“Midnight’s Budding Morrow” by Carolyn Miller
Book Two in the Regency Wallflowers Series
Review copy from the publishers as a part of IReadWithAudra Tours
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
About the Book:
Can real love grow between a wallflower and an unrepentant rogue? Sarah Drayton is eager to spend time with her best friend at her crumbling Northumberland castle estate. Matrimony is the last thing on her mind and the last thing she expects to be faced with on a holiday. Yet she finds herself being inveigled into a marriage of convenience with her friend’s rakish brother.
When James Langley returns to his family’s estate, he can’t be bothered to pay attention to his responsibilities as the heir. War is raging and he wants only distraction, not serious tethers. But his roguish ways have backed him into a corner, and he has little choice but to obey his father’s stunning decree: marry before returning to war, or else. Suddenly he finds himself wedded to a clever and capable woman he does not love.
Sarah craves love and a place to belong, neither of which James offered before returning to the battlefront. Now everyone around her thinks she married above her station, and they have no intention of rewarding her for such impertinence. It isn’t until her husband returns from war seemingly changed that she begins to hope they may find real happiness. But can she trust that this rake has truly reformed?
When tragedy strikes, this pair must learn to trust God and his plans. Will they be destroyed . . . or will they discover that even in the darkest depths of night, the morning still holds hope?
My Thoughts:
Beautifully written, Midnight’s Budding Morrow is an excellent new book in the Regency Wallflowers Series. Right from the beginning we get to see what a truly roguish character James Langley is, and I confess even I was curious to see how the main character might eventually develop feelings for him when he was so…unlikeable at first, haha.But his transformation was handled well, and I appreciated seeing how even after he changed, he still wasn’t perfect and battled slip-ups, as we are wont to do in our fleshly nature.
Sarah Drayton was a lovely soul. I loved this description for her: “She was an interesting thing, equal parts boldness and timidity; courage and distrust and fear.” Sarah was such a strong character who at once came across as gentle and vulnerable. Her struggles were just as real as James, and I think the author wrote each of their journeys with impeccable taste and grace. There were definite times I could relate to Sarah, and I just really appreciated how real these characters were.The plot was engaging, and I loved how it all unfurled at such a decent pace.
And I love the fact that it is “unapologetically Christian” as the author stated at the back. I personally prefer my books that way, and deeply appreciated how important and intricate the themes of faith were to this lovely novel.
And once again, gorgeous cover!!
Thanks to the publishers and author for the copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts expressed are entirely my own.
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About the Series:
While most stories set in Regency England focus on the rich, the young, and the beautiful, award-winning author Carolyn Miller decided she wanted to give readers something different for a change. Her new Regency Wallflowers series follows the commoners, away from the hustle and bustle of 1810s London, out in the Lake District of England. She tells the stories of women who are slightly older and have few prospects for marriage, women who might be considered “wallflowers.”
Midnight’s Budding Morrow is the second book in the Regency Wallflowers series. The first book in the series is Dusk’s Darkest Shores.
About the Author:
Carolyn Miller is an inspirational romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children.
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English literature and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. She enjoys music, films, gardens, art, travel, and food.
Miller’s novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.
Learn more about Carolyn at www.carolynmillerauthor.com, or find her on Facebook (Carolyn Miller Author), Instagram (@CarolynMillerAuthor), and Twitter (@CarolynMAuthor).
Gods Peculiar Treasure Rae 