Loving Lieutenant Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden

Loving Lieutenant Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden

Sarah M. Eden is one of my favorite authors. She writes Regency romance, and she is truly gifted.

Let’s begin with the summary:

Orphaned as a child, Arabella Hampton was the unwanted and unloved charge of a cruel aunt and neglectful uncle. The only light in her young life was the kindness of the Jonquil family, and she clung to the childish dream of someday living with them at Lampton Park. Now, years later, that opportunity is presented to Arabella in a most unexpected way: she is to be the lady's companion to the dowager countess. As she takes up residence at the estate, the young woman soon finds that life at the Park is far more complicated than she imagined. The lines of her position are blurred, and she is neither family nor servant. So when the countess plans a grand house party, Arabella is content to hide in the shadows. But one gentleman sees her there.

Lieutenant Linus Lancaster has retired from the navy and is not looking for love, especially when he finds himself entangled in his sisters' scheme to trap him into finding a wife at a house party at Lampton Park. Yet amid the festivities, he's impossibly drawn to the dowager's quiet companion, Arabella. Their regard for each other is undeniable, but they are haunted by their pasts. Can the two find a way to bridge their two worlds?

And now, my review:

I love revisiting these characters! Though I couldn’t find an official series titles, this book includes members of the Lancaster family and the Jonquil family, as do several of Sarah’s earlier and subsequent books. Such a delight to enjoy them once again. 

Just beginning one of Sarah’s novels, you know you’re in good hands. She is an expert in weaving a tale set in Regency England, giving us the norms of the day while helping us relate with the characters’ humanity. I love her prose and her pacing. 

I immediately sympathized with the heroine. Her circumstances, through no fault of her own, are difficult. She’s faced so much rejection that she doesn’t often try to hope. She’s used to hiding. It’s her fatal flaw—that outdated coping mechanism that she’ll need to abandon to live her new life.

I loved how welcoming the family was. Though the heroine had doubts about how wanted she was in her new home, they were kind and hospitable. I rooted for Arabella to overcome her past fears and see that her future didn’t have to be defined by shadowy corners and a downcast gaze.

The hero is also used to living outside the limelight. He’s a navy man, so he’s used to hiding his grief. He still grieves the loss of his brother and he’s uncertain what his life should be now that he’s no longer part of the navy. I rooted for him to find his new purpose and to find love.

Sarah had me laughing out loud several times as I read this novel. Her sense of humor, along with her prose and characterization, are her trademark.

Highly recommended!