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Sussex Regency Romance #1
Hidden in the Heart
While her older sister is being presented to London Society for the season, Lydia Bramwell is sent to her Aunt Camilla in the Sussex countryside. High-spirited Lydia expects a very dull visit, but her sojourn to the village of Diddlington is not as idyllic as she anticipates . . .
A charred and bludgeoned corpse is found in the woods, and suspicion falls on Lydia’s aunt’s suitor, an intriguing Frenchman. Convinced of his innocence, Lydia enlists the help of her new friend, John Savidge, to catch the real killer. But before their dangerous adventure ends there will be more than one unexpected discovery.
A charred and bludgeoned corpse is found in the woods, and suspicion falls on Lydia’s aunt’s suitor, an intriguing Frenchman. Convinced of his innocence, Lydia enlists the help of her new friend, John Savidge, to catch the real killer. But before their dangerous adventure ends there will be more than one unexpected discovery.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2006
About the author
Beth Andrews
15 books12 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author with this name
Beth Andrews (a.k.a. Paul Bethel) was born and raised in Nassau, Bahamas. At the age of about seven, “Beth” was reading completely inappropriate tales of murder and love in True Detective and True Romance magazine. It wasn't long before he started writing stories, often with a strong note of satire. Graduating to Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, Regency romance and mystery was a natural progression—though Paul still pens occasional contemporary stories and song lyrics just for fun, as well as non-fiction articles and essays for Jane Austen’s Regency World. Paul also enjoys music, gardening, travel (pre-pandemic, of course) and the beach. His ebooks are now published by Joffe Books in the UK and Regency Reads in Oregon.
There is more than one author with this name
Beth Andrews (a.k.a. Paul Bethel) was born and raised in Nassau, Bahamas. At the age of about seven, “Beth” was reading completely inappropriate tales of murder and love in True Detective and True Romance magazine. It wasn't long before he started writing stories, often with a strong note of satire. Graduating to Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, Regency romance and mystery was a natural progression—though Paul still pens occasional contemporary stories and song lyrics just for fun, as well as non-fiction articles and essays for Jane Austen’s Regency World. Paul also enjoys music, gardening, travel (pre-pandemic, of course) and the beach. His ebooks are now published by Joffe Books in the UK and Regency Reads in Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
October 16, 2024
ETA: THE AUTHOR IS A GUY USING A FEMALE PEN NAME. After all the garbage female authors have been through to get published, a white man decides to write romance and use a woman’s name to sell it? NO.
Original Review: Insipid. Forget what you know about the early 1800s because this story uses bits and pieces, but is sorely lacking in historical accuracy.
The main character is childish and unlikable. I was sure that when we opened with sisters fighting with each other, that there was a third sister who would be our main character. No, we get one of the petty sisters! Our main character also has uncharitable thoughts about others' appearances despite being a poor. She's poor, country girl who is sent to an aunt's while her parents and sister head to London for the Season. They're poor, but not that poor?
I can't even bother to finish reviewing the mystery part of the story.
Original Review: Insipid. Forget what you know about the early 1800s because this story uses bits and pieces, but is sorely lacking in historical accuracy.
The main character is childish and unlikable. I was sure that when we opened with sisters fighting with each other, that there was a third sister who would be our main character. No, we get one of the petty sisters! Our main character also has uncharitable thoughts about others' appearances despite being a poor. She's poor, country girl who is sent to an aunt's while her parents and sister head to London for the Season. They're poor, but not that poor?
I can't even bother to finish reviewing the mystery part of the story.
May 26, 2021
Well, that was unexpected. The title says it’s a sumptuous unputdownable Regency romance, all of which I would question, and none of which should be in the title, for heaven’s sake, the cover suggests it’s a fairly generic type of story, and actually it’s a funny, not to say frivolous, piece of whimsy which I enjoyed hugely, with a couple of reservations.
Here’s the premise: Lydia is the younger of two daughters in the impoverished Bramwell family. When Louisa, the air-headed beauty of the family, goes off to London to make her debut and snag a husband, preferably rich and titled, Lydia is sent to Aunt Camilla, who lives in the Sussex village of Diddlington, to rusticate for the duration. But her stay turns out to be anything but the peaceful and rather boring time she envisages, when a charred and battered corpse is found in the woods. Luckily, intrepid Lydia enlists the aid of innkeeper’s son John Savidge to track down the murderer, which leads to all sorts of unexpected complications…
So let me deal with the title first. The word ‘sumptuous’ implies to me something very rich and upper class and extravagant, and the characters in this story are all well below that sort of level of society. Most of them are not even gentry (Mr Bramwell is a solicitor, so what his daughter is doing being presented at court is a mystery). Unputdownable is fairly subjective, and as for Regency romance - well, it’s set in the Regency and there is a romance or two, but if anyone is looking for passion or even much emotion, better look elsewhere.
But once preconceived ideas are set aside (and the hype in the title is ignored) this is a really cute and funny story. Lydia is both intrepid and very practical, her new friend John Savidge is similar, Aunt Camilla and her French admirer are deliciously overwrought and melodramatic, and there are some fun side characters in the domineering Mrs Wardle-Penfield and the socially ambitious innkeeper, Mr Savidge. The murder plot rumbles along nicely, with some diversions and then an escalation, all of which our two main characters handle with aplomb.
The mystery is, frankly, blindingly obvious from a very early stage, even to me, and I’m usually the one astonished by the last-chapter revelations. But this one was too simple for words. The romance… well, it really wasn’t. Our couple kiss, more or less accidentally, and almost immediately start thinking about marriage, but in the most prosaic way possible. They are a nice couple, but the romance was very much a side issue in the story.
And that leads me directly to the reservations, the first of which is that this book is misbilled. It’s a Regency murder mystery, at the cozy end of the scale, and it’s misleading to pretend otherwise. A lot of Regencies have a mystery in them, but the romance is still centre stage, but not so here, and book 2 of the series features Lydia and John again, solving another murder. Anyone picking this up expecting a standard romance is going to be disappointed.
The second reservation is the names. The Bramwells randomly become Barnwells, and the Savidge family are also Savage and even Savings! And this happens multiple times throughout the book, once even using Savage and Savidge in the same paragraph. Maybe a lot of readers won’t notice, but I did and it drove me insane. Other than that, the editing was excellent, the writing was beautifully done, both very much in keeping with the era and also very funny - as in laugh out loud funny. There are some minor historical glitches (a baronet is not a peer, since he has no seat in the House of Lords), but nothing that bothered me as much as the names.
Overall, I loved this and it has a charm which is sadly lacking in most modern Regencies. The characters felt believably real, while also being entertainingly quirky, the hero and heroine were delightfully down-to-earth, and the murder mystery was interesting, if not the most difficult to solve. This would have been a clear five star read for me but for those pesky name errors, but I still recommend it wholeheartedly.
Here’s the premise: Lydia is the younger of two daughters in the impoverished Bramwell family. When Louisa, the air-headed beauty of the family, goes off to London to make her debut and snag a husband, preferably rich and titled, Lydia is sent to Aunt Camilla, who lives in the Sussex village of Diddlington, to rusticate for the duration. But her stay turns out to be anything but the peaceful and rather boring time she envisages, when a charred and battered corpse is found in the woods. Luckily, intrepid Lydia enlists the aid of innkeeper’s son John Savidge to track down the murderer, which leads to all sorts of unexpected complications…
So let me deal with the title first. The word ‘sumptuous’ implies to me something very rich and upper class and extravagant, and the characters in this story are all well below that sort of level of society. Most of them are not even gentry (Mr Bramwell is a solicitor, so what his daughter is doing being presented at court is a mystery). Unputdownable is fairly subjective, and as for Regency romance - well, it’s set in the Regency and there is a romance or two, but if anyone is looking for passion or even much emotion, better look elsewhere.
But once preconceived ideas are set aside (and the hype in the title is ignored) this is a really cute and funny story. Lydia is both intrepid and very practical, her new friend John Savidge is similar, Aunt Camilla and her French admirer are deliciously overwrought and melodramatic, and there are some fun side characters in the domineering Mrs Wardle-Penfield and the socially ambitious innkeeper, Mr Savidge. The murder plot rumbles along nicely, with some diversions and then an escalation, all of which our two main characters handle with aplomb.
The mystery is, frankly, blindingly obvious from a very early stage, even to me, and I’m usually the one astonished by the last-chapter revelations. But this one was too simple for words. The romance… well, it really wasn’t. Our couple kiss, more or less accidentally, and almost immediately start thinking about marriage, but in the most prosaic way possible. They are a nice couple, but the romance was very much a side issue in the story.
And that leads me directly to the reservations, the first of which is that this book is misbilled. It’s a Regency murder mystery, at the cozy end of the scale, and it’s misleading to pretend otherwise. A lot of Regencies have a mystery in them, but the romance is still centre stage, but not so here, and book 2 of the series features Lydia and John again, solving another murder. Anyone picking this up expecting a standard romance is going to be disappointed.
The second reservation is the names. The Bramwells randomly become Barnwells, and the Savidge family are also Savage and even Savings! And this happens multiple times throughout the book, once even using Savage and Savidge in the same paragraph. Maybe a lot of readers won’t notice, but I did and it drove me insane. Other than that, the editing was excellent, the writing was beautifully done, both very much in keeping with the era and also very funny - as in laugh out loud funny. There are some minor historical glitches (a baronet is not a peer, since he has no seat in the House of Lords), but nothing that bothered me as much as the names.
Overall, I loved this and it has a charm which is sadly lacking in most modern Regencies. The characters felt believably real, while also being entertainingly quirky, the hero and heroine were delightfully down-to-earth, and the murder mystery was interesting, if not the most difficult to solve. This would have been a clear five star read for me but for those pesky name errors, but I still recommend it wholeheartedly.
June 9, 2022
Quick regency read , slow burn and more suspenseful
Ku read
Ku read
April 23, 2021
Charming!
Hidden in the Heart, by Beth Andrews, is a charming Regency romance with a very likeable pair of protagonists. Our heroine is a 17 year old girl who is considered an extra expense at her sister's come out. She is sent off to stay with her spinster aunt and proceeds to involve herself and her new friend, aka our hero, in a murder mystery or two. Not one but two romances reach fruition in the course of their solutions.
Ms. Andrews' voice, like her Hermione's, is fresh and delightful. Look forward to an enjoyable few hours of reading!
Hidden in the Heart, by Beth Andrews, is a charming Regency romance with a very likeable pair of protagonists. Our heroine is a 17 year old girl who is considered an extra expense at her sister's come out. She is sent off to stay with her spinster aunt and proceeds to involve herself and her new friend, aka our hero, in a murder mystery or two. Not one but two romances reach fruition in the course of their solutions.
Ms. Andrews' voice, like her Hermione's, is fresh and delightful. Look forward to an enjoyable few hours of reading!
September 6, 2023
This was an ok read by an author who is actually a guy. Don't know why he didn't publish under his own name, but whatever. A freebie on Amazon.
I almost hesitate to shelve it as a romance, since the heroine is doubtful as to whether she actually loves the hero.
I liked that the hero & heroine aren't of the aristocracy. The hero's father is wealthy, but owns an inn. The hero was raised as a gentleman. The heroine's father is from an upstanding old family, but also doesn't have a title.
The mystery is pretty good & the HEA is satisfactory.
I almost hesitate to shelve it as a romance, since the heroine is doubtful as to whether she actually loves the hero.
I liked that the hero & heroine aren't of the aristocracy. The hero's father is wealthy, but owns an inn. The hero was raised as a gentleman. The heroine's father is from an upstanding old family, but also doesn't have a title.
The mystery is pretty good & the HEA is satisfactory.
Read
November 5, 2023Light Regency romance combined with light murder mystery. Nice quick read.
November 26, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. Loved the Regency setting, the heroine's pragmatic view of love. She scorns the romantic swooning of her aunt and settles for a solid dependable love of equals. Great references to Austen too.
March 26, 2025
My first 'read' as an audio book, picked mainly to try an audio book, as I didn't want something where I'd miss the plot line.
A very generic regency drama tale, but very well read.
A very generic regency drama tale, but very well read.
July 16, 2025
Charming romantic cosy mystery
At first I was worried that Lydia was going to turn out to be a catty personality but it's rather her wit and observational skills being shown in the first chapter. Spice level sweet. Murder check. Teamwork check. Well written and great plot.
At first I was worried that Lydia was going to turn out to be a catty personality but it's rather her wit and observational skills being shown in the first chapter. Spice level sweet. Murder check. Teamwork check. Well written and great plot.
September 5, 2023
A quick, easy read. This is a cute, cozy tale of a younger daughter (17 yo) being placed in the countryside with her dramatic aunt, while her older sister does a London season, and all the shenanigans which ensue in the placid country village.
Sweet and clean with only a few kisses.
The H and h don’t seem to act quite the way I expect Victorians to act. I suspect that the author ignored whatever rules of etiquette didn’t suit their purpose and that’s why the characters don’t act as I expect. The characters are not fully fleshed out but the book is fairly short so that may be why.
Good for an afternoon read on the beach or curled up on the sofa during a snowstorm.
I would take issue with the title. This book is most definitely not sumptuous nor is it unputdownable (I’m not sure that’s even a word!). It’s a predictable, cozy romantic mystery. Just like many of the others I’ve read but kudos to the author for managing to write a book. A credible effort and enjoyable enough.
Sweet and clean with only a few kisses.
The H and h don’t seem to act quite the way I expect Victorians to act. I suspect that the author ignored whatever rules of etiquette didn’t suit their purpose and that’s why the characters don’t act as I expect. The characters are not fully fleshed out but the book is fairly short so that may be why.
Good for an afternoon read on the beach or curled up on the sofa during a snowstorm.
I would take issue with the title. This book is most definitely not sumptuous nor is it unputdownable (I’m not sure that’s even a word!). It’s a predictable, cozy romantic mystery. Just like many of the others I’ve read but kudos to the author for managing to write a book. A credible effort and enjoyable enough.
May 26, 2021
Rather charming! Was able to like the very realistic characters and enjoyed my afternoon reading this! Recommended. On to the next one!
Also, suprised to learn this was written by a man! I think it's the first Regency Romance that I have come across that has been, unless I've missed other pseudonyms somewhere.
Also, suprised to learn this was written by a man! I think it's the first Regency Romance that I have come across that has been, unless I've missed other pseudonyms somewhere.
April 10, 2022
Excellent Period Novel
Very well written and delightfully entertaining. Enjoyed this book, the story and the time period. Absolutely charming! Kept my interest.
Phyllis
Indianapolis USA
Very well written and delightfully entertaining. Enjoyed this book, the story and the time period. Absolutely charming! Kept my interest.
Phyllis
Indianapolis USA
March 8, 2021
Review
I enjoyed reading this book. It started out slow but it soon picked up. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading a recency mystery/romance.
I enjoyed reading this book. It started out slow but it soon picked up. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading a recency mystery/romance.
May 30, 2021
Brilliant writer. I loved "Hidden in the Heart" and look forward to many more books like this by this author. I highly recommend it.
April 29, 2024
Boring!
I am sorry, but I got half way through chapter 5 and couldn't continue on. Unputdownable?? I kept falling asleep.
I am sorry, but I got half way through chapter 5 and couldn't continue on. Unputdownable?? I kept falling asleep.
January 18, 2024
This book was okay. It did not live up to the "sumptuous unputdownable romance" line on the cover. But it was a quick, easy read.
My issues are:
Lydia and John seem to be more like siblings than people in love.
Aunt Camille is SO overly dramatic. I rolled my eyes numerous times at her antics. And she was not the only one who was over the top. And of course, her boyfriend turns out to be a titled lord in disguise. *eye roll*
The language was very pretentious. I've read many dozens of Regency stories, but most don't make me feel like I'm reading a story written by someone who wants to use every big word they know in one sentence. It was way over the top. I'm fine with adding period appropriate slang and cadence to your writings. But it seemed like the author was interested in showing off their vocabulary rather than actually telling a story.
However, I did like that Lydia was tenacious and not afraid of breaking society's conventions. The mystery part was okay. But it's probably not a book I would read again.
My rating: 2.75 stars
My issues are:
Lydia and John seem to be more like siblings than people in love.
Aunt Camille is SO overly dramatic. I rolled my eyes numerous times at her antics. And she was not the only one who was over the top. And of course, her boyfriend turns out to be a titled lord in disguise. *eye roll*
The language was very pretentious. I've read many dozens of Regency stories, but most don't make me feel like I'm reading a story written by someone who wants to use every big word they know in one sentence. It was way over the top. I'm fine with adding period appropriate slang and cadence to your writings. But it seemed like the author was interested in showing off their vocabulary rather than actually telling a story.
However, I did like that Lydia was tenacious and not afraid of breaking society's conventions. The mystery part was okay. But it's probably not a book I would read again.
My rating: 2.75 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2025
Hidden in the Heart by Beth Andrews
Blurb
While her older sister is being presented to London Society for the season, Lydia Bramwell is sent to her Aunt Camilla in the Sussex countryside. High-spirited Lydia expects a very dull visit, but her sojourn to the village of Diddlington is not as idyllic as she anticipates . . .
A charred and bludgeoned corpse is found in the woods, and suspicion falls on Lydia’s aunt’s suitor, an intriguing Frenchman. Convinced of his innocence, Lydia enlists the help of her new friend, John Savidge, to catch the real killer. But before their dangerous adventure ends there will be more than one unexpected discovery.
My Opinion
On the hunt for a quick audiobook, I spotted this in my local library. Beth Andrews has written an entertaining and charming book. At less than 200 pages this was a quick and easy read.
Rating 4/5
Blurb
While her older sister is being presented to London Society for the season, Lydia Bramwell is sent to her Aunt Camilla in the Sussex countryside. High-spirited Lydia expects a very dull visit, but her sojourn to the village of Diddlington is not as idyllic as she anticipates . . .
A charred and bludgeoned corpse is found in the woods, and suspicion falls on Lydia’s aunt’s suitor, an intriguing Frenchman. Convinced of his innocence, Lydia enlists the help of her new friend, John Savidge, to catch the real killer. But before their dangerous adventure ends there will be more than one unexpected discovery.
My Opinion
On the hunt for a quick audiobook, I spotted this in my local library. Beth Andrews has written an entertaining and charming book. At less than 200 pages this was a quick and easy read.
Rating 4/5
June 23, 2023
A charming little read, but “sumptuous un-put-downable regency romance” it is not. There’s a sniff of romance, but very little passion. And certainly not as much as /those/ romance books. The characters are likeable, if lacking a great deal of depth. And although it is seemingly set in the regency period, this story could exist in any era and bar a few mentions of carriages or a few seemingly-mandatory mentions of gender roles, it’s easy to forget it’s a period story. It’s more of a comfy crime novella, and it was nice to see so many things at the end linked back through the story. It’s very easy to read, doesn’t make you think, has a good snappy pace, and ultimately has nothing to dismerit it.
February 10, 2023
Very Enjoyable Read
Delightful story by a new writer to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lydia and John were a delight, their banter and their no nonsense feelings for one another amusing. Had the story been about Louisa and Mrs Bramwell, Lydia's sister and mother respectively, as in the beginning it would have been very boring and middling, but as the plot progressed it was differently interesting. Lydia's Aunt Clarissa was a bit of a wet blanket but it added to some of the more ridiculous characters in the Sussex village, all evening one another out. All in all I thought it excellent and I look forward to the next book
Delightful story by a new writer to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lydia and John were a delight, their banter and their no nonsense feelings for one another amusing. Had the story been about Louisa and Mrs Bramwell, Lydia's sister and mother respectively, as in the beginning it would have been very boring and middling, but as the plot progressed it was differently interesting. Lydia's Aunt Clarissa was a bit of a wet blanket but it added to some of the more ridiculous characters in the Sussex village, all evening one another out. All in all I thought it excellent and I look forward to the next book
November 18, 2024
A hilarious romp
This was a very enjoyable read. It has humour, some romance, and a mystery to solve. Some of the narrative is reminiscent of Jane Austen, which was a very pleasant surprise. Overall, the storyline was prosaic, the final pages revealing the solution in a very Sherlock Holmes sort of way, plus there are three weddings! There is one happily ever after to be enjoyed at the shops, one happily ever after with an excess of sensibility, and one happily ever after filled with sense and a side-order of mystery.
This novel is suitable for all ages and I highly recommend it. I'll be reading more of the series.
This was a very enjoyable read. It has humour, some romance, and a mystery to solve. Some of the narrative is reminiscent of Jane Austen, which was a very pleasant surprise. Overall, the storyline was prosaic, the final pages revealing the solution in a very Sherlock Holmes sort of way, plus there are three weddings! There is one happily ever after to be enjoyed at the shops, one happily ever after with an excess of sensibility, and one happily ever after filled with sense and a side-order of mystery.
This novel is suitable for all ages and I highly recommend it. I'll be reading more of the series.
March 21, 2026
I considered giving this 3 stars but downgraded it to 2. The writing style was so off-putting and characters so silly and unrealistic, I had decided not to finish it. Then I began rereading Northanger Abbey and realized Andrews was trying to imitate the writing style and satire of Austen. Deciding to see where the plot would evolve, I continued reading the book and discovered a weak and poor imitation of Agatha Christie.
I can see why others give it higher ratings. It is kitschy. But I will not be reading any more of Andrews’ books. I like regencies and I like mysteries, but I prefer my authors to be themselves not poor imitations of others.
I can see why others give it higher ratings. It is kitschy. But I will not be reading any more of Andrews’ books. I like regencies and I like mysteries, but I prefer my authors to be themselves not poor imitations of others.
November 30, 2022
I have read this series in the wrong order! I started with Book 3 but wanted to go back to see how John and Lydia first met. I do like the characters of John and Lydia, they are both straightforward and honest in their dealings with each other. I also enjoy a mystery and they work together well to solve the problem. Lydia is unlike the usual young lady, she is very inquisitive and isn’t fazed by many things that others would swoon at. This was an entertaining read that kept my interest to the end. Now for Book 2!
September 11, 2023
An enjoyable murder mystery romp
Not what I was expecting. A sumptuous setting, the polite, ordered tone of the Regency time and a murder. Yes there is romance but not a corset ripping saga that distracts from the plot.
Lydia is a strong, unabashed character who finds herself in Sussex with her timid aunt. Soon embroiled in a murder investigation with the JPs son John, she pushes for a full investigation and finds there are other mysteries to be solved.
A very modern heroine and enjoyable to read.
Not what I was expecting. A sumptuous setting, the polite, ordered tone of the Regency time and a murder. Yes there is romance but not a corset ripping saga that distracts from the plot.
Lydia is a strong, unabashed character who finds herself in Sussex with her timid aunt. Soon embroiled in a murder investigation with the JPs son John, she pushes for a full investigation and finds there are other mysteries to be solved.
A very modern heroine and enjoyable to read.
July 9, 2023
The plot was simple and easy to figure out, but the characters were delightful. It's refreshing to have a heroine actually act her age. Most Regency debutantes seem too infantile and spoiled or too wise and old beyond their years. Lydia was practical and nice, and we were never reminded that she was seventeen. I look forward to reading the next in the series.
Note: the mistakes with the main character's names really should be corrected.
Note: the mistakes with the main character's names really should be corrected.
September 13, 2023
a rare and sensible romance
Sensible Lydia goes to Sussex for a season, while all sensibility Louisa descends upon London for the Season. Mixed with a very straightforward romance, Lydia is caught up in solving a series of crimes. I loved the author’s ‘voice‘ which perfectly complements the forthright Lydia’s character! This is a lovely, charming fusion of mystery and Regency romance. The plot is clever and all the characters very believable. A lovely read!
Sensible Lydia goes to Sussex for a season, while all sensibility Louisa descends upon London for the Season. Mixed with a very straightforward romance, Lydia is caught up in solving a series of crimes. I loved the author’s ‘voice‘ which perfectly complements the forthright Lydia’s character! This is a lovely, charming fusion of mystery and Regency romance. The plot is clever and all the characters very believable. A lovely read!
February 18, 2026
Book snob
Five stars? Yes! It is not epic or likely to become a classic but it is everything I love about a book.
In so many books of this genre, the main characters
are unbelievably good looking, each embrace and kiss is life changing, but that is not real life. This was so enjoyable because so much was real and truthful.
I loved the characters, the plot was plausible and no bad language or explicit sex scenes. I will read everything by this author without reservation.
Five stars? Yes! It is not epic or likely to become a classic but it is everything I love about a book.
In so many books of this genre, the main characters
are unbelievably good looking, each embrace and kiss is life changing, but that is not real life. This was so enjoyable because so much was real and truthful.
I loved the characters, the plot was plausible and no bad language or explicit sex scenes. I will read everything by this author without reservation.
September 23, 2023
Mysterious courtship
This is a fanciful mystery full of misdirections and laughter. It was fun to read . One daughter was sent to the city to find a high and mighty husband. The other daughter sent to the country out of the way. The country had most of the excitement. A pretty good read.
This is a fanciful mystery full of misdirections and laughter. It was fun to read . One daughter was sent to the city to find a high and mighty husband. The other daughter sent to the country out of the way. The country had most of the excitement. A pretty good read.
September 23, 2023
Amusing Regency Romance, with mystery
I loved this book, all the characters were just so perfectly described and made me laugh so much. This author has a real talent for writing memorable characters. I liked that the author understands the Regency period so well. Fast moving, and interesting plot. An enjoyable escape from everyday life. I highly recommend this book.
I loved this book, all the characters were just so perfectly described and made me laugh so much. This author has a real talent for writing memorable characters. I liked that the author understands the Regency period so well. Fast moving, and interesting plot. An enjoyable escape from everyday life. I highly recommend this book.
October 18, 2023
A YA regency with a spunky, honest to a fault, heroine and a serviceable murder mystery plot. I would recommend this for readers new to the regency or mystery genre as the story was predicable but well told, and the protagonist was engaging. What made it fun was some excellent writing with really funny characterizations and descriptions of events.
July 2, 2025
Listened to the audio book and can’t believe it took 5 hours to read a very uninteresting romance and murder mystery(?) storyline. Couldn’t tell you what happened in this book but I could tell you it didn’t need to be this long. Very waffly and I’m not sure why for such a simple and uncomplicated story line.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews