The Widow's Return

A Gentleman's Match

by Jen Geigle Johnson

When Anna returns to the London Season, she does so hoping to avoid Ambrose, the man who broke her heart. But he’s become one of London’s most sought after bachelors, and he’s everywhere. As she slowly learns to trust, and Ambrose proves himself worthy, the two navigate the London Season and the machinations of one Lord Featherstone, the famed matchmaker of all men.

Enjoy this first novella in a new series, A Gentleman’s Match.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Clean Romance, Novella, Regency

134 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

An award winning author, including the GOLD in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards and LDSPMA Praiseworthy's top award for Romance, Jen Geigle Johnson has more stories circulating in her brain than can possibly be told. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager. HIstory is her main jam. Her literary heroes include the greats: Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. But she has modern sensibilities as well. Six children and an inspiring husband keep her going and make certain she doesn't stay glued to a keyboard or lost in obscure fascinating details of old castles. She once greeted an ancient turtle under the water by grabbing her fin. She waterskis like a boss and hits the powder, falling down steep moguls with grace. During a study break date in college, she sat on top of a jeep's roll bars up in the mountains and fell in love with the man who would become her everything.

Now, she loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure.

https://www.jengeiglejohnson.com

Twitter--@authorjen
Instagram--@authorlyjen
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenGei...

Reviews

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna and Ambrose, childhood friends who grew to love each other only to be separated and then reunited.

Their relationship definitely has some ups and downs but I loved the sweet love story of it all. Anna is determined to avoid Ambrose in all that she does. He broke her heart many years ago when he failed to follow through with their plan to run away together. And now he's back, following her around. But she's a pro at avoiding him. That is until Lord Featherstone comes to both of their aid. And then the fun really begins between these two.

This book is a sort of introduction/prequel to a new series by author Jen Geigle Johnson about Lord Featherstone and his brothers. It was really delightful! If the author ever decides to develop this novella further I would love it! But I really enjoyed it as a novella! These two and their chemistry was delightful! And good job to Ambrose for all his efforts and his grand gesture! I just loved him!!!

Content: Clean.

I got a copy from a promotional giveaway. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[Alexis Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was part of a release that over 20 authors did on April 1st of this year. This book will be published in Spring of 2023. This book is the start of a new series A Gentleman's Match.

This is such a fun story and I am so excited for the rest of the series and to be able to continue to see how Lord Featherstone goes about matching other gentlemen with the ladies they are seeking.

Anna was about to be sent off to become a governess. Out of desperation she had asked her friend to run away and to marry her. He had told her he would but then didn't show up. But she instead married another Lord. But as the Lord has passed she had returned into society. Thankful that she was able to be her own person.

Ambrose was tethered into a secret engagement to help save his families lands. But then the lady he was engaged ended things and he went on tour for two years to get away from the scandal. He has wanted nothing more then to be with his best friend Anna. He tries everything to be with her but she has been snubbing him and avoiding him.

But when they are finally able to talk to each other about what happened and to talk about what they went through they are able to find the true happiness that they have been wanting all a long.

[Maria Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the matchmaker trope might be my new favorite. Second chance romance was my old fav trope. This book has both. I enjoyed the story and the surprising reveal at the end. It is a quick, clean read and I loved the persistence of Ambrose and his desire to win Anna's heart. I look forward to reading the new series coming.

No sex, language or violence

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is part of a release multiple authors did in April of this year. This is the start of a new series A Gentleman's Match and will be published in Spring 2023.

Anna is a young widow who plans never to marry again. Her deceased husband has left her quite wealthy so she doesn't need a man to provide or take care of her. She's content in her widowhood until she sees HIM, Ambrose, the man who broke her heart several years before when he refused to marry her. Ambrose has finally found Anna after much searching. He's hired Lord Featherstone, a male matchmaker of sorts--think a Regency's version of the movie Hitch, to help him win her back.

This is a sweet second chance romance. Anna and Ambrose were torn apart because of his family and then he stayed away because he felt his finances weren't good enough to have a wife and family. I loved the descriptions of Lord Featherstone and his helper making Ambrose presentable--plucking hairs and cleaning his teeth. "White teeth. Surely that's unnatural. Perhaps a more bone color?" That made me laugh out loud. My favorite part was when Ambrose threw Lord Featherstone's plan out the window and went to talk to Anna. This is nice introduction to the new series coming this fall.

[Sabrina Trejo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those novellas you wished was full length so you could get more out of the story. I wanted more details, background information and just more.
I enjoyed the second chance romance mixed with the matchmaking trope. And I am definitely interested in the series that is going to come from this book.
This is for any reader looking for a quick, clean regency romance.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet novela about a second chance at love. As young people they were separated die to family issues. Now he is trying to win her back and start again.
This is a fun beginning to a new series. Lord Featherstone is great, it will be fun to see how these stories of matches develop.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful friends to lovers and second chance romance. Anna and Ambrose are so good together. I was happy they got a second chance.

[Jo|Ruth Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet short read! A friends to more, second chance romance with lots of fun banter, balls, and unsaid feelings to keep you rushing through the pages!

Anna and Ambrose have a history. When they were young she was left penniless and heading away to become a governess. Her way out of that future was a elopement with her best friend. But when he denies her request, her heart is broken and their friendship. Years pass and now both are single and out for the season. He has only one match on his mind, but she won't let him near. With the help of a matchmaker he is determined to win her hand, but with so many trying to win her attention his competition is great. And can he convince her to forgive him first?!

From the very beginning I felt bad for Anna myself, her heart was so broken. But as I got know Ambrose and the reason he stood her up in the first place, I was rooting for them! These two went through so much, but sometimes it's all about timing.

I am excited for Lord Featherstone's story next, I wonder if the Matchmaker will find his match?! And maybe will see some secondary romances as well?

For a novella, this was just right pacing wise, not too rushed or too short. I gave this 4.5 rounded to a 5!

I received a complimentary copy, this review reflects my honest opinion.

[Shauna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

One estate lost. One estate in shambles. No room for love.
Anna’s father had died and the estate being entailed was no longer her home nor did she have a home to go to. She was bound to be a governess. Ambrose has just found out that his family’s estate is facing financial ruin so his mother had arranged a marriage to a woman who supposedly had money enough to save his estate, so despite his love for Anna, he found himself engaged to someone else. At the last minute another man proposes to Anna saving her from servitude but that marriage was short lived as an accident claims Anna’s husband’s life. Shortly after Anna’s engagement, Ambrose discovers his future bride does not have the finances and is also pregnant with another man’s baby and the engagement is broken. Ambrose leaves for the continent with a family friend to escape the rumors. Now five years have passed Ambrose has returned and Anna, having completed her mourning period, has also returned to London. They are both there. They are both single. But has too much damage been done and too much time passed? An engaging fun read you’ll enjoy.

[Korbie Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun bridge between the Sisters of Sussex series and Jen’s upcoming series! I enjoyed the premise of this story and how it fit with Lord Featherstone’s skills as a segue to the rest of the series he will be a part of. Jen’s style of writing makes for such a wonderful, light escape!

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are fun short reads.

[D'anah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to the series. I really enjoyed it; the characters; the fun; the set up, all of it. Looking forward to the series if it's this good. Was fun.

[Luci Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

clean romance

A quick and sweet romance of two people separated but find each other again. I enjoy the author and the series.

[Valri Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun

An unusual beginning and a fun end. A fun read all the way around. No dragging the story on and on.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one more than I expected to. The misunderstandings are many but resolvable.

[Priscila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Widow's Return was an interesting read. Another reviewer called it "Hitch meets the Regency" and I think that's the best description for this story (if not for what it seems will be the whole series). I was on the fence about this one, since it's been a while since I've last read a book by this author (for personal reasons). She still has going the fast pace to her stories, which I think helped me in picking it up again when I'd otherwise be tempted to just DNF it. I liked having both Anna and Ambrose's POVs, though a couple of his felt more filler than anything. There was also some modern talk/thoughts, as well as some situations that felt either ridiculous or implausible (the easiness with which she enters his house and room in the Prologue is but one example). Yes, I'm glad I read it till the end, since the explanation, declaration of love, and kiss in the last chapter made it worth it. However, since some of the issues I had with this author's writing seem to still be present, I won't be continuing this series. ~ 3.5 stars

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this story. I enjoyed Lord Featherstone in The Foibles and Follies of Miss Grace, so it was great fun to see him in this story as well. This book is kind of a segue into a new series that will include more of Lord Featherstone. This is a novella, so a quick read. I really loved Anna's and Ambrose's story. There is a good reveal at the end and I also loved the last line of the book. It made me grin it was so adorable. You also get to see the Widow's Society in this story, which comes from a Timeless Anthology, Widows of Somerset. That is another great read. I love it when books tie together so well.

I was gifted a signed paperback copy of this book by the author, so I read it a second time. I think I liked it even more this time. I kept laughing through the scenes with Lord Featherstone. He is so entertaining.

[Emily Cronk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Widow's Return is such a cute story! It is the sweetest second chance romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This little novella is full of awesome characters. Anna and Ambrose were seriously perfect for each other. I loved watching them reconnect after years apart and seeing the love they still had for each other. I was so excited that things were finally able to work out for them to be together! Lord Featherstone and Anna's friends in the Secret Society of Widows were awesome side characters. I loved them as well!

Moral of the story here is that y'all need this little novella in your life. It is a good one. I have spoken.

[Teresa Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this story in many ways. I did have some problems with more modern speech patterns and styles, as well as how wordy it got at times, while at others glossing through more important details that might have explained or carried the plot along rather than skipping over.
There were also a lot of characters introduced, and then dropped. I don’t know if they were carry overs from the previous series, or being introduced to have spots in future books. Either way, it was a little tedious and added nothing to this story.
That said, I think I will read the next book to find out.

[Jan Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novella had me wanting less details, not more. I considered giving it 3 stars, but the cute writing style left me wanting more sophistication. I didn’t care for the man makeover idea and the silly matchmaker games. The format of introducing a lot of characters for a future series also wasted my time as my interest was not peeked.

[Rod · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clean story. This is a novella and is the opening for a series. A pleasant easy to read story, the male lead having spurned the female lead when they were young now wants them to reunite. I thought the characters were good. I shall read the series and see which characters reappear or have their stories told.

[Shanna Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute quick read I read as part of a fun reading challenge. Like others in this trope/genre, I wouldn't normally read them if it wasn't for the challenge. However, it was written well and a great read! I'm definitely glad I read it and will have to check out more by this author :)

[Kim Power · Rating 3 out of 5]

so short

Johnson writes well and her characters are lovely. The dialogue is lively. So far so good. The story is shaping up nicely, then it just ends in a way that didn’t convince me. I was so disappointed.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Regency meets Hitch, but I didn't feel invested about any of the characters

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Didn't care for the characters or plot. Couldn't finish.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one quite a bit and am looking forward to reading more from this author! It was well-written and I liked the characters.

[Kirsten Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

so cute!!

Such a good cute story! My only complaint is that I wish it was longer! I didn't want it to end!