The Thief of Lanwyn Manor by Sarah E. Ladd

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor

Isn't that a lovely cover? This is book two in the Cornwall Novels series.

Let’s begin with the summary:

In Regency England an advantageous match could set up a lady for life. Julia knows Matthew Blake, copper mine owner and very eligible bachelor, is the gentleman she should set her eyes upon. But why can’t she steal her gaze away from his younger brother, Isaac?

Cornwall, England, 1818

Julia Twethewey needs a diversion to mend her broken heart, so when her cousin invites her to Lanwyn Manor, Julia eagerly accepts. The manor is located at the heart of Cornwall’s mining industry, and as a guest Julia is swept into its intricate world. It’s not long, though, before she realizes something dark lurks within the home’s ancient halls.

As a respected mine owner’s younger son, Isaac Blake is determined to keep his late father’s legacy alive through the family business, despite his brother’s careless attitude. In order to save their livelihood—and that of the people around them—the brothers approach the master of Lanwyn Manor with plans to bolster the floundering local industry. Isaac can’t deny his attraction to the man’s charming niece, but his brother has made clear his intentions to court the lovely visitor. And Isaac knows his place.

When tragedy strikes, mysteries arise, and valuables go missing, Julia and Isaac find they are pulled together in a swirl of strange circumstances, but despite their best efforts to bow to social expectations, their hearts aren’t so keen to surrender.

And now, my review:

The story opened with a strong hook and a harrowing situation. Both our hero and our heroine are courageous, which is a trait that made me root for them.

We have the usual Regency elements: balls and societal expectations of finding the right match for matrimony. The escape of a distant time period setting. Julia goes to live with her meddlesome aunt, while Isaac has the unstated competition of his brother for Julia’s affections.

I could relate with the heroine’s desire to reinvent herself and refresh her life after her loss. The author’s descriptions of locations helped me experience the setting with her.

Unfortunately, I found melodrama and wording that didn’t sound as if it came from a male POV. The mining focus reminded me of the Poldark Saga novels. Fans of the books or the PBS adaptation may appreciate this story.

I’ll confess I only made it to 30 percent of this novel as at that point, I was no longer hooked. I didn’t find enough advancement in their relationship to keep me reading. Still, I wish the author and her publisher all the best.

An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter

An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter

This is book four in the Hawthorne House series. I've enjoyed all of these novels!

Let’s begin with the summary:

Griffith, Duke of Riverton, likes order, logic, and control, and he naturally applies this rational approach to his search for a bride. He's certain Miss Frederica St. Claire is the perfect wife for him, but while Frederica is strangely elusive, he can't seem to stop running into her stunningly beautiful cousin, Miss Isabella Breckenridge.

Isabella should be enjoying her society debut, but with her family in difficult circumstances, her uncle will only help them if she'll use her beauty to assist him in his political aims. Already uncomfortable with this agreement, the more she comes to know Griffith, the more she wishes to be free of her unfortunate obligation.

Will Griffith and Isabella be able to set aside their pride and face their fears in time to find their own happily-ever-after?

And now, my review:

Our hero and heroine each have an agenda, and neither of them want to fall in love. They’re approaching their problems practically and though both are in mission mode, they’re surprised by the inconvenience of attraction and growing affection. I loved this conflict. It was fun watching their efforts fail while they fought their feelings. 

I enjoyed the brotherly friendship between Ryland and Griffith. It’s rare in fiction lately, and it stood out as strong and honorable. Once again, Kristi’s humor injections made me laugh aloud. Such a fun element in a regency, which genre can at times be stuffy and proper. That balance is one reason I love this author’s work.

Kristi also gets to the center of these characters’ hearts. One of the book's themes was freedom. Though he’s a duke, Griffith isn’t wholly free. Another theme was helping one’s family to the extent of sacrificing personal comfort and preferred future.

I also love how Kristi includes a strong but subtle faith thread in her novels. Here’s what I mean: without preaching at readers, she weaves into either the heroine's or the hero’s life a need for God, a sense that He longs for her/him. In this novel, the heroine misses God and wonders if He misses her too. How delicious is that? Readers can feel that dynamic while considering their own faith. It’s personalized in that way, without readers feeling condemned or labeled or condescended to. So well done in her novels!

Such an enjoyable read! I recommend reading this series in order to get the most out of it. 

Highly recommended!

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

Do you like Jane Austen novels? What lover of romance can resist, right? If so, get ready for a treat with this regency.

Back cover copy:

Miss Mariah Aubrey, banished after a scandal, hides herself away in a long-abandoned gatehouse on the far edge of a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how--by writing novels in secret. Captain Matthew Bryant, returning to England successful and wealthy after the Napoleonic wars, leases an impressive estate from a cash-poor nobleman, determined to show the society beauty who once rejected him what a colossal mistake she made. When he discovers an old gatehouse on the property, he is immediately intrigued by its striking young inhabitant and sets out to uncover her identity, and her past. But the more he learns about her, the more he realizes he must distance himself. Falling in love with an outcast would ruin his well-laid plans. The old gatehouse holds secrets of its own. Can Mariah and Captain Bryant uncover them before the cunning heir to the estate buries them forever?

And now, my review:

Klassen weaves an intriguing story with a few surprises for readers. You get a taste of regency living as told through the eyes of an “authoress.” Loved that, but rather than this element simply being an occupation for the heroine, her career is woven intricately into the plot (and therefore more satisfyingly). As a writer, I enjoyed this.

Two of the themes which stand out are forgiveness and grace. The heroine has committed a nearly unforgivable sin, especially for her time. She’s been sent away to live with her attendant/governess. She writes under a pen name so she won’t further anger her father. Then, she meets a man who may be her future mate, but secrets aren’t a good way to begin a relationship, as she’ll eventually find out.

The romantic aspects of the story were enjoyable, as was the inclusion of dramas and tales. But where Klassen excels is in her ensemble cast. I came to care about all of her characters, who were all very unique and memorable.

This was the first book I’ve read by Julie, but it won’t be the last. Very enjoyable.

The Country House Courtship by Linore Rose Burkard

Ahhh . . . Regency. Grab the Pride and Prejudice DVD, a bowl of popcorn, and prepare to be transported to another time. Oh, wait. This is a book I'm talking about.

First, the back cover copy of this Jane Austen-esque offering:

Linore Burkard's fans devoured her first two Regency novels Before the Season Ends and The House in Grosvenor Square. Now, as her third novel opens, the year is 1818 and Miss Beatrice Forsythe is determined to marry well. After all, her sister, Ariana, married The Paragon, Mr. Phillip Mornay, five years earlier--which all but guarantees that she, Beatrice, can also make a famous match to a wealthy man.

But her sister and husband have disappeared from high society as they raise a family at their country estate. Can Beatrice persuade them to chaperone her in London? And what about Beatrice's business with the curate, Mr. O’Brien, whom she rashly promised to marry years earlier. At seventeen now, she has no wish to marry a mere clergyman—despite his agreeable countenance and gentle, understanding ways.

When Mr. Tristan Barton becomes the tenant of the Manor House, Beatrice's hopes seem to have found their object. But when Ariana falls gravely ill, secrets come to light, motives are revealed, and the pretenses that are easy to keep up in the darkness begin to crumble. Hearts are bared, truths uncovered, and when all is said and done, a country house courtship like no other has occurred!

As always, Linore Burkard delivers “spirited romance for the Jane Austen soul.”

And now, my review:

This kind of novel, with this level of commitment to Regency, stylistically speaking, takes some getting used to, especially for a writer/reader in 2010.

Head hopping and two speakers per paragraph in “real time,” are two elements which threw me initially as I was reading. That, and the language. (BTW, you’ll find a short glossary at the back of the book. FYI.)

But, I enjoyed this book. The story, the characters. And though I haven’t read books one and two, I found I could follow this story just fine. This is a stand alone novel. But for readers of books one and two, I imagine you’ll have a deeper connection and experience reading this novel.
I felt Burkard especially captured the sometimes maddening immaturity of Beatrice, as well. And the two romances which developed? Delicious.

Burkard’s tagline seems very fitting: Inspiration Romance for the Jane Austen Soul. I very much enjoyed the exuberance this adherence to the Regency genre permitted the author. She successfully, masterfully, gives us Regency in all its flavors, oddities (to modern readers), romance, and liveliness.

Highly recommended.