Title: The Earl's Runaway Bride

Author: Sarah Mallory

Published: 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

SPOILER ALERT

This is my first spoiler writing review of the book I have finished reading and I wish it would not mess up your desire to give a try to read. I guess writing spoiler in English will be able to fortify my capability and ease my over productive thought. To be honest, reading historical romance takes more time than the classical one due to the language of their milieu, hierarchy and proper manner in society however I fully appreciate the books. In a nutshell, all books are good because writing, evolving a story, editing so on and so forth are required hard effort. I would like to apologize if you find so many grammatical mistakes, unstructured plot and other form failures in my writing.

The story began when Felicity, an orphan woman intending to travel to Africa with her uncle. Her uncle was a pious, bachelor old man and traveling as a missionary to deliver sermon. He had been a bit displeased to look after his niece (according to my comprehension while reading the book). They harbored in Corunna Spain for a while which turned out to be longer due to her uncle’s mission and severe illness until her uncle passed away. feeling bereft, Felicity was utterly devastated with no money and place to go until she was walking aimlessly to the filthy narrow street and robbed by two robbers. Trying to protect her belongings, she screamed to ask for help and in an infinitesimal moment a young officer came to safe her. Nathan, the young officer was attracted to Felicity and trying to sooth her when she began being hysteric by urging her to come to his place. Shortly, they decided to get married under his best friend’s witness, Adam thus Felicity could stay with Nathan. Nathan’s allegiance as a Major had to deal with the war and he let Felicity stay in Corruna until he returned. During Nathan’s absence, Felicity was easily deceived by Adam’s mistress and also a wife of Nathan’s commanding officer that Nathan was unfaithful and had betrayed her thereby she decided to return to England herself and take Nathan’s money.

Dealing with her tough situation; she had miscarriage and was terribly ill, she had to deplete all the money Nathan left to look after herself. Gradually, Felicity recovered and found out that her friend from Academy had got married to Sir James Souden, a widowed Lord with two sons and eventually she went to Lydia to ask for help. There, Felicity became a governess under the name of Lady Brown for Lydia’s step-sons and became her best friend. Despite Felicity’s status being married to Nathan who had returned to England and become the Earl of Losthorne and informed on all newspapers regarding Felicity’s disappearance, she remained silent and kept hidden for around five years.

Apparently, the story had its climax and drama, Lydia encouraged Felicity to accompany her to celebration party in London because Lydia was heavily pregnant and required companion even though Lydia had known the circumstance. Sir James positively agreed to the notion since he would be really busy to be involved for the task while staying in London. Eventually Felicity met Nathan in disguise in London (because Nathan was also a friend of Sir James) however Nathan had been suspicious of Felicity’s demeanor during the encounter.

When Sir James and his wife, Lydia were out and Felicity was writing a letter to inform Nathan about the truth, Nathan came and confronted Felicity. They quarreled and misunderstood regarding to what had been happening for the past five years. In spite of the resentment, Nathan demanded and forced Felicity to come to Rosthorne Manor but she refused to go due to forthcoming scandal if she suddenly appeared as countess of Rosthorne. Nathan had lost his patience and scooped her in his arms to return to his manor when Sir James and his wife arrived and demanded the explanation what the devil had been happening under his nose.

After having listened to the truth, Sir James wisely suggested that Felicity was supposed to stay until Lydia’s labor and in the meantime Nathan and Sir James would have been spreading Felicity’s status as a countess to society. Later Lydia gave birth and Felicity finally returned to Nathan’s residence and met Nathan’s mother as well. The catastrophe came when Nathan’s aunt did not approve of Felicity’s return because her aunt thought that her son was supposed to be the next Earl of Rosthorne. During their reconciliation, somebody attempted to murder Nathan and also Lady Ansell emerged to seduce Nathan and shatter their reconciliation.

On the contrary, Nathan and Felicity pleaded to not have any secrets and they had found who had attempted to murder Nathan and he also told Lady Ansell in front of attendants in a ball that he had never been attracted to her but he had respected her as his friend’s mistress and a wife of commanding officer and afterward they lived happily after.

Rate: 4.5 of 5

Title: Captain Corcoran's Hoyden Bride

Author: Annie Burrrows

Published: February 2011

Genre: Historical Romance

SPOILER ALERT

Here is my second summary of the book. Actually my best friend helpfully suggested me to give some opinions on the book as a third party but I have no notion what I am going to commend so I will let it be until I find out what bases an opinion on.

Aimee Peters had derived to live in respectable manner from her mother. Her mother was from a respectable and deified family until Aimee’s grandfather, the Earl of Caxton banished her mom because she had married a gambling drunkard man. Aimee’s family since had always run from one place to another to avoid her father’s creditors. What was worse, her father’s gambling habit had severely aggravated since her mother’s demise. Aimee fled from her father and took enormous coin from a servant of one of the gentlemen joining the auction when her friend informed her that her father was holding a scandalous auction for her virginity with gentlemen to clear his debts.

One day Aimee read an advertisement for being a governess, she immediately provided requested fake references despite her inexperienced occupation background along with letter of acceptance which were most likely criminal after having got interviewed. One cloudy day she was requested to wait in an inn until a carriage came to fetch her to the employer but she was so impatient to have an honest job, eschew society and never look back and decided to walk to the employer’s house in the middle of raining. When she was walking and soaked, a carriage came after her and asked her to get on, there she met her interviewer and an angry footman wearing eye patch. During the trip she got scolded regarding her impulsive act by the footman. When she arrived, she was serviced by three unlikely good-looking servants. In bewilderment, she followed whatever the instructions requested to her until dinnertime, she was absolutely astonished that the advertisement was to look for a bride and provide an heir for a wrecked face Earl; Captain Septimus Corcoran, the angry footman. She had to decide until tomorrow morning regarding the loveless marriage. Septimus was a widowed with no child. He was betrayed by his unfaithful wife during his naval duty and she left him because he was fatally injured on face and got an empty eye socket. He was nursed by his three loyal servants and since did not believe in women. He heard that his wife, Miranda died and he was inclined to not marry for love again.

In the bedchamber at night, Aimee was terrified that these men would bear her malice particularly after what her father did to her. Regardless whatever Septimus offered, she followed her impulsive act to flee at that time. When she was running, the men included Septimus run after her, Aimee accidentally fell down into a small cliff and hurt her ankle badly. Septimus took Aimee back to the house and nursed Aimee in anger. After having heard Septimus’s reason and intention, Aimee decided to marry him for protection and honest life and shortly they got married.

The next day, Septimus informed Aimee that that house was rented thus they ought to go to Bowdon Manor because he had to do his duty as an Earl of Bowdon and in the middle of the journey they would visit the Dowager of Bowdon (a distant relative but not his mother) as well. During the journey, Septimus found out that Aimee was poor and skittish around men but she had enormous coin lurked within her dress however he would never ask until Aimee revealed it herself. Settling in the Dowager’s house, Aimee was acquainted with Dowager’s daughter, Lady Fenella. The Dowager implicitly accused Aimee of deceiving Septimus regarding her background from Caxton family despite having never met the Earl,

Several days passed, Aimee went to hill to overcome her boredom while staying in Dowager’s house, then came back to be informed that the Dowager was taking somebody at home to humiliate her. In her horror, Aimee went to her bedchamber to pack her belongings and escape from the unknown visitor whom she suspected as Lord Matthinson and to save Septimu’s reputation that Septimus was deceived and did not know about Aimee’s whereabouts. When she almost reached the gate, Septimus grabbed Aimee and demanded her to reveal all her secrets and so she chronologically did in tears. He told her that everything was not her fault because she only wanted to preserve her innocence, he also begged her not to escape again and together deal with whomever the visitor because he had fallen in love with her and so had Aimee.

Surprisingly, the visitor was Aimee’s grandfather. The Earl of Caxton acknowledged Aimee as her granddaughter and apologized to her because he had abandoned her and her mother even when her mother died. The Dowager was shocked then she withdrew herself from Aimee and Septimus. To erase his wife’s horror regarding the Lord Mtthinson’s coin, Septimus went to meet the gentleman and confronted him to take his money back and never revealed whatever happened in the past to society but Lord Matthinson told him that he deliberately sent the servant with the coin to help Aimee, he felt disgusted with Aimee’s father whom wanted to sell his daughter. Apparently Lord Matthinson had happily married to a woman as introvert as Aimee. Septimus wanted Aimee to befriend with the woman so that she gradually could join into society and they lived happily after.

Rate: 4.5 of 5

 Title: The Duke's Runaway Bride
(Regency Belles of Bath miniseries Book 3)
Author: Jenni Fletcher
Published: February 2021
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency, Mills & Boon Historical, Harlequin Historical

Blurb:

From shopkeeper...

To duke's wife

When Beatrix, Duchess of Howden, writes to her estranged husband offering a divorce, she's stunned when he arrives on her doorstep with a different proposition: a six-week marriage trial! Quinton Roxbury seems cold and inscrutable, but Beatrix gradually realizes his rough exterior hides a heavy burden. As their connection deepens, dare she trust him with her own scandalous past and risk the marriage she never knew she wanted?

prologue ...

Life has been quite though during this pandemic and being an English teacher who has to cope with online classes makes me want to escape the interminable lessons. You must have known how to eschew it if you are also an avid reader. For everyone information, I am not an English and do not speak the language however I am so fond of reading English books and they help me to happily wander my mind.

To be frank, I gratefully volunteered myself to review this book as I have been immensely taken into Belles story and could not wait to read the next one. Thus here I am attempting to give you some hints of the third story from Regency Belles of Bath.
 

My Review:

Oh my, I couldn’t cease gazing at the cover, the hero is heart-meltingly gorgeous and the heroine, in spite of looking at the opposite, is so pretty that they can fortify my imagination within the story of Beatrix and Quinton. Indeed, this is the story of Beatrix, who coincidentally encounters with Henrietta and Nancy from the previous book but do not worry if you have yet to read An Unconventional Countess and Unexpectedly Wed to The Officer, you will be able to read this separately, nevertheless I would highly recommend reading them because they are as enchanting as this story.

Beatrix Roxbury or Beatrix Thatcher or so called-in-Bath Belinda Carr finds herself a sanctuary as a shopkeeper and baker in Belles located in Bath after having run on her wedding day from her husband, Quinton Everett Maximilian Roxbury, the twelfth duke of Howden, (I obviously adore the hero’s name) where she could be herself, not an heiress whom is as unlovable and worthless as she assumes that everyone solely cares for. Despite the sanctuary, she feels insecure that one day, Quinton would confront and demand her to return and take control of her life like when she was with her uncle and aunt. She determinedly writes a letter to Quinton, asks for divorce and informs him that she doesn’t care with the fortunes upon her. However Quinton is not inclined to have another family scandal by giving divorce petition so he goes to Bath to talk to Beatrix afterwards. Whilst discussing the matter in Bath, Quinton has a bargain to give their marriage a chance and they finally come to an agreement that after 6 weeks, Quinton has to let Beatrix go.

Ah, this book is intensely interesting. I have a complete faith that Jenni would not disappoint the readers. The readers will be led into every imaginable location within the story then dived into the deep firm and warm friendship among Nancy, Beatrix and Henrietta, especially when Beatrix departs for Howden Estate in Oxfordshire to be a duchess. Furthermore, the hero, Quinton, I can’t help but adoring him more. He is, albeit strict and emotionless, affectionate towards Beatrix and his family. At first, you will find Quinton’s family, an emotional mother, two unmanageable and one seemingly-normal siblings, and one reserved-like-ninja little sister that caused by the scandal that they gradually mend themselves, indeed with the help of Beatrix. I love Beatrix so much, she isn’t merely spoilt heiress but she is genuinely independent, innocent and lovable heroine. The family ties are lovely touching and mostly amusing, particularly when Quinton shows his hilarious expression, that scene embeds in my mind.

This book is marvelously entertaining, worth to read and uplifting. Thank you for having me review this book. I do recommend the Regency Belles of Bath to your reading list. I eagerly look forward to Nancy's story.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

Jenni Fletcher was born in the north of Scotland and now lives on Yorkshire with her husband and two children. She wanted to be a writer as a child but became distracted by reading instead, finally getting past her first paraghraph thirty years later. she's had more jobs than she can remember but has finally found one she loves. she can be contacted on Twitter, @jenniauthor, or via her Facebook author page.

Title: The Viscount's Unconventional Lady
(The Talk of the Beau Monde Book 1)
Author: Virginia Heath
Published: February 2021
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency, Mills & Boon Historical, Harlequin Historical

Blurb:

The notorious viscount

And the most gossiped-about lady…

After years as a diplomat in the Napoleonic Wars, Lord Eastwood is reluctant to return to London society. His scandalous divorce has made him infamous, not to mention cantankerous! To halt the rumor mill, he should marry a quiet noblewoman—instead it’s bold, vibrant artist Faith Brookes who’s caught his attention. They are the least suitable match, so why is he like a moth to a flame? 

Prologue ...

Whoot whoot … I eventually managed to finish reading this book after having dealt with the school’s administration. I still couldn’t believe that this book had made me read it in a day. A day!! And I didn’t give a fig that I spent my entire weekend on turning the pages over and over like I had nothing to do despite the preparation for online classes.

 My Review:

So, where to begin? Alright, the story begins when The Earl and Countess Writtle ask the brilliant artist, Augustus Brookes, to paint family portraits for the grand ball. The artist himself can’t paint the portraits without his talented daughter’s assistance, Faith Brookes, despite his wife's insistence not to take the daughter. The mother is terrified that The Earl Writtle’s son, the scandalous divorced Lord, Piers Eastwood, will likely affect her precious daughter into trouble somehow however the father assures her that he will protect the daughter. Apparently the encounter between Faith and Piers are unpleasant as Faith has had her preconceived impression that the Earl is as bad as the newspaper assumes. Eventually they apologize for their ill-mannered encounter and establish friendly relationship.

There are also several hilarious scenes especially when Piers’s 10-year-old niece involved, I can’t help but laughing (if you have equal sense of humour like mine) hence she becomes my most favorite character of all.

I would like to praise the author for the detailed and vivid description of the art, portraits, politics and everything relating within this book. It helps me to immerse myself into the story as well as the emotions beneath the secrets of Piers scandalous divorce that consequently make him become extremely insecure in spite of his high intelligence and Faith’s private secrets that make her incapable of confiding in gentlemen. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book (for every reader's information, I don’t speak English and I am clueless about certain history of England but I love reading English historical romance and this book helps me to comprehend it more)! thus I would like to rate this book 4.5 of 5. Thank you Virginia Heath for writing such a book, I can’t wait for reading Hope and Charity’s stories.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

If you want to find out more check out virginiaheathromance.com or follow her on Facebook @VirginiaHeathAuthor