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Monday, March 20, 2017

The Elusive Miss Ellison-Book Review/Giveaway

The Elusive Miss Ellison

About the book (provided by Litfuse)
Handsome appearance counts for naught unless matched by good character and actions.
That’s the firm opinion of not-so-meek minister’s daughter Lavinia Ellison. So even though all the other villagers of St. Hampton Heath are swooning over the newly returned seventh Earl of Hawkesbury, she is not impressed. If a man won’t take his responsibilities seriously and help those who are supposed to be able to depend on him, he deserves no respect from her. In Lavinia’s pretty, gray eyes, Nicholas Stamford is just as arrogant and reckless as his brother–who stole the most important person in Livvie’s world.
Nicholas is weighed down by his own guilt and responsibility, by the pain his careless brother caused, and by the legacy of war he’s just left. This quick visit home to St. Hampton Heath will be just long enough to ease a small part of that burden. Asking him to bother with the lives of the villagers when there’s already a bailiff on the job is simply too much to expect.
That is, until the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. With her angelic voice in his head, he may even be beginning to care. But his isn’t the only heart that needs to change.
These two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society’s opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.
Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister’s daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a humbled appreciation of God’s grace and the true strength of love.
And I thought...
Is it appropriate I wonder to describe a maiden from Regency 
England as sassy? Undoubtedly ok. according to the author 
..."I love reading about feisty heroines as much as the next redhead :) but sometimes too much 'feist' can come across as just rude. Miss Ellison has some sass, but a warm heart, and when she meets her match in Lord Hawkesbury, she begins to learn a few home truths."  from the  author provided by Amazon.
Yes she is 'sassy' and Elusive as the title describes at least where the Earl is concerned. 
Sassy is just the beginning.  Lavinia Ellison is independent and 
impudent and rather cheeky toward the Earl.  Which does nothing but cause him to be more interested.  She is also hardworking and charitable.  

And then what can be said of Nickolas the Earl of Hawkesbury who falls asleep during the first church service he attends? 
The Earl returns rather reluctantly to the small village when he becomes Earl.  He had left years earlier after an accident involving his brother and Lavinia's mother who was killed.  After years in the military Nickolas has develop a hardened heart.  

It doesn't take long for his heart to be softened.  Upon meeting Lavinia she immediately gets under his skin.  In the beginning she is unwilling to forgive him for the death of her mother.  Even though he had no role in the accident.  She gets herself all caught up in the plight of the tenant farmers and ridicules Nickolas' 
'better late than never' role in taking over his responsibilities.

Nickolas' heart begins to soften as he sees the plight of the village and begins to understand Livinia's caring heart.  

For me the best part of the book was seeing a respected nobleman humble himself and begin asking her questions about the Bible. 
I enjoyed seeing his character change through the book.

After some conflicts and differing of opinions.  And some hard sole searching on Livinia's part the two become friends and ultimately a couple.   

There are some twists and turns and problems that keep that 
causes the romance to drag on a bit (not in a bad way) but the story is good and the attention to detail the author bestows
into the story makes it an exceptional read.  

I enjoyed The Elusive Miss Ellison and look forward to book 2 in the series. 

I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse. 
This review will appear on retail sites where the book is available.
This review will appear on Good Reads,  My Journey Back,  and My Reading Journeys.  


Available...

Amazon, B&N, CBC  visit the authors site here for more retail sources. 

About the author  Carolyn Miller
Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW . She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.

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I received a complimentary copy from litfuse.
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