Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady by Virginia Heath – Blog Tour

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Blog Tour, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment
The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady – Releases February 1, 2021

The notorious Viscount And the most gossiped-about lady…

After years as a diplomat in the Napoleonic wars, Lord Eastwood is reluctant to return to London society. His scandalous divorce has made him infamous, not to mention cantankerous! To halt the rumour mill, he should marry a quiet noblewoman – instead it’s bold, vibrant artist, Faith Brookes, who’s caught his attention. They are the least suitable match, so why is he like a moth to a flame…?

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Viscounts-Unconventional-Mills-Historical-Monde-ebook/dp/B08CKHQJPM

US – https://www.amazon.com/Viscounts-Unconventional-Mills-Historical-Monde-ebook/dp/B08CKHQJPM

Barbara’s Review:

Virginia Heath perfectly sets the feeling of time and place with her vivid descriptions of the scenery and political situations of the times. When you take that and add in the wit, humor, and deeply felt emotions within her writing, you can’t help but have a wonderful story. The writing is excellently done, the story is perfectly paced, the characters are exceptional and the romance is definitely sigh-worthy.

Our two lead characters have both been badly hurt by romance in the past. They are still bruised, battered, and scarred from those experiences. Neither trusts themselves to make decisions about future relationships – and therefore they mistrust everyone. They’ll each have to grow and forgive themselves before they can ever trust another with their hearts. The prose was so well done that I could actually feel every emotion as it passed through these wonderful characters.

Piers, Viscount Eastwood, son of the Earl of Writtle, is the scandal of the ton. He’s divorced of all things – and he divorced his wife just prior to her delivering a child. Rumors are running rampant, but it is generally accepted that he is a beast and that he divorced his wife because she was beneath his station. Piers’ divorce has been exceedingly hard on him. He avoids society and has lost all self-esteem. The only life he participates in is his work life because with the war going on, he has to do that. He’s never publicly spoken about his wife or his divorce, nor has he defended himself even from the most egregious of the rumors. His loving family wants him to move on with his life – but how can he? He can’t trust his judgment – he can’t trust himself to choose someone who will love him for him. He’s dull, staid, and ordinary – who would want someone like him?

Faith Brooke has a boisterous, loving, unconventional family consisting of two sisters (Hope and Charity) along with her parents, the famed portraitist Augustus Brooke and the famous soprano Roberta Brooke. Although they are volatile artistic types, her parents are very straightlaced. Each sister has her own goals and careers they wish to pursue – one is a writer and one is following in their mother’s footsteps – Faith is following in their father’s footsteps as a gifted artist.

Piers and Faith cross paths when Piers’ mother commissions a family portrait from Augustus Brooke. As her father’s assistant, Faith accompanies him to the sittings to begin preparing the large canvas. Faith has heard all of the rumors and has read all of the scandal sheets and is filled with condemnation for Piers. Since she can’t keep her thoughts to herself, they have a bit of a tense exchange at the beginning. Piers reminds Faith of someone who took gross advantage of her and her naïveté when she was younger. Piers has to be the same – after all – he did divorce his pregnant wife.

I love how they both felt the attraction, yet both were very reluctant to trust the other. They wouldn’t believe their hearts could now choose the right person when it had chosen so wrongly before. I also loved how honest they were with each other – they didn’t lie – they didn’t pretend – they made it very plain they didn’t trust. All of that makes their HEA that much more lovely.

I truly hope you will read this book and love it as much as I did. I can hardly wait to see what Hope and Charity’s stories will be. I think we’re in for a real treat. I did notice the word SMOG in the book and hope the author will have replaced that prior to the publication of the book. I’m sure there were other anachronisms in there, but that is the one that caught my attention and made me smile.

Author Bio

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Despite that, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Social Media Links – http://viewbook.at/talkofthebeaumonde1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiaheathauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VirginiaHeath_

Giveaway to Win 2 x e-copies of The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady (Open INT)

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The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington by Anna Bradley

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837)1 Comment

The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington (The Swooning Virgins Society, #2)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Swooning Virgins Society #2
Publication Date: 2/2/21
Number of Pages: 265
****4.5 Stars Rounded Up ****

This is a wonderful addition to the series featuring the ladies from the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls. This book isn’t quite as on-the-edge-of-your-seat exciting as the first book in the series, The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray, but it doesn’t need to be because the character’s makeup and backgrounds are different. The story is well-written, well-plotted, and populated with characters you will love – all of them. Just so you know – not that it makes any difference to the story – the Book Blurb says Cecilia goes undercover as a governess. She does not – she goes first as a housemaid and then moves into the nursery as a nursemaid.

Gideon Rhys, Marquess of Darlington, is known as the Murderous Marquess because everyone believes he murdered his wife. That rumor didn’t start for a while after his wife died, but when it did start, it spread with a vengeance. Gideon has spent the last year inside Darlington Castle, mourning his wife and trying to come to grips with the multiple tragedies in his life. Now, he owes it to his title and to his niece Isabelle to marry again and have children. He’s certainly not looking for love a second time, he’s had that and the loss of it has broken him. When he meets Miss Fanny Honeywell, he decides to offer for her – not because he loves her, but because she is graceful, lovely, biddable, and would probably make a good mother for Isabella. After the betrothal, he heads back to Darlington Castle because he’s heard the rumors of the White Ghost who is making appearances around Darlington Castle. He believes it is just a rumor, but, if it isn’t, he has to find out what is going on. Shortly after his arrival, he finds a woman by his lake – throwing stones into it. After he confronts her, she identifies herself as a new housemaid. He knows she is lying to him – he just doesn’t believe her – and so he dismisses her. You’ll find he dismisses her several times – none of them stick.

Cecilia Gilchrist doesn’t understand why Lady Amanda Clifford chose her to go undercover at Darlington Castle. She’s not as skilled as the other ladies at the school mostly because she is too soft-hearted and always believes the best of everyone. She just doesn’t feel she has the skills she needs to deceive the Darlington household and uncover the real facts behind the death of the last Lady Darlington. As her investigation continues – and she manages to keep herself employed there – she finds herself more and more attracted to the Marquess. One moment she believes he must be guilty because all of the facts say so – and the next moment her heart tells her it just can’t be true.

I love the slight gothic feel to the story. As you read, you come to feel as if you know what happened, but there are no facts to say so – and then there is the big reveal and you know all. The revelation might surprise – and it might not – but it is exciting to read. While it took Gideon a bit to come to his senses, we finally get our HEA – and the epilogue is sweet and romantic.

I definitely recommend this book. You’ll love Isabella who is Gideon’s four-year-old niece. I also enjoyed the staff, Mrs. Briggs, Amy, and Duncan, but my favorite was Gideon’s friend, Lord Haslemere, who I believe will be featured in the next book of the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.