Ladies of the Manor trilogy by Roseanna M. White: The Lost Heiress, The Reluctant Duchess, and A Lady Unrivaled

I first discovered Roseanna M. White's books when I read A Name Unknown. I loved that book and ended up reading that whole companion trilogy. Then a sequel trilogy came out and I read that one too. Those two trilogies are loosely tied to this one with a few characters from this one making an appearance, so I decided I needed to go back and read this one. First off, I need to say that I was surprised that this series had a bit of a different feel to it than the other two. This one takes place before the war and it's more of a romance with a heavier mystery element to it, with less of a historical fiction feel to it. I didn't enjoy this series a much as I did the other two, but I still thought it was good. I also didn't really find as much of a connection between this series and the others as I thought there would be. As far as the mystery goes, I'm on the fence about the whole fire eyes diamonds thing and the mystery surrounding them. It was a way to string all the plots together, but I wasn't completely sold on it, or the reasoning behind keeping them for so long. Here are my ratings and comments on each book along with their descriptions:

 

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Mystery
Content: Clean

 

Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the palace of Monaco, she's British by birth and was brought to the Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When Brook's friend Justin uncovers the fact that Brook is likely a missing heiress from Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the moors of the North Sea to the estate of her supposed family.

The mystery of her mother's death haunts her, and though her father is quick to accept her, the rest of the family and the servants of Whitby Park are not. Only when Brook's life is threatened do they draw close—but their loyalty may come too late to save Brook from the same threat that led to tragedy for her mother.

As heir to a dukedom, Justin is no stranger to balancing responsibilities. When the matters of his estate force him far from Brook, the distance between them reveals that what began as friendship has grown into something much more. But how can their very different loyalties and responsibilities ever come together?

And then, for a second time, the heiress of Whitby Park is stolen away because of the very rare treasure in her possession—and this time only the servants of Whitby can save her.

 

I really like the time period and the setting of this book and I think it was my favorite of the three. The best friends to lovers scenario is one of my favorites in romance, but I felt like they were a bit too stubborn and didn't communicate the way they should have. Too many assumptions were made by characters, instead of just talking, which is something the author does less of in her later books.

 

 

 

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Mystery
Content: Clean

 

Will Fleeing the Scottish Highlands Only Leave Her in More Danger?

Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she's never felt good enough--not for her father, not for the man she thought she'd marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she's willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping those threatening her life.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, yet the last thing he needs is the distraction of the newly introduced Lady Rowena. He has enough on his plate having recently come into possession of a rare treasure for which many would kill, yet those around him seem intent on pairing him with this desperate but beguiling girl.

Rowena is reluctant to marry this notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she'll end up in more danger than she fled.

 

I liked this book a little less than the other two books in the series, but it was still good. My main problem with it is that it didn't feel like it was set in the time period it was set in. For some reason, the story felt like it should have been set further back in history, and the location of  the Scottish Highlands felt a little off as a companion to the previous book. I did feel like there were some beautiful messages about love in this book, and marrying a stranger and falling in love after the marriage is another romance scenario that appeals to me. The characters felt more real to me that the ones in the previous book, with some great character development.

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Mystery
Content: Clean

 

Lady Ella Myerston can always find a reason to smile--even if it's just in hope that tomorrow will be better than today. All her life everyone has tried to protect her from the realities of the world, but Ella knows very well the danger that has haunted her brother and their friend, and she won't wait for it to strike again. She intends to take action . . . and if that happens to involve an adventurous trip to the Cotswolds, then so much the better.

Lord Cayton has already broken two hearts, including that of his first wife, who died before he could convince himself to love her. Now he's determined to live a better life. But that proves complicated when old friends arrive on the scene and try to threaten him into a life of crime. He does his best to remove the intriguing Lady Ella from danger, but the stubborn girl won't budge. How else can he redeem himself, though, but by saving her--and his daughter--from those dangerous people who seem ready to destroy them all?

 

Lady Ella was probably my favorite of the female leads in this series. I liked that we got to see who she really was, despite the assumptions others in the book made about her. She was charming and witty and no one took her seriously or realized how intelligent she was, except for Lord Clayton, of course. I loved how she took the initiative to help her brother. I also liked the build up of the romance, and the way the author showed that our choices are what make us the kind of people we are.

 

 

 

The Words between Us by Erin Bartels

  

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary
Content: Clean as far as I can remember

 

Robin Windsor has spent most of her life under an assumed name, running from her family's ignominious past. She thought she'd finally found sanctuary in her rather unremarkable used bookstore just up the street from the marina in River City, Michigan. But the store is struggling and the past is hot on her heels.

When she receives an eerily familiar book in the mail on the morning of her father's scheduled execution, Robin is thrown back to the long-lost summer she met Peter Flynt, the perfect boy who ruined everything. That book--a first edition Catcher in the Rye--is soon followed by the other books she shared with Peter nearly twenty years ago, with one arriving in the mail each day. But why would Peter be making contact after all these years? And why does she have a sinking feeling that she's about to be exposed all over again?

 

This book seemed like it would be an intriguing read, plus I love that cover. I liked the mix of mystery with the love of books. It's a bit slow moving but that didn't really bother me. My main problem with it is that I just didn't find it all that memorable. The story is told in present day with flashbacks to the past. I found the past segments interesting, probably more so than what was happening in present day. 

One thing that I found missing with this being labeled a Christian book, is that it didn't feel as inspirational as I would have liked. I don't need scripture quoting and endless talking about God, but I would have liked to have felt inspired in some way after reading it. Instead, it felt more like a run-of-the-mill contemporary fiction with a mystery. In the end, I enjoyed this and I liked how things ended up for the characters, but I didn't love it as much as I wanted to. 

This is the first and only book I've read by this author. Would I read another book by her? Maybe. I think this was well written, even if it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.

Wild Sign (Alpha & Omega #6) by Patricia Briggs

 

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Content: Strong Language, mostly off page sex, past abuse and rape is mentioned.

 

In the wilds of the Northern California mountains, all the inhabitants of a small town have gone missing. It's as if the people picked up and left everything they owned behind. Fearing something supernatural might be going on, the FBI taps a source they've consulted in the past: the werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham. But Charles and Anna soon find a deserted town is the least of the mysteries they face.

Death sings in the forest, and when it calls, Charles and Anna must answer. Something has awakened in the heart of the California mountains, something old and dangerous — and it has met werewolves before.

 

It's always a treat to get to read a Patricia Briggs book. I look forward to reading about either Mercy or Anna every year. In my opinion this is the best book I've read in this series so far. There were questions answered about Leah that I've had for a long time, and I feel like I finally understand her and her behavior, even if I don't agree with some of it. I'm glad for the different perspective on Leah now, and also Bran. Every time I think I know that guy I find out something new! He's such a layered character. especially for one we get such limited page time with. I would have loved to have gotten a little bit more at the end. I'm pretty sure I know what happened, but I wanted to read about it.

I loved the music stuff that was included in this book. The Mongolian band the Hu that was mentioned in the beginning is one of my husband's favorites, and I had to show him that part. It put a huge smile on my face when Charles starting playing one of their songs. I especially loved the part with Charles and Anna playing music together and how it showcased how happy and content they are with each other and their devotion to each other, which is evident throughout the whole series. This quote pretty much sums it up:

“With Anna he had no shield—Charles belonged to Anna with all his complicated soul and uncomplicated heart.”

Music played a big part in the plot overall and I loved how the book showed different aspects of music and the power it has over our moods and the mind, from the romantic, to the creepy, to the battle anthems. The whole part about the missing people from the camp and the singer in the woods was really creepy, and I loved how the tension got amped up after a certain thing happens to Anna. The whole cave scene had me on the edge of my seat, and also cringing at times! I was also not expecting the Lovecraftian influence. I did find it easy to figure out who a certain person was, although not everything about who this person was, and I liked that there was still a surprise there.

The end with Samuel was an unexpected surprise, but I was really sad for him that he had to do what he did. I'm sure this stuff with Samuel will probably play a bigger part in future books, but I kind of would like another spin off series about Samuel now! Also, I can't wait to read the next book to find out more about Sherwood Post and who he is and what he remembers. I have to admit that I was frustrated to have to wait for that information!

On a side note- The Roanoke Colony that disappeared and is referred to at one point in the book was not located in Virginia as the book states. It was located in North Carolina. Roanoke Virginia is a completely different place. This is a common mistake that people make. I made the same mistake myself until my daughter moved to Roanoke Virginia and I found out differently.

 

Sweet & Sassy: Rom Com Series Starters by Bria Quinlan, Bridget E Baker, Kat Cantrell, Kristen Ethridge, Maggie Dallen, Michelle MacQueen, Tari Lynn Jewett

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance
Content: Clean

 

7 fabulous Sweet & Sassy Romances-

The Last Single Girl by Bria Quinlan

Finding Faith by Bridget E Baker

Fake Marriage to My Best Friend by Kat Cantrell

The Right Resolution by Kristen Ethridge

The (Not So) Perfect Day by Maggie Dallen

Jesse and the Ice Princess by Michelle MacQueen 

#PleaseSayYes by Tari Lynn Jewett

This is a collection of clean contemporary rom com stories. Maybe I don't know what rom com means, but I thought that meant funny romance, and mostly these were not really funny. Mostly these stories reminded me of Hallmark channel romance movies. That doesn't mean they weren't good to read though. For the most part I enjoyed this anthology. It's rare for me to read complete anthologies. I usually just read the stories that are included by my favorite authors, but this time around I almost read the whole thing. I guess I was in the mood for some light romance. There was only one book I skipped and that was book 6. I've never been interested in the "ice skater meets hockey player plot" so I decided not to read that one. Overall I enjoyed escaping into this book so I'm giving it as a whole 4 stars, but I'm also going to include my individual ratings and comments on each book.

 

 

The Last Single Girl by Bria Quinlan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

  

After Sarah assures her friends she'll be bringing a plus-one to their New Year's party, she has just a month to find Mr. Right. Will one bad date after another convince her to give up the ruse - or could the perfect guy be hiding right under her nose?

 

I really loved how the main character kept trying to meet someone online for a date and how badly they all end up. This was the book that I thought was the funniest out of the collection. I also loved the guy she ends up with. This romance was sweet and I want to read more of this series. 

 

 

Finding Faith by Bridget E Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Thanks to lousy parents, Mary swore off ever having kids and threw herself into charity work instead.

When she meets hunky Luke, sparks fly.

But she won't discover he's a widower with two kids for three more days.

What then?

 

I had already read this book and it's still a favorite contemporary romance of mine. I like how Bridget Baker adds inspirational and emotional touches to her stories. Luke is a favorite male romance character of mine. I've already read this whole series and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

 

 

Fake Marriage to Her Best Friend by Kat Cantrell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Nomi Hannon is sick of losing. She's not about to lose the city council election. Too bad she just accidentally starred in a compromising photo her squeaky-clean opponent is all too willing to use against her. Surely marrying ex-CEO Malone DuMar, the guy in the photo—her best friend—will solve the problem…right?

It's a simple plan. Only pretend. But that was before the kiss that changed everything.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice, sweet, best friends to lovers story. The premise may have been a bit of a stretch, but that's often the case with these kind of books. It really didn't bother me because I thought the book was sweet, romantic, and even a little sexy with those kisses. There was so much chemistry and I loved Malone. I do think that the book title could be better though. 

 

 

The Right Resolution by Kristen Ethridge

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

When the clock strikes midnight at her beachside cottage on New Year's Eve, Eve Larson plans a fresh start following a year of heartbreaking disappointments. But when an enemy from her past tracks her down, will he stand in the way of rebuilding her dreams? Add in a treasured royal heirloom, New Year's resolutions, and sweet kisses on moonlit beaches to make the start of one unforgettable year.

 

This is a reunion type romance, and there are things I loved about this story. I enjoyed the back story of the couple and how they end up falling in love. I also enjoyed the growth that they both had, but I had a hard time getting past some weird descriptions and comparisons in this story. I know I've mentioned this kind of thing in other reviews, but it's a real pet peeve of mine. Maybe I should start calling it the "Paolini syndrome" because Christopher Paolini is the first author I really noticed do this. Poor Christopher. He just can't catch a break from me! One example from this story would be this sentence:

"Spencer shifted and dropped his finger, then pulled his arm back to himself, the cotton of his borrowed sleeve sliding across the thin knit of her own cotton shirt like the glide of a ballroom dance, deceiving in carefully choreographed simplicity."

Ok, first why are we focusing so much on things like their shirts? Their shirt fabrics sliding together are being compared to a ballroom dance. That's kind of weird, and there is too much emphasis being put on something that doesn't matter. If it was his touch on her skin it would have been better, but this mostly just distracted me from the story. There are a few other examples of this in the story, but I think you can get the point.

That being said, overall I still liked this book and found the story compelling. Eve and Spencer were both easy to like and I could feel the grief that Eve was feeling over the loss of her mother. I also appreciated the inspirational parts of the story.

After reading some other reviews of this one it appears that this is a retooled version of the story. I'm not completely sure, but it sounds like there are some elements that other reviewers had problems with that seem to no longer be the same. Like in the original version the love interest was a lawyer maybe? But he isn't in this version. And apparently there are health problems that are addressed more in this version. It also looks like the author is retooling the whole series, as there are two versions of the series. In one version this is the second book and in the newest version this is the first book. 

 

 

The (Not So) Perfect Day by Maggie Dallen

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

 

Ellie's planned the perfect wedding, just…with the wrong groom. The clock is ticking to Ellie's big day. There's only one thing missing—her best friend. As a travel photojournalist, Ian's often off the grid, so she's not worried--much. After all, he's always there for her when she needs him. When Ian finally arrives mere days before the wedding, he's not content to play best man. He's back to claim her heart. But can he prove what they have is true love before she walks down the aisle with the wrong man?

 

This was a cute best friends to lovers story that I liked a lot. I felt like the characters were a little too obstinate and oblivious to their feelings at times, which felt a little contrived, but I liked the characters and their love story was sweet.

 

 

 

Jesse and the Ice Princess by Michelle MacQueen

My Rating: I didn't read it so I didn't rate it.

An ice princess doesn't fall for the hockey captain's charm unless said captain has a habit of always getting his way.

Charlotte wants nothing to do with Jesse. Not when he shows up to watch her skate. Not when he orchestrates her detention. And especially not when he convinces the principal to force her into helping the no-win hockey team change their record.

What if he's more than charm and semi-okay hockey skills? Is the boy with no rules worth breaking all of hers for?

 

 

 

#PleaseSayYes by Tari Lynn Jewett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

  

Lucy, wakes on New Year's Day to find a message from a secret admirer on her favorite social media site!

Each day he posts a photo with a clue to his identity, a message letting her know he intends to ask her out for Valentine's and the hashtag #PleaseSayYes. Before she can decide what to do, the posts go viral, and the whole world weighs in.

Should she take a chance? Will social media bring them together, or keep them apart? Only chocolate, wine and girlfriends can help her now. 

This was a super cute read. I liked the main character Lucy and the love interest a lot. It was impossible not to smile at the social media post that goes viral and all the ensuing drama that snowballs after it.

A had a couple of problems with Lucy's girlfriends though. They were rather pushy at times, and also did a couple of things that kind of bothered me. One involved taking and posting photos of Lucy on social media without her knowledge, and the other involved one of her friends profiting off the whole social media thing. But I don't think these things would have bothered me if they had just asked her before they did them.

Despite that I liked everything else about this story. I could just see this as a Hallmark Channel movie. I especially loved the way things ended up playing out with the date and some of the subterfuge that was involved.