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.
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