Originally posted HERE .

The blurb does this entertaining book a disservice by marketing it as a romance – it’s not one. It is a very well-written, very traditional Regency story, where the alleged two lead characters don’t even see each other until halfway through, and are background characters for much of the book. Their first actual conversation begins at the 95% mark!

This is a story about many people in Regency society, is told from many different points of view.

I think if you mixed Little Women with a Jane Austen book, and then removed most of the scenes between the male and female leads, you will get an idea of what to expect from this story. That’s not to say that it isn’t a worthwhile read; I was glad to have a change in my reading.

The language is more traditional, using more Regency-era terminology than other books being released today, though the author does make some mistakes and slip some Americanisms into the dialogue.

To be honest, the alleged heroine’s niece is the true lead character of this book, and her youthful romance with her childhood friend is the main relationship in the story. Again, I enjoyed it, but it was not the story promised to us in the blurb.

Sometimes it is nice to read a book set in this era that isn’t a relentless anachronistic sex-fest. It is nice to take a break from the style of historical romance being produced en masse today and read a book of manners of the past instead.

However, if you’re looking to read a romance, don’t look here.


Review copy provided by NetGalley.historical-fiction historical-romance regency-era ...more3 s Phoenix77347 44

Miss Morrison’s Second Chance wasn’t what I expected after reading the book description. While Verity Morrison does get the opportunity to rekindle a romance with her first love Bradford Pemberton, the story focuses too much on what should have been the secondary romance of her niece and his nephew. Verity and Bradford are barely together long enough for me to believe that they are moving towards forgiveness and love from their past hurts. There are too many misunderstandings that are never sorted out in an acceptable way. I had hoped that the book would present a mature look at love, with an older couple using their years of life experience to capture that moment and live for themselves; however the older people act just as petty and childish as the younger couple does and are just as immature in facing the mistakes made in the past. I disd how both Verity and Bradford play the blame game almost to the bitter end, never accepting that they were each just as responsible for the breakdown of their relationship as were her family. Only when faced with history repeating itself in the form of her niece sacrificing true love for family obligations does Verity snap out of her martyr routine. There were too many missing emotional cues in the story for me to take anything away except disappointment. historical-romance1 Brittany3,217 25

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It has taken me a very long time to finish it. I started it a long time ago but just couldn't enjoy it. The younger characters were just annoying. I also did not the Jane Austen type story. I read Jane Austen and enjoyed it but reading it in modern novels can be annoying. I just did not love it. The older characters were supposedly in love but I never saw that. It seemed the story focused more on the younger Miss Morrison as opposed to the older. historicals Kim PowerAuthor 5 books7

The frabjous joy of discovering a brilliant new author

Very much in the style of Heyer, with the lively wit, beautifully drawn characters and rollicking romp so typical of the doyenne of this genre. There is humour, humanity and a HEA in a novel suitable for all ages. Long may she write. Connie2,190 62

Elizabeth (Lisbet) Morrison, age 17, is a lovely young lady who lives at her family home, Foxworth, along with her grandfather, parents, and spinster Aunt Verity. Lisbet is soon to depart for London for her come-out. She will be staying with her Aunt Catherine, Lady Conover. Sir Chauncy is a bossy man and the head of the Morrison family. Percy and his wife, Maria, are Lisbet’s parents.

Lisbet’s childhood friend, Mr. Charles (Charlie) Pemberton is her neighbor living at Bittermere. He has just announced to Lisbet that he will be going to London as well. She is not happy about it for she fears that he will deter other young men from being with her. But Charlie also has another announcement. It appears that his older brother, Bradford, is coming home. Bradford has been corresponding with Charlie during his absence. He has been living in the orient amassing a fortune. Verity had once been in love with Bradford Pemberton of Bittermere but he left the country 12 years ago after having been disgraced and disowned by his family. It appears that Catherine had a large part in Bradford’s blame and thus there is no love lost between Verity and Catherine. Verity’s heart was broken and she has chosen to live a quiet life as a spinster.

Catherine’s husband lives in the country because he enjoys the quiet. Catherine, on the other hand, claims she would die if she had to live in the boring country. She enjoys little soirees and playing cards for money. It appears that she has lost a great deal of money at cards and her husband has vowed to not pay any more of her debts. One of the people to whom she owes a great deal is the smarmy Captain Smythe-White. He is in need of money himself and is pressuring Catherine to pay him.

When Lisbet arrives, Catherine tends to take her to modistes that dress her in racy clothes rather than those meant for a young lady in her first season. This raises some eyebrows when she is attends parties and opens her up to ridicule. Catherine’s reputation for gaming means people are skeptical of inviting her into their homes. Ah, but Captain Smythe-White looks upon Lisbet as a young lady to charm. With her sizable dowry, he would be set. Now, he is working hard to woo her.

When Verity gets word about Catherine and her lack of responsibility toward Lisbet, she decides to go to London and rescue her niece before her reputation is ruined.

What happens when Verity and Bradford come face to face again after all this time? Will Verity be able to intervene before anything happens between Lisbet and the Captain?

This is a delightful novel full of emotion, action, humor, and love. It is also very clean which appeals to me. I think readers will truly love it.

Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley Book Gannet1,572 17

This is a fun Regency romp that’s very much in the Georgette Heyer tradition. An older heroine with a young charge, a disgraced former beloved returning after a long exile, a fortune-hunting rogue, high society and a ridiculous turn of events that makes this book sheer fun to read. It doesn’t have quite the zest and effortless historical ease of Heyer, but it gives it a jolly good go and I really enjoyed it.

In fact, speaking of Heyer, this story reminds me a lot of some of my favourites – A Lady of Quality and The Black Sheep in particular – but instead of Bath the action here takes place in London. Verity is a smart spinster who has spent the last twelve years mouldering away in the country, nursing her broken heart. It’s only a risk to the happiness of her beloved niece that tempts her away from home. That same niece who is pretty and lovely, but incredibly naive and unaware that she stands on the edge of ruin.

Actually, this book is as much about Lisbet and her terrible season as it is Verity. In fact, Verity and Bradford spend next to no time together – two brief meetings in which they don’t even talk, before the end. While Verity worries and plots to keep her niece safe, Lisbet is falling in love, getting disgruntled and jealous, feeling put out and getting herself into scrapes. Bradford, meanwhile, is making friends with a nephew he’s never met, cautiously reentering London society and being told lies by Verity’s manipulative sister.

There is rarely a dull moment in this book. It bounces merrily along from character to character, slowly drawing the net tighter around Verity and Bradford, with a wonderful sense of inevitability. Yes, at times, the attempts to keep it all sounding very historical and Heyerish feels a little torturous and I’ll admit it took me a little while to adjust to the affected tone, but I’m so glad I stuck with it because once I was used to it I found it great fun. If you’re looking for a clean historical that is light and lovely, and you’re already a fan of Georgette Heyer, then give this a try. I’m very glad that I did.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)4-star-review regency-romance Laura778 47

Dedicating your book (or comparing your book) to Heyer or Austen are things that don't usually work out well for the author, and something I rarely see on appropriate novels. This is one where the resemblance to Heyer is both accurate and helpful to get a feel for the type of book it is.

To get the pure opinion out of the way, I really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure if it is something I would want to re-read or not (which is usually a whole star difference for me) but I am glad I read it and recommend it.

Now, for tone and Heyer-ness, it mostly reads an older and older fashioned novel, less about the 'main' characters and more about the younger, sillier couple (to the point where I'm not sure the "vengeful act" of Verity's sister is really properly described (I read one line about it and eventually had to flip back to see ... was that it? That's what happened?) nor are the main H and h's past relationship really looked at. We're just told it was a grand romance. These are things that might be problems in a more traditionally "modern" book, but the slight pastiche feel instead adds to it being more about the manners and the overall romance-rather-than-love-story.

There are a few 'modern' touches in slightly more sexual thoughts and more jumps into the villain's head, enough to keep it from feeling dated.

I would definitely read more from this author.netgalley romance-and-or-erotica Nicole846 9

I did enjoy this book however I was disappointed in the limited amount of interaction between Verity and Bradford. It would have also been good to get more of a backstory about what happened that sent Bradford away (we do get some details but it is spread throughout the story). The book also seems to focus more time on Charlie, Bradford's nephew and Lisbeth, Verity's niece, and their relationship. I did enjoy Charlie and Lisbeth's moments, but I was more interested in Bradford and Verity's relationship. I wish they had more interaction throughout the entire book and just at the end. While the 2 of them do end up together, it all seemed rather rushed. Overall, the story was very well written.

I received this book from netgalley for an honest review. Thank you!! JaceyAuthor 26 books97

A Regency romance featuring Verity Morrison and her one time sweetheart Bradford Pemberton, torn apart by jealousy some twelve years earlier. Verity has dwindled into spinsterhood while Pemberton, exiled to foreign lands, made his fortune. When Pemberton returns for a visit to set some affairs in order he expects that Verity must me long married. Verity, seeing Pemberton in the company of her flighty and disreputable married sister, wonders whether she ever had his heart in the first place. It’s one of those stories where the protagonists could have solved a lot of misunderstandings if they’d sat down together over a nice cup of tea, but I’m probably not giving much away to say that it all works out in the end. It’s a pleasant read – worth spending a few hours on.historical-fiction Howard Brazee764 10

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