Posted on by Maureen

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

611eueyzcylI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  The Girls in the Garden will be available on June 7th, 2016.

The Girls in the Garden is author Lisa Jewell’s latest book, and begins with the discovery of a young girl in a London park. She has been hurt, and possibly also assaulted. Who could have done this to her?

The plot shifts to “Before” the incident. Sisters Pip and Grace have just moved with their mother Clare to a new home that opens up to a private park. They meet the other families who live in the nearby houses; there are several other children around the same age as the girls, and friendships are formed. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Nannyland by Jane Elizabeth Hughes

51lpnvhhdxlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge Anglophile, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read Nannyland by Jane Elizabeth Hughes. I have enjoyed several versions of the “lord of the manor falls in love with the governess” in historical romance, and I was interested to see how this would scenario would play out in a contemporary novel.

Jordan Greene is not actually the nanny. Well, she is, but that’s a long story. Jordan fled NYC and her career in finance after being fired from her job. She settles in the gatekeeper’s cottage on an English estate, and prepares to write her tell-all book. She inadvertently becomes the nanny while helping to search for a more permanent nanny. Read more

Posted on by Maureen · 1 Comment

The Untamed Earl by Valerie Bowman

51l0ttfucmlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed reading historical romance novels for about fifteen years, especially those set in the Regency era of English history. I hadn’t read any of Valerie Bowman’s other novels before receiving the opportunity to read The Untamed Earl, but I am always looking for new authors/series.

The Untamed Earl is the 5th book in Bowman’s “Playful Brides” series. The story concerns Alexandra Hobbs, who fell in love with the Owen Monroe when she was fifteen years old. Several years later, she learns that her father has arranged for Owen to marry- Lavinia- Alexander’s awful older sister. Read more

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Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey

61-uqwzzxtlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

I love stories set during the Regency period, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read Love, Lies and Spies. This young adult novel was written by Cindy Anstey.

Juliana Telford is a young woman of Quality about to embark on her first Season in London. She is very excited about this; she is not interested in finding a husband- no, our Miss Telford has some ulterior motives. She hopes to get her research about lady beetles published, so London is the perfect place to be to achieve this goal. Juliana encounters Mr. Spencer Northam at the beginning of the book, and continues to encounter him once the Season begins in London. Spencer is secretly working with the War Department; he knows that communiqués have been exchanged, and he needs to figure out who is behind these treasonous activities. Mr. Northam has also declared that matrimony is not for him, but it is difficult to concentrate when in close proximity to such a beautiful young woman. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

My Mad Fat Diary: A Memoir by Rae Earl

51g4kphei4lI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love books set in England, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read My Mad Fat Diary by Rae Earl. I usually prefer material set in the 19th century, and I am choosing to ignore the fact that a book set in 1989 is almost thirty years in the past, and might be conceivably classified as “historical”.

This book was originally published a few years ago in England, and Rae has kindly included a glossary at the beginning for the American publication. The original English slang remains unchanged, so a glossary is very handy for readers who might not be as familiar with the slang words from England. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

81dkz-evqllI have been a fan of Julia Quinn’s historical romances for almost fifteen years. I missed a few of her books when my children were young, but I have been enjoying some of the books I missed in recent months as I eagerly waited for her latest release.

Julia Quinn is probably best known for her Bridgerton series, eight books devoted to one Regency-era family of siblings. Each book featured one of the siblings’ love story, and there was something infectiously delightful about the family. Maybe it was their brutal games of croquet- including the infamous Mallet of Death. Maybe it was their strong bond, or perhaps it was their sense of humor.

The Bridgerton series ended in 2006, and Quinn went on to publish a new book every year, and finally, after ten years, we are revisiting the Bridgerton family.   Because of Miss Bridgerton shifts from the Regency era to the Georgian, and explores the relationship between Miss Billie Bridgerton and her aristocratic neighbor George Rokesby, Lord Kennard. Read more

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The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

51mm2qbulslI had been looking forward to The Dark Days Club from the moment that I first heard about it several months before its release. I had a copy from the library, but when I found out that if I bought the Kindle edition, I could add the Audible edition for only $4.50 or so. Sold!

The Dark Days Club is the first entry in a Regency-set YA series by Alison Goodman. Lady Helen Wrexhall is preparing for her presentation at court. Lady Helen lives with her aunt and uncle. Her parents are dead, and Lady Helen doesn’t know much about the accident that led to their death, other than that it was Very Scandalous and should never be discussed. Ever. Read more

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A Lady in the Smoke by Karen Odden

51he9ikahul-_sy346_I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

A Lady in the Smoke is a Victorian mystery written by Karen Odden. As the story begins, Lady Elizabeth Fraser is traveling to her family’s estate with her mother when their train crashes. Lady Elizabeth and her mother receive minor injuries, and spend some time recuperating at a local hotel. She becomes acquainted with Paul Wilcox, a surgeon who specializes in railway accidents. Read more

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Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

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I have always loved Julia Quinn’s books. She is, without a doubt, my favorite historical romance author. I used to eagerly await her newest book every year, starting when I was in college. My family grew quicker than I anticipated (twins will do that to you), and there was a period of time when I didn’t have as much time for personal reading. As a result, I missed out on some of Julia Quinn’s books. I have been enjoying rediscovering old favorites, as well as introducing myself to some of the books I have missed out on.

I honestly can’t remember if I read Just Like Heaven when it originally came out in 2011.  At that point,  I had two 1 year olds and a 3 year old- I don’t remember much of anything! I have a paperback copy, but I purchased the Audible edition when it was on sale. I’ve been listening to it when I go on walks around the neighborhood. It took me a month to get through; we’ve had some unseasonably warm days, but we’ve also had a couple of snowstorms.

Just Like Heaven is the first book in the Smythe-Smith quartet. Fans of Julia Quinn might recognize the Smythe-Smiths as the family who hosts annual musicales featuring infamously dreadful girls doing great injustice to classical music. The makeup of the performers has changed over the last twenty years, as members get married and resign their place on stage in favor of a younger sister or cousin. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey

512bmmzuv5elI found The Secret Rooms on Amazon when I was looking up books about the late Victorian/Edwardian era. From there, I looked it up on the library network. I was pleased to discover that there was a copy at my town library; I didn’t even have to make a request and wait for it to be sent!

The Secret Rooms was written by Catherine Bailey, and is subtitled “A True Story Of A Haunted Castle, A Plotting Duchess, & A Family Secret”. Belvoir Castle is the centerpiece of what was once one of the largest estates in England. Catherine Bailey finds herself visiting Belvoir as part of her research for a book about the Great War. While combing through the correspondence, she finds that there are three gaps. The 9th Duke had devoted his life to meticulous record keeping. In fact, the 9th Duke passed away in one of the rooms designated as the archives, and after his death, the rooms were closed for almost seventy years. The only conclusion is that the gaps are intentional, but what could the 9th Duke have been trying to hide? Read more