As Described by the Publisher:
Romance is a delicate dance bound by rules and expectations
in
Seven couples must navigate society’s gauntlet to secure the hand of true love....
Charity and Luke are strangers who were forced to marry three years ago.
Adelaide and Walter share a love of music and disdain for elitism.
Caroline and Henry are thrown together by three orphans.
Helen and Isaac harbor his unlikely secret.
Esther is empowered to choose between two men.
Sophia is determined not to choose a man like Nash.
Jamie and William face a daunting London season together.
Will their faith grow and love prevail in a time when both were considered luxuries the elite could not afford?
my
thoughts….
Seven authors came together to write seven novellas from the
Regency period in England. I enjoyed the
overall them of this collection, especially the moral dilemmas and duties the
men and women characters were bound to adhere.
As Regency England recovered from loss and war, men and women learned to
pick up the fragments of their lives and remained constant to the lifestyles
they left behind. Perhaps that helped
them move forward.
In First Comes Marriage byAmanda Barratt, Charity and Luke marry for their father’s sake and are
separated immediately after the ceremony for three years. When Luke returns
from service he and Charity are bound together by an arranged marriage that
takes a surprising twist in great Regency fashion!
In Masquerade Melody by Angela Bell, Walter and Adelaide are brought together in secret for a musical pact only to discover that they have more in common than the love of music. A sweet tale that is heartwarming.
Three Little Matchmakers by Susanne Dietze will tug at your heartstrings when forgotten childhood attachments are forged anew by three little children who need a home and family much more than a room at boarding school. Sweet story with many happy returns.
The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady by Michelle Griep is a surprising tale with the smuggler being a well-respected man with Robin Hood like qualities. He is simply taking what is his and providing for those less fortunate than he. Alas, on his last run he had the misfortune of coming across the vicar’s daughter. Fearing for her safety, he proves much more gallant than she would have dreamed. As the story goes, they encounter each other again and both learn that all is not quite as things appear.
In the story When I Saw His Face by Nancy Moser, Esther is at a turning point in her life. Widowed for eight years, her stepdaughter is newly married, leaving her on her own. Her neighbor, Chester has had his eye on her, waiting for his chance for marriage. Shall she give in or pursue a new dream? After a chance encounter with a man stranded along the road she can’t dismiss the attraction she felt. While visiting her dear friend she happens on this gentleman again and from then on an uncanny attraction causes her to think again about Chester’s intentions towards marriage. This is a story that could be a love triangle by many but for a significant turn of events that plays out in the end.
In The Highwayman's Bargain by MaryLu Tyndall true love can be a perception if the groom is a dandy bent thwarting his parents while fooling his bride. Having a sense of duty is wonderful but not at the expense of being wed to the wrong man. Pride and deception abound in this little tale but can a true hero be found to love her and care for her parents?
In Jamie Ever After by Erica Vetsch, lovely maidens Jamie and Polly are presented for the London season. Polly’s brother Walter, distant and remote, is hiding away his war injuries along with his heart. He is enamored by Jamie’s beauty and sweet spirit. She has long had feelings for him though he only saw her as his younger sister’s friend. He strikes a bargain with his sister to thwart attempts by their evil cousin to insinuate himself as a suitor for Jamie. Their marriage starts as a convenient arrangement on his part but circumstances seem to counter his plans. A nice plot with a sweet romance.
Grab a cup of tea and sip your way through the pages of this nice collection of novellas!
