Tag: Lynne Connolly

The Girl With The Pearl Pin by Lynne Connolly

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Girl with the Pearl Pin (The Society for Single Ladies, #1)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Society for Single Ladies #1
Publication Date: 9/10/19
Number of Pages: 247

This book was a lovely start to a new series. We met future characters and learned the start of The Society for Single Ladies. I was particularly intrigued by the founder of the Society, Miss Angela Childers who may be featured in a book with Col, Duke of Colston Magna. That could definitely be an interesting match.

Leo, delightful, delicious Duke of Leomore, is all that is proper and appropriate. He’s handsome and rich – and according to his grandmother – he’s in need of a bride. He’ll look around this season, but silly debutants just don’t appeal. The only one who might hold his interest is Angela Childers who has staunchly declared that she will never marry. Leo decides to approach her for a dance, but she foists him off on her cousin, Phoebe North, who is visiting from the country.

Phoebe stutters when she’s stressed and she’s also sometimes a bit awkward. Leo is incensed when others ignore her during the dance and when she trips and begins to fall he sees her chagrin and rescues her. Uncharacteristically, he scoops her up and carries her outside to help repair the damage to her ruffle and to calm her. He feels the need to kiss her, but before he can, there is a commotion and she dashes out to see what is happening. A heavily cloaked man runs into her – and the rest of the people in attendance at the ball are running behind him. When the worst gossip in London, Lady Latimer, points her finger at Phoebe and accuses her of being the thief, Leo steps forward and says that can’t be so because she has just been accepting his proposal.

Phoebe definitely doesn’t think she’s duchess material – and Leo isn’t sure either, but the more time he spends with her, the more he is attracted. He’s sure it is a physical attraction, but he likes her as a friend too and that is all he needs in a wife – he has absolutely no desire for love in his marriage.

I absolutely adore the way this author handled a scurrilous, underhanded, sly kidnapper. It is one of the best ‘punishments’ I’ve seen. I loved it. I didn’t love the non-punishment that the theft mastermind got – and I wasn’t thoroughly clear on whether there was one or two masterminds. I’ll be interested to see what happens to Lucinda in the future – if we ever get to see that.

This was a fun read and a great introduction to the series. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Boundless by Lynne Conolly

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837)Leave a comment

Boundless (The Shaws, #3)Boundless by Lynne Connolly

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Shaws #3
Publication Date: 12/4/18

Two people with deep dark secrets find their HEA in this excellently written third (and final) entry in the Shaws series. With many books, when the secrets are revealed, you wonder why it was a big deal to anyone. That isn’t the case with this book. You can see why both will go to almost any lengths to maintain their secrets. The characters are likable and relatable and the situation will make your heart bleed for each of them. While it is a bit slow paced, it is an excellent read.

Lady Livia Shaw is the last unmarried child in her family – and she intends to keep it that way. She can’t marry because she has a deep, dark secret that she would have to reveal to the man she marries, and she just cannot – will not – do that. She’s a beautiful woman, wealthy in her own right and has had many suitors, but she rebuffs them all.

Adrian, the Duke of Preston is the subject of many rumors and he’s never cared enough to refute any of them even though most of them are untrue. He doesn’t care what others think of him – even though they call him the Blackamoor Duke. He knows the truth and that is good enough for him – after all, he is a Duke and can do what he likes.

Livia was set upon by a group of street urchins just after she left an orphanage in an unsavory part of London. She had actually fled the orphanage – alone. When she is rescued by a tall, handsome man she is very grateful. However, when she realizes who he is and that he has taken her into the home of his mistress – alone – she is ready to leave immediately. Then, as she is leaving, he kisses her – deep and long – right on the street. That sets tongues to wagging!

Livia vows never to interact with the Duke again – not in any way. Adrian is intrigued by Livia and is determined to encounter her again. Livia’s plans are thwarted when she realizes that she’s lost her most precious possession – a small brooch. She doesn’t know if the urchins stole it or if she lost it inside the home of the duke’s mistress. She has no other choice, she must approach him to ask if it is inside the home. When he doesn’t find it at the home of his mistress (actually ex-mistress), he vows he will find and retrieve it for her.

Adrian and Livia have begun a long series of interactions and encounters that bring them closer and closer and make Livia more and more fearful for her secrets. She instinctually trusts Adrian in spite of his reputation, but she cannot share her secret with him. Actually, for someone from a family filled with rogues and is supposed to be totally non-judgmental, I think Livia did a lot of judging of Adrian. She believed rumors much too quickly and easily and didn’t compare them with the man she had actually come to know.

The pace picks up toward the end of the book when the bad guy is identified, secrets are revealed and love is acknowledged. I loved the Shaws and am looking forward to seeing what happens next since this is the last book in the series.

I can happily recommend this book because I think you will enjoy the read.

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”