Review & Goodreads Giveaway: The Darkest Summer by Rebecca J. Greenwood

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Lady Cora Winfield's life has always gone according to plan--her mother's plan. That's why Cora is so fascinated when she meets the dark Duke of Blackdell. Knowing his dangerous reputation, Cora's mother flatly forbids the match, and the duke decides to take matters into his own hands. Kidnapped and facing a scandal, Lady Cora must now decide whether love will be her downfall or the beginning of a new plan, one she never dreamed possible.

Set in the stormy summer of 1816, this Regency romance is a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone.

My Review

Loved it! The details of Cora and Adam, the duke, really made the story for me, as well as their mutual yearning for unconditional and affectionate love. Cora is passionate about horticulture and loves plants and flowers, even trying to rescue the plants that are getting waterlogged in Hyde Park and worrying over the wheat crop of England. Adam is struggling with a lingering injury from Waterloo and the sorrow and grief he has over losing his entire company of soldiers to the violence there. The initial attraction they feel for each other is unexpected and Adam's infatuation with Cora leads him to seek her out and discover her true characteristics beyond the ballroom niceties.

Cora's controlling mother is a complex character- at times seeming the villain in her treatment of her daughter, but also had me curious if her motivation was merely selfish or if she truly had deeper concern for her daughter's future well-being. While the pace at the beginning of the book is a bit slow, once Adam and Cora are off on their adventure the plot really spices up and emotions are brought to the surface and forced to be dealt with. Adam's closest servants that accompany them provide humor and more depth as their loyalty and regard for him reveals his true nature. A wonderful Regency novel with sweet romance and excitement!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Enter the Goodreads Giveaway for a copy of The Darkest Summer!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Darkest Summer

by Rebecca J. Greenwood

Giveaway ends November 27, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

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Don't miss the FREE prequel novella, The Darkest Hour, available on Instafreebie
 

Synopsis

When dutiful Lady Hester Douglas, over thirty and long on the shelf, receives word that her brother Adam, the Duke of Blackdale, has survived the Battle of Waterloo, she abandons propriety and heads to Brussels to be by his side. Her widowed minister, Mr. Alasdair Gilchrist, escorts her on the journey from Scotland into a Europe recovering from years of war.

Once she reaches her injured brother, Hester must fight to keep Adam alive and tightly guard her heart’s deepest secret—she’s been in love with Mr. Gilchrist for years.

Will the pain of being with the minister, the man she loves and can never have, distract her from her purpose? Or will she overcome the barriers of age, rank, and station, and seize the love she’s dreamt of?

The Darkest Hour is a standalone inspirational Regency romance novella, and is also a prequel to The Darkest Summer.

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About the Author

Rebecca J. Greenwood is an author, artist, and designer with a love of stories, especially Regency romances. She grew up in Texas as the oldest of six, and studied visual art with a music minor at Brigham Young University. Rebecca lives in Utah with her husband, where she listens to audiobooks, cooks experimentally, has an interest in alternative health, and constantly has a new project in mind. Visit rebeccajgreenwood.com to experience more of her art, writing, and upcoming projects.