Tag: historical romance

Book Review: The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Rachel Fordham
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: October 31st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Mere words can’t end their families’ feud, but the Campbell heir and the Bradshaw heiress plan to write a future together. Buffalo, NY, 1924 Laura Bradshaw adores stories with happily ever afters. But since her mother died seven years ago, the Bradshaw Shoe Company heiress has been as good as locked away in a tower. Her overbearing father cares little for her dreams, throwing himself instead into his tireless takedown of his competitor, the Campbell Shoe Company. However, Laura has been gifted with a a mysterious friend with whom she’s been exchanging letters. As heir to the Campbell Shoe Company, Isaac Campbell is a sought-after bachelor who has never felt an inkling of desire for the women who constantly bat their eyes at him. His thoughts are consumed by an oak tree in the Buffalo Zoo—or rather, the mystery woman he exchanges letters with courtesy of the tree. She’s been one of Isaac’s only joys in a life consumed by his father’s tireless hatred of Bradshaw. A hatred that, Isaac is coming to realize, may affect him more personally than he ever imagined. When Laura’s father orchestrates a match between her and an important business owner, she resolves to pursue her only chance at freedom. But Isaac believes their story isn’t bound for a tragic ending. He’s certain there’s more to the Bradshaw-Campbell feud than meets the eye. And he won’t stop digging until he uncovers the truth that might bridge the divide between him and the woman whose words have captured his heart. 

ADORED.

This was just SWEET y’all. That’s the best way to describe it. I was enchanted by the entire concept and loved how it played out. I seem to love hidden identity letter writing books and need to go find more of those.

I loved the time period and setting, the zoo content was this nice little addition. I loved the main characters (dual POV and dual narrators y’all!). Laura and Isaac clearly have this connection that is undeniable. I loved how they found a way to each other. There’s a subtle Romeo and Juliet vibe that played a distinct part in the plot that I enjoyed too. There’s lots of themes of forgiveness, hope and fighting for the truth.

This book took me by surprise in all the best ways. Highly recommend the audio. It is gentle and tender and brimming with all the good things.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: watching a parent die (car accident), loss of a loved one (WW1), consuming alcohol without consent

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ARC Book Review: All’s Fair in Love and War (Miss Prentice’s Protegees #1) by Virginia Heath

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Virginia Heath
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: May 28th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A new Regency romp of a series, about governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges, clashes with the children’s uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.

When the flighty older sister of former naval captain, Henry Kincaid, decides on a whim to accompany her explorer husband on an expedition to Egypt, he finds himself unwittingly left in the lurch with her three unruly children and her giant, mad dog. With no clue how to manage the little rascals, a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all of his attention, and no idea when his sister is coming back, Harry has to hire an emergency governess to ensure that everything in his ordered house continues to run shipshape. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls prepared to pay whatever it takes to get a governess quick sharp to bring order to the chaos.

Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledgling governess Georgina Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything that hers wasn’t, filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational et

Thank you to UpLit Reads for the gifted copy.

A MISS.

I’ve never read any books by this author so I figured why not give it a go? And unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be picking up another.

The bones of this book were fine. I liked the idea of the story and the characters, it just let me wanting in the execution. The writing style is extremely wordy and it made each scene feel wildly drawn out. I think this book could have been 50 pages shorter and much more charming.

For a romance, it didn’t bring the swoon. There’s a lot of focus on the main storyline vs. the romantic storyline (until the second half at least). Some of the banter is fun, but the spice was kind of odd too. This was a mishmash bag of things. While I liked small aspects, the over arching issues stood out way too much.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: 2-3 open door

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Book Review: An Amiable Foe (Castles and Courtship #1) by Jennie Goutet

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 324 pages
Author: Jennie Goutet
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 24th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She wants to be left alone with her family’s castle. He wants to show off the home he has just inherited. Neither of them can win.

Marianne Edgewood is perfectly capable of running Brindale Castle, if only the task would be left to her. A centuries-old house of stone is solid, unchanging, whereas people are not to be relied upon. It little matters that a stranger inherited the castle. She simply must find a way to stay.

At last, fate has been kind to Peregrine Osborne, and he has won the approval of his baron uncle, his London friends, and the deed to a castle in Kent. He certainly deserves his success after suffering a series of setbacks through no fault of his own. If only the castle’s pretty resident, Miss Edgewood, didn’t stand in the way of his urgent attempts to bring the castle to its proper glory.

When Perry embarks on a whirlwind renovation of Brindale, Marianne proves to be confoundingly resistant to his efforts. As Perry finds it increasingly difficult to force her to his will, he begins to question whether having his way at all costs is worth forcing Marianne from everything she has ever known. And Marianne must decide whether a cold pile of stones is truly a replacement for a warm, beating heart.

IT WAS SWEET.

I liked this one! I haven’t read a Goutet book in a bit and I enjoyed being back in her writing style and storytelling. I loved the castle setting and the dynamics between the main couple, Perry and Marianne.

The little dash of mystery added some good forced proximity and I FELT for Marianna as she tried to navigate being a part of society. I haven’t seen much of this kind of plot decisions in historicals and I liked that unique atmosphere. I loved the way that Perry looked after Marianne and really grew into himself too. They were both people trying to take new steps forward and they found that way together.

I adore this cover. The audiobook was great and this was a nice read to spend my time with.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: break-in, bullying, loss of parents

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Book Review: Before the Fortress Falls by A.L. Sowards

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction + Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: April 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Their fight for survival would change the course of history.

When rumors reach Vienna that an attack by the Ottoman army is imminent, Wilhelm von Schor, one of the emperor’s courtiers, prepares to evacuate his family—including his sister, Katja. But Katja’s reluctance to leave the city and the people she loves so well grows the farther the family carriage gets from her childhood home. When she learns that another brother, Xavier, is returning to Vienna with his musketeers, she decides to remain behind and face the shadow of war.

Katja soon reunites with Xavier and also with Toby, a dear friend from childhood. As Katja and Toby renew their friendship, an element of attraction builds on the comradery of their youth, and they quickly realize they have found something worth fighting for: love. But all too soon, the Ottomans encircle the city, blanketing its inhabitants in fear. Katja, Toby, and Xavier must each fulfill their new roles if they are to survive. In the overcrowded hospitals, below ground in the countermines, and on the ramparts defending the city walls, the three must fight for love, family, faith, and the survival of their city and everyone inside.

WOW.

This was so good!! I picked this up in a backlist reading moment and I was enraptured by this story. This is my second book by Sowards and I am becoming very committed to everything she writes. I love her multiple POV style and how you get a bit of every angle of the unique historical settings her stories are about.

I loved the complexity of emotions and decisions. I felt like the whole cast was trying their best in an impossible situation. The ups and downs all felt true to the nature of the time and setting. It’s intense and hard and brought out a lot of emotions. I did not want to stop listening because I needed to know where things were going.

The bravery and resilience of everyone who defended their land was soul inspiring. As thousands of enemy soldiers drew closer the group inside found ways to work together and save what they could. It showcased heroes on every level and that even if you’re only stitching sand bags together, IT MATTERS. This was clearly intricately researched and I appreciated the effort and love that went into crafting this story.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction + Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes, loss of life, near death experiences, blood/gore depiction, murder

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