Grace-by-the-Sea: Where romance and adventure come home.
The magistrate over a little Regency coastal village, James Howland, takes pride in protecting Grace-by-the-Sea from ne’er-do-wells, including his distant cousin, the Earl of Howland. So, when he discovers a young lady hiding in the family’s castle, his heart cannot decide which comes first—her rescue or his duty.
Outspoken Eva Faraday … duty.
Outspoken Eva Faraday has been exiled to the castle for refusing to marry the man the earl picked for her. Her late father appointed the earl trustee over her considerable inheritance, which she cannot access until she turns twenty-five or marries. And if she marries, her husband controls the money. She’s not about to trust any Howland, but James seems ripe for rebellion. To thwart the earl’s power, the two agree to a marriage of convenience, only to discover there are others intent on using the earl’s castle for nefarious purposes. Eva and James must work together to solve the mystery and stop the earl once and for all so they can make a marriage that is far more than convenient.
This sweet, clean Regency romance is the sequel to The Matchmaker’s Rogue.
Here’s a taste:
He crossed his arms over his impressive chest. “Nevertheless, I must insist that you leave.”
Was every Howland this pig-headed? If only she could wash her hands of the lot of them! But the earl was trustee over her funds, and he would give her nothing unless she bent to his will. This man might find it acceptable to live like that. She didn’t.
“And I must insist that we stay,” she said. “I promise to disturb as little as possible. I’ll need a bedchamber, a withdrawing room, the dining room and kitchen, and quarters for the staff. From what I can tell, that’s less than a quarter of the space in this pile.”
She thought she caught a sigh. “The castle hasn’t been used as a long-term habitation in years. You’ll need coal, candles, food. How do you intend to pay for them?”
She smiled. “I intend to put them on the earl’s credit. He sent me here. He can pay for the privilege.”
“No,” he said, tone as solid as his chin. “The budget here doesn’t allow for such expenses.”
She waved a hand. “Then send the bill directly to the earl.”
He caught her hand mid-air and held it, gaze fastened on hers. “Have a care, Miss Faraday. I’m only trying to protect you. This castle is more dangerous than you can know. It isn’t safe for you here.”
If he was trying to frighten her off, he was doing a good job. She could almost believe the concern in his voice.
But the earl could sound concerned too, even as he tried to steal her future.
She yanked her hand from his grip. “Then make it safe. Tell me what dangers to avoid. This is apparently to be my home until I earn my inheritance in ten months. Help me survive my imprisonment.”
He eyed her a moment, and she steeled herself to keep fighting. Truly, what else was she to do? If her father had guessed the depths to which the Earl of Howland would sink to get his hands on her inheritance, he would never have made the man trustee and expected him to care for her. In the last six months since her father had died, she had learned to fight for what was best for her and her servants. James Howland would simply have to accustom himself to the fact.
“Very well, Miss Faraday,” he said. “I’ll help you. You may stay in the castle until I hear from the earl.”
Best not to let him see her relief. “How very sensible of you.”
He inclined his head. “But you must allow me to do my duty as well. I am responsible for safeguarding the earl’s interests in Dorset.”
And she would try not to despise him for it. “Of course. Shall I send you a report each week of what furniture I’ve moved? Which dishes we used?”
That smile could have frozen the waves on the Channel. “No need. I’ll be able to verify all that on my own. I’ll be moving into the castle with you, Miss Faraday.”
more
Oh! More suspense, intrigue and mystery!
This second book can be read alone but so much better for reading the first in the series.
This one continues with mystery, spies and romance.
Eva and James fight to discover who is the “bad guy” and for freedom from the known evil. It is fun to see them work together and discover they have more in common than first realized. Look forward to reading number three!
This romantic and clean Regency novel, with a hint of intrigue, is a great addition to the Grace-by-the-Sea series. If you haven’t read book one, The Matchmaker’s Rogue, you should still be able to jump in and have fun reading The Heiress’s Convenient Husband, which is book two in the series. Otherwise, readers who enjoyed book one, will be thrilled to catch up with all of the various characters who make this series so enjoyable.
I wasn’t very keen on James Howland in book one, however, I really liked him in this story. I found him to be a very honorable man and liked watching as the feelings began to grow between him and Eva.
I also liked Eva a lot. She fit very well into the Grace-by-the-Sea community and ended up being a wonderful match for James. I loved the way their connection grew from the beginning of the book to the very end. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
James Howland is a distant cousin to the Earl of Howland and is the magistrate of Grace-by-the-Sea. He longs for the day when he can escape his cousin’s control. Eva Faraday is exiled to Howland Castle when she refuses to marry the earl’s son. She has only ten months before she gets control of her inheritance. Together, this unlikely pair solve a mystery and find love.
It was a delight to return to this coastal village and the familiar cast we met in the first book. We get to learn more about James and the life he’s had. His side of the Howland family has served the titled side for several generations and he is tired of how manipulative the earl is.
Eva was a bold character. Her father had built a fortune in his life and she will inherit it when she turns 25. Her father trusted the earl, who only wants her money to save the Howland family. She is slow to trust James, but takes advantage of an opportunity when she sees it.
For those looking for a Regency romance with a bit of mystery and adventure, I definitely recommend this.
The Heiress’s Convenient Husband by Regina Scott
Grace-by-the-Sea Series Book Two
James Howland, is the magistrate in Grace-by-the-Sea. He loves the town and the people. He hates that his cousin, the earl, rules over him. Making sure that James does his bidding. But they have bigger worries right now. Smugglers and the French.
Eva Faraday had a great life until her father’s death six months ago. He didn’t realize the man he trusted Eva’s care to would try to manipulate her and steal her fortune. She was going to stand strong. She only had to wait ten months and then she’d be free of him. Unless a different plan worked out.
A unique little coastal town with unique people. Great secondary characters. Definitely, romance but more is happening with the town. Concern about the French invading. Mysterious lights at Castle How. And the new physician. I love Aunt Maudlyn who goes on about the fairies, trolls, and those awful mermaids. Great series.
https://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/2012/10/regina-scott-book-list.html
A lovely mystery
Regina Scott’s books make me happy! I can always count on her to provide a story that is witty, adventurous, and sweetly romantic.
James Howland was introduced in The Matchmaker’s Rogue, the first book in the Grace-by-the-Sea series. I love how we get to see a different side of him now. This son of the second son of the earl (in other words, a nobody), had been magistrate of the village and overseer of the earl’s affairs since the death of his own father. And had pretty much always played by the rules. Or so we were led to believe.
When James discovered Eva at the castle, the way he handled affairs not only to protect the earl’s property but the propriety as well was so sweet! Bringing in Maudie, the loveable, eccentric aunt who sees fairies, trolls, and mermaids, as a chaperone made things just perfect!
As the two tried to solve the mystery of the stranger sneaking into the castle at night and attempted to foil the earl’s nefarious plans, things continued to get more interesting.
I would hate to say too much and potentially spoil the story for you, so let me simply encourage you to grab both books in the Grace-by-the-Sea series and read them right away!
Read my review of The Heiress’ Convenient Husband by Regina Scott at AmongTheReads.net
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.
A treat to read. Romantic with just enough suspense that it kept me reading way past my bedtime.
The second book in Regina Scott’s Grace-by-the-Sea series, this book follows the town magistrate, James Howland, as he continues to unravel the mysteries surrounding Castle How. But when a beautiful woman turns out to be the person who has lit the castle up this time, who does he trust as he untangles the story about what brought her there in the first place?
One of my favorite parts of a series like this is the opportunity to stay in the same setting, briefly revisiting known characters while being introduced to new ones. The author does a great job of bringing characters we met in the first book to the forefront in this one, giving them deeper interactions and allowing us to see the town through their eyes.
James meets his match in Eva, a woman who both knows her own mind and is well aware of what she has to do to be able to express it. While many books set during the Regency try to address the inequalities women experienced, sometimes they swing too far to the modern and forget the very real strictures on personal freedoms and rights women had at the time. Scott instead works within the time period, showing how a shrewd woman, with the right allies, could ensure both a meaningful and love-filled life, even if it wasn’t the societal norm.
I really appreciate how Scott can weave accurate historical details and a sweet romance together with a thread of mystery uniting the series. As with the first book, I highly recommend this story to fans of Regency romance, especially those who enjoy a bit of mystery or who have an interest in historical smuggling or espionage, themes that continue in this installment.
I received a review copy of this book from the author but was under no obligation to post a positive review. The opinions expressed are both honest and my own.