The Elusive Miss Ellison Book Review

Regency Brides

A Legacy of Grace

Book One

SUMMARY:  The arrival of the new Earl of Hawkesbury has the entire village aflutter - everyone except Lavinia Ellison, that is.  In fact, in Livvie's eyes, he is just as arrogant and thoughtless as his brother - who stole the most important person in her world.

    Nicholas is weighed down by guilt, by ancestral obligations, and by the legacy of war.  He hadn't anticipated that a perfunctory visit home would engage either his mind or heart.  Then the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride.  But between society's opposition, his brother's reckless past, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles for the two of them to ever truly get along.

     Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister's daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past their painful histories and presumptions to a humbled appreciation of God's grace and the true strength of love.

REVIEW:  This book was rather enjoyable.  The dialogue between Nicolas and Lavinia was fun and engaging.  Grace is woven throughout this story.  Lavinia experiences it as she learns the truth about her mother's family and shows it time and time again to Nicholas and her mother's relatives, along with the villagers, especially those in need.  Nicholas learns how to accept grace shown to him and, in turn, learns how to show it to others in the community and in his circle of friends.  The latter half of the book is probably my favorite, and something every girl dreams of.  I only wished I could see a drawing of some of the "items" Lavinia inherited.

     If you like fairy tale endings and your wildest dreams coming true, this book is for you.  It was an easy read.  I can't wait to read the other books due in this series.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Kregel Publications

for review without any compensation.

Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children.  A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests.  She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.

A Heart's Rebellion Book Review

SUMMARY:  In a world goverened by unspoken rules, one young woman is about to break them all ...
     Dutiful Jessamine Barry is tired of waiting patiently for a man to decide her future.  So even though Lancelot Marfleet, second son of an aristocrat, is taking an interest in her during the London season, she refuses to consider him as suitor.  Instead, she's ready to take fashionable society by storm - and finds a rakish young man all too willing to help her do it.
     Can Jessamine trust her heart to lead her to a love that proves true through thick and thin?  Or will her rash actions close the door on the life she really desires?
     Love yourself in Ruth Axtell's sumptuous story of discovering one's true self and finding true love.

REVIEW:  Ruth Axtell writes a wonderful book about the restrictions women face in the early nineteenth century, both those with money and those without, regarding how they dressed, how they acted and the accessories they could wear.  Jessamine is a wonderful character.  She is getting over a broken heart and is not ready to meet a potential spouse.  She speaks her mind and wears her glasses in public, a major no-no of that day.  When she meets the woman who married her former sweetheart and is put in many situations where they must spend time together, she rises above her feelings and ends up befriending her during a difficult time. 
     This is a good book, one I really enjoyed.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Ruth Axtell is the author of many novels, including Moonlight Masquerade and Wild Rose, one of Booklist's Top Ten in Christian Fiction.  Currently a resident of Downeast Maine, Axtell has lived in the Canary Islands, Miami, and the Netherlands.  Learn more at www.ruthaxtell.com.

The Headmistress of Rosemere Book Review

Whispers on the Moors

Book Two

SUMMARY:  Patience Creighton has devoted her life to running her father's boarding school.  But when the enigmatic master of the estate appears at her door, battered and unconscious, the young headmistress suddenly finds her livelihood - and her heart - in the hands of one dangerously handsome gentleman.

     At twenty-five, Patience Creighton is already a spinster.  The busy headmistress of Rosemere always expected a dashing man to sweep her off her feet and take her away ... but that man never came.  And since her father's death, keeping the school running and her mother happy has been plenty to keep her occupied.

     William Sterling dallied his way into financial trouble and mortal danger.  When he is assaulted by his creditors' henchmen on the road home from a tavern, he guides his horse to the doorstep of his tenant, the Rosemere School for Young Ladies.  After being tended to by Patience, the wounded William rides off into the dawn - but makes a point to learn more about the lovely headmistress.

     As he spends more time at Rosemere, something delicate begins to develop between William and Patience.  But that will not deter William's creditors. With little money to repay his debts, and less for the upkeep of his estate, it becomes clear that sacrificing Rosemere may be the only way to preserve his legacy.  But it may also cost him his happiness.

REVIEW:  This is a good book.  My heart went out to Patience and her situation.  Considered a spinster with no marriage prospects, running her father's school with no help from her brother or mother but without recognition, trying to keep her mother from falling completely into depression, all with a tight budget and limited resources.  When her brother returns to Rosemere after spending an extended time in London with little contact, Patience is forced to give up control and is deemed to be unimportant.   But, she does not let this stop her from caring for her charges and does everything she can to keep everything as normal as possible.  Patience doesn't let her situation get her down but rises above and does her best with what she has. 

     There are a few twists, turns and some unexpected events that make the story very interesting and a page turner.  I highly recommend this book.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group for review without compensation.

Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood.  She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience.  Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.

A Reluctant Courtship Book Review

The Daughters of Bainbridge House Series

Book Three

SUMMARY:  A woman without a prospect.  A man without a homeland.  Can love give them a future?

     Honore Bainbridge has been courted by two men, one of whom turned out to be a traitor, the other a murderer.  Banished to her family's country estate, where she will hopefully stay out of trouble, she finally meets the man she is sure is exactly right for her:  Lord Ashmoor.  Tall, dark, and handsome - what more could a girl ask for?

     But he too is under suspicion because of his American upbringing and accusations that he has helped French prisoners escape from Dartmoor Prison.  If he's to keep out of a British prison himself and secure his place in British society, Lord Ashmoor needs a wife beyond reproach - something the vexingly beautiful Honore certainly is not.  Though they find themselves drawn to each other, family obligations may conspire to keep them apart forever.

     For the sake of her heart, Honore determines to prove Ashmoor's innocence - even if doing so risks her own life.

     From the first sentence, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes thrusts you into high drama amid the rocky cliffs of Devonshire, England, and keeps you suspended there until the final page.

REVIEW:   This book did grab my attention from the very beginning, as stated above, and the ending is good, though my attention did waiver from time to time throughout the story.  I love Honore's character.  Even though she is basically shunned by royal society, the servants she grew up with and their families treated her well and respectfully.  She was determined to not let her banishment get her down but she was hurt when she was left out of many socials and gatherings.  Honore is a strong character and very well written. 

     Lord Ashmoor is another favorite.  He is determined to help his family and support them, even if that means he spends the rest of his life away from his homeland and in a society so foreign to his poor upbringing.  Ashmoor reaches out to Honore when others turn their back on her and treats her with respect, even after hearing about her poor choices in suitors. 

     Out of the three books in this series, this is my favorite.  Honore is determined to not let her circumstances get her down and rises above all the scrutiny.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Laurie Alice Eakes is the author of Lady in the Mist, Heart's Safe Passage, Choices of the Heart, A Necessary Deception, and A Flight of Fancy which won the October 2012 Clash of the Titles Award, voted on by readers.  she won a National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency in 2007 for Family Guardian.  Laurie Alice writes full-time from her home in Texas, where she lives with her husband and sundry dogs and cats.  Visit www.lauriealiceeakes.com for more information.