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Matchmakers #3
Protecting Her Heart
London, 1887
When newly graduated medical doctor Charlotte Duvall receives word that her father has died, she immediately leaves America and returns home to see to her family’s estate. Among her father’s possessions is a box of her late mother’s letters, which feels like a balm to Charlotte’s grief-stricken heart. But the letters contain some inconsistencies that suggest there was more to her mother’s death than Charlotte had been told. She turns to the one man she trusts more than anyone—her treasured friend and director of London’s police force, John Ellis.
John Ellis has harbored feelings for Charlotte ever since he first met her. Tucked into his heart are thoughts of her sharp mind, quick wit, and remarkable beauty. Though he has not yet found the courage to share his feelings with the young doctor, he is eager to help her in her hour of need.
Investigating the details of a death was not how Charlotte imagined she would find love, but as she and John work to unravel a dark web of secrets and lies, she finds herself relying on him more and more—and opening her heart to him in the process.
As the danger draws ever closer, John vows to do everything in his power to protect Charlotte from harm. But he fears protecting her heart might come at the cost of breaking his own.
When newly graduated medical doctor Charlotte Duvall receives word that her father has died, she immediately leaves America and returns home to see to her family’s estate. Among her father’s possessions is a box of her late mother’s letters, which feels like a balm to Charlotte’s grief-stricken heart. But the letters contain some inconsistencies that suggest there was more to her mother’s death than Charlotte had been told. She turns to the one man she trusts more than anyone—her treasured friend and director of London’s police force, John Ellis.
John Ellis has harbored feelings for Charlotte ever since he first met her. Tucked into his heart are thoughts of her sharp mind, quick wit, and remarkable beauty. Though he has not yet found the courage to share his feelings with the young doctor, he is eager to help her in her hour of need.
Investigating the details of a death was not how Charlotte imagined she would find love, but as she and John work to unravel a dark web of secrets and lies, she finds herself relying on him more and more—and opening her heart to him in the process.
As the danger draws ever closer, John vows to do everything in his power to protect Charlotte from harm. But he fears protecting her heart might come at the cost of breaking his own.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2024
36 people are currently reading
4268 people want to read
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July 26, 2025
4 stars ✨ (Clean Historical Fiction with no major language or sexual innuendoes)
It’s been five years since the first book 🥺 which makes it make more reasonable for the three cousins to fall in love, but it was also bittersweet to see time passing by, for some reason?
I was afraid this would have a very sad tone to the book because we’re trying to figure out the murderer that killed Charlotte‘s mother, but there was a lot of well-timed wit and humor that made the book not feel so heavy. Adding in their sweet and somehow incredibly romantic romance (which is nearly the forbidden love trope), the book never felt incredibly sad or heavy. There’s definitely moments of grief and longing for what could have been that hurt my heart for Charlotte, but it didn’t dictate the whole book.
This has been one series I partially wish I had read as an audiobook and listen to it, because they use so many words I’m not familiar with that just feel so historically correct. Words like ‘gauche’, ‘harangued’, and ‘hubris’ for example, but different words and phrases just make it feel so historically realistic and I think that’s an added charm to the series. If I had listened to it as an audiobook, I would know how to pronounce those words, but it was neat to see them nonetheless.
I did notice once or twice where the cousins’ names got mixed up. I also had a bit of a time keeping track of the four Jameses and their wives, so I never really try to figure out who the murderer was, I was just hoping for justice for the main characters. Besides that and a few parts I didn’t care for, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. Book #2 is still my favorite but this had a charm of it's own!
This series but particularly this third book would be fantastic historical-setting movies, if done correctly! Big emphasis on the “if done correctly”. I feel like have a good budget and good actors and this could be the next big thing.
Main Content:
The characters go to a chapel for a funeral and the vicar droning on is mentioned; At the funeral, John thinks that “the hymns always seemed like cold comfort, the words hollow. Sentiments like “eternal rest in the arms of the Divine” did not fill the gaping hole left behind when someone died.”; Someone says that they cannot imagine what “God’s reasoning in calling her home so young” was when talking about Charlotte’s mother; John calls out his father for priding himself with his standing with God and yet ignoring the suffering in their streets; A couple mentions of Heaven (including a mention of a deceased relative looking down on her family with love and pride); A couple mentions of prayers (but not said towards Whom); A mention of being Blessed.
Both Charlotte & John say the phrase “Heaven help [someone]” who has done wrong because they’re going to be after the person; ‘for heaven’s sake’ is said twice, ‘heaven knows’ is said once, and ‘what the devil is said once;
Charlotte thinks that John is “handsome as sin”; It’s said that “nothing in blue hades” would get Charlotte to go to a dangerous place; Mentions of the ghost of someone who has passed (not literally, more of a memory of the deceased); A mention of mischievous children being inhabited by the ghosts of mischievous ancestors; A mention of Charlotte being the incarnate of her mother in terms of her appearance; A mention of Medusa; A mention of Pandora’s Box.
Being roughly attacked, fighting, being threatened, pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, (up to a handful of sentences in details).
A major part of this book is Charlotte trying to figure out about her mother’s death, if it was a murder/foul play, & who did it, so we have a lot about that, the autopsy report/pictures, how it happened, and details of the injuries and drowning (if you’re interested in typical suspense books with murders, I think you would have no problem with the details of that aspect, but there is an emotional element involved because it’s Charlotte’s mother; It’s not gory nor meant to turn a reader’s stomach, but it’s there and detailed enough that you get the picture; Bluntly and expertly viewed and written, up to a handful of sentences each time it’s discussed or mentioned); The book starts with Charlotte traveling back to England after her father has passed away and we see not only her grief for him and her mother, but also what could have been; Seeing a murdered body & another person shot (the murdered body is said to be a bloodbath and grisly, up to a few sentences).
Main characters & side characters drink alcohol at social gatherings; John also cusses a few times & Charlotte once but is not written out; John lies once to a rude family member; John is tempted to give a friend a rude gesture for a comment but does not because they’re on church grounds; Some comments and snide remarks by others towards Charlotte being a doctor and the thought of women working (there’s a note that “a woman did not cease having other interests in life by giving birth; the notion was embraced by suffragettes and bluestockings, but still rubbed up against tradition held by many”); John does not have a good relationship with his parents or brother & they make negative comments towards Charlotte and both of their professions (at one point, he says that they can hang for their opinions towards Charlotte); Charlotte has a rough relationship with her brothers & comments on it (particularly that they had no use for a little sister); *Spoiler* .
Mentions of deaths (including murders and a drowning) & grieving; Mentions of break-ins/robberies, threats, crimes, criminals, & arrests; Mentions of injuries that Charlotte treats as a doctor (including gunshot wounds and stabbings) & deaths (including some children, not detailed); Mentions of injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, someone being shot, & being attacked (up to a handful of sentences); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, social drinking at gatherings, pubs, & drunks; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of jealousy (women towards another woman); Mentions of bullies at a school; Mentions of gossip, rumors, & eavesdropping; A few mentions of a prisoner being murdered in his cell; A few mentions of a fire; A few mentions of parents fighting/arguing; A few mentions of smoking & cigars/cigarettes; A few mentions of betting/gambling and card games; A couple mentions of a man who bullies his way through life; A mention of a missing children case; A mention of the Crimean War; A mention of gangs; A mention of vomiting.
The words “damning evidence” is said once; No language stronger than ‘drat’, ‘stupid’, and ‘blasted/blast it all’, but John does curse a few times and Charlotte once (though it’s not written out); The phrase “hurt like the dickens” is said once and “care a fig” is said 2; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
1 cheek kiss, 7 hand/fingers kisses (some are longer, not-a-greeting ones), 2 forehead kisses,
13 kisses lasting an adjective or two or up to couple sentences,
2 kisses lasting a few sentences,
1 kiss lasting handful of sentences (two paragraphs);
Many almost kisses (lasting a few sentences); Remembering kisses, touches, nearness, & embraces (up to a few sentences); Wanting to kiss and embrace (up to a few sentences); Staring at lips; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Nearness, Warmth, Smelling, & Noticing (up to a handful of sentences); Blushes; A bit of jealousy; Charlotte tries to kick an attacker in the groin, but is unable to do so; Charlotte and John have rooms next door to the other at a boarding house and Charlotte thinks it’s a “mockery of an intimate relationship” that must be causing her heart to speed around him;
Mentions of kisses, kissing, & touches; Mentions of attempted affairs (a man coveting another man’s wife and another man making a bid for a married woman), seducing, & jealousy; A few mentions of Charlotte’s mother being “substantially younger” than her father; A couple mentions of flirting; A mention of a house of ill repute; A mention of someone being accused of “sowing [his] oats”.
It’s been five years since the first book 🥺 which makes it make more reasonable for the three cousins to fall in love, but it was also bittersweet to see time passing by, for some reason?
I was afraid this would have a very sad tone to the book because we’re trying to figure out the murderer that killed Charlotte‘s mother, but there was a lot of well-timed wit and humor that made the book not feel so heavy. Adding in their sweet and somehow incredibly romantic romance (which is nearly the forbidden love trope), the book never felt incredibly sad or heavy. There’s definitely moments of grief and longing for what could have been that hurt my heart for Charlotte, but it didn’t dictate the whole book.
This has been one series I partially wish I had read as an audiobook and listen to it, because they use so many words I’m not familiar with that just feel so historically correct. Words like ‘gauche’, ‘harangued’, and ‘hubris’ for example, but different words and phrases just make it feel so historically realistic and I think that’s an added charm to the series. If I had listened to it as an audiobook, I would know how to pronounce those words, but it was neat to see them nonetheless.
I did notice once or twice where the cousins’ names got mixed up. I also had a bit of a time keeping track of the four Jameses and their wives, so I never really try to figure out who the murderer was, I was just hoping for justice for the main characters. Besides that and a few parts I didn’t care for, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. Book #2 is still my favorite but this had a charm of it's own!
This series but particularly this third book would be fantastic historical-setting movies, if done correctly! Big emphasis on the “if done correctly”. I feel like have a good budget and good actors and this could be the next big thing.
Main Content:
The characters go to a chapel for a funeral and the vicar droning on is mentioned; At the funeral, John thinks that “the hymns always seemed like cold comfort, the words hollow. Sentiments like “eternal rest in the arms of the Divine” did not fill the gaping hole left behind when someone died.”; Someone says that they cannot imagine what “God’s reasoning in calling her home so young” was when talking about Charlotte’s mother; John calls out his father for priding himself with his standing with God and yet ignoring the suffering in their streets; A couple mentions of Heaven (including a mention of a deceased relative looking down on her family with love and pride); A couple mentions of prayers (but not said towards Whom); A mention of being Blessed.
Both Charlotte & John say the phrase “Heaven help [someone]” who has done wrong because they’re going to be after the person; ‘for heaven’s sake’ is said twice, ‘heaven knows’ is said once, and ‘what the devil is said once;
Charlotte thinks that John is “handsome as sin”; It’s said that “nothing in blue hades” would get Charlotte to go to a dangerous place; Mentions of the ghost of someone who has passed (not literally, more of a memory of the deceased); A mention of mischievous children being inhabited by the ghosts of mischievous ancestors; A mention of Charlotte being the incarnate of her mother in terms of her appearance; A mention of Medusa; A mention of Pandora’s Box.
Being roughly attacked, fighting, being threatened, pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, (up to a handful of sentences in details).
A major part of this book is Charlotte trying to figure out about her mother’s death, if it was a murder/foul play, & who did it, so we have a lot about that, the autopsy report/pictures, how it happened, and details of the injuries and drowning (if you’re interested in typical suspense books with murders, I think you would have no problem with the details of that aspect, but there is an emotional element involved because it’s Charlotte’s mother; It’s not gory nor meant to turn a reader’s stomach, but it’s there and detailed enough that you get the picture; Bluntly and expertly viewed and written, up to a handful of sentences each time it’s discussed or mentioned); The book starts with Charlotte traveling back to England after her father has passed away and we see not only her grief for him and her mother, but also what could have been; Seeing a murdered body & another person shot (the murdered body is said to be a bloodbath and grisly, up to a few sentences).
Main characters & side characters drink alcohol at social gatherings; John also cusses a few times & Charlotte once but is not written out; John lies once to a rude family member; John is tempted to give a friend a rude gesture for a comment but does not because they’re on church grounds; Some comments and snide remarks by others towards Charlotte being a doctor and the thought of women working (there’s a note that “a woman did not cease having other interests in life by giving birth; the notion was embraced by suffragettes and bluestockings, but still rubbed up against tradition held by many”); John does not have a good relationship with his parents or brother & they make negative comments towards Charlotte and both of their professions (at one point, he says that they can hang for their opinions towards Charlotte); Charlotte has a rough relationship with her brothers & comments on it (particularly that they had no use for a little sister); *Spoiler* .
Mentions of deaths (including murders and a drowning) & grieving; Mentions of break-ins/robberies, threats, crimes, criminals, & arrests; Mentions of injuries that Charlotte treats as a doctor (including gunshot wounds and stabbings) & deaths (including some children, not detailed); Mentions of injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, someone being shot, & being attacked (up to a handful of sentences); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, social drinking at gatherings, pubs, & drunks; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of jealousy (women towards another woman); Mentions of bullies at a school; Mentions of gossip, rumors, & eavesdropping; A few mentions of a prisoner being murdered in his cell; A few mentions of a fire; A few mentions of parents fighting/arguing; A few mentions of smoking & cigars/cigarettes; A few mentions of betting/gambling and card games; A couple mentions of a man who bullies his way through life; A mention of a missing children case; A mention of the Crimean War; A mention of gangs; A mention of vomiting.
The words “damning evidence” is said once; No language stronger than ‘drat’, ‘stupid’, and ‘blasted/blast it all’, but John does curse a few times and Charlotte once (though it’s not written out); The phrase “hurt like the dickens” is said once and “care a fig” is said 2; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
1 cheek kiss, 7 hand/fingers kisses (some are longer, not-a-greeting ones), 2 forehead kisses,
13 kisses lasting an adjective or two or up to couple sentences,
2 kisses lasting a few sentences,
1 kiss lasting handful of sentences (two paragraphs);
Many almost kisses (lasting a few sentences); Remembering kisses, touches, nearness, & embraces (up to a few sentences); Wanting to kiss and embrace (up to a few sentences); Staring at lips; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Nearness, Warmth, Smelling, & Noticing (up to a handful of sentences); Blushes; A bit of jealousy; Charlotte tries to kick an attacker in the groin, but is unable to do so; Charlotte and John have rooms next door to the other at a boarding house and Charlotte thinks it’s a “mockery of an intimate relationship” that must be causing her heart to speed around him;
Mentions of kisses, kissing, & touches; Mentions of attempted affairs (a man coveting another man’s wife and another man making a bid for a married woman), seducing, & jealousy; A few mentions of Charlotte’s mother being “substantially younger” than her father; A couple mentions of flirting; A mention of a house of ill repute; A mention of someone being accused of “sowing [his] oats”.
November 25, 2023
Have you read any books in this series? I am all in for these Matchmakers books! This one is the third book and I loved seeing previous characters throughout this book. I love how the author made them prevalent and connected them all together. That's honestly one of my favorite things about series, being able to see previous characters and where they are at after their book ends.
I was so happy that this third book was Charlotte and John's story. They are perfect for each other, even though they've denied their feelings for each other for years. Childhood friends have grown up and have a slow burn sweet romance that will draw you in and make your heart flutter.
Another aspect I love about this series is the setting, Victorian England. It's such a perfect time for this group of young ladies. They're trying to find their place and I love that they are able to truly pursue something that interests them, and that they're good at, in a society that has previously put such strong restrictions on what females can do. And I loved that these main male characters are supportive of the talents these ladies have.
The mystery is well written and kept me guessing whodunnit! Some of my guesses were correct and others were a little off but all in all I was very engrossed in the story and thoroughly entertained. Thanks Nancy Campbell Allen for another fabulous series! I'm really hoping there's more to come with these Matchmakers books, but whatever she writes next I'll definitely be grabbing a copy and spending some enjoyable time being lost in the pages of her book!
Content: Clean. Some moments of mild peril. Some elements of murder. Some sweet romance with nothing further than kisses.
I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
I was so happy that this third book was Charlotte and John's story. They are perfect for each other, even though they've denied their feelings for each other for years. Childhood friends have grown up and have a slow burn sweet romance that will draw you in and make your heart flutter.
Another aspect I love about this series is the setting, Victorian England. It's such a perfect time for this group of young ladies. They're trying to find their place and I love that they are able to truly pursue something that interests them, and that they're good at, in a society that has previously put such strong restrictions on what females can do. And I loved that these main male characters are supportive of the talents these ladies have.
The mystery is well written and kept me guessing whodunnit! Some of my guesses were correct and others were a little off but all in all I was very engrossed in the story and thoroughly entertained. Thanks Nancy Campbell Allen for another fabulous series! I'm really hoping there's more to come with these Matchmakers books, but whatever she writes next I'll definitely be grabbing a copy and spending some enjoyable time being lost in the pages of her book!
Content: Clean. Some moments of mild peril. Some elements of murder. Some sweet romance with nothing further than kisses.
I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
January 2, 2024
Happy Release Day!
This book is a heartwarming and captivating story that is told with sincerity. I highly recommend picking up this book! The author's writing style is smooth and descriptive, catering to visual readers like myself. This is the third book in the series. While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the previous book to become familiar with the recurring characters.
Upon receiving news of her father's passing, Charlotte Duvall promptly returns home to tend to her family's estate. While sorting through her father's belongings, she comes across a box of her late mother's letters, which bring some comfort to her mourning heart. However, upon reading them, she discovers discrepancies that imply her mother's death may have been shrouded in secrecy. Seeking clarity, Charlotte turns to John Ellis, her most trusted confidant, and director of London's police force.
Charlotte was a great heroine, in my opinion. She’s clever, witty, bold, and compassionate. I loved her unwavering devotion to both her profession as a doctor and her loved ones. John is a hero. He is kind, strong, and fearless, with an unwavering passion for justice.
This is an emotional romance, friends to lovers, and swooningly romantic, with a slower burn romance that I loved every second.
This was such a delight to read! All the stars from me. A historical mystery, suspense, and a bit of action with enough romance. ...Content: clean romance, kissing only...
A special thanks to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
This book is a heartwarming and captivating story that is told with sincerity. I highly recommend picking up this book! The author's writing style is smooth and descriptive, catering to visual readers like myself. This is the third book in the series. While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the previous book to become familiar with the recurring characters.
Upon receiving news of her father's passing, Charlotte Duvall promptly returns home to tend to her family's estate. While sorting through her father's belongings, she comes across a box of her late mother's letters, which bring some comfort to her mourning heart. However, upon reading them, she discovers discrepancies that imply her mother's death may have been shrouded in secrecy. Seeking clarity, Charlotte turns to John Ellis, her most trusted confidant, and director of London's police force.
Charlotte was a great heroine, in my opinion. She’s clever, witty, bold, and compassionate. I loved her unwavering devotion to both her profession as a doctor and her loved ones. John is a hero. He is kind, strong, and fearless, with an unwavering passion for justice.
This is an emotional romance, friends to lovers, and swooningly romantic, with a slower burn romance that I loved every second.
This was such a delight to read! All the stars from me. A historical mystery, suspense, and a bit of action with enough romance. ...Content: clean romance, kissing only...
A special thanks to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
December 27, 2023
Delicious, witty banter, a delightful friends to lovers romance, intriguing mystery, and heart pounding danger make Nancy Campbell Allen’s latest Victorian Proper Romance unputdownable! I adored Protecting Her Heart. This is Charlotte’s and John’s story and I loved their friends to more, slow burn romance.
Charlotte Duvall has been in America studying to become a doctor. She’s finished her studies ready to work in a clinic in New York. Before she can start her new position, she receives a letter from her ailing father asking her to come home and suggesting her mother’s death wasn’t an accident. On the voyage back to England, she receives a telegram that her father has died.
While she sorts through her parents’ things, she begins to find unsettling information about her mother’s past. She turns to her good friend John Ellis to help her in the investigation. While she’s determined to remain single, the handsome detective begins to wear down her defenses and she finds herself wondering what it would be like to fall in love with him.
John’s worked hard to earn his position as the director of the Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Department. While his wealthy family looks down on his detective work, he thrives in it. But, he’s not anxious to start a family though his mother works hard to throw every eligible debutant at him. When his dear friend Charlotte returns to England, the attraction that’s always simmered between them flares to life. As he does everything to protect her and find the truth behind her mother’s death, he finds himself having a hard time seeing his friend in a platonic way.
I loved the sizzling romance between these two. Their close relationship and witty banter makes watching them fall in love so enjoyable. I loved the way they were both determined to succeed and respected that quality in each other. I loved the scene where she hides in his coat closet. I also loved seeing familiar characters from the previous books again. The cousins have such a great relationship and I loved seeing them together again.
The mystery was so good! There were several suspects which made figuring out whodunit all the more intriguing. The danger from getting too close to what really happened was always present with someone stalking and threatening Charlotte. I loved the way they finally pushed those responsible for her mother’s death to reveal the truth. I also loved the stoic body guard Dirk.
Highly recommend this book and the entire series! It can easily be read as a standalone, but is more enjoyable if you’ve read the previous books. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.
Charlotte Duvall has been in America studying to become a doctor. She’s finished her studies ready to work in a clinic in New York. Before she can start her new position, she receives a letter from her ailing father asking her to come home and suggesting her mother’s death wasn’t an accident. On the voyage back to England, she receives a telegram that her father has died.
While she sorts through her parents’ things, she begins to find unsettling information about her mother’s past. She turns to her good friend John Ellis to help her in the investigation. While she’s determined to remain single, the handsome detective begins to wear down her defenses and she finds herself wondering what it would be like to fall in love with him.
John’s worked hard to earn his position as the director of the Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Department. While his wealthy family looks down on his detective work, he thrives in it. But, he’s not anxious to start a family though his mother works hard to throw every eligible debutant at him. When his dear friend Charlotte returns to England, the attraction that’s always simmered between them flares to life. As he does everything to protect her and find the truth behind her mother’s death, he finds himself having a hard time seeing his friend in a platonic way.
I loved the sizzling romance between these two. Their close relationship and witty banter makes watching them fall in love so enjoyable. I loved the way they were both determined to succeed and respected that quality in each other. I loved the scene where she hides in his coat closet. I also loved seeing familiar characters from the previous books again. The cousins have such a great relationship and I loved seeing them together again.
The mystery was so good! There were several suspects which made figuring out whodunit all the more intriguing. The danger from getting too close to what really happened was always present with someone stalking and threatening Charlotte. I loved the way they finally pushed those responsible for her mother’s death to reveal the truth. I also loved the stoic body guard Dirk.
Highly recommend this book and the entire series! It can easily be read as a standalone, but is more enjoyable if you’ve read the previous books. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.
February 16, 2024
This is the final book in the Matchmakers series by Nancy Campbell Allen, and I have to say...it just might be my favorite of the bunch.
When newly graduated doctor, Charlotte Duvall gets a letter from her father telling her all wasn't right with her mothers death and begs her to come home...Charlotte departs for England immediately. What ensues is a deep dive into old memories of the past in order to bring new information and justice to light.
If you love sleuthy stories in the Victorian Era, this might just be the book for you. I adored Charlottes character as she teams up with long time friend John Ellis to tackle the case and search for clues. The friends to lovers relationship was engaging...had great chemistry and never had a stagnant moment. It also had great pacing and a wonderful mental and physical richness to it.
I loved the suspense aspect of the story as well. Plenty of action scenes to keep you occupied for hours and turning page until the close. Charlotte's plight with being a woman in a mans world was magnificent to watch as she always led with strength, and determination to succeed when those around her told her otherwise. I loved her intelligence, strength and wit and John only amplified her in the best of ways. There was also a really strong cast of secondary characters which I also enjoyed.
A wonderful story and conclusion. If you like sweet romance, suspense, quick reads and the Victorian era then this is one I would definitely recommend.
When newly graduated doctor, Charlotte Duvall gets a letter from her father telling her all wasn't right with her mothers death and begs her to come home...Charlotte departs for England immediately. What ensues is a deep dive into old memories of the past in order to bring new information and justice to light.
If you love sleuthy stories in the Victorian Era, this might just be the book for you. I adored Charlottes character as she teams up with long time friend John Ellis to tackle the case and search for clues. The friends to lovers relationship was engaging...had great chemistry and never had a stagnant moment. It also had great pacing and a wonderful mental and physical richness to it.
I loved the suspense aspect of the story as well. Plenty of action scenes to keep you occupied for hours and turning page until the close. Charlotte's plight with being a woman in a mans world was magnificent to watch as she always led with strength, and determination to succeed when those around her told her otherwise. I loved her intelligence, strength and wit and John only amplified her in the best of ways. There was also a really strong cast of secondary characters which I also enjoyed.
A wonderful story and conclusion. If you like sweet romance, suspense, quick reads and the Victorian era then this is one I would definitely recommend.
July 6, 2023
I really liked this one! Well written, a swoony romance, and and enticing mystery with lots of intrigue.
I've read the other two books in the series and this one fits right in. Of course, it was great to catch up with former characters and to see how they all take care of each other, and how their families have grown.
Charlotte and John have a shared past and friendship, and their feelings make for a slow-burn romance, that's all the more great to read.
A great ending as well!
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
January 20, 2024
The final third is suspenseful. I do wish the rest of the book was as good. It felt like the romance and suspense parts weren't well integrated. It also requires characters who are emotionally compromised to do the investigating, so there is that. There are times when the language is too modern. The romance is fine. It just felt like I was reading two different genres at times. I enjoyed the characters. There isn't much of a mystery. I figured it out almost immediately. Perhaps that's why the story felt disjointed. It is a fun read, but it could have been much better.
December 25, 2023
Charlotte!
Three cousins, that notorious branch of the Hamptons!
Scandalous and intrepid! The reputation lives on in cousin Charlotte Duvall!
It’s 1899 and Charlotte has just graduated as a Medical Doctor in New York City when she receives a letter from her invalid father saying he was wrong to do nothing about her mother’s death. All very cloak and dagger!
Charlotte’s mother had fallen overboard from a riverboat on the Thames during celebrations, some twenty years ago. As far as Charlotte knew nothing nefarious?
Unfortunately her father dies halfway through her journey home.
Charlotte decides to investigate and enlists the help of her special friend Johnathan Albert Ellis, second son of the Earl of Ashby, and director of the Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Department of the London.
When Charlotte’s badly injured by someone demanding she stop looking into an old happening she is even more determined to continue her investigation.
Mystery and danger dodge her steps. Then there’s her relationship with John Ellis.
Few hospitals during the Victorian era will accept women doctors and definitely not married women doctors.
Still now’s not the time to think beyond the puzzle, but where it all to end?
Mystery, murder and romance, all supported with a genuine look at the morès of Victorian Society and its rules.
A Shadow Mountain ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Three cousins, that notorious branch of the Hamptons!
Scandalous and intrepid! The reputation lives on in cousin Charlotte Duvall!
It’s 1899 and Charlotte has just graduated as a Medical Doctor in New York City when she receives a letter from her invalid father saying he was wrong to do nothing about her mother’s death. All very cloak and dagger!
Charlotte’s mother had fallen overboard from a riverboat on the Thames during celebrations, some twenty years ago. As far as Charlotte knew nothing nefarious?
Unfortunately her father dies halfway through her journey home.
Charlotte decides to investigate and enlists the help of her special friend Johnathan Albert Ellis, second son of the Earl of Ashby, and director of the Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Department of the London.
When Charlotte’s badly injured by someone demanding she stop looking into an old happening she is even more determined to continue her investigation.
Mystery and danger dodge her steps. Then there’s her relationship with John Ellis.
Few hospitals during the Victorian era will accept women doctors and definitely not married women doctors.
Still now’s not the time to think beyond the puzzle, but where it all to end?
Mystery, murder and romance, all supported with a genuine look at the morès of Victorian Society and its rules.
A Shadow Mountain ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
March 1, 2024
the way each book in this trilogy became my new favorite book in this trilogy?? ✨iconic✨
December 11, 2024
Four years after leaving for America to attend medical school, Charlotte Duvall has finally accomplished her goal of becoming a full fledged M.D. However, her success comes as a cost. Her beloved father dies while Charlotte is returning home to see him one last time. His letters of late had been troubling, something about Charlotte's mother's death long ago when Charlotte was only four. He claims to have left her a packet of information for her to find and follow the clues, however, he may have kicked over a hornet's nest with his queries and now Charlotte might pay the price. Director John Ellis of the Metropolitan Police is thrilled his friend Charlotte has returned to London. Now the 6 friends are reunited and he won't be the gooseberry any longer. Of course Charlotte is just a friend, she has her career, he has his and enough trouble trying to avoid his family's expectations for him to marry a wealthy and well-connected bride. Yet, whenever John is with Charlotte, he can't help thinking about how beautiful she is, how intelligent she is, how he wants to help her... and hurt any man she dances with who is not him... and kiss her! Kiss her? Where did those feelings come from? Can John keep his feelings at bay while trying to protect Charlotte from the danger that threatens her life? Can he help her pick up the pieces of her shattered heart if the results of her investigation are not what she hopes? How can he do that without revealing his feelings?
This story is more mystery with romance, unlike the previous book which was more romance. The romance is not quite as swoony as Nathan and Eva's but it's still very sweet and made me smile. It took two chapters longer than it should have to get to the kiss and even after that, John and Charlotte insist they're just friends! The mystery captured my attention and I had a hard time putting the book down. I did not guess who the murderer was. I was thinking something different. The murderer is very cold blooded and truly evil. The amount of violence in this story is a little higher than I would have expected from this type of book.
Towards the end, the timeline jumps forward a month and the events of the past month are summarized. I would have liked a little more showing and less telling.
I really liked Charlotte when I first met her. She seemed the most like me - practical, career oriented and not silly like Amelie. Five years later Charlotte has changed. Since earning her degree, she's even more focused but now she's grieving the loss of her parents, her childhood home, the relationship with her older brothers she never had and perhaps, a bit, the dream of romance. She's hardened by her experiences yet still compassionate. Charlotte is incredibly intelligent and it sounds like she's a better doctor than some of the men she meets. One, Mr. Stanley, is a sexist pig and is jealous because Charlotte is better educated and better at her job than he is. Charlotte doesn't let sexism bother her and tries to avoid drama. However, Charlotte does make some silly mistakes. She does ONE stupid thing she knows is stupid when she does it but thinks she's prepared. Of course she's not and she shouldn't have done it. Charlotte lets her anger get the better of her at times and makes a sarcastic comment, earning her another enemy. As her investigation progresses, Charlotte becomes more emotional and makes some decisions I wouldn't have done. She says she had a plan in mind but didn't bring it up or discuss it with anyone! Then she becomes more and more emotional the more she learns and the more she realizes her feelings for John are not platonic! Charlotte faces the loss of a dream and I can understand why she would feel emotional about that, not to mention learning details of her mother's death. I think she's still a relatable heroine.
The one thing I don't like about all the heroines in this series is how beautiful they all are. Yes I appreciate the lack of plain spinster characters but can't Amelie be plain? Eva is SO beautiful, Charlotte is SO beautiful and looks EXACTLY like her mother. The resemblance is uncanny which is a little weird but not out of the realm of possibility. If you know my sister and see her kids, you know exactly whose kids they are but they're not identical to their parents.
John is not as swoony as Nathan. He's not as well-rounded a character. John is an excellent policeman, a good friend and walks a delicate balance between respecting his family and going his own way. He insists he's just friends with Charlotte yet is clearly jealous when she's around other men. He insists he's just friends even though he's always thinking about her, looking at her and his two best friends and their wives can see the love in his eyes. He's nice but I could do without the family drama. His father, Lord Ashby, is a bully but he's a nobleman, a product of centuries of one way of thinking. He can't change with the times and accept a new way of thinking. That would lead to the downfall of society as he knows it and some of his power. Already new money men are in Parliament! GASP! Who next? Women? While I don't like Lord Ashby trying to control his son, I understand where he's coming from and I think John should too. I don't even know if it was socially acceptable for a second son to become a policeman so at least John was allowed to do that. John's whole family is awful and I don't have any empathy for his mother.
Five years later and Amelie thinks her rose colored glasses have slipped a little. They may have slipped but she's still very naive. It's not Charlotte's fault about what happens to the ferryboat owner, it's Amelie's. She didn't think things all the way through. Maybe if Charlotte had known in advance what Amelie's plan was, she would have been more cautious. Amelie is CRAZY if she thinks two women going alone to the docks would be unnoticed. Two women going alone to the docks is not safe but oh wait they have a bodyguard. Right and he's not conspicuous? Even I could have guessed what would happen. It still came as a shock though and was very upsetting. Amelie is determined and forthright though. I like her because she's efficient but she's still silly in the romance department. She's too nice and needs a tough nanny. Her eldest daughter, Sophia, age 4, is a little hellion already! Eva has settled into motherhood and mostly does portrait sittings these days. She worries about young Sammy away at school. Well, of course she should worry! Why do these people always think they can send an urchin to school with the middle class and/or gentry and he'll fit in? Maybe by the time he's old enough for university...
Aunt Sally isn't around much but she lends Charlotte the assurance she needs. Michael and Nathan have turned into gossips and are as romantic as their wives. It's disappointing they don't do much police work here. Nathan's mother and sisters pop up in one scene. Only Alice has a speaking part. The girls seem to be unmarried still. Alice is as indefatigable and incorrigible as ever.
Charlotte's father was a loving, doting father to her but he was distant and withdrawn from the world after her mother's death. I really did not like that drama. It was too sad and made my heart hurt because it hurt Charlotte. Her mother was vivacious, lovely, kind and probably also bold and daring. She was the ringleader of her friend group and naturally all the men were in love with her.
Dirk, an associate of John's, is assigned to guard Charlotte with his life. He's a man of few words but he seems to like Charlotte a lot and enjoys guarding her. Charlotte enjoys his company as well. For the most part, Charlotte's colleagues at the hospital are great. Matron Halcomb appreciates Charlotte and seems proud of all Charlotte has accomplished. Mr. Corbin is technically Charlotte's new boss and he appreciates her hard work and dedication. He doesn't have a problem with her gender at all. The hospital can use all the help it can get and Charlotte is qualified so why not?
Charlotte's mother's old friends are awful. The Puddlestons don't have personalities much at all. The Carters seem nice enough. James Carter is very affable and clueless or so he seems. His wife reacts badly upon seeing Charlotte. There are moments when I don't trust her and moments when she seems kind. Is she afraid of her husband? Someone else? She wasn't married yet at the time of Katherine's death, the party was to celebrate her engagement! Yikes! I do feel bad for her that her engagement party is tainted with terrible memories. The Fineboroughs and Worthingstones are the most unlikable. The wives are spiteful, catty and the Victorian version of mean girls. Anastacia Worthingstone is a formidable adversary. I think she knows full well what she's saying and says it on purpose to "put the cat among the pigeons." She's jealous because everyone loved Katherine and now Charlotte is back, grown and looking like her mother and Anastacia Worthingtone is older and has her best years behind her. (Mrs. Carter mentions a grandson! She can't be any older than mid-40s yikes!) Anastacia and her sister Gwendolyn seem to be the leaders of this group and London Society. Watch out Charlotte and watch your back! Mr. Worthingstone is a conservative MP, i.e. a sexist pig. I wouldn't put it past him to have killed Katherine because she wasn't behaving properly according to his standards.
Charlotte's sister-in-law, Joan, is awful. I understand why she might be jealous of Charlotte. She doesn't understand why Charlotte went to America or the rigors of medical school. Joan seems to think Charlotte was living it up in New York. Joan believes it was Charlotte's DUTY to come home and nurse her father while he was dying. Her father didn't want that or expect it. I'm sure he paid good money for medical school and wanted Charlotte to succeed. He hoped there would be more time. Joan was stuck caring for her father-in-law and she resents that and resents Charlotte. She's mean, greedy and cares only about her husband and the family name. Charlotte's brother, Thomas, has different memories of his father and Katherine, being older and Katherine's stepson. He doesn't want to know what happened the night Katherine drowned. He doesn't seem to care much. Lovely. I think Joan might be the villain trying to stop Charlotte from investigating! How dare Charlotte bring up old traumas and sully the family name? "She's more Hampton than Duvall!" (*sniff* and turn up snooty nose.) ESPECIALLY if Thomas thinks his father killed Katherine! I can see them trying to stop that information from becoming public.
I'm sad to see this series come to an end. I hope for a spinoff about Nathan's sisters. I loved his family the most and with 4 sisters, there's plenty more stories to be told.
This story is more mystery with romance, unlike the previous book which was more romance. The romance is not quite as swoony as Nathan and Eva's but it's still very sweet and made me smile. It took two chapters longer than it should have to get to the kiss and even after that, John and Charlotte insist they're just friends! The mystery captured my attention and I had a hard time putting the book down. I did not guess who the murderer was. I was thinking something different. The murderer is very cold blooded and truly evil. The amount of violence in this story is a little higher than I would have expected from this type of book.
Towards the end, the timeline jumps forward a month and the events of the past month are summarized. I would have liked a little more showing and less telling.
I really liked Charlotte when I first met her. She seemed the most like me - practical, career oriented and not silly like Amelie. Five years later Charlotte has changed. Since earning her degree, she's even more focused but now she's grieving the loss of her parents, her childhood home, the relationship with her older brothers she never had and perhaps, a bit, the dream of romance. She's hardened by her experiences yet still compassionate. Charlotte is incredibly intelligent and it sounds like she's a better doctor than some of the men she meets. One, Mr. Stanley, is a sexist pig and is jealous because Charlotte is better educated and better at her job than he is. Charlotte doesn't let sexism bother her and tries to avoid drama. However, Charlotte does make some silly mistakes. She does ONE stupid thing she knows is stupid when she does it but thinks she's prepared. Of course she's not and she shouldn't have done it. Charlotte lets her anger get the better of her at times and makes a sarcastic comment, earning her another enemy. As her investigation progresses, Charlotte becomes more emotional and makes some decisions I wouldn't have done. She says she had a plan in mind but didn't bring it up or discuss it with anyone! Then she becomes more and more emotional the more she learns and the more she realizes her feelings for John are not platonic! Charlotte faces the loss of a dream and I can understand why she would feel emotional about that, not to mention learning details of her mother's death. I think she's still a relatable heroine.
The one thing I don't like about all the heroines in this series is how beautiful they all are. Yes I appreciate the lack of plain spinster characters but can't Amelie be plain? Eva is SO beautiful, Charlotte is SO beautiful and looks EXACTLY like her mother. The resemblance is uncanny which is a little weird but not out of the realm of possibility. If you know my sister and see her kids, you know exactly whose kids they are but they're not identical to their parents.
John is not as swoony as Nathan. He's not as well-rounded a character. John is an excellent policeman, a good friend and walks a delicate balance between respecting his family and going his own way. He insists he's just friends with Charlotte yet is clearly jealous when she's around other men. He insists he's just friends even though he's always thinking about her, looking at her and his two best friends and their wives can see the love in his eyes. He's nice but I could do without the family drama. His father, Lord Ashby, is a bully but he's a nobleman, a product of centuries of one way of thinking. He can't change with the times and accept a new way of thinking. That would lead to the downfall of society as he knows it and some of his power. Already new money men are in Parliament! GASP! Who next? Women? While I don't like Lord Ashby trying to control his son, I understand where he's coming from and I think John should too. I don't even know if it was socially acceptable for a second son to become a policeman so at least John was allowed to do that. John's whole family is awful and I don't have any empathy for his mother.
Five years later and Amelie thinks her rose colored glasses have slipped a little. They may have slipped but she's still very naive. It's not Charlotte's fault about what happens to the ferryboat owner, it's Amelie's. She didn't think things all the way through. Maybe if Charlotte had known in advance what Amelie's plan was, she would have been more cautious. Amelie is CRAZY if she thinks two women going alone to the docks would be unnoticed. Two women going alone to the docks is not safe but oh wait they have a bodyguard. Right and he's not conspicuous? Even I could have guessed what would happen. It still came as a shock though and was very upsetting. Amelie is determined and forthright though. I like her because she's efficient but she's still silly in the romance department. She's too nice and needs a tough nanny. Her eldest daughter, Sophia, age 4, is a little hellion already! Eva has settled into motherhood and mostly does portrait sittings these days. She worries about young Sammy away at school. Well, of course she should worry! Why do these people always think they can send an urchin to school with the middle class and/or gentry and he'll fit in? Maybe by the time he's old enough for university...
Aunt Sally isn't around much but she lends Charlotte the assurance she needs. Michael and Nathan have turned into gossips and are as romantic as their wives. It's disappointing they don't do much police work here. Nathan's mother and sisters pop up in one scene. Only Alice has a speaking part. The girls seem to be unmarried still. Alice is as indefatigable and incorrigible as ever.
Charlotte's father was a loving, doting father to her but he was distant and withdrawn from the world after her mother's death. I really did not like that drama. It was too sad and made my heart hurt because it hurt Charlotte. Her mother was vivacious, lovely, kind and probably also bold and daring. She was the ringleader of her friend group and naturally all the men were in love with her.
Dirk, an associate of John's, is assigned to guard Charlotte with his life. He's a man of few words but he seems to like Charlotte a lot and enjoys guarding her. Charlotte enjoys his company as well. For the most part, Charlotte's colleagues at the hospital are great. Matron Halcomb appreciates Charlotte and seems proud of all Charlotte has accomplished. Mr. Corbin is technically Charlotte's new boss and he appreciates her hard work and dedication. He doesn't have a problem with her gender at all. The hospital can use all the help it can get and Charlotte is qualified so why not?
Charlotte's mother's old friends are awful. The Puddlestons don't have personalities much at all. The Carters seem nice enough. James Carter is very affable and clueless or so he seems. His wife reacts badly upon seeing Charlotte. There are moments when I don't trust her and moments when she seems kind. Is she afraid of her husband? Someone else? She wasn't married yet at the time of Katherine's death, the party was to celebrate her engagement! Yikes! I do feel bad for her that her engagement party is tainted with terrible memories. The Fineboroughs and Worthingstones are the most unlikable. The wives are spiteful, catty and the Victorian version of mean girls. Anastacia Worthingstone is a formidable adversary. I think she knows full well what she's saying and says it on purpose to "put the cat among the pigeons." She's jealous because everyone loved Katherine and now Charlotte is back, grown and looking like her mother and Anastacia Worthingtone is older and has her best years behind her. (Mrs. Carter mentions a grandson! She can't be any older than mid-40s yikes!) Anastacia and her sister Gwendolyn seem to be the leaders of this group and London Society. Watch out Charlotte and watch your back! Mr. Worthingstone is a conservative MP, i.e. a sexist pig. I wouldn't put it past him to have killed Katherine because she wasn't behaving properly according to his standards.
Charlotte's sister-in-law, Joan, is awful. I understand why she might be jealous of Charlotte. She doesn't understand why Charlotte went to America or the rigors of medical school. Joan seems to think Charlotte was living it up in New York. Joan believes it was Charlotte's DUTY to come home and nurse her father while he was dying. Her father didn't want that or expect it. I'm sure he paid good money for medical school and wanted Charlotte to succeed. He hoped there would be more time. Joan was stuck caring for her father-in-law and she resents that and resents Charlotte. She's mean, greedy and cares only about her husband and the family name. Charlotte's brother, Thomas, has different memories of his father and Katherine, being older and Katherine's stepson. He doesn't want to know what happened the night Katherine drowned. He doesn't seem to care much. Lovely. I think Joan might be the villain trying to stop Charlotte from investigating! How dare Charlotte bring up old traumas and sully the family name? "She's more Hampton than Duvall!" (*sniff* and turn up snooty nose.) ESPECIALLY if Thomas thinks his father killed Katherine! I can see them trying to stop that information from becoming public.
I'm sad to see this series come to an end. I hope for a spinoff about Nathan's sisters. I loved his family the most and with 4 sisters, there's plenty more stories to be told.
July 24, 2023
Campbell always weaves such a great love story into every book. She is also an author that knows how to tell a good story! Her mystery's are always well done.
December 17, 2023
I have really been enjoying this series. This book you can pick up and really don't need to have read the previous books to know what is happening. The previous characters are in this story though and it is fun to read the parts with them in it. The mystery that runs through this book I thought was pretty good. I wasn't sure where it was going and I truly couldn't figure out the web of lies and past scandal that made up the suspense. I had a hard time really loving Charlotte but I did love John who is the hero. This is a sweet romance that is friends to more and it didn't overtake the story. The setting is delightful and the ending wrapped up nicely. I think this is a well written novel but not my favorite in the series.
Four Stars.
" I received this book from Shadow Mountain for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
Four Stars.
" I received this book from Shadow Mountain for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
December 22, 2023
Nancy Campbell Allen has created a wonderful Victorian romantic suspense series with these amazing books. I devoured the first two books in this series and quickly did the same with this book. Charlotte is my hero. She is finishing her studies in America to become a doctor when she receives a letter from her father apologizing for putting her in a dangerous position inquiring about her mother’s death more than 20 years earlier. Charlotte returns home and is in immediate danger, as I turned pages quickly to see how she and John would solve the puzzle. Not only does Allen write masterfully suspenseful scenes, there’s some intense attraction and romantic scenes and kisses for Charlotte and John. I enjoyed immensely the POV changes between them and it added to the wonderful story. Amelie and Michael and Eva and Nathan are also heavily involved in the story and I also smiled a lot at Amelie. And don’t forget the wonderful Aunt Sally. I also enjoyed how the story took place several years after the previous two. I enjoyed seeing how the characters I enjoy so much later on in their lives.
This series can be read as standalones but I feel you’ll appreciate the characters more if read in order.
I received a Netgalley approval and paperback copy from the publisher. All views and opinions expressed are my own.
This series can be read as standalones but I feel you’ll appreciate the characters more if read in order.
I received a Netgalley approval and paperback copy from the publisher. All views and opinions expressed are my own.
September 17, 2023
Oh my, this story was an absolute delight!
The cover immediately caught my eye, and after reading the blurb, I was sold. Women doctors, police detectives, and a murder mystery?! Yes, yes, yes!
John and Charlotte were adorable. They’re long time friends whose friend group has paired off into couples, leaving them the last singles standing. Their romance is tender & slow, protective & built on mutual trust and understanding.
The chilling murder mystery is the perfect cosy read, and yet will keep you on your toes! While this is technically the third book in a connected series, they don’t have to be read in order.
My heart rejoiced over allll the delicious medical facets & details. Allen so wonderfully handles the balance between the Victorian independent woman and marriage & romance. And the side characters are enchanting! The Van Horne sisters had me rolling, and I fell in love with Dirk, the loveliest Scottish bodyguard ever. I would be soooo happy to read his story! 😍🥺
Allen is a new-to-me author, but I will quickly be devouring her backlist!
*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
The cover immediately caught my eye, and after reading the blurb, I was sold. Women doctors, police detectives, and a murder mystery?! Yes, yes, yes!
John and Charlotte were adorable. They’re long time friends whose friend group has paired off into couples, leaving them the last singles standing. Their romance is tender & slow, protective & built on mutual trust and understanding.
The chilling murder mystery is the perfect cosy read, and yet will keep you on your toes! While this is technically the third book in a connected series, they don’t have to be read in order.
My heart rejoiced over allll the delicious medical facets & details. Allen so wonderfully handles the balance between the Victorian independent woman and marriage & romance. And the side characters are enchanting! The Van Horne sisters had me rolling, and I fell in love with Dirk, the loveliest Scottish bodyguard ever. I would be soooo happy to read his story! 😍🥺
Allen is a new-to-me author, but I will quickly be devouring her backlist!
*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
February 12, 2024
Very enjoyable and nail biting end to the series! I do think John and Charlotte are my favorite couple.
January 15, 2024
Protecting Her Heart is the third book in her Victorian mystery romance series and it was well worth the wait. Charlotte Duvall has recently graduated from medical school in the United States. She receives a cryptic letter from her father, telling her that her mother’s death may not have been the accident everyone believes. Before she can speak to him in person, however, he dies. After the funeral, Charlotte is determined to look into her mother’s death—but someone is just as anxious to make sure she doesn’t. With the help of her friend John Ellis, who is the director of London’s police force, she follows the few clues that she has, but danger seems to lurk around every corner. John and Charlotte work closely together to solve the mystery, and they soon start to see each other in a new light. But with the odds stacked against them, can they take a chance on love?
This book has everything you want in a mystery romance. Intrigue and danger, villains and heroes. I stayed up until one in the morning just to see who the murderer was! And John and Charlotte’s relationship is a slow, delicious burn as they build on the friendship they’ve always had. See the rest of my review at Meridian Magazine here: http://tinyurl.com/yssfcsj9
This book has everything you want in a mystery romance. Intrigue and danger, villains and heroes. I stayed up until one in the morning just to see who the murderer was! And John and Charlotte’s relationship is a slow, delicious burn as they build on the friendship they’ve always had. See the rest of my review at Meridian Magazine here: http://tinyurl.com/yssfcsj9
November 16, 2023
Advance copy from Netgalley
This last installment (I think it's the last, unless Dirk is getting a book) in the Matchmaker series was O.K. but, like Eva's book (book 2), Charlotte's book just isn't as good as Amelie's (book 1).
I liked the Victorian setting, and I was intrigued by the mystery. John and Charlotte's relationship was presented with two major obstacles, and I was truly curious how they would get past them. I think what made this kind of fizzle for me was that one of those obstacles was solved in a paragraph and the other wasn't really addressed. The solution to the murder was also disappointing, as I wasn't convinced the confessions would have come out the way they did from people willing to kill left and right and throw their money around to cover up the original murder. A few lines at the end, saying these very rich, powerful people were awaiting sentencing, felt very tidy. Of course I wanted those rich pricks to be brought to justice, but I didn't think it would be so easy, given the power these people wielded throughout the book.
I liked Charlotte's solution to her problem, but it was so simple, I didn't know why there was so much hand-wringing about it for 3/4 of the book.
So, why even 3 stars? I like these characters, I guess, and I like the author. I love the devotion this trio of cousins and their aunt Sally have for each other. And the author knows how to write a swoony scene for sure. John and Charlotte's first kiss was lovely.
I will continue to seek out this author and look forward to new books by her. I'd really love for her to get back to her steampunk series--I thought there was at least one more book hinted at in the last one, but maybe I was wrong. For this series, the only one I would highly recommend is the first one.
This last installment (I think it's the last, unless Dirk is getting a book) in the Matchmaker series was O.K. but, like Eva's book (book 2), Charlotte's book just isn't as good as Amelie's (book 1).
I liked the Victorian setting, and I was intrigued by the mystery. John and Charlotte's relationship was presented with two major obstacles, and I was truly curious how they would get past them. I think what made this kind of fizzle for me was that one of those obstacles was solved in a paragraph and the other wasn't really addressed. The solution to the murder was also disappointing, as I wasn't convinced the confessions would have come out the way they did from people willing to kill left and right and throw their money around to cover up the original murder. A few lines at the end, saying these very rich, powerful people were awaiting sentencing, felt very tidy. Of course I wanted those rich pricks to be brought to justice, but I didn't think it would be so easy, given the power these people wielded throughout the book.
I liked Charlotte's solution to her problem, but it was so simple, I didn't know why there was so much hand-wringing about it for 3/4 of the book.
So, why even 3 stars? I like these characters, I guess, and I like the author. I love the devotion this trio of cousins and their aunt Sally have for each other. And the author knows how to write a swoony scene for sure. John and Charlotte's first kiss was lovely.
I will continue to seek out this author and look forward to new books by her. I'd really love for her to get back to her steampunk series--I thought there was at least one more book hinted at in the last one, but maybe I was wrong. For this series, the only one I would highly recommend is the first one.
July 26, 2024
The following will be a rant. You have been forewarned.
Issue: Historical Accuracy
When I’m reading a historical romance, I don’t expect it to be 100% historically accurate. As modern readers, we expect certain things from our books, and I think keeping everything perfectly accurate sometimes gets in the way, so to speak, of the HEA we want. However, some writers can straddle that line much more deftly than others. I read The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies earlier this summer and thought Allison Goodman did a fantastic job of balancing accuracy with some creative liberties.
I don’t know that Protecting Her Heart even tried.
If you told me that the sum total of Nancy Campbell Allen’s research for this book was watching Austenland, two episodes of Law & Order, and the opening credits for General Hospital, I’d say, “Yeah, that tracks.” Because there were facts that were blazingly wrong. Not things that can be thrown under the umbrella of “creative license,” but facts that were WRONG and that should have been caught by, if not NCA herself, then by her editor.
I wrote in my review of The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart that NCA constantly refers to the investigating officers as “detectives” when such a rank does not actually exist in British policing. “Detective” is a title affixed to a rank, such as “inspector,” “superintendent,” or “chief inspector.” Thus, you have “detective inspector” or “detective superintendent.” Anyone who has ever watched any British crime show could have been able to tell you this. But apparently NCA doesn’t watch those shows or hasn’t bothered to do her research, because the “detectives” are back. There is one single solitary instance when one of the other characters refers to someone as “Detective Inspector,” but it is only once and it feels almost like a mistake.
Instead of fixing this error over the course of the three books, NCA leans in and adds another one. She refers to John Ellis as “Director Ellis” or the head of CID for the Metropolitan Police. Because I have zero trust in her ability to correctly rank people, I decided to do a little research of my own. First of all, according to the Met’s own website, “director” is not a force rank that exists. But, you say, this book takes place in 1889 (the blurb says 1887 but the heading for Chapter 2 says 1889, so we’re going with 1889). Maybe things were different back then.
Fair enough. So let’s look back in time. In 1878, Howard Vincent was appointed as director of Criminal Investigation. The reason he was called a director and not an assistant commissioner (even though, as Wikipedia says, the “post was equivalent to the two assistant commissioners in every way”) was that he reported into the home secretary and not to the commissioner. Okay, so that lines up with NCA. Maybe I was too quick to judge.
But. BUT. In 1884, James Monro succeeded Vincent as head of CID. Unlike Vincent, he reported to the commissioner, so his title was assistant commissioner; in 1888, Sir Robert Anderson succeeded him as assistant commissioner of CID. So as far as I can tell, only one person was ever director of CID and not in the time frame this book takes place. Plus, there was an actual person leading CID at this time instead of NCA’s fictional John Ellis. At the very least, couldn’t NCA have given John a lower rank and put him in charge of a smaller branch?
This research probably took me about an hour. It’s entirely possible I could have erred somewhere, but there are enough things that give me pause and make me wonder what research NCA and her editors did.
Other inaccuracies that bothered me:
At the end of the book, NCA mentions loving to do research and that, even so, there may be errors in the book. I get that; I really do. Historical research can be hard and frustrating and sometimes you don’t get things right. But if there is research, to be honest, I’m not seeing it. The points I mention above should have been researched carefully. It’s one thing to get some dates a little wrong or have your characters acting not quite time-period appropriately, but these “errors” go beyond that sort of thing, in my opinion. And besides, I’m not really sure where the rest of the research IS then. Because there aren’t enough other era-specific clues in the book to show that it even warranted more than cursory research. I pictured the book taking place in the late nineteenth century because that was what I was told at the beginning. A few mentions of dresses and women being doctors and an omnibus do not provide a substantial historical setting.
Issue: Characters
I think NCA is capable of only writing one type of FMC: the Not Like Other Girls MC. I’ve read a number of NCA’s books (why, I have no idea), and each FMC is almost exactly the same. She has an Interest that makes her Different (in Charlotte’s case, it’s being a doctor). She is the most beautiful woman in the world. She is compassionate, feisty, interesting, and does all sorts of things that girls aren’t supposed to do. All the men in her life adore her. She banters wittily with the MMC (or I think it’s supposed to be witty; mostly the banter is just cringe). She has a tight-knit group of like-minded female friends, but otherwise, all other women hate her because she’s just so different and special.
In this book, we not only get that from Charlotte, but we also get that from Charlotte’s mom, Katherine (also known as Kat, because of course). Here are the things we know about Kat:
If Charlotte is Not Like Other Girls, Kat cranks that dial up to ten. I kind of hated her by the time I got halfway through the book. When we find out that she was killed in a fit of jealous anger, I am neither surprised nor particularly saddened. To be honest, if I found my husband having a secret meeting with a woman I knew he was in love with and that I knew was in love with him, I think I’d be pretty upset too. I don’t know that I’d hit the woman over the head with a cane, but I’d be angry. However, apparently the only women who are allowed emotions in NCA’s world are her main characters and everyone who adores them. Because Charlotte gets upset with the person who murdered her mother and runs her down in the least tense chase scene I think I’ve ever read and almost whacks her over the head with a cane. She’s stopped at the last second by John, but no one ever questions Charlotte’s emotions. Her emotions and reactions are perfectly acceptable, I guess.
John is just . . . not that interesting. He spends the first half of the book mentioning Charlotte is his good friend about a billion times so they obvi can’t be together. Since he’s the head of CID, I thought we’d get some interesting information about his daily work life, but NCA can’t be bothered to cobble together anything of John’s life beyond Charlotte. I think John goes to a couple of meetings (?) with some Turkish people and a Frenchman named Mr. Francois (François!) and signs some papers. And talks about the politics of his job but never actually does anything political.
That’s actually another main gripe I have about how NCA writes. Charlotte has an interesting job (female doctor in Victorian England!), John has an interesting job (head of CID!), and they are trying to solve a twenty-year-old murder, and yet NCA can’t be bothered to give us any information beyond a few paragraphs that gloss over their work lives. Their careers are boiled down to a few paragraphs that give us the bare minimum of what happened that day and then we’re off to a ball or a library or a carriage ride where everyone can have awkward conversations that make my eyeballs hurt from rolling so hard.
Issue: The Writing
There are painful info dumps, particularly at the beginning of the book.
There is lots of telling and not much showing.
There are assumptions made about people that require great leaps of the imagination and then obviousness that is overlooked.
There are oddly inappropriate reactions to things that happen. For example, when Amelie and John are at the scene of a murder that is described as a bloodbath, Amelie asks John if she wants her notes from the meeting. He says yes, and this is her response:
What the actual WHAT. How is this your response when your investigation is probably what led this man to be killed? There is a dead body lying near you and you are talking about being thorough??
Or when Charlotte is running away from a man trying to throw her off the omnibus, and she asks him why he’s doing this. Or is more upset about her potential killer being condescending to her as a woman than she is about the threats he’s making against her life.
Or this gem:
How are those two thoughts at all related? Why are they in the same sentence? Even if John is feeling both pride and chafing (ha), there has to be a better way to write it that doesn’t put something fairly trivial in the same breath as something with substantial weight.
There are so many commas added where they shouldn’t be that it borders on punctuation abuse.
There are scenes that should be dripping with tension and fall absolutely flat. NCA does not write action scenes particularly well.
There are phrases that are unintentionally hilarious, like when Charlotte’s “whisps” of hair are described. Whisps is a brand of cheese crisps. Wisps are little tufts of hair. Ha.
Conclusion
This was just not an enjoyable read. I didn’t go into expecting greatness, but I expected readability and at least a lighthearted romp. Instead, I got pain. Almost physical pain because I was rolling my eyes so hard.
Never again, Nancy Campbell Allen. Never again.
Issue: Historical Accuracy
When I’m reading a historical romance, I don’t expect it to be 100% historically accurate. As modern readers, we expect certain things from our books, and I think keeping everything perfectly accurate sometimes gets in the way, so to speak, of the HEA we want. However, some writers can straddle that line much more deftly than others. I read The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies earlier this summer and thought Allison Goodman did a fantastic job of balancing accuracy with some creative liberties.
I don’t know that Protecting Her Heart even tried.
If you told me that the sum total of Nancy Campbell Allen’s research for this book was watching Austenland, two episodes of Law & Order, and the opening credits for General Hospital, I’d say, “Yeah, that tracks.” Because there were facts that were blazingly wrong. Not things that can be thrown under the umbrella of “creative license,” but facts that were WRONG and that should have been caught by, if not NCA herself, then by her editor.
I wrote in my review of The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart that NCA constantly refers to the investigating officers as “detectives” when such a rank does not actually exist in British policing. “Detective” is a title affixed to a rank, such as “inspector,” “superintendent,” or “chief inspector.” Thus, you have “detective inspector” or “detective superintendent.” Anyone who has ever watched any British crime show could have been able to tell you this. But apparently NCA doesn’t watch those shows or hasn’t bothered to do her research, because the “detectives” are back. There is one single solitary instance when one of the other characters refers to someone as “Detective Inspector,” but it is only once and it feels almost like a mistake.
Instead of fixing this error over the course of the three books, NCA leans in and adds another one. She refers to John Ellis as “Director Ellis” or the head of CID for the Metropolitan Police. Because I have zero trust in her ability to correctly rank people, I decided to do a little research of my own. First of all, according to the Met’s own website, “director” is not a force rank that exists. But, you say, this book takes place in 1889 (the blurb says 1887 but the heading for Chapter 2 says 1889, so we’re going with 1889). Maybe things were different back then.
Fair enough. So let’s look back in time. In 1878, Howard Vincent was appointed as director of Criminal Investigation. The reason he was called a director and not an assistant commissioner (even though, as Wikipedia says, the “post was equivalent to the two assistant commissioners in every way”) was that he reported into the home secretary and not to the commissioner. Okay, so that lines up with NCA. Maybe I was too quick to judge.
But. BUT. In 1884, James Monro succeeded Vincent as head of CID. Unlike Vincent, he reported to the commissioner, so his title was assistant commissioner; in 1888, Sir Robert Anderson succeeded him as assistant commissioner of CID. So as far as I can tell, only one person was ever director of CID and not in the time frame this book takes place. Plus, there was an actual person leading CID at this time instead of NCA’s fictional John Ellis. At the very least, couldn’t NCA have given John a lower rank and put him in charge of a smaller branch?
This research probably took me about an hour. It’s entirely possible I could have erred somewhere, but there are enough things that give me pause and make me wonder what research NCA and her editors did.
Other inaccuracies that bothered me:
- John mentions using the Bertillon system to lift and catalog fingerprints from a crime scene. The Bertillon system appears to have been used to catalog measurements of people who had been arrested, not to lift latent fingerprints and store them somewhere until they can be compared to a suspect who hasn’t been arrested yet. (Also, nothing ever happens with these fingerprints. They only seem to be mentioned so John can tell us how forward-thinking he is.)
- Police ranks again. On page 221, John asks where a constable’s captain is. There is no rank of “captain” in British policing. That’s an American thing.
- Someone makes a disparaging remark about the Labor Party (p. 143). First of all, spell it correctly—“Labour.” Secondly, the Labour Party wasn’t founded until 1900; there was an Independent Labour Party and a number of other small socialist groups, but the big political parties were the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party. Maybe all liberal-leaning parties were lumped by their opponents under the banner “labour,” but I kind of doubt it.
- Charlotte goes to a pub at one point. I don’t know a lot about pub history, but it seemed odd that a woman would just be able to waltz into a pub and talk to the barman and nary an eyebrow would be lifted. It looks like pubs had places specifically for women (snugs), but Protecting Her Heart doesn’t provide any indication that was where Charlotte was. She’s just a lady rubbing elbows with gentlemen in a not particularly reputable drinking establishment. Cool.
- At one point, John mentions how a murder scene in which the victim has been bludgeoned to death is one of the worst murder scenes he’s seen except for a specific gang-related murder scene that occurred a few years ago (p. 221). There have apparently been no sufficiently gruesome murders since then. To which I say, what about the Whitechapel murders, specifically those attributed to Jack the Ripper? If John is head of CID, let’s assume he’s been that for at least a year (probably longer because I think he was called “director” in the first book of this series and that was at least four years ago based on the age of Michael and AHmelie’s kids and Charlotte’s going to America for medical school). The Metropolitan Police were definitely involved in the Whitechapel cases, so even if John was not head of CID at the time (unlikely, given the series’ established timeline), he would have 100% known about them and likely seen them. And based on the descriptions of the victims, those murders were terrible and brutal. [If this book takes place in 1887 like in the blurb, this point is moot. I don’t know, though, because the difference in dates between the blurb and the text is throwing me.]
At the end of the book, NCA mentions loving to do research and that, even so, there may be errors in the book. I get that; I really do. Historical research can be hard and frustrating and sometimes you don’t get things right. But if there is research, to be honest, I’m not seeing it. The points I mention above should have been researched carefully. It’s one thing to get some dates a little wrong or have your characters acting not quite time-period appropriately, but these “errors” go beyond that sort of thing, in my opinion. And besides, I’m not really sure where the rest of the research IS then. Because there aren’t enough other era-specific clues in the book to show that it even warranted more than cursory research. I pictured the book taking place in the late nineteenth century because that was what I was told at the beginning. A few mentions of dresses and women being doctors and an omnibus do not provide a substantial historical setting.
Issue: Characters
I think NCA is capable of only writing one type of FMC: the Not Like Other Girls MC. I’ve read a number of NCA’s books (why, I have no idea), and each FMC is almost exactly the same. She has an Interest that makes her Different (in Charlotte’s case, it’s being a doctor). She is the most beautiful woman in the world. She is compassionate, feisty, interesting, and does all sorts of things that girls aren’t supposed to do. All the men in her life adore her. She banters wittily with the MMC (or I think it’s supposed to be witty; mostly the banter is just cringe). She has a tight-knit group of like-minded female friends, but otherwise, all other women hate her because she’s just so different and special.
In this book, we not only get that from Charlotte, but we also get that from Charlotte’s mom, Katherine (also known as Kat, because of course). Here are the things we know about Kat:
- She “engendered a sense of envy in some of the female variety” (p. 146), according to Mr. Carter. The phrase “some of the female variety” makes me want to poke out my own eyes.
- She was beautiful and lovely.
- She “wasn’t demure” or given to “feminine pursuits.” In fact, one of her friends (a man, because of course) states that “if girls had been allowed to play cricket, she would have been the best in town. I remember that anecdote because the ladies in the group were quite disdainful of the idea” (p. 165).
- All women are envious of her. That may be because their husbands were in love with her and she was in love with each of them at various points, but the women are obviously in the wrong. Their envy and dislike is “unwarranted” because “Kat was a kind woman” who was “effusive, enthusiastic, always the center of attention” but who also did secret acts of kindness (p. 165).
- She “did not ever have to seek for attention or approval” (p. 177). Because she always got them, I’m guessing?
- She was the most moral of all the morally people. She would never have pursued a married man because of morals, and also because of her pride, and also because she had “loads of [integrity] with plenty to spare” (p. 177).
If Charlotte is Not Like Other Girls, Kat cranks that dial up to ten. I kind of hated her by the time I got halfway through the book. When we find out that she was killed in a fit of jealous anger, I am neither surprised nor particularly saddened. To be honest, if I found my husband having a secret meeting with a woman I knew he was in love with and that I knew was in love with him, I think I’d be pretty upset too. I don’t know that I’d hit the woman over the head with a cane, but I’d be angry. However, apparently the only women who are allowed emotions in NCA’s world are her main characters and everyone who adores them. Because Charlotte gets upset with the person who murdered her mother and runs her down in the least tense chase scene I think I’ve ever read and almost whacks her over the head with a cane. She’s stopped at the last second by John, but no one ever questions Charlotte’s emotions. Her emotions and reactions are perfectly acceptable, I guess.
John is just . . . not that interesting. He spends the first half of the book mentioning Charlotte is his good friend about a billion times so they obvi can’t be together. Since he’s the head of CID, I thought we’d get some interesting information about his daily work life, but NCA can’t be bothered to cobble together anything of John’s life beyond Charlotte. I think John goes to a couple of meetings (?) with some Turkish people and a Frenchman named Mr. Francois (François!) and signs some papers. And talks about the politics of his job but never actually does anything political.
That’s actually another main gripe I have about how NCA writes. Charlotte has an interesting job (female doctor in Victorian England!), John has an interesting job (head of CID!), and they are trying to solve a twenty-year-old murder, and yet NCA can’t be bothered to give us any information beyond a few paragraphs that gloss over their work lives. Their careers are boiled down to a few paragraphs that give us the bare minimum of what happened that day and then we’re off to a ball or a library or a carriage ride where everyone can have awkward conversations that make my eyeballs hurt from rolling so hard.
Issue: The Writing
There are painful info dumps, particularly at the beginning of the book.
There is lots of telling and not much showing.
There are assumptions made about people that require great leaps of the imagination and then obviousness that is overlooked.
There are oddly inappropriate reactions to things that happen. For example, when Amelie and John are at the scene of a murder that is described as a bloodbath, Amelie asks John if she wants her notes from the meeting. He says yes, and this is her response:
“Rather a good thing I take initiative, wouldn’t you say?” She grimaced. “Unless we led a murderer to his door. Either way, helps to be thorough.”
What the actual WHAT. How is this your response when your investigation is probably what led this man to be killed? There is a dead body lying near you and you are talking about being thorough??
Or when Charlotte is running away from a man trying to throw her off the omnibus, and she asks him why he’s doing this. Or is more upset about her potential killer being condescending to her as a woman than she is about the threats he’s making against her life.
Or this gem:
John stood before the mirror in his Hampton House dressing room, successfully tying his cravat with a sense of pride but chafing at the fact that his key witness had been killed in his jail cell.
How are those two thoughts at all related? Why are they in the same sentence? Even if John is feeling both pride and chafing (ha), there has to be a better way to write it that doesn’t put something fairly trivial in the same breath as something with substantial weight.
There are so many commas added where they shouldn’t be that it borders on punctuation abuse.
There are scenes that should be dripping with tension and fall absolutely flat. NCA does not write action scenes particularly well.
There are phrases that are unintentionally hilarious, like when Charlotte’s “whisps” of hair are described. Whisps is a brand of cheese crisps. Wisps are little tufts of hair. Ha.
Conclusion
This was just not an enjoyable read. I didn’t go into expecting greatness, but I expected readability and at least a lighthearted romp. Instead, I got pain. Almost physical pain because I was rolling my eyes so hard.
Never again, Nancy Campbell Allen. Never again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2023
Protecting Her Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen is a wonderful historical fiction and romance that is the third book in the delightful Matchmakers series.
I have read this series from the beginning, and I think this one is my favorite. Of course there is the slow burn romance from long-time friends to something more between Charlotte and John, but there is so much more.
There is mystery, history, suspense, surprises, and a bit of action to boot. Charlotte and John make for great MCs with real personalities and professional lives. They are multifaceted and are great as individuals as well as together. Working together on this mystery was quite excellent.
Such a cute book that kept my interest throughout.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/2/24.
I have read this series from the beginning, and I think this one is my favorite. Of course there is the slow burn romance from long-time friends to something more between Charlotte and John, but there is so much more.
There is mystery, history, suspense, surprises, and a bit of action to boot. Charlotte and John make for great MCs with real personalities and professional lives. They are multifaceted and are great as individuals as well as together. Working together on this mystery was quite excellent.
Such a cute book that kept my interest throughout.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/2/24.
January 2, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series, but I think Protecting Her Heart is my new favorite. I love the Charlotte has followed her dream of becoming a doctor, despite society's expectations for women at the time. I also thought John is just such a kind and honorable man, and he's also struggling against society's expectations by becoming a police officer. These two have the sweetest friends to lovers story, and it was so fun to watch them realize those feelings!
I loved the family mystery in this story, and how all the characters worked together to discover the truth about Charlotte's mom's death 20 years before. It was just so entertaining!
Definitely recommended to historical fiction, especially if you love Victorian England!
Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing, NetGalley, and Nancy Campbell Allen for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
I loved the family mystery in this story, and how all the characters worked together to discover the truth about Charlotte's mom's death 20 years before. It was just so entertaining!
Definitely recommended to historical fiction, especially if you love Victorian England!
Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing, NetGalley, and Nancy Campbell Allen for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
December 18, 2023
Charlotte Duvall studied medicine and became a doctor in America. Her father writes her a letter suggesting that her mother’s death when she was a child may not have been an accident. She returns home to England but arrives in time for her fathers funeral. It is 1887 and female doctors are rare in England. She turns to an old friend John Ellis who is director of London’s police force to get information about her mother’s death. He is a second son of an Earl and well respected. Her two best friends are her cousins Amelie and Eva who have both married police detectives. They were the leads in the first two books in the Matchmakers series. Charlotte and John along with a bit of help from the others go through the files and talk to people who were there. But someone is not happy and she is getting threats on her life.
I like this series. Especially as it highlights women with unusual interests. In the previous book Eva uses her love of photography to help document crime scenes. In this book Charlotte’s medical knowledge helps her understand autopsy photos. Who knew they took them that long ago. I especially liked the proposal in this book. If you enjoy a good historical mystery with a clean romance this is a good book and series. Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
I like this series. Especially as it highlights women with unusual interests. In the previous book Eva uses her love of photography to help document crime scenes. In this book Charlotte’s medical knowledge helps her understand autopsy photos. Who knew they took them that long ago. I especially liked the proposal in this book. If you enjoy a good historical mystery with a clean romance this is a good book and series. Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
January 27, 2024
Charlotte returns to England after completing her medical training at the urgency of her father's rapidly declining health. A letter from him indicating her mother's passing is suspicious has her needing to investigate the claim. Who better to help than her cousins and their connections to law enforcement? With mutual friends and family in relationships, Charlotte and John are bound to share the same social circle, despite John's wealthy family's wishes that he avoid her. Their friendship is inevitable but their romance is fated.
Reading this just reminded me how good Nancy is with dialogue (I'm still just impatiently waiting for her to go back to her steampunk world). I love when her main characters share the page and interact. The romance is sweet and I'll never get over a he-fell-first.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
Reading this just reminded me how good Nancy is with dialogue (I'm still just impatiently waiting for her to go back to her steampunk world). I love when her main characters share the page and interact. The romance is sweet and I'll never get over a he-fell-first.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
January 2, 2024
This Victorian era novel was such a great read! It was the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and romance.
The tension and chemistry between Charlotte and John was wonderful, and it was clear from the start how perfect they were for each other. I loved their bantering, and friends to more, slow burn romance.
The story was fast paced, and the mystery involving the death of Charlotte’s mother, hooked me from the beginning and had me second-guessing myself as to who the villain was and what their motive was.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys an engaging mystery and romantic historical fiction; one that is full of secrets, forbidden love, jealousy, danger, murder, good friends, sweet romance, kisses only, and closure that leads to a very satisfying HEA.
This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first two books beforehand.
I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain but a positive review was not required.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for a gifted paperback!
The tension and chemistry between Charlotte and John was wonderful, and it was clear from the start how perfect they were for each other. I loved their bantering, and friends to more, slow burn romance.
The story was fast paced, and the mystery involving the death of Charlotte’s mother, hooked me from the beginning and had me second-guessing myself as to who the villain was and what their motive was.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys an engaging mystery and romantic historical fiction; one that is full of secrets, forbidden love, jealousy, danger, murder, good friends, sweet romance, kisses only, and closure that leads to a very satisfying HEA.
This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first two books beforehand.
I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain but a positive review was not required.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for a gifted paperback!
January 2, 2024
“𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘮𝘦, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺?” 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘚𝘰 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.
“𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙.” 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙. “𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩.”
this story was bittersweet as it’s the last in this series! the two previous books were five star reads for me. i was so excited for charlotte and john’s story after they’ve been dancing around each other for years and protecting her heart did not disappoint.
nancy campbell allen does friends to lovers so well. though they were apart for four years, the chemistry and friendship between john and charlotte picked up right where it left off. absence truly made their hearts grow fonder! i loved the communication and the acknowledgment of feelings in this story. they had plenty of things working against their relationship, but i really enjoyed how they worked together to figure out how to make things work.
the mystery surrounding katherine duvall’s death was so good and paired with the romance had me fully invested in this book. i enjoyed catching up with amelie, michael, eva, and nathan! i also loved the addition of the quiet, broody scotsman dirk. i REALLY hope he gets his own story in a spinoff series! please, nancy?!?! i’ve enjoyed this series so much and can’t recommend it enough!
content: kisses
thank you to shadow mountain for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.
“𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙.” 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙. “𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩.”
this story was bittersweet as it’s the last in this series! the two previous books were five star reads for me. i was so excited for charlotte and john’s story after they’ve been dancing around each other for years and protecting her heart did not disappoint.
nancy campbell allen does friends to lovers so well. though they were apart for four years, the chemistry and friendship between john and charlotte picked up right where it left off. absence truly made their hearts grow fonder! i loved the communication and the acknowledgment of feelings in this story. they had plenty of things working against their relationship, but i really enjoyed how they worked together to figure out how to make things work.
the mystery surrounding katherine duvall’s death was so good and paired with the romance had me fully invested in this book. i enjoyed catching up with amelie, michael, eva, and nathan! i also loved the addition of the quiet, broody scotsman dirk. i REALLY hope he gets his own story in a spinoff series! please, nancy?!?! i’ve enjoyed this series so much and can’t recommend it enough!
content: kisses
thank you to shadow mountain for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.
February 11, 2024
I've read and loved the previous books in this series and anxiously awaited for Charlotte's story. Charlotte's been in America studying to become a doctor, but before she can begin her first assignment after graduating she receives a letter from her father asking her to come home because he's fallen ill. While on the journey home, Charlotte's father dies. While taking care of things at the estate, she comes across some old letters belonging to her mother, which raise several questions and suggest that maybe her mother's death wasn't an accident.
There are so many things I loved about this book. I like that it's set in the Victorian era because women were getting a little more freedom and holding jobs other than being a seamstress or governess. I loved that Charlotte followed her dream to become a doctor and how John supported her, as there were many men who thought women were too delicate or not intelligent enough to be in medicine. I loved the multiple POV and getting to catch up with Charlotte's cousins and catch up on their lives since they found love.
I love romantic suspense and no one does it better in a historical setting than Nancy Campbell Allen. The mystery kept me guessing who wanted Charlotte's family gone and what their motive could've been. I love, love, love that John fell first and thought he and Charlotte had fantastic chemistry!! Speaking of John, I really liked that he followed his own path and not one his family picked out for him. I found him so swoony and thought he was perfect for Charlotte!
One of my favorite lines from John showed how much he cared about Charlotte. "To not have her in his life at all would be worse than loving her from a safe distance."
This can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend all of the books in this series. You won't be disappointed. I loved each of them. I received a digital copy from Shadow Mountain via NetGalley and a paperback copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
There are so many things I loved about this book. I like that it's set in the Victorian era because women were getting a little more freedom and holding jobs other than being a seamstress or governess. I loved that Charlotte followed her dream to become a doctor and how John supported her, as there were many men who thought women were too delicate or not intelligent enough to be in medicine. I loved the multiple POV and getting to catch up with Charlotte's cousins and catch up on their lives since they found love.
I love romantic suspense and no one does it better in a historical setting than Nancy Campbell Allen. The mystery kept me guessing who wanted Charlotte's family gone and what their motive could've been. I love, love, love that John fell first and thought he and Charlotte had fantastic chemistry!! Speaking of John, I really liked that he followed his own path and not one his family picked out for him. I found him so swoony and thought he was perfect for Charlotte!
One of my favorite lines from John showed how much he cared about Charlotte. "To not have her in his life at all would be worse than loving her from a safe distance."
This can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend all of the books in this series. You won't be disappointed. I loved each of them. I received a digital copy from Shadow Mountain via NetGalley and a paperback copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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July 23, 2023tl;dr
A mystery with a side of romance, featuring a sweet lead couple and a surprising amount of danger.
Thoughts
Having read and enjoyed the previous two books in the series, I have been looking forward to the third book and the third couple, and this book absolutely delivers. Charlotte and John were already likable in the previous installments, and it's great to see them get their moment. This book definitely centers the mystery, and the leads' relationships with their social standings. It's not a bad choice, as Charlotte and John have already developed enough that we the don't need to be convinced they love each other, but we do get a good deal of requisite pining before either of them manages to say it out loud. The stakes have also been raised a good deal! The mystery is incredibly personal, and the danger has ramped up, and I found myself genuinely worried for our heroes in several places. Like the previous books, the mystery is more read-along than solve-along, with a fitting conclusion. There's more thrill and action than one might expect from a book marketed as "Proper Victorian Romance."
The structure of this series is such that the two previous books are not required reading, but if you like this one, you'll probably like those too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
A mystery with a side of romance, featuring a sweet lead couple and a surprising amount of danger.
Thoughts
Having read and enjoyed the previous two books in the series, I have been looking forward to the third book and the third couple, and this book absolutely delivers. Charlotte and John were already likable in the previous installments, and it's great to see them get their moment. This book definitely centers the mystery, and the leads' relationships with their social standings. It's not a bad choice, as Charlotte and John have already developed enough that we the don't need to be convinced they love each other, but we do get a good deal of requisite pining before either of them manages to say it out loud. The stakes have also been raised a good deal! The mystery is incredibly personal, and the danger has ramped up, and I found myself genuinely worried for our heroes in several places. Like the previous books, the mystery is more read-along than solve-along, with a fitting conclusion. There's more thrill and action than one might expect from a book marketed as "Proper Victorian Romance."
The structure of this series is such that the two previous books are not required reading, but if you like this one, you'll probably like those too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
January 2, 2024
This author has the best Victorian romance series and I loved the mystery and intrigue connected with this story.
Charlotte went to America and is now a doctor. I loved watching her push the social norms boundaries and follow her dreams and passion. Her very good friend, and the only single one in the group of friends, John, is a director of the police force, and watching them connect in multiple ways was so satisfying. The ebb and flow of their budding relationship was everything for me.
Untangling a years old mystery surrounding her mother’s death, while avoiding harm, and uncovering dirty secrets and many lies gave a solid foundation to this romantic suspense. The added banter and wit between these two provided a sturdy attachment for these two friends, as their relationship turns to a slow burn smolder. I loved the near misses to getting caught and the hidden longings, but this duo proved they can weather any storm and they work so well together.
Content: death, mild romance, danger/attacks/shooting/peril (all mild)
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Charlotte went to America and is now a doctor. I loved watching her push the social norms boundaries and follow her dreams and passion. Her very good friend, and the only single one in the group of friends, John, is a director of the police force, and watching them connect in multiple ways was so satisfying. The ebb and flow of their budding relationship was everything for me.
Untangling a years old mystery surrounding her mother’s death, while avoiding harm, and uncovering dirty secrets and many lies gave a solid foundation to this romantic suspense. The added banter and wit between these two provided a sturdy attachment for these two friends, as their relationship turns to a slow burn smolder. I loved the near misses to getting caught and the hidden longings, but this duo proved they can weather any storm and they work so well together.
Content: death, mild romance, danger/attacks/shooting/peril (all mild)
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
February 4, 2024
Title: Protecting Her Heart
Author: Nancy Campbell Allen
📚
Review:
This book was the perfect ending to a wonderful series! The mystery was top notch, the suspense had me nail biting a few times, and the banter and romance were fantastic! I loved every single minute of it and couldn’t stop reading once I picked it up.
I loved the side story of Charlotte being an early doctor. I always appreciate stories with females doing things slightly outside the box, and paving the way for other women to follow. Charlotte is friendly and inquisitive and I love her.
John Ellis and his sweet “he fell first,” madly in love self, was so great. I loved his protectiveness of Charlotte and those he loved, his dedication to his job, and how he always worked to do the right thing. He’s the sweetest hero you can’t help but love.
I also loved that the entire cast of characters from previous books had page time in this one. It makes me so happy when you actually see characters you already know and love show up again.
This is the third in a series. It can be read as a stand alone, but I loved every book, Anna you’ll love the side characters even more if you read in order. If you’rea fan of mystery, whodunit, suspense, and Victorian historical, I highly recommend this book.
*CW/TW: murder and dead bodies; some details of wounds and blood; autopsy details; light kissing
**Thanks to the publisher for the copy. I have provided this honest review of my own volition.
Quotes I loved:
“But I love you.” The admission drifted quietly on the air, and eventually settled on Charlotte’s heart. Her eyes burned and she shut them tightly.
“Please don’t say that,” she whispered.
“It’s true. It’s always been true. It was you before I even knew you existed.”
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#LovelyBookishDelights #BookReview
#JessieLynnReads #JessieLynnBookstagrammer #LadysLiterarySociety #BooksToGrandmas
Author: Nancy Campbell Allen
📚
Review:
This book was the perfect ending to a wonderful series! The mystery was top notch, the suspense had me nail biting a few times, and the banter and romance were fantastic! I loved every single minute of it and couldn’t stop reading once I picked it up.
I loved the side story of Charlotte being an early doctor. I always appreciate stories with females doing things slightly outside the box, and paving the way for other women to follow. Charlotte is friendly and inquisitive and I love her.
John Ellis and his sweet “he fell first,” madly in love self, was so great. I loved his protectiveness of Charlotte and those he loved, his dedication to his job, and how he always worked to do the right thing. He’s the sweetest hero you can’t help but love.
I also loved that the entire cast of characters from previous books had page time in this one. It makes me so happy when you actually see characters you already know and love show up again.
This is the third in a series. It can be read as a stand alone, but I loved every book, Anna you’ll love the side characters even more if you read in order. If you’rea fan of mystery, whodunit, suspense, and Victorian historical, I highly recommend this book.
*CW/TW: murder and dead bodies; some details of wounds and blood; autopsy details; light kissing
**Thanks to the publisher for the copy. I have provided this honest review of my own volition.
Quotes I loved:
“But I love you.” The admission drifted quietly on the air, and eventually settled on Charlotte’s heart. Her eyes burned and she shut them tightly.
“Please don’t say that,” she whispered.
“It’s true. It’s always been true. It was you before I even knew you existed.”
.
..
...
..
.
#LovelyBookishDelights #BookReview
#JessieLynnReads #JessieLynnBookstagrammer #LadysLiterarySociety #BooksToGrandmas
September 10, 2024
3.5⭐️ This one was tougher for me, though it was well written! I felt super invested in the entire plot … it was very sad (surrounding Charlottes mother’s death).
In spite of the heavier themes, There were still some super cute, fun, and sweet moments. John really had little page time in the previous books, but I liked his character a lot. I already liked Charlotte, and it was also fun to see Eva and Amelie, their husbands, and their children 😍
The romance was more like the second book. It’s clean but a lot of kissing at times and more noticing in this one than the previous books.
The end was a bit sad. Life is precious so loss of a loved one is always difficult. Also, this not being a Christian story—which I knew—made it feel a bit sadder.
Jesus is hope 🩷
I AM still sad to say goodbye to these friends! Those “scandalous” Hamiltons 😉 were so much fun, and I loved the police aspect and mysteries. I’m most happy that all the girls get a “happily” ever after. 👏
Content: murder, violence
In spite of the heavier themes, There were still some super cute, fun, and sweet moments. John really had little page time in the previous books, but I liked his character a lot. I already liked Charlotte, and it was also fun to see Eva and Amelie, their husbands, and their children 😍
The romance was more like the second book. It’s clean but a lot of kissing at times and more noticing in this one than the previous books.
The end was a bit sad. Life is precious so loss of a loved one is always difficult. Also, this not being a Christian story—which I knew—made it feel a bit sadder.
Jesus is hope 🩷
I AM still sad to say goodbye to these friends! Those “scandalous” Hamiltons 😉 were so much fun, and I loved the police aspect and mysteries. I’m most happy that all the girls get a “happily” ever after. 👏
Content: murder, violence
March 5, 2024
This series is an example of this author’s amazing ability to write a Victorian suspenseful romance. Each book stands alone, but the characters intertwine.
The plot: Charlotte returns as a surgeon and not everyone is happy about this accomplishment. Before his death, her father sent her a letter that raised suspicion regarding her mother’s death. John is the police officer and friend she turns to for help. Hellooooo John.
The characters: Loved both of these characters to pieces. Charlotte is smart and carries herself with dignity through her trials. John is her protector in the best of ways.
Verdict: Read the entire series and find out what happens when the past resurfaces and affects Charlotte’s future. And you need John in your life folks.
The plot: Charlotte returns as a surgeon and not everyone is happy about this accomplishment. Before his death, her father sent her a letter that raised suspicion regarding her mother’s death. John is the police officer and friend she turns to for help. Hellooooo John.
The characters: Loved both of these characters to pieces. Charlotte is smart and carries herself with dignity through her trials. John is her protector in the best of ways.
Verdict: Read the entire series and find out what happens when the past resurfaces and affects Charlotte’s future. And you need John in your life folks.
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