Book Review: The Captivating Lady Charlotte by Carolyn Miller

Her heart is her own–but her hand in marriage is another matter

Lady Charlotte Featherington is destined for great things on the marriage market. After all, as the beautiful daughter of a marquess, she should have her pick of the eligible nobility hen she debuts. She, however, has love at the top of her list of marriageable attributes. And her romantic heart falls hard for one particularly dashing, attentive suitor. Sadly for Charlotte, her noble father intends her betrothed to be someone far more dull.

William Hartwell may be a duke, but he knows he was Charlotte’s father’s pick, not the young lady’s own choice. And the captivating Lady Charlotte does not strike him as a woman who will be wooed by his wealth or title. While she has captured his heart, he has no idea how to win hers in return–and the betrayal and scandal his first wife put him through makes it difficult for him to believe that love can ever be trusted. His only hope is that Charlotte’s sense of responsibility will win out over her romantic notions.

Can a widowed duke and a romantically inclined lady negotiate a future and discover love beyond duty? Will they be able to find healing and hope from the legacy of grace? Poignant and charming, this is another beautifully written, clean and wholesome Regency romance from Carolyn Miller.

SERIES: Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace #2
GENRE: Inspirational Regency Romance
PUBLISHER: Kregel Publications
RELEASE DATE: June 27, 2017
PAGES: 310

Other Books In This Series

“Real love perseveres through the hard times, never giving up. True love trusts.“

The Captivating Lady Charlotte is another delightful Regency romance from Aussie author Carolyn Miller. The tone is different than in the first book of the Regency Brides series – The Elusive Miss Ellison – but I love them both! In Miss Ellison, Lavinia and Nicholas and their delicious banter reminded me of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy while Lady Charlotte’s hero and heroine made me think of Marianne Dashwood and Colonel Brandon.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Miller’s new book is its approach to love and romance. It’s a story of true love – the kind that endures, trusts, and hopes. The kind of love formed not from fairy tales but from trials and obstacles. The kind of love that requires dying to self and putting someone else and their needs first. Along those lines, it’s also a story which sees refreshing character growth. At the beginning of the story, Charlotte is rather shallow and self-centered, her young age in stark contrast to William’s maturity (yet he’s still younger than me, so let’s not ship him off to Shady Acres quite yet.)  She has an ‘others-focused’ side just waiting to be set free and as the story progresses, so does Charlotte – and William too for that matter.

I also loved revisiting Lavinia and Nicholas who, while not the stars of this particular show, still play a prominent role. Seeing them married and doing life together made my romantical heart smile. Of course, Nicholas’ momma as well as Charlotte’s both still need a good reticule whomping, but every good Regency romance needs a character or two like that to liven things up a bit 😉

Bottom Line: If you’re a fan of Julie Klassen, Julianne Donaldson, Kristi Ann Hunter and/or Sarah Ladd, you need to make sure this series is on your TBR list! The Captivating Lady Charlotte is poignant and gentle while at the same time boldly showing faith lived out and love lived in. I’m so looking forward to the next book, where we finally get to see more of Clara’s story!!

(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 / Love it!

KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion

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What about you? Which of the three series covers is your favorite? (Aren’t they all gorgeous?!?)