Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Thandi's Love by Angel Strong is set in the deep South in the 1800s, in the Lexington plantation. When the narrative opens, Tom Lexington, a slave owner who still preserves his humanity and treats his slaves with some decency, is thankful to God for a good harvest. But his marriage is in tatters. He is married to Anna, the vile daughter of his business partner, Daniel Stafford. As the harvest is bountiful, Tom has Thandi and her brother Isaac on loan from his aunt to help in the harvest. The two mulatto siblings have grown up with Tom. Their arrival at the plantation is about to change things. It starts with the preferential and brotherly treatment Tom gives them, and then the connection that quickly develops between Tom and Thandi. It is not long before things get out of hand, with Anna becoming mean. Will Tom remain steadfast with a newly discovered love or be won over by the conventions of the time?

The love between Tom and Thandi faces new challenges, but the worst is still to come with very dark secrets about to surface. Thandi’s Love is well written in language that is beautiful and a style that is evocative of a historic era characterized by man’s inhumanity to man. In this environment, forbidden love burgeons and blossoms and readers want to see what happens with the lovers. Angel Strong’s characters are well-developed and the themes of love, friendship, and slavery are so masterly handled that readers feel the realism and humanity infused in the story. I fell in love with Tom Lexington, a slave master who is different from the others, but a man whose humanity is put to a difficult test.

Reviewed by Ankita Shukla for Readers' Favorite

The first book in Parish Orphans of Devon series by Mimi Matthews, The Matrimonial Advertisement is a Victorian romance in all its glory. Justin Thornhill has known only the language of vengeance throughout his life. Since he served as a captain during the uprising in India, he has been more in touch with violence than romance. He has become a gruff and grim man who has neither time nor interest, mostly interest, to woo a woman. However, his well wishers suggest that he requires a woman in his life. Since the time he owned Greyfriar's Abbey, his reputation with the villagers has not been something to boast about. Moreover, his household seems to work as a repellent of servants. The only logical solution to these problems appears to be the presence of a woman in the abbey. Considering the fact that he is not willing to put any effort in romance, his steward and his lawyer, who also happens to be his good friend, decide to place a matrimonial advertisement in the newspapers. This marriage, to Justin, is only a business deal and there has to be no scope for romance on any level; however, when Helena Reynolds responds to the ad and makes an appearance for the interview, he knows she is too good to be with him. Helena, on the other hand, knows that marrying Justin is her only chance of quitting her miserable life in London.

The author has done an outstanding job of merging a significant historical incident and the unjust incarceration of sane people into the asylums for greed or other reason with Victorian romance. During British rule in India, something very tragic occurred in Cawnpore in '57 that affected many lives forever. The talent with which the author has included that part in the plot is praiseworthy. Mimi Matthews definitely knows how to present historical facts effectively and without sounding bookish. With carefully chosen words and formal conversations among the characters, this is a delightful treat for Jane Austen and historical fiction fans. Justin's gradual shift from bad-tempered to a kind man has made this an engaging read. Helena is more than just a damsel in distress. She makes plans to end her misery and does not waiver from them. Although she is seeking a kind man who will keep her safe, she is not entirely dependent on any man. All she needs is a little push from her loved ones and then she is ready to face her tormentor. The plot is filled with twists that kept me glued to the seat. I enjoyed every second spent reading The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi Matthews.

Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

Lady Ellen: The Adventures of Lady Ellen Montagu, Volume 1 by J.G. MacLeod is a historical romance novel set in the Victorian era in Ireland. A nineteen-year-old Irish aristocrat, Ellen Montagu, daughter of the Duke of Manchester, is introduced to an exciting social life of lavish balls and the rituals of Victorian courtship. Falling in love with Lord Cormac Guinness of Ardilaun, she soon finds out that her father has different plans for her. As a result, Lady Ellen is presented with a dilemma; that of following her heart and being exiled to the Aran Islands or marrying a man she doesn't love.

Lady Ellen: The Adventures of Lady Ellen Montagu is a journey back to the Victorian era in the Emerald Isle that is Ireland. Author J.G. Macleod includes vivid and picturesque details as she takes us along on a young woman's exciting journey that is a life of domestic conflict and forbidden love. For many modern women, it is very hard to imagine a time when women had very little control of their lives as it was the master of the house that decided for them. In spite of this, the beautiful and intelligent Lady Ellen is a character that is easy to empathize with because, like any woman, modern or otherwise, she tries to find happiness and fulfillment in life despite all the hardships that she encounters. This novel is a very engaging read!

Reviewed by Peggy Jo Wipf for Readers' Favorite

The Charity of a Viscount captures the nobility of historical Britain in this sweet romance between a widow and a widower. Linda Rae Sande adds this book to her growing collection of romance novels. Viscount Marcus Lancaster is a dreamer and his favorite dream is about his first love as a teenager. He has completed his mourning time for his wife just as his daughter prepares for her coming-out. Charity has moved back to London and finds her late husband has left her with very little provision to live on. Taking a job as an official matchmaker for wounded soldiers allows her to earn a living while giving hope and finding love for those who are limited in their connections. Marcus pursues Charity as he sees his dreams are finally within reach, but sometimes his dreams impede actuality and Charity struggles with his view of reality.
 
The Charity of a Viscount is built around the fact that Marcus seeks the woman whom he can't have, while Charity is content finding love for others. The plot seems simple until Marcus's daydreams impede reality. The story rotates between Marcus and Charity, giving the reader a better understanding of the story. The characters don't disappoint as their insecurities often override the sensible thing to do and their position in society dictates their actions. Linda Rae Sande weaves humor within this story, keeping the reader entertained with their actions, which I enjoyed. Linda Rae Sande is a captivating author who specializes in bringing out a romance in the most unlikely places.  Her list of books in this genre will give the reader more books to enjoy after finishing this one.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Life was tough for the early settlers who followed wagon tracks across the country to start a new life in Oregon. Diseases like cholera plagued their every move. Other dangers waited for them at every turn. Add to that the struggles some women faced with abusive husbands. Like the one Brianna was running away from. Barret, her husband, was a beast of a man who abused his wife in every way possible. Brianna hoped that in venturing west with a wagon train she could escape his abuse. But there were others – men who would try to abuse her along the way and men who abused the women she befriended.

Charlene Raddon’s historical novel, Tender Touch, follows one woman’s struggle to escape marital abuse and create a new life for herself on the rugged Oregon Trail. In an era when people looked the other way if witnessing abuse, Brianna is a character who finds a strength she never knew she had, not only to escape a madman husband, but to survive on a wagon trek across the country. What she finds is a life full of people who can and do genuinely love her, people she cares about equally in return. Her journey was more than a physical one; it was a journey of self discovery as she searches deep within to find the strength to face all of her fears, not just the fear of the man (or men) who abused her. With believable characters, this story’s plot moves with amazing attentiveness to detail that allows the reader to ride along on the wagon train and feel like they are part of the story. A great read.

Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers' Favorite

The Parfit Knight, Book One of the Rockliffe Series by Stella Riley, is a historical romance set in Georgian England. Meet Dominic “Nick” Ballantyne, the Marquis of Amberley. At thirty-four, he’s a wealthy, worldly, and athletic nobleman just as comfortable dancing with Madame Du Barry at Versailles as gambling at White’s or driving his own carriage across the English countryside. What Nick didn’t expect to be comfortable with was falling in love with Rosalind, a twenty-two-year-old woman who lives a secluded life far from the worldly enticements of London or Paris. As fate would have it, a wounded driver and a winter storm bring him to Rosalind’s door. But fate wasn’t through with Nick just yet, for he soon realized that he and Rosalind had crossed paths before in a tragic accident that left her blind.

In The Parfit Knight, Riley touches on themes of love, guilt, jealousy, and most of all, blindness. In the eyes of society, Rosalind’s blindness renders her flawed, despite her wealth and beauty. Her well-meaning family and devoted servants keep her out of sight. Nick, on the other hand, is blind to Rosalind’s visual impairment. He sees only her beauty, both inside and out. Others are blind to Nick’s goodness, while Rosalind sees it clearly. This engaging tale of true love in search of the truth is told in a flowing, richly descriptive, and emotionally evocative narrative. Riley is an expert at bringing out the deepest emotions of her protagonists. An entertaining and satisfying read. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

The Prodigy Slave: Journey to Winter Garden is the first book in a series by Londyn Skye, a story that combines pathos, passion, and an exceptional storytelling craft to transport readers to the world of a teenage girl sold into slavery by her own father. Lily is just ten when her father tears her away from her mother and sells her into slavery. But she quickly learns to adapt, stealthily learning to play her master’s piano, something she does consistently for fourteen years with no one finding out. She could have gotten away with it except that James, her master’s son, discovers her secret. The punishment given to her by James will set her on a transformational journey towards love and freedom, but will she be able to achieve her freedom and embrace the love of the one person who has loved her madly and has not been able to express it? This is a wonderful tale that reminds me of the writing of Langston Hughes and many a famous Negro writer like Richard Wright.

Londyn Skye has just become one of my favorite storytellers and has created a story that feels real, a story that explores the themes of family, slavery, love, and freedom in a masterful way. Readers will be enticed by the writing and the pace will literally compel them to keep on turning from page to page, eager to discover what happens to the protagonist. This is one of those novels that transport readers back to a historical setting, allowing them to relive a portion of history. The Prodigy Slave: Journey to Winter Garden is a rip roaring, masterfully written and entertaining novel with great potential to keep readers captivated. I couldn’t put it down.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Satyr’s Son: A Georgian Historical Romance is book five in the Roxton Family Saga by Lucinda Brant, a compelling historical romance with memorable characters and a great plot. The setting is London, in 1786, and Lord Henri-Antoine is back from a Grand Tour to a life of ease, but he is afflicted with a dreadful illness. He meets Lisa Crisp, an intelligent, sharp-witted, but penniless orphan, under very strange circumstances. She is a woman who fights against poverty by offering her services to the poor. At a wedding that they both attend, Henri makes Lisa an unusual offer, but she accepts it and thus begins a romantic tale that will transport readers to the heights of delight and keep them mesmerized.

The novel is well-written and its unabashed emotion, coupled with the unexpected plot turns, will have readers' eyes filled with tears of joy. Lucinda Brant injects a lot of humanity into her characters and readers can easily connect to them. The novel offers very subtle lessons in the art of love and hope, opening readers' hearts to the mystery of attraction and how true love can transform one’s destiny. Satyr’s Son: A Georgian Historical Romance features a great plot, fast-paced and intricately woven with surprises that no one would see coming. The setting has great historical references, well-imagined and written with mastery. The glowing moments of tenderness were the best part of this novel for me and I loved the crisp and powerful writing. This one is a masterpiece, a delightful read in its genre.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

Regency, the paranormal, and mystery are all woven seamlessly into a spellbinding historical romance that will surely delight any reader. Black Widow by Lucy Leroux is Book Two in A Spellbound Regency Novel series and it follows the story of Amelia Montgomery and Gideon Wells, the Earl of Flint. Amelia is shocked when she discovers her husband, Martin, dead and blood all over the place. Every finger is pointing at her and Lord Worthing. Her husband’s cousin, Gideon Wells, returns home after working at the War Office and is determined to prove that Amelia is to blame for the death of his cousin. He plans to make sure she pays for it. Then when he meets Amelia, he feels an irresistible desire for her and, before long, he understands that both of them are in more danger than anything he thought he could do to her. Does he have the courage to risk all for love or will he leave Amelia alone?

Lucy Leroux has just become one of my favorite authors and I must say that I enjoyed the different aspects of her tale — the awesome writing, the expert character handling, the unpredictable plot lines, and the vivid setting. Her characters are three-dimensional and readers will enjoy the way they evolve through the conflict. The author knows how to use appearance versus reality to create a sense of mystery and enhance the suspense in the story. The characters are fleshed out and the backstory is intelligently handled. Black Widow is a real page-turner, filled with drama and a conflict that escalates in ways no one could see coming. I simply loved it.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

The Soldier's Seed: Southern Skyes Book 1 by Sharyn Bradford Lunn is a story set deep in the rich, dynamic and very diverse history of Australia. Book 1 in the series follows Nicholas Thomas, who is a soldier in the New South Wales Corps. Nicholas is tired of his life and he does not really care for Sydney Town. Wanting a change, he takes it upon himself to start a new settlement where he wishes to find himself and create a path that he could follow and build his life on. However, it is not easy, especially when he has to face troubles that come with establishing your own settlement.

His real tests begin when he falls in love with a woman that he has no business falling in love with. She is a convict, he is a soldier, and there is no place in this land where he can live a happy life with her. Devastated and conflicted, he sets out on a path that leads him to tragedy. However, luck is on his side when he meets a beautiful woman who might be just what he needs. But will he give it a chance? Will he allow himself to love once again?

Set in the 1800s, the novel takes the reader to a time and a place that we are not familiar with, yet at the same time, Sharyn Bradford Lunn writes the novel in such a way that you feel like you are reading about your home. The characters are very well-developed, primarily because she did her research really well. She went deep into the history of this rich country and pulled off writing a novel that is thrilling, interesting, entertaining and simply marvelous. Brilliantly well-constructed!