Tag: historical romance

Book Review: Miss Lattimore’s Letter by Suzanne Allain

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 256 pages
Author: Suzanne Allain
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 10th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The woman who never made a match of her own is making matches for everyone else in this hilarious comedy of manners from the author of Mr. Malcolm’s List.

Sophronia Lattimore had her romantic dreams destroyed years ago and is resigned to her role as chaperone for her cousin. Still, she cannot sit idly by when she becomes aware that a gentleman is about to propose to the wrong woman. She sends him an anonymous letter that is soon the talk of the town, particularly when her advice proves to be correct. Her identity is discovered and Sophie, formerly a wallflower, becomes sought after for her “expert” matchmaking skills.

One person who seeks her out is the eligible and attractive Sir Edmund Winslow. As Sophie assists Sir Edmund in his pursuit of a wife, she wishes she could recommend herself as his bride. However, she vows to remain professional and uninvolved while aiding him in his search (especially since the gentleman surely does not return her affections).

Three unexpected arrivals soon show up at Sophie’s door—the man who once broke her heart, a newlywed who is dissatisfied with the match Sophie made for her, and the man madly in love with Sophie’s cousin—all wanting her attention. But when her onetime beau and Sir Edmund both appear to be interested in her, Sophie can’t figure out if she’s headed for another broken heart­­ or for the altar. How can she be expected to help other people sort out their romantic lives when her own is such a disaster?

NOT FOR ME.

For a quick audio book where I was hoping to have a cutesy regency romance play out.

This was not that case.

What I got instead was a mash-up of way too many points of view for a 250 page book. Every character was having their own storyline and while some of the moments were sweet, it just didn’t work. I felt like I didn’t know any of the characters on a deeper level before things were jumping to the next one and so forth. I think there were at least three different love stories woven in here.

I honestly don’t think I have anything else to say. I finished it in a day and don’t remember most of it now because it was easy to forget.

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction / Gothic / Romance
Length: 364 pages
Author: Hester Fox
Publisher: Graydon House
Release Date: October 2nd, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will not only be you who suffers the consequences but those around you, as well.

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall. The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end.

WHAT?

That’s mostly how I felt after finishing this book.

It’s a bit creepy, definitely disturbing, and it does hit that Gothic vibe well.

Those were basically my good thoughts. And the audio was good. I’ll give it that too. I love an atmosphere read and I was spooked out here and there with this one.

But the struggles.

Oh my gosh I hated her sister. That was probably the point, which is fine, but what drove me wild was that the main character Lydia, kept letting herself be walked all over. And even when Catherine (the sister) KEPT BEING AWFUL, Lydia kept feeling like she needed to defend her and believer her? I’m sorry, once bitten, twice shy, STOP TRUSTING HER ALREADY. Lydia was a fool.

The romance was good when you focused on Mr. Barrett and Lydia. Unfortunately this pairing turned into an odd love…pentagon? I don’t know. There was a triangle at one point, then someone else would get throw in, then taken out, AND I JUST COULDN’T KEEP UP.

I did think it was written well, and the mystery was interesting (even if obvious). I liked the setting and some small scenes here and there. Most of the characters honestly weren’t that bad. The awful ones were just glaringly obvious.

Overall audience notes:

  • Gothic Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical altercations, dueling, incest, suicide, miscarriage, death of a child, animal death

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Book Review: Kit McBride Gets a Wife (The McBrides of Montana #1) by Amy Barry

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Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Western Romance 
Length: 352 pages
Author: Amy Barry
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 23rd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The four McBride brothers have their worlds turned upside down when their precocious younger sister secretly places an advertisement for a mail-order bride.

Kit McBride knows that Buck’s Creek, Montana, is no place to find a wife. Between him and his three brothers–plus little Junebug–they manage all right on their own, thank you very much. But unbeknownst to Kit, his sister is sick to death of cleaning, cooking, and mending for her big brothers, so she places an ad in The Matrimonial News to get them hitched.

After Maddy Mooney emigrated from Ireland, she found employment with an eccentric but poor widow. When her mistress decides to answer an ad for a mail-order bride, Madd​y is dragged along for the ride to Montana. But en route to the West, Maddy is suddenly abandoned and left to assume the widow’s name, position, and matrimonial prospects….

With no other recourse in the wilderness, Maddy must convince Kit not only is she who she says she is, but she’s the wife he never knew he needed. 

Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook!

HOW DANG SWEET.

I’m pretty sure I had no less than five people mention how good this book was and I caved. AND I’M SO HAPPY I DID.

This was DELIGHTFUL. Exactly what I needed after some terrible ARCs I had to get through. Full of heart and love and a family just trying to make it through the winter in the West. I loved that is was multiple POV with the love interests and family members. It added such charm and whit to every scene.

I ADORED June Bug. The amount of times she made me laugh and smile could be counted on more than one hand. She was absolutely tenacious and I loved her snark and commitment to her story.

The romance aspects had me melting. I loooove a smitten man from the get-go and Kit was that man for me. I love how he and Maddy came together and it had everything I could hope for between them.

I can’t wait for the next book because I know it’ll be just as charming.

Overall audience notes:

  • Western Historical Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: light innuendo; closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of loss of loved ones

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Book Review: Never Leave Me (Waters of Time #2) by Jody Hedlund

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary/Historical Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: January 4th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton has decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Harrison cares deeply for Ellen, but as a wheelchair-bound paraplegic, he’s never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship. However, he’s desperately trying to save her by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease.

When he locates two flasks, Ellen refuses to drink one of them because she believes the holy water killed her sister and father. In an effort to convince her to take it, Harrison ingests the contents first, and when Ellen witnesses the effects, she can no longer deny the power of the substance in the bottles. Dangerous criminals are also seeking the holy water, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug–including sending her back into the past to find it for them.

Bestselling and award-winning author Jody Hedlund plunges you into the swiftly flowing river of history in a race against the clock in this breathtaking, emotional second Waters of Time story.

UNPOPULAR OPINION.

This did not work for me like the first book did.

Why?

I felt it was too repetitive to the first story. Same bad guy doing the exact same thing. Same reason for going to the past. Same things happening in the past. I don’t know, just a bit too many similarities for this not to drag.

The romance between Ellen and Harrison was really sweet. I did love the first quarter and last where they got a lot more page time together. There were some seriously swoony and charged moments between the two and who am I kidding, that’s ALL I WANT.

I mostly sped read through the later half of this hoping to get back to the main characters actually sharing the page. I wanted a lot more from the surrounding plot and it even took until 30% in to actually know what the whole story would entail. I don’t know, just wasn’t as captivated by this one y’all.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary/Magical Realism Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: mild
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical altercations, kidnapping, loss of loved ones, full detail childbirth scene

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