Although I was a bit slow getting into this story, it developed into quite the interesting read. It is a tale of ambition to the exclusion of everything else – that is until circumstances intervened to reveal that there might just be more to life than ambition and monetary gain. The plot of Line by Line also contains jealousy, deception, revenge, unobtrusive faith, and of course romance.
Both Alice and Douglas are bright and ambitious characters who excel at their jobs and dream of independence and of proving themselves to their peers and families. I loved seeing all their plans becoming upended and how they both learned that some things are more important than their dreams for the future.
I enjoyed learning more about the history of telegraphy and its importance to business before telephones became common. It was fun to watch the relationship develop between Alice and Douglas. A touch of mystery kept things interesting and some bits of humor kept it entertaining. I particularly liked seeing a certain character get what he had coming. Line by Line is definitely a book readers will want to add to their list.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required.All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can her dreams of independence withstand a dash of love?
Since she was young, Alice McNeil has seen a career as a telegrapher as the best use for her keen and curious mind. Years later, she doesn’t regret her freedom in foregoing marriage, especially when she acquires a coveted position at an important trading firm. But when the company’s ambitious junior director returns to London, things begin to change in ways Alice could never have imagined.
For Douglas Shaw, years of hard work and ingenuity enabled him to escape a life of grinding poverty. He’s now determined to marry into high society–a step that will ensure he never returns to the conditions of his past.
He immediately earns Alice’s respect by judging her based on her skills and not her gender, and a fast camaraderie forms. However, when Alice accidentally angers a jealous coworker and his revenge threatens both their reputations, Alice and Douglas are forced to confront what is truly important in their lives. Will their growing bond give them the courage to see the future in a different light?
Jennifer Delamere’s (www.jenniferdelamere.com) debut Victorian romance, An Heiress at Heart, was a 2013 RITA Award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She’s been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.
When I began the first book of The Leeward Islands series, Lorri Dudley was an unknown author to me. I immediately became a fan and with each subsequent addition to the series have become even more enthralled with her books. She has definitely earned a permanent place on my must read authors list.
The Sugar Baron’s Ring could possibly be my favorite of the series simply because of the witty dialogue between hero Bradlee and his friend Colin. I loved their sense of humor and the way that Hannah found it difficult to suppress her giggles around them. All three characters were wonderful! Hannah was brave, helpful, caring, and forgiving despite her unfortunate circumstances. Bradlee was an honorable man who also learned to overcome his own weaknesses and become the man God created him to be.
I loved how the entire plot played out and the parallels of a father’s love for his children to the love of God for His own. The Sugar Baron’s Ring is a wonderful story that I highly recommend. I look forward to more books by Lorri Dudley and hope for more about the Leeward Islands.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Wild Heart Books and Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
A ring is her only tie to a distant homeland, until a marooned Englishman anchors her heart.
Hannah Rose Barrington is the island misfit. Orphaned at a young age, Hannah struggles to provide for her future, while her guardian, a weak-hearted island drunk, bleeds Hannah of her father’s inheritance. Caught between the classes of elite planters and white beggars, Hannah yearns to find a place to belong.
University life has never been Bradlee Granville’s forte. His only hope to graduate is to impress his professors by documenting his travels. After claiming unforeseeable circumstances, he delays his final exams and sets out early on his Grand Tour. However, when his ship wrecks off the coast of the Leeward Islands, Bradlee is left without means to return to England, a mounting deadline, and ruined journals.
When Hannah rescues passengers from a ship breaking apart in the bay, she’s unexpectedly drawn to the witty charm of one of the men. Helping him settle into island life will be a pleasure. However, as creditors, like sharks, begin to circle and her guardian’s desperation becomes life threatening, Hannah finds herself in need of rescue. Will Bradlee look past her pitiful situation to see who she truly is—the sugar baron’s daughter?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.
MORE FROM LORRI:
The Sugar Baron’s Ring is the third book in the Leeward Island series. My heroine is caught between social classes as the daughter of a sugar baron and an impoverished white beggar since her guardian sold her inheritance to pay his debts. To generate the feeling of being a misfit, I delved back to those awkward years of middle and high school, where we often struggle to discover where we belong. Before my senior year, my family and I moved to New England for a job change. I’d had a great group of friends at my old school, but at my new school, I was a stranger—an outsider—trying to find acceptance, much like Hannah.
Bradlee, the hero, on the other hand, was fashioned in a completely different manner. At my house, the slang terms “bruh” and “noob” are tossed around by my three boys, along with constant fraternal teasing. A lot of their sarcastic wit and camaraderie are portrayed through Bradlee and his grand tour companion, Colin. Their light-hearted banter depicts the tight bonds of a deep relationship where faults may be mocked, but offenses are overlooked, and if ever in trouble, they have each other’s backs. Hannah is drawn to Bradlee, craving a similar connection but loses her heart to him in the process.
The first opening scene came about because my family loves Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. After binge-watching practically every episode, I knew my hero and heroine would meet under the duress of a shiny, steel-gray fin plowing through the water. (Queue the Jaws theme song.) However, our resourceful heroine contains the strength to rescue the hero as opposed to the other way around.
All these things, being a misfit, teasing, and shark attacks, playout in a grander scheme to show how God never leaves us nor forsakes us. He’s laying out the pieces of our happily-ever-after while developing our character and purpose. The Sugar Baron’s Ring demonstrates how God’s light shines bright even in the darkness.
The Thief of Lanwyn Manor is an engrossing tale that to me is a cross between a Regency and a Gothic novel. Julia Twetheway’s visit as a house guest of her aunt and uncle does not begin at all well and after several other incidents, she begins to wonder if the stories about ghosts in the manor might be true. The only redeeming factor is that she has two new friends, twins Matthew and Isaac Blake, who run the local copper mine. As the heir Matthew appears to be the best match but her heart is drawn toward Isaac.
With vivid descriptions and well defined characters, The Thief of Lanwyn Manor offers a steady plot with ample action, intrigue, betrayal, and romance along with a few surprising twists along the way. I enjoyed observing Julia as she compared the obvious differences between Matthew and Isaac and her determination to stand up for herself in the face of threatening circumstances. I would love to see a followup book about a certain character who made some very poor choices – one in which we see those choices redeemed.
I am trying very hard to avoid spoilers so let me just say that I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good Regency novel with a bit of mystery.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
In this sweet Regency romance, Julia knows Matthew Blake, copper mine owner and very eligible bachelor, is the gentleman she should set her eyes upon. But why can’t she steal her gaze away from his younger brother, Isaac?
Cornwall, England 1818—Julia Twethewey needs a diversion to mend her broken heart, so when her cousin invites her to Lanwyn Manor, Julia eagerly accepts. Lanwyn Manor is at the heart of Cornwall’s mining industry, and as a guest Julia is swept into its intricate world. It’s not long, though, before she realizes something dark lurks in the home’s ancient halls.
As a respected mine owner’s younger son, Isaac Blake is determined to keep his late father’s legacy alive through the family business, despite his brother’s careless attitude. In order to save their livelihood—and the livelihood of those around them—the brothers approach the master of Lanwyn Manor with plans to bolster the floundering local industry. Isaac can’t deny his attraction to the man’s charming niece, but his brother has made his intentions to court the lovely guest clear. And Isaac knows his place.
When tragedy strikes, mysteries arise, and items go missing, Julia and Isaac find they are pulled together in a swirl of strange circumstances, but despite their own best efforts to bow to social expectations, their hearts aren’t so keen to surrender.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing family and spunky golden retriever. Visit her online at SarahLadd.com; Facebook: SarahLaddAuthor; Twitter: @SarahLaddAuthor.
Roseanna M. White has become one of my favorite authors so I was so pleased to have the chance to read and review her latest novel, On Wings of Devotion. It was everything I expected and more.
I have enjoyed this author’s tales set during World War 1 so much. My generation seems to see and hear more about WW2 so I certainly appreciate White’s research and attention to this neglected era. I loved reading about the codebreakers and their essential service to winning the war. The details provided made it much easier to understand how necessary the behind-the-scenes people help win wars. I also love how the characters develop throughout the book. Phillip Camden was a believable hero whose personal grief has him believing his country’s accusations against him. And Arabelle’s character touched my heart with her longing for a family of her own and her keen insight into hurting people that helped her to see past what others could see. Arabelle and Phillip were a perfect match and it was gratifying to watch them grow closer to each other and to the Lord as He directed them.
On Wings of Devotion is a wonderful story with a steady plot, plenty of action and intrigue, some quite humorous interludes, and of course a satisfying romance. I recommend this book as well as every other book this author has written. Thus far the Codebreakers series has been amazing and I look forward to the next installment!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author and Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Against Every Warning, She’s Drawn
Ever Closer to the Man Known as “Black Heart”
All of England thinks Major Phillip Camden a monster–a man who deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But he would have preferred to die that day with his men rather than be recruited to the Admiralty’s codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved.
As nurse Arabelle Denler observes the so-dubbed “Black Heart,” she sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And when their families and paths twist together unexpectedly, she realizes she has a role to play in his healing–and some of her own to do as well.
With Camden’s court-martial looming, an old acquaintance shows up, intent on using him in a plot that sends the codebreakers of Room 40 into a frenzy. With their fragile hopes for the future in the cross hairs, Arabelle and Camden must hold on to hope–and to each other–if they want to survive.
Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, designing book covers, editing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books . . . to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
It did not take but a book or two for Carolyn Miller to earn a permanent spot on my favorites shelves. I have not missed a single one of her novels and I personally believe that each one has surpassed the previous ones. Misleading Miss Verity may well be my favorite of them all but I really did also have a fondness for A Hero For Miss Hatherleigh, the first book of Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley series. You could probably truthfully say that my favorite book by Carolyn Miller is the one I am currently (or just finished) reading.
Once again Ms. Miller has given her readers a strong and feisty heroine who does not perfectly fit the expectations of society or her mother. Verity is not at all interested in society functions and would rather be riding a horse or spending her time outdoors. Banished to her grandmother’s she is quickly secreted away to a friend’s home in Scotland where where finds a most intriguing castle and the man who seems to be the gardener. Both Verity and Anthony have secrets the other does not know and those create a complicated and sometimes confusing relationship between them. Verity’s lack of faith further complicates the situation as Anthony’s strong faith makes his attraction to Verity a very bad idea.
Vivid descriptions of the Scottish setting and the characters pulled me right into the story. Anthony was a perfect hero as well as the perfect man for Verity. I loved how he always encouraged her, defended her, and built up her wounded self image. Verity, too, was a special heroine with her own determination to help others despite her privileged upbringing. Her encounter with the Lord was a special passage in this wonderful novel.
I hate to see this series end but am confident that the author has more special books in store for her readers. I would love to see one featuring Anthony’s friend Mac.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Kregel Publications. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Verity Hatherleigh has a mind of her own–but her impulsive actions do not impress her viscount papa. When she gets into one scrape too many, he sends her off to the wilds of Scotland to rethink her headstrong ways.
Anthony Jardine relished his role as curate, but his new duties as laird of Dungally aren’t always to his liking. Though he thought his new inheritance would be a blessing, somehow he’s finding nothing but trouble on these estates. And the intelligent, compassionate, feisty lass who was sent to rusticate in his territory is one of the biggest problems. He’s falling in love with her, but she doesn’t share the faith that’s his foundation–not to mention he’s been lying to her about who he really is. For the truth-loving Verity, that may be unforgivable.
The tangled web these two have woven may spell disaster for their happiness–and for the tenants of Dungally.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn’s novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers. Check her out at www.carolynmillerauthor.com.
Christmas at Whitefriars is a delightful historical novella that is perfect for a Christmas reading spree. Although its length is short, the pages a packed with interesting and sometimes quirky characters, vivid descriptions of Whitefriars and its grounds, and a sweet romance that overcomes fear and social anxiety.
I loved both Mary and Everett and the manner that they encouraged and helped each other deal with their personal inadequacies. Despite its age and deterioration, Whitefriars had a wonderful history that deserved retelling and remembrance. I felt like I was also getting the grand tour of it as Mary showed Everett around and explained its history that she loved so much.
Christmas at Whitefriars is just the book companion for a cozy winter evening by the fire. Please don’t miss it!
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Mary Beckwith lives in a magnificent English castle during the twilight years of the gilded age. With the help of an American millionaire, she has succeeded in renovating her beloved Whitefriars castle into a splendid estate just in time for Christmas. From across the ocean, millionaire Everett Wooten has spent a fortune propping up Whitefriars to add modern conveniences and rebuild crumbling old walls. Even though he’s never met Mary, they have enjoyed a lively business correspondence over the nine years they have been working toward a renovation. Now he has finally come to see Mary and the castle in person, but nothing is as he was led to believe. Mary and Everett try to find a way forward, but red-blooded American entrepreneurship doesn’t always mingle with blue-blooded English tradition. Can a Manhattan business tycoon and an English lady come to an accord, or will their joint venture in Whitefriars result in heartbreak for them both?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.
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Jennifer Delamere’s (www.jenniferdelamere.com) debut Victorian romance, An Heiress at Heart, was a 2013 RITA Award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She’s been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.
Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at 
Roseanna M. White (
Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn’s novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers. Check her out at 
Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.
