Library of Clean Reads: Regency

Showing posts with label Regency. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

To Love a Spy by Laura Beers (Review)

To Love a Spy is the third book in The Beckett Files series. These books are Regency spy romances and they are fun!

Book Details:

Book Title: To Love a Spy: A Regency Spy Novel by Laura Beers
Series: The Beckett Files, Book 3
Category: Adult Fiction, 292 pages
Genre: Regency Romance / Historical Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Release date: April 2, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13 (for a torture scene)

Book Description:

Freed from the clutches of her cruel, traitorous mother and impostor husband, Lady Camden wants to rebuild her fractured life. But the years of terror and pain she endured at their hands continue to grip her heart in an iron vice. Refusing to stray from the refuge of her country estate, Kate tentatively agrees to an unusual alliance with the new Lord Camden, being mindful to keep her trust, and her heart, firmly safeguarded.

Adrien, the Earl of Camden, had lost everything he held dear while working undercover in France as an agent of the Crown, known only as Hawk. Now an earl, he wants only to repair his tattered, lonely life. His efforts are interrupted, however, when he is called to accept another assignment: Stop French spies from passing a bill in Parliament that will eliminate British aid in the war against Napoleon.

When Kate's past pulls her into a web of treachery and deceit, a life she is wholly unprepared for, Adrien must use any means necessary to stop the French spies from succeeding in their evil designs and keep her safe. When the truth is finally revealed, will Lady Camden be strong enough to seize her own future and happiness, or will her heart be too shattered to ever love a spy?

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

To Love a Spy is the third book in The Beckett Files series. I read the first book Saving Shadow and the second book A Peculiar Courtship, both of which I enjoyed. These books are Regency spy romances and they are fun. In this third instalment, we follow the romance of Kate and Adrien. Kate is the sister of Elizabeth (the notorious spy Shadow) the main character in the first book, who is also part of this story. So although To Love a Spy is a stand-alone novel, I enjoyed having read the first two books that gave me a background into the secondary characters.

Both Kate and Adrien are drawn to each other because they have both suffered great losses. Kate needs to learn to trust men after having been treated cruelly by her late husband. Adrien, a forthright man, needs to learn to reign in his feelings of revenge. She and Adrien form a friendship that quickly turns to a romantic liaison. I would have liked for this to have proceeded at a slower rate given Kate's situation as a woman who suffered conjugal violence.

The plot thread from the previous book about the scheme to take down the English government from French spies within the establishment was explored but the main villain got away in the end and, I have no doubt, will be making an appearance in the next book. More spy missions to look forward to reading!

Once again, I liked this clean romance and the cast of characters that I grew fond of in the first two books. This was a quick enjoyable read and I liked it slightly more than the second book because of the topic of conjugal violence and the ending which I found touching. Despite the heavier emotional content, the author kept the book light. The prevailing topic of good conquering evil that permeates every book makes this series feel-good books.

A Tangled Ruse is the next book in the series and I am already anticipating more fun adventures and escapades with this clan of spy men and their strong women.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me a review copy. I was not told how to rate or review this product. All opinions are my own.

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Meet the Author:

Laura Beers spent most of her childhood with a nose stuck in a book, dreaming of becoming an author. She attended Brigham Young University, eventually earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management.

Many years later, and with loving encouragement from her family, Laura decided to start writing again. Besides being a full-time homemaker to her three kids, she loves waterskiing, hiking, and drinking Dr. Pepper. Currently, Laura Beers resides in South Carolina.

Connect with the author: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

A Peculiar Courtship by Laura Beers (Review)

A Peculiar Courtship is the second book in The Beckett Files series. These books are Regency spy romances and they are fun!

Book Details:

Book Title: A Peculiar Courtship: A Regency Spy Novel by Laura Beers

Series: The Beckett Files, Book 2

Category: Adult Fiction, 284 pages
Genre: Regency Romance / Historical Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Release date: Dec 1, 2017
Content Rating: PG

Book Description:

Lord Jonathon Beckett’s mission is simple: retrieve Lady Hannah and place her under the protection of the Crown. But he isn’t prepared for the havoc she inflicts on his world, making him question whether his duty as an agent of the Crown should always come before his heart.

Lady Hannah's father has uncovered evidence exposing a French traitor to the Crown. Willing to do anything to silence him, the traitor's primary target has become Lady Hannah. Keeping her safe means locking her away from Society, but she refuses to stand idly by, letting others put their lives on the line to protect her. Instead, she will stop at nothing to learn to defend herself, even at the risk of losing Lord Jonathon’s protection, or his affections.

With a sinister scheme in play to collapse the English government from within, Lord Jonathon must protect Lady Hannah from the French spies intending to use her as a pawn in their game of treachery. But can he protect her from herself?

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

A Peculiar Courtship is the second book in The Beckett Files series. I read the first book Saving Shadow and enjoyed it. These books are Regency spy romances and they are fun. In this second instalment, we follow the romance of Jonathon and Hannah. Jonathon is the brother of Elizabeth (the notorious spy Shadow) the main character in the first book, who is also part of this story. So although A Peculiar Courtship is a stand-alone novel, I enjoyed having read the first book that gave me a background into the secondary characters.

Hannah becomes the target when a traitor to the crown wants to stop her father from exposing him. Jonathon is assigned to find her when she disappears and to keep her safe when he finds her. But Hannah is not a typical lady of high society and she wants to learn to defend herself. Although Jonathon has a sister who is fiercely independent he is stubborn to accept this in Hannah as he falls for her. It was comical as he commits blunders in his attempt to understand her and court her.

I enjoyed this clean romance and the cast of characters that I grew fond of in the first book. This was a quick enjoyable read with a little less action than the first book, and what seemed to me more romance. The ending was open when it came to the plot thread as we continue to see that the scheme to take down the English government from within has not been resolved. I suspect that we will see more of that in the third instalment To Love a Spy which I look forward to reading soon.

The characters in the 3rd novel were introduced in this book and I am eager to read their story. If you like books in a series and especially Regency historical romance novels, these are fun, adventurous tales to escape with.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me a review copy. I was not told how to rate or review this product. All opinions are my own.

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Duels & Deception by Cindy Anstey (Review)

Once again, as with Cindy Anstey's first book, I was delighted with her second charming and witty Regency story, a clean read with romance, mystery and humor. If you are a Jane Austen fan, this YA Regency tale is sure to please.

Book Details:

Book Title: Duels & Deception by Cindy Anstey
Category: YA Fiction, 369 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Release date: April 11, 2017
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Lydia Whitfield has her future entirely planned out. She will run the family estate until she marries the man of her late father's choosing, and then she will spend the rest of her days as a devoted wife. Confident in those arrangements, Lydia has tasked her young law clerk, Robert Newton, to begin drawing up the marriage contracts. Everything is going according to plan.

Until the day Lydia—and Robert along with her—is kidnapped. Someone is after her fortune and won't hesitate to destroy her reputation to get it. With Robert's help, Lydia strives to keep her family's name unsullied and expose the one behind this devious plot. But as their investigation delves deeper and their affections for each other grow, Lydia starts to wonder whether her carefully planned future is in fact what she wants...

Fans of historical romance will delight in Duels and Deception, a young adult novel from Cindy Anstey, author of Love, Lies and Spies.

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

After I read Love, Lies and Spies, which made it to my Best Reads of 2017 list, I knew I wanted to read Cindy Anstey's second novel Duels & Deception. Once again, I was delighted with a charming and witty Regency story, a clean read with romance, mystery and humor.

Lydia Whitfield, who does not consider herself the romantic type of girl, is willing to settle for a man who will help her run the family estate, until she meets Robert Newton, a young law clerk. Lydia is unconventional in that she approaches life with logic and reason, not resorting to emotional fluttering of the heart for anything, until she meets Robert Newton.

When she gets kidnapped and is put in a compromising situation, Lydia's world is turned upside down as all is no longer black and white but quite muddy...with lots of heart flutterings! Although there is never a question of how the main character and her man feel about each other, it's the coming-of-age journey that Lydia makes that makes this story interesting. It's that discovery and beauty of first love that endeared me to this book infused with intrigue and comical scenes.

The author captures so well the feel, speech and setting of the Regency period, making this a thoroughly entertaining read for me. This is very much a character-driven novel, one that fans of Jane Austen will appreciate. If you like YA historical fiction, this one is a feel-good book written about a time when the simple pleasures in life, such as strolling with friends was a highlight. How refreshing!

I look forward to reading more from this author who is among my favorites and whose second book has made it to my Best Reads of 2018 list.

Disclosure: Thanks to Raincoast Books for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

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About the Author:

Cindy Anstey spends her time writing and adventuring around the world. She has lived on three continents, had a monkey in her backyard and a scorpion under her sink, dwelt among castles and canals, enjoyed the jazz of Beale St and attempted to speak French. Cindy loves history, mystery and... a chocolate Labrador called Chester. Love, Lies and Spies is her debut novel. She currently resides with her husband in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Friday, December 2, 2016

To Warm a Wintered Heart by Deborah M. Hathaway

Read why unlikely friendships can blossom.

Book Details:

To Warm a Wintered Heart by Deborah M. Hathaway

Draft Horse Publishing
Published: October 19, 2016
Kindle e-book: 273 pages
Content rating: G

Book Description:

After an uneventful season in Bath, Miss Charlotte Rosebury returns home to Warwickshire, looking forward to a visit from her mother’s friend. Their expected guest, Mrs. Worthington, has promised that her son will be accompanying her, and as Charlotte has only ever heard stories of the gentleman who rarely leaves his Yorkshire estate, she is most pleased to meet him. But when her warm welcome is returned with a fierce frown from the handsome man, she cannot help but long to be free of him and his blue-eyed glare.

Despite his mother’s protests, Mr. Gabriel Worthington had made the decision long ago to remain unmarried, but when he meets Charlotte, doubts about his decision creep into his fearful mind, and he wishes for nothing more than to flee from the woman and never return. For weeks, the two are forced to live within the same home, and though they provoke one another with teasing and stolen glances, an unlikely friendship blossoms between them, a friendship that grows stronger than either of them had expected. Will Gabriel concede to the choices binding his heart, or can Charlotte’s warmth be just the thing to strengthen their love and, at last, end their fears?

My Review:

Reviewed by Sandra Olshaski

This novel is very Jane Austen-esque. The heroine, Charlotte, is a lively, kind, pretty young woman. Enter dour, but tall, dark and handsome, Gabriel Worthington. Mr. Worthington had "a grim countenance…..his jaw twitched with irritation, and his gaze narrowed……" The description reminded me of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. True to form, there are many marriageable daughters who are attracted to the rich, handsome master of a Yorkshire estate. After many misunderstandings between Charlotte and Gabriel, true love prevails.

The book is well written, the cover beautiful. The author has certainly captured the "feel" of the Regency period in this sweet love story.

Readers of clean regency romance novels won't be disappointed.

Sandra Olshaski's disclaimer: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

About the Author:

Deborah M. Hathaway graduated from Utah State University with a bachelor's degree in English and an emphasis in Creative Writing. As a young girl, she watched her first regency romance (Pride and Prejudice, 1940), before devouring Jane Austen’s novels and being captured by all things Regency. After falling madly in love with, and then marrying, her English husband, Deborah traveled to the United Kingdom, spending time in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. While exploring the beauty of the countryside, she received inspiration within cities such as York and Stratford-upon-Avon, the latter being one of her favorite places in the world. She is thrilled to have three novels out and is already working on her next clean romance.

Learn more about Deborah and her writing:

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

A Heart Revealed by Josi S. Kilpack

A Heart Revealed by Josi S. Kilpack
Shadow Mountain
ISBN: 978-1609079901
Published: April 7, 2015
Paperback, 336 pages

My Review
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

It's been awhile since I read a good Regency Romance and I was looking forward to digging into this one. It was even better than I had anticipated! So far, all the novels in the Proper Romance division sent to me by Shadow Mountain have been great.

This story is so much more than a romance. It is about a young self-absorbed debutante discovering and becoming her true self when faced with adversity and a rare medical condition. Amber is a beautiful woman of high social status who has her pick of men who have a title and fortune, but all of that is threatened when she suffers a public humiliation. Her future looks bleak and she wonders if she will be alone for the rest of her life.

Continue reading this post...

Sunday, December 29, 2013

The Deception by Marion Chesney (Audiobook Review)

The Deception: The Daughters of Mannerling Book 3 by Marion Chesney
AudioGo
Released October 2013
Narrator: Charlotte Anne Dore
Length: 6 hours
Unabridged

This is the third book in the Daughters of Mannerling series and so far the best one. The first book was The Banishment and the second The Intrigue. In this installment, the focus is on Abigail Beverley. The two eldest sisters have been married and, according to their other four sisters, have failed to secure back their precious home Mannerling that was lost in a gambling match by their father who has since died.

Abigail meets Lord Burfield who is back from the army and now in search of a wife. He finds Abigail intelligent and easy to talk with even in matters of politics, thanks to the efficient education from their governess, Mrs. Trumble. But the plot takes many twists and turns in this novel as Harry Devers (the villain from the previous novel) suffers an injury from a riding accident and circumstances have him recuperating in the Beverley home, where he catches the attention of sweet Rachel, the twin sister of Abigail. And another character, Prudence Makepeace has her eyes on Lord Burfield and wants him as a husband for herself. She will connive to get him to forget Abigail. So much plotting going on!

In this story, we see a sister who is the feistiest heroine so far. Abigail has a temper and she is fearless sometimes, making her do foolish things. I loved this story because it made me laugh as the characters got into all sorts of mishaps. Chesney sure knows how the ton think and react in Regency England, and she creates situations that get solved in ways unexpected that made me want to cheer.

Once again, I liked Mrs. Trumble’s character very much. Only a little more is disclosed about who she really is and I can’t wait to find out what her story is. She is definitely a woman ahead of her time, independent, intelligent and quick-witted. She understands the Beverley sisters and does everything in her power to help them forget Mannerling, their former home that now is also haunted because its previous owner committed suicide by hanging off the chandelier.

Charlotte Anne Dore, once again, does a great job with the narration. She brings the characters and the story to life. I have a weakness for British narrators, and I have grown fond of her narration. Up next is the fourth book in this series, and I eagerly await to see what else the Beverley sisters will get themselves embroiled with. So glad I started this series!

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.

Reviewed by Laura

Disclosure: Thanks to AudioGo and Audiobook Jukebox for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Monday, November 25, 2013

The Intrigue by Marion Chesney (audiobook review)

The Intrigue: The Daughters of Mannerling Book 2 by Marion Chesney
AudioGo
Released Oct 1, 2013
Narrator: Charlotte Anne Dore
Length: 5.1 hours
Unabridged

This is the second book in the Regency romance series The Daughters of Mannerling. The first book is The Banishment. Now that Isabella is married and failed to secure Mannerling, it falls on the shoulders of the second eldest sister Jessica to get Mannerling, their former home that was gambled away by their father. It now belongs to new owners who have a marriageable son named Harry. The problem is that Harry is a drunkard and a scoundrel who wouldn't think twice about ravishing a young lady. Jessica has her reservations, especially after she meets Professor Robert Sommerville, Harry's level-headed cousin. But once again, her family is counting on her just like they did with Isabella.

Once again, I found this book similarly fun and delightful to listen to. The story continues, and Jessica, like her sister before her struggles between duty to her family and what her heart begins to tell her after she spends time with Robert at his estate. A new character in the form of Mrs. Trumble enters the picture as the governess to the girls. There is a mystery about her because we don't know where she is from and who she really is. But she cares for the girls more than their selfish mother Mrs. Beverley.

This book's narrator is different from the first. Charlotte Anne Dore does a good job narrating. She has a bit of a raspy voice that is livelier than Lizzie Stanton who narrated the first book. She does a great job with wise Mrs. Trumble's voice compared to snobbish Mrs. Beverley's voice and then sweet Jessica's voice, but I did not like her rendition of Robert's voice which was low and made him sound weak.

Apart from this, I enjoyed this second book in the series with its new characters. I look forward to the third book. I'm sure Chesney will be introducing other interesting characters and revealing more on Mrs. Trumble.

Note: This book is rated S = sexual content. There is a brief bedroom scene. Not too descriptive.

Reviewed by Laura

Disclosure: Thanks to AudioGo and Audiobook Jukebox for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Friday, November 15, 2013

The Banishment by Marion Chesney (audiobook review)

The Banishment: The Daughters of Mannerling Book 1 by Marion Chesney
AudioGo
Released Oct 1, 2013
Narrator: Lizzie Stanton
Length: 4.4 hours
Unabridged

This is the first book in The Sisters of Mannerling series. I believe there are six books. The author is Marion Chesney who is actually M.C. Beaton whose books and audiobooks I have seen plenty of times but never read or listened to.

The Banishment is a Regency romance. Beautiful Isabella Beverley, the eldest of five equally beautiful sisters live with their wealthy and haughty family at Mannerling, an opulent mansion. But soon they are all in for a shock when Mr. Beverley gambles away the estate and all its contents. The girls who've lived a lavish life and only ever been served hand and foot are now reduced to a modest country home. Snobbish Mrs. Beverley and her daughters cannot reconcile themselves and feel it is Isabella's duty to try to marry Mr. Judd, the man who won Mannerling. They are obsessed with getting Mannerling back. But Isabella learns some humility and becomes attracted to the Irish Lord Fitzpatrick.

This was a fun and delightful book to listen to. I enjoyed following Isabella's journey from haughty self-absorption to a woman who learned that brick and mortar cannot make up for love. I liked Lord Fitzpatrick's honest character who treated Isabella like an equal even as he recognized her naiveté. When society shunned the Beverleys he and his aunt were kind to them even when Mrs. Beverley did nothing to deserve it. The plot is simple but good.

The book is narrated by Lizzie Stanton who does a good job although at times I found her voice a little monotone. I like British voices and this was a pleasurable way to pass the time when driving to work. I'm looking forward to the second book in this series.

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.

Reviewed by Laura

Disclosure: Thanks to AudioGo and Audiobook Jukebox for sending me this audiobook for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.