Review: Never Envy an Earl

Never Envy an Earl

"The saucy Yvette de Maupassant is used to danger. She’s spent the last 10 years spying for England in Napoleon’s court. Now that her work has been discovered, she must hide, and what better place than the remote wooded estate of the Earl of Carrolton? Her friend Miss Thorn and that delightful cat Fortune place her in a position where she can pretend to be companion to the earl’s sickly mother. Yet one look at the earl has Yvette rethinking why she wants to stay.

Gregory, Earl of Carrolton, is used to power. So why does one moment in the company of his mother and spinster sister leave him feeling powerless? And why does the look in a certain Frenchwoman’s eyes leave him weak at the knees? As danger draws closer, Gregory and Yvette must work together to protect her, his family, and the future of England, as they discover the greatest danger and delight is falling in love. 

This sweet, clean Regency romance is the sequel to Never Borrow a Baronet. Fortune’s Brides: Only a matchmaking cat can hunt true love"

Author: Regina Scott

Length: 260 pages

Format: paperback, e-book

A French aristocrat in hiding.

An English earl keeping her safe.

Can true love blossom in life-threatening danger?

Here we are with another amusing installation to the "Fortune Brides" series!! I am enjoying this series immensely and I look forward to the notifications saying the next book is available for my eyeballs to devour. 

This cast of characters did not strike my fancy, and I might've huffed and puffed a few times at their antics. 

We met Yvette in book 2, and not gonna lie she wasn't my favorite. Sadly those feelings rolled into her love story as well. Something about her rubbed me wrong and though I kept TRYING to like her, her attitude or response to a situation would make me change my mind. I DID like her sass, and her perseverance though! She was a strong one. 

The earl's mother & sister confused the living daylights out of me. One minute they HATED Yvette and the next they couldn't live without her. Flip-floppy attitudes...NOT MY CUP OF COFFEE! ANNNDDDD they were SUPER judgmental. I mean that was kinda the norm in that day, but still it kept my eyeballs a-rollin'.

The earl was so-so for me. I *liked* him, but he also let his mom and sister walk all over him. 
He did have that gentle giant aspect to him...a big ole' teddy bear. He was a good man with a good heart.

We did some more action in this book...and you know I'm ALL ABOUT THAT! I've really been loving that about this series!

I did enjoy the story and I'm glad Yvette's story has wrapped up. I'm CRAZY excited to see where the series goes!
I rated it a 3.75/5 stars.

Quotes:

Julian blinked."When did you grow so wise about women?"
Gregory laughed. "I'm surronded, old boy. I ought to have learned something."

*I received this book in exchange for my honest review**I was not required to give a positive rating**All opinions are my own*

Blitz: The Patriot Bride

Welcome to THE PATRIOT BRIDE Blitz with JustRead Publicity Tours.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Patriot Bride

Collection: Daughters of the Mayflower, Book 4

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Release Date: August 1, 2018

Genre: Historical Romance


Faith Jackson and Matthew Weber are both working covertly to aid the Patriot cause. But will they be willing to sacrifice all for their fledgling country?

A brand new series for fans of all things related to history, romance, adventure, faith, and family trees.


Spies Work Together for the Patriot Cause

Faith Jackson is a wealthy widow, friend of George Washington, and staunch supporter of the Patriot cause. Matthew Weber is friends with both Ben Franklin and his son William, who increasingly differ in their political views; and Matthew finds himself privy to information on both sides of the conflict. When a message needs to get to a spy among the Loyalists, Faith bravely steps up and in turn meets Matthew Weber. Suddenly she believes she could love again. But someone else has his eye on the Faith she portrays in elite social circles. What will Matthew and Faith have to sacrifice for the sake of their fledgling country?


Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse.

TO PURCHASE A COPY*

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Christian Book | Book Depository | Books-A-Million!

________________________________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifteen fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she’s shared her theme of “Joy Through Trials” with more than half a million people across the country at more than 2,000 events. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-five-plus years have two adult children. She’s passionate about music and Bible study and loves the gift of story.

CONNECT WITH KIM: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

________________________________________________________

TOUR GIVEAWAY

Kimberley have graciously offered (1) Winner a wonderful gift basket filled with goodies from Mount Vernon, a gift card and many more! Of course, it also includes a copy of the book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will begin at midnight August 27, 2018 and last through 11:59 PM EST on September 3, 2018. Winner will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.  Open to US mailing addresses only.  For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

Be sure to stop at a stop each day for extra entries!

_______________________________________________________

TOUR SCHEDULE

For the full tour schedule, click on either of the launch pages below.

(All stops expected to post by 12:00 NOON EST)

Launch Post @JustReadTours

Launch Post @JustCommonly

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Author Spotlight: Barbara Brutt

Today we're shinning the spotlight on a sweet author who swings from the chandeliers!
Literally...she's an aerial artist.

I'm pleased to introduce you to Barbara Brutt.

Barbara Brutt, a born and raised Pittsburgher, spent her growing-up years with her nose in a book. Flying to new adventures is her favorite, especially on an airplane or aerial silk. Barbara talks books, aerial silks, faith, and travel on her website and blog.



CONNECT WITH BARBARA: 
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter






---


ABOUT THE BOOK

Teal Paisley Tights

After graduation, Jadyn Simon expected to launch her art career. Instead, this Pittsburgh native finds herself locked into a low-paying marketing position with an impossible boss.

Evicted from her apartment because of a small spending problem, she is forced to move in with her know-it-all sister. While everyone else plans a neat, buttoned-up life for her, Jadyn longs to paint professionally. Stretched like canvas between responsibility and dreams, she must choose.

Will practicality always win?

---

                                                                                      

The book will be available to the masses on November 15th! 

There currently aren't any preorder links, but you can add "Teal Paisley Tights" to your Goodreads shelf now! 

Review: A Rumored Fortune

A Rumored Fortune

"Tressa Harlowe's father did not trust banks, but neither did he trust his greedy extended family. He kept his vast fortune hidden somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without telling anyone where he had concealed it. Tressa and her ailing mother are left with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to run it. It doesn't take long for a bevy of opportunists to flock to the estate under the guise of offering condolences. Tressa knows what they're really up to. She'll have to work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers content without pay and discover the key to finding her father's fortune--before someone else finds it first. 

Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano welcomes readers to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England, for a treasure hunt they'll not soon forget."

Author: Joanna Davidson Politano

Length: 416 pages

Format: paperback, hardcover, e-book, audio book

"I am merely here to admire the artwork of dawn.

My favorite artist happens to be God,

and in my opinion his finest work is the sunrise..."

I love a well formatted book...and this one was definitely that! 

If you aren't the type of person to notice or take time to read the little quotes at the start of each chapter (if the book has it) I STRONGLY suggest you start!! They normally give a little foresight into what's going to happen, and sometimes they're just plain brilliant. 

This book was a mixture of both. I have found some new favorite quotes because of it!

There's something about a good metaphor...reading between the lines....trying to figure out how you can apply it to your life and situation...YES PLEASE! It's a puzzle just asking to be solved. The metaphors were SO thick in this book...AND I LOVED IT! I mean you're kind of asking for it when you write a CF book about vineyards. 😅 I really enjoyed where Joanna took it!

Now let's talk about the actual plot and characters and things. I really enjoyed them too!

Tressa & Donegan were opposite in less ways than most people think. Sure she was a heiress and he was working class, but really that's where "being opposite" ends. They did things different, but they had similar affects. She spread light wherever she went and he shared the Light wherever he went. They both left a little color and brightness no matter the situation. 

I loved seeing the romance between these two blossom, but honestly more than that I was enthralled with watching Tressa find a love from a source that would never disappoint or fail her. 

This book is the epitome of why I read CF romance! (Here is a whole YouTube video where I go into to further detail)

That being said I did have a few itty bitty problems. For the book being 400 pages long I felt like I was missing something. There was such a build up, and a novel length tug-of-war that just sort of ended. On top of that pieces of the story seemed to start, then just end. 

We never ACTUALLY get a background on Donegan, which might add to his mysterious aura for some, but leaves me scratching my head and asking for a bit more. 

I'm not saying you don't get a beautiful story, because you DO, I'm just wishing timing was done a little better.

I did really enjoy the LIGHT "Clue" aspects that ran through the story...love a good mystery. 

SIDE NOTE: Totally called who the bad guy was from the moment he entered the story! But I loved watching it all unfold.

There were SO many real moments throughout this whole story and I really enjoyed reading them and feeling them. 

I FELT Tressa's cried of loneliness, the pain of being pruned. I believe everyone has at some point, but I hope we never forget to look to the Eternal Vine. Connect with Him.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NIV

I rated this book a 4/5 stars! If every book Joanna writes is like this one she'll have a constant fan.

Quotes:

"She certainly chooses the hardest people to attach herself to."

"It's not because they are so great, Mr. Vance, but because she is. An uncommon love makes her uncommonly beautiful."

*I received this book in exchange for my honest review**I was not required to give a positive review**All opinions are my own*

Review: Caught by Surprise

Caught by Surprise

"Miss Temperance Flowerdew is on her way to work when a stranger suddenly grabs her off the street and sends her on a Chicago-bound train before she can figure out what happened.

When Mr. Gilbert Cavendish is called upon to rescue a missing woman, he follows the trail to Chicago only to discover that the woman is his good friend Temperance. Before they can discover who was behind the abduction, they're seen alone together by a New York society matron, putting their reputations at risk.

Gilbert is willing to propose marriage--except Temperance will have none of it. She's finally stepped out of the shadow of her relations and won't give up her independence. But when it becomes clear the misunderstanding in Chicago has escalated into a threat on her life and followed her to New York, accepting Gilbert's help in solving the mystery may lead to more than she ever could have dreamed."

"Life is too short to be constantly stifled by expectations

 set by people who've decided they're superior to the masses..."

Today we're saying farewell to a series that will always hold a special place in my heart!

We met the wallflowers back in 2017, though it seems like we've known them forever. They had this way of worming into your heart, and never letting go. I was so invested in these characters and now it’s come to close. I don’t know how to feel, or what to say for that matter.

Let me explain why I loved this series so much!
This series reminded me that EVERYONE has a special someone out there. Someone who will look at us, see our flaws and even our terrible fashion choices and say "I choose you." From the meek quiet mouse to the loud outspoken warrior princess, God created a perfect someone for each one of us.

Jen did this all with endless amounts of humor mixed in!

---

Let's talk about Temperance's story in particular now.

We meet Temperance in the novella "At Your Request"  for like the hottest of hot seconds. And boy what a timid little mouse we had on our hands. 
She slowly started coming out of her shell in "Out of the Ordinary", and by the time her story was written she was a whole new girl. 

And oh how I loved the change!! 
I don't know if it's just me, but I love when a character has the backbone to stand up for themselves! I love a good quick witted response...and Temperance has this in spades!

Temperance had a bit of a rough hand dealt to her.
Her parents died...her fortune was gone...her extended family didn't want her. Just some rough things going down. 
THEEEEENNNNNNN she runs into her old childhood BFF, and thus one of my favorite troupes was used. 

I LOVED Gilbert and Temperance's relationship! It was kind of awkward, but also kind of weirdly comforting because it was so real to me. To see that transition of childhood friends into soul mates was SO CUTE!! 
I also loved how different they were! Like opposite sides of the spectrum here, but they balanced each other out PERFECTLY!!
AND I LOVED IT!!

Honestly this book was a roller coaster ride, for my emotions and my brain. I  held on tight through the twists and turns and I all I can say is..."CAN WE RIDE IT AGAIN?!"

I rated this book a 4.5/5 stars. I don't know how to feel about this series ending (totally teared up when I read the epilogue), but I do know I ADORED every minute of this journey. I loved getting to know every wallflower and their perfect guys!

Quotes:

"Temperance is what I consider a whimsical lady, prone to dreams of a world filled with, well, I'm not really sure, but I imagine that adorable puppies, fey creatures, and plenty of sweet cakes inhabit her dreams on a frequent basis."
"You think she'd change her mind about marrying me if I got her a puppy?"

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review**I was not required to give a positive rating*All opinion are my own*

--

GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED!

Congratulations to Cynthia Roemer! You won a signed copy of "Caught by Surprise".

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY!! 

Cover Reveal: At First Glance

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: At First Glance

Author: Susan L. Tuttle

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing (Blink)

Release Date: November, 2018

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Links: Goodreads | Amazon

When it comes to love and matters of the heart, she's got a lot to learn.

Estate planner Penny Thornton loves dusting off items others gloss over, especially since she relates to feeling tossed aside for the “bright and shiny”. When her younger sister’s approaching wedding launches Penny back into the throes of her dysfunctional family, she decides to use the festivities to close the gap in their relationships—even if it means appeasing them and finally losing the few pounds they’ve hounded her about for years. But she doesn’t expect to meet two very different men in the process. East Fisher, the personal trainer who personifies everything she believes she could never attain, and Jonah Black, a man who reminds her so much of herself. Both men are more than they appear at first glance, and both seem interested in her romantically. As Penny uncovers their hidden layers, she discovers when it comes to love and matters of the heart, she’s got a lot to learn about estimating value.

TO PURCHASE A COPY*

Goodreads | Amazon

_____________________________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan L. Tuttle lives in the Mitten State where she’s a homeschooling mom of three and happily married to her best friend. Between raising her teens and leading the women’s ministry at church, she finds time to write. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire and encourage. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. Connect with Susan at www.susanltuttle.com.

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Twitter

__________________________________________________

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) Winner will win a $15 Amazon Gift Card (open internationally), courtesy of the author.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will begin at midnight August 20, 2018 and last through 11:59 PM EST on August 27, 2018. Winner will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.  Open to US mailing addresses only.  For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

Be sure to stop at a stop each day for extra entries!

__________________________________________________

TOUR SCHEDULE

For the full tour schedule, click on either of the launch pages below.
(All stops expected to post by 12:00 NOON EST)

Launch Post @JustReadTours

Launch Post @JustCommonly


*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Jen Turano

I am so STINKIN' excited & honored to have Jen Turano on my blog today!
Jen is an award winning author of the most hilarious books you'll lay your eyeballs on! Book 3 in her 'Apart for the Crowd' series just released earlier this month.

Please join me in welcoming one of my favorite humans on this planet!
Mrs. Jen Turano!!!

(ALSO! Stick around. You have a chance to win "Caught By Surprise".)


___________________________________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. 
Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal.
She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO.



CONNECT WITH JEN: Website | Facebook | Twitter




___________________________________________________

INTERVIEW WITH JEN

Let's just kick it off with a question everyone has been dying to know...

If you could have lunch with one of your wallflowers who would you choose?

Jen: "Oh, fine, get me into trouble. But, okay, it would be Miss Gertrude Cadwalader. She’s just such a no-nonsense type, and she doesn’t mind that Harrison is a walking fashion disaster."

I would love to sit down with her too. I saw so much of myself in her, and so much I'd love to become. Definitely a lady I'd want to be my BFF!

You base your books (currently) in high New York society, any particular reason?

J: I was intrigued with the New York Four-Hundred from the time I read a book about Alva Vanderbilt. The Gilded Age is a fascinating time in history, sadly neglected in my opinion until a few years ago, and there are so many bizarre stories that happened during that time that I have enough fodder for storylines to last me for years!

And boy do I look forward to all the bizarre stories you're going to tell! 

If you woke up tomorrow and you were in the Gilded Age, what’s the first thing you would do?

J: I’d go the Ladies’ Mile where all the famous department stores were located. It would be fabulous to roam around in them, checking out what was in style and how much things costs. Then I’d go to Delmonico’s to eat, but not terrapin – eating turtle would freak me out.

You're taking me with you right?! Girl's shopping spree!! Yeah it might be wise to skip on the turtle, I say we go with the good ole chicken! 

Tea or coffee? Iced or hot?

J: I like coffee, hot, but only one cup in the morning. In all honesty, I really just like creamer with a little coffee mixed in.

I'm an iced girl through an through. Though I do enjoy coffee with my creamer. 😉

If you could write in another genre, which would it be?

J: I love writing contemporary – rom com’s or mystery.

YES! Though I ADORE what you're doing now, I'd freak out to see your name on a romcom!! 

What are your favorite scenes to write?

J: I like the outlandish. Those scenes are just a riot to write and they almost write themselves.

Oh how you execute them flawlessly!! It's why you're a favorite. 💗

I heard Temperance didn’t start out like she is in the book. What was she like?

J: She was really timid, demure, nervous – totally unlike any heroine I’d written before. However, she didn’t want to stay that way, so in book two, “Out of the Ordinary,” she started coming out of her shell - whether I wanted her to or not.

Gotta love the characters with minds of their own! Unpredictable is exciting...at least where fiction is concerned. 

Can you tell us anything about what’s coming down the pipeline from Jen Turano?

J: A new series, “The American Heiresses,” will begin releasing in January 2019 with “Flights of Fancy.” I’ve just recently turned in book two of that series, currently untitled. Then, I’ll be in a novella collection about the Harvey Girls. Haven’t written that one just yet, but I’m hoping to get to that next week.

I can't even explain to you how READY I am for this series. I talk about it non stop. My mom is so ready for it come out just so I'll stop. But little does she know...I'm just getting started! 😏

Which one of your characters is MOST like you?  Least like you?

J: I think most of my characters have a little bit of me in them. Most like me would be - Permilia Griswold from “A Change of Fortune.” Least like me – Miss Lucetta Plum from “Playing the Part.”

OOOO! Now I want an explanation on why Permilia is most like you. She was a fun one!! 

Which hero is MOST like your husband?

J: Harrison Sinclair is most like Al. A bit clueless about women, charming, and always the gentleman.

The greatest! Loved his character so much! 

Could you see your books turning into movies? If so which would you want produced first?

J: While it would be super cool to see my books turned into movies, because they’re historical, that’ll probably never happen because of how expensive it would be to produce. But, I’d like to see “After a Fashion” on the big screen.

Ahh but a girl can dream! I would LOVE to see "After a Fashion"...all the hats and HER EYES! Yep that would be the motion picture of the year.

Now inquiring minds would like to know...where do you stand on Hallmark Christmas movies?

J: I’m torn – I mean, some of them are really cheesy, and I know I roll my eyes when I’m watching them, but…I watch at least five of them every year, so I guess that means I’m all for them??? Maybe???

I feel like it's mandatory to watch, and roll your eyes at, at least one Hallmark movie a year. I adore all the cheese, I still give my fair share of rolling my eyes and shaking my head. BUT I LOVE IT!

Jen thank you SO much for being with me today and answering my questions! It's been an absolute treat! 

J: Thank you so much for having me, Alysha! How fun!

All the best,

~ Jen ~

_______________________________________________

GIVEAWAY

Miss Temperance Flowerdew is on her way to work when a stranger suddenly grabs her off the street and sends her on a Chicago-bound train before she can figure out what happened.

When Mr. Gilbert Cavendish is called upon to rescue a missing woman, he follows the trail to Chicago only to discover that the woman is his good friend Temperance. Before they can discover who was behind the abduction, they're seen alone together by a New York society matron, putting their reputations at risk.

Gilbert is willing to propose marriage--except Temperance will have none of it. She's finally stepped out of the shadow of her relations and won't give up her independence. But when it becomes clear the misunderstanding in Chicago has escalated into a threat on her life and followed her to New York, accepting Gilbert's help in solving the mystery may lead to more than she ever could have dreamed.

---

Want a chance to win this book? 

Leave a comment with your email and an answer to this question:

Would you rather be able to paint or play an instrument?

*Giveaway will go from today until Monday, August 20th.*

Winner will be announced HERE on my blog (and notified through email) Tuesday, August 21st WITH my review of this glorious story. So don't forget to come back to see if you won. 

*This giveaway is US ONLY!*

Cover Reveal: When You Look at Me

Welcome to the official COVER REVEAL blitz for When You Look at Me by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! 

When You Look At Me is the 2nd book in the Pleasant Gap Romance series and releases in October 2018.

____________________________________________________________

ABOUT THE BOOK

An unexpected mother-to-be

A romance-leery composer

And a forgotten melody from the past that holds the keys to their futures.

When Julia Jenkins’ great aunt dies and leaves her a Victorian mansion with decades of secrets, Julia never expects to unearth a World War 2 espionage mystery. Struggling with her own past since an assault left her pregnant, her future as a solo parent leaves her dreams uncertain. The inheritance from her great aunt gives Julia the ability to take a step back into her future, but also sends her into the discovery of a love story she’d never anticipated. Following her aunt’s cryptic journal, Julia uncovers some oddly written piano music with a musical code she can’t decipher on her own. Not to worry, introverted Englishman and composer, Henry Wright, is thrust on the scene by a pair of homespun matchmakers who know the ‘right’ man for Julia’s wounded heart.

Henry arrives in Pleasant Gap with the task of composing the soundtrack for his best mate’s newest film. The Jenkins’ family’s southern welcome and gregarious personalities set his reticent nature on edge, but he’s inexplicably drawn to his gentle and music-loving hostess, Julia. Uncertain how to build a friendship with the wounded woman, and rather hopeless in communicating well through words, the bond of music becomes a bridge between her uncertainty and his awkwardness.

But her broken past and his families’ expectations build a wall much greater than the cultures that separate them. As they work together to solve a musical mystery from the grave, will an unlikely romance from the past inspire their hearts to trust in a God who’s written the perfect melody for their lives?

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance novels with grace, humor, and culture clashes. She’s a Blue Ridge Mountain native and an anglophile who enjoys combining her two loves to create memorable stories of hope. Pepper is also a mom of five, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of Jesus and chocolate. She resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.

CONNECT: website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Ready…..

.

.

.

Set…..

.

.

.

Reveal!!

Yay!! Isn't it pretty?!? Is It October yet??

Preorder Now!

GOODREADS | AMAZON

---

TOUR GIVEAWAY

Enter for your chance to win:

• print copy of Just the Way You Are (book #1 in the series)
• a cute 'Britallachian' mug - "We go together like tea and biscuits"

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight August 15, 2018 and last through 11:59pm August 22, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow along with the tour at JustRead for a full list of stops!

Review: A Daring Venture

A Daring Venture

"As a biochemist in early 1900s New York, Doctor Rosalind Werner has dedicated her life to the crusade against waterborne diseases. She is at the forefront of a groundbreaking technology that will change the way water is delivered to every household in the city--but only if she can get people to believe in her work.

Newly appointed Commissioner of Water for New York, Nicholas Drake is highly skeptical of Rosalind and her team's techniques. When a brewing court case throws him into direct confrontation with her, he is surprised by his reaction to the lovely scientist.

While Rosalind and Nick wage a private war against their own attraction, they stand firmly on opposite sides of a battle that will impact far more than just their own lives. As the controversy grows more public and inflammatory and Rosalind becomes the target of an unknown enemy, the odds stacked against these two rivals swiftly grow more insurmountable with every passing day."

Author: Elizabeth Camden

Length: 352 pages

Format: paperback, hardcover, e-book, audio book

"Glass, china, and reputations 

are easily cracked and never well-mended."

History has always intrigued me. Maybe because I have an inquisitive mind?. I want to know how things were built, why they were built, when they were built, who built them.
I was THAT student in school who would have a notebook of random facts about random things. My family actually calls me "Ms. Google" because of my crazy little brain cells. 🤷

We're water-a-holics in my house, so to learn a bit about the history of clean drinking water was SO COOL to me.
There were a few times when the science went a little over my head. (I'm a history nerd, not a science geek remember) I got the general idea though.

This time period was rough for women who wanted to do anything other than get married and have babies. Our leading lady was not one of those girls. She wanted to change the world...and she had a good reason why. She lost her family because of tainted drinking water. If that doesn't make you want to change to the world I don't know what will.
My only problem with her...she had NO backbone!!! For such a smart, strong, courageous woman she was a stinkin' doormat. I wanted to crawl into the book and stand up for her.

Nicholas was quite an interesting character to say the least. He was progressive in his ideas of women being in "men's positions", but he also had moments where he didn't think they should. It was like a endless internal war. He also had QUITE the temper...like SUPER short fuse. He was never violent and he cooled down quickly, but he was ready to blow up at any time. At the end of the day he was a sweet guy though, very thoughtful and kind.

The romance in this book was INSTANT. He saw her in a diner and was smitten *snaps* like that. There isn't much else to say on it...it was instant and that was that. They did stand behind each other even though they had opposing opinions. (well they almost always stood behind each other)

Camden caught me few times with some surprises thrown into the pages. It was fun to keep up with.
There were also a few scenes that introduce you to the cast of book 3. So that one should be...fun.

I enjoyed the writing style, and the history of this book. I was longing for a snapback scene between Rosalind and her sister-in-law, but sadly never got it.
Overall I rated this book a 3.5/5 stars.


Quotes:

"I suppose you're here to carry on our tedious conversation from last week?"
"The first thing I want to do is thank you for the music box."
"You're welcome. And the second thing you've come for?"
"To carry on our tedious conversation from last week."

*I received this book in exchange for my honest review**I was not required to give a positive rating**All opinions are my own*