A Mayfield Family Romance Lady Sabrina endured an abusive marriage, a miscarriage, and early widowhood to emerge as a smart, successful, confident woman who found a way to make her mark in a man’s world. She has friends and purpose, but cannot hide from the emptiness she feels when the parties are over and the friends have gone home to families she will never have. Harry Stillman may be … have.
Harry Stillman may be charming and handsome, but he’s a gambler and a rake who has made a mockery of his privileges. He turns to the mysterious Lord Damion for financial relief from his debts, but still ends up beaten nearly senseless by thugs and left in an ally.
When Lady Sabrina comes upon Harry after the attack, she remembers the kindness Harry once showed to her six years ago and brings him to her estate to heal. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, it soon mellows into friendship, then trust. But Lady Sabrina needs to keep Harry at a distance, even if he is becoming the kind of man worthy of her heart. After all, she is keeping a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything she’s so carefully built.
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I love it when an author can make a good rake story. well done to this author.
A rich uncle with a passel of disobedient nephews and nieces. Will his plans work? The scheme worked for two so far. But what about Harry? A rake in every definition of the word. The characters are unique, deserving of time and inspection.
Another wonderful book by Josi Kilpack! I have loved this series. I love how each book follows one of Elliott’s nieces or nephews and how he knew what was best for them. I loved how this book was a story about redemption and about learning to trust. I loved the romance between Harry and Sabrina. I loved how Sabrina helped Harry to overcome many of his weaknesses and to become the man that she knew he could be. I also like how Harry showed Sabrina that there are good men in the world. I thought this was a great book and I would recommend it.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.
2.5 stars rounded up.
After an abusive marriage, devastating miscarriage, and early widowhood, Lady Sabrina has emerged a savvy businesswoman determined to make changes in a male-dominated world. She has many friends and a key role in helping her titled brother navigate society, but she still finds herself feeling increasingly lonely.
Harry Stillman has more charm than is good for him and has fallen into bad habits with drink and gambling that have left him in a hole he can’t dig himself out of. With debts he can’t possibly repay, he turns to the mysterious lender Lord Damien for help paying off his creditors, but the meeting still sees him beaten and left insensate on the street by toughs in the employ of the loan shark he’s indebted to.
When Sabrina finds the nearly unconscious Harry, she can’t leave him there and takes him to her estate outside London to recover. Their turbulent relationship gives way to friendship eventually as Harry heals, but Sabrina is determined to keep him at arm’s length even as he tries to become a man worthy of her. But she must protect her heart and her secrets at all costs lest they destroy her.
I must say, I didn’t know what the term ‘proper romance’ meant when I first requested this title, I was merely intrigued by the premise. Had I known, I certainly wouldn’t have requested it since I prefer steamier love stories. That said, the lack of steam wasn’t actually the problem here. I don’t much care for proselytizing to this level in my romance novels, but as a Christian myself, I wasn’t bothered by the mentions of God’s grace, etc.; I actually liked that just fine. The problem here for me was the characters, especially Sabrina. Harry wasn’t terrible, just weak, and though he showed good growth, I never found much strength or masculinity to support his place as hero of the story. Sabrina, though, was a bit of a piece of work. She definitely had a good heart and tried to help dissolute young men on the wrong path, but from such a pedestal of self-righteousness it made her unlikable. The trauma of her previous marriage should’ve made her sympathetic and someone you’d want to root for but that somehow wasn’t the case for me. Sabrina was a snob, holding her high society position as a recognized, though illegitimate, daughter of a duke over Harry’s head while using an honorific she knew she wasn’t actually entitled to and ignoring the fact that he also had ties to the aristocracy. Her need to micromanage and control everything, along with her man-hating, arrogance, and judgmental tendencies, sealed my dislike of her as well. The relationship between Sabrina and Harry wasn’t believable in a romantic sense either. She saw him as a beautiful object of desire, especially once she’d molded him into what she wanted, and I think he was mostly just grateful to her for saving him. I didn’t much care for either of them so I think they deserved each other, but I can’t say it was a satisfying romance for me. This premise had good potential with the secrets and implied intrigue, but the pace was too slow, the finale a bit anticlimactic, and the romance rather tepid.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
While I love the sweet Regency romance genre, the reformed rake trope is not my favorite. However, the way Josi Kilpack presented this story made it one of the best rake’s redemption stories I have read. The story unfolded along a very realistic timeline, making the romance and redemptive transformation very believable and heartwarming. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
This is the first book in this series that I have read and a new author to me, as well.
I really, thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved that Sabrina had become a strong, independent woman but I was saddened that she had shut herself off from love because of some horrible experiences she had with her husband. She had a kind heart that wanted to help those who had lost their way, even due to their own foolish behavior.
Harry was a reprobate but became reformed through Lady Sabrina’s (or Lord Damion’s) efforts. He had gambled and drunk away all his money. Through Lord Damion’s willingness to help him, if he was willing to step up and help himself. Even after agreeing to make the changes necessary to bring him to a better place, Harry was attacked by his “lender’s henchmen” leaving him to die. Luckily for him, Lady Sabrina came along and took him in to allow him to heal.
I enjoyed the “getting to know you” phase of Sabrina and Harry’s friendship. I loved that Harry wasn’t willing to give up on her, knowing she had some secrets that made her fearful of loving and being held under a husband’s thumb, so to speak.
This story was a clean, sweet romance that had a happy ending. I would love to know more about their future story.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
I throughly enjoyed this book. I hope I can adequately explain why. I’ve always enjoyed Josi Kilpack’s novels. This story was no different. Even though this is #3 in a series I think you could read this as a stand alone and still enjoy it fully. Reasons why I give the book 5 stars: The setting and courtship/romance blossoming was unique and original.
I liked how the role reversal was written. The h was more in the postition of the upper hand & older. Though I didn’t feel one wasn’t equal to the other.
We got to see a bit of historical fact & the struggles women had at the time through the h’s life experience & 1st marriage.
I thought the H & h were a good match for one another & their affection genuine. As I got towards the end of the story I was wondering how all the plot points would come together!? The author had me guessing and in suspense. Would Sabrina take her Naples trip? Is the H genuine? How will the author show it? I think though those answers were handled towards the end the story didn’t feel rushed.
This was a wonderful redemption story. It wasn’t a typical Regency romance with settings in ballrooms & the like.
There were a few heated kisses but the book was still a pg & clean level. The romance wasn’t focused on the physical aspect.
I think the series idea is original and a fun & creative way to write a Regency book.
I do wonder what happened to the H’s friend Ward. That felt like a loose end to me. Also, I’d love to see a chapter or epilogue of the couple a little ways down the road.
Overall, I felt the story had good pacing & flow & natural character development.
I’m already hoping and anticipating for book #4.
Josi Kilpack has created a wonderful family during the regency period that I just can’t get enough of so I was happy to find another story in the Mayfield Family Romance series.
This novel deals with a main character who is a survivor of an abusive marriage and the reader will love seeing how strong and smart she has become despite her trials. Lady Sabrina defies many of the social customs to help others and change her own life.
Harry Stillman is a rake, but he’s quite a charming rake. I loved reading his story of change and looking into his heart. The courtship in this story is unconventional and unexpected and I loved it!
You won’t want to miss this Proper Romance and I definitely can’t wait to read another Mayfield Family Romance!
Josi S Kilpack has written another excellent historical fiction. The hero in this book is not the worthy, fine gentleman of her other novels however. This character is a rake, a drunk and a gambler whose only way out of his debt to a money lender is to take a hand up from a mysterious Lord and clean up his life. Strong characterization, an intriguing plot, good writing, and a touch of romance makes for a lovely read.
I loved this book! The characters are so multidimensional. Sabrina, the main character is broken, scarred, lonely, intelligent, beautiful, compassionate, and a host of other adjectives. She finds and equally broken gentleman, Harry, lying in a gutter and nurses him back to health. This is a beautiful story of how together they find a way to mend what is broken in each other. This is a love story with a bit of mystery thrown in for good measure. But this book is not your typical boy meets girl kind of book. It is a commentary on determination, faith, pride, survival, and overcoming supposedly insurmountable odds. This book It will keep you reading long into the night because you can’t seem to put it down.
Okay, so this was one of those books that, while I delighted in and loved reading, I learned about life, people, myself and love on a deep level. I was inspired. I felt like I had been given a gift in being beckoned in a very gentle, inviting easy, to look at my life and have courage to be. The dialogue was natural and authentically beautiful, the characters were gems, and the conflict and resolution were so realistic, yet kept me in the realm of a good movie to ensure my entertainment. I loved the experience of reading this novel.
I adored how well this book addresses repentance, forgiveness, and making amends. I am impressed with how well Ms. Kilpack portrayed the characters. Sabrina and Harry have many positive traits, along with their personal defects, and they both recognize that fact. By the finale, I believed that a beautiful future was a real possibility for the couple.
I’ve read other books by Ms. Kilpack but this is my first of the Mayfield Family series. Another good Regency by a talented author. This is the story of Harry, who hits rock bottom, and Lady Sabrina, who is the one to show him kindness and help him dig out of his hole. Their interactions are delightful and entertaining and I think they had good chemistry between them. Ms. Kilpack did a great job of bringing the characters and story to life and I couldn’t help but fall in love with them. I enjoyed this story and I will definitely be going back and reading the prior books in the series.
I received an advanced reader’s copy via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Another win for the Mayfield Family Regency Romance series! I really liked the main character Lady Sabrina and her determination to make a better life for herself and to give and serve others. I liked her philosophy with helping others with rules and expectations, and not just giving out free handouts.
This story was easy to read with great characters. Very engaging story line with some drama, especially with Harry Stillman. He was very funny and caring once he got serious about life and was sober.
These books can be read as stand alone books, but previous characters are mentioned which makes it more engaging and fun if you read them in order. I can’t say enough good things about this series! I definitely recommend this funny, never stuffy “proper regency” book!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Kilpack. While it was certainly a different plot than usually seen in regency romance, I had a hard time connecting with the story. Sabrina was pregnant while suffering from a cruel and abusive husband, that much was clear in the opening chapter. She’s halfway through her pregnancy when she says the wrong thing and angers her husband. Next time we see her, she’s widowed and has no child. That is a huge loss for any woman and yet there was hardly anything more about the pregnancy and nothing on how she lost the child. Did Richard cause the miscarriage?
When we first meet Harry, he’s as low as he can sink. Drunk and gambling away his huge winnings sets him up as a man with many demons. He’s given a chance when Sabrina finds him in the alley and brings him to her country estate to heal after a horrific beating by an evil moneylender when Harry couldn’t repay the debt. The plot moved slowly until about the 3/4 point and it does pick up from there, but I still didn’t like Harry that much. I didn’t feel any deep connection between Sabrina and Harry besides one shared kiss. Not sure if I’ll be picking up any more books by this author.
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.
Josi S. Kilpack’s third book in her Proper Regency Romance Series, Rakes and Roses, is so good I couldn’t put it down! I definitely didn’t get to bed early reading this one. I loved the characters and their connection to each other. Sabrina’s commitment to helping others and doing good as well as her ability to recognize all of her blessings after her hardships is inspiring. I also really enjoyed seeing Harry the rake have a change of heart and mind. I loved the sweet and clean love story and the ending was wonderful!
I enjoyed the mysterious Lord Damion’s goal of rescuing young noblemen from themselves and the moneylenders they had fallen prey to. He met with them in person yet remained shrouded in secrecy.
Harry, the rake, lived quite a dissolute life. I was replused by him and by his lifestyle. He truly lived up to the moniker. Though once charming, his drunkenness and gambling had taken over his life. I was at least halfway through the story before I began to warm up to him.
I did feel bad for Sabrina and for the neglect and abuse she had experienced throughout her life. The fact that she was unable to trust men made perfect sense. I did like her, though she was a bit overbearing at times.
The beginning of the story especially had a bit of violence. The abuse that Sabrina had experienced at the hand of her husband was mentioned a fair amount. Nothing is described in more than a PG manner – but there was a lot of it.
The budding romance between Harry and Sabrina did appear to be more physical attraction at first, though it did seem believable, if not a little rushed. I confess to having been a little confused by the passage of time of some of the events. Some seemed like they happened sooner than made sense and others seemed as if they had taken place weeks later – for me discover it had only been days.
While the story was mostly enjoyable (outside the previously mentioned violence), I found it was difficult to be completely engaged and my mind wandered.
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
This rather unique Regency romance story, in which the roles of hero and heroine are reversed, grabbed and kept my attention from prologue to epilogue! The exciting plot flows at a fitting pace, and the characters are well-developed and memorable. The romance develops slowly and sweetly, and difficult topics are handled gently and gracefully in this emotionally-rich read. Inspirational themes of redemption and forgiveness permeate the story. This enjoyable narrative is the third book in the Mayfield Family series, but works well as a stand-alone. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book in e-book form from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
This story is unique and filled with dynamic characters that are sure to not only charm you but have you in their corner cheering them on. A story that flips convention on its head by the heroine coming to the rescue of the hero.
Lady Sabrina has known her fair share of the hard knocks of life, yet she continues to rise above her circumstances and make something out of her life. She has learned the hard way that she can not depend on a man to provide for her. Lady Sabrina has a big heart and wants to make a difference in the world around her, and as unlikely and uncommon as it may be, she found a way to do just that.
I have to admit that I was irritated with Harry on more than one occasion. He has a hard head, he is not one that learns his lesson the first time or often third time for that matter. Of course if a character gets under your skin enough to upset you, then you know the author has done a great job in making that character real!
There were a few chapters in my humble opinion seemed to be bogged down with information dumping. A few things that could have been cut out that would have tightened the story and the reader not miss anything. Keeping in mind that the copy I read was the ARC (advanced reader copy) and those things could be changed in the finial version. With that said, as a whole I did enjoy the story!
(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
Do you want to know what I loved best about this book? It felt different than other regency books. The premise was unique and Lady Sabrina’s life felt different but still believable within the genre. I loved her independence and her desire to make a difference in the lives of others. Her confidence and smarts had me singing a girl’s anthem in my head. But then, her vulnerabilities would shine through and remind me how very human she was. I really loved Lady Sabrina.
I thought the author did a good job with Harry. How do you take a legitimate rake and scoundrel and reform him in a way that’s believable on both ends of a spectrum? And in a way that I would end up liking him? That’s tricky, right? Like I said, good job to the author there. I think the relationship between Lady Sabrina and Harry progressed naturally and felt legitimate for the most part.
This story is steady but it is a bit slow. There are no great fireworks, although the end has a little one, and the build up is gentle but I did enjoy it. This book is part of a series but stands alone easily.
Content: mild violence, kissing
– I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.