Book Review: The Captivating Lady Charlotte by Carolyn Miller

Review by Jenny Glazebrook

THE CAPTIVATING
LADY CHARLOTTE

REGENCY BRIDES - A LEGACY OF GRACE

By Carolyn Miller

Published by Kregel Publications

“A STORY OF HIGH HOPES, DEEP FORGIVENESS, AND A QUIET KIND OF LOVE THAT RINGS WITH TRUTH. DRAMA AND HIGH SOCIETY COMBINE IN A TALE REGENCY LOVERS WON’T WANT TO MISS!” - Roseanna M White, best-selling author of the Ladies of the Manor series

Blurb:

All she wants it to marry for love. And as the belle of the season, Lady Charlotte Featherington should have her choice of suitors. But even this captivating lady must obey her noble papa’s wishes – and the marquess has determined that his daughter will wed a widowed duke, not a dashing young lord.

All the ninth Duke of Hartington wants is for the lady who has captured his heart to love him in return, despite their arranged marriage. But the betrayal of his first wife and the scandal she dragged him into make it nearly impossible for William to believe a woman’s heart can ever be trusted.

Now this wounded widower and the romantically inclined young lady must find a way to negotiate a future together and learn the real meaning of both trust and love. Can the legacy of grace help them to find healing and hope?

Poignant and charming, in the tradition of Georgette Heyer and Julie Klassen, this is another beautifully written, clean and wholesome Regency romance from critically acclaimed author Carolyn Miller.

Review by Jenny Glazebrook:

Much like the first book of Carolyn Miller’s, I thought this novel was beautifully written and full of spiritual truths subtly wound into the story. Any lover of Jane Austen’s works is sure to love the story of Lady Charlotte. I felt as though every word were carefully thought out and cleverly expressed, making this book a pleasure to read.

Charlotte was presented as an immature but compassionate young lady willing to grow. Her openness and humility made her likeable from the start and every step of the way I wanted the very best for her. Her mistakes made her real; a character I could connect with in my own humanity.

The Duke of Hartington, (William) was a favourite of mine from the beginning and I was delighted when Lady Charlotte began to recognise his value. His mild, gentle manner disguised a strength and self- control that was worthy of great respect. The betrayal he suffered at the hands of  previous wife caused him to have trust issues, but these were dealt with beautifully by the author in a satisfying and timely manner.

I found myself responding to the spiritual truths in the novel. My favourite lines relating to a character deeply grieving the loss of a loved one, were: ‘Did God promise a life of roses? Or was faith more about remembering His presence and strength in the midst of suffering?’

Pain was not dismissed but realistically faced by the characters. The author took the opportunity to let her characters feel deeply, face their pain with honesty and then trust. There were no glib responses or brushing over the real issues or questions created by such hurt.

I was pleased to find characters from the first book, ‘The Elusive Miss Ellison’ significantly involved in this story. It satisfied my desire to hear more of them after finishing the first book.

I admit that when I first began reading I found it hard to take in all the clever ideas and expressions, feeling as though I was not doing the story justice. However, this was purely where I was at and I was soon drawn into the story and completely absorbed. This novel is true to the regency era and this includes the language and expressions. Every bit of effort put into reading this novel was well worth it.

A clever, satisfying, beautifully written tale.

Carolyn Miller's books can be purchased from Amazon and Koorong.