Book Review And Giveaway!

Today I'm excited to be part of the blog tour for Julie Daines' new book, Willowkeep, a regency romance.  This is a charming fish-out-of-water story that will steal your heart.

Charlotte Darby will do anything to protect her mentally handicapped sister, but their money is running out and in a day and age where options for women were severely limited, Charlotte doesn't have a lot of choices. Things are looking bleak until a man appears on her doorstep to say she's inherited an estate and all that entails. Charlotte accepts the generous gift and as they travel to their new home, she becomes acquainted with the estate's steward, Mr. Henry Morland. Henry is loving and kind and anxious to help Charlotte settle into her new station. But the thing that surprises Charlotte most is how her sister takes to him. Their bond and his concern for their welfare cracks open her heart, but she doesn't want to let herself feel anything for him. If she becomes attached to any man there is a family secret that could destroy them. Or will it?

This is a sweet story of family relationships and finding where we belong. The author does a tremendous job of describing the Willowkeep estate and its surroundings to add more than a hint of realism. Our heroine is genuine and sincere, even while making mistakes, and will pull on the reader's heartstrings. She is loyal to a fault and tries to hard to belong in a family that doesn't seem to want her. Yet, Charlotte has suffered so much, it's easy to see why she needs that in her life. I thought her character had a lot of depth, especially when it came to her sister and how fiercely she protected the young girl from anyone who might treat her differently because of her challenges. Beyond that, I particularly enjoyed her letters to Anne Boelyn and the tiny whisper of a ghost story throughout the book. It also deserves a mention that our hero, Henry, was everything a woman could want---sweet and compassionate, trying to do the right thing no matter what it costs him, and yet strong and protective when he needs to be. This tender love story was a beautiful unfolding of what it truly means to build a family.

You can get your copy here

Don't forget to scroll down and enter the giveaway!

Here's the back copy:

Charlotte Darby’s ship is sinking. Penniless and alone, she is struggling to care for herself and her young sister in the harsh seaport town of Hull. But when a solicitor from London brings news that she is the heir to a vast estate in Kent, it seems her days of rough seas are over. Willowkeep is prosperous and grand, far too much for a shipping merchant’s daughter to manage, and she quickly comes to rely on the help of Henry Morland, the estate’s kind and handsome steward.

Henry has worked hard his entire life, but all the money he’s saved won’t be enough to get his father out of debtor’s prison. And Henry’s fondness for Charlotte and her sister is only another reminder of his low status and lack of money. Though he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Charlotte happy and looked after as the county’s wealthiest lady, she can never be his.

Courted by a charming man of the ton, threatened by those who want her money, and determined to keep her sister safe from the same fate that cost her the rest of her family, Charlotte must face some heartrending decisions. For no matter the size of the fortune, life—and love—are never smooth sailing.

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