Her Three Suitors

Regency Ever After #1

by Anneka R. Walker

Sophia has three suitors vying for her hand, but the scandal behind her birth could ruin her reputation and her chance at love.

Sophia never expected to grow out of her awkwardness and be nicknamed society’s darling Golden-locks during her first London Season. Now, three of the most eligible men of the ton are invited to her house party in hopes of securing a most advantageous match. Shortly before they arrive, Sophia stumbles upon her birth record and an alarming discrepancy. She is determined to discover the identity of her real mother at all costs. Can she choose someone to marry before her secret is out, and her reputation is ruined forever?

Terrance is a second son of an Earl with no great inheritance and no abundance of charm. When pitted against his brother and his best friend as a suitor for Sophia’s hand, Terrance isn’t even going to pretend to be a contestant. Again and again, fate throws Terrance into Sophia’s path until Terrance realizes two things: Sophia is hiding something and, despite his stubborn nature, he is most definitely in love with her. If he chooses to fight for her, he’ll risk losing the brotherhood he’s relied on all his life.

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

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2019

About the author

Anneka Walker was raised by a librarian and an English teacher turned judge. After being fed a steady diet of books, she decided to learn about writing. The result was a bachelor's degree in English and History. When she isn't dreaming up a happy ending for a story, she's busy living her own together with her husband and adorable children.

Reviews

[Heather (The Book Squirm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It could have been longer and I’d have been happy to read it. I think the characters and story were worth more than a novella.

I do tend to love a fairy tale retelling. I’ve never read a Goldilocks and the Three Bears retelling, and I have to say I wasn’t sure I’d find this one thrilling in the beginning, but it changed my mind!

I’d love to read more from this series and from this author.

[Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story!

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore fairy tale retellings, but in all the ones I’ve read over the years, this is my first Goldilocks and the Three Bears retelling, and it was both original and charming! I liked the characters and thought their relationship was really sweet. However, the romance felt a bit rushed, even for a novella, especially as I felt it was sometimes overshadowed by the ‘mystery’ haunting Sophia, a mystery I, unfortunately, didn’t find particularly interesting. Still, I thought Sophia and Terrance were cute together; their interactions felt very natural and I enjoyed watching them realize their feelings for one another ran deeper. I also loved the sweet message to the tale—that the perfect fit isn’t always the obvious one, but it's the best one. Overall, Her Three Suitors was a well written and enjoyable evening read.

[Ashlee (bookswithnopictures) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the story's concept and Anneka's writing style. I think I would have preferred to have only Sophia's POV to get a stronger sense of "too hot, too cold, and just right". The ending was a little abrupt, I easily and happily could have read a longer version.

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first time read by this new author to this reader. "Her Three Suitors (Regency Ever After #1) was a very short novella and I wished it were longer in development. In any case it was a very nice story and did take on the "Goldielocks" them. Enjoyable but too short.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goldilocks

Sophia has three suitors vying for her hand, but the scandal behind her birth could ruin her reputation and her chance at love. Sophia never expected to grow out of her awkwardness and be nicknamed society’s darling Golden-locks during her first London Season. Now, three of the most eligible men of the ton are invited to her house party in hopes of securing a most advantageous match. Shortly before they arrive, Sophia stumbles upon her birth record and an alarming discrepancy. She is determined to discover the identity of her real mother at all costs. Can she choose someone to marry before her secret is out, and her reputation is ruined forever? Terrance is a second son of an Earl with no great inheritance and no abundance of charm. When pitted against his brother and his best friend as a suitor for Sophia’s hand, Terrance isn’t even going to pretend to be a contestant. Again and again, fate throws Terrance into Sophia’s path until Terrance realizes two things: Sophia is hiding something and, despite his stubborn nature, he is most definitely in love with her. If he chooses to fight for her, he’ll risk losing the brotherhood he’s relied on all his life. Sophia and Terrance are the perfect pair. This story is a take off of Goldilocks and The Three Bears. I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story!

Reading this book I didn't realize it was a fairytale retelling of sorts. Uniquely written with it's own spin. Clean romance. This is the first book I've read by the author and I really enjoyed her style. The ending was a little too quick but maybe I just didn't want it to end! Can't wait to read the next book by Ms Walker. Recommended!

[Courtney Lyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love regency and the characters were sweet. I liked the tie in to Goldilocks as that isn't a fairy tale that gets retold often. However I felt like the story was rushed and that sometimes characters would suddenly feel some extreme emotion without much cause or not feel strong emotion when it seemed like they should. It was cute and I read it quickly, but I wish it had developed a bit more.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her Three Suitors is a quick, wholesome read. It follows the idea of the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It was written well and I didn't notice any typos or editing issues. That said, there were a few plot points that seemed a bit far fetched, and I didn't enjoy the story as much as other stories. I have read another story by Anneka Walker from A Hopeful Christmas anthology, which I remember enjoying.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars!

[Deon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on #KindleUnlimited

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved her book The Three Suitors! Captured my attention and held it! Such a fun read!!! I can’t wait for more from this author!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like fairy tale retellings and liked this one, but wanted more. I liked the Terrance and Sophia and would have loved a longer story to see their relationship develop a bit more realisticly.
I actually didn't know this was a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, even with her mentioned-a-few-times nickname. I think I would have liked a bit more emphasis on her three choices. Maybe I am just dense.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun and unique Regency spin on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I enjoyed the mystery in the story about Sophia's birth and her mother and how that plot played out. I especially found Terrance endearing and was glad to see that true love won out. A great little novella, I would definitely recommend this.

[Anna (The_Reading_Pantry) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read novella

This was a quick and fun read. At first I wasn’t sure why Sophia went right into discovering answers all on her own without telling anyone. It made a lot more sense later on and I was just grateful she had Terrance to be a support for her! It was a cute romance!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short story

I didn’t know what fairytale this was based on until the end! But it is a cute spinoff! I enjoyed this book.

[Kristi W - Book Love By Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If you could read my heart, you would know our ending is sure. I can’t promise you a rainbow after every storm, not even this one you’re facing now. But I will promise you, if you’ll just let me, you will never endure a dark night alone.”

A delightful quick read with a fun spin on Goldilocks. So original. A house party, a family secret, and three suitors. I enjoyed Sophia’s journey to find the “right fit” in love.

Sophia is troubled about a “discovery” she made about herself. I kept wondering why she didn’t just talk to her parents but it made her time with Terrance have a little more purpose. She is kind to all of her suitors and does try to give them each attention. It was fun to see the “too hot, too cold, just right” of the suitors from her perspective.
Terrance thinks he has no chance and doesn’t see himself as a suitor. But he keeps finding himself with Sophia. He helps her and has real conversations with her. Anton is over the top fascinated with Sophia. He is determined to win her hand and thinks he has. Gunther is self-absorbed but observant. I enjoyed his banter with Sophia.

A few more quotes:
“Are you here to win me like the others?” Terrance looked at the trees, the sky, anywhere but at her. “You are not a trophy to be won, Miss Bliss. Surely, we can agree on that.”

“Your father used to tell me not to measure myself against another person, but by my own potential.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't realize that this was supposed to be a "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" retelling until I read these reviews, and I still don't quite see it. Maybe it's because I only got 1/3 of the way through before I quit. The premise is that Sophia discovers a paper in her mother's room that seems to indicate that her mother is not her mother. She's so upset by this that she acts indifferently towards her eager suitors when they arrive. Two of the suitors adore her while the last isn't as impressed and annoys her until, of course, she realizes that she's breathless in his company and that she likes him after all.

I was exasperated that Sophia didn't just asked her parents about the mystery since it seems like it should be a simple explanation. After all, this was hidden in her mother's room, not her father's, and it's not like it was destroyed or hidden very thoroughly. Not a deep, dark secret. Sophia was not engaged with her suitors because she was distracted by this mystery, and the only draw of Terrence seemed to be that he happened to show up wherever Sophia was hiding. It just wasn't interesting enough to hold my attention. There was no sex or bad language in the part that I read.

[Laura B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only other book I’ve read by Anneka R. Walker is Married by Twelfth Night in the Regency Christmas Brides series. That one I enjoyed very much. Her Three Suitors novella is also a fun, enjoyable read. It is quick at being only 116 pages long with a set of fun characters, especially the suitors. They each are unique and well developed. There is a minor mystery, and hence the tension between the love interest and her suitors, but it was handled deftly with a satisfying conclusion. If you like quick reads in the Regency Romance genre, you’d probably liked this one too. 3***½*

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the blurb explains that an author has redone a fairy tale, I give it a pass. However, I really enjoy Anneka Walker's work and decided to try this one. Fortunately, this does not sound like a retelling of "Goldilocks." There are three suitors for Miss Bliss's hand at a house party given by her parents.

There are two brothers (Lord Crawford and the second son, Terrance Hadley) and their best friend (and a lifelong companion, Mr. Gunther). Two came to woo Miss Bliss; Terrance Hadley came because he was invited as a brother, but had no designs on Miss Bliss. In fact, he did not know her before the one-month house party.

Since this is a short story, it doesn't take long for Sophia to be more interested in Terrance than the other two. He is also interested in her, but as a second son, is worried about earning enough money to renovate a property he inherited from his mother. The earldom is obviously not wealthy enough to maintain both brothers.

[Carol Guthrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this for my Kindle Reader. The story is cute, with a satisfying conclusion, but I found one error that stayed with me for the rest of the book. Not a spelling or grammar error (which appear more often than not lately and I have learned to ignore), but a mistake in storytelling. Chapter One states, "She alone captured their attention with her larger-than-life, honey brown eyes and her ruby red lips." Chapter Five states, "He should be thinking about the mystery behind rescuing his failing estate, and not on the girl with beautiful, golden curls and startling, bright-blue eyes." So what did the author intend? By the end of the telling, her eyes are referred to as "blue" once again. However, my vision of her was a bit ruined by that time. Fortunately, her hair remained golden throughout. The similarity with The Three Bears might be in the personalities of the suitors.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think Goldilocks and the three bears

I didn’t realize until the end that this was a bit of a comparison to Goldilocks and “her three suitors”. Interesting take on an old story. Miss Bliss has a house party in which three potential suitors are invited to come. In fact another potential suitor was supposed to join them for the house party but due to personal circumstances he was not able to come. Mr. Hadley didn’t consider himself one of the suitors but someone to help keep even numbers. He was quickly pursued by another guest who cornered him at every possible opportunity. Miss Bliss came to have a respect for Mr. Hadley fairly quickly when turn after turn Mr. Hadley ended up in the same location. He was always relaxed with her as he didn’t consider him a candidate for her hand.
The book kept me entertained.

[Maria Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute little fairy-tale retelling though I didn't realize it until I finished the book. I purchased the book a while ago and didn't reread the blurb before I started so I didn't remember anything about it being a fairy-tale. Looking back I can see the nod to Goldilocks and the Three Little Bears but it wasn't so obvious to know that in just reading the story.

Because it is a novella there isn't time to go into huge depth with the characters, their relationships and the story-line. Just like a fairy-tale it is simple and short. It might have been fun to read this in the form of a full length novel but like I said, it is a fairy-tale retelling. Don't take it too seriously. It is a pleasant way to spend a couple hours.

No sex, language or violence

[Our Book Confessions · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love fairy tale re-tellings and was very curious to see where the author went with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It is obviously not a well used fairy tell as far as romance authors go. I was impressed with the subtle nods to the fairy tale. The plot was a little heavy on the drama and angst, but the relationship between the three friends (bears) was done really well and fun to read. Sophia’s character seemed a little flighty and rash. I would’ve liked a little more depth to her and her family, something that can be hard to achieve in a novella.

[Chunter14 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have rated this book 3.5 stars, but since that isn’t an option I am rounding up. This book is retelling of the fairytale Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, mixed with a regency romance. It’s a fun concept, and the story is cute and it captures your attention pretty quick because there is a side plot going on at the same time. While I liked the story, I felt like it could have been developed a lot more. Everything was wrapped up so quickly and without any drama, that it actually ended up making the ending feel really abrupt. But it was still an enjoyable quick read.

[the girl who reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a play on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and it was a fun concept. Sophia’s parents have a house party, and among the guests are three eligible gentlemen, two of whom are determined to win her heart, while the third knows he has no chance. Meanwhile, just before greeting the guests, Sophia comes across a piece of paper that turns her world upside down. I enjoyed reading this, and I look forward to checking out the others in the series!

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an all-time favorite but these kind of short novellas never really are. (Sorry?) I was, however, loving the storyline and the relationship between Sophia and her Suitor (I won't ruin it with spoilers 😏). It was a very sweet story. Anneka is, and always will be, one of my favorite authors. So I'm bound to read anything she puts out eventually ❤️ If you're looking for a sweet, simple read... I recommend it.

[Joy Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a young lady named Sophie whose parents are looking to find her a husband. So they invite some wealthy young men to their house. Two brothers and one of their friends are invited. Anton, Terrance and Blake are all smitten with Sophie but who will win her heart? There are also some other characters woven into the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Anneka Walker is an excellent writer. While the ending was predictable, I enjoyed following the characters throughout their time at the house party. I loved the connections between Sophia and Terrance. I look forward to reading other books about the characters in this one!

[Tabitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun retelling of a fairy tale we don't usually get retellings of, the three bears! Clean romance, fun interactions, lovely family examples and then an awful "how not to" example. I think it went a little fast for me and wanted more to the story but still an enjoyable read. The bears may not have quite fit the bear story framework I grew up with but what a great reimagining.