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Sir Arthur's Legacy #1
Sweet Bea
Is anything sweeter than revenge?
In a family of remarkable people, ordinary Beatrice strives to prove herself worthy. When her family is threatened with losing everything, she rushes to London to save them. Unfortunately, she chooses as her savior the very man who will see her family brought low.
Garrett has sworn vengeance on Sir Arthur of Anglesea for destroying his life when he was a boy and forcing his mother into prostitution for them to survive. He has chosen as his instrument Sir Arthur's youngest daughter, Beatrice.
Can Beatrice’s goodness teach Garrett that love, not vengeance, is the greatest reward of all?
81,144 Words
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
28 people are currently reading
1079 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hegger
46 books642 followersBorn British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble.
Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.
She currently lives in Draper, Utah, with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.
Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.
She currently lives in Draper, Utah, with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
December 11, 2014
Sweet Bea is an entertaining medieval road-trip story into which the author has thrown a feisty, breeches-wearing heroine, a not-so-heroic hero, a tart with a heart and various other romantic novel clichés and somehow managed to come up with a story I didn’t entirely hate!
Lady Beatrice of Anglesey is the baby of the family (although not for much longer, as her mother is expecting) and even though she’s now a young woman, her family continues to treat her like a child. She’s usually sent from the room when discussions get interesting and it’s clear to her that nobody expects her to amount to very much. To be fair, her parents and siblings think they are doing her a favour by keeping her from hearing stories of the unpleasantness in the world around them, but haven’t stopped to think that perhaps there really are times when a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The only way Bea ever finds out anything – she says – is when she manages to eavesdrop; and it’s during one such conversation that she learns her family is in danger and that she’s the only one prepared to do anything to help.
She overhears a discussion between her uncle and one of her brothers, from which it seems as though her father has angered the king (John) and that their home may soon come under attack. Her mother is unwell, her brother Henry is unwilling to leave to find their father and brothers - so Bea determines to sneak away and go to London to fetch him.
She can’t travel alone, however, and enlists the aid of her childhood friend, Tom. He’s completely against Bea’s plan – but knowing she’ll likely go anyway, he grudgingly agrees to help. The problem is that he doesn’t really know how to get to London – but Bea is undaunted. She will ask one of the recent newcomers to the village, a man named Garrett (and there’s a typical medieval name if ever I heard one - NOT!) to come along, too, as she’s sure he will know the way. She doesn’t know much about him, it’s true, but Garrett is handsome, charming and pays her the kind of attentions she’s never received from anyone else – and she’s very thoroughly smitten.
Tom is suspicious of Garrett right away –and with good reason. He definitely has Bea in his sights as a target for seduction, but for reasons that go deeper than the simple desire of a man to bed a pretty girl. Garrett holds Bea’s father responsible for the fact that he and his mother were forced from their home when he was little more than a child, and for his mother’s having to become a whore in order to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. He plans to ruin Bea, figuring that making a whore of the daughter of the man he regards as his bitterest enemy will be the perfect act of revenge.
At first, the hero’s unlikely name, the heroine’s recklessness and the revenge plot induced much eye-rolling from this reader. But I kept reading and was surprised to myself engaged by the story and characters, which actually have something endearing about them. As the days pass, Garrett begins to realise that Bea is far from the spoiled princess he had thought her; it’s true that her tendency to rush headlong into danger lands them in hot water on more than one occasion, but she’s capable of great generosity and kindness, too. Her bravery and spirit begin to charm him, and to awaken his long-buried conscience.
And while there were times I wanted to throttle Bea for doing something stupid, or not thinking before she acts, she’s a little different from your average “feisty” heroine because she actually learns from her mistakes and wants to do better.
The story really picks up at around the three-quarter mark, when everything Bea has assumed concerning her father’s situation and the threat to her family is turned on its head, and the danger comes much closer to home. The ending is a little too pat, but I couldn’t help smiling at some of the exchanges between Bea’s father, brothers and Garrett.
What didn’t work so well for me, however, was the book’s execution. There is a lack of sophistication to the storytelling; the language is very simplistic, and in spite of the use of a number of more archaic terms – “chainse”, “braies”, for example – the tone is quite modern.
My biggest problem with the book is the fact that Ms Hegger seems to favour the use of lots and lots of short sentences. One after the other. Which happens a lot. And which I don’t like. At all. It’s a matter of personal preference, of course, but it’s something I find particularly irritating, especially when it happens as often as it does here.
Overall though, Sweet Bea is a relatively quick and undemanding read. While some aspects of the story are rather clichéd, it’s nonetheless very readable, and the way that both protagonists grow as characters is definitely one of its strengths.
This review originally appeared at Romantic Historical Reviews.
Lady Beatrice of Anglesey is the baby of the family (although not for much longer, as her mother is expecting) and even though she’s now a young woman, her family continues to treat her like a child. She’s usually sent from the room when discussions get interesting and it’s clear to her that nobody expects her to amount to very much. To be fair, her parents and siblings think they are doing her a favour by keeping her from hearing stories of the unpleasantness in the world around them, but haven’t stopped to think that perhaps there really are times when a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The only way Bea ever finds out anything – she says – is when she manages to eavesdrop; and it’s during one such conversation that she learns her family is in danger and that she’s the only one prepared to do anything to help.
She overhears a discussion between her uncle and one of her brothers, from which it seems as though her father has angered the king (John) and that their home may soon come under attack. Her mother is unwell, her brother Henry is unwilling to leave to find their father and brothers - so Bea determines to sneak away and go to London to fetch him.
She can’t travel alone, however, and enlists the aid of her childhood friend, Tom. He’s completely against Bea’s plan – but knowing she’ll likely go anyway, he grudgingly agrees to help. The problem is that he doesn’t really know how to get to London – but Bea is undaunted. She will ask one of the recent newcomers to the village, a man named Garrett (and there’s a typical medieval name if ever I heard one - NOT!) to come along, too, as she’s sure he will know the way. She doesn’t know much about him, it’s true, but Garrett is handsome, charming and pays her the kind of attentions she’s never received from anyone else – and she’s very thoroughly smitten.
Tom is suspicious of Garrett right away –and with good reason. He definitely has Bea in his sights as a target for seduction, but for reasons that go deeper than the simple desire of a man to bed a pretty girl. Garrett holds Bea’s father responsible for the fact that he and his mother were forced from their home when he was little more than a child, and for his mother’s having to become a whore in order to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. He plans to ruin Bea, figuring that making a whore of the daughter of the man he regards as his bitterest enemy will be the perfect act of revenge.
At first, the hero’s unlikely name, the heroine’s recklessness and the revenge plot induced much eye-rolling from this reader. But I kept reading and was surprised to myself engaged by the story and characters, which actually have something endearing about them. As the days pass, Garrett begins to realise that Bea is far from the spoiled princess he had thought her; it’s true that her tendency to rush headlong into danger lands them in hot water on more than one occasion, but she’s capable of great generosity and kindness, too. Her bravery and spirit begin to charm him, and to awaken his long-buried conscience.
And while there were times I wanted to throttle Bea for doing something stupid, or not thinking before she acts, she’s a little different from your average “feisty” heroine because she actually learns from her mistakes and wants to do better.
The story really picks up at around the three-quarter mark, when everything Bea has assumed concerning her father’s situation and the threat to her family is turned on its head, and the danger comes much closer to home. The ending is a little too pat, but I couldn’t help smiling at some of the exchanges between Bea’s father, brothers and Garrett.
What didn’t work so well for me, however, was the book’s execution. There is a lack of sophistication to the storytelling; the language is very simplistic, and in spite of the use of a number of more archaic terms – “chainse”, “braies”, for example – the tone is quite modern.
My biggest problem with the book is the fact that Ms Hegger seems to favour the use of lots and lots of short sentences. One after the other. Which happens a lot. And which I don’t like. At all. It’s a matter of personal preference, of course, but it’s something I find particularly irritating, especially when it happens as often as it does here.
Overall though, Sweet Bea is a relatively quick and undemanding read. While some aspects of the story are rather clichéd, it’s nonetheless very readable, and the way that both protagonists grow as characters is definitely one of its strengths.
This review originally appeared at Romantic Historical Reviews.
January 12, 2022
Great fun in a medieval setting. The naïve heroine sets out on an adventure to rescue her family. The H is not a Hero, he believes he has good reason to harm her. But he is charmed by her self talk - she refers to herself as Beatrice the Brave! The writing is great, fast paced, twisty plot with thuggery, rape, murder and seduction. It's wonderfully silly and I loved it.
September 3, 2014
I absolutely loved this book. Beatrice is delightful and dear with a lion’s heart and a puppy’s penchant for mishaps. You want to protect her and cheer her on as she forges an adventure founded on family loyalty and a fierce sense of justice. I squirmed when sexy capable Garrett, the man she (and I) believed is her champion actually plans to ruin and strand her in the middle of nowhere.
After loving Garrett in the first chapter, I hated him in the next, not just because he wanted to take his vengeance on Bea’s father out on her, but because of the vulgarity of his thoughts. So, then I was hooked. Was Bea going to be able to chase across England to save her family despite her biggest enemy disguising himself as her ally?
This is the second medieval I’ve read of Sarah Hegger’s and she is fast becoming one of my new favorite authors. She plunges you into action, weaves a collection of ragtag colorful characters and keeps you guessing whether Garret is going to save and love Bea or destroy and trash her. I’d highly recommend Sweet Bea.
After loving Garrett in the first chapter, I hated him in the next, not just because he wanted to take his vengeance on Bea’s father out on her, but because of the vulgarity of his thoughts. So, then I was hooked. Was Bea going to be able to chase across England to save her family despite her biggest enemy disguising himself as her ally?
This is the second medieval I’ve read of Sarah Hegger’s and she is fast becoming one of my new favorite authors. She plunges you into action, weaves a collection of ragtag colorful characters and keeps you guessing whether Garret is going to save and love Bea or destroy and trash her. I’d highly recommend Sweet Bea.
October 6, 2015
Another fabulous historical romance by Ms. Hegger. I absolutely adored this romance. Garrett's hard exterior and wounded past sets up perfectly for Sweet Bea to come along and be the balm to his scarred soul. Loved to see her chisel away at his hard shell, never even knowing what she was doing.
Favorite quote: "He wanted to gather the parts of her she scattered around and keep them just for himself."
Lovely story! Recommend to all historical romance lovers.
Favorite quote: "He wanted to gather the parts of her she scattered around and keep them just for himself."
Lovely story! Recommend to all historical romance lovers.
September 9, 2014
I've said numerous times that I don't have too many dealbreakers as a reader because a good author can make me like just about anything. And Sweet Bea is a book that proves that true. Somehow Sarah Hegger takes a lying jerk hero, a curl-tossing and feisty heroine, and a handful of ridiculous romance plotting cliches, and turns it all into a fun but also surprisingly moving story.
Beatrice of Angelsea is the member of the household least likely to be taken seriously - and it frustrates her no end. She has three broken betrothals to her name, a serious issue in those days, and no one in the family seems to think that she'll marry well or do much of anything. However, Bea refuses to let her family's low opinion keep her down. When she overhears a plot to discredit her father and wrest the family's lands away from him, she does not hesitate to act. Father is in London serving King John, and since her mother's illness and the lack of men about the place leaves all vulnerable, she must ride for London at once.
Immediately she runs into her first problem - she has no clue how to get to London. Since Bea is feisty, this doesn't stop her. Her loyal childhood friend Tom agrees reluctantly to accompany her, and so does the mysterious new man in town who has been wooing Beatrice on the sly. Sweet, naive Bea trusts Garrett even though she knows little about him and therein lies some of the tension in the story.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars
Beatrice of Angelsea is the member of the household least likely to be taken seriously - and it frustrates her no end. She has three broken betrothals to her name, a serious issue in those days, and no one in the family seems to think that she'll marry well or do much of anything. However, Bea refuses to let her family's low opinion keep her down. When she overhears a plot to discredit her father and wrest the family's lands away from him, she does not hesitate to act. Father is in London serving King John, and since her mother's illness and the lack of men about the place leaves all vulnerable, she must ride for London at once.
Immediately she runs into her first problem - she has no clue how to get to London. Since Bea is feisty, this doesn't stop her. Her loyal childhood friend Tom agrees reluctantly to accompany her, and so does the mysterious new man in town who has been wooing Beatrice on the sly. Sweet, naive Bea trusts Garrett even though she knows little about him and therein lies some of the tension in the story.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars
September 12, 2014
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
I really wanted to like it, but it was just so and so...
To me it seemed that it was overly simplicistic. I think that this book should be tagged as YA or NA, because that was the idea I had while reading it. If it has been rated like that I wouldn't have requested it, because YA/NA is not my gendre.
It is not a bad book. Absolutely no. But I didn't like how the characters thought and how they acted. I couldn't sympathize with them. Most of the time I wanted to slap them for their stupidity.
The positive parts were those towards the end, where Bea's good deeds were recognized and appreciated.
The overall feeling I had was that this book was a Aesop's fable where there's a teaching to be surmised from: if you do good deeds you'll be rewarded.
The problem here was that Bea's good deeds, even if morally right, put in grave danger her companions. And not only once, but repeatedly!
I'm really sorry to give such a low rating, but the book wasn't for me...
I really wanted to like it, but it was just so and so...
To me it seemed that it was overly simplicistic. I think that this book should be tagged as YA or NA, because that was the idea I had while reading it. If it has been rated like that I wouldn't have requested it, because YA/NA is not my gendre.
It is not a bad book. Absolutely no. But I didn't like how the characters thought and how they acted. I couldn't sympathize with them. Most of the time I wanted to slap them for their stupidity.
The positive parts were those towards the end, where Bea's good deeds were recognized and appreciated.
The overall feeling I had was that this book was a Aesop's fable where there's a teaching to be surmised from: if you do good deeds you'll be rewarded.
The problem here was that Bea's good deeds, even if morally right, put in grave danger her companions. And not only once, but repeatedly!
I'm really sorry to give such a low rating, but the book wasn't for me...
September 5, 2014
Such a solid read! Adventure, character growth, deep emotion--it's all there. I'm still not sure which character I enjoyed more. Bea's personality is so light and lovely, the kind of heroine you love to cheer on. Garrett--well, he has some significant growth. Sarah Hegger did an exceptional job of taking a man with a twisted heart and guiding him to goodness.
Another thing I enjoyed--the description. The author's words were so well crafted I found myself easily falling into medieval times and experiencing the journey along with her characters. This is my second read by this author and I'm convinced she's one I can rely on to consistently delivery great stories.
Another thing I enjoyed--the description. The author's words were so well crafted I found myself easily falling into medieval times and experiencing the journey along with her characters. This is my second read by this author and I'm convinced she's one I can rely on to consistently delivery great stories.
November 11, 2018
With a graceful mother, strong brothers, and a beautiful sister, Beatrice has always felt she's just a little less than the rest of her family. But when danger looms while her father and brothers are away, she has the chance to prove herself worthy by dashing off to deliver the message that will save them all.
Garrett's been waiting his entire life to avenge his mother. Were it not for Beatrice's father, his mother might have kept her dignity, might have made a fruitful life for herself and her young son, might have lived. And now that Beatrice is falling for his charms and begging for his help, he finally has his opportunity for revenge. If only Beatrice weren't so trusting and kind and selfless.
Judging Covers: As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I love me some historical romance, but more often that not, I pass up the genre based solely on the covers. All the swooning women who can't seem to keep their dresses up, the shampoo commercial guy keeping her from falling over as he sneaks a peek down her top while trying to look tough, apparently never realizing his own shirt is wide open and revealing his greasy chest… Yeah, I can do without all that. But just as Sweet Bea livened up the historical romance genre, it sports an atypical and altogether intriguing cover. I think I was half in love with the book before I even cracked the first page.
The Verdict: I actually put off reading this one for a little while because I'd recently gone through a string of less than stellar books, and I wasn't sure I wanted to dive into something as heavy as historical fiction, romance or not. And apparently because I'm an idiot.
Sweet Bea might just be the best historical romance I've ever read.
Beatrice is imaginative and flighty and so naive it should be annoying, but it only serves to make her that much more endearing. Of course, that ignorance leads her straight into the arms of a man whose intentions are anything but noble, but the same innate goodness that has her running headlong into danger without any thought for her own well being is the very thing that has Garrett doubting his original plan. While his hatred for her father still burns hot, it's not so easy to take it out on the daughter who seems to see only the good in everyone.
The word fun doesn't even begin to describe their adventure. Beatrice's wild imagination has her envisioning a heroic ride to London, where she warns her father of a plot against their family and saves the day. And of course, Garrett falls madly in love with her, and they live happily ever after. But instead, they find trouble at every turn along the way, not to mention a few stragglers to add to their party, and when any other noblewoman would be turning up her nose or turning her back on the unfortunates they come across, Bea's naïveté makes her an unlikely and much needed savior.
Garrett tries to keep to his original plan, intent on breaking her heart and stealing her virtue to get back at her father, but when each scrape has him fighting to protect her, only to then see her reach out to people anyone else would say are below her, his conscience and need for vengeance are at odds. The silly girl he thought he could simply charm seems to be unwittingly charming him, and he goes from wanting to ruin her to wanting to see her safely away from anyone who could hurt her — especially himself.
It's impossible to explain how entertaining, how funny and exciting, how simply wonderful the story is without walking you through the best parts — and that would be so unfair. The plot itself is simple enough — he sets out to hurt her, falls for her, and everything works out in the end. That much is entirely predictable. But the creative path the book takes to get there is a fascinating story in itself, with a very atypical heroine leading a wild charge with a rag-tag band of misfits, and a family reunion scene that is easily one of the most unexpectedly funny and sweet parts of the story.
For those of us that love historical romances, Sweet Bea is an exciting and entertaining ride through a time of knights and royal intrigue. But for those who aren't as keen on going back in time, I think it will be a very pleasant surprise. The story has all the entertaining qualities of a contemporary romance with a quirky heroine, but it pulls it off on horseback and at swordpoint.
***FicCentral received this book from Tasty Book Tours for free in exchange for an honest review. Even so, we're far too opinionated to let a freebie influence our thoughts or the contents of the reviews we post here.
November 25, 2014
This book was a dramatic telling of a young girl's quest for adventure and her need to save her family. During the time of King John, there was always some sort of intrigue, espionage and political folderol. Beatrice of Anglesea is the baby of the family, preceded in the birth order by a lovely sisters and three strong brothers. All her life, she's been nothing more than Sweet Be a to them, a child prone to mishaps and hijinks. For that reason, when she sees an opportunity to make a difference for her family, she takes it.
She seeks the assistance of Garrett, the handsome man who has captured her heart. Unfortunately, Garrett is a typical cur - just leading her on as he seeks his revenge for her father's act of war upon his. Poor Bea. She certainly isn't expecting this turn of events.
Here's what I love about this book. Sarah Hegger took a prancing little princess and grew her into a brave, sensible, strong woman. Hugger also moved Garrett from being a jerk, bent on revenge to being a man so deeply in love with his former target that he’d do anything for her.
If you love historical romance, especially stories set in the medieval period, this is the book for you.
She seeks the assistance of Garrett, the handsome man who has captured her heart. Unfortunately, Garrett is a typical cur - just leading her on as he seeks his revenge for her father's act of war upon his. Poor Bea. She certainly isn't expecting this turn of events.
Here's what I love about this book. Sarah Hegger took a prancing little princess and grew her into a brave, sensible, strong woman. Hugger also moved Garrett from being a jerk, bent on revenge to being a man so deeply in love with his former target that he’d do anything for her.
If you love historical romance, especially stories set in the medieval period, this is the book for you.
June 24, 2018
Sweet Bea is a passionate tale that weaves quite the path for the protagonist, Beatrice. After overhearing a terrifying plot, Bea sets out on a mission to warn her family and save them all. The young girl meets several obstacles along the way, and as she travels with her companions, her relationship with Garret changes considerably.
This book started out a bit slow. It actually took me until page 100 before I was able to really pick up on the story and fall in love with the characters. However, after I fell into the groove with Sarah’s writing style, I was hooked! The story is compelling and thrilling. It is sweet and nerve-wracking at the same time. The characters are lovable, and the historical setting makes it unique. There is love, and vengeance, and passion. There is betrayal and heart break. This book has it all, and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the series!
This book started out a bit slow. It actually took me until page 100 before I was able to really pick up on the story and fall in love with the characters. However, after I fell into the groove with Sarah’s writing style, I was hooked! The story is compelling and thrilling. It is sweet and nerve-wracking at the same time. The characters are lovable, and the historical setting makes it unique. There is love, and vengeance, and passion. There is betrayal and heart break. This book has it all, and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the series!
March 27, 2017
I'm actually quite pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. I was expecting some historical fluff, and while the book was definitely fluffy, it was actually also kind of inspirational, even if not on any global levels.
Beatrice is kind of the odd sheep in her family of extraordinary people, as the summary states. Her mother, the Lady Mary, is well-respected and authoritative; her father a great knight and warrior whom even the king has become envious of. Her brothers readily follow in Sir Arthur's footsteps in kind, and her sister, Lady Faye, is the perfect beauty, wife, and mother.
Meanwhile, Bea is simply known as the one with hair-brained ideas who keeps finding herself in one form of trouble or another. But when her family is in trouble, she takes it upon herself to seek out her father with hopes of saving the day.
In truth, Beatrice could have been that heroine I love to hate. Bea is naive and innocent, too trusting of others, at times kind of ditzy. And her main hair-brained idea in this book truly DOES get her and her companions into a lot of trouble. But aside from all of that, she's a Mary Sue of epic proportions as even one of her fellow companions states that she's a rare person with a big, warm heart.
And so while she's a heroine I normally can't stand, somehow, Bea comes off kind of endearing, and manages to show us that she's so much more than what she's always described as. There's a lot of feisty and a churning mind under her lovely, sweet personality that I don't think characters in the book give her enough credit for.
One thing that bugged me includes how Bea's family treats her, even by the end of the book. If she's ignorant about current events or even family goings on, it's because nobody ever tells her anything. And when she actively seeks out answers, they either omit facts or lie to her or just tell her that she doesn't need to know, keeping her completely in the dark. So I feel like the whole "Bea shouldn't do anything if she doesn't know what's going on" mentality is a bit unfair to her. Hard to keep a wandering child from falling off a cliff if you don't warn her that it's there, or what will happen if she gets to close.
Even as the conclusion rolled around, I still didn't know whether or not Bea's adventure was pointless. The family still isn't really saying anything about what they already knew, or what kinds of precautions were already active--there are STILL secrets being kept.
Which brings me to the second thing that didn't work for me as the ending. Truth be told, it was a nice, well-rounded ending. But it was well-rounded because we pretty much pick up all of the story's stray eggs and stick them all in the basket and call it good. I mean, everything just fell together like we were in a hurry to wrap up the show or something.
Anyway...
The book started off a little hard to get into, as I had a hard time with caring about the characters. It wasn't that I didn't like them; they just didn't mean anything to me, and neither did the story. So I'm glad that things picked up pretty quickly, and with the short length of this novel, the progression was straight-forward. We set off on a journey, and despite a few random detours, the book pretty much took us where it meant to take us since day one.
On a side note, I loved the rag tag group that Beatrice manages to collect along her way. I mean, she really only picks up two people to join her gang, and one of them was a little brat boy of a thief who kept trying to manipulate Bea's emotions; however, it DID make the adventure a little more amusing. I definitely loved the inclusion of Ivy and her subtle, budding friendship with Bea, and the small spark of romance with Tom.
Again, this book was more enjoyable than I'd expected, and that is always a good thing. I can't say that I completely fell for Garrett by the end of the book, but I don't dislike him either.
I may or may not continue on in this series.
***
I read this book for Romance Bingo 2017 for the "Headless" Woman square.
Other possible squares:
- New Adult - Bea and Garrett are fairly young, and I doubt they are any older than their mid-twenties.
- Virgin & Best First Time - For obvious reasons.
- Rogue - I would label Garrett as this.
- Historical Romance - I think this book takes place in the Middle Ages.
- Love (Free Space)
Beatrice is kind of the odd sheep in her family of extraordinary people, as the summary states. Her mother, the Lady Mary, is well-respected and authoritative; her father a great knight and warrior whom even the king has become envious of. Her brothers readily follow in Sir Arthur's footsteps in kind, and her sister, Lady Faye, is the perfect beauty, wife, and mother.
Meanwhile, Bea is simply known as the one with hair-brained ideas who keeps finding herself in one form of trouble or another. But when her family is in trouble, she takes it upon herself to seek out her father with hopes of saving the day.
In truth, Beatrice could have been that heroine I love to hate. Bea is naive and innocent, too trusting of others, at times kind of ditzy. And her main hair-brained idea in this book truly DOES get her and her companions into a lot of trouble. But aside from all of that, she's a Mary Sue of epic proportions as even one of her fellow companions states that she's a rare person with a big, warm heart.
And so while she's a heroine I normally can't stand, somehow, Bea comes off kind of endearing, and manages to show us that she's so much more than what she's always described as. There's a lot of feisty and a churning mind under her lovely, sweet personality that I don't think characters in the book give her enough credit for.
One thing that bugged me includes how Bea's family treats her, even by the end of the book. If she's ignorant about current events or even family goings on, it's because nobody ever tells her anything. And when she actively seeks out answers, they either omit facts or lie to her or just tell her that she doesn't need to know, keeping her completely in the dark. So I feel like the whole "Bea shouldn't do anything if she doesn't know what's going on" mentality is a bit unfair to her. Hard to keep a wandering child from falling off a cliff if you don't warn her that it's there, or what will happen if she gets to close.
Even as the conclusion rolled around, I still didn't know whether or not Bea's adventure was pointless. The family still isn't really saying anything about what they already knew, or what kinds of precautions were already active--there are STILL secrets being kept.
Which brings me to the second thing that didn't work for me as the ending. Truth be told, it was a nice, well-rounded ending. But it was well-rounded because we pretty much pick up all of the story's stray eggs and stick them all in the basket and call it good. I mean, everything just fell together like we were in a hurry to wrap up the show or something.
Anyway...
The book started off a little hard to get into, as I had a hard time with caring about the characters. It wasn't that I didn't like them; they just didn't mean anything to me, and neither did the story. So I'm glad that things picked up pretty quickly, and with the short length of this novel, the progression was straight-forward. We set off on a journey, and despite a few random detours, the book pretty much took us where it meant to take us since day one.
On a side note, I loved the rag tag group that Beatrice manages to collect along her way. I mean, she really only picks up two people to join her gang, and one of them was a little brat boy of a thief who kept trying to manipulate Bea's emotions; however, it DID make the adventure a little more amusing. I definitely loved the inclusion of Ivy and her subtle, budding friendship with Bea, and the small spark of romance with Tom.
Again, this book was more enjoyable than I'd expected, and that is always a good thing. I can't say that I completely fell for Garrett by the end of the book, but I don't dislike him either.
I may or may not continue on in this series.
***
I read this book for Romance Bingo 2017 for the "Headless" Woman square.
Other possible squares:
- New Adult - Bea and Garrett are fairly young, and I doubt they are any older than their mid-twenties.
- Virgin & Best First Time - For obvious reasons.
- Rogue - I would label Garrett as this.
- Historical Romance - I think this book takes place in the Middle Ages.
- Love (Free Space)
September 25, 2014
Sarah Heggers has taken a character mired in ill intent, and if not making him lovable, redeeming him to the point that the heroine’s fascination with and feelings for him are understood.
Beatrice is the youngest of Sir Arthur’s daughters, a bit spoiled and headstrong in her wanting to do more for others, her naiveté can land her in some horrible situations. She feels ‘unremarkable’ in her family, but her good heart shines through any of the missteps she may make.
She learns of a situation that can bring ruin to her family, she decides she needs to head to London to warn them, and prevent the worst happening. Being a young woman of quality, and very much of her time, she cannot travel alone, and chooses Garret to help her achieve her goal.
Garret starts out deceptive and duplicitous, and it was such a contrast to the sweetness of Bea, with her kind and trusting heart, and a bit of a crush on him. He is solely bent on revenge:: Bea’s father holds Garret’s enmity for his mother’s dire life circumstances, turning to whoring to support her children. His revenge will be to ruin Bea’s reputation and life, forcing her into a life of prostitution using her own attraction to him as an easy starting point.
While Bea is completely unaware of Garret’s agenda, he is not expecting his own feelings for her to grow and develop in the presence of the sweet and gentle soul. While much of Garret’s own issues are rooted in venom and anger, Bea sees the man behind that anger, and chooses to speak to that man, and I will admit that Garret’s growth and gradual release of his anger was noticeable, even if I couldn’t completely revise my opinion of him.
Hegger has done what an author should: given me characters to care about that caused me to feel for them and eventually see that their transformation was more than enough for the love to bloom. A sweet and enjoyable historic romance.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Beatrice is the youngest of Sir Arthur’s daughters, a bit spoiled and headstrong in her wanting to do more for others, her naiveté can land her in some horrible situations. She feels ‘unremarkable’ in her family, but her good heart shines through any of the missteps she may make.
She learns of a situation that can bring ruin to her family, she decides she needs to head to London to warn them, and prevent the worst happening. Being a young woman of quality, and very much of her time, she cannot travel alone, and chooses Garret to help her achieve her goal.
Garret starts out deceptive and duplicitous, and it was such a contrast to the sweetness of Bea, with her kind and trusting heart, and a bit of a crush on him. He is solely bent on revenge:: Bea’s father holds Garret’s enmity for his mother’s dire life circumstances, turning to whoring to support her children. His revenge will be to ruin Bea’s reputation and life, forcing her into a life of prostitution using her own attraction to him as an easy starting point.
While Bea is completely unaware of Garret’s agenda, he is not expecting his own feelings for her to grow and develop in the presence of the sweet and gentle soul. While much of Garret’s own issues are rooted in venom and anger, Bea sees the man behind that anger, and chooses to speak to that man, and I will admit that Garret’s growth and gradual release of his anger was noticeable, even if I couldn’t completely revise my opinion of him.
Hegger has done what an author should: given me characters to care about that caused me to feel for them and eventually see that their transformation was more than enough for the love to bloom. A sweet and enjoyable historic romance.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
September 15, 2014
Bea – This character is so well done. I could completely see and hear her as I read the story, and I smiled so big at her personality. Including but not limited to: her wit, her determination, her stubbornness, her big huge heart that won’t let her pass up helping a medieval hooker who’s getting raped or a thief who’s getting hanged. Or even a man who’s been using her to get back at her father. But enough about the plot I don’t want to ruin.
Garrett – okay his name first of all. And he’s such a jerk, but he’s not. Which is hard to explain but easy too. He doesn’t want to be a good guy, he wants his revenge, dammit, but all the way through the book, guise, he’s a GOOD GUY. And it pisses him off.
Side characters that will leave you with a bigger heart than you arrived with:
Ivy – the whore (and I hate this word but it’s what was used back in the day, what are you gonna do?) with a heart.
Newt – the thief with his own agenda, and maybe a crush on Bea. I’m not sure.
Tom – the best friend with intentions that are better than his temper at times.
Bea’s brothers – omg, these guys. I want these brothers. For the most part.
Uncle Godfrey. hmph.
There were moments I swooned, moments my heart ached but what makes me so happy is the humor that Sarah laced into this story. I laughed out loud so many times throughout this story just from the situation comedy Sarah puts her characters into. The action scenes . . . and there were plenty . . . were flawlessly executed. I love me some action. And Sarah caries them out fluidly. I could see everything that was going on inside my head. And um, again, Garrett . . . SWOON.
Garrett – okay his name first of all. And he’s such a jerk, but he’s not. Which is hard to explain but easy too. He doesn’t want to be a good guy, he wants his revenge, dammit, but all the way through the book, guise, he’s a GOOD GUY. And it pisses him off.
Side characters that will leave you with a bigger heart than you arrived with:
Ivy – the whore (and I hate this word but it’s what was used back in the day, what are you gonna do?) with a heart.
Newt – the thief with his own agenda, and maybe a crush on Bea. I’m not sure.
Tom – the best friend with intentions that are better than his temper at times.
Bea’s brothers – omg, these guys. I want these brothers. For the most part.
Uncle Godfrey. hmph.
There were moments I swooned, moments my heart ached but what makes me so happy is the humor that Sarah laced into this story. I laughed out loud so many times throughout this story just from the situation comedy Sarah puts her characters into. The action scenes . . . and there were plenty . . . were flawlessly executed. I love me some action. And Sarah caries them out fluidly. I could see everything that was going on inside my head. And um, again, Garrett . . . SWOON.
October 7, 2014
“Time to be wooed. Wooed with honeyed words and sweeter touches. Delightful tingles spread to Beatrice’s fingertips, rushed back again, and pooled in her stomach.”
Sweet Bea follows a young Lady Beatrice on her journey to London to warn her father of false charges set against him and at the same time falling more in love with Garrett, a man who is hell-bent on getting revenge for what Lady Beatrice’s father had done in the past with the means of turning the man’s youngest daughter into a whore like his mother had been forced to do to keep them fed. And later in the story, his intentions change to something more than he ever would have thought about.
Lady Beatrice was spoiled and naïve, but she was also kind and would not leave anyone behind. On her way to London, she gave coins to poor women and their children, rescued a whore from cruel men, and aided a young boy. She was willing to put herself in danger numerous times to help someone else. She is an admirable character.
Garret, I wasn’t so sure about him. I honestly didn’t like him, but I am forgiving of his character. He’s flawed like a real person and that alone is admirable to say the least. I did enjoy Tom and Ivy.
Overall, Sweet Bea is a journey of a story. I would give this book four out of five stars.
-book via netgalley
Sweet Bea follows a young Lady Beatrice on her journey to London to warn her father of false charges set against him and at the same time falling more in love with Garrett, a man who is hell-bent on getting revenge for what Lady Beatrice’s father had done in the past with the means of turning the man’s youngest daughter into a whore like his mother had been forced to do to keep them fed. And later in the story, his intentions change to something more than he ever would have thought about.
Lady Beatrice was spoiled and naïve, but she was also kind and would not leave anyone behind. On her way to London, she gave coins to poor women and their children, rescued a whore from cruel men, and aided a young boy. She was willing to put herself in danger numerous times to help someone else. She is an admirable character.
Garret, I wasn’t so sure about him. I honestly didn’t like him, but I am forgiving of his character. He’s flawed like a real person and that alone is admirable to say the least. I did enjoy Tom and Ivy.
Overall, Sweet Bea is a journey of a story. I would give this book four out of five stars.
-book via netgalley
February 9, 2015
Sweet Bea has captured my attention for the past two days, and I've enjoyed every moment of it. The story of Bea--a girl with a heart of gold--and Garrett, her suitor who has a secret to hide, was an enjoyable and emotional romp / road trip through medieval England.
Bea leaves her castle in Anglesea in search of her father in London, to try and prevent an invasion that threatens her family. She travels with the help of Tom (her childhood friend) and Garrett, a local blacksmith who happens to be the secret object of her affections. What she doesn't know is that Garrett has an agenda of his own; a revenge to extract that involves taking her prized chastity.
What follows is a journey not just of the physical kind, but also one where their characters develop and deepen, leading to an emotionally satisfying conclusion. It's beautifully written, with all the historical detail I'd want in a book set in medieval England, and characters that take on a life of their own.
An all-round excellent story - I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Bea leaves her castle in Anglesea in search of her father in London, to try and prevent an invasion that threatens her family. She travels with the help of Tom (her childhood friend) and Garrett, a local blacksmith who happens to be the secret object of her affections. What she doesn't know is that Garrett has an agenda of his own; a revenge to extract that involves taking her prized chastity.
What follows is a journey not just of the physical kind, but also one where their characters develop and deepen, leading to an emotionally satisfying conclusion. It's beautifully written, with all the historical detail I'd want in a book set in medieval England, and characters that take on a life of their own.
An all-round excellent story - I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.
January 22, 2015
This was my introduction to Sarah Hegger's work, and the two lead characters, Bea and Garrett, were believable as well as compelling. She is innocent, compulsive, and caring while he is vindictive and angry, with a nasty secret he intends to use against Lady Beatrice in order to achieve a life's goal of vengeance.
I liked him regardless, though. I liked the leading lady, too, even when she was being all silly and reckless. It was the ending, however, that came as a pleasant surprise. Not your typical or to-be-expected ending.
I look forward to reading more of Sarah's work now.
I liked him regardless, though. I liked the leading lady, too, even when she was being all silly and reckless. It was the ending, however, that came as a pleasant surprise. Not your typical or to-be-expected ending.
I look forward to reading more of Sarah's work now.
December 1, 2015
Oh Bea, sweet Bea! She's such a loving, gentle soul that even Garrett, hell bent on revenge at any cost, cannot resist her.
This was a great read. I wanted to throttle Bea at times, but she couldn't help it. She had such a good heart and was too trusting for her own good. Wonderful twists and turns. I recommend this to anyone that enjoys fun and adventurous historical romance.
This was a great read. I wanted to throttle Bea at times, but she couldn't help it. She had such a good heart and was too trusting for her own good. Wonderful twists and turns. I recommend this to anyone that enjoys fun and adventurous historical romance.
August 4, 2014
A great read and full of love, humor and crazy adventures. I felt the story was well written and flowed wonderfully. I lost sleep because I just had to keep reading until the end. I love reading Historical Romances and would recommend anyone else who does to pick this one up.
August 6, 2014
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was pretty amazing. It was funny and thrilling. I just could not put it down. This book will have you laughing, crying and rooting for a HEA. I really hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
August 10, 2017
I'm going to start with a caveat. I do not read historical romance. When I signed up for the good reads give away, I thought it was a bit more high fantasy. So, fans of the genre, please take this review with a grain of salt, as I'm an outsider looking in. I read fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy. Closest to historical romance is cozy Mysteries. Preferably with cats.
This book was confusing to me. It feels like it is written for a young audience, except for the R-rated sex scenes. Nothing horribly explicit (I read urban fantasy, so I'm not a prude), but it felt disjointed. And we hit all the tropes -- the innocent perky girl, the Rogue, the stalwart friend. And I know there are tropes and what I read as well -- the heroic spaceship captain, the evil alien, the comic sidekick. And the story seemed to wrap up white quickly and tidily. The story itself wasn't bad -- like I said, almost something you'd expect from a teen romance.
I apologize that I might have one this give away from someone who loves the genre, but rest assured, I'm putting this into the hands of a co-worker who is truly a fan of historical romance.
This book was confusing to me. It feels like it is written for a young audience, except for the R-rated sex scenes. Nothing horribly explicit (I read urban fantasy, so I'm not a prude), but it felt disjointed. And we hit all the tropes -- the innocent perky girl, the Rogue, the stalwart friend. And I know there are tropes and what I read as well -- the heroic spaceship captain, the evil alien, the comic sidekick. And the story seemed to wrap up white quickly and tidily. The story itself wasn't bad -- like I said, almost something you'd expect from a teen romance.
I apologize that I might have one this give away from someone who loves the genre, but rest assured, I'm putting this into the hands of a co-worker who is truly a fan of historical romance.
August 3, 2017
While I enjoyed this book, I wish the first half was as entertaining as the last half. I loved the story and the adventure road trip was fun, but it was difficult to connect with the characters until towards the end. Bea's character could be incredibly frustrating, but you find yourself cheering for her after her many misadventures. Definitely worth the read if you stay with it.
February 20, 2022
I read this book in one sitting. There were times that the main character ticked me off, but I remembered she led a sheltered life and was young. She had some sweet qualities about her too. I enjoyed the setting and the story I loved the mother of the main character. It was a fun read.
May 12, 2017
It’s hard to not fall in love with the characters in this story. There is Bea, who seems to enjoy pushing the limits at every chance, and who attracts trouble wherever she goes. Her sidekicks on her road trip to London are Garrett, whose plans for revenge against Bea’s father are put on hold as gets to know Bea, and her best friend, Tom. They pick up a couple more interesting characters along the way.
Each character is so distinct and most of them are quite loveable, though I confess Tom is my favorite. He tries so hard to keep his dear friend, Bea, out of trouble. He finds out a lot about himself and what he’s really made of during this trip.
Garrett also learns a lot about himself, and has some definite changes in his views on many levels, during this quest. And Bea is just Bea throughout the whole journey, but it is the being of herself that draws others to her.
They all have much to learn as they journey to London together.
This is an interesting story, a bit different, and quite entertaining. Love the adventures and unusual encounters along the way. All the characters are wonderful. A delightful read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Each character is so distinct and most of them are quite loveable, though I confess Tom is my favorite. He tries so hard to keep his dear friend, Bea, out of trouble. He finds out a lot about himself and what he’s really made of during this trip.
Garrett also learns a lot about himself, and has some definite changes in his views on many levels, during this quest. And Bea is just Bea throughout the whole journey, but it is the being of herself that draws others to her.
They all have much to learn as they journey to London together.
This is an interesting story, a bit different, and quite entertaining. Love the adventures and unusual encounters along the way. All the characters are wonderful. A delightful read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
July 3, 2015
Beatrice has to sneak away to see Garrett. He makes no promises about his feelings towards her but she is besotted. She thinks Garrett is charming because he woos her with honeyed words and sweet touches. When she is close to him, he has an earthy scent that was uniquely his. Garrett tells her that what she’s feeling is natural and not a sin. He can tell she is close to giving in to her desires.
Garrett is not what he seems to be. He is out for revenge and his target is Sir Arthur of Anglesea, Beatrice’s father. His hatred runs deep and his plan to ruin Bea’s reputation is steadfast. The small pouch he keeps around his neck is a reminder of his mother and the encouragement to continue. His plan is working and he knows she is close to succumbing to his affections. He can’t wait to tell Sir Arthur that he has taken certain liberties with his youngest daughter. Garrett finds out he is not alone in his hatred for this man and is forced into a partnership. This partnership will definitely see to the ruination of Bea.
Beatrice’s father is away from home and she is concerned about her mother’s health. Her mother is having a difficult pregnancy. Then, unexpectedly, her sister Faye returns home with her children. Bea finds out that her family is in peril. She decides that she needs to go to London to find her father. Someone needs to let him know what’s happening.
Beatrice seeks help from the one person she is certain will help her, Garrett. They embark on an adventure with the help of Tom, a stable hand. Beatrice discovers how brave she is. Can love outshine vengeance?
This is a fantastic first in a series. You will not be disappointed!
Garrett is not what he seems to be. He is out for revenge and his target is Sir Arthur of Anglesea, Beatrice’s father. His hatred runs deep and his plan to ruin Bea’s reputation is steadfast. The small pouch he keeps around his neck is a reminder of his mother and the encouragement to continue. His plan is working and he knows she is close to succumbing to his affections. He can’t wait to tell Sir Arthur that he has taken certain liberties with his youngest daughter. Garrett finds out he is not alone in his hatred for this man and is forced into a partnership. This partnership will definitely see to the ruination of Bea.
Beatrice’s father is away from home and she is concerned about her mother’s health. Her mother is having a difficult pregnancy. Then, unexpectedly, her sister Faye returns home with her children. Bea finds out that her family is in peril. She decides that she needs to go to London to find her father. Someone needs to let him know what’s happening.
Beatrice seeks help from the one person she is certain will help her, Garrett. They embark on an adventure with the help of Tom, a stable hand. Beatrice discovers how brave she is. Can love outshine vengeance?
This is a fantastic first in a series. You will not be disappointed!
September 5, 2014
A very sweet, delight of a read, Sweet Bea was a lovely historical romance that I really enjoyed. It was a charming read and I really liked it.
Bea was a wonderful heroine. She really was a genuinely sweet, kind, and just an overall likable character. Yes, she was impulsive and had a tendency to act first, think later, but it was always with the best of intentions. She was a lovely character and I really liked her.
Garrett didn't make the best first impression. Not only did he come off as cold, but I also didn't appreciate that he was jumping into bed with the town whore while he was trying to woo Beatrice. But, as the book went on, he began to change. He proved that he was capable of kindness and, once he realized that he was in love, nothing came before Beatrice's happiness. In the end, I rather liked him.
The romance was lovely. Bea and Garrett were very sweet together. Even with the obstacles between them, it was clear from the beginning that they had something special. And, there was some chemistry between them that turned the heat up.
The plot was well paced and I was kept interested the entire way through. I really liked the story and the ending was lovely.
Sweet Bea was a wonderful, charming historical romance that I really liked. It was sweet, lovely, and I enjoyed it all the way through. Romance lovers, this is a book worth checking out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Bea was a wonderful heroine. She really was a genuinely sweet, kind, and just an overall likable character. Yes, she was impulsive and had a tendency to act first, think later, but it was always with the best of intentions. She was a lovely character and I really liked her.
Garrett didn't make the best first impression. Not only did he come off as cold, but I also didn't appreciate that he was jumping into bed with the town whore while he was trying to woo Beatrice. But, as the book went on, he began to change. He proved that he was capable of kindness and, once he realized that he was in love, nothing came before Beatrice's happiness. In the end, I rather liked him.
The romance was lovely. Bea and Garrett were very sweet together. Even with the obstacles between them, it was clear from the beginning that they had something special. And, there was some chemistry between them that turned the heat up.
The plot was well paced and I was kept interested the entire way through. I really liked the story and the ending was lovely.
Sweet Bea was a wonderful, charming historical romance that I really liked. It was sweet, lovely, and I enjoyed it all the way through. Romance lovers, this is a book worth checking out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
September 6, 2014
I liked this book. In the beginning it was Garrett was a hard hero to like. I didn't care for him sleeping with the village light skirt and trying to seduce Beatrice. Poor Beatrice, she wanted a man to love her and her family to see that she was more than a silly girl. Garrett sets out to seduce Bea for revenge on her father. Bea's father sent Garrett and his mother, a rich man's leman, out to fend for themselves after his father was found to be a traitor.
Bea was ready to be seduced, she thought Garrett was falling in love with her, when she overhears a family conversation she jumps to the wrong conclusions. Bea decides to ride for London, and alert her father to danger. She convinces her friend, Tom, to go with her and asks Garrett to come also.
Their adventures on the road were pretty funny. I loved the cast of characters the three met on the road and the interactions between Garrett and Tom. The heat between Bea and Garrett was nice, a little steamy, but again I didn't care for Garrett's womanizing ways.
Good story, good adventure, I will look for more to read by this author. Really enjoyed it.
I received this complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bea was ready to be seduced, she thought Garrett was falling in love with her, when she overhears a family conversation she jumps to the wrong conclusions. Bea decides to ride for London, and alert her father to danger. She convinces her friend, Tom, to go with her and asks Garrett to come also.
Their adventures on the road were pretty funny. I loved the cast of characters the three met on the road and the interactions between Garrett and Tom. The heat between Bea and Garrett was nice, a little steamy, but again I didn't care for Garrett's womanizing ways.
Good story, good adventure, I will look for more to read by this author. Really enjoyed it.
I received this complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2017
What starts out as a tale about revenge and retribution turns into a story of love and redemption.
Sweet Beatrice is known as the ordinary and plain one in her family. With three failed betroths, Beatrice is convinced that no man will ever find her as attractive or desirable as her older, happily married sister. So when handsome and witty Garrett shows interest in Bea she is flattered and delighted by his intentions.
However, things are not always what they seem. Garrett has an ulterior motive for his attention to Beatrice and as soon as he can put his plan into action he will make her father pay dearly. But unbeknownst to Garrett, there is another man with his eye on Beatrice and her family.
As this story unfolds, we watch as sweet Beatrice captures the heart and loyalty of those around her. Over the course of their journey together, Garrett realizes that his feelings for Beatrice outweigh his need for revenge. But when the truth of his actions are discovered will Beatrice still feel the same about him?
Sweet Beatrice is known as the ordinary and plain one in her family. With three failed betroths, Beatrice is convinced that no man will ever find her as attractive or desirable as her older, happily married sister. So when handsome and witty Garrett shows interest in Bea she is flattered and delighted by his intentions.
However, things are not always what they seem. Garrett has an ulterior motive for his attention to Beatrice and as soon as he can put his plan into action he will make her father pay dearly. But unbeknownst to Garrett, there is another man with his eye on Beatrice and her family.
As this story unfolds, we watch as sweet Beatrice captures the heart and loyalty of those around her. Over the course of their journey together, Garrett realizes that his feelings for Beatrice outweigh his need for revenge. But when the truth of his actions are discovered will Beatrice still feel the same about him?
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April 16, 2016Rating: None; DNF
Reason for Reading: I was in the mood for historical fiction, and the summary seemed interesting.
The reason I did not give this book a rating is because of two reasons: one, I didn't finish, and two, I'm extremely neutral on this book.
Sweet Bea is not a bad book. The plot seems interesting, the characters are diverse in personality, motives, and such. The writing style is fine. On a whole, I did not see anything wrong with it from as far as I read.
However, this book did not grab my attention as much as I had hoped. I've had it on my computer for a while now, and I'd go back, read a bit, sit on it for a while, read a little more. But I couldn't focus on it well.. Maybe I'm not in the right mood for it (even though I still want to read some historical fiction) right now.
Either way, I'm going to leave it for now. I'll come back to this book some day.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Reason for Reading: I was in the mood for historical fiction, and the summary seemed interesting.
The reason I did not give this book a rating is because of two reasons: one, I didn't finish, and two, I'm extremely neutral on this book.
Sweet Bea is not a bad book. The plot seems interesting, the characters are diverse in personality, motives, and such. The writing style is fine. On a whole, I did not see anything wrong with it from as far as I read.
However, this book did not grab my attention as much as I had hoped. I've had it on my computer for a while now, and I'd go back, read a bit, sit on it for a while, read a little more. But I couldn't focus on it well.. Maybe I'm not in the right mood for it (even though I still want to read some historical fiction) right now.
Either way, I'm going to leave it for now. I'll come back to this book some day.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
February 11, 2015
Everything a romance novel should be!
Sweet Bea had it all. First and foremost, it had a heroine who melted my heart. Beatrice is funny, naïve, determined, adorable and surprisingly brave. While she melts you, Garret will break your heart. His need for revenge is great but his good nature shines through almost from the beginning.
Ms. Hegger manages a thrilling and sometimes gory story while keeping romance central. The adventure she takes you on will make you laugh, cry and cringe. The violence of the age is highlighted but so is the romance and her descriptions are perfection.
I loved the secondary characters almost as much. A righteous stable hand, a damaged woman and a reprobate child all come to life on the page. Bea’s family is just as fascinating and I can’t wait for the next book in this series about her sister, Faye.
Sweet Bea had it all. First and foremost, it had a heroine who melted my heart. Beatrice is funny, naïve, determined, adorable and surprisingly brave. While she melts you, Garret will break your heart. His need for revenge is great but his good nature shines through almost from the beginning.
Ms. Hegger manages a thrilling and sometimes gory story while keeping romance central. The adventure she takes you on will make you laugh, cry and cringe. The violence of the age is highlighted but so is the romance and her descriptions are perfection.
I loved the secondary characters almost as much. A righteous stable hand, a damaged woman and a reprobate child all come to life on the page. Bea’s family is just as fascinating and I can’t wait for the next book in this series about her sister, Faye.
August 16, 2015
In this family of remarkable people, Beatrice is ordinary and only strives to prove herself worthy to her family. When her family is threatened with losing everything, she rushes to London to save them all. Unfortunately, she chooses as her savior as the man, who will see her family lose everything. Garrett has sworn vengeance on Sir Arthur of Anglesea for destroying his life, when he was a boy and forcing his mother into prostitution (which was his mothers only choice for work at the time) in order for them to survive. Garrett has chosen as his tool Sir Arthur's youngest daughter, Beatrice to use to destroy him. I really enjoyed this book i bought it yesterday and I had to finish. I don't want to spoil everything so i just wrote a small summary.
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