by Amanda Barratt
Young naïve Charity finds herself in a compromising situation and must marry Captain Luke Warren to save her reputation. As soon as the vows are read he returns to sea for 3 years without a word and he ignores her letters. When he finally returns, will they be able to have a real marriage or just a marriage of convenience?

Overall, I liked the main characters. However, Luke is supposed to have repented but he returns to his vices later in the story which is worrisome.
At the end of the story I was left with lots of questions, like what happens to the sister and the father.

Masquerade Melody by Angela Bell
After her father died and the estate is entailed, Lady Adelaide must become a companion to her spoiled cousin and hide her musical talents.

Colonial Walter comes back from Waterloo with a loss of faith in God after his brother’s death.

Can music help them overcome their past and provide a hopeful future?

Lydia was a mean selfish person but I didn’t like the captain deceiving her and pretending to like her.

I loved the main couple!

While this was a shorter story it felt very complete, though I would love a sequel with Quinby’s story.

Three Little Matchmakers by Susanne Dietze
Caroline, Henry and Esther all play together as children. As they grow, Caroline becomes governess to Esther’s 3 children. After Esther and her husband die, Caroline brings the children to their uncle Henry who wants to dismiss her and send the children to school. Will the children’s matchmaking attempts make them a family again?

I found it strange the Henry was so worried about becoming his father, yet he tried to copy him by being boring and stoic all the time.

I loved the stories of Caro and Henry’s past and how the children tried to recreate their adventures.

This was such a cute story!

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady by Michelle Griep
Isaac smuggles to regain what was stolen from him. On his last run, he meets Helen who was arriving to tend to her sick father.

Helen locks away the negatives of the world by pretending that everything is fine even though her father is dying.

After finding out his enemy is involved, will Isaac lose Helen’s trust by going against his promise to not smuggle again?

This story had a strong theme of trusting in God to provide us with what we need.

When I Saw His Face by Nancy Moser
Esther is thrilled when her step-daughter is married off and she can live a quiet life.

Chester has been waiting six years to marry Esther. She agreed that she would when her step-daughter married. Now that the time has come, will a stranger change their plans?

I had a really hard time finishing this story. Esther is everything that a Christian shouldn’t be. She is incredibly shallow and fickle. She complains about gossips, yet she trashes her step-daughter to anyone who would listen. Her step-daughter lost her father at a very young age and instead of helping her, Esther writes her off as a brat.

Instead of trying to get something out of the sermons and prayers she just tunes them out and later trashes the preacher to others.

Esther strings Chester along for six years and then only agrees to his proposal because she is afraid of losing him. Then she lies and cheats on him. Chester never had the opportunity to learn how to read. He justifies it by saying he doesn’t need to know how to read to do his work and Esther calls him an ignorant fool.

She meets a stranger and falls in “love” with him after a few days.

This story was my least favorite and I recommend skipping it.

The Highwayman’s Bargain by MaryLu Tyndall
While on her way to London to marry her fiancé, Sophie’s carriage is held up and she is kidnapped by her childhood friend who is trying to save her from marrying a moral less rake.

This was another story that had the theme of trusting in God and His time, even when life is hard.

Sophie thinks she has to choose between her parents’ health and a happy future.

I was surprised that Sophie couldn’t see her fiancé for what he was sooner and his reasons for wanting to marry her were awful.

I liked this story. I did predict the ending but still enjoyed it.

Jamie Ever After by Erica Vetsch
Jamie had been in love with her best friend’s brother William since she was a girl.

William was injured in the war and believes himself to be a shell of a man and no woman would love him.

During Jamie’s first season,  William’s cousin threatens to compromise her and force her to marry him.  Williams’s sister Polly begs her brother to marry Jamie and save her.

Will William be willing to believe in love and have a real marriage? Will Jamie get her happily ever after?

This story was about facing our biggest fears and overcoming them.

I loved William and Jamie and thought they were so good together. They needed each other.

I also loved the dogs in this book. Dogs seem to know people’s true selves even better than people.

This story had a great pace. I would love a continuation of it!

The Austen Escape – Review

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escapecoverby Katherine Reay

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 7, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0718078098
  • ISBN-13: 978-0718078096

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Falling into the past will change their futures forever.

Mary Davies finds safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues—particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary’s estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways.

But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes she lives in Jane Austen’s Bath. While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of a Regency lady, attended by other costume-clad guests, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them.

Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings arise, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.

From Austin to Austen

Mary Davies is an engineer working in Austin, Texas. She loves her job and has secretly been crushing on a consultant named Nathan.  Frustrated by a colleague, Mary is talked into a Regency experience get away in Bath, England with Isabel Dwyer, her best friend since second grade.  They have lost touch over the years and their relationship is more like frenemies. Things take a turn when Isabel loses her memory and secrets come between the friends.

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The book switches between the office setting in Texas and the Regency experience in England. As an IT major and an English minor, I really appreciated both locations.  The office scenes seemed so real to life. I especially love that Mary made a collection of little wire animals. Her relationship with her co-workers who worked together since their days starting the company in a garage was really something special.  The Regency experience was also fun with all the characters and quotes from Jane Austen’s novels.

When I first read the description, I was wondering if the book would be similar to Austenland. It wasn’t.  I felt that The Austen Escape was more realistic and emotional. For instance, the romance in the book was more real world and less fairy tale and “sigh-worthy”.

“Austen really had a thing against Marys.”

When I first read this quote, I found this funny and completely true. I have often wondered what Marys must have done to Jane Austen!

Mary’s relationship with Isabel also resonated with me. Even as Isabel’s “sidekick”, Mary was close to her for many years growing up. They seemed to have a relationship more like sisters. However, Isabel treated her very badly and they drifted apart.  If Mary had given up on her, she would not have known just how deeply Isabel was hurting and how they needed each other.

This book was more than just the physical escape; it was about finding yourself and being the best version of yourself you could be.

The Dishonorable Miss Delancey (Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace #3) – Review

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delanceycoverby Carolyn Miller

  • Series: Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace (Book 3)
  • Paperback: 296 pages
  • Publisher: Kregel Publications (October 24, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0825444527
  • ISBN-13: 978-0825444524

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Will a damaged reputation and desire for society’s approval thwart the legacy of grace?

Tainted by scandal and forced to leave London for the quieter Brighton countryside, the Honorable Miss Clara DeLancey is a shadow of her former society self. She’s lost the man she loved to another and, in a culture that has no patience for self-pity, is struggling with depression. A chance encounter brings her a healing friendship with the sisters of an injured naval captain. But Clara’s society mama is appalled at the new company she’s keeping.

Captain Benjamin Kemsley is not looking for a wife. But his gallant spirit won’t let him ignore the penniless viscount’s daughter–not when she so obviously needs assistance to keep moving forward from day to day. Can he protect his heart and still keep her safe?

When they’re pushed into the highest echelons of society at the Prince Regent’s Brighton Pavilion, this mismatched couple must decide if family honor is more important than their hopes. Can they right the wrongs of the past and find future happiness together–without finances, family support, or royal favor?

The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey is full of the captivating, flawed characters, fascinating historical details, and masterful writing that Carolyn Miller’s fans have come to know in The Elusive Miss Ellison and The Captivating Lady Charlotte. If you love Lori Wick, Georgette Heyer, and other clean, wholesome Regency romance, you’ll love this third book in the Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace series.

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The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey (Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace #3) by Carolyn Miller was filled with adventure, plot twists and of course, romance.  The book kept me completely engaged the entire time.

It is the third book in the series. Things are mentioned from the first two books and briefly explained but I would recommend reading the other two books first. They are worth it though!

The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey brings back the character Miss Clara DeLancey who has been shunned from society due to her actions and the actions of her rebellious brother.

Heroic Captain Benjamin Kemsley’s generosity outweighs his coffers and even if he were to fall in love, he would not be able to support his wife without title or money.

“For how could a humble sailor ever hope to win a viscount’s daughter”

For Love or Honor (The Jonquil Brothers #5) – Review

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honor

by Sarah M. Eden

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc. (October 2, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1524402567
  • ISBN-13: 978-1524402563

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From the moment they met, Marjie’s heart has belonged to handsome Captain Stanley Jonquil, younger brother of the Earl of Lampton. But six long months ago, when Stanley’s sense of honor required that he do as he had sworn and return to the Continent to fight in defense of King and country, neither Stanley nor Marjie could have dreamed what the cost of his service would be. It has been ages since Stanley last wrote, and Marjie and the Jonquil family are plagued by his unknown fate—until the day he unexpectedly reappears.

Marjie’s joy, however, is quickly shadowed by confusion—the aloof, battle-worn soldier before her is not the man he once was. In the wake of Stanley’s blatant disinterest in renewing their acquaintance, Marjie’s devastation turns to determination as she vows to help him find peace. But his scars run far deeper than anyone realizes.

Despite his feelings for her, Stanley believes Marjie deserves a man whose hands are not stained with the violence of battlefields and whose mind and heart are not haunted by the horrors he has seen. Honor requires Stanley to return once more to the life he has grown to despise, one he knows will destroy him in the end, even as his heart beckons him to stay with Marjie, the only woman he could ever love, and the promise, at last, of redemption.

This series has been a favorite of mine, and after reading Captain Stanley Jonquil’s story, it continues to be a favorite. This is a story of trying to find peace and hope during war, sickness and the general chaos in life.

Since a lot of the book is centered around Stanley’s return from war and his emotional and physical healing, it has a lot of serious topics. However, this being the Jonquil family, there will always be a lot of fun as well.

One of my favorite scenes was the Black Rod Summons scene and the poetry. It was hilarious!

I loved that it had so many previous characters from the series in it, especially Philip and Layton.

lovehonor

On the serious side, I really felt for Stanley and Marjie. Marjie just wants to help Stanley and her sister but is turned away making her feel useless and unwanted. Stanley has done so much for so many people but doesn’t see the positive. He only remembers the battles and having to choose his men’s fate during the war.

Keeping one’s word is so rare and I love that the Jonquil family believes in loyalty and in honoring a promise.

The author read letters from soldiers and truly seemed to have a sense of what they were going through. It was a very powerful story.

I look forward to future books and I wonder if the next one in the series will be when a certain American invades Harry’s life.

Falling for a Duke (Timeless Regency Collection) – Review

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dukeby Rebecca Connolly, Nichole Van, and Janelle Daniels

  • Print Length: 241 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Mirror Press (September 19, 2017)
  • Publication Date: September 19, 2017
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B073T4F86B

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From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Clean & Wholesome Romance, comes FALLING FOR A DUKE.

Three brand new Regency Romance novellas by Rebecca Connolly, Nichole Van, and Janelle Daniels

ON THE DUKE’S ERRAND by Rebecca Connolly. Lord David Chambers has one goal—to put his father’s Scotland estate to rights. Even if it means leaving in the middle of the London Season and avoiding the matchmakers. As the second son of a duke, David looks forward to facing the wilds of Scotland, and trying to make something of himself and prove his worth to his father. But David’s not prepared for the censure he receives from the local Scottish gentry, especially Ceana Shaw, the baronet’s daughter who not only mistakes him for the duke himself, she seems determined to think the worst of David.

VINGT-ET-UN | TWENTY-ONE by Nichole Van. Eliza Mail had found the perfect place to live out her days as a young widow, away from the pain of her past and lost love. Seemingly by chance, Eliza’s childhood neighbor, Liam Trebor, Duke of Chawton, comes to her village for a visit. Eliza hasn’t seen Liam in over five years, and his presence panics her. Will he reveal what he knows to her friends and neighbors, destroying her current life? Eliza must avoid Liam at all costs, but he seems equally determined to flush her out of hiding. What happens if Eliza’s past does not stay where it belongs . . . in her past?

I KISSED A DUKE by Janelle Daniels. Madeline Maybury will do anything to be invited into the inner circles of the ton. She takes on a challenge from a high society lady to kiss the Duke of Hargrave. When she finds Ethan alone and explains that she needs to kiss him, instead of turning her away, he’s amused. He also obliges. Madeline believes she can report back and achieve all of her ambitions. Instead, she’s given an even greater task. Once she accomplishes it, she realizes that the Duke of Hargrave is a very different man than she expected, and she’s in grave danger of falling in love

I am a big fan of the Timeless Romance Anthology series, especially the Regency collections.  They bring together really great authors who write excellent stories.

ON THE DUKE’S ERRAND by Rebecca Connolly

-I have really enjoyed Rebecca’s Arrangement Series and I love that this is connected to that series.

-Let me just say that the main character David is hilarious! Rebecca said that he “made me laugh a lot” and I completely agree.

-Ceana is a spitfire and I love that she isn’t all ladylike. She has a fun personality.

-The two main characters have a great relationship and I love seeing the two of them together.

-I look forward to more interconnected stories to come.

VINGT-ET-UN | TWENTY-ONE by Nichole Van

-I love when characters meet as children and their first meeting was adorable.

-I felt oddly personally invested in Eliza and Liam.

-There were certain elements of my favorite book Persuasion.

-I liked how the scenes would switch back and forth between present and the past and how the reader was only given small pieces of the past at a time. It built up the mystery surrounding their past.

-I usually predict a lot of things in books but the truth of Eliza’s husband surprised me.

 

I KISSED A DUKE by Janelle Daniels

-This was my least favorite in the set.

-I felt that the way they fell in love was too rushed.

-I did like the general storyline and characters

-It seemed confusing that Ethan hates people who are after his title but he has no problem with Madeline’s dare and the fact that she was after a title even though it wasn’t his.

-I would have liked to find out what happened after the book ended, especially in regards to the other character’s reactions.

 

12 Days at Bleakly Manor (Once Upon a Dickens Christmas #1) – Review

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bleaklycoverby Michelle Griep

  • Series: Once Upon a Dickens Christmas
  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (September 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 168322258X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1683222583

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A mysterious invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home may bring danger…and love?

England, 1851: When Clara Chapman receives an intriguing invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home, she is hesitant yet feels compelled to attend—for if she remains the duration of the twelve-day celebration, she is promised a sum of five hundred pounds.

But is she walking into danger? It appears so, especially when she comes face to face with one of the other guests—her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane.

Imprisoned unjustly, Ben wants revenge on whoever stole his honor. When he’s given the chance to gain his freedom, he jumps at it—and is faced with the anger of the woman he stood up at the altar. Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they’ve been striving for isn’t what ultimately matters.

What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.

Pour a cup of tea and settle in for Book 1 of the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series–a page-turning Victorian-era holiday tale–by Michelle Griep, a reader and critic favorite.

Ben and Clara have had a hard last year and Clara is not yet ready to trust Ben again with her heart. Ben has to choose between redemption and revenge. Will Ben and Clara get their second chance?

bleakly

This really is such a great book on so many levels.  The storyline is very unique and interesting. I love the characters and all the mystery; there was a lot of things that kept me guessing. The characters are so eclectic and kooky, especially Miss Scurry with her mice.

I like how the chapters were broken down by the days of Christmas. This would make an excellent story to read around Christmas but is still enjoyable any time of year.  I highly recommend this book!

 

An Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House #4) – Review

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beauty.jpgby Kristi Ann Hunter

Griffith, Duke of Riverton, likes order, logic, and control, and he naturally applies this rational approach to his search for a bride. He’s certain Miss Frederica St. Claire is the perfect wife for him, but while Frederica is strangely elusive, he can’t seem to stop running into her stunningly beautiful cousin, Miss Isabella Breckenridge.

Isabella should be enjoying her society debut, but with her family in difficult circumstances, her uncle will only help them if she’ll use her beauty to assist him in his political aims. Already uncomfortable with this agreement, the more she comes to know Griffith, the more she wishes to be free of her unfortunate obligation.

Will Griffith and Isabella be able to set aside their pride and face their fears in time to find their own happily-ever-after?

I have liked Griffith since I first read A Noble Masquerade and have really been looking forward to his story.  It did not disappoint!

I loved this book.  I wished that I could read it in one sitting but had to make due with reading it all in one day. I really didn’t want to put it down.

Griffith is such an interesting character. I love his little quirks. And Isabella was so perfect for him.

I love the scene where Griffith had to keep jumping to his feet every time Frederica suddenly leaves the room.  This book had me feeling all different emotions. I love when a book is funny as well as romantic.

incbgraphic

I also liked how actual historical events were interwoven throughout the book.

This book and A Noble Masquerade were my favorites from the series but I would recommend all of them.  I am sad to see the Hawthorne House series end but look forward to what is coming next.

“I love you. Whatever matters to you, matters to me. And I take care of what matters to me.”

 

Havencross – Review

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haven.jpgby Julie Daines

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc. (August 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1524403326
  • ISBN-13: 978-1524403324

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When a shocking scandal involving her father spreads through London society, Elaine Cardinham and her parents are forced to retreat to their country home in Cornwall for refuge. But Havencross is no sanctuary for Elaine. She is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her brother and the heartbreak she left in her wake all those years ago.

It has been five long years since Gareth Kemp last saw Elaine when she rejected his marriage proposal. Her reappearance convinces him of one thing: he has never stopped loving her. To put his feelings for her aside, he focuses his attention on the dangerous smuggling plaguing the Cornish coast. As Elaine attempts to run from her past, she ventures ever closer to a dangerous truth and Gareth may be the only one who can save her from a deadly finish.

-This story drew me in from the very beginning of the book.

-I liked the stories and legends throughout the book as well as the locations and descriptions.

-This quote is so relevant even more in this day and age:

“If a man and a woman vow fidelity, there should be no straying, not even of the slightest. This casual way society had of overlooking such vows left a bitter taste in her mouth. Such marriages could not possibly bring happiness to either partner. There could be no trust.”

-Gareth was my favorite character and I liked his sarcastic comments throughout the book.

-While this is a nice thought, unfortunately I am more inclined to agree with Gareth’s viewpoint regarding this quote:

“I believe that we each must find our own Camelot. Somewhere in this world, there exists a place where we might find the idyllic life we seek. A place of joy and peace, love and respect, where we are whole.”

-I hope everything turned out well for the Williams.

-The book was interesting and adventurous. I rated it 5 stars and would highly recommend it.