Review by Jenny Glazebrook
THE CAPTIVATING
LADY CHARLOTTE
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.
