Golden Girl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

It should have been a marriage made in heaven. Cheviot was aristocratic and gorgeous—a man tempered by his father’s downfall and his own experiences at war. Sarah was artistic and free-thinking, shaped by the best education her nouveau riche grandfather could afford. But there was one problem. The marriage was arranged. The Duke of Cheviot needed money. Sarah’s grandfather wanted a title. And so, what could have been a perfect love affair was begun in a most imperfect way.

I felt the need to check out of reality for a few hours from all that holiday stress and escape into a romance book. I turned my phone off, hid in my room and picked up a book by one of my favorite authors, Joan Wolf. I picked Golden Girl because the synopsis sounded like my type of love story. I have a weak spot for arranged marriages that end in a happily ever after.

Anthony, the hero, was almost too perfect but there was something mysterious about him that drew me in like a moth to a lightbulb. It’s practically indescribable to explain why his character lured me. He had a secret strength about him yet was vulnerable to the heroine. I just loved Anthony.

The heroine, Sarah, was humble, down to earth and a free spirit. She was a character that I could respect and look up to.

When Anthony and Sarah started their relationship, I was smitten. I had a goofy smile throughout the story. Their relationship was sweet with the right amount of sensual to make me feel all gushy for them.

The cast of characters were well developed. I experienced a variety of feelings toward several of them at different times. I was definitely engaged starting on the first page all the way through to the last page. The story flowed at a smooth and steady pace. I actually paused a few times to soak in the moment with either a pleasant sigh, a gasp of surprise or to give a stink eye.

A heads up: the synopsis does not reveal the entire plot. There is an ongoing thread that is suspenseful. This particular thread escalates throughout the story, but it didn’t end the way I predicted. I was riveted to my seat from start to finish between the budding romance and through the plot twists.

If you are looking for a fun distraction, then I recommend this book. I felt so much better after reading it.

A London Season by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Young Lady Jane Fitzmaurice had everything that Regency society approved of—flawless beauty, perfect breeding, and a respectable fortune.

But she also had a mind and heart of her own that set heads shaking and tongues wagging.

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Lady Jane had taken London society by storm—but now a whirlwind of scandal was rising as she rode roughshod over all conventions and prepared to take a leap that could destroy her good name, and leave her heart forever broken…

I’m going to share a bit about me because it’s a powerful testimony to how great a book A London Season by Joan Wolf is. I am three months away from being half a century old. My days of staying up past my bedtime to read on a work night ended a while ago. I’ve accepted the fact. My husband jokes that ten p.m. is ‘pumpkin time’, no matter where I am or what I am doing, my body knows its bedtime. A London Season overrode my inner clock – I could not put the book down. It gave me a second wind or something because it was past midnight before I finished it. Even after I finished it, I wasn’t able to go to sleep because I was suffering from a wonderful ‘book glow’. It means that the book left me feeling full of joy, enthusiasm, energy, emotion and AWAKE! lol.

Why couldn’t I put the book down? Why did I love it so much? Let me tell you. First, I have to credit the author, Joan Wolf. I’ve read several of her books and I feel her stories are flawlessly written and I don’t feel they have cookie cutters formulas. A London Season was no exception. I was fully engaged from the beginning to the end. The characters were irresistible. Each person had their unique personality that I either loved or hate.

The synopsis gives a very good description of the heroine, Jane Fitzmaurice. She’s perfect in every way until she doesn’t get her way. A bit of a Jekyll and Hyde trait if I may say so. She definitely “set heads shaking and tongues wagging”. I loved it. I wouldn’t consider her a spoiled brat at all. I agree with the synopsis when it says “she had a mind and heart of her own”. I found her easy to relate to.

The hero, David Chance, was the heart of the book. David and Jane grew up together starting at a very young age. Their circumstances developed who they grew up to be. Their romance was slow, sweet and genuine. I enjoyed the ride with all the bumps, twists and turns. There is more that I want to share but I don’t want to give any spoilers. I suggest this book to be put on a readers list. It’s going on my keeper’s book shelf. I thoroughly enjoyed this seat-gripping journey to their happily ever after.

The Guardian by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Gentle Reader:

My husband is dead and my four-year-old son is the new Earl of Weston. Perhaps even more catastrophic, however, is the news that my husband named his brother, Stephen, the guardian of Giles and of all the immense Grandville estate.

Five years ago, Stephen was banished to Jamaica and now he is coming home. Once the thought of Stephen coming home to me was all I wanted out of life. But not anymore. I have made my life without him. I have my son, my horses, my home.

There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.

My fondest regards,
Annabelle Grandville

Chapter one, first sentence, “My God, my God, my God, he’s reading Gerald’s will.” What an amazing start! I know my eyes bugged out and I was immediately engaged into further reading the story. I was already intrigued after reading the synopsis. I’m officially a fan of Joan Wolf so I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put the book down with a start like that.

This is a historical romance which is one of my favorite genres. I am however a reviewer that doesn’t get stuck on how accurate an author is or not in the time period that she is writing. I read for pure entertainment purposes so if you are a reader that enjoys historical accuracy then I can’t testify to that. However, I can testify that this book was very entertaining.

The romance between the hero, Stephen and the heroine, Annabelle, was sensual and dangerous. There is a plot thread wrapped around their relationship that was suspenseful and mysterious. I didn’t feel this story was predictable. I felt like there were many moving parts that kept the story flowing at a steady pace.

The synopsis says “There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.” I don’t usually quote a synopsis very often but in this case, it was called for. I enjoyed reading the love relationship between Stephen and Annabelle. It was fun to see how perceptions can be misleading. It’s interesting how lies and secrets can be manipulated in certain circumstances.

There are many layers in this story among the cast of characters. I felt the characters were well developed and relatable. I was given the sense of a strong loyal family with a few dysfunctional relatives. They all lived in a community where everyone knew each other. I didn’t have any trouble following along with the story line.

I appreciated that the book ended with an epilogue. Every detail was wrapped up in a pretty bow. I was sad to see the story come to an end.

I definitely would read this book again. I encourage others to give it a try. Happy Reading!

The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

The Reluctant Earl is the story of Claire and Simon, who desperately want to get married, despite all the obstacles that stand in their way. Their biggest hurdle is the fact that Simon is the son and heir of the Earl of Welbourne, while Claire is the daughter of the earl’s Irish horse trainer. The youngsters are keenly aware that their parents would violently oppose such an unequal union—which is precisely why they never confide in those parents.

Then there is Simon’s father, who, for reasons Simon has never understood, clearly hates his son. Then there is the mystery of Simon’s mother’s death, and the fact that he has never met a single member of her family. Then a miracle happens—Simon learns about a trust fund left to him in his mother’s marriage settlement.

Once the money is in his pocket, Simon and Claire decide to elope…and the simmering pot that is Welbourne Abbey and its inhabitants explodes.

The Reluctant Earl’s synopsis sparked my interest and the prologue further engaged me to want to read more. I enjoyed the writing style with the time jumps such as two hours later, one year later, and the epilogue, ten years later. Talk about keeping the pace flowing at a steady momentum! It was splendid having a plot with twists and turns mixed with a well-developed cast of characters that were mostly relatable. This was the perfect recipe for an entertaining romance book with all the plot threads tied nicely into a pretty bow.

The romance between Simon, the hero, and Claire, the heroine, was young and sweet. I was reminded of the movie “Pretty in Pink”. I was cheering them on the entire time, hoping they’d reach their happy ever after. Simon’s dad and his wife were stinks. They deserved what came their way. On the other hand, Claire’s parents were the ideal parents. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I was happy when Simon’s uncle, Richard Jarvis, came on the scene.

If you are looking for a fun, sweet historical romance then this one fits the bill. Happy reading!