Book review : Vienna Wolfe by Mary Lancaster

Vienna Dawn
by Mary Lancaster
The Imperial Season book #4

My rating: ★★★★★
Actually 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.

Very short story but very nice clean romance.

____ THE PLOT ___ 1814, Vienna.
Colonel Francis Wolfe, military hero and unexpectedly new Earl of Warenton after the recent death of his brother, is ready to do his duty and marry a woman, his equal, who would be the perfect Countess of Warenton to present to the world.
Too bad that the beautiful Sylvia Renleigh is also a cold and calculating girl that he would never want in his bed, in any case not after meeting the sweet, lively and spontaneous French refugee Elise.
Elise de Sancerre, like many French nobles, now finds herself in a situation of extreme poverty, tyrannized by Sylvia and her mother.
Thanks to a rescue from an injury and a masquerade ball, the flame of true love will prevail over every convention and hypocrisy of the aristocracy.
_________________

This is installment #4 in a series named "The Imperial Season".
I adored the first 3 books in the series ( all rated 5 stars by me ), all with a usual book length , all readable as standalone but all connected one to each other not only by the setting but also through the characters, so they're more enjoyable if you read them starting with book 1.

----> This is definitely a STANDALONE .

When I saw this one was only a short story, with the same setting ( 1814 Congress of Vienna ), but not linked to the others, I don't know why, but I felt so disappointed that I put it aside.
I also decided not to read it at all... until yesterday, when I needed something short to read, something not very demanding but which made me dream a little.
WELL, I LOVED IT !!
SO BAD IT'S TOO SHORT !! (That's why I consider it only 4.5 and not really 5 full stars )


____ THE HEROINE, Elise, 26 years old, is dreamy and spontaneous, just like many of us, when we imagine that the man of our dreams will finally come to take us away on his white horse.
She says what she thinks before even considering that perhaps it is not covered by the rules of etiquette and is so humble that she doesn't think for a moment that her dream could really come true.
... Do you know? It sometimes happens that the heroines of novels are too sweet, too beautiful and desired by everyone, too humble, too good, too this and too that... I LIKE ELISE, I find her pleasant in everything, and she deserves to be happy!

____ THE HERO, Francis is the soldier who never thought about marriage, he enjoyed the good life with women, he always held the military corps in high regard and less the civilian world, but he is a kind, intelligent and sometimes playful man.
Maybe now, at 38, he finally wants to settle down, but not out of calculation... he realizes that he wants a bond made of love.

___ KISSING AND ROMANTIC SCENES ___
This is a short story, so there isn't enough, but the two scenes (the central one and the final one) with kisses first stolen, then sweet, then passionate, their making love and the words he says to her, they are very beautiful and very sweet.

Dear Mrs. Lancaster, why didn't you write a book instead of a short story?
I loved it but it's too short!
Dear writer, you are one of my favourites, so I ask you:
Please, could you write a series with these two characters together, who, even if they are now married, have wonderful adventures (and perhaps investigations) in every book of the series?
A bit similar to Crime and Passion series, but without changing couples every time, focus on the love story of these two! I would be so happy !
... I know you won't read the review, I know you won't please me, but I tried anyway!

Thanks to all for reading my opinion and please forgive any errors you can find in my text, English is not my mother language.

READ ALSO "The Imperial Season" BOOK #1 - BOOK #2 - BOOK #3:
#1 Vienna Waltz
#2 Vienna Woods
#3 Vienna Dawn

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Book review : Petteril's Thief by Mary Lancaster

Petteril's Thief
by Mary Lancaster
Lord Petteril Mysteries series book #1

My rating: ★★★☆☆
3 full stars, which bodes well for the next books in the series

I couldn't get into it until after 50% through the book.

This is a long short-story ( only 157 pages ) and I know that I always find short story unsatisfying ( except those by Agatha Christie ), because there's no enough time to develop characters making them impressive and then the topic ( be it a mystery or a romance ) is always solved very fast without many details.

However after the first half of the book there has been an unexpected twist that finally took my attention and being this the book #1 in a series, I suppose all characters and events will get more interesting and captivating in the following short books.

____ THE PLOT ____  
In the spring of 1812, Piers Withan is dragged from his beloved Oxford to be the new Viscount Petteril.
Burdened by responsibilities he doesn’t want and the remnants of a family who don’t want him, he is saved from an irredeemable mistake by Ape, the small thief burgling his house.

The former Viscountess Petteril, Piers' aunt and wife of the late Lord, is now looking for an important family heirloom, a gold necklace with rubies that has disappeared.
However, the necklace was not among Ape's stolen goods, so who was it?
Are the culprits other criminals or someone within the greedy and indebted family?

---->  clean language
---->  suitable for cozy mystery lovers and young adult mystery lovers

_____________________________


____ ABOUT THE MYSTERY ____
the mystery is really light and not at all challenging, which is obvious in a short story, however there could have been a little suspense at least for two or three pages.
Usually this disappoints me, but the writer concentrated a pinch of suspense on another topic:
the private sphere of the characters and therefore I never thought of abandoning the book, I wanted to know the solution to "their problem"!

____ ABOUT THE CHARACTERS ____ 
I suspect Mary Lancaster was inspired by a classical mystery, none other than "These Old Shades" by Georgette Heyer, but while I didn't like that book, I've found the same topic here interesting, but I need to use a spoiler to better explain :
___ WARNING: SPOILER____ As in Heyer's book, a rich nobleman finds a boy living on the streets, takes him home and takes care of him by giving him a job on his staff.
In the course of the story the boy turns out to be a young woman, who, having lived for many years as someone of the male sex, no longer wants to go back to living with a feminine lifestyle, made up of clothes with petticoats and a bodice and behaviors more suited to the female sex (as well as different types of tasks within a staff of servants).
-----> While in Heyer's book I couldn't stand the girl, because she was in love and obsessed with her savior and I couldn't stand the fact that despite the huge age difference, they eventually became a couple, in Lancaster's book the girl feels grateful and attracted to her savior , but not in an obsessive and mean way towards the other characters.
Furthermore, the age difference here is acceptable, given that Petteril is also a young man and above all he is a lovable and kind-hearted guy. ___SPOILER END ____

As I have already said, the characters do not have much chance of being well developed in short stories, but Mrs. Lancaster, the author, managed to define each of them so well with just a few descriptive traits (of their way of being and thinking). This is what convinced me to continue with the story, also wanting to read the next books...
I have read several books by Mary Lancaster, I usually love her writing style and I know she will manage to develop the characters and their backgrounds, book by book, making them more and more interesting.

__ THE MAIN CHARACTER ____ Piers Withan, the knew LORD PETTERIL:
what I like about him is the fact that not being destined to inherit the title, he was able to follow his nature as a lover of books, dedicating himself to study and teaching.
However we discover that he is not just a bookworm, but having grown up with a brother and two older cousins, he has learned to defend himself both verbally and physically.

He is an intelligent and kind young man ( handsome too ) and relates to his new staff in a very friendly way, offering to help them with "a certain thing" in which humble people at that time were usually lacking (find out by reading the book!)

___ THE SECOND MAIN CHARACTER __ APE, the young thief and street urchin:
despite having to look after himself from an early age, stealing under the directives of dangerous criminals, we immediately see his desire to have an honest life.
This character immediately won me over for his inner wisdom despite his young age and will be the character who will give you the most surprises in this first book and in the next one and perhaps even the ones after (yes, I have already peeked into the plots of the back covers !! )

___THE OTHER SIDE CHARACTERS __
some amiable and some unbearable, but I'll be happy to meet them all again in the next Petteril's adventures.
humor and ironic jokes !
What I usually like in cozy mysteries, where obviously the mystery is light and the suspense is minimal, is the humorous atmosphere that usually permeates the whole story: funny moments, ironic jokes every now and then... that playfulness , which makes the reader smile and laugh and keeps him glued to the book because he is having fun, even though there is no complicated puzzle and no love story.
So: no complicated mysteries, no love stories (but who knows in the future...), no humour.
This explains my miserable 3 star-rating.
I'm confident though, the series will improve.

THANKS FOR READING my opinion and please be lenient with my English, it's not my mother tongue.

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Book review : A Hussar's Promise by Griffin Brady

A Hussar's Promise
The Winged Warrior #2
by Griffin Brady

My rating: ★★★★★
💖🏰⚔ Again 5 full stars really well deserved !

This is book 2 in The Winged Warrior series and just like the first one, it has been a wonderful gripping reading !

____ THE PLOT IN SHORT ___ Kingdom of Poland, about 1614.
The story of book #2 begins with Jacek Dąbrowski, captain of winged hussars, guarding a fortress on the border of the Kingdom of Poland, in a place that seems forgotten by God.
The truth is that Lord Eryk, once his commander, mentor and friend, married, under coercion, the woman Jacek loves and exiled him to keep him away.
Lady Oliwia is now the lady of the castle and lives among luxury and privileges, but far from the only man she has always loved, she feels deeply unhappy.
Fate, with the work of some very evil people, shuffles the cards... Jacek and Oliwia seem to have another chance... but here mocking fate and the wickedness of the villains come back into play...
_____________________________

While sequels sometimes prove disappointing, approaching this one, I had full faith in the author's abilities.
I was already completely invested in the story of the two main characters ( after "THE HEART OF A HUSSAR", read my REVIEW HERE) and I couldn't wait to see how it continued, as the first book ends on a huge cliffhanger.

This book could perhaps also be read as a standalone, it is fully enjoyable equally, BUT I ADVISE YOU, OR BETTER I BEG YOU TO READ BOOK 1 FIRST, not only because this will give you the opportunity to have a broader vision of the whole story and understand better every ongoing situation, but because you will be able to enjoy a thousand times more all the beautiful moments and all the wonderful love scenes that this sequel offers.

__THE ROMANTIC PART AND LOVEMAKING SCENES __
The first part of the book, in fact, is largely dedicated to the feeling of love, passion, devotion and making love.
The descriptions are extensive, but never vulgar and give the reader all the intensity that two lovers experience in their intimacy.
Everything is written so well that we can feel the heartbeat of Jacek and Oliwia, the thrill of their passion and the happiness that explodes inside their soul.
I admit that I never wanted to leave those chapters and I put many bookmarks, to reread those pages in the next few days!

Reading book 1 will also allow you to understand how strong Jacek's will is to overcome the thousand vicissitudes and adventures that will involve him in the second half of this book.

When I say that the story is "compelling", I am not exaggerating at all, the pace of the book is fast, at times almost frenetic and will drag you into a vortex of twists and turns that will keep you in suspense: bloody battles, ravenous plots on the part of greedy enemies, traitors and murderers and a psychopath killer, daring escapes and a long journey worthy of Ulysses' Odyssey.
With each chapter I longed for the solution to all the problems, I turned the pages reading avidly and just when I glimpsed the light at the end of the tunnel, the author managed to make me jump again.

___ ACTION, ADVENTURE and SCENES SO VIVID THEY APPEAR REAL ___ 
I don't know how, living in our times and not using images from a film, an author manages to describe fight scenes in such a vivid and detailed way, complete with all the thoughts and emotions that the characters are going through at that moment.
I believe that in addition to in-depth historical knowledge, it takes a great talent to be able to convey to the reader not only the scene, but all the sensations, positive and negative, that derive from it and I can say with certainty that the author, Mrs. Griffin Brady possesses both qualities (historical knowledge and talent in writing), because now I feel not as if I had seen a film at the cinema, but more: as if I myself had experienced every situation together with Jacek, savoring the fatigue, the fear , anguish, resilience, strength, anger, hope, jealousy, uncertainty and finally happiness.
Oliwia is no exception, she too will have to overcome unexpected and very difficult tests, which will bring out the strong woman within her and which, instead of sinking her, will make her increasingly combative and resolute.

Even the background where the scenes take place are described in an excellent manner with details that not only help us reconstruct the scene in our mind's eye, but we are able to perceive the smells, the sounds, the contact with the body, the lights, the shadows and all the sensations that come from them.
I have sometimes read books in which the overly long and detailed descriptions bored me or exasperated me, well, this is not the case.
---> The writer's style is fluent and engaging, to the point that now that I have finished the book, I already feel nostalgic for the characters and their adventures.


_____ CHARACTERS___ 
Book #1 begins with 22-year-old Jacek and 15-year-old Oliwia.
The story takes place over 4 years in which the protagonists grow not only in age but also through difficult experiences and sacrifices.
In this book we find them decidedly matured, more aware of their feelings and their goals.
Now both have the chance to take control of their destiny, but nothing will be easy and within reach, in fact evil people and traps continually hinder their happiness.
Only great willpower and the deep love that unites them will lead to a happy ending.
Of course there are also light moments, in which I love the exchanges halfway between jealousy and playfulness.

I love the 2 main characters and I love their friends too:

_ Henryk, Jacek's best friend, charming and a great lover of all women, but with a heart of gold.
I laughed every time he gets too close to Oliwia and Jacek wants to strangle him and yes, a couple of times I wanted to strangle him too, but in the end he always proves to be a deeply devoted and sincere friend.

_ Jacek's soldier-brothers, who make us breathe feelings of brotherhood, loyalty, camaraderie with funny teasing and laughter, but also sharing pain and mutual help in hard times.

_ I also really liked other supporting characters such as Oliwia's brother, who can't wait to grow up and become a soldier.
The faithful cook with a soft spot for Jacek, the good priest, Oliwia's personal maid... each of them contributes to creating a welcoming atmosphere in stark contrast to the villains always lurking and ready to strike treacherously.

__ A FICTION SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE? ___
Connecting to the villains just mentioned, it must be said that we are dealing with a disgusting slime-ball and a psychopathic serial killer.
There are not only deaths in battle, but a real premeditated murder and other perverse attitudes, which, although described without going into exaggeratedly gruesome details, could perhaps trouble the most sensitive souls.
So I would say readable for ages 16 and up.
_ The language is clean, the author manages to convey the idea of the contemptuous attitudes of rough and nasty big men, without actually using vulgar swear words.
I really appreciated it !!


___ The WINGED HUSSARS and the HISTORICAL PART ___
The main characters and their story are naturally the fruit of the author's imagination, but the wonderful heavy cavalry of the Winged Hussars really existed.
They were all nobles, trained in the use of many weapons since they were children. Many battles mentioned by the author and some character names were equally real.



----> THE LAYOUT OF BIASKA CASTLE is inspired by real castles (of which the ruins remain) Castle in the Eagles' Nest and Bobolice Castle ( look at the pictures below ).
---> At the end of the book you will find a small guide to real events and historical figures, castles and places.





---> You will also find a small dictionary for the weapons and type of clothing of the time and a small guide to the pronunciation of names and words in the original language.
---> ON THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE (www.griffin-brady.com) you will also find a blog with many interesting articles about the glorious history of the Kingdom of Poland in the 17th century, the historical events that made it powerful and about the Hussars.
____________

Thanks for reading my opinion. English is not my mother tongue so I hope I have still managed to express my thoughts effectively and have done justice to both the beautiful novel and the talented writer.
I will definitely also read book #3 of the series, even if I will take a short break of about ten days to enjoy the happy ending a little longer, before diving back into the obstacle-filled adventures of our two favorites.

THE PREQUEL :
BOOK #1 "THE HEART OF A HUSSAR", read my REVIEW HERE

Follow me if you also want to read the review of book #3.
And here is the beautiful Jacek of my mind ( the beauty of books is also being able to imagine the faces of the characters ;-), none other than the handsome Henry Cavill (here very young in The Tudors)




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Book review : The Heart of a Hussar by Griffin Brady

The Heart of a Hussar
The Winged Warrior #1
by Griffin Brady

My rating: ★★★★★
😃A wonderful read: 5 full stars so well deserved !

It's an amazing historical fiction. An adventure romance so very compelling and I really think it's the best novel I read so far this year.

I would like to start by saying that I usually choose shorter novels (around 300 pages or a little more), but the setting, different from the usual, immediately attracted me and if at the beginning I started reading the first sentences, with the fear that I would bored because it was too long and too different from my usual readings ( historical mysteries and clean romances), I have to tell you that I was involved in the story from the very first page to the last one!

____ THE PLOT IN SHORT __ Muscovy, 1610.
Jacek Dąbrowski is a twenty-two-year-old Polish nobleman, cavalry officer of the legendary Winged Hussars, who dreams of gaining land possessions thanks to his valor and military merits.
One day, during a military campaign on Muscovite soil, then an enemy of Poland, he saves fifteen-year-old Oliwia and her little brother from the clutches of soldiers who were looting and razing a village to the ground.

Since the two young people are without parents and relatives, Lord Eryk, the commander, decides to take them to his castle where he will make them his proteges.

The return journey is long and Jacek and Oliwia, traveling on the same horse, begin to get to know each other and without knowing it, they lay the foundations of what will be a strong bond.

Between military campaigns and life at the castle, obvious rivalries and dangerous enemies hidden in the shadows, parties and courtships, passionate kisses, dreams and disappointments, this gripping story takes place over 4 years, until the moment Jacek realizes that the his dream has changed, but just at that moment fate plays a bad joke...

_________________________

__NOT A STANDALONE__
WARNING : FINAL CLIFFHANGER
__THERE IS A SEQUEL____
Before starting to read the novel, I read some reviews (all enthusiastic, but this sometimes turns out to be a trap because then I create too many expectations).
Thanks to the reviews I understood that the book would end with a cliffhanger__ something that I usually don't like at all__ but here I wanted to take a leap into the dark, because the setting and the subjects of the story, the legendary winged Hussars of Poland in the 17th century, intrigued me too much !
If we add that there was the tag #romance, my heart was already kidnapped.

(In the author's defense I must admit that she wrote this in the first pages of the book and the sequel was published only a month after the release of the first volume, because it was supposed to be a duology)
In my case I consider myself lucky to have already found a third volume which the author has decided to write in 2023.

___ ABOUT WINGED HUSSARS ____
They were a heavy cavalry formation active in Poland and in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1503 to 1702.
A distinctive feature of the Husaria were the "wings", wooden supports decorated with feathers, secured to their saddles or to the rear plates of their armour, which were intended to demoralize the enemy during a charge.
The hussars ranked as the elite of Polish cavalry, in fact they were all from noble families and they were raised since childhood to ride and to the use of many different weapons.

It has been very interesting to learn all these things about that military body and on a European territory of which I know little or nothing and of which I only know the fate of the post-war period of the 20th century.
I really didn't imagine that the Kingdom of Poland would be so powerful at that time.




___ BATTLES , SOLDIERS and TACTICS, ARMOUR and WEAPONRY __
What I didn't expect were the descriptions of battles, actions and military strategies, descriptions of weapons and traditional outfits of the time (both for soldiers and civilians) and I certainly didn't expect that they would fascinate me so much and that I would have found it very stimulating, really impressive.



I've read other books with battles and only the author Stella Riley managed to fascinate me, while other authors bored me deeply and if I had known before that there were so many battles described, I probably wouldn't have read the book... but I'm glad I didn't know BECAUSE THE AUTHOR DID AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB!!
Griffin Brady managed to combine all her historical and technical knowledge with the magic of fiction, creating within me great suspense, emotions and full participation in the scenes I was reading, as if a time machine had teleported me exactly there, in that place, at that time and with those people!

Each weapon, outfit and noble and military hierarchy was written with its original name and explained already during the story, BUT DON'T BE AFRAID OF GETTING CONFUSED,
for the reader's convenience, the author has also included a small dictionary for each word cited in Polish.
You will even find another chapter that will help you pronounce the names (after the first ten pages, everything will become very easy).

____ THE CHARACTERS __
Both the two main characters and the side ones are developed excellently.

We are able to see not only the physical appearance of each one, but also their character traits, their emotions, their thoughts, their aspirations and fears, their will to resist adversity and to conquer what they dream of.
The author managed to make them so intense that they seem real.

The dialogues are brilliant, often interspersed with short thoughts written in italics, which have the advantage of completing the dialogues and making the scene that the characters are experiencing vivid.

Some ironic banter between Jacek and his best friend Henryk or between the soldiers or between Jacek and Oliwia... give a light touch from time to time and entertains the reader.

___THE LOVE STORY___
as regards the romantic part, it appears just after 50% of the book, while in the first half some romantic premises are created, but the main characters are not exactly aware of it.

I admit that in the first half of the book, I was constantly wondering when the protagonists would fall in love and at a certain point I thought that the tag #romance was not appropriate for this fiction.
This was only for 5 seconds, because as soon as the two protagonists began to realize that they were attracted to each other, I was rewarded for all the waiting and the second part of the book is largely dedicated to the feelings of love of the two young people.
BUT NO BOREDOM, you will in fact find funny scenes, exciting scenes, you will suffer together with them and even more you will hope together with them.

___ JEALOUSY, INTRIGUE AND CONSPIRACY ___
In addition to the enemies in battle, the protagonists find themselves involved in difficult events, due to jealousy and presumption, envy and the desire for power and revenge, the arrogance and selfishness of some characters.

These situations create a lot of tension during the story, until reaching a climax that will determine definitive (or almost definitive) turning points not only for Jacek and Oliwia, but also for other main characters.

So the novel is compelling not only for what concerns the action and the romantic aspect, but also thanks to other elements cleverly inserted as a subplot.


---> Historical fiction SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE, even teenagers. ---> Despite the time period and the theme, the author managed to write the novel with: _ Clean language (or at most swear words which nowadays are not swear words) _ Sweet and romantic kisses _ Battles and deaths without gruesome descriptions


___ DO I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK? ___ yes, I recommend it 100% if you love historical fiction.

Don't be scared by the fact that you also have to read the sequel to feel completely satisfied, you will turn the pages one after the other, completely fascinated by everything that is told by the author and experienced by the characters!

I've already started reading book #2 and I can't wait to read #3 too.

___ THANKS FOR READING MY OPINION, I hope that my English, full of flaws (it is not my mother tongue), has not ruined too much of what was intended to be praise for this novel and my thanks to the writer.

THE SEQUEL :
BOOK #2 "A Hussar's Promise": read my review

_______________ A little off-topic:
while I was reading, my Jacek had the features of a young Henry Cavill ( picture from the Tudors ), because his description corresponds to dark hair, sapphire blue eyes and a frown in his gaze.
with the qualities of a great warrior and a man of sound principles that the writer gave him and the appearance of Henry Cavill, how could I not fall in love with him? 😉





...But those pictures below are my favorites, that's how I imagine Jacek when he turns lovely to Oliwia :

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Book review : A Revolution of Hearts by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

A Revolution of Hearts
by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

My rating: ★★★★☆
This must be read as 4.5 stars

--- I loved it and after finished it I feel like I'm missing the charaters.----

It's a lovely clean adventure-romance set between France and England in the late 18th century and related to the well known "Scarlet Pimpernel" ( by Emma Ocrzy / Emmuska Orczy ).
I read and appreciated E. Orczy fiction novels, so this is one thing that made me choose to read this book.

Despite the awful cover ( too dull colors,too much grey color in the background and not at all charming people ) that is suggesting something very dramatic, this is a lively romantic novel with a hint of adventure and of course a happy ending.

__THE PLOT__ Early 1789. Paris
Mademoiselle Dacia de Prideaux and her brother Marcel, from a rich and aristocratic family, are going to the theater.
While she only thinks about love and can't wait to meet her boyfriend again, her brother is taken by the new political currents, led by Robespierre, who would like to see the monarchs deposed and would like equality between the social classes.
That same night, 2 shocking events happen: her lover will marry someone else and Marcel will be killed by someone of his own political persuasion (this is not a spoiler, we know this right away).
Witnessing the murder and accused by the murderer of being the murderer, Dacia has to flee France and thus begins her adventure in England.
An adventure that is anything but easy, made up of physical effort, disguises, false identities and dangers... But in all this another aristocrat with a heart of gold, an adventurous soul and broad views will help her in her new path: Master Richard Harris, a close associate of Sir Percy Blakeney, the famous Scarlet Pimpernel.

__________________________________________

While in the start the story looked a little bit dull to me ( the chapters at the theater, while she was looking for her loved one ) after the murder ( about 20% through the book) all became interesting.


_ THE SETTING __
This is not a challenging novel (we can compare it to the usual regency romances), but the author has managed to give the reader a precise idea of the time and background in which the story took place, making the atmosphere alive and real, thus how the feelings and emotions of all the characters are fully perceptible.

Talking about the background in which the events take place and the atmosphere that the story gives us, the book can be divided into various sections:

__ Pre-revolutionary France and the first troubles shaking the country: the leaflets circulating with the new anti-monarchist ideas, the secret meetings of those who want to change history, the police and the first skirmishes and revolts underway.

__ The escape to England, Dacia's fear and anguish of being captured, the pain of her brother's death and the flashbacks of those moments, the fear of the unknown in an unknown world, the adventure together with strange characters that others they are simply men dedicated, by choice, to saving people in danger of their lives.

__ Life at Master Harris' estate, a bit of Downton Abbey set in the late 1700s, with servants, haughty aristocrats, balls and theatrical rehearsals of a Shakespeare comedy.

__ Imminent danger and action including rescue and total reversal of current situations.

__ Finally declarations of love and the only kiss of this slow-burn (very slow, too slow) romance and happy ending.

__ THE 2 MAIN CHARACTERS _
I liked both although in my opinion there is too little interaction between the two in the book.

😀 🌷The first half of the book focuses more on DACIA:
and it can be said that she is the only protagonist.
---> I liked her because as a wealthy and privileged person she found herself forced to take on the role of a very humble person and to take on all the hardships, pains and sacrifices of that type of life.
First she worked as a waitress and then as a scullery maid, but despite the humiliation she didn't complain, on the contrary, she learned the meaning of sacrifice and understood how she too, in her previous life, without realizing it, had been haughty and very demanding with her their servants, without taking their feelings and self-love into consideration.
The author focuses several times on these considerations and between the lines invites the reader to reflect 8 and I liked it ), because if it is true that today we (or should) all have the same rights, there is still a big gap between very wealthy people and poor and humble workers who often suffer the arrogance, arrogance and boastfulness of those who have more money and more power (even in our normal daily lives).

😀 🌷 When RICHARD (Master Harris) finally enters the scene
we still have too few scenes to know him well and the interactions between the two are few and devoid of the warm emotions that should instead constitute the romantic and sweet part of the story.
So, even after meeting the character, it was initially difficult for me, the reader, to fall in love with him and if the plot on the back cover had not revealed to me the name of the male protagonist of the couple, up to 75% I would not have even known who he was, since courtship was absent.
Richard has another girlfriend, not out of love, but imposed by his father and so for a good part of the time he tries to find points in common with her.
He behaves ambiguously with Dacia, as if he had a soft spot for her, but didn't realize it... but I would have liked the author to accentuate this unconscious attraction more.
When "falling in love" finally begins, I loved it but we are quite far into the book and so for me it wasn't enough.
The author inserts glances between Dacia and Richard during the story, but they are not enough to create an expectation complete with butterflies in the stomach for the reader, it all arrives later ( so that's why it is "too" slow-burn to me )
This is the main reason why I didn't give 5 stars, but since the whole story as a whole involved me and I liked it, I sincerely think that the book deserves a full 4.5

__ A PINCE OF HISTORY____ Have you ever heard of the "Cagots" in France?
I didn't and I learned, from this book, that the Cagots are pariahs (people of the lowest social status, living in isolation from the majority), that in the Middle Ages they lived on both sides of the Pyrenees and that popular superstition saw them as object of contempt and horror, partly inspired by the visceral fear felt by populations exposed to leprosy.
I LOVE TO LEARN THINGS by reading historical fiction !!!!


---> RECOMMENDED for those who love clean romances that are sweet and adventurous at the same time.
---> NOT RECOMMENDED for those looking only for romance and hot scenes

__I WOULD LIKE __ to read a series of book with this couple as main characters about their adventures rescuing people along with Walter ( Richard's brother ), Mr. Carter ( Richard's former valet and aid in his adventures), Marguerite ( Dacia's french best friend ) e of course Sir Percy Blackney.

FREE DOWNLOAD: you can download a free ebook of a short sequel-novella of this story ( named "Sergeant Jake and his Lady "), by subscribing to the author's newsletter on her website ( https://www.rondahinrichsen.com/ ---> click on FREE BOOK ).
I did it and of course I've already read it ( nothing very amazing but nice to read, so many thanks to the author for the giveaway )

THANK YOU all for reading my opinion and please forgive my English since it's not my language 😉

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