A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh ~ Review

A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh
Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley #1
By Carolyn Miller

If one read Carolyn Miller's previous book The Making of Mrs. Hale the opening chapter borrows a scene from that book in which we are introduced to Caroline Hatherleigh and Edward (Ned) Amherst. And from this chapter, a set of actions is put into place - one that finds Caroline being sent from London to Sidmouth, Devon, to the home of her grandmother Lady Aynsley. Fearing that Caroline's reputation could be tarnished by her association with Ned her mother would brook no opposition to her plan.

Gideon Kirby has taken refuge with his sister Emma in Sidmouth hiding he hopes from society and any chance of his true identity being discovered. Gideon has no time for courting or matters of the heart. He has come to the coastal region for two purposes - protect his sister and make a scientific discovery of renown. But his sister Emma has other plans once she makes the acquaintance of Miss Hatherleigh.

A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh is every bit as engaging a story as Carolyn Miller's previous Regency Brides series have been and it promises to an equally delightful series if this first book is any indication. This book doesn't have much in the way of interactions with previous characters as it mainly focuses on Caroline, Gideon, Emma and Lord Kenmore (friend of the Kirbys). I really liked how Caroline grew as a person through her interactions with her new acquaintances/friends. This change allowed her to see herself in a new light - one of a spiritual nature rather than through the looking glass of society.

This book falls in the gentle reads category but there are a few scenes that deal with the harsh realities of a world that is home to evil and sin. Overall a highly recommended read for any who enjoys Jane Austen, Regency fiction or historical English fiction.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher Kregel with no expectation but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Can a proper noble lady find a future with a fossil-hunting man of faith?

As the daughter of Viscount Aynsley, Caroline Hatherleigh knows every rule of society and she's always followed them precisely. But when she visits south Devonshire and encounters a fossil-hunting scientist and his sister, her assumptions about what is right are shaken. Questions she has never considered about the importance of friendship and faith suddenly confront her—and her comfortable understanding about how the world works is thrown off balance. What if God wants to be the center of her life, rather than merely a social obligation?

Gideon Kirby loves science, and hunting down proof of past lives is a joy he won't willingly give up. But his scientific leanings are being challenged both by his personal beliefs and by local smugglers in the Devonshire countryside. And every day his sister's illness becomes more desperate, her care growing more demanding. Adding a viscount's daughter to the mix is a complication Gideon never expected—especially since he must stay far away from this young woman he's falling for in order to protect his beloved sister's secret.

When a mysterious stranger visits the village, that secret will be exposed, no matter how Gideon fights. Then tragedy strikes in a smugglers' cave. And the threat of scandal may lead to broken hearts and passionless propriety. Will the shaky bond these two have nurtured be strong enough to overcome their differences, or will the trust they've withheld from each other tear three lives apart?