MY REVIEW:
To be perfectly honest, I had a difficult time getting into The Country House Courtship. Perhaps it was because the first two novels focused on Ariana and Phillip and I was thrown by the change in the central character. However booth Ariana and Phillip continue to play strong roles in this installment. I did have a major problem with Beatrice’s attitude at the beginning. How immature and presumptuous for her to think that just because her older sister Ariana had married very well, then Beatrice deserved no less than a wealthy, well connected husband with a fabulous estate!
Well, I kept reading and soon found another delightful plot developing in front of my eyes. The Country House Courtship is filled with personality conflicts, misguided ambition, misunderstandings, humor, a touch of mystery and suspense, buried secrets, a love triangle, more than one romance, and plenty of twists and surprises along the way. Most of the characters display a strong faith and live their lives accordingly. The setting is perfect for the time period with vivid descriptions of the landscapes, the houses, and fashions.
All in all, despite the slow start for me, The Country House Courtship is a satisfying novel and I can heartily recommend it, especially to those who enjoy a good Regency romance.
This book was provided for review by Rebeca Seitz with Glass Road Public Relations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Linore Rose Burkard creates Inspirational Romance for the Jane Austen Soul. Her characters take you back in time to experience life and love during the era of Regency England (circa 1800 – 1830).
Ms. Burkard’s novels include Before the Seasons Ends, The House in Grosvenor Square , and The Country House Courtship.. Her stories blend Christian faith and romance with well-researched details from the Regency. With influences like Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, Linore delights in bringing the regency to life for her readers, and, in the tradition of regencies, with manners, morals, romance and humor. Linore’s readers experience a romantic age, where England from the past comes alive and happy endings are possible for everyone.
Publisher’s Weekly affirms, “Ms. Burkard’s command of period detail is impressive, evident in material details, but also in dialogue. Her novels even help non-Regencyphiles learn the difference between ladies’ pelisses and spencers…On the whole, it’s a tasty confection.”
Ms. Burkard began writing when she couldn’t find a Regency romance with an inspirational twist. “There were Christian books that approached the genre,” she says, “But, they fell short of being a genuine Regency. I knew that many women like me want stories that are historically authentic and offer glimpses of God’s involvement in our lives. So, I finally gave up looking and decided to write one myself.”
Ms. Burkard was raised in New York, where she graduated magna cum laude from the City University of New York with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature. She lives with her husband and five children in a town full of antique stores and gift shops in southwestern Ohio. Her hobbies include working on four new Regency novels, family movie nights, swimming, and gardening.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
England, 1818: It has been five years since Ariana Forsythe married The Paragon, Mr. Phillip Mornay. Now, Ariana’s sister, Miss Beatrice Forsythe, is seventeen and determined to marry advantageously as well. (Surely Ariana’s society connexions all but guarantee Beatrice’s success-especially if Mr. Mornay is created a baronet by the Prince Regent!
But the Mornay’s have disappeared from high society as they raise a family at their country estate. Can Beatrice persuade them to chaperone her in London? And what about her business with the curate, Mr. O’Brien, whom Beatrice rashly promised to marry years earlier? She is too sophisticated now to settle for a mere clergyman-despite his agreeable countenance and gentle, understanding ways. When Mr. Tristan Barton becomes tenant of the Manor House, Beatrice’s hopes seem to have found their object. But when Ariana falls gravely ill, secrets come to light, motives are revealed, and pretenses that are easy to keep up in the darkness begin to crumble. As hearts are bared and truths uncovered, a country house courtship like no other cannot be far behind!
Fans of Linore’s first books, Before the Season Ends, and The House on Grosvenor Square, will be delighted with final addition to the Regency Inspirational Series, as will all readers of historical romance.
Click here to read an excerpt PDF from “The Country House Courtship”
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Linore offers all kinds of interesting articles and resources for English Regency fans, such as a behind-the-scenes look at “The Regency Debutante”, “Lizzie Bennet’s wardrobe,” and “The Rise of the Silhoutte.”
