Review: On the Second Day of Christmas by Deborah M. Hathaway

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Slipping on the ice is bad enough—being treated by the physician she rejected years ago is simply unbearable.

Headstrong and independent, Miss Lucy Lincoln wishes to find a husband who shares her taste for adventure. Until then, she is determined to live her life without regrets. Well, except for the one she already has—humiliating poor Benjamin Kent after his unwanted marriage proposal years earlier. After an accident at the Frost Fair draws that same insecure gentleman to care for her injury, she finally asks for forgiveness. But Dr. Kent, now a respectable gentleman and physician, is unwilling to accept her apology.

Benjamin Kent wants nothing more than to live out his days in peace and seclusion away from London Society—and away from his memories of Lucy Lincoln. But when his conscience forces him to treat the woman, he cannot pass on the opportunity to finally let her know that she no longer has him under her spell.

Rather than being relieved with Benjamin’s indifference, Lucy struggles to accept the fact that little, shy Benjamin now shows irresistible confidence—and an unsettling apathy toward her. When sparks smolder between them, though, Benjamin must fight to keep his old feelings in the past, and Lucy must realize before it’s too late that either Benjamin has changed… or her own feelings have.


My Review

Second chance romance isn't my favorite trope... unless it's done really well, and this one is! It has tones of Austen's Persuasion (which ties with P&P for my favorite Austen book), with the choices and regrets and character growth. There are some differences in the early experiences of Lucy and Benjamin, particularly with her teasing of him and his shyness, and the vulnerable struggles behind each. They have amazing chemistry, but it takes some realizations, apologies, forgiveness, and risks taken for their attraction to develop into romance. By the end of the story I was one hundred percent invested in the characters and loved their happy ending despite the challenges from Lucy's aunt. An absolutely lovely read for the holiday season!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

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Belles of Christmas: Frost Fair
Sweet, Regency Christmas Romances

Review: Her Secret Song by Mary Connealy

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

After a rough winter spent alone, Ursula Nordegren realizes she must overcome her fears of the outside world and begins a trek down Hope Mountain. Along the way she finds a badly wounded stranger and realizes God may have used her decision to leave as a way of saving the man.

Wax Mosby was climbing Hope Mountain in part to atone for his terrible choices. He was hired to drive out the Warden family and now knows he was duped. But when he's wounded during the climb, the last person he expects to rescue him is a beautiful blond woman with the voice of an angel.

As both Ursula and Wax weigh the costs of living new lives, the two find an unlikely bond. And they're joined by Ursula's sisters and the Warden family as the final showdown over the family ranch looms with the coming of spring. 

My Review

It was easy to be frustrated with Ursula in the first two books with her resistance to her sisters' new friends and choices, so I was looking forward to reading from her perspective. I appreciated the way she eventually overcame her fears and made the choice to connect with people rather than isolate. Her singing to herself was an interesting mannerism and one that instantly connects her to Wax when she rescues him. Wax is another character going through an important transition as he abandons his employer and gun-for-hire lifestyle and seeks to redeem himself. He's an important asset to the Warden's as they battle the criminal-on-the-run reinvented as a cattle baron who is taking over the land through violent force. An entertaining blend of adventure, suspense, romance, and faith.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

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Don't miss the other books in the Brides of Hope Mountain series . . .

 

Review: A Convenient Fiction by Mimi Matthews

Book Three in the Parish Orphans of Devon series

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

She Needed a Husband...

It’s been three years since Laura Hayes’s father died, leaving her and her invalid brother to subsist on the income from the family’s failing perfume business. But time is swiftly running out. What she needs is a husband, and fast. A noble gentleman who can rescue them all from penury. When a mysterious stranger arrives in the village, he seems a perfect candidate. But Alex Archer is no hero. In fact, he just might be the opposite.

He Wanted a Fortune...

Alex has no tolerance for sentiment. He’s returned to England for one reason only: to find a wealthy wife. A country-bred heiress in Surrey seems the perfect target. But somewhere between the village railway station and the manor house his mercenary plan begins to unravel. And it’s all the fault of Laura Hayes—a lady as unsuitable as she is enchanting.

From the beaches of Margate to the lavender fields of Provence, a grudging friendship slowly blossoms into something more. But when scandal threatens, can a man who has spent his entire life playing the villain, finally become a hero? Or will the lure of easy riches once again outweigh the demands of his heart?

My Review

This series has quickly become one of my favorites and I'm looking forward to binge-reading all the books next year! I love the way the characters come to life in my mind, and the setting is vivid without being overly described. The methods of sea bathing in the era were especially fascinating. It was easy to connect to Laura and Alex's emotions and sense their vulnerabilities and struggles amid their strengths. They both have a character arc where they develop and shift as their ideas are upended and their unexpected relationship brings complications and blessings. Laura has a strong loyalty with her family, while Alex is reconciling complex feelings about his past and the "brothers" he left behind from the orphanage. I loved seeing his perspective of the events from their childhood that set them each on a different course, and their reunion. Highly recommend!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

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Don't miss the previous books in the Parish Orphans of Devon series . . .

Book One

 

She Wanted Sanctuary...

Helena Reynolds will do anything to escape her life in London, even if that means traveling to a remote cliffside estate on the North Devon coast and marrying a complete stranger. But Greyfriar's Abbey isn't the sort of refuge she imagined. And ex-army captain Justin Thornhill--though he may be tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome--is anything but a romantic hero.

He Needed Redemption...

Justin has spent the last two decades making his fortune, settling scores, and suffering a prolonged period of torture in an Indian prison. Now, he needs someone to smooth the way for him with the villagers. Someone to manage his household--and warm his bed on occasion. What he needs, in short, is a wife and a matrimonial advertisement seems the perfect way to acquire one.

Their marriage was meant to be a business arrangement and nothing more. A dispassionate union free from the entanglements of love and affection. But when Helena's past threatens, will Justin's burgeoning feelings for his new bride compel him to come to her rescue? Or will dark secrets of his own force him to let her go?

Book Two

 

He Needed Peace…

Solicitor Tom Finchley has spent his life using his devious intellect to solve the problems of others. As for his own problems, they’re nothing that a bit of calculated vengeance can’t remedy. But that’s all over now. He’s finally ready to put the past behind him and settle down to a quiet, uncomplicated life. If only he could find an equally uncomplicated woman.

 

She Wanted Adventure…

Former lady’s companion Jenny Holloway has just been given a modest independence. Now, all she wants is a bit of adventure. A chance to see the world and experience life far outside the restrictive limits of Victorian England. If she can discover the fate of the missing Earl of Castleton while she’s at it, so much the better.

From the gaslit streets of London to the lush tea gardens of colonial India, Jenny and Tom embark on an epic quest—and an equally epic romance. But even at the farthest edges of the British Empire, the past has a way of catching up with you…

Book Four

She Needed to be Seen...

As a lady’s companion, Clara Hartwright never receives much attention from anyone. And that’s precisely how she likes it. With a stormy past, and an unconventional plan for her future, it’s far safer to remain invisible. But when her new employer is invited to a month-long holiday at a remote coastal abbey, Clara discovers that she may not be as invisible as she'd hoped. At least, not as far as one gentleman is concerned.

He Wanted to be Heard...

Neville Cross has always been more comfortable with animals than people. An accident in his youth has left him with a brain injury that affects his speech. Forming the words to speak to his childhood friends is difficult enough. Finding the right things to say to a lovely young lady’s companion seems downright impossible. But Miss Hartwright is no ordinary companion. In fact, there may not be anything ordinary about her at all.

During a bleak Devon winter, two sensitive souls forge an unexpected friendship. But when Clara needs him most, will Neville find the courage to face his fears? Or is saying goodbye to her the most heroic thing he can do?

Book Tour & Review: A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Laura Callaway daily walks the windswept Cornwall coast, known for many shipwrecks but few survivors. She feels like a castaway, set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers. Now living with her parson uncle and his parsimonious wife in North Cornwall, Laura is viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong somewhere again.

When ships sink, wreckers scour the shore for valuables, while Laura searches for clues to the lives lost. She has written letters to loved ones and returned keepsakes to rightful owners. She collects seashells and mementos, and when a man is washed ashore, she collects him too.

As Laura and a neighbor care for the castaway, the mystery surrounding him grows. He has abrasions and a deep cut that looks suspiciously like a knife wound, and he speaks in careful, educated English, yet his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Their attraction grows, and while she longs to return the man to his rightful home, evidence against him mounts. With danger pursuing them from every side, will Laura ever find the answers and love she seeks?

My Review

I absolutely loved the moody atmosphere of this book with its Cornish setting and air of mystery. Laura is a character that's easy to sympathize with- she's not in the most ideal circumstances, but she makes the best of it with grace and strength. Her compassion for her elderly neighbor and the genuine friendship they share shows a lot about her personality. As a collector myself, I thought her beach combing was an interesting quirk, and one that led to the rescue of Alexander. One of my favorite storylines is where the heroine nurses the hero back to health, and I particularly enjoyed the friendship and slow romance between Laura and Alexander. The way the details of his life unfolded slowly throughout the book kept me enthralled and the sense of danger added urgency to the plot. This is a book of discovery in more ways than one! Highly recommend!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

 

ADVANCE PRAISE: 

“Klassen (The Bridge to Belle Island) delights with a winsome love story…an entertaining and satisfying romance.”— Publisher’s Weekly

"Danger abounds on the wild Cornwall coast and so does romance. With a perfect blend of intrigue and tender moments, A Castaway in Cornwall is my favorite Klassen title to date."— Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author of Once Upon a Dickens Christmas

“I always read Julie Klassen books, and so it's no surprise to me that I really enjoyed this one. Julie is a masterful storyteller and one I hope continues to gain readers from all backgrounds to enjoy the messages she imparts in each story.”— Meghan Lloyd, Lady with a Quill

“Anyone who enjoys a historical romance set in Cornwall will love this story.”—Randi Annie Framnes, Randi Loves 2 Read

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold over a million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's BEST Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

 

 

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Join the virtual blog tour of A CASTAWAY IN CORNWALL, bestselling author Julie Klassen’s highly acclaimed new historical romance novel, November 30 – December 6, 2020, 2020. Thirteen popular blogs specializing in historical romance, inspirational fiction, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with reviews of this new Regency-era novel set in Cornwall, England.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE: 

Nov 30           Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog

Dec 01           Bookfoolery

Dec 01           The Green Mockingbird

Dec 02           Cracking the Cover

Dec 02           Relz Reviewz

Dec 02           Lu's Reviews

Dec 03           Bookworm Lisa

Dec 03           Among the Reads

Dec 03           Heidi Reads

Dec 04           Austenesque Reviews

Dec 04           Wishful Endings

Dec 05           The Christian Fiction Girl

Dec 06           Christian Chick's Thoughts

Review: Spinster Ever After by Rebecca Connolly

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

When a man loves a spinster...

Charlotte Wright had had enough. All of her friends have now married, leaving her the lone writer of the Spinster Chronicles who is still a true spinster. So she's decided it is time for her to join the ranks and get married, groom to be determined. She's an heiress, after all. How difficult could it be to find a husband?

Michael Sandford has been there by Charlotte's side from the very beginning, loving her all the while even when she turned down his proposal. When she tells him of her plans to marry and marry soon, he begins to make plans himself. He cannot stand by and watch her marry someone else, so he's decided to distance himself from Charlotte entirely while she hunts for a husband... one that is not him.

And Charlotte doesn't like that one bit. 

My Review

This has been such a fun series! Charlotte is the most outspoken and sassy of the group of young ladies who call themselves The Spinsters and not-so-secretly publish a society column. In the previous books she has always seemed so unaffected, so it was nice to be able to see behind her facade to her more vulnerable feelings. She's not too different from what she seems, though, having an openly honest personality. She truly is unaware of Michael's obsession with her, probably because he plays the role of only-a-friend so well. I kept rooting for him to take a chance and tell her how he felt before he tried moving on, but his sense of self-preservation kept him from risking another rejection. The dance over the line between friendship and romance is played with as Charlotte and Michael try their best to make choices that will move their lives forward after they each realize how stagnant they have been over the past years- Charlotte with entertaining frivolous suitors she knows have no future with her, and Michael with his world revolving around Charlotte and not making a place for himself in society. It was fun to see the various characters from the books rally around each of them in their quest to reinvent themselves and find love. An entertaining conclusion to the Spinster Chronicles!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

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Don't miss the other books in the Spinster Chronicles series . . .