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The Blackstones #1
The Rose of Granborough Park
Daughter of a wealthy upholsterer, Jo Metzger defies societal norms to pursue her dream of becoming an independent interior designer. The lack of good connections, as well as being a woman of German heritage makes it increasingly difficult for Jo to achieve what no woman has ever dared to do before. She is determined to push through, even when she is faced with an impossible task: in order to earn a mentorship with a prestigious member of The Society of Arts, she must transform the manor of a member of high society.
Enter Nicholas Blackstone, the dashing yet aloof son of a baron and the reluctant new master of Granborough Park. Jo finds herself at the Park, a pawn in her parents' intricate plans to secure advantageous marriages for their daughters. While the Park is the breakthrough Jo needs—a golden ticket to her independence—it also introduces a complication she hadn't anticipated: a growing attraction to Nicholas.
Granborough Park, like Nicholas himself, has seen better days. Haunted by a recent family tragedy and the weight of his responsibilities, Nicholas is far from the ideal suitor. As Nicholas grapples with the need to secure a marriage of convenience to save his family from financial ruin, and Jo fervently focuses on her work against the ticking clock of her deadline, their worlds collide, igniting an undeniable attraction.
As the restoration of the manor progresses, so does their unspoken connection. Despite their different social status and the impossibility of their budding romance, the attraction between them grows to such extent that neither of them can deny it any longer. What began as a clear path to her dream now risks leading her astray. Faced with the ultimate dilemma, Jo must decide if her pursuit of a career-defining opportunity is worth the risk of losing her heart.
The Rose of Granborough Park is a sweet and clean Victorian romance novel, book one in The Blackstones trilogy.
Enter Nicholas Blackstone, the dashing yet aloof son of a baron and the reluctant new master of Granborough Park. Jo finds herself at the Park, a pawn in her parents' intricate plans to secure advantageous marriages for their daughters. While the Park is the breakthrough Jo needs—a golden ticket to her independence—it also introduces a complication she hadn't anticipated: a growing attraction to Nicholas.
Granborough Park, like Nicholas himself, has seen better days. Haunted by a recent family tragedy and the weight of his responsibilities, Nicholas is far from the ideal suitor. As Nicholas grapples with the need to secure a marriage of convenience to save his family from financial ruin, and Jo fervently focuses on her work against the ticking clock of her deadline, their worlds collide, igniting an undeniable attraction.
As the restoration of the manor progresses, so does their unspoken connection. Despite their different social status and the impossibility of their budding romance, the attraction between them grows to such extent that neither of them can deny it any longer. What began as a clear path to her dream now risks leading her astray. Faced with the ultimate dilemma, Jo must decide if her pursuit of a career-defining opportunity is worth the risk of losing her heart.
The Rose of Granborough Park is a sweet and clean Victorian romance novel, book one in The Blackstones trilogy.
Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2024
26 people want to read
About the author
Evelin Laczi
2 books22 followersEvelin Laczi grew up crying over the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice and it heavily influenced her life—and her writing. Her debut historical romance novel, THE ROSE OF GRANBOROUGH PARK (book #1 in The Blackstones series), is available on Amazon. Her most favorite tropes include enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience and reverse grumpy/sunshine. During the day, she works as a video editor; at night, she writes swoonworthy romances. She lives in Budapest with her husband and two ginger kittens.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 11, 2024
This was such a fun read! I loved the uniqueness of our main girl being in the upholstery trade, I thought that was super interesting! I loved the dual POV, and the relationship between Jo and Nicholas was great! I can't wait to read more about this family and see these characters even more!
Thank you to the author for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2024
A brilliant debut from Laczi, and I can't wait to read more romances with the Blackstone siblings!
July 30, 2025
Fans of "Jane Eyre" and "Pride and Prejudice" — this debut by Evelin Laczi is for you!
I seriously couldn’t put it down. I was pulled into a whirlwind of sweet romance, wonderfully crafted secondary characters, strong family bonds, and the journey of an ambitious — yet underestimated — woman trying to find her place in the world.
The FMC, Jo, completely stole my heart. The MMC, Nick, didn’t quite do it for me — but that’s probably just personal taste. I’m so happy this is a series, and that it continues with characters we’ve already come to know and love.
For now, I highly recommend book one, and I can’t wait to dive into the next installment!
I seriously couldn’t put it down. I was pulled into a whirlwind of sweet romance, wonderfully crafted secondary characters, strong family bonds, and the journey of an ambitious — yet underestimated — woman trying to find her place in the world.
The FMC, Jo, completely stole my heart. The MMC, Nick, didn’t quite do it for me — but that’s probably just personal taste. I’m so happy this is a series, and that it continues with characters we’ve already come to know and love.
For now, I highly recommend book one, and I can’t wait to dive into the next installment!
July 24, 2024
What a beautiful work of fiction! I was genuinely shocked to learn that this is a debut book. As an avid reader of historical fiction, this story spoke directly to my heart and exceeded all my expectations.
The main character is absolutely charming - determined, intelligent, and hardworking, she makes her own way in life while still being unable to resist the pull of love. The romance in this story is so gentle and touching.
I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this book. It's a must-read for anyone who appreciates a well-crafted, heartfelt tale.
The main character is absolutely charming - determined, intelligent, and hardworking, she makes her own way in life while still being unable to resist the pull of love. The romance in this story is so gentle and touching.
I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this book. It's a must-read for anyone who appreciates a well-crafted, heartfelt tale.
October 4, 2024
I like this book! I could think of a period drama while reading it hahaha. The main character is good and got to love the romantic moment! I enjoy reading The Rose of Granborough Park and Evelin Laczi do a wonderful job writing the debut book. Looks like this is a series, so I will guaranteed reading the next part!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 6, 2024
It’s no secret that historical fiction novels kind of have my heart. I also love when a story can take me by surprise and Evelin Laczi’s novel “The Rose of Granborough Park” took me by surprise over and over again.
I loved so much about this novel but I think what initially stole my heart was the unexpected background of our leading lady. Jo isn’t a titled lady and doesn’t come from a wealthy family. I loved getting to know all about the Metzger family. From their upholstery business (which I am so curious about!) to the dreams Jo and Gigi have, to the amazing family relationship full of love and support. I was invested in this little family from the get go.
I also loved that Evelin flipped a few of our beloved romantic moments on their heads. My favorite was the very unromantic waltz. You guys it is so good! It had me giggling and feeling so awkward and embarrassed for Jo. But I love how that disastrous waltz lingered in Jo’s memory and was brought up later in the story.
My romantic at heart friends are going to love this story because there are also love stories occurring in the background! I wish so much that we could get this same story from the other perspectives. I would LOVE to know the details and went on behind the scenes! I can’t say much because SPOILERS but you are going to want this story as well.
June 30, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)
Jo Metzger has dreams of working in the upholstery business just like her father. When an opportunity to present her work to a well-known mentor becomes available, Jo convinces Nicholas Blackstone to allow her to renovate rooms at the estate he inherited after tragedy took the lives of his parents and uncle. Jo has never had aspirations of marriage, but being around Nick awakens feelings in her that she is scared to face. Even if she wanted to grow closer to him, their love is impossible. Will Jo achieve her dreams of a career and keep her heart intact at the same time?
What an enjoyable debut from Evelin Laczi! This was filled with angst and longing as Nick and Jo dealt with their forbidden attraction to one another. My heart ached for them when they confessed their feelings while believing they would have to part ways, never to be together. I liked how Jo was not the typical historical romance FMC. Her parents were from Germany and had worked their way up to provide for their family and give their daughters a chance to be respected in Society. I liked how Jo went after her dream of interior design and never let her gender or heritage stop her. I also really liked the moments between siblings. Jo and her sister, along with Nick and one of his brothers, had some beautiful and heartfelt conversations where they shared their hopes and desires and how they wanted the best for each other. We even got to see the siblings have their own romances, which was a sweet addition to the plot. It did feel like a lot happened to wrap things up quickly at the end, but I was still satisfied with how it finished. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)
Jo Metzger has dreams of working in the upholstery business just like her father. When an opportunity to present her work to a well-known mentor becomes available, Jo convinces Nicholas Blackstone to allow her to renovate rooms at the estate he inherited after tragedy took the lives of his parents and uncle. Jo has never had aspirations of marriage, but being around Nick awakens feelings in her that she is scared to face. Even if she wanted to grow closer to him, their love is impossible. Will Jo achieve her dreams of a career and keep her heart intact at the same time?
What an enjoyable debut from Evelin Laczi! This was filled with angst and longing as Nick and Jo dealt with their forbidden attraction to one another. My heart ached for them when they confessed their feelings while believing they would have to part ways, never to be together. I liked how Jo was not the typical historical romance FMC. Her parents were from Germany and had worked their way up to provide for their family and give their daughters a chance to be respected in Society. I liked how Jo went after her dream of interior design and never let her gender or heritage stop her. I also really liked the moments between siblings. Jo and her sister, along with Nick and one of his brothers, had some beautiful and heartfelt conversations where they shared their hopes and desires and how they wanted the best for each other. We even got to see the siblings have their own romances, which was a sweet addition to the plot. It did feel like a lot happened to wrap things up quickly at the end, but I was still satisfied with how it finished. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
February 15, 2025
4 stars that I would bump to 4.5 if that was an option. What a love story this was! Beautifully written. I was highlighting full paragraphs. There were moments after moments where I realized I was holding my breath.
The angst was high! If you love high angst historical romances this is a great recommendation. Nicholas is a tortured soul and my heart was aching and breaking for him (highkey loved it). His conversations with his brothers were some of my favorite because they felt so raw and real. As an eldest sibling myself, I shamelessly love the eldest sibling plight and this really hit that. Overall the premise and conflict was unique and delivered on the Victorian vibes, with a hint of gothic as well.
Really the ending and epilogue fizzled out a bit for me after all that heightened tension and angst. The author casually asked me to read and review this if I could get to it but my thoughts are my own.
in this book: forbidden love, forced proximity, he falls first, high angst, woking class FMC, interior design
content guide: clean romance, infrequent & minor language, non-descriptive & infrequent violence
content warning: past/off-page DV and tragedy
The angst was high! If you love high angst historical romances this is a great recommendation. Nicholas is a tortured soul and my heart was aching and breaking for him (highkey loved it). His conversations with his brothers were some of my favorite because they felt so raw and real. As an eldest sibling myself, I shamelessly love the eldest sibling plight and this really hit that. Overall the premise and conflict was unique and delivered on the Victorian vibes, with a hint of gothic as well.
Really the ending and epilogue fizzled out a bit for me after all that heightened tension and angst. The author casually asked me to read and review this if I could get to it but my thoughts are my own.
in this book: forbidden love, forced proximity, he falls first, high angst, woking class FMC, interior design
content guide: clean romance, infrequent & minor language, non-descriptive & infrequent violence
content warning: past/off-page DV and tragedy
July 27, 2024
Evelin Laczi’s impressive debut novel, The Rose of Granborough Park, is set in Victorian London and the Blackstone Family’s country estate. It is a gripping, closed-door, romance centered on Jolanda Metzger, daughter to German parents who own a successful upholstery business. Jo, an aspiring and talented interior designer and partner in her father’s business, has no interest in marriage. She attends balls as a spinster wallflower to please her younger sister who is in her first season. At the first ball of the book, she dances with Baron Nicholas Blackstone (although he seemingly eschews his title) and she is left beguiled by his broody manner and aggressive waltzing; he is mesmerized by her fiery spirit and intensity. To further her career, Jo needs to show her designs in practice at the home of someone from the ton. Through a series of maneuvers, she lands the Blackstone estate and she, her sister, and their mother move there for a few weeks, joining Nick, his two brothers, and sister. Nick is trying to bring his family back from the edge of ruin after his father’s gambling and his parents’ subsequent deaths.
I found this novel difficult to put down! It was well-written, the characters well-drawn, and the emotion evocative. Jo is from the middle-class, works for a living, and is fiercely independent. Because Nick is bound by duty and the responsibilities of seeing his siblings taken care of, he must marry someone with a generous dowry and marriage settlement. As the two spend time together it is obvious that there’s a strong attraction that supercedes the obstacles in their way. I won’t spoil the book by pointing these out, but let’s just say they seem insurmountable. There’s a secondary romance between Nick’s brother, Samuel, and Jo’s sister, Giselle. Their page time brought a sweet contrast to the fraught nature of Nick and Jo’s forbidden relationship.
Other things I loved about this novel were the secondary characters. Jo’s mother, a German immigrant, was especially endearing as were Jo’s father and sister. The understanding that Jo develops for a rival for Nick’s affection showed a more nuanced look at the women of this era and escaped the pitfall of vilifying Violet. The parts of the plot that centered on Jo’s career were well done and fit with the period. Both she and Nick do some questionable things, but they serve to humanize them both. I did have a minor issue with the unchaperoned carriage trip to London, and while it fit with Jo’s independent character, I wanted to see more about why Nick was bending to something greater than propriety. The third act breakup was mostly well done without sacrificing character integrity or the plausibility of the plot except for not explaining why Henry didn’t give Jo more information about Nick’s whereabouts. The HEA was satisfying as was the extended epilogue. A few minor quibbles about some mechanical and editing errors, but these didn’t detract from my reading enjoyment.
I really smiled at the end of this one! I highly recommend to readers who like a focus on yearning rather than steam (closed-door romance); the tropes of class-difference, forbidden love, and forced proximity; exquisite writing; and strong heroines. I’m looking forward to reading book 2 which will tell the story of Daniel and Mary. Evelin Laczi is definitely a new author to watch, and I’m so glad I found her! (4.5 stars rounded up to 5)
I found this novel difficult to put down! It was well-written, the characters well-drawn, and the emotion evocative. Jo is from the middle-class, works for a living, and is fiercely independent. Because Nick is bound by duty and the responsibilities of seeing his siblings taken care of, he must marry someone with a generous dowry and marriage settlement. As the two spend time together it is obvious that there’s a strong attraction that supercedes the obstacles in their way. I won’t spoil the book by pointing these out, but let’s just say they seem insurmountable. There’s a secondary romance between Nick’s brother, Samuel, and Jo’s sister, Giselle. Their page time brought a sweet contrast to the fraught nature of Nick and Jo’s forbidden relationship.
Other things I loved about this novel were the secondary characters. Jo’s mother, a German immigrant, was especially endearing as were Jo’s father and sister. The understanding that Jo develops for a rival for Nick’s affection showed a more nuanced look at the women of this era and escaped the pitfall of vilifying Violet. The parts of the plot that centered on Jo’s career were well done and fit with the period. Both she and Nick do some questionable things, but they serve to humanize them both. I did have a minor issue with the unchaperoned carriage trip to London, and while it fit with Jo’s independent character, I wanted to see more about why Nick was bending to something greater than propriety. The third act breakup was mostly well done without sacrificing character integrity or the plausibility of the plot except for not explaining why Henry didn’t give Jo more information about Nick’s whereabouts. The HEA was satisfying as was the extended epilogue. A few minor quibbles about some mechanical and editing errors, but these didn’t detract from my reading enjoyment.
I really smiled at the end of this one! I highly recommend to readers who like a focus on yearning rather than steam (closed-door romance); the tropes of class-difference, forbidden love, and forced proximity; exquisite writing; and strong heroines. I’m looking forward to reading book 2 which will tell the story of Daniel and Mary. Evelin Laczi is definitely a new author to watch, and I’m so glad I found her! (4.5 stars rounded up to 5)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews