The Governess of Banbury Park ~ Review with Snippet

The Governess of Banbury Park
by Julie Matern

Sophia Cavanaugh is crushed when she learns that her father made no provisions for her future. But she is determined to protect his good name and to do so she must leave all her friends and acquaintances behind. With no destination in mind and funds limited she sent out to make a new life for herself, seeking employment as a governess.

Choosing Kersey as her destination Sophia is blessed to find a room with the Burleys, an older couple who take her in as if she were their own daughter. She soon develops a few friendships and to her discomfort catches the eye of the local minister who is considered most eligible. But Sophia has set ideas about marriage and desires one like her parents - one based on love and not one of convenience. 

But Charles Mortimer is a man of status and his mother has a plan for both her children - one that will elevate their social standing. And one that doesn't include a penniless orphan of a minister nor a governess. And to make sure that Sophia and Charles don't form an attachment Mrs. Mortimer is more than happy to assist Sophia in securing a position far from Kersey.

The Governess of Banbury Park starts out in such a way that the reader thinks that this is a gentle read with the greatest obstacle is Sophia's search for a position and a society mama who looks down upon her. But upon her arrival in Banbury Park, the story takes a marked turn. Sophia's employer is not what he appears at least according to his wife but is she just a disenchanted wife or do her complaints have merit? 

This book takes a look at the need to climb the social and financial ladder through the arranged marriages of one's children. Feelings had no bearing in marriage as it was, for the most part, the equivalent of a business contract between two parties benefitting in some manner. Daughters and wives were often given little protection under the law, considered little more than a possession to be traded away.

Once this work took Sophia from Kersey the story added some depth giving the reader more than a pretty story to pass the hours. This is an intriguing read that I highly recommend. Set in the Regency period one can truly appreciate just how the world has changed, allowing one to follow one's heart and not despising those who have to seek employment. Having read Julie Matern's previous book work I can honestly say there are marked differences so one does not feel as if one is reading a reworked book - tweaked just enough to be published with a new title.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Genre: Regency, Romance

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Publication date: April 14, 2020

At the reading of her father’s will, Sophia Cavanaugh learns that she is suddenly destitute. Impoverished, grief-stricken and alone, she sees only one course open to her – becoming a governess. With little experience and no references, securing a position proves more difficult than expected until she finds a champion in the dashing and well-connected Charles Mortimer. he quickly captures her heart but are the feelings mutual?
Sophia is provided a position by his meddling mother and the two are parted, but fate thrusts them back together. Will Sophia risk her heart and confess her love?

GOODREADS | AMAZON 

About the Author

This is the second regency romance by Julie and the third is well underway.
Julie was born and raised in London, England and still visits often to see family, wander around her old haunts and order cream teas with scones full of clotted cream and jam and a big cup of hot chocolate. She loves all things Jane Austen as well as mysteries, photography, chocolate, shoes, pickle ball and …chocolate.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Snippet

 On the final day, the whole company, including Sophia and Emily, was taking a walk around the estate after lunch when the redoubtable Mrs. Mortimer hung back. Sophia viewed her approach with dread and slowed her own progress, but Mrs. Mortimer, it appeared, was determined and stopped completely, waiting for Sophia to draw near. 

“You appear happy here, Miss Cavanaugh,” she began, touching her perfectly coiffed hair. “You must be most indebted to our family for finding you such an agreeable situation.”   

Sophia feared a verbal trap was being sprung and simply nodded.

 “Is it not then a poor show of appreciation to dally with my son’s affections?” she glowered. 

Sophia was caught off guard by such a direct reproach. Usually the gentry were much more discreet in their conversations. She must be absolutely furious. “I . . .” she began. 

“Do not deny it!” Mrs. Mortimer spat out, eyes narrowed to slits. “Let me explain how the world works for you. There are distinct social principles that divide the classes. Under no circumstances should these be crossed!” Sophia stepped back. “Charles is destined for great things, and as my only son, certain conduct is expected of him. My grandchildren must be the progeny of both a mother and father of the highest bloodline to honor our family’s good name and standing in society. The children of a governess will not do! Do I make myself clear?” She waited for no response before ploughing on. 

“Charles is weak when it comes to matters of the heart, and you are a distraction. He does not know his own mind and is easily persuaded by a pretty face. It is his duty to marry a woman of fortune and title, and therefore his history must not be besmirched by a dalliance with a servant. If you care for him at all, you must relinquish him.” She stopped and planted herself directly in front of Sophia. “Do I have your promise to give him up?” 

Righteous indignation had swelled during this scolding and now rose like a genie from a bottle within Sophia, knowing as she did the heritage of the woman berating her. She was torn between calling Mrs. Mortimer out as the worst of hypocrites, which would cause Charles more grief, or agreeing with her to smooth his path. Though she felt the flame of shame burning on her cheeks, her discomfort did not deter the woman or appeal to her sympathies. Rather, Charles’s mother bore down with all the authority she could muster to pressure her into compliance. The challenge merely emboldened Sophia, though she decided that she would keep her counsel on Mrs. Mortimer’s ancestry for Charles’s sake.

Giveaway

-(2) winner’s will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card (open Int.)

-(1) winner will receive an ebook copy of The Secret of Haversham House (open Int.)

-(1) winner will receive their choice of a print copy of one of Julie’s books (US only)

Enter the giveaway HERE.

Giveaway ends May 13 at 11:59pm MT.
Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

Tour Schedule

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Blind Trust ~ Review

Blind Trust
True Blue K-9 Unit #3
Laura Scott

Eva Kendall happens upon a dognapper taking the prize puppy from the guide-dog training center in which she works. But trying to save Cocoa only results in her being injured.

K-9 Officer Finn Gallagher is called to the scene, but the scent trail grows cold with no clue as to who stole the chocolate lab puppy. Hoping that Eva can help them identify the perpetrator, he is disappointed with her scant visual description. But evidently, the dognappers feel that Eva knows more than she does because soon both she and her nephew are targeted.

Finn, along with his canine partner Abernathy are quickly in a race against time when the dognappers' demands are made clear, and they escalate their attacks on Eva. Attacks that are starting to take a deadly turn.

Blind Trust is the third book in the True Blue K-9 Unit series and part of the Love Inspired Suspense collection. This book could be read as a stand-alone, but it is part of a larger story, which is the connecting thread of the series. The K-9 unit is dealing with the senseless murder of their chief and the reason why it happened. And if you are wondering, no answers were forthcoming in this book, so stay tuned for future editions. This is clean-reading romantic suspense that won't keep up awake into the wee hours of the night unless you just want to keep reading. So curl into your favorite reading corner and escape for a few hours between the covers of this book, after all, can you resist this cover.


About the Book:

 A puppy stolen, a woman in jeopardy…

The next exciting True Blue K-9 Unit story

When guide dog trainer Eva Kendall stumbles on a dognapping, someone sets their deadly sights on her. Now she'll do anything to find her guide-dog-in-training—except admit her most painful secret to K-9 officer Finn Gallagher. But can Finn and his K-9 partner help her track down the puppy…and uncover the criminal's true motives before attacks on Eva turn fatal?

Deception ~ Review

Deception
Javin Pierce #6
By Ethan Jones

Javin Pierce is tasked with retrieving a nuclear scientist from Iran before Iran can develop an atomic bomb. But the operation takes a wrong turn forcing Javin to work with Mossad operative Yael to recover a second Iranian scientist. When they get assistance from a Qatari Prince via an aide - support that comes with a price. Qatar needs someone found, someone with terrorist ties who betrayed the prince.

During the operation, Javin receives news that shakes his world. And what's worse, this operation is about to cost him more than he ever expected. Betrayal is never welcomed, and when the costs become personal, Javin is a man to be reckoned with.

Deception is the sixth book that features Javin Pierce, an agent with CIS. Javin has an intensity that can be unstoppable, and when those who mean the most to him are in danger, you had better watch out if you are behind it. Intense action set in the Middle East, what's not to like? And the most unlikely individuals could be just the allies Javin needs. Can you trust your enemies with your life? Javin is about to discover who he can trust and who is ready to betray him.

An excellent new offering from Ethan Jones, filled with high-action suspense that does not sacrifice clean reading to achieve it. Highly recommended reading.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion ~ all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

When friends betray you, turn to your enemies...

After a brush with death in his recent operation and news of a devastating personal tragedy, spymaster Javin Pierce struggles to keep focus. With no time to recover, he's sent on his next mission: stop a nuclear scientist helping Iran develop an atomic bomb, without leaving a trace. On top of this, he's ordered to partner with the same Mossad operative who tried to kill him.

Twice.

The closer the odd team gets to the truth, the more they realize their own friends have betrayed them. With nowhere to turn but to his sworn enemies, Javin must forge an alliance that comes at a terrible cost.

The final blow: His partner is kidnapped; the fight becomes personal.

Alone, betrayed, and with more than his own life on the line, will Javin be able to save his partner and prevent an all-out war between Iran and the United States?

Let the Ghosts Speak ~ Review

Let the Ghosts Speak
By Bryan Davis

Justin Trotter seems like your average hard-working individual. But as we get into the book, we learn that he and his twin sister Justice were sent from England to France following the execution of their father and their mother's disappearance. The book appears to be a journal of Justin's life in Paris and addressed to his mother.

Justin has become friends with Marc Noël, a young man of means who insists that Justin join a party that his mother is hosting in a soon to be destroyed abandoned schoolhouse. Reluctantly Justin agrees, the deciding factor being his infatuation with Marc's sister Francine. It is an invitation Justin may regret for the rest of his life accepting.

Let the Ghosts Speak is a tad slow at the opening, but all too soon, the tone shifts as the party Justin is invited to becomes a meeting of the most interesting characters and is highlighted by murder. And due to an unfortunate chain of events, Justin finds himself the prime suspect. And the only individuals who believe in Justin's innocence are four beings who have come back from the grave.

Let the Ghosts Speak is one book that will keep you from putting it down. As the story progresses, the suspense continues to climb. Doubt is cast on several as to being the potential killer. But can Justin trust his own memories of events when he is speaking and listening to ghosts? Do they genuinely have his best interests at heart? Or are they figments of a mind teetering on the very edge of sanity?

Those who are familiar with Bryan Davis's previous works are in for something different from him. This is a standalone book that is easy to get into and has a clearly defined ending. There is not a dragon present in this work, and it has a contemplative thread through it that speaks to the reader as plainly as the ghosts talk to Justin. All too often, we are blind to what we don't want to see, we allow our heart and mind to not see the truths that others see clearly. Highly recommended enjoyable reading and, in my opinion, perhaps the author's best work to date, at least of the books I've read.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Supernatural suspense set in 1860 Paris.

In nineteenth-century Paris, Justin Trotter, an immigrant from England, is making his way as a book translator while paying for his blind twin sister's care. One evening, Marc Noël, Justin's well-to-do friend and fellow thespian, invites him to a masquerade party at an abandoned schoolhouse. Justin hopes this will be an opportunity to get to know Marc's lovely though sharp-tongued sister, Francine.

At the event, Justin meets four ghostly strangers—two adults and two children—who warn him that the party guests are in danger and must leave at once. True to their prediction, a murder takes place, and Justin is the prime suspect. He escapes and becomes a fugitive, hiding in the Paris catacombs.

Mystery and intrigue swirl as the ghost of Joan of Arc and other martyrs guide Justin on a lonely journey to prove his innocence and protect his sister from an abusive caretaker. Who really committed the crime? Marc? Francine? A ghost? And does seeing these ghosts mean he is going insane? Maybe he really is the murderer after all.

There is only one way to find out, let the ghosts speak as they reveal the mysteries within Justin's mind.

Breach of Trust ~ Review

Breach of Trust
Atlanta Justice #3
By Rachel Dylan

Mia Shaw has just lost one of her best friends to a brutal act of violence and she is determined that the guilty party pays for what he has done. There is just one problem Noah Ramirez doesn't believe that his friend is guilty of the crime and he will do what is necessary to find the evidence to prove David McDonald innocent. The first step is getting Mia to have an open mind to the possibility that the wrong man is being charged.

Chase Jackson was Mia's friend and she can't understand why anyone would kill him. And when she is asked to take over the case he was working on at the time of his death she can think of no better way to honor him. But things aren't adding up in the case and something more is going on behind the scenes than it appears. But getting to the truth may find Mia facing a fate similar to Chase's. Can Noah help keep her safe, clear his friend, and help Mia discover the truth of Chase's case before it is too late?

Breach of Trust is the third book in the Atlanta Justice series and it is just as page-turning as the previous two books. If you have not yet read the other books that is fine as this book can easily be read as a standalone title. There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing to who the guilty party is and there are plenty of potential suspects. And I will admit that the identity of the killer with definitely well hidden until it was revealed. If you are a fan of romantic suspense but want something a bit longer than Love Inspired Suspense this is perfect for you. Sit back and get caught up in a case that will keep you reading well into the night.

About the Book:

When an Open-and-Shut Murder Case Gets Complicated,

Can She Overcome Her Need for Justice?

Corporate litigator Mia Shaw suffers the shock of her life when she finds her colleague and friend brutally murdered. Grief-stricken and furious, Mia vows that she will do anything to make the killer pay.

The man accused of the murder is a friend of security tech guru Noah Ramirez, but the evidence just doesn't add up. To save his former ATF partner, Noah needs to convince Mia that the real killer is still on the loose.

Mia soon has more to worry about than the criminal prosecution. She is tasked with taking over her friend's last case and learns he was hiding dark secrets about his client. She thinks she may have stumbled upon corporate espionage that has turned deadly, but she has no idea of the danger involved. Her only ally is Noah, despite their difference of opinion about the killer's identity. Can Noah win Mia over to his side and protect her from ever-growing threats?

The Runaway Bride ~ Review

The Runaway Bride
The Bride Ships #2
By Jody Hedlund

Arabella Lawson is fleeing the life that she knew and the marriage she doesn't want. The Bride Ships offer her the chance at a new life away from the pain and fears of the past. But can she find the life she seeks - one to which she is accustomed to or will she be forced to accept the first offer of marriage that comes her way?

Pete Kelly has regrets but he is no longer the young man who left his family behind in anger all those years ago. He is a changed man and he credits this change of heart to the Lord and natives who saved his life. Pete is determined to get a wife from one of the ladies who has come over on the bride ship. When he sees Arabella he knows that she is the one for him even though he is of a lower class. Unfortunately, he isn't the only suitor seeking Arabella's hand and the man seeking it is someone Pete has had conflicts with in the past.

The Runaway Bride is the second book in the Bride Ships series and while it can be read as a stand-alone title, it is best read as part of a series. The main characters from the first book A Reluctant Bride are secondary characters whose story is more fully developed. This book deals with prejudice against the indigenous peoples who called the area home, against lower classes, and women's abilities and rights. The setting is Vancouver Island in Canada in 1862 with brief flashbacks to Arabella's life in England.

I like how Arabella slowly changes and in several cases the catalyst to change is her care and concern for others. Her biggest obstacle to change is her desire to reclaim her place as a gentlewoman of society. Overall a good and satisfying read perfect for fans of historical fiction who don't want just fluff. Jody Hedlund's fans won't be disappointed in her newest offering and will be waiting for this summer's release of the next book in the series. A perfect book club selection.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.



About the Book:

Haunted by mistakes in her past,

will she ever again

trust her heart to another?

Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town’s baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella’s affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need–a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter’s advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what’s right cost both her and Peter everything?

Lake Season ~ Review

Lake Season
Bluebell Inn #1
By Denise Hunter

Molly Bennett has a crush on bestselling author Nathaniel Quinn, his true identity is a mystery, but his words speak to her, give words to her feelings.  And since her parents' death, Molly has been living with the guilt of not making time for their last conversation. She along with her older brother Levi and her younger sister Grace has taken on their parents' dream of turning their home into a Bed-and-Breakfast.  Putting their plans on hold they plan on making a name for the Bluebell Inn located in Bluebell, North Carolina.

Adam Bradford is sure once his identity gets out all his fans will be disappointed in him, after all, he isn't athletic like his dad, uncles, and cousins. Writing isn't a manly occupation and his father was more than a little disappointed in his chosen career as a writer of fiction. He is nothing like his heroes and he just can't let his identity get out. And his fears of inferiority are starting to have an effect on him in the form of writer's block. But when he seeks lodging at the Bluebell Inn he thinks Molly's vitality just might be the inspiration he needs.

Thinking that their new guest might help determine where to start her search for the writer and intended recipient of a long lost letter, Molly approaches Adam with her find. Adam is drawn to the letter and the story that it hints at. A love lost, a misunderstanding, did Lizzie and Benjamin get their happily-ever-after or were they forever parted with words of anger?

This is a book that is told in two eras - the present and the past (the 1960s). As these two stories work closer together the reader won't see what is coming. Not to give anything away but it is an ending that will appeal to those who hope for a satisfying conclusion. The threads that tie this book together are family, trust, honesty, and hope. This is the first book in the Bluebell Inn series that follows the Bennett siblings as they navigate their world following their parents' death and their opening of the inn. This promises to be a delightful series for those looking for a few hours of bookish escape.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher via Amazon's Vine Program with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

When their parents die in a tragic accident, Molly Bennett and her siblings pull together to fulfill their parents’ dream: turning their historic Bluebell, North Carolina home back into an inn. The situation would just be temporary—three years at the most—then they would sell the inn and Molly could get back to chasing her own dreams.

Adam Bradford (a.k.a. bestselling author Nathaniel Quinn) is a reclusive novelist with a bad case of writer’s block. Desperate for inspiration as his deadline approaches, he travels to the setting of his next book, a North Carolina lake town. There he immediately meets his muse, a young innkeeper who fancies herself in love with his alter ego.

Molly and Adam strike up an instant friendship. When Molly finds a long-lost letter in the walls of her inn she embarks on a mission with Adam to find the star-crossed lovers and bring them the closure they deserve. But Adam has secrets of his own. Past and present collide as truths are revealed, and Molly and Adam will have to decide if love is worth trusting.