Sherry Ewing

Fieldnotes:
Fenwick on Sea, Regency - 1815

1 Title-Obsessed Young Miss with a Talent for Scandal
1 Non-Titled Merchant Captain (Half-French)
1 Shocking Lack of Introductions!
2 Rejected Overtures

1 Unscrupulous Rival
Sabotage!
1 Terrible Storm
1 Convergence on The Queen's Barque Inn featuring Cross-Pollination

1 Gossip Sheet Reporter
Appalling Lack of Consideration for Reputations
Kidnapping!
Fisticuffs!
Embracing in Public!

The Short Version:

Miranda de Courtenay has one overarching objective - she wants - nay, *needs* to marry a title. After all, she is currently the only one of her siblings without an honorific, and her 20-year-old self just can't handle her elder siblings having something she doesn't. Apparently, the young lady is so fixated on what she wants that she has (in previous novellas) made some rather questionable decisions and weathered more than her fair share of scandals.

I really wanted to like Miranda, but her obsession with a title for the sake of having a title (rather than wealth, or having some ambition related to the title) was extremely tiresome. Despite her being immediately drawn to merchant captain Jasper Rousseau (to the point of ignoring societal niceties like introductions before dancing a waltz - the SCANDAL), she immediately dismisses him out of hand once she learns that he's untitled and instead runs off after someone who claims to be titled but is clearly a MISCREANT - listen to your maid! She also flings herself into danger just to make sure Jasper is safe at one point (so at least she's affectionate, if reckless). She's just a very self-absorbed, very dramatic 20-year-old with messed-up priorities. And I may be a tad too old for her nonsense.

On the whole I liked Jasper and wanted the two of them to get together, but there wasn't really much of an obstacle other than his lack of title, which just wasn't good enough a reason for me to forgive Miranda throwing him away (not once, but multiple times!). I'd happily read more in the series, though.… (altro)

Have tissues handy for this lovely Regency romance collection set around the Harvest Festival in Reabridge, Cheshire, England in 1815 which varies from family-friendly to NC17, so parental guidance is advised.

MOONLIGHT WISHES AND MIDNIGHT KISSES by Collette Cameron: Have a tissue handy the afternoon it will take for this family-friendly Regency wounded warrior tale.

THE MORNING LIGHT by Caroline Warfield: Allow about two hours for this PG tale of a war-wounded doctor, his deserted daughter, and the midwife who sought a cure.

A HARVEST BLESSING by Rue Allyn: Allow two and a half hours for this PG15 romance between refugee Charite Estelle Benetia Marmont du Pessac and retired Captain Thomas Paul Owen.

COMING HOME by Mary Lancaster: Have a tissue handy for this two-and-a-half-hour romp as 24-year-old Lady Lorna Gaveston, assisted by Captain David Buckley, evades gazetted fortune hunter Edgar Winthorpe.

UNDER THE CHAMPAGNE MOON by Alina K. Field: Allow an afternoon for this PG15 tale of orphaned refugee Fleur Hardouin.

THE QUIET HEART by Elizabeth Ellen Carter: Allow an afternoon for the PG15 tale of widow Veronica Petersham who has come to fulfill the dying request of one of her soldier patients.

A LOVE BEYOND TIME by Sherry Ewing: Allow three hours for this PG15 second chance romance.

THE WIDOW'S HARVEST HOPE by Cerise DeLand: Allow two hours for this NC17 second chance with the resolution of a mystery.

LOVE IN ITS SEASON by Jude Knight: Allow about two hours for this PG15 romance between 24-year-old farrier Gwenillan Hughes and 35-year-old veteran Captain Jack Wrath.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.… (altro)

Good book. We first met Moriah in The Talons of a Lyon, where she befriended the heroine Seraphina, who was trying to regain custody of her children. At the end of that book, we learn that Moriah wants to reclaim her reputation and that Mrs. Dove-Lyon has enlisted Vincent St. John, Marquis of Saxton, to assist her. This is their story.

The story opens as Vincent endures a visit from his parents, who want him to settle down and find a wife from among the season's debutantes. But Vincent is tired of women who only see his money, his title, and what he will one day inherit. He has the example of a loving marriage with his parents and wants to find someone who sees who he is, not what he is. He agrees to attend a few balls but makes no promises about results. Then he joins his friends at the Lyon's Den that evening.

Moriah is a woman with a tarnished reputation. After her parents' deaths left her penniless and her grandfather disowned her, she was lucky to find a man who wanted to marry her. But within two years, she discovered he had a gambling problem, and his debts came home to roost upon his death. Once again, she was left with nothing and was forced to look for a benefactor to survive. Over the years, she had some that were good and others that weren't. Then her last benefactor, who had no relatives, left everything he had to her. She can now support herself and ignore society.

Then her friend Cassandra informs Moriah that she has engaged Mrs. Dove-Lyons to find her a husband and return Moriah to the society where she belongs. Their trip to the Lyon's Den that evening is eye-opening for Moriah, who sees a man who had caught her attention earlier in the day. That man is Vincent, who is somewhat the worse for wear from drinking and mistakes Moriah for one of the working girls. The encounter goes poorly for Vincent, and I loved seeing Moriah blast him. Over the next few nights, neither has been able to forget the other. It is no surprise to the reader that the man Mrs. Dove-Lyon picks for Moriah is Vincent.

The stakes tonight are that the loser of the card game must take the woman of Mrs. Dove-Lyon's choosing to a ball. He suspects that the fix is already in and that he will be the loser. To say that Moriah is unhappy with her chosen escort would be putting it mildly, and their introduction in the garden gets off to a rough start. Vincent is surprised but pleased to discover that Moriah has no idea who he is and finds himself looking forward to the ball the next night.

I enjoyed watching this relationship develop. Moriah's arrival at her first ball in many years started the tongues wagging immediately. Vincent wasted no time greeting her as the sparks continued to fly, thanks to his somewhat misplaced sense of humor. Vincent is a good man determined to help Moriah regain her place in society. I enjoyed their time at the ball and seeing the connection between them. Vincent is vocal in his support of her and is intrigued by her.

I enjoyed seeing them spend time together and grow closer, though there are some obstacles to overcome. Moriah's reputation, though, seems to be dealt with easily. Vincent's mother is not initially a fan, though Vincent quickly brings her around. I loved seeing Moriah relax in Vincent's company as her worries about her reputation damaging his faded in her growing acceptance. And most worrying, someone appears to be trying to kill her. Three unexplained accidents in quick succession have Vincent looking for whoever has a grudge against Moriah. My mind immediately went to one person as the most likely culprit. I liked Vincent's devotion to Moriah's safety as his feelings for her deepened. When the threats against Moriah come to a head, it reveals a far deeper plot against her. The resolution of this issue was fantastic, and I loved Moriah's active participation.

I loved how everything came together to help Moriah. Vincent's friends lend a hand in trying to discover who has it out for Moriah. They also provide an opportunity for Moriah to acquire another champion in her quest to restore her reputation. I loved the scene at that ball as its hostess gives her stamp of approval and shows her understanding of the challenges Moriah faced. That's not Moriah's only surprise, and I enjoyed seeing her happiness as her dreams came true. I hope to see more of them in future books.

The epilogue was a terrific setup for the next book in this subset of the Lyon's Den series. Cassandra visits Mrs. Dove-Lyon to arrange help for the next one of her friends to receive her assistance. I like Cassandra's plans to help those friends regain the lives they deserve, and I look forward to reading their stories. I expect that Cassandra will be the final recipient of Mrs. Dove-Lyon's assistance and that there is a foreshadowing of who will be her hero.

#netgalley… (altro)