Book Review: The Rise of Miss Notley

I really enjoyed Rachael Anderson's first book in the Tanglewood series, so I was excited to see the second book, The Rise of Miss Notley, come out!

In this one we meet Miss Coralynn Notley, whose father is a tradesman anxious to access the upper echelons of society. In order to do that, he arranges a marriage between Cora and an awful man with only a title to recommend him. Cora, desperate not to marry him, runs away. She eventually finds a position as a housekeeper, but with her genteel upbringing, she's not very good at it---and the master of the house is exasperated with her at every turn. Yet, he doesn't dismiss her, and in fact, starts to seek out her company. Cora's feelings toward him begin to change, but she can't ever be more to him than his housekeeper. Or can she?

This is a sweet romance about finding where one belongs in the world. Cora wants to be free and independent, but the price for that freedom is very dear. I thought Cora's character was well-done, with lots of layers as she tries to figure out her life within the strictures of society, while making a lot of mistakes along the way. Our hero, Jonathan Ludlow, is fighting demons of his own and where he ultimately fits in the world as well. They both have secrets that could squash their newfound romance and it's the unveiling of these secrets---and the consequences of keeping them---that will have readers turning pages long past bedtime. The romance was tender and believable, with a setting that was easy to imagine. The secondary characters were also memorable and some of the scenes will make you laugh. Clean historical romance fans will really enjoy this one!

You can download your Kindle copy here

Here's the back copy:

When Miss Coralynn Notley’s father barters her off to the first titled gentleman to come along, she realizes she must flee her home or be forced to wed a despicable man. Driven by desperation, she applies for the position of housekeeper at Tanglewood Manor, the home of the handsome Mr. Jonathan Ludlow.

The moment Jonathan sees Miss Notley, he is intrigued. She is far too young and inexperienced, yet there is something about her that that inspires a certain hope within him. Does he dare offer her the position of housekeeper or will doing so result in catastrophe?