Fair as a Star

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

MATTHEW, MIMI

FAIR AS A STAR

A Secret Burden...

After a mysterious sojourn in Paris, Beryl Burnham has returned home to the village of Shepton Worthy ready to resume the life she left behind. Betrothed to the wealthy Sir Henry Rivenhall, she has no reason to be unhappy -- or so people keep reminding her. But Beryl's life isn't as perfect as everyone believes.

A Longstanding Love...

As village curate, Mark Rivenhall is known for his compassionate understanding. When his older brother's intended needs a shoulder to lean on, Mark's more than willing to provide one. There's no danger of losing his heart. He already lost that to Beryl a very long time ago. 

During an idyllic Victorian summer, friends and family gather in anticipation of Beryl and Sir Henry's wedding. But in her darkest moment, it's Mark who comes to Beryl's aid. Can he help her without revealing his feelings -- or betraying his brother?

My Review:

published in 2020

Every woman needs a Mark in her corner. A seriously swoony gentleman of great empathy. His congregation adores him and it's easy to see why. He cares. He listens. Everything he does comes from a deeply rooted desire to ease others' burdens. Besides all that, he's a man in love with the wrong woman -- his brother's intended.

Now, I'm usually not a fan of love triangles but this one isn't quite that and I can't give away any more without spoilers. Just rest assured, if you're like me, your love-triangle-hating heart will be appeased. :-)

And I really can't say more than that because I think every reader deserves to uncover Beryl's secrets first-hand. Just know that I loved this heroine and rooted for her and felt all her anxiety and angst. Matthews did an amazing job of pulling me into the emotional vortex and then spewing me out a little shell-shocked but infinitely better for knowing these characters.

Speaking of which -- there are a number of secondary characters just begging for their chance to shine but though Fair as a Star was published a year ago there's no news on when the next book in The Victorian Romantics will be released. Sob!!!! Now I'm in a bibliophile funk!

I listened to the audible edition of this book, expertly narrated by Alex Wynham. I'm usually persnickety about preferring female narrators but Alex Wynham might just be my one exception. :-)

Please note: not a Christian Fiction selection but it is a clean read

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fair as a Star, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 9 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!