Review: Promised by Leah Garriott

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart.

Warwickshire, England, 1812

Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.

There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams.

Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.

My Review

This book delivered the one thing that makes a story come alive for me- emotion! There are hidden games being played here that ramp up the drama, and Margaret's denial of what will bring her happiness provides her character the opportunity for growth. Lord Williams is a Darcy-esque enigma at first, he has two sides of his personality that Margaret has seen and she doesn't know which is the truth and which is a facade. Knowing who to trust is difficult, especially when Margaret makes her life harder by not trusting those she really can and should. In the midst of the inner turmoil, Margaret finds herself falling in love against her will, only to have the tables turned and twisted around again. This book was highly entertaining and kept me invested in the characters all the way to the end.

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

About the Author

Though she earned degrees in math and statistics, Leah Garriott lives for a good love story. She has resided in Hawaii and Italy, has walked the countryside of England, and owns every mainstream movie version of Pride and Prejudice. She’s currently living her own happily ever after in Utah with her husband and three kids. Leah is represented by Sharon Pelletier at Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

Visit the author at www.LeahGarriott.com

Advance Praise/Endorsements:

“Garriott’s impressive debut distinguishes itself with its expertly evoked Regency setting, a cast of realistically flawed yet eminently relatable characters, and a sweetly satisfying love story. Teen fans of Austen-era love stories will fall hard for this impeccably crafted romance.”

-Booklist

“Promising Regency-set debut. Vivid period details and the hero’s grand romantic efforts will please fans of historical romance.”

-Publishers Weekly

Review: Stitches in Time by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Book Two in The Deacon's Family series

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Detachment had worked well as a life strategy for horse trainer Sam Schrock. Until he met Mollie Graber . . .

New to Stoney Ridge, schoolteacher Mollie has come to town for a fresh start. Aware of how fleeting and fragile life is, she wants to live it boldly and bravely. When Luke Schrock, new to his role as deacon, asks the church to take in foster girls from a group home, she's the first to raise her hand. The power of love, she believes, can pick up the dropped stitches in a child's heart and knit them back together.

Mollie envisions sleepovers and pillow fights. What the 11-year-old twins bring to her home is anything but. Visits from the sheriff at midnight. Phone calls from the school truancy officer. And then the most humiliating moment of all: the girls accuse Mollie of drug addiction.

There's only one thing that breaks through the girls' hard shell--an interest in horses. Reluctantly and skeptically, Sam Schrock gets drawn into Mollie's chaotic life. What he didn't expect was for love to knit together the dropped stitches in his own heart . . . just in time.

My Review

This book isn't quite what I was expecting but it was wonderful just the same. I was surprised by how much of the story is about Luke (from the previous book Mending Fences) and his new and unexpected role as deacon. I didn't realize how involved that calling is, and that it is a lifetime of service. It was interesting to read so much of the story from a (somewhat obtuse) man's perspective, and especially watch his process of growth from a prodigal son to a leader in the community. The bishop is a wonderful source of wisdom and friendship for Luke as he navigates his way with his new marriage and new calling.

Mollie and Sam are just forming a tentative friendship when Mollie eagerly jumps into fostering two girls from the local group home, who turn out to be the most troublesome of the bunch. Sam does his best to support her while also trying to open her eyes to a more effective way of dealing with the girls' misbehavior. Mollie is a naive optimist, but this experience gave her more than she bargained for, providing opportunities for growth and learning and sacrifice. The shenanigans were at times funny, but grew in seriousness. Sam's influence on both Mollie and the girls was steadying, while Mollie brought light and excitement into his life. I enjoy this author's thoughtful writing style and the way she explores difficult themes with grace.

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

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Don't miss the other books in The Deacon's Family series . . .

Book One

Book Three

Review: Loving Her Fling by Heather B. Moore

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Can her love tame her fling?

Everly King’s life might be on a Plan B track, but she’s perfectly content with her job, her nights out at the movies, and putting her past behind her. She certainly doesn’t need to be reminded over and over that her sister is, well, engaged to Everly’s ex.

Austin Hayes is the architect hired to redesign Everly's beloved theater. As a widower with a young daughter, the last thing he wants is to juggle another relationship.

Thankfully, Austin is only in Hidden Hollows for a few weeks. A fake relationship seems exactly what both need. After all, when it’s just a fling, no one gets hurt. Right?

My Review

I loved this story so much! I read it twice last month. It's going on my list of faves to re-read when I'm not in the mood to start a new book. Everly is lovingly quirky, and her struggles were realistic. She's still grieving her father's death but has a fun weekly tradition of secretly attending the movies at the old theater that her dad used to take her to. Her sister is dating her former best friend/ex-boyfriend who dumped her, and her mother is an overbearing, hovering, worrywart. She loves her family but they don't seem to understand her and her need for space. Austin is genuine and charming, and it was easy to see how these two had such great chemistry. Don't let the book synopsis fool you- their relationship is never fake (although Everly did make up a different man to get her mom off her back), and their friendship quickly develops into a sweet romance that has them both enjoying their time together while concerned about what the future would bring. I appreciated that their relationship is so natural and they bring out the best in each other as they deal with each other's families. Austin has a daughter to consider and his parents who support him in her care. As dynamics become more complex and involved, Everly and Austin's relationship has some tests to withstand. This story is simply delightful and also has the depth of emotion that makes it easy to connect with the characters. Highly recommend!

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

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Second Chance for the Single Dad by Carol Ross #SCSDPrism

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Second Chance for the Single Dad
By Carol Ross
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
March 1st 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She’ll save him a dance…

…if he follows his heart.

Dance teacher Camile Wynn has a new student. Reclusive Rhys McGrath is learning to waltz so he can take his orphaned niece to a father-daughter dance. Camile is surprised by her connection with him, but there’s a generous heart behind Rhys’s awkward exterior. When she learns Rhys could lose custody of his niece, Camile goes behind his back to help him…but will her lies end up hurting him instead?

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Excerpt

Two lessons, one dance, Camile reminded herself. Get in, get out, done.

“Good! You got this. Again,” she said.

Rhys repeated the movement.

“Now, this time, don’t stop. Just keep box stepping, and I’ll do it with you.” They performed the movements together with Camile counting and snapping her fingers.

Still moving, she danced around in a half circle until she was facing him, mirroring his steps. “Excellent. And there you have it. Now you’re going to try it with me.”

He stopped in his tracks, brow lines back in full force.

Facing him, Camile patted her left shoulder and instructed, “Right hand here.” He complied, and she ignored how nice the heat of his hand felt as it seeped through the thin fabric of her tank top. “Left arm up.” He obeyed. Silently, she admitted there was something vaguely satisfying about barking orders at him. But this action, the press of his palm against hers, the feel of the work-roughened texture of his skin, her hand enfolded in his, was slightly more difficult to ignore. She told herself it was just the shock of it all, being here with him. Dancing.

“Ah,” he said, tilting his chin toward the floor again. “Now I see why you’re wearing heels.”

“Is that your way of insulting my height?” she joked, breaking her own rule before she could stop herself.

He brought his gaze back up and locked it on to hers, and Camile was a little taken aback by the intensity she saw there. “No. Absolutely not. Why would that be insulting? I’m sorry if you took it that way.”

“Um, it’s—it’s fine,” she stammered. “I was joking. I know I’m short. It would be difficult to forget as the only short person in a family of very tall people. You know, recessive genes or whatever.”

“That would not be the case,” he said. “Height is polygenic. And there are other variables. It’s more quantitative than that. So the term recessive doesn’t apply when it comes to height.”

Camile squinted up at him, trying to decide if he was serious. When he didn’t blink, she said, “I know. At least three genes are involved and like six alleles, right?” Genetics had been one of her favorite premed courses. “Plus, there are nutritional and environmental factors. I wasn’t being literal. I was exaggerating for effect. Making fun of the fact that I drew the short straw in my family.” She added a wink.

Gaze narrowed in on her, he shook his head a couple of times very slowly as if thinking carefully about how to respond.

Embarrassed by her lame joke, she clarified, “That was a bad pun. Sorry.”

When he spoke, his eyes traveled over her while his mouth hinted at a smile. “No, you’re wrong. It was not a bad pun. It was a very good pun. But there’s nothing inferior about your genetic fate. Quite the contrary. Height is also a very subjective preference as far as attractiveness goes. Studies have shown that shorter women with discernible curves are the most symmetrically pleasing. I happen to agree with the consensus.”

Camile stared into his earnest blue eyes and felt her lips part. What the...? Her neck went hot as she tried to wrap her brain around this moment. Obviously, the man was brilliant in a way that resulted in a unique perspective. But the part that had her speechless was the fact that he’d just given her a really lovely compliment. Like, spellbindingly good. And he seemed sincere. Granted, the delivery wasn’t the smoothest, but the meaning was there. It also caught her off guard and made her feel warm in even more surprising ways. Ways she shouldn’t feel. Not with Rhys McGrath, date absconder, social snob and possibly worse, if any of the rumors were true.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Carol Ross grew up in small town America right between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, in a place where you can go deep sea fishing in the morning and then hit the ski slopes the same afternoon. The daughter of what is now known as free range parents, she developed a love of the outdoors at a very early age. As a writer, Carol loves to breathe the life she has lived into the characters she creates, grateful for the “research material” that every questionable decision, adrenaline-charged misstep, and near-death experience has provided.

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Blitz Giveaway

One winner will receive a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card and a copy of Second Chance for the Single Dad (signed print copy if US/CAN, ebook if international)

Ends March 6, 2020

ENTER HERE

Book Tour & Giveaway: No Chance Meeting by Jaye Elliot #NCMPrism

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

No Chance Meeting
(No Chance Love #1)
By Jaye Elliot
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 393 Pages
February 11th 2020 by Living Sword Publishing

Alex Jennings is done with life. After losing her brother in Afghanistan, everything has collapsed around her. Getting laid off from her day job and failing in her art career, she has nowhere left to turn. She once had faith to believe that all things would work together for good, but that faith died with her brother. Now she just wants the pain to end.

Riley Conrad served thirteen years in the military until three bullets sent him home. After a year and a half of physical therapy and scraping together a living, all he wants is to live a simple life and perhaps even open the coffee shop he dreams about. However, the weight of failing his parents’ expectations doesn’t make it easy, and working as a bartender isn’t getting him anywhere fast.

Could a “chance” meeting between Alex and Riley set them both on the path God always intended?

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About the Author

Jaye Elliot is an award-winning author, country girl, and hopeless romantic at heart. She loves a good hero and will always sigh happily during the lights scene in Tangled. She writes from her home in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, which she shares with three cats she considers her kids. When not writing romance novels, she pens fantasy and adventure stories as Jaye L. Knight.

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Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed copy of No Chance Meeting, a coffee mug, a bag of chocolates, and a hand painted watercolor bookmark (US only)

Ends March 4, 2020

ENTER HERE

Guest Post from Leah Garriott, author of Promised

Guest Post from Author Leah Garriott

Thanks to everyone for joining me here at Heidi Reads and to Heidi for hosting this stop. I’m so excited to talk about Regency-era research.

There are so many areas to research when writing a historical novel, and a Regency novel in particular. Before I began writing Promised, I put in a lot of time into figuring out where the story should take place; I wanted to pull from real places, not only so I knew what to write but also so that the reader would hopefully feel the world come alive. Scouring the internet, I found my heroine’s home by chance when looking through listed real estate, daydreaming about living in England. (It has since been unlisted, but on a research trip to England I was able to tour Shortmead House in Bedforshire and used the feeling of that house as I made final edits on Promised.) Finding my hero’s home was a little easier; I searched historic homes near, but not too near, my heroine’s home, finally settling on Lilford Hall (which also went up for sale while I was writing the book. Too bad I didn’t have a few extra million dollars laying around or everyone would be welcome to tour it). Once I had my setting, I had to learn about dress (what undergarments did Regency women wear, exactly), differences in candles and lighting, flooring of homes, gardening, farming techniques, carriages as well as which type of person would drive which type of carriage when, diseases, etc.

Another area of research were the people. I needed to know what time people rose in the mornings (it varies depending on livelihood and location, with servants and country folk rising earlier than gentry in the city), when they ate (generally a later breakfast and a large dinner), what they did during the day, and what dances were danced at balls. It was important to me to be accurate as to what characters thought and expected even while trying to modernize language and attitude to appeal to the contemporary reader.

Which leads right into the hardest part of the research, which was figuring out how be historically accurate while also writing to reader expectations. Much of what we believe to be Regency standards such as women always being chaperoned, women not showing ankles, and corsets so tight they make a woman faint, are actually later Victorian standards we’ve placed upon the Regency time period.

Though standards were definitely different in the city than in the country, both Elizabeth Bennett and Marianne Dashwood take regular walks alone. And Anne Elliot looks forward to walking unchaperoned through Bath after receiving Captain Wentworth’s declaration of love in the form of a letter (although her one-time-suitor-turned-brother-in-law accompanies her in the end). 

Fashion plates of the time (such as those found in Ackermann’s Repository) show numerous depictions of women reclining in chairs with their ankles on display for all to see. They also illustrate women promenading in gowns and coats that don’t cover ankles, as well as women readying themselves in ball gowns that hit low on the shin. It wasn’t until the Victorian era that shoe styles changed from the Regency slipper to heeled boots rising well above the ankle. During this later time, hemlines also lowered dramatically, skirts widened, and women began to wear pantaloons as underwear.

The tightness of corsets (called stays during the Regency) that have women fainting in many period books was actually impossible during this time period. Buttonholes were merely stitched cloth openings and pulling laces too tightly would have ripped the holes or disfigured them under the pressure. Besides, it didn’t fit with Grecian theme of Regency dress to manipulate the body into having small waists when the gowns were empire-waisted and loose.

There is also a perpetuation that a woman needed to marry young, and that after they were twenty-three or so, their time for marriage was over. Part of this belief may stem from Charlotte Lucas believing she was without prospects at twenty-seven. Yet Elizabeth Elliot was twenty-nine and still considered quite marriageable, while Anne Elliot was twenty-seven and still expected to make a good match. The acceptable age of singlehood may have been influenced by money and title.

Yet even with these propagated misconceptions, this time period is truly a gem. I hope you relish your next Regency read.

Synopsis

Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart.

Warwickshire, England, 1812

Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.

There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams.

Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.