Category: Victorian Era (1837-1901)

In the history of the United Kingdom, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardian period, and its later half overlaps with the first part of the Belle Époque era of continental Europe.
Preceded by: Regency era
Followed by: Edwardian era
Monarch: Victoria

A Matter of Temptation by Stacy Reid

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A Matter of TemptationA Matter of Temptation by Stacy Reid

Tracy’s rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: A Matter of Temptation, #1

Release Date: June 28, 2022

Seven years ago, Miss Wilhelmina “Mina” Crawford, the only daughter of Viscount Crawford, was the toast of the ton, but a foolish infatuation and a subsequent ill-advised elopement to Scotland left her marred by scandal and ruined, ending all hopes for a HEA. But ruin hasn’t stopped Mina from expanding her mind or helping her brother manage their failing estate. So when her brother confides that he is to take part in a duel with their neighbor, Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, Mina insists on taking his place, even going as far as to drug him. And not only does she manage to best the earl in the duel, but he quickly realizes who she is and offers her a position as his secretary.

Simon is brilliant and uses that brilliance to better the country, he is a well-respected politician and it is even whispered that he may one day be prime minister. He was intrigued when he was bested by Mina and even more so after realizing that she was a woman, prompting him to act out of character and hire her as his secretary. He quickly discovers that Mina is not just a pretty face, she is intelligent, funny, and brings balance to his life. He tells himself he must remain aloof and resist her charms but soon learns it is impossible and gives into temptation.

They become lovers, neither expecting anything more than an affair, but when love finds them, will they have a HEA or will Mina’s past scandal keep them apart.

I have mixed feelings about this book, on one hand, it is an interesting story and Simon is not your typical rakish hero (which was refreshing) and Mina is not your standard-issue “ruined maiden” – they both exceeded expectations and broke the stereotype. But on the other hand, the book had some historical mistakes that make parts of the story implausible, if not impossible. There was also a threat that seemed important, that completely fizzled out and seemingly got forgotten, which I found a bit bewildering. Then there is the twist at the end which opened up the angst floodgates – OMG – the book was chugging along and then I was hit with a revelation that changed the entire tone of the book and one that I was pissed about – in the end, all’s well that ends well – but I was still upset and felt betrayed by the author. I don’t want to spoil the book, but for me, there is an unforgivable plot twist and even though another twist sets things to rights, I was not happy, which ruined what seemed to be one of the most believable and beautiful soulmate-type love stories I have read in a long time. So, Simon and Mina will stay with me for a long time and their love is epic – I just wish their journey hadn’t taken the path it did to find their HEA.

*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.*

The Honor of an Heir by Linda Rae Sande

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The Honor of an Heir (The Heirs of the Aristocracy Book 7)Barbara’s rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Series: The Heirs of the Aristocracy #7
Publication Date: 6/17/22
Period: Victorian London – 1839
Number of Pages: 330

Oh! You can’t help but love this witty, entertaining romance featuring more twins than you can count. Oh! Oh! 😊 This author’s stories are always fun to read because the stories are entertaining and the characters are so very likable. While we always get two romances in each book, this one is special because the two romances are between two sets of identical twins. WOOT! Oh! Did I also mention there is a ghost? Yep, and you’ll love him.

Andrew Comber and his twin brother Anthony are in trouble – big trouble. They are the heir and spare to the Aimsley earldom – and they’ve just been expelled from Cambridge. They have never, ever, taken advantage of being identical before – and this one time when they did, they were caught. Though the professor understood, the dean did not. Now, home in disgrace, they have heard their father’s punishment and it is a harsh one. Their allowances have been stopped immediately and they must both wed this season.

Dahlia and Diana Fitzwilliam are the identical twin daughters of the Earl of Norwich and much to their parents’ chagrin, they have decided they will not marry. It isn’t that they have anything against marriage or men, their objection is to the duties of the marriage bed. Oh!

When Andrew and Anthony decide that Dahlia and Diana are the women for them, they set out with determination – and the help of the girl’s dead father – to woo and wed the ladies. While there aren’t a lot of pitfalls along the way, the advice and candid ‘chats’ with the ghost could certainly go awry.

You’ll love the cameo appearances – mostly in name only – by the characters from previous books. While the Comber and Fitzwilliam families are a bit unconventional in their discussions, you’ll find them delightfully refreshing – and a whole lot of fun.

I can definitely recommend this book and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I did. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars outright is the nonchalant way the girls accepted learning that the man they thought was their father was actually their uncle. Also, I thought the boys accepted their fate a bit too easily. No push back – no exploring other options before bowing to their father’s wishes.

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

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