Category: Historical Paranormal/Fantasy

The Secrets of Wycliffe Manor by Patricia Rice

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)3 Comments

The Secrets of Wycliffe Manor (Gravesyde Priory Mysteries #1)Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Gravesyde Prioy Mysteries #1
Publication Date: 7/11/23
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 334

The Secrets of Wycliffe Manor is the first book in the Gravesyde Priory Mysteries series, and it is an interesting blend of gothic romance and historical mystery, with just a tad of paranormal. The story mostly follows Clarissa (Clare) Knightly and American Army Captain Alastair Huntley (Hunt) as they search for Hunt’s grandmother’s diaries and attempt to save Wycliffe Manor for all of the beneficiaries of the Earl’s will. Hunt just wants to find his grandmother’s diaries and leave for America so he can give the diaries to his mother. Clare, on the other hand, wants a safe haven for herself, her nephew, and her best friend.

Little do they know the danger they are in nor the direction from which it comes. Yet, in order to save the Manor, they must face danger, find the diaries, chase down the clues, outwit the villain, and rescue themselves from danger. Whew! Can they do all of that? Will they survive? Just how many villains can there be?

I loved all of the supporting characters and the idea of this very open home, but I wonder how it is all going to work for future books. I sort of began to feel we were creating the non-Malcolm version of Wystan Castle with all of the loosely connected people who were – or might be in the future – residing in the manor. I’m definitely not opposed to that because I think it would make for some very interesting stories. So, I’ll be very interested to see where the series heads with the second book.

For me personally, I really need a romance with a HEA in my mysteries. I felt a little short-changed in that respect. We certainly had what appeared to be two romances, but no complete HEA at all. I was left with many questions, but I won’t list them because – well – plot points, or maybe we’ll get the explanation in the next book. Anyway, I have no clue if Clare and Hunt actually marry or not because it was all left sort of hanging. Then, there is the other implied romance between Daniel Walker and Meera Abrams which never seems to have come to fruition either.

I can happily recommend this book and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. However, if you, like me, need a full-blown HEA romance in the story, then you’ll be a bit disappointed. I can make conjectures and say – Of course he stayed in England – Of course she didn’t go back to London – Of course they got married and settled happily into the manor, etc. but none of that was spelled out. Perhaps it will all be made clear in the next book. Happy Reading!

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

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Lady in the Grove by Jane Charles

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Lady in the Grove (Magic & Mayhem #6)Lady in the Grove by Jane Charles

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Magic & Mystery, #1 / Magic & Mayhem, #6

Release Date: May 16, 2023

Orion Drakos, the second son of the Earl and Countess of Wharton, has returned to Nightshade Manor in Bocka Morrow to attend the wedding of his cousin Damon Norcott and Cordelia Vail. After the ceremony as he is speaking to Damon when he notices movement at the edge of the grove and sees Damon’s niece Nephele coming out of the wood and asks her what she was doing when she approaches them. Nephele tells him she was speaking to the lady in the grove – intrigued Orion convinces her to show him where she saw the lady and is astounded to learn that the grove extends passed the boxwoods, which he always believed was the edge of the grove. She shows him an opening in the hedge and they enter a clearing with a folly and he sees her, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She is upset by his presence and asks him to leave, when he doesn’t, she does. Orion can’t forget about her and even dreams of her. Determined to get answers, he returns day after day until he finds out that she is Nina Jourdain, the sister of Cassian, the French emigrant that was taken in by his aunt and uncle when he survived a shipwreck that killed his family. But in truth, Cassian saved Nina and begged the Dryads of the grove to save her life, they do but the price is high, Nina will live, but she can never leave the grove.

Orion falls hard for her, but Nina can’t let herself fall for him in return, she has led a quiet life and knows from experience that she cannot leave the grove, so how could she ever consider falling in love or having a family? But Orion isn’t about to give up, he doesn’t care if she can’t leave, he will stay! They seem to be at an impasse and she is firm in her refusal to marry him or even believe he loves her. But her choices are limited and none will give them a true HEA unless they can find a way for her to survive outside the grove, a feat that seems impossible even for a family of witches, or is it?

This was such a great story and I love returning to Bocka Morrow and the witches of Nightshade Manor as well as all the magical beings that reside there, kudos to Jane Charles (and many other authors) who has created this world and kept it going! In this story, I especially loved Orion’s determination to be with Nina and the addition of dryads (tree nymphs) and nereids (water nymphs). I did think the story dragged a bit in the middle, but the ending more than makes up for that! And I wish there had been a bit of heat in the love scenes and that the epilogue had more of their HEA. Overall this was a delightful read and I cannot wait for Pierce’s story!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*