Book Description:
Not all love is found in London . . .
Spring at Tribbley Hall by Sian Ann Bessey
When
Charlotte's grandmother invites her to accompany her to Norfolk,
Charlotte jumps at the chance to visit the sea and escape the fuss
surrounding her sister's wedding preparations in London. Lord William
Cheston, on the other hand, is most unhappy when his mother informs him
that her old friend and a granddaughter are coming to stay. Not only is
it lambing season, but he's also dealing with the mysterious loss of
several sheep. The last thing he needs is a child underfoot. When
Charlotte and William first meet, he does not realize that the lovely
young lady is the granddaughter in question, and she assumes that the
man dressed in work clothes in the barn is a servant. Soon afterward,
however, Charlotte stumbles upon a clue to William's sheep's
disappearance, and when her life is placed in jeopardy, William is
forced to choose between saving his unwanted houseguest and catching the
thief.
Love of My Heart by Sarah M. Eden
Cordelia
Wakefield has never lived anywhere but London and is not overly happy
when her family is forced to retrench to a small estate near Teviotbrae,
Scotland. An ill-fated game of battledore and shuttlecock brings her
face-to-racquet with Sebastian, who runs the home farm at nearby Teviot
Castle. What begins as a clash of personalities, expectations, and
preferences, soon leads to a friendship neither had expected. As the
magic of Teviotbrae weaves its spell, the possibility of something more
than friendship begins to blossom. But what future is there for a lowly
farmer and a London lady?
Miss Smith Goes to Wiltshire by Rebecca Connolly
Martha
Smith wants to marry for love, and will not be persuaded otherwise. She
is highly sought after in Society for her beauty and status, but
refuses to consider any suitor whose only claim is that his prospects
meet with her mother's approval. Her widowed mother has had enough of
Martha's romantic sensibilities, and is sending her to stay with
unfortunate cousins in Wiltshire to show her that marrying for love is a
risk that is too great. Benjamin Steele, Lord Hillier, is working on
his new and dilapidated estate when he first catches sight of the
striking Martha Smith. Becoming Lord Hillier has only brought him a
house that needs significant repairs, tenant farms that had been
abandoned, and only the money he'd already possessed. He wants meaning
in his life, and he's more than willing to work for it. Though worlds
apart in all else, on this point they can agree: a life of meaning would
change everything.
Rorie's Review:
I never know quite what to expect when I read novellas (and, truth be told, I tend to not read a whole lot of them.) A lot of times, I come away feeling like the story was too rushed, or there wasn't enough time to build great characters or a believable storyline.
That was not a worry I needed to have with this book. All three stories were very well-written, the storylines didn't feel rushed, and the characters were well developed. I finished each story with a smile on my face, instead of thinking "That's it?" And lets be real, I am much more of a fan of life in the country than life in the city, so these stories were right up my alley.
Andrea's Review:
Her Country Gentleman is a great collection of novellas. Each of the authors is very talented, and did a wonderful job of crafting engaging stories that didn't lack in any way by being shorter than most of their writing (and honestly, sometimes my patience prefers a shorter story). The stories and characters were well-developed, and perfect for my mood.
I'm not sure I can pick a favorite from the three stories. They were all very good, and I'm happy to have this on my self to read again.
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Hello Andrea & Rorie, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am glad that you enjoyed this collection. I liked that it had a different premise - set in the countryside and during Georgian times. I am looking forward to the next Timeless Romance anthology, To Kiss a Wallflower in June.
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