Tag: regency

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.

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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.

A Wager Worth Making (Arrangements, Book 7) – Review

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wagerby Rebecca Connolly

  • File Size: 376 KB
  • Print Length: 277 pages
  • Publisher: Phase Publishing; 1 edition (October 1, 2017)
  • Publication Date: October 1, 2017
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B075SL3H2P

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The riskier the wager…

Everyone knows that Gemma Templeton is a wonderful, cheerful, friendly young woman who is well worth one’s acquaintance. She is vibrant and warm, and plays the violin with exquisite talent. The only thing she lacks is a husband, and time is growing short for her in that regard. When an interesting opportunity arises from an unlikely source, Gemma’s future is suddenly far more appealing, and a small wager makes all the difference.

…the sweeter the return.

What everyone does not know is that a certain man of a less warm reputation is very much interested in changing Gemma’s unmarried state, and he doesn’t care what anybody says. Lucas Sinclair, Lord Blackmoor, is a dark mark upon the face of Society, and his unexpected interest in Gemma leaves many to wonder if his motives don’t hide some sinister purpose. He takes her ridiculous wager, and will stop at nothing to see it paid.

This is the seventh book in the Arrangement series with A Wager Worth Making being darker than the others. I usually don’t care for darker books but this book is well worth it and needs to be darker due to the main character.

Rebecca Connolly’s characters continue to be unique and well developed. I did have a little bit of trouble keeping track of some of the side characters from previous books but I love the reappearance of previous characters, especially Kit, Marianne, Nathan and the Gent.

There was a mystery throughout the book that I liked even though I had predicted who and what was involved.

The characters are what stood out the most for me. Lucas Sinclair, Lord Blackmoor, is a tortured soul. My heart really felt for him and his circumstances. He had to go through a lot of bad things that were not of his own making.  As an outside observer, I questioned why felt he needed to protect others instead of sharing the burden with those he loves. However, I am the same way though my situations are nothing like his. I think everyone can relate to him and his struggle in some way.

Gemma Templeton was a perfect match for Lucas.  A depressed person would have brought him down, a fake, bubbly person would have annoyed him, but Gemma’s positive, honest personality brought out the best in him. They seemed meant for each other.

I am looking forward to spending Christmas with the Gerrards.

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.

 

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.

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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.

Miss Leslie’s Secret – Review

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leslie.jpgWritten by Jennifer Moore

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc. (September 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1524404152
  • ISBN-13: 978-1524404154

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Decorated war hero Conall Stewart has spent ten years envisioning his return to his beloved Scottish Highlands. But now, with the days of battle finally behind him, it seems that his dreams of home have been in vain: the land of his youth lies in ruins, and his family is gone. Though he will never stop searching for his kin, Conall knows he must begin again. But when he takes on a rented farm in a nearby town, he finds far more than the fresh start he was looking for .

After catching a mischievous local lad stealing, Conall returns young Jamie to his mother, Aileen Leslie—and finds the woman’s coddling of the child maddening. What Conall does not realize is that Aileen hides a frightening secret: her devoted protection of Jamie is all that shelters them from discovery by a dangerous man from their past. Drawn together by circumstance, Conall soon develops a fatherly relationship with Jamie—as well as romantic feelings for Aileen. But even as the couple accepts their growing affection for one another, time runs out for Aileen and her son: after years of hiding, they have been found. Conall lost his family once—he will do all in his power not to let history repeat itself .

-I liked that the book was set in the Scottish Highlands. There were some wonderful descriptions of the location and lots of fact based history.

-I did not like how superstitious the characters were. I also didn’t like many events at the Beltane festival, like the belief that the fire had protective powers and they had the animals walk though the smoke and put the ashes on each other. They also seemed to put their traditions and superstitions on the same level as God and following his Word.

“The combination of pagan customs and Christianity seemed at odd to some, but to her, it made perfect sense. The connection with the land and blessings from the heavens brought harmony to her world.”

-I was surprised that Aileen didn’t trust Conall with her secret, even when they were engaged.

-I liked the characters, especially Jamie and Conall. There were also some very strong and developed minor characters. I really hope the next story will be a continuation of Jamie’s life as he gets older.

-Except for the things relating to the pagan traditions, I enjoyed the book.

The Burdens of a Bachelor (Arrangement #5) – Review

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bachelorWritten by Rebecca Connolly

  • Print Length: 290 pages
  • Publisher: Phase Publishing; 1 edition (April 1, 2017)
  • Publication Date: April 1, 2017
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B06XS5LHCJ

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What the eye cannot see…

Colin Gerrard has everything. He is a handsome, charming, and unattached gentleman in possession of a fortune. But what nobody knows, and would never suspect, is that he is not nearly as carefree as he seems, nor is his heart free for anyone’s taking. It was already taken long ago, and when his lost love unexpectedly reappears, in London of all places, he’s very much afraid that she still has it.

…the heart already knows.

Lady Susannah Hawkins-Dean had no intention of ever seeing Colin again after their terrible departure sixteen years ago. She never wanted to see anyone that knew her in the past. There were too many secrets, too much shame, and he, of all people, could not know them. But when Colin refuses to leave her in the past, Susannah finds that she is just as in love with him as she ever was, and it could ruin them both.

I have really been enjoying the Arrangements series by Rebecca Connolly and have been looking forward to reading Colin’s story since I found him so interesting in previous books.

It was nice to see what made Colin the person he is but he seemed to have lost a lot of his personality in this book. I still liked him, but it felt like something was missing.

I was not a huge fan of Susannah and found certain characteristics annoying. If you claim to love and trust someone, you shouldn’t hide behind a mask. However, she spent the entire book hiding behind numerous masks and wavering back and forth in her feelings for Colin.

I also didn’t like the cursing and there was too much of the physical between Colin and Susannah, even when they were not on speaking terms.

I love this series but I felt like this one fell short. I am very much anticipating Kit’s story though.