About the book:
Her heart is her own--but her hand in marriage is another matter.
Lady Charlotte Featherington is destined for great things on the marriage market. After all, as the beautiful daughter of a marquess, she should have her pick of the eligible nobility when she debuts. She, however, has love at the top of her list of marriageable attributes. And her romantic heart falls hard for one particularly dashing, attentive suitor. Sadly for Charlotte, her noble father intends her betrothed to be someone far more dull.
William Hartwell may be a duke, but he knows he was Charlotte's father's pick, not the young lady's own choice. And the captivating Lady Charlotte does not strike him as a woman who will be wooed by his wealth or title. While she has captured his heart, he has no idea how to win hers in return--and the betrayal and scandal his first wife put him through makes it difficult for him to believe that love can ever be trusted. His only hope is that Charlotte's sense of responsibility will win out over her romantic notions.
Can a widowed duke and a romantically inclined lady negotiate a future and discover love beyond duty? Will they be able to find healing and hope from the legacy of grace? Poignant and charming, this is another beautifully written, clean, and wholesome Regency romance from Carolyn Miller.
My review:
Carolyn Miller has done it again! This was another wonderful, well-written story in the Regency Brides series, set during one of my favorite time periods with characters that leap off the page! I really felt for Charlotte during this whole book. Her mother was incredibly annoying, always criticizing and pushing her to be better, do better. She also says rude things to everyone, all the time. Not only that, but Charlotte is dealing with trying to discern which man is the right one for her. There's rumors flying around about William and she's not sure what to believe. For Williams' part, he really struggles to trust after being betrayed by his deceased wife multiple times. I was a little frustrated with her later in the story, that she didn't just ask him and get everything out in the open. You can't enter a marriage with secrets and huge doubts and expect it to be healthy. The romance was wonderful; I loved getting his and her viewpoints. I also liked that throughout the story Charlotte learns more about what love truly is, that it's not just a feeling like a giddy rush, but the qualities that make up real love, such as patience, perseverance and weathering the storms of life together.
It was fun to see Charlotte's perception of William change as the story went on, both of his physical appearance and his personality, as she got to know who he really was. There was almost a gothic feel to the book as William's house used to be an abbey for monks and bad and mysterious incidents kept happening. I loved the spiritual message in the book, that God is working all things for the good of those who love Him, even the hard and heartbreaking things. It's a good reminder to trust. That was also the main theme in this story, learning to trust God and each other. The book worked great a as a stand-alone; however there were some characters from the first book who appeared here and there's some back story that's helpful to know. I've absolutely loved both books in the series and I hope there's many more to come! I highly recommend this book!
I received this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment