Captivating! It’s a mix of the classics like Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte and t.v. series Downton Abbey. This historical romance is full of drama and suspense with witty and entertaining characters!
A simply delightful must-read!

“I have found that those who try to shield us from the truth, regardless of the reason, end up doing the greatest harm. Truth alone sets you free, not lies and omissions.”

“Few value just how fragile a person’s psyche is. All those pieces, both the good and bad, the values, the lessons, the beliefs that construct us—they’re all woven into the fabric of our being. Once you start pulling out the first thread, the entire person is in danger of unravelling.”

― Jessica Dotta, Born of Persuasion ( )

I struggled with this. It is told in first person by Julia.
Mrs Windham could be amusing, but Julia is not in the mood to see it. When she confronts her childhood love Edward she is too angry to listen to him.
She rashly agrees to let the Lady Foxmore take charge of finding her a husband despite Lady Foxmore's scandalous reputation,
Edward's portrayal is incredibly inconsistent. Harsh religious zealot one moment, reasonable person the next.
The most like person is the servant Nancy and Julia treats her badly. I really found myself disliking Julia when she is rude and lashes out at Nancy when Nancy is trying to help her. The situation with Mr. Macy is out of a Gothic novel. Julia confuses infatuation and lust for love.
It is first in a series so it ends with a good set up for the next book.. ( )

Though the book had a bit of a slow start, it engaged me enough to press on, and I'm so glad I did. I grew up on Victoria Holt books and the gothic genre, and Born of Persuasion was a class act rendition of those novels. I loved that the book kept me guessing for a long, long time. Was Mr. Macy actually good or truly evil? The characters had depth, especially the brothers Edward and Henry. The antagonist was well drawn, a good blending of appealing and off-putting traits. The heroine was interesting, and though at times I wished she'd stand up for herself, I understood that in the time period she likely would not have done so. There was only one line in the book that threw me as being out of period, but it was easy to forgive. I am anxious to read the rest of the series, and I hope its as fulfilling.

I gave the book five stars because I was vastly satisfied by language, plot twists, layering, and characterization. As to a reviewer who complained about an abrupt ending -- the ending gave enough closure to be satisfying. It's clear that the story will continue in book two, but satisfying enough if a reader chooses to stop with number one. ( )

I have mixed feelings about this one. I don't really enjoy romance but sometimes make an exception for historical romance provided there is an interesting plot.

The book starts off well with interesting characters. I especially liked the character Mrs Windham although I noted that a fair number of the things that she says and does seem to have been borrowed from the character Mrs Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. Having watched that movie more times than I can count and read the book recently, these things jumped off the page.

As a secular novel, I probably would have given this a slightly higher rating but for a Christian book I was disappointed. The main Christian character, a vicar, abandons his calling to pursue a woman that has just married someone else. There is then a fair bit of discussion as to how to get the woman out of her doomed marriage. But there were no real grounds even from a secular viewpoint let alone a biblical one. What is the message there? It hardly says much for the sanctity of marriage in the eyes of God or the importance of keeping marriage vows. In a quick divorce society it isn't really helpful for a Christian author to be advocating looking for a way out of a marriage regardless the circumstance. The underlying theme that love conquers all is also suspect...

There were romantic scenes that got quite steamy in places although I wouldn't describe it as graphic. It might bother some readers. There was no bad language and only mild violence.

There is barely a mention of God, indeed the main character is an atheist from a prominent family of atheists and doesn't seem to change her views during the narrative. Whilst not overly offensive, I think more could have been made of this novel especially from a Christian angle as the author states that that was her intent in her bio. She notes that at one point there was too much about God and at another not enough...I guess in the end she chose the latter option which in my view was a mistake. Trying to write a book with Christian principles to entertain a secular audience is virtually impossible. I believe authors should stick to one or the other.

I cannot recommend this book and an unsure yet whether I will bother with the sequels. ( )

Set in the 1830's, Julia is an orphan with no position. An anonymous guardian has plans for her as does the village dowager. Her plans to marry her first love are denied and mystery surrounds her mother's death. With twists and turns and (at times) a confusing plot, Ms. Dotta does keep you intrigued and wanting to know more. While I fully grasped the final outcome, the ending had me wanting more. I guess I'll have to buy the next book. ( )