"A nice balance of character development, tension, sweetness, and satisfaction. Highly recommend!" -Midwest Book Review
Captain Robert Wilkins has never aspired to grandeur. So when the returned war hero unexpectedly inherits the vast estate of Cattersley from his great-aunt, he feels woefully inadequate in his new role. Out of place in his lavish surroundings, his first glimmer of hope comes when he happens upon a lovely trespasser in his gardens.
Words have never come easily for Abigail Rutherford, and she prefers the solitude of exploring the gardens at the neighboring country estate to engaging in uncomfortable conversation. But when she unexpectedly encounters Captain Robert Wilkins in her place of solace, she is surprised at the immediate ease she feels in his presence. Soon her brightest moments are those spent with the captain. But even as their friendship grows into something more, outside forces have other plans for the two. Mr. Mead, the handsome vicar, has also taken a liking to the quiet and timid Abigail and he will stop at nothing to ensure she becomes his wife.
Chalon Linton is an air force spouse, a mother of four, and a fan of all things romance. Jane Austen has long been a favorite because who can resist handsome men in tailcoats? Manners, wit, and true love, combined with a faith in God, guide her stories to a happily ever after. She has met friends from around the globe and is grateful for each experience that adds to her own faith in the goodness of people. Chalon currently lives with her handsome husband in Southern California.
Adoring Abigail is a quality Regency romance featuring a gentle relationship between Robert and Abigail that blossoms from genuine friendship into something even more special. The settings were easy to envision, from the vast estate Robert inherited, to the meadow and woods, to the cottage where Abigail lives with her grandmother. I enjoy characters that have realistic flaws and struggles, and Abigail having not only a speech impediment, but also a highly critical guardian, made me feel so much empathy for her. Through her circumstances she develops admirable attributes such as compassion and kindness, but it is Robert’s encouraging approval that helps her overcome her timidity and strengthen her courage when faced with her most difficult trial of all.
Robert is at an important transition point in his life, and while he doesn’t always handle the change gracefully, he is quick to apologize and make things right. I love how he and Abigail bring out the best in each other because they feel safe and accepted for who they really are. The story is well-rounded with the supporting cast of various community members and especially Robert’s sister Hazel, all of whom brought the distinct feeling of country society. The author is skilled at drawing forth emotion while exploring a variety of themes such as gossip, loneliness, hypocrisy, prejudice, friendship, loyalty, perseverance, and triumph over adversity. There is a nice balance of character development, tension, sweetness, and satisfaction. Highly recommend!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
I'm giving this book 5 stars hands down! Even though I had a very hard time reading the pdf I still enjoyed the book. I've read this author before and I liked her style of writing even then. She manages to pull you into the book from the beginning until the end. And while you're in the book, you will fall in love with Abigail and Robert. Two people who are just trying to get through life the best way they know how to. I loved these characters from the start. Abigail is a pretty special person and I felt like I could connect with both her and Robert. I can connect with them because I know how they feel when they are out of their comfort zone. Friendship can grow in the strangest places. It's like God knows what we need at the right time and place and whom we need. It's my relationship started with my husband. We met at Walmart through then my best friend. We've been married since. I am looking forward to reading more of Chalons work because this was such an enjoyable book! I'm saying this because it's got a little bit of everything from sweet romance, to Regency, and in my opinion there's even a little bit of mystery stuck in there. I definitely am a sucker for the cover of this book! It makes me wonder what she's thinking about or whom she's wondering about. I think it fits the story real well. I received a copy of this book and I was NOT required to write a review. All options are my own and NO compensations were received.
I've been looking forward to this book since I heard it was coming out. It seems like everyone read this book (and loved it!) before me. Finally it's my turn.
This story is told in the first person with the alternating voices of Robert and Abigail. I really loved getting both points of view and feeling the intimacy of their thoughts. Robert and Abigail are both kind people. Robert is very aware of everything going on around him. He is invested in learning his new role and doing a good job. He really pays attention to Abigail and notices the small things but he never pushes her or forces her to divulge things she is uncomfortable with. Abigail is a character worth rooting for and honestly I couldn't help myself. She's the underdog, unfairly repressed and insulted for most of her life. I wanted all good things for her and even felt outrage on her behalf when people were mean.
I could easily picture the people and places in this story. It all flowed gently and easily. All things led to a very sigh worthy ending and I really enjoyed it!
Content: kissing, a couple instances of untoward advances
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions express are my own.
What a wonderful historical romance. Captain now Mr. Robert Wilkins has inherited a grand estate from his great-aunt, something he never saw in his future. How is he to go about learning to care for such a vast estate with its gardens, orchards, and such? As a second son who spent many years in the military he isn't prepared for such a responsibility. Arriving before his household expects him, he finds a young woman in the garden of Cattersley, and he's intrigued.
Abigail Rutherford misses her brother and sister. Before her mother died she sent Abigail's brother to America to live with a relative and her sister was placed as a governess in another town several hours away. Because of a mild speech issue with the letter 'r' Abigail is unable to be placed as a governess and is sent to live with her grandmother as her companion. Together they live at Fern Cottage where Abigail is treated as simple-minded and ignorant because of her speech impediment. Her one pleasure is a daily walk in the beautiful garden at Cattersley that her grandmother doesn't know of, and must never find out about. It's on one of these walks that Abigail unexpectedly meets the new owner of the neighboring estate.
What a wonderful story of two people falling in love. Abigail has been misjudged by most everyone because of a mild speech impediment. She's labeled dim-witted and stupid and those who should have loved and protected her from such mistreatment did nothing to stop it. In fact, they too treated her as if she had no intellect at all, when in fact, she's very intelligent and quick-witted. Every time her grandmother made a big deal out of a dropped 'r', especially when she'd "flick her on the cheek" I wanted to scream. Grandmothers are supposed to be loving and kind, not so imposing you get nervous and mispronounce words, then berate you for it. The way Abigail was treated broke my heart.
On the other hand, Robert, his mother and his sister Hazel don't seem to notice Abigail's speech issue. If they do, they don't acknowledge or address it, which I loved. I don't know who I loved more Robert or his adorable sister Hazel. She's a godsend to Abigail and the perfect friend for this lonely young woman. I adored their friendship. The Wilkins are the kind of family Abigail deserved and eventually gets.
I really liked that the chapters alternated between Robert and Abigail's point of view. I love when we get to see what each character is thinking and feeling. Every romance has to have a villain, and to me, this came from an expected character but was definitely a villian. Of course he gets his due so the hero can get the girl. Some may say that the book's pacing is too slow, but I think the pacing is what makes it a believable romance. I loved this story.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, all thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
ADORING ABIGAIL is a Regency romance that will tug on readers' hearts. Memorable characters and a sweet romance with an endearing plot make for a delightful story. Definitely recommended to sweet historical romance fans!
I loved these characters! Both Abigail and Robert have their challenges, and both are trying to face what life has given them and manage the best they can. Robert is surrounded by a wonderful mother and a charming sister, as well as faithful servants to help him as he comes into his new inheritance. However, Abigail has been criticized and bullied most of her life and continues to be so. My heart went out to her. Her grandmother does not see her value and is ashamed of her, as are the townspeople. There are also some villains, one unknowingly and one that is quite deceiving. I thought both were well done. I adored Hazel with her enthusiasm and general kindness, and loved her friendship with Abigail. My favorite characters were Abigail and Robert, of course. I loved seeing their relationship bloom.
I would have liked a bit more development here and there and a few more pages to the story. I also was a bit frustrated with the characters at certain points—Abigail with her acquiescence to Mr. Mead and her grandmother, and Robert with his blindness and inaction—but I also understood their predicaments and how their personalities would lend to the situations they found themselves in. Thank goodness they do eventually figure things out and we get our happily-ever-after.
I can't resist mentioning my favorite scene (a part during a ball in the library - you'll have to read it to find out what I'm referring to) that was brilliantly played, both by the characters and the author in plotting the story in such a way. I had to admire the excellent timing, laugh at the humor, and sigh at the romantic moment. There were several other memorable moments, some of which were also quite emotional and heartbreaking, which made the ending that much sweeter.
In the end, was it what I wished for? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! It was sweet, but also had a depth to the story with these complex characters that I couldn't help loving. I'm so looking forward to more from this author!
Content: Clean Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
This book can be summed up in one word for me, "sweet." When I think about the word candy comes to mind, relationships, happiness, and the way you can treat another. This book is all of those attributes and more.
Abigail is a wonderful young woman. She is kind and caring. She has an amazing capacity to love and accept her family even when they do not do the same for her. She suffers from a speech impediment and is thought of as "less intelligent." It seems as if no one around her understands her feelings until the new heir of Cattersley comes to claim his inheritance. His mother and sister soon follow and become the support system that Abigail needs. They treat her better than her own family does.
The book is told in the first person from altering points of view. I really liked this format for this story. It gave a glimpse into the characters that added to the book. You could see the goodness that they both embody. I also liked seeing how other people treated them through their eyes. The true character of others in the story is revealed through body language and what they say when they don't feel anyone of importance is around and listening.
This book was more than I had hoped it would be. I knew that I anticipated it's release and looked forward to reading it. The characters were amazing and I loved the subplot of tolerance and seeing a person as more than their way of speech.
This is a "sweet" book in so many ways.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book was such a sweet read! That's the word that kept going through my mind when I was reading it as well as after I finished it. If you enjoy sweet characters and stories then I would highly recommend checking this one out.
Abigail is a character who was looked upon by her family as being very flawed and a failure. Her home circumstances weren't easy by any means. Then to be sent to live with her grandmother who looked at her as even more flawed than the other family members did, was not an easy situation for Abigail. But I adored her character so much. She bore her struggles with grace and dignity and sought to find joy in her surroundings.
Captain Robert Wilkins was a wonderfully written character as well. He was trying to figure out his role in his changed circumstances. I loved how he saw people for who they were and not because of their station, struggles or shortcomings. He truly saw Abigail for who she was. I loved their scenes together so much and looked forward to all of them. Robert was a champion for Abigail. I also have to say that I loved Robert's sister immensely as well. She's the type of character that you would want as your best friend were you to have lived during this time period.
A very sweet and tender love story perfect for Regency fans. There's even the dastardly character, an unsavory female character who might make you beyond frustrated and plenty of characters with great worth. Hopefully you can be transported to this beautiful setting with its lush gardens and forest areas as Abigail takes many walks therein.
Content: Clean. The dastardly character has some unsavory moments but nothing graphic or that would make it not clean.
I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a sweet regency romance with all the players of a Downton Abbey. I enjoyed the friendships, dinners and the planning of the ball. I do wish there was a little bit more chemistry and romance between the lead characters. But overall I enjoyed it.
This was a NETGALLEY gift and all opinions are my own.
With this story divided evenly between the two major characters, we get a good all round insight into both Robert & Abigail’s thoughts and feelings.
Robert has inherited a grand estate from his Aunt and quickly encounters his new neighbors, Abigail and her grandma who live in a cottage that borders his land. While one certainly faces more challenges than the other, it does become apparent that the gentle nature of both lean easily to a friendly and well paced relationship. With the arrival of his younger sister, it opens the door to natural interactions and visits. I enjoyed that we are given a 3rd party that provides all the conflicts with just enough bad guy attitude and behavior to keep things interesting. Hoping for a resolution for Abigail, in which he gets his dues. It comes - perfectly written and well executed by the hero!!!
Although it felt a little slow at times, the pacing lends itself to a very believable emotional connection. Abigail certainly has a lot to work through, she had been treated very unkindly her entire life by people you trust to be your greatest supporters. Finding genuine people to hold her in esteem brings the ‘feel good’ factor from the new residents of Cattersley.
Hoping there’s a story for Hazel!! I really enjoyed this book!
I loved this book so much!! Full blog tour review coming Friday! Just know that this book is a clear winner in my book.
Full Review: From the very first pages, this book had me wrapped up in its story. I loved the main characters, Abigail and Captain Wilkins. They felt like real people that I would love to know. This Regency Romance was quite unique in that Abigail had a speech impediment that had ruled her life. Abigail's family treated her cruelly because of it assuming she was stupid. In 1818 they weren't as enlightened as we are now about knowing how to help someone like Abigail. My heart ached for this character to see how her mother, grandmother, and others were so cruel to her.
In comes Captain Robert Wilkins and his wonderful family that included his mother and sister, Hazel. They loved and protected Abigail from the start. I did feel frustrated at times that Abigail didn't let them know what was truly going on so they could have helped her sooner. The villain in this book is none other than a handsome vicar. He is written so well that I wished I could crawl into the pages of the book and smack him; strong feelings for sure but that's great writing on Chalon Linton's part.
This novel is sweet, amazing, and heartbreaking at times. The story is beautifully told by Abigail and Robert's viewpoints. I loved being able to see this story from each character's eyes. I enjoyed my experience viewing this world of a kind and gentle man who helped a shy, sweet lady finally find her worth. This novel receives 5 stars from me! Adoring Abigail is a novel that I will read again.
There are so many amazing looking Regency romances coming out this spring! I have been hearing great things about this one, so I was so excited to get to read it. And it lived up to the hype. I LOVED it!
This one is full of great characters. I loved Abigail, Robert, and his sister Hazel. I hope that Hazel is going to get her own story some time. There are also characters that I didn’t like. I’m not going to tell you who and prejudice you before you even pick up the book! Not liking characters is a huge sign for me that the author did a great job with her characters.
The plot was great. It kept me engaged during the whole time I was reading. I didn’t want to put it down to do anything, I just wanted to know what was going to happen to my beloved characters.
Make sure you grab your own copy of this one!
I was sent a copy of Adoring Abigail as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Adoring Abigail was such a sweet romance story about the beautiful and smart Miss Abigail Rutherford and the ever kind and loving Mr. Robert Wilkins. Abigail is extremely intelligent, but due to having a speech impediment her family and those in her community have treated her as inept and stupid. Deemed to be slow and therefore of no value, she has been trained to keep her mouth shut and hide in the shadows. Robert comes upon Abigail in his newly inherited gardens and with the chance encounter forms his own opinion of the beautiful and sharp woman. Surprising Abigail, Robert nor his family ever make mention of her impediment nor do they see her as anything less than the amazing woman she is. I love the lesson this teaches throughout the novel. I really enjoyed the way the story is told by both Abigail and Robert. Having each characters' thoughts allowed me as a reader to connect more to the story as well as understand the deepening feelings and growth of their relationship. The villain of the story was a bit unexpected at first and boy did I find myself frustrated with that hypocritical vicar as the story progressed! The plot didn't have a ton of action per say, but as far as being a romance, the way it was written provided a very believable relationship and I felt like it was very realistic for the time period how things would have played out and progressed. I received and advance copy of this novel and am leaving a review of my own accord. I found this novel to be a sweet clean romance and recommend it to anyone who loves Regency romance.
I always enjoy a good regency. This was a nice read. I kept feeling like I was missing something tho. I think the characters needed to be developed more. It was a sweet story but getting closer to the end it started to drag and nothing was happening. It was a nice slow moving romance but then it was like come on, come on! This was squeaky clean and very much stuck to the regency time period.
This was a sweet story, with a hero and heroine you can’t help but root for. I though Abigail was such a unique protagonist. She is kind and gentle, but her speech impediment makes her shy and more introverted. She has lived with the disdain and mocking of those closest to her throughout her life due to her speech, and yet I loved how kind and positive she tried to be.
Robert was such a likeable hero. Risen to the ranks of wealth and prominence with his aunt’s passing, he is a good man at his core. I loved how he and Abigail interacted.
There were multiple misunderstandings that arose due to a lack of communication, which sometimes made me want to shake the characters, but it lead to a good buildup in the plot and a very satisfying climax and ending. A sweet regency story where two lonely souls find one another and choose to love.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a sweet and clean regency romance. I love that it was told with both Robert and Abigails perspectives. The “villain” of the story was well written (so much so that you are wanting to punch him in the face yourself) and I couldn’t wait until he got his. If you are a regency fan you will enjoy this book.
Romance, period, clean; Abigail and Robert's story was sweetly done. Abigail's speech impediment, her mistreatment by her family, and all the unkindness heaped upon her, was so disheartening. Robert and his family's acceptance, kindness, and general goodness to her, opened up her heart to being herself around them. Robert's building attraction to her as he navigated his new position and established his home at his inherited estate, with the addition of his sister and mother, figuring out the small town intricacies and social structures and norm, while remaining true to who he was, was honest, real, and made for a good problem for him to face. The Vicar, her grandmother and other characters were slightly flat for me, but since they were more minor characters, that was ok. Lovely setting between the house, the gardens, and the contrast with the cottage. Abigail's confidence building as she becomes more comfortable with the Wilkins' family was lovely. Her heart grew as well. Lovely, heartfelt read, with honest, hurting characters that made for a lovely read. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, my opinions are my own.
This may end up being a longer review but I highly recommend reading Adoring Abigail.
This book has been the most real work of fiction I have ever read.
I felt personal connections to several of the experiences Abigail had within these pages. I grew up with a speech impediment similar to Abigail's and years of hard work allowed me to mostly overcome my stutter and stumbles. Also like Abigail I faced a 'suitor' who was not all he seemed and was rather pushy in his attentions to the point of making me uncomfortable.
With these experiences in mind I thoughtfully processed this book before writing this review.
I was drawn into the pages of Adoring Abigail more so than other books I have read. I found myself laughing with Abigail and Robert as well as finding sympathy with her plight with Mr. Mead. I loved that the book was written in first person but each chapter let us know before hand if the chapter was from Robert or Abigail's point of view. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each and felt the book was more personalized based on these two points of view.
Abigail's character, background, and personal struggles were very well developed and from the first chapter I felt an affinity with her. Robert was also developed just as much and his own insecurities were immediately understandable.
I enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters in the book, one of my favorite was Miss Wilkins, Hazel, who is Robert's sister. Her abundance of confidence, love, and need for approval were very clear through both main character's points of view. She was just as well developed a character as were Robert and Abigail. I not only adored Abigail and Robert but Hazel as well.
When Abigail's history of persecution due to her speech impediment was revealed I cried with the unfairness considering her worst critics were her own family. But I also cheered with her that she had other family members that understood and accepted her even if the problem confused them.
Chalon Linton was able to communicate the challenges of a speech impediment almost perfectly. When I read the details of the impediment it reminded me of my own challenges and I was in awe that she was able to convey the issue in the correct manner. For example, when she is in Abigail's point of view and it mentions how to Abigail her speech is not flawed because she 'hears' her words as they should be I was stunned. That is exactly how it is for me. I hear my speech come out perfectly clear but I know from reactions of those around me when I stumble or stutter when speaking.
I am so very glad I was able to read this book and extend my thanks to Chalon Linton and Covenant Communications for allowing me to do so. I loved this book and will recommend it to everyone I talk to about books, which is most people I encounter.
Read A Book & Enjoy An Adventure!
Note: The views and opinions in this review are my own and not a reflection of the author or the publisher in any way.
A captivating read! Robert inherits a grand estate from a great aunt he barely knew and feel inadequate to the task. Abigail, a young woman who is forced to live with her grandmother after her parents death, lives at a neighboring cottage. Abigail is a beautiful young woman who struggles with speech problems and the way people treat her because of those problems. Until she meets Robert and his family, people who see Abigail as a beautiful, smart, and loving young woman and not her inadequacies. This is a wonderful love story of two people who find love and acceptance in each other. I highly recommend this book! A must read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Adoring Abigail is a sweet and clean historical Regency romance. This is the first book I have read from this author and I will be reading more from her. I loved this story. It is original. I also loved the heroine, and hero. And most of all the amazing ending. It is swoon worthy with a happily ever after. *I was given a copy by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
In the new regency romance, Adoring Abigail, by Chalon Linton, we are introduced to a young woman named Abigail who has lost her parents, her brother has been sent to America, and her sister is in another town employed as a governess. She gets sent to her difficult grandmother and is so lonely, and that loneliness is compounded by her speech impediment which earns her scorn and ridicule and labels her as simple-minded. It is so sad to see how she is treated for something so small. The one bright spot in her life is her walks in the neighboring estate's gardens. It is during one of those walks that she meets the new owner, Mr. Robert Wilkins. He has returned from his duties in the military to his new role as an estate owner, but is unsure of how to go about everything. He finds a sweet friendship with Abigail that could turn into something more, and as he sees the reality of her situation, he wants to help. But there are forces all around them that would keep them apart and dastardly plans are afoot. Can Abigail and Robert overcome all to find their path to happiness and love?
I really enjoyed Robert's character. He is a worthy hero and he attempts to do right by those around him. It was endearing to see how he handles the women in his life. I loved how he treated Abigail and their slow burn romance---one that will set your heart to racing in some parts! Abigail is such a sweet character, especially to be admired with what life has dealt her and how she soldiers on. I liked the similarities in how both her and Robert carried insecurities about their expectations for the rest of their lives and how they resolved it. Robert's mother and sister were wonderful characters as well, and the villain was definitely quite villainous---which makes it all the better when he receives his just desserts.
This was a sweet romance that will make your heart happy.
This sweet Regency romance set in 1818 England kept my interest from the intriguing beginning to the satisfying ending! The characters are well-developed, endearing, and memorable. The emotionally rich story flows at a fitting pace as the romance between Robert, the master of Cattersley estate, and Abigail, a lovely young girl with a speech impairment, delightfully unfolds despite a duplicitous Vicar and a critical, domineering grandmother. The story is told in first person alternating dialogues by Robert and Abigail. Although I usually prefer a third person narrative, the first person style works perfectly for this story giving deeper insight into the characters’ thoughts and feelings. I thoroughly enjoyed this easy-to-read book and look forward to reading other works by Ms. Linton.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Adoring Abigail is the tale of a former army captain turned landowner and gentleman meeting up with a young lady who struggles to speak correctly. As a character, Abigail immediately won me over. I could immediately relate to her speech troubles because I had similar troubles when I was younger, although not as severe as Abigail's. But I had a speech therapist to help me overcome them, Abigail has no such luxury. Instead, she has a family that abuses and condemns her for her disability. Living with her grandmother who constantly berates her every time she makes a mistake, she seeks freedom in her daily walks, walks that take her to Cattersly, the new home of Mr. Robert Wilkins. Robert is struggling with his new role as master of Cattersly and is delighted to meet Abigail. As the two begin to care for each other they must confront additional difficulties. Abigail must contend with the attentions of a controlling, manipulative vicar who won't take no for an answer while Robert tries to get a handle on helping his sister learn to be the mistress of Cattersly after several misteps.
The story is told in Abigail and Robert's alternating points of view. I wasn't sure about this at first. Sometimes this technique can interrupt the flow of the story. In this case it works quite well. The story doesn't tell the same experiences just in alternating voices, instead one chapter picks up after the previous one ends giving the reader different perspectives on different events. After the first few chapters, I started to really enjoy seeing the way Abigail and Robert see and react to each other. I really appreciated how kind Robert is to Abigail, especially in contrast to her grandmother and the manipulative Mr. Mead. The book is a fairly quick read, but all the elements for an enjoyable story are there, interesting characters, problems to be overcome, and a satisfying ending.
One of my most anticipated reads of this year!! I am so excited it is out! Adoring Abigail was a phenomenal read. Abigail is such a great character. You can really see how frustrating and endearing it is that she has to work so hard to be heard, and most people just dismiss her without a chance. She is so much more than she appears and is a jewel to anyone who takes the time to get to know her. She has such obstacles to overcome, but through those obstacles she is so personable that anyone can identify with her and become a spectator rooting for her.
I also liked the 'mean' character. I will not name names to give a spoiler, but it is someone you don't expect right away and then you are horrified and want to jump into the book and save Abigail! But alas, it is a story so you just keep reading.. He is very well written though and while not a nice character is a great bad character. Good job Linton!!
Thank you for an advance reader copy from NetGalley and Convent Communications, the ideas and options expressed are my own.
It's been a while since I've read a Regency romance, & this one was an ideal charmer for revisiting the genre. It's a sweet, cinderella-flavored Mansfield Park sort of story.
Abigail has a relatively minor speech impediment so she speaks more slowly to try to control it, but because of both, her grandmother & most of the villagers think her mentally slow. When retired military captain Robert Wilkins moves in to the Cattersley estate with his mother and sister, Abigail finds true friendship at last... and possibly something more.
Unfortunately, it then becomes clear to her that, of the few who have previously given the appearance of friendship, not all are truly looking out for her. Poor Abigail ends up in a terrible bind - however, Providence has provided her with a gentleman in shining armor!
This was my first book by the author, & I very much enjoyed it. An aspect or two of the happily-ever-after might seem facile, but who can fault a little icing on a yummy cake? I can't wait to read more of her work!
*Clean romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic, though there are a few instances of men forcing unwanted kisses or touch on the heroine - one of whom we're told she kneed in the groin
I adored this book! Abigail hasn't had an easy life, living in the 1800's England with a speech impediment. Her parents died leaving her to live with her grandmother, who along with much of society, thinks her speech makes her dumb and slow but new heir and new neighbor, Richard does not. He quickly falls in love but runs into the issue of a very forward vicar. I enjoyed this story as it's a quick and easy, pretty believable story. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book for my honest opinion.
Quick read. I can’t recall having read another book where the main character’s struggle was a speech impediment. I really felt for Abigail as so many, even family who should have been more loving and accepting, were cruel and belittling because of her “imperfection”. I liked Robert and his family. Mr. Mead was super creepy.
Clean with a happy ending.
*I received a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Captain Robert Wilkins has finished his military service and is presented an estate by his aunt and instantly comes into wealth. He doesn't understand why he was chosen as her heir but he is determined to do right by her and continue to do good with the wealth he has received. It is time for him to settle down and find a companion.
Abigail Rutherford lives with her grandmother and is the neighbor to Mr. Wilkin's estate. She is a beautiful woman who has ridiculed all of her life for a speech impediment that she cannot seem to control. She is told repeatedly that no one will ever want her because her beauty can't hid her defects. While out on a morning walk at Mr. Wilkin's estate, she meets the new owner and is immediately put at ease by their interaction. She is told that she can walk on the estate grounds any time she wishes. The connection that Abigail and Robert feel is palpable and real but can Abigail trust her feelings.
Mr. Mead is the handsome vicar who is supported by Mr. Wilkin's estate but Mr. Mead is rather caustic in his interactions with Mr. Wilkins. Mr. Mead has set his eyes on Abigail Rutherford and is determined to make her his wife, at any cost. Is it too late for Robert and Abigail to find happiness with one another.
I loved how protective Robert was with Abigail. He is such a wonderful man with good values and intentions to all. I felt the heartbreak and disappointment every time Abigail was ridiculed or made to feel that she was defective in some way by others, even by those who should have loved her and supported her and I hated the controlling nature of Mr. Mead. These elements all combined to tell a wonderful story of salvation and freedom and love. Robert's mother and sister, Hazel, were wonderful characters, too, who supported Abigail and included her in their circle and didn't listen to the gossipmongers of their small town.
This was a clean romance that told a wonderful story. This is my first experience with this author but I look forward to more from her.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.