Book Review (and a Giveaway!): The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller

Posted March 22, 2017 by meezcarrie in Carolyn Miller, Christian, giveaway, historical, romance / 6 Comments

Handsome appearance counts for naught unless matched by good character and actions.

That’s the firm opinion of not-so-meek minister’s daughter Lavinia Ellison. So even though all the other villagers of St. Hampton Heath are swooning over the newly returned seventh Earl of Hawkesbury, she is not impressed. If a man won’t take his responsibilities seriously and help those who are supposed to be able to depend on him, he deserves no respect from her. In Lavinia’s pretty, gray eyes, Nicholas Stamford is just as arrogant and reckless as his brother–who stole the most important person in Livvie’s world.

Nicholas is weighed down by his own guilt and responsibility, by the pain his careless brother caused, and by the legacy of war he’s just left. This quick visit home to St. Hampton Heath will be just long enough to ease a small part of that burden. Asking him to bother with the lives of the villagers when there’s already a bailiff on the job is simply too much to expect.

That is, until the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. With her angelic voice in his head, he may even be beginning to care. But his isn’t the only heart that needs to change.

These two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society’s opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.

Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister’s daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a humbled appreciation of God’s grace and the true strength of love.

SERIES: Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace #1
GENRE: Inspirational Regency Romance
PUBLISHER: Kregel Publications
RELEASE DATE: February 27, 2017
PAGES: 304

Other Books In This Series

“Unforgiveness holds us slaves…”

Oh be still my Regency-loving heart! With shades of Austen and Heyer, Carolyn Miller’s The Elusive Miss Ellison had me swooning and holding my breath and chuckling and smiling and even tearful a couple of times.

If you love the battle of wits between Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, you will adore Lavinia and Nicholas. Lavinia’s sharp comebacks and strong opinions combined with Nicholas’ brooding arrogance … their conversations are delightfully droll, though you may find yourself wincing a time or two at the sting. Perhaps my favorite thing about this book (besides the romance and vocabulary – more on each later) is the way both of these characters develop and grow from beginning to end. Both are humbled along the way, their hearts softened, and (dare i say) their pride and prejudices chiseled away by God’s grace and truth.

The vocabulary made my booknerd heart so happy! Words like “romantical” and “prosiness” share space with “fastidious” and “flitted”. I smiled so often, just geeking out over the words! lol. Reading The Elusive Miss Ellison is that much more enjoyable thanks to the author’s clever turn of a phrase or delightful word choice.

And the romance! Blissful sigh. Just … yeah. Blissful sigh. 🙂

Bottom Line: The Elusive Miss Ellison is a fantastic addition to a regency fan’s library. The characters for the next books are minor characters in this first book, piquing our interest and ensuring we will be waiting eagerly for their stories. Lavinia and Nick are both flawed, purposefully so, and this makes them relatable as well as increasing the tension between them – both emotional and romantical. A delightful book from start to finish!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / Delightful!!!

KissingBook Level: 3 / Will forget to breathe from the sheer tension of it all

See what others are saying: Litfuse

Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn’s novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.

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Regency romance fans have another must-read novel to add to their lists: Carolyn Miller’s The Elusive Miss Ellison. Enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister’s daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a humbled appreciation of God’s grace and the true strength of love. These two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society’s opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.

Settle in for a cozy night of reading with a cuppa and a Kindle from Carolyn!