Tag: historical romance

Book Review: A Companion for the Count (Clairvoir Castle Romances #2) by Sally Britton

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 250 pages
Author: Sally Britton
Publisher: Pink Citrus Books
Release Date: May 2nd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Miss Emma Arlen’s position as a companion never included distracting her mistress’s suitors, but when a handsome Italian ambassador arrives determined to find an English bride, Emma happily takes up the cause.
Emma Arlen has spent a decade as a member of the duke’s family, in the position of companion to his daughter and ward to the duke himself. She would do anything to show her support to the ducal family for their love and kindness. When Lady Josephine begs Emma to distract a most determined Sicilian suitor, she agrees at once. How hard can it be to keep one man entertained for a few weeks?

Luca, the Conte di Atella, left his home in the newly formed Kingdom of the Two Sicilies under the direct orders of King Ferdinand I. Luca’s duty as ambassador to England includes everything from negotiating better trade agreements to strengthening the bonds between the two nations. If possible, by marrying a lady of high birth. When he optimistically sets his sights on Lady Josephine, Miss Arlen consistently disrupts his plans. The more time that passes, the more he realizes he does not mind at all.

Continually in the conte’s company, Emma recognizes in him a spirit of adventure and nobility like she has never witnessed before. When the time comes for him to go, will she be able to part with him and keep her heart intact?

As the second stand-alone novel in a new series by author Sally Britton, this story continues the Clairvoir Castle romances. This is a light-hearted, romantic series set in the Regency period.

THIS WAS CUTE.

This whole series has just been a truly light and enjoyable time. These don’t have a lot of hoopla or excess drama or super mean characters. It’s romantic and sweet and makes you smile. And I really love throwing in simple books like this (because there’s nothing wrong with a simple book).

I thought Luca and Emma had great chemistry from the beginning. I liked all of the little moments like pasta making and walks in the park where they really got to know each other. I loved seeing the differences between their lives and the connections and common ground they foudn.

It’s a quick audiobook (7 hours) and is easy to read in a day. Highly recommend for sweet regency lovers!

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Secrets and Suitors by Joanna Barker

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 256 pages
Author: Joanna Barker
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: October 1st, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Reluctantly returning to London for yet another Season, shy Nora Hamilton has nearly given up hope that she will ever find the love match she longs for. After all, the one man she does harbor feelings for—her closest friend, James—has made it perfectly clear he views her as just that: a friend. With James traveling half a world away and Nora’s father pressuring her to marry for wealth and status, Nora is forced to set aside her desire for love and accept the future she has always dreaded.
Until James returns unexpectedly and Nora’s feelings once again rush unbearably close to the surface. Determined to save what is left of their friendship, Nora ignores her own heart and allows herself to be swept up in the London Season, soon finding herself the object of two very different gentlemen’s affections. Though she should be thrilled, both men come with a glaring fault: neither is the one man who holds her heart.

But there is much more at stake than heartbreak. When long-kept secrets are laid bare, Nora must face the fears that have plagued her all her life and decide what true love is worth.

THIS WAS SWEET.

I’ve made myself a mission to read Joanna Barker’s backlist and was happy to check this one off recently! I adored this friends to lovers romance. It’s just sweet. And I love sweet so dang much.

I do wish there would have been less suitors and more James, but that was my only small tidbit. I loved the character growth in Nora and learning how to be shy and strong and that those are not mutually exclusive traits. Seeing her Father and family fight to find peace and common ground again was wonderful. I love a tight family that may struggle, but you know the love is there.

A short and tender heartfelt romance and one that I really liked on audio!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: brief gun violence, loss of a sibling

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Book Review: Sir Andrew and the Authoress (Clairvoir Castle Romances #3) by Sally Britton

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 234 pages
Author: Sally Britton
Publisher: Pink Citrus Books
Release Date: April 9th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lady Josephine, the duke’s eldest daughter, has a secret. When her brother’s horrid best friend discovers what she’s been hiding up in the castle tower, she has no choice but to take him into her confidence.

As the daughter of a duke, Lady Josephine has a long list of responsibilities, and an even longer list of things she must never do to dishonor the family name. Josephine knows exactly which side becoming an author falls upon, but she’s determined to try her hand at it anyway. For months she has worked on her novel in secret, writing chapter after chapter of intrigue and romance. Unfortunately for Josephine, her sworn enemy stumbles upon her secret.

Sir Andrew Wycomb’s close relationship to the Duke of Montfort’s family and heir gives him more than one advantage in life. His loyalty to the family is absolute, even if he finds at least one of its members an annoyance. He and Lady Josephine have never seen eye-to-eye. But when he discovers that she’s written a novel upon a subject she knows nothing about, he cannot help but sympathize with her dream. This creates an unlikely ceasefire between them.

But things at the castle are always changing, and when a determined suitor arrives to court Josephine, Andrew has to decide which secrets he’s going to keep. Especially when he discovers the one he’s kept even from himself – that perhaps he doesn’t find Josephine an annoyance at all. In fact, she is quite charming. The more time they spend together, the more he hopes she will realize they aren’t enemies, and they could be so much more…

SWEET.

Another gentle and sweet book from this series. I love how easy they are (and that’s a big compliment). Sometimes what you want is a tender romance that brings some good feels but doesn’t overwhelm you. This is that sunshine of a book.

I can’t remember the last time I read brother’s best friend in regency. I love the play on that here and how much forced proximity we got between Andrew and Josephine. They had snappy chemistry from the get-go (I’d say a dash of enemies to lovers) and I loved watching them slowly realize how much care actually lied between them.

Plot wise I think I was hoping for a little bit more. The reasons they were in the country made sense, but they didn’t seem to be that big of a deal too? I don’t know if that makes any sense, it was just the vibe I had reading.

I’m really enjoying this series and reading Sally Britton books. I’m turning into a big fan!

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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ARC Book Review: A Promise Kept by A.N. Horton

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 330 pages
Author: A.N. Horton
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 22nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

How far would you go to keep a promise?

When twelve-year-old Oliver Ainsworth promised his life to Avery Hastings, she never believed him. After years apart, through war and tragedy, it seems even more likely that he’s forgotten her entirely. And she’s moved on as well.

Haunted by their parents’ gruesome murder and the overbearing debt they’d left behind, Avery and her sister both sell themselves into different trades to make their livings, to pay back the murderer before he comes for them too. As for Oliver? The war came for him just like it came for every other young boy in their village. Or so Avery thinks.

Until her employment with a wealthy family in France forces their two worlds to collide once more and she learns there’s far more to the boy she knew than she could have ever imagined.

Bound by a contract neither of them ever signed, they must come together again after years apart, after being worlds away, after becoming different people. A contract which states that they are overdue for their own wedding. But, after a lengthy engagement, when Oliver gives Avery the chance to opt out… will she even want to?

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

ACCURACY ISSUES.

I struggled with this one from the beginning y’all. The bones were good. And I liked the characters enough.

Buuuuut. The historical inaccuracies were bugging me. The writing style seemed much more modern than it should have been and there were glaring plot holes. The time jumps that skipped over crucial details left me confused when certain things happened. One of them being that the FMC catches a knife out of the air when thrown at the love interest. This and other aspects made no sense to me. Other style and plot choices had me skimming to get to the rest of the book too.

I’m going to leave this as it is. This was an unfortunate miss for me.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, prostitution, near death experiences

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