The Elusive Miss Ellison

GIVEAWAY

MILLER, CAROLYN
THE ELUSIVE MISS ELLISON

Regency Brides : A Legacy of Grace

The arrival of the new Earl of Hawkesbury has the entire village aflutter -- everyone except Lavinia Elliston, that is. In fact, in Livvie's eyes, he is just as arrogant and thoughtless as his brother -- who stole the most important person in her world.

Nicholas is weighed down by guilt, by ancestral obligations, and by the legacy of war. He hadn't anticipated that a perfunctory visit home would engage either his mind or his heart. Then the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. But between society's opposition, his brother's reckless past, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles for the two of them to ever truly get along.

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 their painful histories presumptuous to a humbled appreciation of God's grace and the true strength of love.

My Review:

Sqqquuuueeeallll! New Regency Author Alert!!!! And this is her debut novel...with two more to follow this year. I'm all aflutter as I sink onto my fainting couch in full Regency-worthy swoon. Pass the smelling salts please.

If you love Jane Austen -- especially Pride and Prejudice -- this novel is for you. Exquisitely written with rich dialogue and delightful descriptions. I felt like I'd time-traveled to 1813 Gloucestershire England. Be still my heart.

And I'm in rapturous joy over the sublime battle of wits! Seriously cutting dialogue. Lavinia excels at getting a point across no matter who she is talking to. Sometimes she manages that with a subtle nuance, other times it's an outright blast of icy disdain -- always delivered with proper decorum, of course. I'm giddy recalling some of her jibes.

Of course Nicholas is just as adept -- a worthy sparring partner. The two together are lethal which is funny and frustrating verging on infuriating. Gah, but I wanted to knock their heads together a time or two! They battle with pride in different ways and, truthfully, I found Nicholas a bit off-putting at the beginning of the book. Still enjoyed the witty repartee but I didn't connect with him until later in the story. Just like Mr. Darcy. He annoyed me no end when I first met him too. :-)

But this hero's journey is compelling and as the story progressed I began to understand the motivation behind Nicholas's detached manner. There's an interesting tug of war going on between the battle-scarred cynic and the new man coming to life from within.

These two make an intriguing pair -- the independent-thinking minister's daughter and the world weary nobleman. A romance seems impossible until forgiveness and grace prepare the way for an epic happily ever after. A stunning debut novel!

My thanks to Kregel Publications for providing me with a copy of this book.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Elusive Miss Ellison please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 12 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!