The Rose of a Sultan’s Son by Linda Rae Sande

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Rose of a Sultan's SonBarbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: The Heirs of the Aristocracy #8
Publication Date: 4/14/23
Period: Early Victorian – 1844
Number of Pages: 330

I am always excited when I get a new book from this author! Her books are always filled with delightfully entertaining, witty, ready-for-romance characters you’ll absolutely wish were in your own life. Then, what could be better than getting two romances for the price of one? Yep, I think all of her books probably have two romances each. If you are tired of prickly, angsty, naval-gazing, will they/won’t they romances, then this is the author for you.

If you’ve read this author’s works, you know her characters are somewhat interconnected. It is similar to what Stephanie Laurens does with the Cynster family, only this author has several characters from different families who relate to or know each other. I like that because when one of those earlier characters pops up, you get to remember how lovely it was to read their book and it is nice to see where their lives have taken them since. However, don’t let that concern you because if you haven’t read any of those other books, you’ll do just fine reading this one.

We met and loved Ertugrul (pronounced Er-too-rule) and David Bennett-Jones, in The Lady of A Sultan, and we now get to see them find their HEAs. Ertugrul is the son and heir of Ziyaeddin, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and David is the son and heir of Viscount Bostwick. David has decided to end his Grand Tour and return to England to find a bride. Unbeknownst to David, Ertugrul, who is accompanying him, plans to find an English bride as well. Will it be a long and arduous Season for them? Will the matchmaking mamas drive them crazy? Or, does one of them already know who they want and they just have to make it happen? What about those matchmaking papas – that should make for some interesting situations. Hmmmmmm.

Lady Rose, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Arily, was a diamond of the first water when she had her come out, but now she is a wallflower. Why? There was a carriage accident that caused a severely broken leg that healed badly. Damaged goods? Even as a duke’s daughter it is hard for a suitor to get past her sometimes need for a cane or a wheeled chair. She’s not content to become a spinster, but she is resigned to that being the likelihood.

Adeline, who is David Bennett-Jones’s sister, has also become a wallflower, but that is mostly by her choice. Several of her friends – especially Rose – seem to be relegated to the ranks of wallflowers, so she’ll just join them. She’s not especially looking forward to becoming a spinster, but she has many plans for her future with or without a husband. Among those plans is running her mother’s charities. She works there two or three days a week and loves being able to help others. If someone wants her hand, they’ll have to find her because she isn’t actively looking.

It was lovely to see David, Rose, Ertugrul, and Adeline find their perfect mate and their lovely HEA. The book is excellently written, perfectly paced, and filled with memorable characters and romances that will make your heart sing.

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

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The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig

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

The Lady Knows Best (Goode's Guide to Misconduct, #1)The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Goode’s Guide to Misconduct, #1

Release Date: April 25, 2023

In a family filled with extraordinary people, Daphne Burke feels very ordinary, smart but not brilliant, pretty but not gorgeous, in short, nothing special in a family filled with exceptional. But that changes when she stumbles into a secret staff meeting for the popular periodical Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses and gives her opinion of a letter sent to the publication asking for advice about the marriage her father arranged for her – Lady Stalbridge, the head of the magazine gives her a job and Miss Busy B’s advice column is born. But Daphne is not prepared for the ramifications of her advice, nor for the handsome rake whose plans she has wrecked. She will soon find herself in a unique position, blackmailed and courted by the man she still seeks to ruin.

Miles, Viscount Deveraux, is not happy to learn his betrothed has dumped him, but he is far from heartbroken, he is, however, a bit put out as now he has less than a month to find a new bride or he will lose a considerable sum to an ill-advised wager stating he would be married by the end of the June. He sets out to find a new bride, but his reputation as a rake hinders him, that is until he figures out that Miss Daphne Burke is the harbinger of his downfall. When he threatens to expose her as Miss Busy B, she agrees to help him find a new bride and even offers to marry him herself. Intrigued and feeling a bit bewitched, Miles soon decides that Daphne is the bride for him and sets out to win her. Will he succeed or will Daphne hold to her plan to bring this rake down?

What a great start to a new series! I was delighted to realize that the heroine is part of the Burke family, who were featured in a previous series, and that the reader is treated to glimpses of her sibling’s HEAs! And as delightful as Daphne and her family are, they dim next to Miles and his BBF, Alistair. It is not often that I take note of a friendship between characters in a book, but for some reason, the friendship between Miles and Alistair really touched my heart, they were just so good for each other. Not to mention we get to catch up with Lord and Lady Stalbridge as well as her stepson Viscount Manwaring. This book was just filled to the brim with secrets, plans that go awry, great secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, a mischievous cat, and a HEA that includes a very sweet epilogue. The story did feel like it dragged a bit in the middle, but the ending more than makes up for that. This is the first book in the new series, but there is a prequel novella, Nice Earls Do, that sets up the series and I would recommend reading that first as it will clear up any questions that you might have about Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses. Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read that I would be happy to recommend, and can’t wait for the next installment.

*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.*