A Return to Hawthorne House ~ Review

A Return to Hawthorne House

A Hawthorne House Novella Collection

By Kristi Ann Hunter

A Return to Hawthorne House is a collection of shorter stories mostly set before A Noble Masquerade. There are three stories Always a Lady, The Lady's Maid, and A Lady of Esteem (which is only in the print edition, not the digital edition). I read the digital edition, as that is what I preordered (I had previously obtained A Lady of Esteem). 

Always a Lady finds Miranda in the midst of her Season, but she isn't catching the eyes of any gentlemen; rather, her mother is. Specifically, the Earl of Blackstone has singled her out. But is the Earl looking for another chance at love? Or is he sabotaging Miranda's chances so his own daughter will win the hand of the Season's most eligible bachelor? 

This is the lovely story that was only hinted at throughout the Hawthorne House series as Miranda, Georgina, Trent, and Griffith all search for love, as their parents did.

In The Lady’s Maid, Trent takes over the home that Amelia Stalwood had called home. The servants were more like family than servants, and they are taking Trent into their fold. One of the servants, Lydia Smith had been Amalia's companion and a parlor maid and was content with her work. But when Trent's valet turns out to be the one man Lydia had feelings for, she's not sure she'll be able to stay. When Finch is ordered to work closely with Lydia, all the feelings and dreams that she's been hiding for years could come true or ruin everything. 

But working for the Hawthornes could provide unexpected surprises - after all, they all believe in love matches, not marriages of convenience. Could this trickle down to their servants? Or are some boundaries uncrossable? 

A Lady of Esteem is Amalia's story - a forgotten ward raised by servants and her chance at finding true love. This story takes place between Always a Lady and The Lady's Maid and before A Noble Masquerade. There are some interesting mistakes in regard to Amalia and her status as a ward. Her friendships with servants throughout the Ton have resulted in a unique insight into the various homes of the elite of society. If you get the digital version of A Return to Hawthorne House, you need to get A Lady of Esteem if you have not previously purchased it (it explains a few points in A Noble Masquerade and An Elegant Facade).

This is a delightful collection that anyone who enjoyed the Hawthorne House books won't want to miss.

About the Book:

Always a Lady

Despite the fact that her daughter is not cooperating, Caroline, Duchess of Riverton is determined to ensure every one of her children marries someone they love as much as she loved their late father. William, the widowed Earl of Blackstone, is delighted to have his days of escorting daughters approaching an end. The last thing he expects is to find himself drawn to a woman who is just starting such a journey. Are they each too set in their ways to grasp this chance to have a second love?

The Lady’s Maid

When Lydia Smith began her career as a parlor maid, she knew love and marriage wasn’t likely in her future. Dreaming about the boy next door as she dusted seemed harmless until he started working as the new valet under the same roof. When Finch needs her help with a special project, will it give them a chance to defy expectations and find love or ruin their happiness forever?

BONUS - Print edition only - A Lady of Esteem