Tag: regency romance

Book Review: To Forge Her Fate (Hearts of Harewood #1) by Kasey Stockton

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 358 pages
Author: Kasey Stockton
Publisher: Golden Owl Press
Release Date: March 11th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two worlds. Two hearts. Can they ever meld together as one?

Eliza Rose: accomplished in pianoforte, riding, drawing, three languages, and the art of flirtation using only a fan.

Jacob Ridley: skilled blacksmith, honest tradesman, appreciates a hot meal, and not susceptible to any lady’s charm.

Until Eliza needs help, and Jacob cannot turn her away. Now she has him wrapped around her dainty finger. But a union between them is forbidden on both sides of Society, and Jacob cannot afford to make enemies, or his business will suffer.

But can he afford to sacrifice his heart?

Book one in the Hearts of Harewood series, To Forge Her Fate is a sweet and clean Regency romance of unequal social status and forbidden love.

I LIKED THIS.

I love a good different stations/forbidden romance in regency books. I love seeing how the characters come together and work through the barriers before them to find the love and hopes of a future together. I love Kasey Stockton’s books and am excited to continue this series.

I loved both of the main characters Eliza and Jacob. There were POV’s from both of them which made it wonderfully easy to understand thoughts and desires and where each person was coming from. I loved that Jacob was a blacksmith too!! And I really loved seeing Eliza find her home and to reconnect with her sister. There were many good moments throughout that I appreciated the sentiment and thought behind.

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: A Convenient Fiction (Parish Orphans of Devon #3) by Mimi Matthews

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Mimi Matthews
Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press
Release Date: October 22nd, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

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?

SWOON.

My Mimi Matthews back list quest continues! I loved this one. The romance was utterly swoony and had me in a chokehold with the angst. I liked the way it was set up and how explosive the chemistry was between Alex and Laura. There were fantastic character arcs and I loved seeing Alex come to terms with his past. The epilogue brought about all of the happy feelings because I loved seeing where this journey took him.

I adored Laura and her ability to say what she means and to pursue her goals. I loved how she kept pushing forward even when the next thing kept falling apart. There were so many beautifully sweet sentiments between Laura and Alex that I was left in a puddle again and again.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: An Improper Scheme (Improper Agreements #3) by Audra Wells

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 292 pages
Author: Audra Wells
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: October 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sleep—something Henry longs for yet cannot seem to attain. It had never been the case before, but since his younger sister Louisa has been out in society, he is plagued by dreams of failure. And to top it all off, an old acquaintance has asked for his assistance in watching out for another young lady during her first season. He should say no. But his good nature will not allow it.

Violet dreams of lords and balls, and is all that is innocent and naive. Soon after arriving in town, she finds out her brother-in-law has arranged for another man to keep an eye on her. In a moment of boldness, she turns the tables and asks for a favor of her own. But when she sees how much Lord Wood does for others, and not for himself, she decides to help him instead. Only, he does not know of her secret scheme, and would likely not approve of her methods if he did.

But what happens when they gain feelings for the one they are supposed to be helping?

An Improper Scheme is a clean Regency romance and the third in Audra Wells’ Improper Agreements series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it best enjoyed in order.

CHARMING.

This was another fun read in the Improper series. I adore Audra Wells writing style and I’m happy that I finally decided to pick them up. I love that they are shorter, lighter reads that bring plenty of swoon and heart. I loved Henry and Violet. They had a great opposites attract vibe and lots of good forced proximity moments.

I enjoyed the plot. I didn’t looove the shenanigans Violet and Louisa got up to, but that’s okay. I liked the growth from Henry and Violet and that they both got resolutions to things they were working through.

A cute read and I’m looking forward to the next book!

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: An Improper Gentleman (Improper Agreements #2) by Audra Wells

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 271 pages
Author: Audra Wells
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 28th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Bridget has learned not to trust an easy smile or flattering tongue, and Lord Archibald has both in spades. To make her time with him at Brookside Manor more tolerable–and to use it to her benefit–she agrees to do one activity with him every day in exchange for a fact about their host, Lord Eaton. However, she will only agree on one condition: there must be no touching of any kind.

Archie is used to young women swooning whenever he is near, so Miss Hall’s obvious reticence intrigues him. He has never had to prove himself and is more than willing to try to win her over. Much to his chagrin, his efforts only seem to make him look foolish while in her company.

When a woman once scorned refuses to fall victim to charm, and a man of leisure finds himself falling short at every turn, a hilarious battle of wills ensues.

An Improper Gentleman is a clean romance and is the second book in the Improper Agreements series. It can be read as a stand-alone but is best enjoyed in order.

LOVE THE BANTER.

Two books read from Audra Wells and I am becoming an absolute fan. I love the way she writes banter and dialogue between the love interests. It’s cheeky, yet there’s so much sincerity as the romance develops that the swoon factor is also high.

I did want to shake the FMC a little bit towards the end. I understood her difficulty trusting, but I thought she’d stop running away at last. With very little change in setting I thought the plot moved well. It’s short and fast paced and I loooved Archie. The opposites attract was in full force here and I love love love when there’s lots of forced proximity.

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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