Waltz with a Stranger

The Heiress Series #1

by Pamela Sherwood

One dance would change her life forever...

A man who never expected to inherit. A woman who never expected to wed. A choice that pits their honor against their hearts.

Crippled after a riding accident, Aurelia Newbold shuns Society—until a dashing stranger draws her into a secret waltz and changes her life forever. After a year abroad, she returns home and discovers that the one man she's been dreaming of is engaged to her beloved twin sister.

James Trelawney is not prepared for the vibrant woman who returns to London in the place of the wounded girl he took pity on—or his growing need for her. But forbidden love is not the only danger...a chilling secret reaches out from beyond the grave, threatening both Trelawney and the woman he loves.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Regency, Fiction

434 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 4, 2012

About the author

Pamela Sherwood grew up in a family of teachers and taught college-level literature and writing courses for several years before turning to writing full time. She holds a doctorate in English literature, specializing in the Romantic and Victorian periods, eras that continue to fascinate her and provide her with countless opportunities for virtual time travel. She lives in Southern California where she continues to write the kind of books she loves to read.

Reviews

[♥ℳelody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep flip flopping on the rating for this one. Loved the hero and heroine's story. The underlying tension, the longing and rumination of 'what ifs' were subtle small moments, sprinkled here and there but nice and really genuine. If only those quiet crushing moments happened more often I would have given this a solid 4 star without hesitation. Those fervent moments were the saving grace for me in in an otherwise slow dragged out story. I'm new to Sherwood's work, she's a very thorough detail-oriented writer, it definitely shows. But there were some things that could have been edited down to make the story momentum go faster, this is a 400+ page book and good chunk of it is used to tell the day-to-day going on of the 4 main players. I'll be honest at times I did want to strangle the heroine's twin sister who is the golden 'perfect' sister who fusses and tuts over everything and doesn't realize she doesn't want to marry the hero till the very end. That kinda drove me nuts since it was so obvious since day 1 they had nothing in common. I would like to try other works by Sherwood but you need the time and patience to sit through it for sure. Also the hero's best friend, Thomas, a talented painter was a delight as well. Really liked him.

Excerpt from my favorite scene:

He stared at her, his dark eyes unfathomable. "You could meet a better, worthier man."
She laughed, a strained, harsh sound. "I've already met one--he's marrying my sister!"
The words blazed forth, hanging in the air as though etched in fire, impossible to recall or deny. They stared at each other, scarcely breathing--then, in an instant, Trevenan closed the distance between them in one stride and pulled her to him, arms banding around her like iron.
Their mouths met in a fierce mutual claiming, and the world went white around them--white as lightning, white as the heart of a flame. Closing her eyes, Aurelia let herself fall, deep into a void where all that existed was his touch, his taste, and the hot, urgent press of his lips against hers. This, she thought hazily. Yes, this. And knew by his response, the guttural moan in his throat, that it was the same for him. Love, that is first and last of all things made...
"Damn you, James! Why couldn't you wait for me?"

*******

"You could run to the ends of the earth, and my heart would still follow you."

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aurelia Newbold stays on the outskirts of society following an accident that left her scarred and crippled. Instead, she lets all the attention focus on her perfectly lovely twin sister but when a mysterious man waltzes with her one night in the gardens, she starts to realize she might be worth something as she is. This belief is cemented even more following a trip to Paris which restores her mentally and helps her physically. Anxious to be back in London and with her sister, she is shocked to learn that Amy is engaged and disappointed when the man turns out to be her waltz partner. James has newly inherited an earldom which he never expected to inherit and it is in dire need of funds so he proposes to Amy, a wealthy American and all seems fine until he sees Aurelia again and the attraction still burns between them. With neither of them willing to hurt Amy, whom they both care for, they seem destined to be apart. However some matters from the previous earl's past arrive in threatening letters and a persistent ship man and James finds himself confiding in Aurelia. As they attempt to solve the questions lurking, will they be able to in time and find a way to be together, without hurting anyone?

This was an enjoyable, pleasant debut that is a bit on the sweet side. I enjoyed watching Aurelia find the strength within herself following her accident, that her scars do not define her. She was sweet, strong and sensible. James was a perfect gentleman who I wish would have just waited for the sister who held his heart after just one dance but he thought her too timid and shy at the time so I guess I understand. . . We also get to see a lot of Amy and her feelings about her upcoming marriage and her new feelings for James' friend. There is a wonderful sense of family and I really enjoyed their little bits they added and am excited for their stories to be told. The mystery aspect wasn't bad and adds a bit of drama near the end but overall the book felt a little long. As James is engaged and Aurelia refuses to betray her sister, not much happens on the romance front in the first half of the book and I would have liked a little bit more to happen sooner for my taste. The writing is well done and smooth with lovely attention to detail and I will defiantly check out future works of Pamela Sherwood even though this one was a little slow for me. Recommended for fans of a sweet romance with memorable secondary characters with just a dash of intrigue. 3 1/2 stars

eARC provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via netgalley.com

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first time read by this author and I thought it was a wonderfully written piece. Although I was tempted to not finish as it dragged a bit in the early chapters, it took a turn and the pace and plot became much more interesting.

there was.I much character development and mystery in the story. My heart was tugged at on several occasions that confirmed my romantic nature at heart. A very nice story and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. This is a fair and honest review and all opinions are my own.

4-Stars

[Farrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

I liked Waltz with a Stranger. It was a good book, a nice read. It wasn't spectacular, nor was it the most memorable book I've ever read. But it was good.

There wasn't a problem with anything in the book, save for the frustration of the two characters being separated by their own foolishness. It was all good. It just wasn't amazing.

Aurelia was a perfectly nice character. She was admirably strong to overcome her scar and limp. She was remarkably brave to face everyone with her head up after her accident. She was a thoroughly likable character. My one issue with her was the fact that she gave the man who abandoned her after her accident a second chance. That didn't really follow her characterization as a strong woman. But I liked her just fine.

Her twin, Amelia, was prominent, though not a main character. It was tempting to dislike her because she was the obstacle between her twin and James. But she was made me grow fond of her. She was remarkably protective over her sister and always did what was best for her. She didn't know about that secret waltz, otherwise she wouldn't have done anything to threaten her twin's happiness. So, despite her role as an obstacle, she grew on me. And I was happy for her when she got a happy ending with her love. On that subject, I won't say a word :)

James was more difficult. He was fine. He was a perfect gentleman to both Amelia and Aurelia. He was sweet to Aurelia. But, I just go so frustrated with him. Why would he propose to the twin sister of the woman he couldn't get out of his head. It just made him seem like a jerk. If you are infatuated with a woman, you don't engage yourself to her twin sister. And then he was a coward about owning up to his mistake. First, he took a long time admitting his feelings to Aurelia, then even longer to decide to go for love. He was the weakest point for me. I didn't dislike him. But he wasn't exactly my favorite love interest.

The plot felt a little stretched out. The book is lengthy, and I felt that some of the plot was extraneous. The book could have been cut down into a shorter novel that moved faster and held attention better without unnecessary plot developments. The book didn't drag, but it didn't exactly keep me on the edge of my seat.

As you can undoubtedly tell, my entire reaction to this book was underwhelming. It was the kind of book where you finish, then shrug and say, "oh, that was a nice book," then promptly forget it. It was good. But nothing more. It faded into the depths of the many books I've read without a quality that made me remember it. I don't want to make it sound like a didn't like the book. Waltz with a Stranger was a perfectly nice book. If you want a nice book to pass the time, then this is the book for you. But if you want something more memorable, than this may not fit the bill.

A solid 3/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!

[Lucy Qhuay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an entertaining read, but it wasn't anything special. I didn't feel the roller coaster of emotions I expect to feel when I'm reading a good book.

Aurelia was a great heroine and I certainly sympathized with her plight, but her relationship with James could have been better.

I didn't really liked James to tell you the truth. I thought Thomas, his artist friend, was way more interesting. Aurelia and Thomas would have made a better couple.

Alas, nothing I can do to change the fate of the characters.

[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Waltz with a Stranger

3.5 stars

This was a good read from a new to me author. I did find it was a bit wordy, but the story was great. The scene on the beach between Aurelia and James had me in tears. I'll gladly read more from this author.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Jen
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I was absolutely impressed by Ms Sherwood’s debut novel, Waltz with a Stranger. From the romance to the mystery to the setting, it had everything I enjoy in a historical romance. Yes, there were a couple bumps along the way, but I can’t wait to see what Ms Sherwood has up her sleeve for her next novel.

I love when one of the main characters is disabled in some way. In this book, it’s the heroine, Aurelia, who was injured in a riding accident that left her with a scar on her face and a noticeable limp. The book starts out at a ball where Aurelia is hiding out because of her “disfigurement” and ends up dancing a secret waltz with a stranger. Immediately afterward, she goes off to France to heal and blossom as she seems to have found reason to live again. Of course, as soon as she returns to London, things get interesting.

And then we have our hero James. At the time of the dance, he’s just a simple mister who is only at the ball due to family obligations. But when he next meets Aurelia, he’s an Earl and engaged to her twin sister, Amy. Oh, what a tangle! Then we add in a mystery surrounding the death of the previous earl (and James’ cousin) and there’s a whole lot of story going on.

I loved Aurelia. She was devoted to her sister and was ready to put aside her growing affection for James to not break Amy’s heart. And she overcame physical obstacles in her way while being so likeable. It was interesting to see Aurelia interact with her twin. They were complete opposites, but dearly loved each other and that made this whole love triangle touching. Aurelia is also smart and I enjoyed watching her help James solve the mystery of his cousin’s death.

On the other hand there is James. For me, he’s the weaker link. In some ways, he’s almost too good to be true. You know the type, good with animals, never yells (even at the horrible relations descending on his home) and willing to pass up true love to honor a commitment. But he also seems a little dense at times. I often found myself shaking my head that Aurelia did more of the problem solving than James did. I mean, it’s possible. I just tend to prefer my heroes to be more alpha, even when there is a strong heroine involved.

I think the one big complaint for me in this book is that there is a lot going on. Besides the romance and the mystery, there is a secondary romance of sorts involving Amy. And there are a lot of characters introduced. They just kept coming and often times I found myself having to stop to figure out who was who and how they worked into the story. I will admit that I didn’t completely see the solution to the mystery, so in that aspect I was happy.

This was a page turner for me and with a few tweaks, I think it could have been a five star read. With great character development and a solid plot with some twists and turns… well, I congratulate Ms Sherwood on a great debut and highly recommend this read.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a discussion going on right now, a progression on how female characters are viewed, and that's writing an interesting female versus writing a "strong" female. Much to my delight, this book goes with the former, eschewing the cliches and tropes generally inherent in the genre. Amy and Aurelia are identical twins--or, they were, before an accident that left Aurelia scarred and physically disadvantaged. This is another piece of storytelling I feel sets this novel apart from its genre, in the sensitive and realistic dealing with a disability; Aurelia is naturally reserved in the way only someone with a close, vivacious sibling can be, and she's withdrawn, because of the way she feels about herself, as well as how society of that day viewed such things; but I never felt or read of the pity that usually accompanies these things, and overwhelms them until the work itself buys into the idea that being disadvantaged is truly life-ruining. This book is life-affirming, as Aurelia decides, after the titular waltz, to learn how turn it to her favor. She comes back from rehabilitation a stronger, more confident person, and the change wasn't at all jarring, but certainly refreshing!

And Amy and Aurelia are best friends; we see the closeness between them, the love, and while also adding to and serving to explain quite a bit of the plot, I feel this is also the beautiful heart of the book, and a bit revolutionary in the way it quietly challenges accepted views on women, especially in period pieces, in the way they relate to one another (see also: my review of Imogen Robertson's Westerman/Crowther mysteries and my disappointments with this "trope.")

As a matter of fact, the novel really caught my attention--and my heart--when the girls get away to Cornwall, to Amy's fiance's (James, the male lead of the novel) estate (newly bequeathed to him, through a series of events that inform the book's mystery subplot, a nice piece of writing/plotting by Sherwood, as well!) and the differences between the young women come to the forefront, as well as the strength of their relationship.

And the romance is, of course, beautiful. Very subtly done, and something you don't see a lot in a genre of raging passions, and fiery flings: two rather introverted, sensitive people falling in love. James also comes into his own on the trip to Cornwall (a favorite location of mine, by the by, and used to great effect here!) The secondary romance was wonderfully done, too, and left me with a huge grin. The plot does work out nicely, but in a way that felt neat but not forced. I do love a happy ending! Two of them are even nicer!

[Lynn Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this one a C+ at All About Romance. Not sure what that translates to here - 3.25 stars? 3.5?

Going into it, I knew that Waltz With a Stranger had been inspired by Edith Wharton, that it was set in the 1890s, that it featured American heiresses husband-hunting in Europe - all things that would make a story sound promising to me. And it really does have its good points. However, the story also has a lukewarm quality to it that fails to fully engage the reader. The story seems downright lovely at times, but so much of that loveliness fails to live on in the memory and that makes the reading experience only a bit better than the average.

Aurelia and Amelia Newbold, twin heiresses from New York, have done surprisingly well at their London debuts. Even the more stodgy aristocrats seem charmed by their vivacity and by Amelia's beauty. The twins are identical, but a riding accident left Aurelia with a large facial scar, a limp, and an utterly devastated self-confidence. While hiding away in the shadows at a ball, Aurelia meets James Trevenan and the two share a thrilling waltz. Afterward, something about the magic of that moment allows Aurelia to start dreaming and hoping again. She agrees to go abroad to seek treatment in a spa and after hard work and what we would now call physical therapy, she returns to English society a year later.

Upon her return, Aurelia finds her twin engaged - to the very same James Trevenan with whom she shared the unforgettable waltz. If this were a more cliched story, Amelia would be the evil twin and all kinds of intrigue would ensue as the good twin tries to get her man. But she's not. As it turns out, Amelia and Aurelia are devoted to one another. In fact, the entire Newbold family is quite close-knit - a nice change to see in romance. I can't remember the last time I met a family in historical romance where all the parents and children were alive and reasonably untortured. The Newbolds are sweet, and their family is one of the good parts of this book.

This is a partial review. The full text is available at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...

[Macaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is like a teenage romance, not very well-written, so many descriptions and not integrated into the plot. Boring. It was like those old-fashioned romance that I once picked from my grandmother's shelves.

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's actually 3.5
It was pretty long and along the way boring . The last part though was really interesting and nice , also loved the ending !

[Phoenix77 · Rating 2 out of 5]

What do you do when you’ve read a book and involved yourself in the lives of the characters for a time, but then just a few days later you cannot remember much about the story? I found myself in this quandary when the time came to put my thoughts to keyboard for this review. Waltz with a Stranger was a nice book with pleasant characters and a side mystery for them to solve; however the pace was too slow and my indifference or frustration towards many of the choices made just made this a rather forgettable book for me.


The opening chapter of the story sets up a very sweet first meeting between Aurelia Newbold and James Trelawney when they are both attempting to escape the crush of a ballroom and find one another hiding in the conservatory. Aurelia and her family have recently come to England from America, but she is uncomfortable navigating the social side of London because of the scars she still bears from a horrible riding accident. James is attracted to her, but he isn’t looking for a match at the moment and he can also see the pain and sadness that Aurelia is attempting to hide behind a pleasant demeanor. In an act of kindness he asks her to dance a waltz with him, avoiding the ballroom floor but allowing her a chance to enjoy the music and feel normal for just a moment. Within that one act, both characters open their hearts for an instant and their connection becomes deeper than either realize.


Unfortunately the actions that both characters take after that short moment together are just mistake on top of mistake, although I feel that James’s errors were much worse than Aurelia’s. Aurelia falls madly in love with James and allows no other man into her heart, even though she was unsure they would ever meet again. She leaves for a yearlong sabbatical on the continent right after that ball but never discloses the dance or her feelings to her mother or her twin sister, even while claiming that she and her twin hold no secrets between them. For James, unable to reconcile the emotions stirred in him, makes the awful decision to betroth himself to Aurelia’s twin sister Amelia, almost giving the reader the impression that he chose the next best option available to him when Aurelia left. When Aurelia returns from France, James attempts to form a friendship with her knowing full well that his heart is more engaged to her than the woman he asked to marry him.


I really feel that author Pamela Sherwood may have taken the wrong path in the story when she further complicates this love triangle, having Amelia become smitten with James’s close friend Thomas. Now all of the characters are hiding their feelings from one another under the pretense of honor or family loyalty. As the story dragged on and no one would open up about their emotions, I just got frustrated with everyone and found myself making the dreadful decision to skim through chapters. I also wasn’t engaged into the mystery James tries to solve about his cousin’s suspicious business dealings and how that may have led to his death. I understand that this subplot was necessary to help James see how indispensable Aurelia was to him as both a confidant and support; however there was no real gravity to his getting involved in the first place. Once again, I would gloss over large portions just to get to the final confrontation and resolution, not really caring how James and his cohorts actually got there.


Sadly, so much of this story failed to make an impression that I really don’t feel comfortable recommending it. I hope that Ms. Sherwood’s next book has a tighter plot structure and involves characters with a bit more definition to them other than just being nice people. Otherwise there is nothing of substance for the reader to hold on.

[Linda Banche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pamela Sherwood’s Victorian romance, WALTZ WITH A STRANGER, is a beautiful, deeply moving story of the conflict between love and honor and how, sometimes, both can win.

American heiress Aurelia, scarred in an accident, avoids people, especially men, until she dances one waltz with a kind, handsome stranger who doesn’t care about her disfigurement. His gentle encouragement gives her the will to go on, as well as placing him forever in her heart.

James is entranced with the beautiful, sorrowful girl. But he has no money, and cannot ever win the hand of a rich lady. They part, never expecting to see each other again.

They meet a year later. James is now unexpectedly an earl with an impoverished estate and betrothed to Aurelia’s twin sister, Amy, because he needs the money. Neither Aurelia nor James is free, in honor, to admit or act on their feelings for each other.

In the typical treatment of this situation, the two sisters fight tooth and nail over the man. Not here. Ms. Sherwood has turned convention on its head by making Aurelia and Amy adore each other. Their love is believable because they try to help each other, and while neither will do anything to harm the other, neither is a martyr, either. Aurelia suffers guilt over her feelings, and almost could, but doesn’t, hate her sister. Amy wants Aurelia to find happiness with a husband, while not knowing she wants James. James, too, is believable, as the hardships of his early life did not make him into a spoiled, overprivileged aristocrat. He plans to honor his commitment to Amy while his heart desperately yearns for Aurelia.

Most of the tension arises as the three principals try to reconcile their choices with their desires while keeping their feelings to themselves. But there is also a thread of mystery as James seeks the truth about the death of late, unlamented, previous earl. There’s also plenty of history and lush descriptions that firmly anchor this story in the late Victorian era when bankrupt English noblemen married American heiresses.

In our world where everyone is out for him or herself, I love this story about both love and honor triumphing. I look forward to Ms. Sherwood’s next book.

[Angelc · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The first half of this book was very fun and entertaining, with some great interconnected love triangles. However, the latter half of the book lost steam and started to focus more on the death of James' cousin instead of the interactions between the characters. It became more of a mystery story than a romance in my opinion.

The writing was excellent, the story moved right along, even at over 400 pages. If only the story had kept its focus on the couples, I would have enjoyed it all the way through. The characters were drawn very well, how interesting that the twins loved each other so much and never wanted to hurt each other over a man. The secondary characters were great as well. I especially liked the brooding artist Sheridan.

I think this book would appeal to readers interested in a heavy dose of mystery with their romance. I also think fans of the turn of the century era manners and formalities would enjoy this one as well. All of the balls and entanglements are sorted out very well in this story.

Overall, I loved the first part of the book which focused more on the characters and their social situations rather than the end which was all about the mystery.


ARC sent by publisher in exchange for honest review

reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com

[Kjirstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because of a deep and abiding love of Edith Wharton's The Buccaneers. I love the story of the American heiresses who headed overseas en masse to find themselves a nobleman... And this book does that, albeit with a few extra frills from contemporary romance. Typically, the research is good though the morals and mores of the characters are more appropriate to this day and age. I enjoyed the addition of a mystery to solve to keep things moving until the love... rectangle? parallelogram? could be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. All in all, an enjoyable light read.

[Mary Vilarino · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull describes this book. The plot, the characters were imbued by sheer boredom. Disappointed to say the least.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was sweet! A nice change. I really enjoyed that the main characters were not sleeping together throughout the book, and were, in fact, very burdened about doing the right thing.

[Ellyn (Mrs. Darcy in my Dreams) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Really hard not to DNF this book! Stopped to read other books b/c I got bored. Everything was predictable with VERY little angst or steam!! 😫

[Lori D · Rating 5 out of 5]

London, May 1890 She'd met him while she was in the conservatory, not wanting to be amoung people who would just look at her and feel pity. Of course her twin was dancing and enjoying herself. Then she met him. James Trelawayand he asked her to dance. Aurelia had not feel this way before. He held her so she would not stumble with her limp, but she knew she might never see him again.
Aurelia and her twin Amelia had come from America and were being hosted by their Godmother.
One year later after Aurelia had gone to restore her health and came back to London confident and feeling so much better. But she finds her sister is engaged to the man she had waltzed with and now he is an Earl, having inherited recently. She could not believe it! She had thought of him so many times and hoped to see him again.
What she did not know was that James had thought of her too. His cousins death had been a little suspicious and this leads to a mystery.
A story of two kindred spirits who were meant for each other, if only they can admit and find a way. I truly enjoyed this book so much and look forward to reading more by this author!

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Aurelia (Relia) Newbold is scarred and weakened in a riding accident. She sits in the shadows while her twin Amelia (Amy) is the toast of the ton. A handsome man, James Trelawney, seeks her out and waltzes quietly with her out of view. Almost a year later after time at a spa in France for her health she returns to England to celebrate the engagement of her sister to an an Earl. She is shaken to see it is James the man she has dreamed about seeing again. There is also a mystery to be solved regarding James cousin who dies resulting in James becoming an Earl. Extended epilogues are a bonus. A love triangle doesn't often work but the author succeeds in making me like and root for all of the main characters.

I am new to Pamela Sherwood and will look for other books by this author. I was originally drawn to the book as the first heroines were American, Newport society sisters, looking for matches in England. Reading from the notes by the author she has recently able to regain rights to her first books and is re-releasing as a set. She says she made minimal changes this her first novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aurelia Newbold wasn't hiding exactly. She just needed to get out of the crush of the ballroom—away from the people staring at her scar, pitying her limp. She was still quite enjoying the music from the conservatory. And then a complete stranger, James Trelawney dashing, debonair, kind asks her to waltz. In the strength of his arms, she felt she could do anything. When they meet again a year later, everything has changed. She's no longer a timid mouse. And he's now a titled gentleman with a fiancée & she is shocked to learn that her twin Amelia is engaged to James.
An engaging read that had two romances as both twin had her HEA, Aurelia and James & Amelia and James's best friend, Thomas Sheridan, an artist. It was a welcome change for both of the twins to be lovely no horrid sibling. I liked how both romances were handled & how each couple found the road to their HEA although neither were smooth
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[SH · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Waltz with a Stranger’ was filled with such great characters. Aurelia Newbold has met the man who can make her happy, after a riding accident left her scarred both physically and emotionally. However, after a year away trying to recover, she returns to find him engaged to her sister Amelia. James Trelawney first meets Aurelia when she is at a low point in her life, yet the waltz he shares with her, lingers with him, despite his engagement to her twin sister. The more time they spend together, the more they find the attraction grows and their feelings are conflicted.
This was a lovely romance but at times, I would have liked this romance to have been more fast paced. All the characters were delightful and their dialogues engaging. I enjoyed the two romances of the twin sisters, and the detail in the writing was well developed.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[wonderfullyweird88 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rerelease of the author's debut novel. While there is nothing I disliked about the book, I didn't find it memorable either. The book is lengthy, and while it didn't drag, it could have been shortened. 

The characters are likeable, but I found myself not really caring about any of them. They were too bland, and nothing was interesting about them. The romance was lukewarm at best with no steam whatsoever that I could tell.

While I was underwhelmed by this book and I wouldn't recommend purchasing it, there are some who enjoy a simple, uncomplicated romance. 

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

[☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is very well researched and written, but just not my cup of tea. The story revolves more around the mystery than anything else, and it drags on a bit to long, in my opinion. The heroine’s scar is a negligible source of angst, which was what I was looking for in picking this book up. I should have known better given my intense dislike of love triangles, though that did get wrapped up neatly and easily in the end - no one gets hurt, but then there is no angst either. This just isn’t what I was looking for, personally, though it is quite well done. (2.5 stars)

[A Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thinking those English are so proper and would rather honor Honor than be forthright about their heart. But I am so glad they Relia and James got their happy ending. I really like this series and can't wait to read the next one about Amy and Thomas.

[Hannah Prince · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wanted more Bette David Now Voyager less whatevs. Seemed like a daydream of an alternate life 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Sara Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story with plenty of detail, character development and even a little intrigue.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Eunice · Rating 3 out of 5]

He stared at her, his dark eyes unfathomable. “You could meet a better, worthier man.”
She laughed, a strained, harsh sound. “I’ve already met one—he’s marrying my sister!”

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOTE: This is more a detailed plot summary than a review. I write these so I can remember what happened in any given book, especially those in a series. But if anyone else finds this helpful - awesome.

Amelia (Amy) and Aurelia (Relia) Newbold are identical twins, rich American heiresses come to Season in London, mostly for Amy’s benefit of landing a titled husband. Relia has two obsticles in joining her sister in the same pursuits: she’s considered the ugly twin, having suffered a riding accident that's left her with a limp and scarred face; and she’s overcoming the heartbreak of being unceremoniously dumped by whom she thought was the love of her life, Charlie Vandermere, due to his fear of being shackled to an invalid. She’s only been attending the London balls to keep her sister company, which is when she meets Mr. James Trelawny, at James’ aunt’s ball. As a business man - a mine owner - James would not normally be attending a ball, but he’s there for his aunt. He’s seeking respite from the ballroom when he meets Relia who is doing the same. They share a private waltz, and part. The encounter inspires Relia to invest more in herself and her healing; she commits to leaving for a spa where she can let her mind and body more fully recover, such that she can return to participating in life more fully.

James’ aunt is married to Lord Trevenan, a title that James unexpectedly assumes several months later. Although James’ cousin was first in line to the title, and held it briefly for a matter of months, he was murdered, which meant the title and estate were passed on to James. James has only recently acquired the title - and all the debts accrued with it - when Amy overhears a conversation between the man she’d hoped to marry - Lord Glyndon, heir to a Dukedom - and Thomas Sheridan - James’ best friend and cousin of Glyndon. Thomas is calling Glyndon out for being unfair to Amy, leading her on when his engagement is about to be announced to another. Amy realizes she will not be marrying Glyndon and so eagerly accepts an invitation to meet the new Lord Trevenan - who is now eager for a bride with a substantive fortune help mend his estate and finances. Relia never revealed to Amy that she met a man that inspired her to fix herself, and James never revealted to Amy that he’s met her twin sister. **And this is where the story takes an unrecoverable nose-dive into the realm of: the rest of this book is based on a manufactured problem.**

One could probably argue: “Aren’t all fiction plots based on manufactured problems?” Probably. But when a plotline’s principle challenge could be so easily solved, yet the author appears to go to get lengths steer clear from what is obvious, I get aggravated Which is not the chief emotion I want to feel reading what should be a blissful, engaging romance.

Relia returns from her holiday a refreshed, healthy, and whole woman, only to find her sister engaged to James, whom she realizes she’s fallen in love with. Now spending time in the company of both sisters, James realizes the differences between the two, and realizes he’s in love with Relia despite being engaged to Amy. Meanwhile Amy begins to fall in love with Thomas Sheridan, famed portrait artist, James’ best friend, and her earliest defender. To complete this awkward quartet, Thomas is falling in love with Amy. But because Amy and James remain steadfastly and stubbornly engaged, everyone tries to remain honorable and faithful and deny their feelings. Meanwhile, anonymous letters have begun to appear that indicate the James, his childhood friend his friend’s friend in the previous Lord Trevenan’s murder. James and Relia tackle the mystery together, uncovering that the previous Lord has uncovered a shipping company involved in smuggling heroin, and bought 30% of the company to benefit from their profits; to make even more money, he stole part of one shipment’s cargo to sell himself. The company owner wanted his shares back and the thief deposed of, hence his murder. James and Relia unwind the plot, and realize that they are both mutually in love in the process. Meanwhile, Thomas has fled James’ estate to distance himself from Amy, but Amy realizes that James & Relia are in love, which frees her up to freely love Thomas, and she sets off to London after him. HEA for both James & Relia and Amy & Thomas.

I had two principle objections with this book. The first is that it was rather slow moving. Usually I feel compelled to finish a book in one reading; this one I sort of had to prod myself though. The second, and more difficult to overcome, is that the bulk of the storyline relied on James making a strict, poor, and somewhat unbelievable choice, and then not taking any steps to rectify or ameliorate it over the next however many months.

These said, I did like that the book developed several sets of characters and lovers; I always like books with multiple storylines and intertwined happy-endings.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost DNFed this book. I can count on my fingers how many books that has happened with.

One of the other reviewers said it best when they said this author is obscenely “detail oriented” and lot of it could have been cut down. Also, she gets so ambitious with some of her descriptions that they begin to not make sense in the moment (metaphors that just don’t quite fit). As the old adage goes, show don’t tell.

What is perhaps even more egregious for the amount of detail she uses is the lack of time and care put into the relationship between the true couple and a focus on their inner dialogue about each other.