The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What country would you set a new book?  I realized that while I love L.M. Montgomery, I don’t read many books set in Canada.  The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Sutz is set in Toronto Canada in 1837.  I read this while on a camping trip to Duluth, Minnesota.  I just returned this evening and I am a bit late with my post.

Sara O’Conner is a young widow trying to make ends meet as a laundress.  She befriends a motherless child, Evie, and through her, her father James.  After Evie falls ill with scarlatina, Sara nurses her back to health and stays on as her governess.  Sara’s new role in the home causes scandal across town.  Why is a laundress so educated?  What secret is she trying to hide?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the romance between Sara and James.  It was slow burn, and a marriage of convenience.

·       I loved Sara and Evie’s relationship.  It was made all the more special as Sara had lost her own mother as a child. She sympathized with Evie and did not want her to have the hard life that she herself endured.

·       I loved Henry, a poor young waif, who is sharp and knows all that is going on around town.  He helps Sara, Evie, and James through many pickles.  They help him too.

·       Ivanhoe is featured prominently throughout the novel and the characters enjoy reading and discussing it.  I still need to read Ivanhoe!

·       I had never heard of the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.  I enjoyed learning about it in the story and the author’s note at the end of the novel.

·       This is my first book by Christine Hill Suntz and it won’t be my last!  It is hard to believe this was her debut novel.  It was very beautifully written with great characters.

·       Sara has lost her faith through life’s trials, but James has kept his own faith.  Sara has a journey back to faith in this novel. 

·       This was a clean read.

·       There were great discussion questions at the end of the book.

Overall, The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz was an engaging historical romance with wonderful characters set in Toronto in 1837.  I highly recommend this fabulous debut.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @christinehillsuntz @tyndalehouse @crazy4fiction @austenprose for the review copy as a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.

Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep (Austenprose PR Tour)

 

Title:  Of Silver and Secrets

Author:  Michelle Griep

Narrated by:  Sarah Zimmerman

Publisher: Tantor Media

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 32 minutes

Source: Thank you, @michellegriep @bethanyhousefiction @austenprose for the physical book copy as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  I purchased an audiobook version on Audible.

Have you visited any archeological digs?  I’ve been to a few museums that have digs going on and I find it fascinating.  I also love museum displays that show things that were found when they dug through areas like the outhouse.  I took an Intro to Archaeology class while in college and I loved it. 

Eva Inman is in a pickle.  After her father’s death, she discovers that their family finances are in dire straits.  Her father’s last wish was that she keep their family estate.  She also has the care of young, blind sisters, Penelope.  She decides to plow up and plant in the “cursed fields”  on her estate to make more money.  Her employees find a strange silver specimen that appears to be Roman.  She goes to Cambridge to have the piece evaluated and runs into her childhood crush, Bram Webb who is now a Cambridge professor.  Bram is looking for a lost Roman Settlement with his history professor uncle, is this it?  Will Eva be able to save her estate?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved all the characters, but especially Eva and Bram.  They have both had hard times in their youth and are trying to move beyond it.  Bram is trying to make his way as a professor while also helping his uncle who is starting to suffer from dementia.  Eva suffers from guilt that she thinks she killed her parents and caused Penelope’s blindness.  Guilt and forgiveness are major themes in this novel.  Bram’s deep faith was wonderful to read about, and he shares this faith to Eva.

·       The romance was sweet, and this was a clean read.  There was second chance romance, slow burn, and forced proximity.

·       I loved that the sister’s name was Penelope Rose.  That’s my daughter’s name!  Penny was a spunky character who wanted to explore and learn all that she could about the world, despite her blindness.

·       The archaeology was very interesting, and I wanted to know more about the Romans in Great Britain.

·       I also loved the mystery that was threaded throughout the novel.

·       This is the second novel in the Time’s Lost Treasures series.  I loved the first book too, but this can be read as a standalone novel.

·       There is a great historical notes section at the end of the novel that gives background details of the historical elements of the story.  There were also great discussion questions for a book club to use.

·       I am super excited that Michelle Griep’s next book available in the fall of 2026 is a Christmas Victorian novella.  I love Christmas historical fiction and historical romance!

·       I read part of this as the physical book and finished it up on audiobook.  The audiobook was interesting to listen to as well and the narrator had a great voice to listen to.

Great first paragraph, “The end of Eva’s world started with a window she never should have left open.  A small neglect, yet twelve years later, one that had culminated in a leaky roof, a ledger that refused to balance, and a blind sister.”

Overall, Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep is a riveting Victorian historical romance and mystery.

To Kiss a Knight by Grace Hitchcock (AustenProse PR Book Tour)

 

What are you planning to read this weekend?  It’s a holiday weekend in the United States (Memorial Day) and I am going camping with family and friends. I am loading up my bag with lots of different types of books to read from nonfiction to historical romance.

Vivienne Poppy is a young woman and orphan who writes novels using the nom de plume of Lady Larkby.  Her evil stepbrother is trying to force her to marry a man that she finds contemptable.  She runs away to live in the home that is her only inheritance and to support herself through her writing.  She is kidnapped by a handsome highwayman along the way only to find out once she reaches Bath that there is actually a Sir Larby who everyone assumes is her husband.  Sir Sebastian Larby’s dying grandmother has found out about Vivienne’s existence and is thrilled.  Will pretending to be married to Sebastian solve her problems while keeping his grandmother happy?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel starts off with great exciting with Vivienne being kidnapped by a dashing highwayman.  Things about him don’t add up and he rescues her in her time of need.  They also share a passionate kiss before he leaves her at her home in Bath. 

·       This novel engaged me from the first page until the last.  It was a quick read and a real page turner!  Adventure sure seemed to follow Vivienne and Sebastion.

·       I liked how Vivienne was an independent woman trying to support herself as an author.  I loved her independence!

·       This was a lovely historical romance.  I felt the romance throughout the novel and was routing for the two main characters to get together.

·       I like the trope of fake marriage and I really like stories with honorable men who work as highwaymen.  Sebastion is a Yeoman of the Guard for the Prince Regent and uses his disguise as a highwaymen to take care of delicate matters for the Prince Regent.

·       This is a regency historical romance and takes place in 1813 primarily in Bath.

·       Vivienne has a tendance to get herself into scrapes that made me laugh out loud a few times.  I liked the humor in this novel.

·       I liked the Author’s Note at the end about the real locations and history in the novel.

·       This is the second book in the “A Novel of Best Laid Plans” series.  I read it fine as a standalone novel, but I definitely need to go back and read the first book in the series.

Overall, if you are looking for a light, romantic Regency historical fiction novel full of adventure, look no further than To Kiss a Knight by Grace Hitchcock.  I need to read more novels by this author!

Book Source: Thank-you to  @gracehitchcockbooks @kregelbooks @austenprose for the review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Tour

GIVEAWAY- For a chance to win a copy of this novel, please enter the giveaway on Instagram at:  https://www.instagram.com/laurasreviews_1/p/DJ4LTfHuQRX/

A Gift by Joy and Hope by Pope Francis

 

Did you read any books for the Easter season?  I read A Gift of Joy and Hope by Pope Francis.  I didn’t realize as I finished it on Easter that Pope Francis would be gone by the next morning.

A Gift of Joy and Hope is a collection of thoughts taken from the speeches and writings of Pope Francis.  It focuses on how joy and hope can be found even in times of darkness and despair. I enjoyed how the book was set up with brief sections about different topics.  It made it really easy to pick this book up and read it even when I didn’t have much time. A section at the end contains the prayers of Pope Francis.

My favorite quotes give a good insight into what this book is like:

“It would be good for our Western society, always in too much of a hurry, to learn how to stop and contemplate things, even in a poetic manner.”

“Sometimes all of our youthful energy, dreams, and enthusiasm waver and we are tempted to dwell on ourselves and our problems, hurt feelings, and grievances.  Don’t let this happen to you!  You will grow old inside before your time.”

Saint Teresa of Calcutta quote was referenced, “Whoever, on the journey of life, has lit even one torch in someone’s darkest hour has not lived in vain.”

“This reminds me of just how many of us Christians live in a state of apathy, incapable of doing anything, always complaining about everything.  Apathy is a poison; it is a fog that surrounds the soul and suffocates it.”

“True joy does not come from owning things.  No!  It is born of an encounter, from having a relationship with others, from feeling accepted, understood, and loved, from accepting understanding, and loving.  It is not because of a passing fancy, but because we understand that the other is a complete person.”

“Acceptance and a dignified integration into society are stages of a difficult process, but it is unthinkable that we address this problem by putting up walls.  I grow fearful when I hear certain speeches by new populist leaders; they mind me of speeches that spread fear and hatred back in the 1930s.”

Overall, A Gift of Joy and Hope by Pope Francis was a wonderful book to read during Lent and Easter.  Pope Francis writes with wisdom and really gives great thoughts on how to live a happy life and to be compassionate to all.

Book Source:  Review copy from Hachette Book Group. Thank-you! 

Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title: Kate Landry Has a Plan

Author:  Rebekah Millet

Narrated by:  Susan Bennett

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 24 minutes

Source: Audiobook Purchased from Audible and physical book from Bethany House Books as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Thank-you!

Are you a planner?  I’m an engineer so I definitely like plans and lists.  I am a day behind on posting this review as I wasn’t feeling so well yesterday.

Kate Landry is the forty-year-old owner of a café in New Orleans. She is raising her niece Hayley after her beloved sister’s death.  Kate and her sister had a plan for growing their café business and Kate is determined to stick to the plan.  Carefully laid plans don’t always go as imagined.  Kate’s first kiss, Micah, is back in town and is working at her local library.  Hayley spends a lot of her time at the library.  Her ex-fiancé and nemesis, Ryan, is also back in town.  Will Kate be able to realize her and her sister’s plan for a second café location while also keeping the rest of her life on track?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I love the New Orleans setting - it was so fun.

·       Kate Landry being forty made me love all her flashback references such as Sarah McLachlan’s song “Angel” on the sad animal commercials, Uncle Jesse from Full House, Paula Abdul, and more.

·       I love her clean epithets such as Sarah McLachlan!!

·       This novel had excellent well-developed three-dimensional characters with great growth through the novel.

·       The characters seemed very real, and the story was unique.  A woman who is raising her sister’s daughter, difficult relationships with parents, grief, trust issues, caring for elderly parents/grandparents, and bad ex-boyfriends were all themes.

·       Faith was important for Kate and was discussed throughout the novel.

·       I didn’t realize this was a series until I finished the book and looked to add my review to Goodreads.  It was great as a standalone, but I need to read the first book which is the story of Kate’s best friend Julia and her romance. This series is called Beignets for Two.

·       I love the great love story between two mature forty-year-old adults.  Micah is an understanding and caring male librarian.  AKA – every woman’s dream man.

·       The novel had many real world difficult and emotional conversations.

·       This book had the theme of family is what you make of it and not what you are born into.

·       The audiobook narrator was excellent and I enjoyed listening to this on audiobook.

Overall, Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet is a delightful rom com with wonderful three-dimensional characters and a wonderful overall story.  I want to read more of this story!

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Forty-year-old Kate Landry's carefully planned life has become as messy as the powdered sugar on her famous beignets. Juggling the responsibilities of running her café, raising her teenage niece, and the emotional baggage from her breakup, Kate finds her world once again turned upside down when her first-ever crush, Micah Guidry, returns to town as the hunky local librarian.

As Kate struggles to implement her plans to expand her café amid the New Orleans Mardi Gras madness and the meddling of her conniving ex-fiancé, Micah becomes the unwitting hero of her misadventures, stirring up feelings she thought she'd long buried. How can falling in love in the Big Easy be this hard?

Rebekah Millet spins a delightful tale, set against the vibrant backdrop of New Orleans, proving that sometimes the messiest of situations can lead to the sweetest outcomes.

AUTHOR BIO

Rebekah Millet is a Selah Award, Cascade Award, and ACFW First Impressions Award–winning author of southern inspirational romance novels. A New Orleans native, she grew up on beignets and café au lait, and loves infusing her colorful culture into her stories. Her husband is an answer to prayer, who puts up with her rearranging furniture and being a serial plant killer. Her two sons keep her laughing and share in her love of desserts. Visit her at http://www.rebekahmillet.com/.

A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Hardcover or paperback – which do you prefer and why?  I prefer hardcover for books I’m going to keep forever as they stand the test of time.  I prefer paperback for being more affordable and lighter to hold and carry.  I have a mix of both in my library.

In Wyoming, the harsh winter of 1887 not only kills entire flocks of cattle, but beloved family members.  Charlotte is haunted that the last words she with her father were in anger.  He wanted her to marry wealthy lawyer, Lewis Bradley, but she has been in love with her neighbor, Micah, her entire life.  Will Charlotte and Micah be able to work through their grief and start life anew? 

My thoughts on this novel

·       Pioneer days and the winter of 1887 are very harsh.  It was a very compelling start to this novel.

·       I liked how Charlotte and her mother, Lucille, were running a ranch as two women on their own.  It was a struggle as they weren’t even allowed to attend meetings as women and also ranch hands did not listen to them.

·       Micah deeply struggles with his faith after his father’s suicide.  I liked how he and Lucille help each other work on their faith. This novel had deep elements of faith in it and learning to forgive, and not judge others.  I really liked this part of the novel.

·       The trope in this novel is friends to lovers.

·       The characters were interesting and well developed.

·       This is the first book in the new “The Hope of Cheyenne” series.

·       The bad guy in this novel was someone that the reader will really love to hate.  Lewis Bradley wants to marry Charlotte no matter if she wants to or not.  It’s not out of love of Charlotte, but out of love for money.  I have a feeling he may be back again later in the series.

Overall, A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson is a gripping novel with captivating characters and a fascinating storyline.  I especially liked the faith elements and the realities of living in 19^th century Wyoming.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishers as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Heartache has left them emotionally desolate, but traces of love and healing could forge a future.

In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father's dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.

Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother's help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte must embark on a journey of healing and renewal to build a life founded on faith, hope, and love.

A Constant Love is a clean, frontier-era historical romance of heartache, grief, Christian faith, and second chances in the newly developing American West.

AUTHOR BIO

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at TraciePeterson.com.

Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What's a book that you wish you could experience for the first time again?  I have so many favorites, but one would be Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Cilla van der Zee is a Dutch citizen living through the horrors of the Nazi occupation.  She infiltrates the Dutch Nazis for the resistance movement.  After witnessing them murdering one of her friends, she decides she needs to get out of the Netherlands.  She volunteers to become a spy in England where she went to school and has an aunt.  Once on the shores of Scotland, Lt. Lachlan Mackenzie immediately arrests her.  To save her own life, she has to become a double cross agent.  Will Lacklan and Cilla be able to work together to further the allied cause?  Will Lacklan ever be able to trust Cilla?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin was an engaging novel that captured my attention right from the first chapter.

·       I loved the spy story and how everyone worked together to make the double cross work.  Espionage and suspense were rife in this novel.

·       It really put WWII into perspective on how it was a life and death situation for so many people without any clear options to get out of the terrible situation they were in.

·       I don’t know why, but I hadn’t really thought of submarines dropped off spies off the shores of Great Britain.

·       I loved the characters, but especially Cilla and Lachlan.  Cilla is in a tough situation and must figure out how to keep herself alive while wondering about her family and friends that are left back in the Netherlands.  She is a strong woman. Lachlan is trying to protect his own country, while also wondering about his brother who is involved in a separatist group.  He is a sensitive man who plays the bagpipes, wears a kilt, and loves poetry.

·       The Scottish setting was wonderful.  It was scenic as described on the page and I also loved the descriptions of the Scottish traditions.

·       Cilla and Lachlan had a great enemies to lovers’ romance.

·       Great questions at the end of the novel for a book club to use.  This would make a great book club selection.  It’s a riveting story with morally gray areas that could be explored.

·       I also enjoyed the author’s note at the end which went through the real history that is in this novel.  The Double Cross program is fascinating history.

Favorite quote: “Double cross is a game, Cilla.  It’s the grandest of games.”

Overall, Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin is a very engaging espionage WWII historical fiction novel with great characters and a fascinating Scottish setting.  I highly recommend it!

Book Source:  Review copy from Revell Books as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The only way Cilla van der Zee can survive the German occupation of the Netherlands is to do the unthinkable--become a spy for the Nazis in Britain. She soothes her conscience with a plan to abandon her mission and instead aid the Allies. Her scheme is thwarted when naval officer Lt. Lachlan Mackenzie finds her along the Scottish shore and turns her in to be executed.

But perhaps she is more useful alive than dead. British intelligence sends her to Scotland to radio misleading messages to Germany, messages about the naval base at Scapa Flow to be crafted by Lachlan. At the station in the lighthouse at Dunnet Head, Lachlan and Cilla must work together if the war is to be won. But how can he trust a woman who arrived on his shores as a tool of the enemy--a woman certain to betray both him and the Allied cause?

Master of World War II fiction Sarah Sundin takes you to the wild Scottish seaside, where danger lurks under the surface of the water--and in the depths of the human heart--for a WWII tale you won't soon forget.

AUTHOR BIO

Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks, Until Leaves Fall in Paris, The Sound of Light, Embers in the London Sky, and the popular WWII series Sunrise at Normandy, among others. She is a Christy Award winner and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Sarah lives in Southern California. Visit SarahSundin.com for more information

Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 Share a book that has a beautiful dedication.  I loved the dedication in this book, “To my cowboy husband: You’re retired now, but you’ll always be a cowboy at heart.”

Brody MacKenzie has just become a doctor in 1874 and he has headed west to find his two brothers who have runaway from the orphan train after their parents’ deaths.  He finds that they are in a great situation living in an orphanage and school, but that they are obsessed with using their grandfather’s old journal to find a hidden treasure.  Will they find it before others that are also hot on the trail?

My thoughts on this novel:

• This was a good clean, western adventure romance.  It was a great start to a new series.

• I enjoyed the character of Brodie MacKenzie.  I liked that he was a good man who wanted to help his brothers out while also keeping the promise to the doctor that had helped him out.

• Ellie and her brother Josh have been taking care of the two brothers on the ranch.  Ellie and Brodie have a romance in the novel that is sweet.  The romance is not the focus of the novel and didn’t have much build-up.

• I always love a treasure hunt and I think it made the story more exciting that there was a villain also looking for the treasure.

• There is a sneak peak at the end for Book 2 of this series and it looks great!

Favorite Quote:

“Revenge was the juice that kept his blood flowing.” – What a great description of the villain.

Overall, Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy is an entertaining western adventure romance and good start to what looks to be a fascinating new series.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishing as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In a land of gold and grit, can two hearts uncover the true treasure?

In 1875 California, Brody MacKenzie arrives at the Two Harts Ranch on a mission to find his runaway brothers, worried they may have fallen into harm. Instead, he discovers them thriving at the ranch's school and orphanage under the care of Ellie Hart, a woman with a heart as resilient as the land she calls home. His options limited, Brody reluctantly takes on the role of ranch doctor, and he forms an unexpected bond with Ellie, who's kept a steady eye on Brody's two rapscallion brothers. When the boys show him a mysterious journal that has been guiding their travels and may hold the key to a lost treasure, Brody and Ellie are captivated by the possibility of a thrilling adventure.

With winter approaching and his brothers threatening to bolt again, Brody and Ellie race against time to decipher cryptic clues and unearth the hidden fortune. But along the way, old adversaries resurface, threatening their newfound affection and the safety of those at the ranch.

AUTHOR BIO

Mary Connealy writes "romantic comedies with cowboys" and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series A Western Light, Wyoming Sunrise, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Learn more at MaryConnealy.com.

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin

 

What's a book that you've recommended to everyone?

In 1901 New York City, Howard and Adelaide are excited to spend their first Christmas together as husband and wife.  Adelaide is trying to learn how to be a middle-class wife after being raised in great wealth.  Adelaide discovers a young boy, Jack, who says he’s not really an orphan, but that his mother died and, his father is away at sea, and his sister is missing.  He is sure his father will return for Christmas.  Howard and Adelaide help Jack out.  Will his father return for Christmas?

My thoughts on this novella:

·       I love an Edwardian Christmas. 

·       The sections were split to correlate with the advent calendar.  I liked this unique storytelling and the deep faith elements.

·       I have not read the first book in this series, but it was fine reading this as a standalone.  I do want to go back and read the first novel.

·       I enjoyed reading about Adelaide’s work for the suffrage movement.

·       The cover of this novella was striking. 

·       This was a sweet and clean read.

·       I loved how the story included the true meaning of Christmas.  I especially loved when Adelaide brought home the family nativity and explains it to the kids.

·       Adelaide must ponder what to do with her inherited fortune and how best to help others and the suffrage movement.

·       The ending was heartwarming.

Overall, Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin is a wonderful historical fiction Christmas novel that encompasses the true meaning of Christmas.  I loved it.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What's a book that you think should be turned into a movie?  I think about this every time I read a book.  When I read The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz, I realized I would love to see this book as a movie or a series.

Juliet Catesby lives in the State of Virginia in 1774 on the Royal Vale plantation with her father and sister, Loveday.  The plantation is a mix of slaves and indentured servants, and Juliet and Loveday work secretly to help slaves escape to their aunt in Philadelphia.  Juliet also is a great help to her father keeping their plantation running, but they find themselves weighed down by debt that is mostly from the tobacco lords from Scotland.  One of those lords, Leigh Buchanon is coming to Virginia for a visit, and Juliet is not pleased.  Even more so when she discovers that her father has promised Leigh one of his daughters to cancel his debts.  Will Leigh chose Juliet or Loveday?  Can true love bloom from an arranged marriage?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I greatly enjoyed this novel.  I literally couldn’t put it down and kept reading too long into the night.

·       I loved the unique story.  The book was partially set in colonial Virginia right before the start of the Revolutionary War and partially set in 18^th century Glasgow Scotland.  I found both settings to be fascinating.

·       I loved the characters.  Juliet was a strong woman making her way in a man’s world with grace.  She was willing to make changes in her life and trust that God would lead her through.  I also loved Leigh Buchanon.  He has not had the easiest of lives although he is from a wealthy family.  I love how considerate he is to Juliet in their arranged marriage.

·       Love bloomed between Juliet and Leigh over time, and I enjoyed the romance.

·       There was a great mystery about the death of Leigh’s first wife and a lot of suspense in the last part of the novel.

·       Loveday had an orange cat named Hobbes that traveled with them to Scotland.  I loved the cat.

·       The story is told in alternating chapters between Juliet and Leigh.

·       This was a clean romance.

·       I knew nothing about the tobacco lords and found that piece of history to be fascinating.  There is a great author’s note at the end on the topic as well.

Overall, The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz is a well written captivating historical fiction novel with great characters in a fascinating setting. It’s a story you won’t soon forget.  I highly recommend it!

Book Source:  Review copy from Revell Books as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In 1774, Juliet Catesby lives with her father and sister at Royal Vale, the James River plantation founded by her Virginia family over a century before. Indigo cultivation is her foremost concern, though its export tethers her family to the powerful Buchanan clan of Glasgow, Scotland. When the heir of the Buchanan firm arrives on their shores, Juliet discovers that her father has secretly arranged for one of his daughters to marry the Scot as a means of canceling the family's debt. Confident it will be her younger, lovelier sister, Juliet is appalled when Leith Buchanan selects her instead.

Despite her initial refusal of him, an ensuing altercation forces Juliet to flee Virginia. Agreeing to marry, she sails with Leith to Scotland, hopeful of a better match for her sister, who accompanies her. But once in Glasgow and faced with the contentious, powerful Buchanan clan, she realizes that the man who saved her from financial ruin and scandal is the very one she must now save in return.

AUTHOR BIO

Laura Frantz is a two-time Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of 15 novels, including The Seamstress of Acadie, The Rose and the Thistle, The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Lacemaker,and A Heart Adrift. She is the proud mom of an American soldier and a career firefighter. Though she will always call Kentucky home, Laura lives with her husband in Washington State. Learn more at LauraFrantz.net.