Showing posts with label Jennie Goutet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jennie Goutet. Show all posts

Friday, October 6, 2023

His Disinclined Bride by Jennie Goutet Reviewed

His Disinclined Bride by Jennie Goutet
"His Disinclined Bride" is the 7th book in the Seasons of Change historical romance series.

I have really enjoyed reading this series.  I have read books in the past written by several of the contributing authors to this collection.  A few of the authors are on my "favorite authors" list and I know when I see their names, that I can look forward to an excellent read before I even start the book.

Over the last year, Jennie Goutet has quickly become one of those trusted authors.  Her books are always exceptional and unique.  "His Disinclined Bride" is no exception and I admit, I really wanted to read it sooner, but I waited so I could read the books in the series in order.

It is absolutely not necessary to read this series in order, or to even read all of them.  Therefore, I recommend that, if you enjoy a historical romance novel, you will want to grab this one immediately.

I have always thought how uncertain and scary it would be to have parents arrange a marriage to a complete stranger based on social status.  I have always been grateful that I was not born in an era where women were treated as possessions and "given" to a groom they did not choose or even want.  

Jennie Goutet opened another door in this social paradigm for me in "His Disinclined Bride" when the marriage arrangement fell to the oldest brother because their father was deceased.  I have read lots of books and seen many movies when the brother was the head of the family and had to give permission to court, but I don't ever remember a plot where the brother made a marriage arrangement for his sister without her knowledge and to a complete stranger.  As I read though the book, I couldn't help but consider how a young woman would feel when thrown into this situation without any input or choice.  Where she was simply told that she would be getting married within a month and that she should be grateful.

 

His Disinclined Bride

Katherine "Kitty" Stokes was quite content living in her brother's home with him, his wife, their children and her younger brother.  She was quite close to her youngest brother and doted on her niece and nephews.  However, her serenity was shattered the day her brother informed her that she would be marrying Lord Hayworth in a month and would move to his estate several hours away.

 His Disinclined BrideCheck PriceLord Phineas Hayworth was tired of living under his father's thumb, helping to manage his estates.  When it came to choosing a wife, he did not want his parents dictating the choice.  Because his maternal grandmother had left him her estate, he wanted to marry, move to that estate, and take control of his own life.  He would continue to help his father with the other property, but he needed the distance from his parents that the Giddenhall estate offered.  He didn't know anyone he wished to marry so he told his man of business to investigate potential brides and make a business arrangement for him.  Phineas needed money to restore and maintain the Giddenhall estate in Castle Combe.  A bride's dowry would be the perfect way to obtain a large amount of money quickly.

Erasmus Stokes was thrilled with the opportunity to buy an alliance with a future Earl.  He was willing to pay a high price for such an arrangement.  He knew his association with a high standing member of the peerage would advance his business.  His shipping company was already extremely successful and he was admired by other businessmen, but he wanted to be able to claim family ties with Lord Hayworth.

Stokes and Hayworth entered into an agreement before Kitty even knew there was any consideration of such an arrangement that would dictate the rest of her life.  When she objected, her brother made it perfectly clear that she would do as he said, and that she should be grateful for such an arrangement.  After all, he could have chosen to send her out to be a governess or a companion.  As far as he was concerned, this arrangement served all three of them well.

Kitty was considered an inadequate, perhaps unrefined, bride choice by Lord Hayworth's parents and the peerage.  Even the servants of Giddenhall did not treat her with the respect due to Lady Hayworth (her new title by marriage).  Plus, the stable manager considered himself her equal and pursued her for a romantic relationship.

How would she ever find happiness again?  You will have to read the book to find out!

 




Previously Reviewed from the Seasons of Change Series


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Friday, December 2, 2022

A Fall from Grace (Clavering Chronicles Book 1) Book Review

a fall from grace book cover

Before we ever read the first word in the book, the title tells us what to expect.  What the title doesn't reveal is how and why Selena loses her position in society.

This historical fiction is set in Hertfordshire, England in 1817 and paints a vivid picture of how easy it was for a young woman, or even a whole family, to have the ton (high society) shun them.  

Imagine having everything you have ever known or expected your life to be, stripped from you because someone else made a mistake. By no fault of your own, you have to learn how to make a living for yourself while watching the world you once knew carry on without you. Becoming an employee in a house where you would previously have been received as a desired guest and ushered into the drawing room for tea with the countess.  Instead, you will now be expected to use the servants entrance and consider yourself fortunate that the countess has favored you enough to even allow you to be her companion.

That is what happened to Selena Lockhart in "A Fall from Grace" by Jennie Goutet.


"A Fall from Grace" Plot Synopsis

 A Fall from Grace
(Clavering Chronicles Book 1)
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The first few chapters of the book are somewhat humorous.  We are immediately introduced to Sir Lucius Clavering, sixth Baronet of Mardley.  As a wealthy landowner, he is accustomed to having "young maidens" devise reasons to be in his company alone in order to force a marriage.  A snowy night is the perfect opportunity for "accidents" to strand fair maidens who would require refuge in a nearby home.  On this particular night, two such woman separately appeared at his door.  One was intentionally planned, the other truly was in dire straits.  Both are greeted with suspicion.

___

As the lone female occupant of a broken down stagecoach, Selena needs shelter from the snow storm and other danger.  She believes her salvation must lie within the walls of a nearby home which is lit well enough for her to see in the distance. Dispute her lack of warm clothing, she sets out for the house and has plenty of time to recount the events that put her in this frightening situation.  Her father's extreme gambling problems followed by his subsequent death; her fiance's recindment of his offer of marriage;  insufficient funds to sustain her mother & sisters;  all combined to create this life she was so ill-prepared to live.  She was equally unprepared to be greeted by the cynical landowner who did not readily welcome her in out of the cold.

_____

Following Selena's story of becoming a companion to a bitter and unhappy widowed countess, caused me to consider what a truly difficult situation this would have been for a young lady who was raised in a wealthy home with the expectations of a prosperous marriage and continued position in high society.  It would require a strong and determined individual to make this unwanted transition in life status.

Since this is a Regency Romance novel, the reader can rest assured there will be a developing romantic relationship throughout the book. However, I was equally interested in watching the other relationships develop in this book.

I highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys clean & wholesome romance novels.

 

 

At publishing time of this review, "A Fall from Grace" is available for free with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription. Or, you can purchase it with the link below.


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