Regency romance – LDS Women's Book Review

Saving Grace by Michele Paige Holmes

Posted by Mindy Book Reviews

Oct 082014

Saving Grace: A Hearthfire Romance

Author: Michele Paige Holmes

Publisher: Mirror Press

Publish Date: October 15th, 2015

ISBN13: 9781941145234

ebook: 380 pages

Regency romance

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

From Whitney Award Winning Author, Michele Paige Holmes, comes Saving Grace, A Hearthfire Romance:

After the death of Grace Thatcher’s grandfather, the Duke of Salisbury, Grace wants nothing more than to live quietly in the country with her younger siblings. But her father’s debts thwart those plans, and to protect her sister, Helen, Grace must marry a man of her father’s choosing.

As each suitor proves less than desirable, Grace comes up with clever schemes, causing each to reject her. While staying at the mysterious Sutherland Hall, a middle-of-the-night mishap sends Grace into the arms of a stranger, Nicholas Sutherland—and provides inspiration for her grandest plan yet—one that will leave her reputation in tatters yet free both her and Helen from all possibility of marriage. But when Grace meets Mr. Samuel Preston, a true gentlemen and sworn enemy of Nicholas Sutherland, instead of being free, Grace is caught between two men—each with his own agenda.

My Review

Oh my goodness, this book is perfect. I loved it! The characters are brilliant and enjoyable. I loved Grace in an instant. What she does at the beginning of the book to get herself out of a bad situation, had me liking her from the start. She is in an impossible situation, put there by her father’s stupidity and heartlessness. I admit I was nervous about Grace’s scheme at first, but I enjoyed how events unfolded and I loved the end result. For a little bit, I was torn between who she should end up with, but during the course of the book, and getting to know the characters, there was a clear winner. Grace puts herself in a tough situation and didn’t think initially about what could transpire. Not only to her, but everyone around her. Nicholas reminded me of the beast from Beauty and the Beast. He needed his tough, strong-willed heart softened and Grace worked her way into it. She had a way of doing that with everyone she came in contact with. Grace’s genuine demeanor and kindness were my favorite things about her.

5 out of 5 stars. This is an excellent, clean romance that will have you quickly turning pages. I have always enjoyed Michele’s books, but I have to say, this one is my favorite.

Author Links

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble (other titles)

As You Are by Sarah M. Eden

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Feb 102014

As You Are (The Jonquil Brothers #3)

Author: Sarah M. Eden

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published: January 2014

Paperback/Kindle/ebook: 193 pages

Genre: Regency Romance

ISBN# 9781621085751

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a free digital review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary (Deseret Book)

A horse breeder by trade, Corbin Jonquil is more at home in the stables than in the ballroom of his sprawling estate. Corbin is the quietest of the Jonquil brothers and has always faded into the background, contentedly unnoticed. When a mysterious young widow, Mrs. Clara Bentford, moves into the neighborhood, however, Corbin quickly comes to realize that being noticed has its advantages. But how to catch the eye of the lady? According to his brothers, Corbin need only make a few simple changes to transform himself into the object of any woman’s desire—dubious advice, indeed. Following a series of misadventures, Corbin and Clara slowly lower the facades behind which they’ve been hiding, leaving Corbin shocked by the horrors that haunt the woman he’s coming to care for so ardently. When the menace of Clara’s past threatens to tear them apart and tensions mount, will the couple have the courage to fight for the promise of forever?

Review

In As You Are, we read about Corbin Jonquil, one of the quietest of the Jonquil brothers. He is brilliant, especially with horses, but he struggles to express himself to others. When he is won over by the beautiful smile of the mysterious woman who has moved into a nearby cottage, he longs to get to know her. Considering how difficult it is to speak to his own family, carrying on a conversation with Clara seems an impossible endeavor.

Corbin is so endearing. I couldn’t help but love him, even though I cringed (and laughed) at some of his attempts to get Clara to notice him. He was trying so hard, not realizing that it was enough just to be himself. Clara is a very likable character. Because of her past, I related well to her. I love that there is a bit of suspense in As You Are, as well as several cameos of characters from Sarah’s other books.

I look forward to each new book in the Jonquil Brothers series. (Good thing there are lots of brothers!) As grateful as I am for the digital review copy of As You Are provided by Covenant, I will be buying a copy of the physical book as well. First, I need Sarah to sign it for me, then it will be placed on the bookshelf reserved for my treasured Sarah M. Eden collection.

Visit Sarah:

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Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Nov 072013

Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection

Author: Carla Kelly

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.

Published Date: October 2013

Paperback/Kindle: 240 pages

Genre: Holiday Regency Romance

ISBN# 978-1462112272

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review

Summary (Goodreads)

Come explore Regency London with Carla Kelly! This collection features four stories that will warm your heart with Christmas cheer: “The Christmas Ornament,” “Make a Joyful Noise,” “An Object of Charity,” and “The Three Kings.” Filled with romance and a touch of humor, these stories are sure to find a place in your heart and remind you that Christmas is a time for love.

Review

This past year I have been delighted to discover many enjoyable short-story romance collections. I really liked Carla Kelly’s Borrowed Light series, and am happy to be able to review this Christmas Collection.

The stories in this collection are conveniently arranged in order of my favorites, starting with “The Christmas Ornament.” I got a kick out of two fathers playing matchmaker with their children, as well as the two main characters, James and Olivia, who were both too intellectual to fit in with the ton. I related to their love of learning and education, and found James’s occasional bumbling to be kind of charming. Suffice it to say, apologizing is something he quickly became skilled at doing.

Peter Chard in “Make a Joyful Noise” is a character I really liked. He is a good father, a hard worker, and even takes over his mother’s duty to find singers for the annual choir competition when she is called away to help care for sick grandchildren. When the woman he has seen walking across his property from time to time sits in front of them at church one Sunday, he hears her voice and knows she must be a part of their choir. Rosie finds herself in unfortunate circumstances when her father, whom she travels with in the army, is killed. She has no protection and no choice but to marry a selfish cad of a man, the son of Peter’s neighbors who nobody cares for much at all. When he falls out of a window while drinking with friends and dies, she appears at his family’s home, a surprise to everyone. They consider Rosie a burden and treat her as such. Peter, however, is soon smitten by more than her lovely voice.

In “An Object of Charity,” Captain Michael Lynch finds himself on shore while his ship is in dry dock for repairs after a harrowing skirmish in the blockade. He is unhappy about the situation, much preferring to remain at sea. While staying in his favorite boarding house, he is approached by a young woman, Sally, and her little brother, Thomas, who are looking for their uncle, the man who had served as Captain Lynch’s first mate until his recent death in battle. He is the one to break this unfortunate news to them. When he discovers the two siblings later, shivering in the dark by the docks, he realizes their situation is much worse than he suspected. He takes them into his care, deciding to go home for Christmas for the first time since a falling out with his father and older brother 22 years earlier. Things at home are both better and worse than he expected, yet Sally brings a long-absent peace back into his life.

I learned something new about the Christmas traditions of Regency era Spain in “The Three Kings.” Sarah and her brother James are caught in a predicament while doing research in France and James is shot and killed. Sarah is determined to get their research back to England, but there are French troops everywhere and she is basically on her own to find refuge across the front lines of the English army. She is placed in the charge of a Spanish colonel who will escort her to Ciudad Rodrigo so she can continue on to England. Before they can depart, the encampment is attacked and she is swept to safety by Colonel Luis Sotomayor. They make their way across the countryside, managing to stay ahead of the French troops, until events escalate near a village where Sarah learns more about the colonel than she or her heart could have expected.

All in all I enjoyed all of the stories, though the first two were my favorites. If you are in the mood for a little romance as the Christmas holiday approaches, this collection from Carla Kelly may be just the thing for you.

Find Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection:

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Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson – Blog Tour

Posted by Shanda Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Sep 092013

Blackmoore

Author: Julianne Donaldson

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published Date: September 9, 2013

Paperback/Kindle/CD/DB Bookshelf: 320 pages

Genre: Regency Romance

ISBN# 978-1-60907-460-9

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free digital uncorrected proof from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

**Visit The King’s English Bookshop page for details on Blackmoore‘s Launch Party on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 at 7 PM!**

Summary

Kate Worthington knows her heart and she knows she will never marry. Her plan is to travel to India instead—if only to find peace for her restless spirit and to escape the family she abhors. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. She makes a bargain with Kate: India, yes, but only after Kate has secured—and rejected—three marriage proposals.

Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore determined to fulfill her end of the bargain and enlists the help of her dearest childhood friend, Henry Delafield. But when it comes to matters of love, bargains are meaningless and plans are changeable. There on the wild lands of Blackmoore, Kate must face the truth that has kept her heart captive. Will the proposal she is determined to reject actually be the one thing that will set her heart free?

Set in Northern England in 1820, Blackmoore is a Regency romance that tells the story of a young woman struggling to learn how to follow her heart. It is Wuthering Heights meets Little Women with a delicious must-read twist.

Review

Blackmoore is an enthralling, heart-twisting romance with a depth that I greatly appreciated. There were highs and lows throughout as well a heart-pounding-yet-clean chemistry that carried me through the darker elements of the story. I kept turning pages, needing to know how things would turn out for Kate because somehow they must, even though she was determined to stay unmarried and travel to India with her aunt.

The details were expertly done, not too heavy, but enough to picture Blackmoore in my mind with minimal effort. The descriptions of the stark beauty of the moors and Robin Hood’s Bay had me pulling up Google so I could see the area for myself. When Kate hears a woodlark’s song for the first time I was so moved by the scene that I again searched online so I could hear what she was hearing.

The characters were interesting and dimensional, even those that made a minimal appearance in the story. I loved every scene with Henry. My heart broke for him in a way that I did not expect. I ached for Kate and what she felt she must endure. I loathed Kate’s mother. I wanted to know more about Henry’s grandfather, and Herr Spohr, and even the townspeople.

I was easily swept into the story, setting, and emotion of Blackmoore. I experienced elation, anticipation, disappointment, frustration, yearning and freedom right along with Kate. I wanted everything for her. I love they way Julianne writes the hero so that the reader knows exactly what he is feeling without being in his head. It is subtle yet so very effective.

Though Blackmoore carries a bit darker and more serious tone than Edenbrooke, it is a well-written and memorable love story that fans of clean-but-still-toe-curling romance will enjoy. I highly recommend it.

Visit Julianne Donaldson:

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***Special pricing in September for Kindle versions of Blackmoore and Edenbrooke!!***

An Unlikely Match by Sarah M. Eden

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Aug 082013

An Unlikely Match

Author: Sarah M. Eden

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: October 2012

Softcover/Kindle/DB ebook/CD: 184 pages

Genre: Regency Romance

ISBN# 978-1-60861-566-7

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

The future has never looked brighter for once penniless Nickolas Pritchard. Now in possession of an unforeseen legacy from a distant cousin, he can finally woo the exquisite Miss Castleton, belle of the London Season. What better setting for matchmaking than Ty Mynydd, his ancestral home nestled in the untamed hills of Wales? Ideal, indeed … except for the ghost.

For nearly four hundred years, Gwen has walked the halls of the home in which she lived—and died a mysterious death. But despite centuries as the reigning force within her ancient residence, nothing prepares her for the charm and unexpected appeal of Englishman Nickolas.

A deep and abiding affection grows between the two, tempered by the unbreakable barrier that separates them. They cannot possibly hope for a happily ever after. there can be no future between a man yet living and a woman long dead.

But how can Nickolas possibly give Gwen up? And how can Gwen face an eternity without Nickolas?

Review

It takes particular talent to present a situation as improbable as the one in this book and turn it into a believable and endearing romance. Luckily for us readers, Sarah possesses the skill to do just that.

An Unlikely Match has a paranormal element that sets it apart from Sarah’s other books and shows off her flexibility. I was actually a little nervous about it, because it was different from her other books (with a ghost as a main character), but as I began to read I was soon reassured that I would not be disappointed.

Another thing that makes An Unlikely Match different from Sarah’s other books is that it is set in Wales, which is perfect for the more superstitious elements of the story. It’s a bit spooky, with a few scarier moments and a more intense ending than her other books. Sarah is great at writing suspense, which doesn’t surprise me at all.

Though the list of characters is limited to a small house party, there is enough variety among them to cover everything from a beautiful young woman who was the most popular of the Season to an older gentlemen who fancies himself quite the ghost hunter, and a young Welsh vicar who is friendly with a ghost to a tell-it-like-it-is housekeeper.

I really like Nickolas and his friends, Dafydd and Griffith. Gwen is an intriguing character with a tragic history. The way Sarah directs the unfolding of Gwen’s story is excellent. There is a different, more poignant longing between the two main characters because they can’t physically touch. I wondered the entire time how things could possibly work out between them.

I found the ending incredibly romantic. The description during the culmination of events is outstanding. I could envision everything that was happening clearly in my head, like a movie.

This is a good book to read during October, in the spirit of Halloween and Nos Galan Gaeaf (a traditional Welsh holiday that plays a part in the book), but don’t wait until then to read it if you haven’t yet. It is signature Sarah–good, clean Regency romance with well-written characters and a healthy dose of wit.

Visit Sarah:

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Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Aug 062013

Glimmer of Hope

Author: Sarah M. Eden

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: June 2013

Softcover/Kindle/DB ebook/CD: 208 pages

Genre: Regency Romance

ISBN# 978-1621084655

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free temporary digital review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Stunning Miranda Harford once had the world at her feet. She was young, carefree, and desperately in love. But when her new husband left for London without her, her world fell apart. Devastated by his abandonment, Miranda fled their home, taking residence at her husband’s rarely visited countryside estate. For three years, she lived alone. But now, as the holidays draw near, an unexpected visitor arrives . . .

Carter Alexander Harford, Seventh Viscount Devereaux, is a man driven to succeed. His work is his life, and the position of Prime Minister of England is within reach. But in truth, Carter is a man haunted by lost love. Estranged from his beautiful wife, Carter is shocked to find Miranda—the woman he’d loved and who he believes has left him—in residence at his country home.

As plans for a holiday party move forward, the uneasy couple realizes that to avoid further scandal, they must keep up appearances in a charade of marital happiness. Thrust together by fate, it quickly becomes clear that they have both been living beneath a conspired cloud of misunderstanding. As family, career, and social pressures threaten to keep them apart, can love have even a glimmer of hope?

Review

Glimmer of Hope is a bittersweet yet tender love story of two people, united once in love and marriage, separated by misunderstandings and the selfish deception of others.

Sometimes I start a book during a break intending to read just a few chapters but end up getting so caught up in the book that I must finish it. Sarah’s books are always like that for me. I know once I start reading I won’t want to put it down.

I loved the loyalty Miranda inspired in all who knew her at Clifton Manor. I appreciated how Carter, despite still being angry at what he saw as Miranda’s “abandoning” their marriage, noticed that his heart was still affected by her and softened enough to want to try to build at least a friendship with her.

While a good conversation could have clarified the situation between Carter and Miranda, pride, stubbornness, and Miranda’s weakened constitution prevented it. This isn’t difficult to believe, considering how often, in reality, the same things get in the way of solving relationship issues in almost everybody’s lives.

I didn’t mind that I figured out well ahead of time what had kept them apart because I was more interested in how it would all be revealed and what Carter’s reaction would be when he discovered what had happened. I was not disappointed. Carter’s tenderness toward Miranda and his reaction upon discovering the deceit surrounding him was just what I was expecting.

Sarah’s writing is excellent, effectively pulling me into the story and the emotion of the moment. My heart ached for what had been lost and hoped for what was to come.

Sarah is one of those few author’s whose books I do not hesitate to purchase even before reading them. I have yet to read one of her books that I haven’t loved. While Glimmer of Hope has a slightly different feel than some of her other books, a bit more serious rather than light and humorous, it was no less enjoyable than the others. As always, I happily recommend Sarah’s books to anyone who likes a clean, well-written romance.

Visit Sarah:

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