Author: Chalon Linton
Synopsis:
Nineteen-year-old
Lizzy and her young brother, Thomas, find themselves orphaned after a
tragic accident claims the lives of their parents. Their estranged Uncle
Cline arrives to claim his inheritance, and his roguish ways cast a
shadow over the manor. Both the family estate and guardianship of his
niece and nephew were left to him, and diabolical Uncle Cline is
determined to indulge in his newfound wealth and rid himself of his
charges. Desperate to save her brother from a dangerous life at sea, and
herself from being married off to a detestable old gentleman, Lizzy
knows there is only one choice left—they must run.
Lizzy and
Thomas sneak away and find refuge in an abandoned cabin. There they
remain hidden—until fate acquaints Lizzy with Mr. Barton, a charming
gentleman who is immediately intrigued by the mysterious young woman.
Concealing her identity, Lizzy is unaware that there is much more to
this compassionate man than meets the eye. Through his kindness to
herself and her brother, Lizzy begins to trust him. Soon Lizzy realizes
Mr. Barton may be her best hope for a life in which she can live—and
love—as she chooses . . .
My Thoughts:
The cover caught my eye on NetGalley, I find it very pretty with the autumn forest and the solitary lady in the center. The fact that I've basically only read regency romance from Jane Austen so far urged me to give it a try too.
The story is simple: two orphans, Elizabeth and Thomas, run away from an evil uncle to avoid being separated from each other. They come across a kind-hearted gentleman who is willing to help them. Romance ensues but it only complicates things. The choice between her dear brother and the love of her life seems impossible to Lizzy.
I instantly connected to Lizzy because I myself have a young brother and just like Lizzy I'd do anything to keep him safe. Sisterly love was such an important force in this story, it drove the plot, which I appreciated because it balanced out the romance that slowly developed between Lizzy and Barton and thus kept it from being cheesy.
The little brother Thomas somehow grounded Lizzy and made her look beyond the pink cloud. You guys know that these days romance is a risky genre for me because I often find myself impatient with it, but here I felt it was well-executed.
There were quite a lot of twists in the story; an accident, an unexpected and unwanted guest appearing, a rescue mission having to be planned... I was never bored while this book was in my hands.
I'm hoping to ready more such good regency romances in the future.
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