Bal maiden Gwynna Merrick is more than prepared to resume her work at the copper mine, if only to keep her family safe from destitution. But when her upper-class friend convinces Gwynna to have one final night of enjoyment, a borrowed gown and a false identity give her a small taste of the freedom she has always craved. That is, until the mine owner’s handsome son arrives and threatens to reveal … reveal her identity. Heir to his father’s mine, Jack Trevethan has returned to Cornwall to help with a new venture at Wheal Favour, though he prefers spending his time gaming, drinking, and chasing women-anything to forget the memories of his past. However, when he finds the bal maiden he’d met days before now attending the ball, he cannot resist learning more about this intriguing woman.After a disastrous first meeting, Gwynna wants nothing more than to avoid Jack, but as her work at Wheal Favour begins, she’s continually thrown into his company. As Jack’s flirtatious façade falls, revealing the wounds of his childhood, Gwynna begins to see the real gentleman behind the rake. But rumors surrounding their relationship and Jack’s past will not yield, forcing the two of them to either trust and lean on each other-or fall victim to ghosts of the past.
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Deeply emotional romance!
Have you read a romance lately that tugged and pulled feelings out of you that you didn’t know you had? This one did it for me. It is a testament to Ms Hathaway’s writing skills. I loved her characters. Jack’s turnaround in his life was due mostly to the inspiration of the bal maiden, Gwynna, who touched his heart. He developed an ever growing compassion for the struggles Gwynna faced. The bravery she had for even working at the same mine where her brother had perished was beyond him. I enjoyed the comedic relief of Gwynna trying to act the part of a lady when they dined with a small party in a friend’s home. Her unplanned nervous antics such as accidentally flipping a bite of pie onto Jack’s face was hilarious. I was touched by Jack’s testament of how he overcame alcoholism and gambling. I was extremely impressed by the visuals Ms Hathaway painted of the scenery-the grounds, Penharrow, the beach, the sunsets, the mine, the work that is done in the mine, the cliffs…I could go on. To say the least, this story was an inspiration, the romance was dreamy, the drama felt real, my heart cried for Jack and what he was going through, what Gwynna was going through, what her father was going through, the miners and their families. This was a truly inspirational read. And I sooo loved the HEA.
I find it hard to wrap my head around the romance in this story. But when I put it into “Cinderella” land terms, it doesn’t seem impossible. That said, I loved this book! It was super sweet and worth the read. I learned about women in the mining industry that I had not known about before.
The third book in Deborah M. Hathaway’s Cornish romance series may be my favorite so far from this author. Not only do you get a great romance, but I also learned about the struggles of being a bal maiden and a miner during this time period. I highly recommend this book to all romance lovers. Also I recommend that you read the books in order.
This was such an enjoyable read. I liked Gwynna in the second book and was excited to read a story featuring her. It didn’t let me down. She was such a good, caring person, and I loved seeing the way she made Jack a better person. I loved the themes of the importance of family and forgiveness woven throughout. Also, it was interesting to read about life at the mines. This was certainly quite different from any other Regency books I’ve read, but that added to my appreciation of this novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Regency, sweet romance, or historical romance.
Oh my gosh I loved this book! Deborah Hathaway is a talented author who has masterfully woven a story where worlds collide and love conquers even the most scared of hearts. She always captures your heart from the start and sweeps you away to the Cornish Coast where you become totally immersed in the story and the surroundings.
Her research is exemplary and she’s fantastic at dialect which adds to the story’s authenticity. She’s so articulate and the dialogue and interactions between characters is just wonderful. Her imagery was fascinating and so real that you imagine yourself a part of the story.
Her character development was beautifully done, creating multi dimensional characters. Gwynna and Jack were made for one another! Gwynna was strong, with an indomitable spirit, selfless, compassionate, kind and forgiving. A girl unafraid to reach for her dreams. And Jack, a rake they say but there’s always more to the story. With Gwynna’s love Jack is able to be the man he was meant to be. This is just such a beautiful and sweet love story that touches your heart!
Thank you Deborah For such a well written wonderful story of the power of love! I can’t recommend the story enough!
A different kind of Regency Romance, one with depth of character and writing.
Life from the viewpoints of mine workers AND from those in society, how could this be interesting? Read this refreshing and unique story for a refreshing change of pace from the ‘usual’ Regency Romance! The author uses beautifully descriptive writing in developing her story, educating the reader—just a bit—on life in a working mine in 1813 and the differences in lifestyle of the working class and the mineowners out in society. We watch as Gwynna, our h, breaks the imaginary barriers between social classes in a very “classy” way, and our H, Peter, reaches out to help her cross. We enjoy watching these multifaceted characters meet, and grow increasingly interested in each other. A clean story, with a HEA for Gwynna and Peter. You will not be disappointed in this touching story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this unique regency romance! Set in Cornwall against the backdrop of a copper mine, I was both intrigued by the sweet relationship between Gwynna and Jack and fascinated by the historical facts about bal maidens and the mining process at the time. This book was obviously well researched and the author masterfully wove historical facts into the story.
The romance was sweet and I appreciated the character development for Jack as I was not a fan of his at the beginning of the book. The themes of forgiveness and grief were intertwined with the love story in a heartfelt way. A solid 4.5 stars!
I received an advance copy of this book from the author but my opinions are my own.
Wow! I really loved this story so much. Gwynna lives in Cornwall, England, and is from a lower working class in society. She works, with her father, at a mine. She does backbreaking work day in and day out. She has a friend who is a member of the upper crust of society who allows her to borrow a beautiful dress, clean herself up and enjoy a ball. If she is caught, she knows she can go to jail for impersonating someone from the upper crust, but it is worth to risk to feel what it would be like to be a lady in society.
While at the ball, she is discovered by the mine owner’s son, Jack. He is a bit of a cad with a good heart, but since the death of his mother, he has really not cared what others thought about the kind of man he is. He proposes a kiss to keep her secret to which she emphatically refuses. He is intrigued by this person who works as hard as any man during the day and then can be so beautiful and fragile.
The more he gets to know Gwynna and learns how good-hearted a person she is, the better man he wants to be. She is beautiful and kind and compassionate and he begins to see that she is the only woman in the world that would make him happy. But it could never be because of their differences in society. She would never be accepted into his world and she would have to sacrifice all that knows and loves for the love of this man. Is true love worth the sacrifice?
This was an absolutely beautifully told story of forgiveness and the power of love. There is so much more to the story than I have described. It is a clean sweet romance without foul language or descriptive sexual content allowing the beautiful story to be told without distraction.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
I was so excited to get to read the fourth book in Deborah M. Hathaway’s wonderful Cornish Romance Series! Near the Ruins of Penharrow was so worth the wait! The characters were wonderful and so multifaceted. I truly enjoyed reading about Gwynna and the experiences of miners and maidens. I cannot even imagine such a life. I really enjoyed seeing how strength, goodness, forgiveness, and love changed the character’s lives. Wonderful clean love story. Wonderful ending. A truly beautiful story!
Gwynna Merrick was a secondary character in the last book, but I admired her for her strength in the face of adversity after her brother was killed in the mines that Sophia’s father owned. This book explored even more the hard dangerous work that miners and other mine workers like bal maidens experience. It almost seems like a prison sentence to be forced to break rocks or work in the dark all day and certainly something I am grateful I never have to experience. Jack Trevethan was the spoiled son of the wealthy man who now owns the mine. Jack has never had to work, resents his father for his mother’s death and sending him away to live with his cousins, and spent much of his young adulthood gambling, drinking, and chasing women. He started out chasing Gwynna, but she wouldn’t let him catch her and when he sees her at work and how different her life is from his, it makes him want to be a better man.
Although set in the Regency period, this sweet romance does not look like other Regency romances! Deborah Hathaway has done a beautiful job immersing the reader in the sights, sounds, emotions concerns, and lives of the Cornish miners. Her beautifully descriptive writing and moments of deep insight are interwoven in a love story that crosses society’s imaginary lines. Her characters are strong and well developed, the setting is beautiful, and the story is wonderful. A wonderful addition to the Cornish Romance series!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
Forbidden love in a historical romance between two different social classes I think is my least favorite trope. I often pass. The fact I gave it 5 strars is a testemant to Deborah Hatahway’s ability as an author. I found the story full of historial detail told in an engaging way. The h was likeable and the H showed nice character growth. While reading the story I noted the author really knew how to turn a phrase to paint a vibrant picture and was able to evoke emotion in the reader through her writing. With the h & H being from two different social classes the author didn’t just sugar coat the romance. There was some realisim in the story & acknowledgement of their future challenges. This is part of a series but I think you could still enjoy the story as a stand alone. Their might be a few minor spoilers if read out of order. I think this story, despite my earlier misgivings, might be my favorite in the series. The book was a page turner for me. There were some funny moments for the h & her interactions with the H.
This book was AWESOME! I loved all the information about the mines and the bal maidens. I had no idea women were so involved in the mining. I read the whole book in a day- it was fascinating! I fell in love with both Gwynna and Jack- the author did a great job developing both characters. Gwynna’s dialogue was fun to read too with all her Cornish words. This book is one I would for sure recommend!
Near the Ruins of Penharrow is a beautiful novel set amidst the enchanting backdrop of the Cornish countryside. I was completely taken in with Gwynna and Jack’s story and I feel like not only did I love them as characters, but the author was also able to expand my universe as I learned so much about bal maidens and mining communities during this time period.
The dynamic between Jack and Gwynna was so much fun! Their personalities and their attraction had me riveted with excitement as I wished so much for them to have their happily ever after. I love that the characters had so much depth and I enjoyed how not only they grew individually, with one another, but also the way their familial relationships developed throughout the story.
This story felt very original in how it developed its own concept of falling for someone in a different class. I didn’t find it predictable and loved how it ended. It is a clean romance that has great chemistry and definite swoony moments.
This is a part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend this book and the other novels by this author. Oh, make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end for more fascinating background for this book.