An Unexpected Wish

A Lady's Wish #1

by Eileen Richards

Sometimes a last resort is pure magic…

Anne Townsend doesn’t ask for much. Plain and poor, she’d settle for the funds to put food on the table. Making a wish on the fabled Fairy Steps is hardly a solid solution, but to see her two sisters taken care of, Anne’s willing to try anything. Yet when she finds herself suddenly surrounded with suitors, romance is now a possibility for the spinster everyone always ignored except with the one man who will never want her…

Nathaniel Matthews has no time for courting. As the eldest, he has his family’s lost fortune to rebuild, and his reckless brother to manage before he gambles his future away. Odd that Nathaniel can think of little but kissing bright-eyed Anne, who seems to be fighting off admirers from all sides. Is it the country air, or is Nathaniel ready to discover that love has a magic all its own?

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

Paperback

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

For Eileen Richards, reading has always been her drug of choice. Nothing fixes a bad day better than a good book. She’s loved the romance genre since she was a kid sneaking romance novels from her grandmother’s stash. She knew one day she’d have to write her own. Fast forward thirty years, two kids, two grandchildren (so far), and she achieved her dream.

Eileen’s books are about love, laughter, and family. Whether set in London society or a small village, her stories are sassy, sexy, and tend to bend the rules just a bit. Life is just to short to not be a little bit naughty.

Eileen resides in North Carolina with her husband (of too many years to mention) and a diva greyhound called Honey.

Reviews

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Unexpected Wish by Eileen Richards is the first book in The Lady's Wish series.

Anne Townsend and her sisters live quietly in a small cottage, just making ends meet. 5 Years previously their brother kicked them all out of the family home he inherited and didn't give them another thought. He gambled away all the family money, and the only reason he kept the house is because it's entailed.

With Anne's help they are just able to have food on the table and the occasional new dress for one of the sisters rather than all 3. Anne wants to give her two sisters a season in London but there is no way she can afford it. Her daily constitutional walk takes her to the Fairy Steps. A steep set of rocky steps that lead up to a spectacular view of the countryside. Myth has it that if you can make it to the top of the stairs without touching the walls you will earn one wish granted. On one such constitutional walk Anne without even realising it makes it up the steps without touching the sides. When she reaches the top she swears she hears a voice telling her to make her wish. She wants to think about her problems, but the persistent voice makes her make a wish in haste just to shut it up. She wishes for a very rich handsome husband who will be able to afford to give her sisters their Season in London.

Nathaniel Matthews isn't worried about finding love himself, in fact he is visiting with his God Mother in order to find out more about a woman his brother thinks himself in love with and wants to marry. That woman is one of Anne's sisters. On his way to getting to the house, Nathaniel loses direction and he is the first man that Anne sees as she is coming down the Fairy Steps. Immediately he feels a pull towards Anne that he didn't expect could happen especially as he was actually visiting to stop his brother marrying.

From there the story goes on to tell about men who previously had no time of day for Anne now fawn all over her. She is only interested in one of them, Nathaniel, but refuses to give in to that attraction because she now believes her wish has come true, but that when it wears off Nathaniel will wonder what on earth he is doing stuck with such a poor plain Jane as her.

What is so great about this story is that it not only has light-hearted moments, and the perfect amount of romance, there are devilish deeds going on in the background that we don't even realise until the very end. It gives a good twist which makes for a very enjoyable read which I definitely recommend.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sonya Heaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also posted HERE .

This is fairly good Regency romance fare, and I’m sure many fans of the subgenre will really enjoy it. It has likeable characters (though the mean beautiful sister has been DONE TO DEATH – but at least she wasn’t blonde!), a nice feel, and all the things a person goes to the Regency romance subgenre for.

I did have a problem with the style though, and that’s because while the author clearly has an image of each scene in her mind, it doesn’t always translate well to the page.

An example: at the beginning, hero and heroine meet and exchange a few words. The whole thing is only a minute or so with them together. Then we jump to the next chapter, and we’re hearing about how much the hero likes her, and how people are imagining them as a couple, and we’re told how well he understands her personality.

When did this happen? Did we skip a few scenes and catch up with them later? I think the author knew what she wanted to convey, but I’m not sure it worked for me.

Another example: there are scenes where the heroine is in the room one moment, and then the next moment the men are talking about her. Here I am, wondering how they could be that rude, but it turns out she’d actually left the room and even though the author knew it, she forgot to tell us.

The men exchange a couple of sentences of conversation, and then the heroine suddenly reappears, carrying a tray of tea and cakes. WHEN did she have time to prepare that? Time is an odd thing in this book.

I have no particular objections to plot or characterisation. I think this book slots nicely into a very popular genre, and that the author has promise, even if it isn’t quite realised yet.

I also feel the need to warn people that this is historical romance, not a fairy tale. Some readers seemed to be confused by the title, the blurb, and the opening scene, and expected a fantasy romance.

Nothing really objectionable here.


Review copy provided by NetGalley.

[Inishowen Cailín · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to read more from Eileen Richards!
An Unexpected Wish was light, cute and entertaining from beginning to end. It had everything that I enjoy in a Regency Historical - humour, romance and a little bit of suspense.

There was so much humour surrounding Anne's sudden predicament; being the centre of unwanted attention whilst simultaneously developing an attraction to Nathaniel with whom she is quite often at odds.
I loved Nathaniel in the story. Despite his conflicting feelings about Anne and her family he is incredibly kind, protective and good natured. I enjoyed the banter between the couple and Nathaniel's little piques of jealousy added to the drama.
Anne is also a great character. She is strong willed and kind hearted but not as self assured as she could be and needs to be convinced that Nathaniel's feelings for her are real.
The sub plot of danger and a threat to Anne and her family lurking in the background added suspense and excitement to the story.

An Unexpected Wish is going directly to my 'keep and reread' shelf.

It would also make a good title to gift/recommend to your mother or aunt if they prefer their regency romances more along the lines of Georgette Heyer and less on the sensual side.

This title will be available from October 27th 2015 but I suggest you pre-order it now. AmazonUK Currently priced at £2.39

Note: For anyone who thinks this book is about fairies. It's not. Read the blurb again properly.

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series "A Lady's Wish". This is also my first book by Eileen Richards but won't be my last. Our heroine, Anne Townsend is poor and feels rather plan in looks. With sisters to support she finds that she is feeling desperate and willing to do anything...which leads us to the Fairy Steps. Anne makes a wish which finds her surrounded by several suitor. Our hero, Nathaniel Matthews has troubles of his own being the head of his family and with a trouble-sum brother. Nathaniel starts to see Anne in a different light too. Although they both had reason that I felt were silly for not being together, I did overall like the book. Don't worry if you think this story is all magic and such as it is not. Hope that you enjoy this book too.

[Jenni Schell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Net Galley. I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written and the characters were wonderful. This is the first book by Eileen Richards that I have read and I cannot wait for more.

[Luli · Rating 2 out of 5]

No sé muy bien por dónde empezar. Le he encontrado muchas inconsistencias como para disfrutar de la historia.
No tiene apenas precisión histórica. El comportamiento de los protagonistas es imposible para la época, hubiesen sido escandalosos tan sólo los paseos, de lo demás ni hablo…cada vez que tienen un momento “íntimo” los pilla alguien, pero la protagonista piensa que (aún) no está arruinada…no creo que eso funcionase de esa manera.
Otro problema que he tenido es la transformación que los secundarios sufren de un capítulo al siguiente. Las hermanas de la protagonista son extremadamente opuestas. La mayor es egoísta, egocéntrica, manipuladora y realmente desagradable. La pequeña es dulce, madura, comprensiva y el apoyo de la protagonista…pero esto no es así durante toda la historia, de repente, la hermana “mala” se convierte en una fuente de sabiduría y comprensión y la pequeña en una persona inmadura a la que echan de la habitación cuando, según ella, “empieza lo bueno”…y qué decir del hermano…este personaje se pasa toda la historia borracho y apostando y al final, no sé ni cómo ni porqué, se redime y es el prefecto hermano mayor…no me lo creo…
Pero lo peor ha sido lo larga que se me ha hecho. El conflicto entre los protagonistas ha sido tonto y se ha alargado cansinamente en el tiempo. La protagonista se mete en un montón de problemas porque es TSTL y al final el romance pierde toda su fuerza porque ambos protagonistas están ciegos, sordos y son cabezones y son los secundarios los que los obligan a tomar decisiones. El final se me ha hecho eterno y el conflicto ha sido una tontería…
No me ha gustado. Y eso que empezó bastante bien.

ARC provided by Kensington Books via Netgalley.

I don't know where to start. I have found many inconsistencies to enjoy the story.
It does not have historical accuracy. The behavior of the MC´s is impossible for that time, it would have been scandalous just to walk alone, not to mention about kissing and... Whenever they have an "intimate" moment, someone catches them, but the heroine thinks that she (still) is not ruined... I don't think that would work that way.
Another problem I've had is the transformation that undergoes the sisters from one chapter to the next. The heroine´s sisters are extremely opposite. The oldest is selfish, self-centered, manipulative and really unpleasant. The younger is sweet, mature, comprehensive and the support of the protagonist... but this is not true throughout the story, suddenly, the "bad" sister becomes a source of wisdom and an understanding one, and the younger becomes an immature person that is kicked out of the room when, according to her, "the fun begins"... and what can I say about the brother? This character is always drunk and gambling and putting his sisters in mayor danger all along the story, I don't know how or why, at the end, he is redeemed and becomes the perfect brother... I don't think so...
But the worst has been that I feel the story had been longer than it needs. The conflict between the MC´s has been silly and tiresome and it has been dragged for a really long time. Add to that a pair of TSTL moments that suffer the heroine and at the end the romance loses all its strength.
Both MC´s are blind, deaf and stubborn and are the side characters who force them to make decisions.
I think the conflict between the MC´s has been silly and the story has been too long.
I've not liked it.

[Ermione Pickwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A adorable, catching, funny, thrilling and sooo sweet novel. There is just one plot choice I don't embrace here, and I would state it immediatly because this is a romance to be praised; I would have reduced or simplified the antagonistic part of the story; to be clear I'd have cut down the traumas, it felt a bit like a loop in the end. Apart from this the rest is amazing.

I loved the characters, all of them, they are not excessive in any way, they perfectly wear their roles, there aren't false notes, it's easy to fall into the story and be kept there wanting to know what happens next; I adored the relationship between the protagonists, the tension is skilfully built up and is not tiring at all, the author manages to satisfy the reader expectations, adopting a perfect timing for every turn and development; Nathaniel, the hero, is so sweet, protective and passionate, he is thrillingly attractive but not overly dramatic or sullen.

The heroine, Anne, has the kind of personality I like to see in a female protagonist, strong but also insecure, very rational and practical on a general basis but with a bit of a dreamer in her as well, responsible, strongly witted and ironical.

A great work was made also in creating the side characters, they are as interesting and fully portrayed as the protagonists, I sympathised with pretty much all of them, I obviously can't wait for Tony and Juliet's story and hopefully for Sophie's happy ending as well, her growth is in fact very credible and promising. They are all very different one to another and therefore very interesting for various reasons.

I've also highly enjoyed the fairytale component, was quite the charming twist.


Eileen Richards' style is amazing, it's clean and measured as well as entertaining, romantically very balanced and so good for daydreaming! The romance definitely doesn't seem a debut novel. Can't wait for more!






**I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review.



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[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a cute and whimsical story about Anne Townsend who wants to have enough food and supplies to feed and clothed her younger sisters. She decide to climb the fairy steps and make a wish. She never knew it would change her life. When Anne has three suitors and she doesn't know to handle all the attention. Anne falls in love with Nathaniel Matthews, but she feels the attraction is not feel. It is so nice and sweet story. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher thru NetGalley for an honest review. This fact has no effect on my review in any way.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

She's the not as attractive sister; he's the wealthy grandson. She is his grandmother's companion and her younger, very attractive sister is plotting to marry his younger brother. This hoped for wedding will solve all their financial problems they think. He's there to put a stop to it. There are wicked step-brothers, loan sharks, a vicar who is not the least bit likable and his mother who is even worse. Put them all together, stir well and you have a fun read.

[Kathy Brickert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story

Good plot with just a smattering of fairy magic! Nice, easy read with interesting characters. A new author for me, but am anxious to read the rest of this series.

[Loraine Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading An Unexpected Wish by Eileen Richards! It is a historical romance about a strong young woman forced to keep her and her sisters in a home, clothing, and food on the table, with almost no money to be had, after her Father passed and her brother washes his responsibility of them. So she moves them to Beetham, a quiet out of the way town in the country.

Anne Townsend is a poor, but plain young woman compared to her two younger sisters which has had a profound effect on the way she views herself. Anne lives on the country estate of Nathaniel Matthews in Beetham in a cottage and is the lady's companion to his Grandmother, Lady Danford who adores Anne. At the beginning of the book, Nathaniel has returned home to visit with his grandmother and to speak to his trouble making brother Tony.

Anne makes her way up to the Fairy steps often, as it is said that if you walk up the stairs without touching the walls to balance yourself, your one wish will be granted. Anne goes there usually once a day to get away from her irksome sisters and to get some air away from the cottage they live in. One day she sees a very handsome young man and he asks her the way to get to Lady Danford's home, as he is always getting lost, and it is quite the joke! Anne asks him who he is and when he tells her she gets panicked thinking her employer's grandson is home to check on things!

Nathaniel asks her if she is on the fairy stairs to make a wish or if she is the fairy, which makes her bristle and the game is on! After he rides away an old gypsy like woman tells her she has one wish and it will be fulfilled! Anne figures "go big or go home" and she wishes for a handsome rich husband to love and marry and a season in London for her sisters. The old lady cackles and says it will be done and Anne hears a bunch of leaves stirring and when she turns back the old woman is gone.

What follows is a great story of Anne and Nathaniel, and the hilarious actions of the village vicar, Cecil Worth, Tony- Nathaniel's brother, and Nathaniel himself when it appears they are all stricken by their desire for plain old Anne. While this is going on her brother John comes to see her and he brings a lot of danger to his three sisters as he has gambled and lost so much he is in debt, and people want their money! They are willing to do anything or hurt anyone in their path.

Read this story, and you will love it as much as I did! There is a great plot with a few well placed curves thrown in to keep you guessing, a lot of jealousy between the sisters, who fight a lot, and a lot of physical and emotional angst. There are some shady characters that come upon the scene that are out for trouble, all of this along with the author's sense of humor when dealing with the dialog between the characters, makes for an enjoyable read! What happens will surprise you and, and when the plot is revealed you are in for a surprise when you find out how some people are not who they appear to be!

I gave this book 5***** stars and can't wait to read the follow up book to this one, called An Honorable Wish which comes out in November! Happy Reading!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful tale full of sentiment and humor. Just a smidgeon of intrigue to spice things up with a hint of magic to round things out and Richards brings us a historical romance perfect for a blustery fall day anda warm cup of tea. With two main characters equally stubborn, we see how love can change how a person sees another; we also see how a deep rooted insecurity ccan lead to a fear that will blind even the most courageous. We meet a hero who only comes to understand that vulnerability through repeated rejections and a heroine who only faces her deepest fear when the shield she's hidden behind is taken away. A supportive cast filled with strong characters both lovable and horrible makes this a story that grabs you and never lets go.

I don't normally read other reviews before posting but one stuck out at me and I did read what the person had to say about Anne clinging to her fairy wish. I don't believe the reader was able to get past that and see the depth in the story. Her clinging to her fairy wish was merely her way of hiding behind it instead of facing her true fear...which stemmed from a low self-esteem and a deep-rooted fear of abandonment brought on by the events in her upbringing. The depth of the characters and their development and the realism of their fears is actually one of the things I liked most about this story.


I did receive a free copy of this from Netgalley for my honest review.

[Margaret Sholders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book from Eileen. I am glad I picked this book to read. Eileen has put out a story line with lots of twists and spoilers. I would think I knew where it was going and then find myself with a new tangent. I liked the characters she developed. Anne was responsible for her two sisters as their brother threw them out of their house. Spoiler. She is companion to Lady Danford and is wishing for a rich, handsome man to care for them. Spoiler. She meets Nathaniel, Lady Danford's grandson, who is here to stop his brother Tony from marrying one of her sisters. This story is all over the place but in a good way. Then she is courted by Nathaniel, the Vicar Cecil Worth and Tony too. Cecil is a bit crazy and humiliates her in church. Her brother John is a gambler bringing his creditors to his sister's home. There are so many spoilers. A dinner, an assembly, a kidnapping will give you lots of action. Don't forget the fire. Please check this book out. I couldn't put it down and I hope you can't either. Please enjoy this story! I have this book for an honest review for NetGalley.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite its predictability, this was a nice and lighthearted story. The author is clearly an admirer of Jane Austen and the story reflects it. Still, I enjoyed the characters and situations they find themselves in.


For some reason this story reminded me of a “Ugly Duckling” tale. That’s not a bad thing. It’s refreshing when I read about heroines that are not “English Roses”. I admired a heroine that despite being told she wasn’t beautiful, decide then to make herself indispensable to her family. That’s gutsy!

As for the hero, a very handsome Nathaniel, was honorable and protective and someone that you’d never think would fall for the plain and smart Anne.

This is a light and clean, charming and entertaining romance I think you should enjoy a lot.

Melanie for b2b

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher

[Suzi Towler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley, and was looking forward to a book in a favourite genre. It's a light read, with some elements of humour, although the storyline was pretty predictable, especially if you have read any Jane Austen, from which it borrows heavily (even down to paraphrasing the great writer "when Anne's mother was alive, there was economy in the home" and the main character's father being named 'Sir Walter'). There are sections where the writer repeats ideas, and it gives the impression that she wrote several versions of scenes and forgot to delete sections.
I would read more from this author because although it is not very original, the writing style promises better things to come in the future.

[Christine Woinich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Anne put her family first and struggled with self doubt and feelings of inferiority. I loved her strength as she tried to protect her sisters from the harsh realities of their lives and keep a roof over their heads. Nathaniel's world was turned upside down by Anne, yet he took it in stride. Even before he admitted what was in his heart, he knew there was something between them. Together, they overcame adversity and foolish beliefs. I will be waiting for the next book in this series as I came to care for the characters.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was an historical fiction read and just was not what I expected. When I read the description of this book I was expecting a read were the main character got some love help from fairies. However, in this one there was no magic just a simple Historical read. I thought the two main charters reasons for not being together were idiots. I just did not love this. I thought it had a good premise but I was wrong.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne and her two sisters are turned out of their home by their reprobate brother, and have to fend for themselves for five years as he gambles away their estate. Anne goes to the fairy steps and wishes for a rich, handsome, husband to save her and her sisters.

Prince Charming can't be very far away. This has a marvelous fairy tale quality. Anne leads a merry chase, and that's always the very best part.

The pumpkins are definitely turning into the carriage.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unexpected Wish was truly a sweet, entertaining, beautiful romance, with a touch of magic! This a historical romance that I simply couldn't put down once I started reading it. It made me believe wishes could come true. I couldn't stop myself from smiling with pure delight as I read some of the antics of the lead characters and side characters. If you want to read a romance that will brighten your day this is the book for you. I received a ARC of this book from Net Galley.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, looking forward to book 2.

What to do when you carry the weight of the well being of others on your shoulders ? Lady Anne decides to see if the fairy steps shall really grant a wish if you are chosen . She also learns you might be careful what you wish for. Good story , great plot, characters was enjoyable and great twist in novel.

[Gaylin Walli]

Always such a treat to read a new author. I loved how much this book made me chuckle. Lighthearted, a healthy dose of mystery, and a much adored trope: the counting scheme. I wish it was summer so this could be one of my beach reads.

[Sophia Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great debut by this author. Beautiful writing. Wonderful characters. And a great story that kept me reading! Can't wait for book 2!!

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish books had ratings. I hate getting 3/4 of the way into a book and running into trash.

[Matilda BGR · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not good. I don't think this was edited or proof-read.

Anne is a spinster, caring for two younger sisters and trying to manage a steep fall from their previous life of genteel comfort. Their older half brother John is a gambling wastrel who has lost all of the family money and is dangerously in debt.

Nathaniel is a handsome, charming man who has secured his family fortunes through hard work and wise investments. He despises Anne's brother because John is a card cheat and general no-character lay-about, and he also despises Anne's dead father who he blames for his own father's suicide.

Anyway, Nathaniel inexplicably falls in love with plain Anne, but she assumes his attention is the result of a wish she was granted by a mysterious old crone in the forest. Anne does not trust Nathaniel's affections -- she's sure that as soon as the wish wears off, he will regret any connection with her.

Another reviewer (maybe on Amazon?) suggested that this would have been better as a short story, and that sounds right to me. This dragged on much too long, and is full of filler and worthless conversations about the SAME THINGS, OVER and OVER. No lie, I think at least three times (if not more), characters repeat conversations that they had had either the previous or two previous chapters. It was bizarre. In one chapter, a decision or declaration will be made, and in the next chapter, it's like nothing was decided and the whole issue is discussed again. What? Did no one read this thing before it was published?

Also, the explanation for the whole mystery thing -- the old crone in the forest and Anne's wish -- makes LITERALLY NO SENSE. It is *ridiculous* and *dumb*.

If it weren't for the glaringly bad edits and the repetitive conversation, what would really bug me would be Anne's willingness to get hot and heavy with Nathaniel. You'd think she'd have some concern about her reputation or about propriety, but evidently not.

Don't waste your time. Not good.

[Lisa Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by Ms. Richards that I have read. In reality, I would rate this book more along the lines of 3.7, not because I did not enjoy the actual story, but because of continuity issues and grammatical structures.
Continuity Issues -
In Chapter 9, Nate tells the girls of John's debts, but in Chapter 10, Sophia appears ignorant of the debts.
Later in the book, if John slept off a drunken stupor, how had he been missing since the day before?
Toward the book's end, Nate had spent several hours searching for Anne, but then he discovers her coach and her footprints, both fresh in the snow.
There are some anachronistic phrases, such as "Anne is fast."
Ms. Richards splits MANY infinitives, to the point where they are distracting. to finally speak, to not care, to not dance, to gently remove, to fully convey, to not eat, to not take, to not do, to not get, to not have, to not discuss, etc.
There are distinct parallels to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in the story. Sir John=Wickham; Tony=Mr. Bingley; Sophia=Lydia; Nate=Darcy; Anne=Elizabeth; Mrs. Worth=Lady Catherine ~ ironically in the tale, Lady Danford is reading Austen's "Persuasion."

[Kebby Shropshire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

I just couldn't like the heroine very much. Seems she was always stomping off or glaring at someone - usually the hero - and usually for no particular reason. For someone who was supposed to be clever she acted like a ninny. And she would go on about her sisters having been through so much, but her sisters were young when their brother tossed them from the house and they didn't seem to recall anything of what happened. So they had pretty much grown up in poverty and didn't know any different. The heroine let the beautiful and spoiled sister walk all over her.

She was plain looking but was supposed to have qualities that attracted the hero. I just couldn't see them.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. A wonderful premise - what happens when you make a wish you don't really expect to come true, but it does? The book starts off well, setting up the complications that ensue with interesting and, more or less, believable characters. Unfortunately it descends by the end into unnecessary smut. Like so many modern authors, Ms. Richards chose to titillate rather than write a compelling story.

The narrative also contains an unfortunate mix of period and modern language, including dialog by various characters. All but the main protagonists are rather stagnant, and the ending is predictable.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a chaste Regency novel. This seemed too racy for tastes and not very realistic of the times. My first clue should have been that they kissed way too early in the story. The characters development didn't make a whole lot of sense. If they were truly ladies and gentlemen they wouldn't behave so badly and not feel any shame in their "kissing". I'm sorry but it was way too much for me. Not very believable that they would have these character flaws and be okay with their actions.

[jane pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unexpected wish

I enjoyed this story very much it was warm lighthearted and drew you in to the story it also tells a little about the renowned fairy steps in the lake district which I love it's a beautiful place so I could relate so much to the story feeling like I was watching the story unfold from there it has wonderful characters and some rather unsavoury ones a must read for those looking to relax and wind down its the first book in a series and I know I will be reading the rest.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not bad and had a nice resolution, but it just fell a bit flat for me. The conflict got repetitive.