A Worthy Rebel

A Worthy Rebel
by Jody Hedlund

Lady Isabelle doesn't want to marry Sir Thomas Neville, but she's trying to reconcile herself to it in order to save her people--she must marry well in order to provide for the peasants who depend on her. But when she visits his castle and sees that his true nature is even crueler than she realized and that he intends to take the land her peasants live on to create hunting parks for himself, she knows she needs to get away. Her plan is to escape to her sister Olivia's home, but the servant who is supposed to help her is captured and Isabelle gets hurt and lost in the forest. When Cole Warwick, a handsome peasant, finds her and takes her to his home to heal, Isabelle hides her identity--first because she's trying to escape Sir Thomas but then because she learns that Cole hates nobility.

Cole Warwick has been training fellow peasants so they can rise up against cruel Sir Thomas. When he finds Izzy in the woods, he can't not help her, especially when she tells him she's running away from an unwanted betrothal, but he needs to find a cover story for her presence and winds up saying his father and hers arranged their marriage. Although he and Izzy are only pretending to be engaged, Cole's feelings for her are real--and he can't help but hope that she'll stay with him.

I really enjoyed this story! The romantic element was terrific, the historical details were interesting, and the plot was engaging. I also really liked seeing Isabelle come to understand some of her strengths and purposes and work on not comparing herself to her sister, which was a good message that was wrapped up in a great story. Really enjoyable.

4.5 stars.

I read a copy from the author; all opinions are my own.

Promises and Primroses

Promises and Primroses
By Josi Kilpack

Lord Elliott Mayfield's family has, for the most part, lived scandalous lives, and Elliott hopes that he can rectify that situation by offering his nieces and nephews certain enticements if they marry successfully and live more circumspect lives. Elliott's oldest nephew, Peter Mayfield, is one family who has always lived a respectable life and wants no part in Elliott's plan. As a widower, he doesn't plan to marry again--but what he does need is to find a governess for his two daughters. When he interviews candidates, he immediately knows he will not hire Julia Hollingsworth. While she's well-qualified, she's too young and too attractive. However, when his other options fall through, he does hire her, and while she's a great fit for his household, he soon finds that Julia's mother, Amelia, objects to Julia working for the Mayfield family and, having had her heart broken by Elliott years ago, will do all that she can to break Julia's connection with the Mayfield family.

I wasn't sure how much I'd like a book with essentially four main characters (I like delving deep into the characters and wasn't sure there'd be enough depth with that many voices), but it worked really well. I liked seeing all of them, with their stubbornness and flaws and their goodness and their growth, too. I don't think there were really any big surprises, but there were unique and interesting elements to the plot (like Peter breeding dogs). Great choice for those who really like character-driven stories. I'm really interested to meet more of the Mayfield family in upcoming books!
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Cover Reveal!! TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY: A YULETIDE REGENCY

I'm so excited that there will be a new Timeless Romance Anthology in time for Christmas, and I'm excited to share the cover below. Isn't it gorgeous? I can't wait to read it!

From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Clean & Wholesome Romance, comes A YULETIDE REGENCY. Six brand new Regency romance novellas by Regina Scott, Sarah M. Eden, Jen Geigle Johnson, Annette Lyon, Krista Lynne Jensen, and Heather B. Moore.

Release date: November 2nd, 2018!

You can pre-order on Amazon here.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf here!

Wedding Wagers

Wedding Wagers

This is a collection of three terrific novellas!

A Wager for Love by Donna Hatch
No one ever sees Phillip as more than a duke's younger brother, so when he meets a young lady who doesn't care at all about his familial connections, who is kind and interesting and pretty to boot, he's determined to get to know her better--in fact, he makes a bet with a friend that he'll marry her and sets out to win her heart. That turns out to be more complicated than he anticipated, as Meredith seems determined not to like him. Meredith has been duped before--not once but twice have men pretended to love her when that wasn't the case. Now, acting as a companion to her cousin, Meredith is on the lookout for other men praying on innocent girls, and she definitely won't fall for a charming but deceitful man again. When Phillip, the brother of a duke, seems interested in her, the daughter of a mere factory owner, she knows he must be up to something, and she won't be taken in.

This was a really captivating, well-written story. It drew me in very quickly. I loved seeing Phillip's appreciation for Meredith and how he continued to pursue her and show her his true feelings.

The Final Wager by Heather B. Moore
When an old school enemy enters his club and demands a game of cards, Victor doesn't want to gamble with him--because he knows he'll win, which his opponent can ill afford. As expected, the game goes badly, but things get worse when Victor discovers Southill, deeply in debt, has lost his London home. The honorable Victor travels two hours to take Southill to his family estate--where he meets Southill's lovely sister, Juliet. Victor bets Juliet that she'll garner three proposals and then arranges a house party where she can meet several eligible young men. This might not a be bet Victor wants to win, though, as seeing other men appreciate Juliet leaves Victor wishing his dictatorial father hadn't made clear who Victor must marry if he wants to keep his inheritance.

Another really enjoyable story. I liked seeing Victor and Juliet overcome the obstacles between them--I particularly enjoyed seeing Juliet stand up to her brother and seeing Victor realize he'd been all wrong about marriage.

An Improbably Wager by Michele Paige Holmes
When he's only twelve years old, Eli Linfield, a common servant, bets his wealthy, titled friend Sherborne that he's going to marry Emily Montgomery someday. Years later, Eli is working as stablemaster for the Montgomery family when Sherborne, in need of a bride with a good dowry, returns to his family's holdings in order to court Emily. Emily, although not particularly taken with Sherborne, wants to please her family and plans to go forward with marrying him.

I really liked Eli, who just had this sweetness about him. I liked seeing how this story unfolded--not necessarily the way I expected. I also liked how even the aggravating characters had their redeeming moments.

This is a great collection of stories! They're all well-written and very entertaining. Highly recommend!

I read a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.