In Ciesielski’s latest sweeping romance, an American heiress finds herself in Scotland amid the fallout of the Great War, and a wounded Scottish laird comes face-to-face with his past and a woman he never could have expected.
American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to … she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.
Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.
Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?
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I have had the pleasure of reading and enjoying books by J’nell Ciesielski previously. I was not disappointed with this one. It is by far my favorite that I have read by her to date. It was so very good. I loved Lily and Alec’s right from the start. It had a mixture of history, mystery, suspense, danger, adventure and romance. I devoured this book in just a few hours. I could not find myself putting it down until the very end.
Beauty Among Ruins will be getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I am eagerly waiting for more releases by J’nell Ciesielski in the future. I highly recommend this one for readers who enjoy reading clean historical fiction and romance. I do not think it should be missed.
I received Beauty Among Ruins from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.
Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.
Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in loveLily was a spoiled rich American that gets sent to England as a way to tame her wild ways. According to her parents that is. Lily just wants to be able to live her life they way she wants. Not the way society or her mother dictates. Alec is trying to hang onto his estate after his father gambles most of the money away. Strange and dangerous things start to happen on the estate. Some of them life threatening. The only negative I found in the book was that Alec’s poverty was repeatedly stated. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed it.
I was given this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers via NetGalley for an honest review. I was not compensated in any
How romantic and mystical to live in an old Scottish castle, unless it is during WWI, used as a convalescent home for soldiers, with the walls and ceiling crumbling down. Add in an unwanted American girl serving as a nurse and a grumbling laird. The air of privilege and prosperity meet, leaving a vague potential for romance.
Another aspect of war is the healing and housing of the wounded, safely away from the mayhem of the war zone. Some of the heroes yearn to return to war, others dread the prospect, and still others want to die. I’m always impressed with the women in any war who exit their homes and leave family to tend to the tasks out in the world in the years of war.
In Beauty Among Ruins, a wealthy American heiress in Scotland in 1916 before America enters the war is not accepted with open arms. Proof is needed to secure that respect. The heroine faces the mysterious threats to the castle, herself, and the laird with bravery. But is it enough?
I wonder what my role would have been close to a country at war. This novel reveals many difficult sides of war. The author takes the reader on a journey through the trials of owning and managing a dilapidated castle during wartime as a home for the wounded of body and heart. I was not disappointed in participating in this aspect of war.
Lily is a young New York heiress whose parents have despaired of her wild, trouble-maker ways and ship her off to her cousin in England. She travels to Scotland with her cousin and becomes a volunteer nursing aid to returning (WW1) wounded soldiers at the private home of Lord Strathem. He has been left with a bankrupt estate by his wastrel father and a lame leg from a childhood riding accident.
What I loved: the characters are simply wonderful, with Lily being my favorite. She shines as an original. We see her grow into a compassionate, giving, fun-loving young woman who falls in love with Scotland, her patients and Alec (and yes, in that order). Alec is pulled from his self-imposed exile (he feels guilt for being unable to soldier and for the state of his finances) by the boisterous Lily and a devious villain.
We see him grow in self confidence with Lily’s encouragement and become the man he was meant to be.
My only cons were the length (could have been more concise) and the lengthy naivety of the villain’s activities. Well-written and simply a lovely feel-good story. Would love to read more from this author.
My thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me the free ARC. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Within a few pages, I was hooked on this story and couldn’t let go. J’nell Ciesielski has written an engaging tale from the Great War, which is realistic and obviously well researched. The author’s descriptive writing of the Scotland setting, culture and people simply made me want to visit that country. While there was a bit of mystery, the romantic thread shines through the everyday hardships. Although the road was rocky as both flawed characters learned lessons along the way, their interactions were well timed and creative with some swoon worthy romantic moments included! I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I absolutely loved this book! I was immediately hooked by the setting of an old castle falling into disrepair and its mysterious lord. While banished from the States, young Lily Durham finds herself trapped by the developing war in Europe. She accompanies her cousin to serve as a nurse’s aid at a Scottish castle that has been transformed into a convalescent home for soldiers. While at first I thought the heroine was rather frivolous, I found her heart and irrepressible spirit engaging. The story trope of a young socialite growing up and finding purpose in life is a familiar one, yet I found this story refreshing in so many ways.
This is a story that will cause the reader to laugh as well as tug at their hearts. It is a wonderful blend of expertly crafted characters, pacing, mystery and romance. The author paints a picture of hope and beauty that can be found in the ruins amidst the frailties and despair of the human spirit.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Beauty Among Ruins is the first book I’ve read by J’nell Ciesielski, and I was not disappointed. After all, what could be better than a romantic, ancient Scottish castle? This stand alone book, set during WWI, features a woman seeking adventure and a wounded laird striving to save his ruined family estate. As war progresses amid mysterious sabotage to the castle, they each must learn what it means to grow in strength as individuals, and as a couple.
To say I loved the setting of this book is an understatement. But I also quickly fell in love with the hero and heroine, as Ciesielski crafted a tale that captured both my attention and my heart. I know I will be ordering her other books, because she is an author I no longer want to miss!
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Beauty Among Ruins by J’nell Ciesielski is an excellent historical fiction novel that takes place in within the small village of Laggan and its nearby estate Kinclavoch Castle in Scotland during the Great War. Amongst the events unfolding that affect the locals and its the estate’s inhabitants during the war, we see the laird, Alec MacGregor opening up his home to soldiers that are healing and recuperating from the physical and mental traumas on the battlefield all the while dealing with his own demons internally and externally. We also get to meet the fiesty Lily Durham, a wealthy young lady that has been shipped to England to stay with her cousin Berty (Elizabeth) by her parents in hopes that the change will turn her into a “proper lady”. Bertie and Lily volunteer to help nurse the soldiers back to health at Alec’s estate, thus allowing the wonderful story of how these two wonderfully complex characters meet.
The entire novel from beginning to end is purely amazing. Ms. Ciesielski is true my remarkable in her talent to weave a tale that has so many facets: a historical fiction setting, mystery and intrigue regarding who is sabotaging the efforts of Alec and the nursing staff to create a safe harbor for the soldiers and to create a sustainable estate that has been weighed down in debt that was inherited by Alec after his father passed. We also have a wonderfully sweet romance between the main characters (as well as a few side characters).
The author’s ability to place the reader into the story is breathtaking. The literary descriptions of the landscapes, weather, and estate in Scotland were marvelous. The attention to detail throughout was beyond beautiful and impressive.
I truly loved the full character cast. One has the villainous characters interspersed with the fundamentally positive characters. The full cast were all so well written and created. Everyone has their backstories, their flaws and imperfections, and most are inherently good. We see several characters, including Lily and Alec, grow, mature, change, and find their rightful purpose not only for themselves, but in each other. The chemistry between Lily and Alec is perfect, and I really feel that they made each other genuinely better. They were real, raw, unique, and like able. It was truly heartwarming to see their journey and to see how the story ended. It was just perfect in every way.
This book is for anyone that loves historical fiction, romance, mystery, suspense, and satisfying endings.
A wonderful read. 5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Thomas Nelson for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
4.5 stars. I lisened to this as audio. I thought the narrarator was good and didn’t distract from the story. I felt the accent for the H was light. I do wish it was a bit stronger. However, better than I coud ever do & hers wasn’t bad so I let that go as I listened and was fine. I found the story and plot engaging. The writing held my inerest. There was a bit of mystery and I did have my suspicions on some things so when it unfolded I wasn’t completely surprised. The way the author unfolded it and let it play out I thought was well done. There were still surprises for me. I enjoyed the slow burn romance and stepping back into time. I felt I was in the story along with the characters. This was my 1st book with the author & I’m very glad for this discovery. This story was well ploted and thought out. I enjoyed the development of the romance and growth of the H & h as individuals.
This is a reworking of Beauty and the Beast, set in World War I Scotland. I have mixed feelings about the book. It kept my interest, but sometimes was a little over the top. I’m glad I read it, and enjoyed the descriptions of Scotland and its people.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I ended up listening to the audio version. The narrator was well chosen for this book. An American heiress is stuck in England during the war and can’t cross the Atlantic back to NYC. She has been sent to visit family to give her parents a break and as a kind of punishment. Lily becomes a nurse in a Scottish Castle with Alec as the Laird of that castle. Their banter has me laughing at times. It was a fun, playful, clean, romantic book. Lily was such a fun character. She grew a lot too, from a spoiled heiress, she got to choose to learn who she was and not society’s expectations for her. Definitely recommend this lovely take set in Scotland.