Rules of the Secret Society of Young Widows: Rule 1: Be a widow. Rule 2: Have an impeccable reputation. Rule 3: Don’t fall in love again.Coming in October: Three Regency Romances by Rebecca Connolly, Jen Geigle Johnson, and Heather B. Moore AN HEIR TO SPARE by Rebecca ConnollyWidowhood has changed much for Anna—Lady Lyndham—but an unconventional heir to the estate was not something she had … unconventional heir to the estate was not something she had anticipated. Nor had she anticipated that he would have no intention of forcing her out, although he has every right to. And she certainly did not anticipate finding him handsome, charming, and unfailingly generous. But Ned Richards, the new Lord Lyndham, has a world of surprises in store for her, and not anticipating them will become quite the adventure.
THE WIDOW OF LAVENDER COTTAGE by Jen Geigle Johnson
As a widow, Lillian Hunter has never been in love and plans to never marry again, so the rules of the Secret Society of Young Widows suit her just fine. Her days are spent attempting to transform her newly inherited Lavender Cottage into a livable space until Oliver Wentworth shows up, asking for her late husband. Anxious to establish himself as a landed gentry in Somerset, Oliver is none too pleased to discover that a widow lives alone in a tiny run down cottage bordering his new property. The fact that she’s young and attractive only adds frustration to his sense of responsibility over her. And confound her, she challenges his every attempt to help manage her affairs.
A PROMISE FORGOTTEN by Heather B. Moore
Charlotte Ashford never thought she’d marry a vicar, and she never thought she’d find herself widowed with a young child to care for on her own. She certainly never thought she’d return to Somerset to live with her mother again, and Charlotte never thought she’d see him again. But Lord Wilshore has never forgotten her, and he has never forgotten their promise made long ago. Charlotte would love nothing more than for Lord Wilshore to forgive her, but too much heartache and too much time might make that impossible. Friendship is all she can hope for, but that hope may be dashed as well.
Timeless Regency Collections:
AUTUMN MASQUERADE
A MIDWINTER BALL
SPRING IN HYDE PARK
SUMMER HOUSE PARTY
A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
A HOLIDAY IN BATH
FALLING FOR A DUKE
A NIGHT IN GROSVENOR SQUARE
ROAD TO GRETNA GREEN
WEDDING WAGERS
AN EVENING AT ALMACK’S
A WEEK IN BRIGHTON
TO LOVE A GOVERNESS
WIDOWS OF SOMERSET
From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Regency Romance: Widows of Somerset is a Timeless Romance Anthology® book
Timeless Romance Anthology® is a registered trademark of Mirror Press, LLC
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I loved this collection! One of my favorites so far. Each story was engaging, heartfelt and fun. A wonderful read!
This anthology includes three great authors who each wrote a fun novella about a widowed woman. Each novella had its own main character but all included the secret society for widows run by Lady Joanna. I loved how the society of widows was the element that wove the three stories together, yet each story was its own and unique! Being able to read a single short story when I didn’t have a lot of time was perfect for me. Wonderfully woven together and skillfully told, Widows of Somerset is one anthology that you do not want to miss! I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I soooo loved this book! Each story had the common theme of being welcomed into an unfortunate club of being a young widow. As sad as these circumstances are, each of these ladies had different marriage experiences therefore giving them different outlooks and different means of life as a widow. I loved each story and the strength of each woman.
An Heir to Spare was unique and sweet as Ned helped Anna and didn’t immediately kick her out of her house as he became the new heir.
The Widow of Lavender Cottage shows Lillian trying to fix up her rundown inheritance, Lavender Cottage, as her new neighbor declares their fence is in the wrong spot. The relationship between Lillian and Oliver improves and I love the fence and swing history. The ending is sweet and I can’t wait to read more!
A Promise Forgotten was incredibly sweet and full of friendship, forgiveness and new beginnings. I loved it but don’t want to give away any of the goodness!!!
When I saw the cover for this book I thought, “That woman looks a little saucy. These stories could be on the edgy side of clean romance.” But that was not true at all. They were perfectly clean. The sauciness may be more from being bold enough to take a hold of their lives and make things better. So, determined may be a better term.
One of the key things that makes me admire someone’s writing is if I read the story without thinking about the writing at all. All I see is the story itself. The words flow to show the story without standing out on their own. In other words, the words flow so naturally that nothing sticks out as odd or out of place. This book was one of those. Even with three different authors. Each one told their story very well. The secret society of young widows is a marvelous theme through all three stories, tying them together but each told different stories.
An Heir to Spare by Rebecca Connolly: I LOVED Ned! Such a fun hero. And Anna was wonderful to watch as she learned how to watch out for her own needs. Also it was fun to watch her personality come out instead of being what everyone expected of her position.
The Widow of Lavender Cottage by Jen Geigle Johnson: First off, the setting for this cottage sounds so beautiful. Again, I really liked this hero. Oliver had what I call a Prince Charming complex, wanting to save the damsel in distress. Lillian had no desire to be saved which of course leads to the conflict of the story. I loved that she was willing to get her hands dirty to fix her inherited home up instead of depending on her servants or her neighbor. She was stubbornly strong. I also loved that though Oliver wanted to help her, he was also willing to give her all the independence she desired to make her happy truly making him Prince Charming and more.
A Promise Forgotten by Heather B. Moore: This one was the saddest of the three stories I think. Both characters underwent heartbreak. I loved how Charlotte’s daughter seemed to be the tie to bring the main character’s together for their second chance at love. I thought bringing someone back from the dead and the other widowed was a great combination for the story.
I don’t often read Regency romance that focuses on widows as the main characters so this was a fun departure. I loved Lady Joanna and her desires to teach feminism to women who were otherwise helpless. It was unfortunately true that women were largely dependent on the men in their lives so teaching women to depend on themselves would be novel.
No sex, language or violence
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to write a review.
What do you get when you cross three amazing regency writers and the premise of improving the lot of young widows? You get three amazing stories that give you independent women and the men that would do anything to make sure they have the best future possible.
These women all belong to the same club. A club for the betterment of widows who have been left with no provision in a world where women are powerless. The idea is to give them power should they remarry again. One of the rules, don’t fall in love.
I think the women in this story were almost afraid to fall in love, which only adds to the enjoyment.
I recommend this for anyone that needs three shorter reads or anyone that just enjoys a good story.
Each one of these stories are great. I really loved all of the many characters. I loved that the widows of Somerset looked out for each other in a time period when no one else did. These stories are all sweet clean romances that make you smile.
I think a secret society for young ladies in the Regency time period would be so much fun–but not exactly under these circumstances. Each of these ladies is invited to join because she’s a widow. I absolutely adored how different each story was, yet how they had a common thread of this society ran by Lady Joanna to connect them. And can I just say that Rule #3 is definitely meant to be broken.
Each story was charming in its own right. We’re treated to watching Lady Joanna teach these women to understand finances and become independent, while watching each widow move on. In AN HEIR TO SPARE, Anna and Ned are awkwardly delightful in their dance of life and love. I almost felt evil for delighting in their discomfort.
THE WIDOW OF LAVENDER COTTAGE delivered a story of boundaries and two individuals determined to work hard and to be fair in all things. I loved the challenges that arose from their interactions.
And finally, the collection was capped with a tale of broken promises and a shared past.
A PROMISE FORGOTTEN was the icing on the cake with its threads of hope and forgiveness, mingled with newness and love.
This is a wonderful set for those who enjoy Regency romances and left me curious about the other women in the group. I hope there’s a continuation.
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
I love how the Timeless collections always have such great authors. The theme this time was young widows who all joined a society that had to follow certain rules. One of those rules was not to let falling in love rule over your mind.
An Heir to Spare by Rebecca Connolly
I’m a fan of Rebecca Connolly, and this was a cute story. Anna was married to a man who was entirely apathetic. She felt like she lost her identity during that marriage and has no desire to marry again.
Ned inherits from the late Lord Lyndham. He has lived as a clergyman the last few years and is very down to earth. He also loves to get his hands dirty and help his neighbors.
The Widow of Lavender Cottage by Jen Geigle Johnson
Lillian was married off to a much older man and finds herself widowed and the owner of a run down house. She is loving her independent life and never wants to lose it.
When Oliver realizes his dream of becoming a property owner, he feels obligated to take care of the widow next door. What starts as feeling protective of the young widow quickly turns to more.
In other stories I have often seen widows described as very needy and weak or overly free with their favors. It was nice to see Lillian be such a different character. She was very lucky that she was left provisions to survive, but she was also a character who wanted to thrive. She wanted to learn everything she could and even step in and do things herself.
Both characters were very different from most people of their social standings.
A Promise Forgotten by Heather B. Moore
This story had so many things I liked in it. I always love when characters knew each other from the past and then come together again. This is especially true in novellas, because they don’t fall in love too fast. I also loved the inclusion of little Emily. I felt connected to these characters right away. They both had gone through so much, and I wanted to see their happy ending.
Widows of Somerset was such a sweet book! I loved the 3 in 1 book and how they all centered around the same theme yet all different! Widows definitely had to be strong and yet they had more freedom than any other female during that time. Sweet stories, great book!
What a sweet and swoony romance collection! This definitely lived up to my expectations from three of my favorite authors. I am not sure if I could pick a favorite from the three stories – I truly loved them all!
I enjoyed that the stories were all connected by location, by circumstance, and by Lady Joanna Kingswood who was the leader of the Secret Widow Society. Despite the connection, each story had it’s own unique style and storyline and each in it’s own way had a hero giving our widows the time, space, and independence that they needed after their traumatic pasts.
Such a delightful and charming read. Any fan of regency romance is sure to enjoy this collection!
I received an advance copy but my opinion is my own.
Excellent collection! The authors did an excellent job weaving stories of romance in the unexpected moments of life mixed with some great wit!!
Disclosure statement:
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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I loved this anthology. I can’t imagine being a widow during a time when women didn’t have rights. I loved Lady Joanna and her society and care for these widows. It’s awesome.
An Heir to Spare – Ned and Anna are such a cute couple. I loved their easy relationship and how simply it grew. Ned is such a good guy. You can’t help but love him. He was so good to Anna. I loved the Epilogue. It was so sweet.
The Widow of Lavender Cottage – This was a fun story. I loved Lillian’s strength and determination. I loved Oliver’s desire to help her, but also to allow her independence as well. They were so sweet together. I am very happy for them.
A Promise Forgotten – Brand and Charlotte have quite a history and some hurt to overcome. I understand both their sides and really felt for them. Luckily in the end love conquers all.
An Heir to Spare by Rebecca Connolly
Oh, I loved this story!! Anna is so sweet and Ned is most swoon worthy! I think Lady Joanna is awesome to help the Widows in the area. But vowing to never fall in love? Anna and Ned’s story is fun, engaging, and a great HEA.
The Widow of Lavender Cottage by Jen Geigle Johnson
Lillian and Oliver’s story is another sweet, touching romance. Of course Lady Joanna makes her presence known again. One swoony moment was when Lillian was swinging and Oliver is walking toward her through the field. Flash back to Mr. Darcy walking through the field and morning mist toward Elizabeth.
A Promise Forgotten by Heather B. Moore
And the third is as good as the others, of course!! Charlotte and Brand renewing their childhood romance after years of trials separated them. Emily brought a sweet element to this story.
I loved this wonderful collection of novellas about young widows learning to make there situations better and taking charge of their lives. The clean swoony gentleman made them all the better!
Three short but charming stories in one book. All three take place in the same town and have a few consistent characters but each stand very well on their own. I didn’t feel like any of them were rushed, as some short stories feel at times. I love a good regency romance and these three did not disappoint. In “An Heir to Spare” Anna is left a widow with nothing left in her name. When the new owner of the estate arrives she expects to be thrown out into the street but fortunately Ned is kind and allows her to stay until other arrangements can be made. Anna soon joins “The Secret Society of Young Widows” in which Lady Joanna teaches them independence and how to advocate for themselves in the future, should they ever get married again (but it should never be for love because love makes you lose your head). This society is part of the plot of all three stories and proves to be quite entertaining. Although this society may make the heroins think twice about getting married again, in the end it proves to be beneficial in helping them ensure financial security in the future. In “The Widow of Lavender Cottage” Lillian moves into a cottage, which was left to her by her husband, so she starts out in better shape than Anna. Her neighbor Oliver is a man who did not grow up a man of means but worked hard to eventually get there. While taking care of a border dispute involving a fence built over the property line, Oliver finds he’s intrigued with Lillian and makes it his prerogative to aid her in any way possible, despite her need for independence and to learn things on her own. In “A Promise Forgotten” Charlotte is a young widow with a small daughter, who moves back in with her mother. Brand is the neighbor, who was lost at sea and thought to be dead for awhile before being rescued and returning home to find that the woman he thought would be there waiting for him was already married. After Charlotte returns a few years later widowed with a child, he must decide if he can ever let go of the hurt from her betrayal. This story has a theme of forgiveness and starting over again in spite of life’s trials.
All three stories included strong heroin characters, who find that they can be independent and learn to trust again in the sanctity of marriage at the same time. This is a great book for anyone who loves regency romance.
I liked the idea of having the stories linked, through Lady Joanna’s widows’ club, but there were some inconsistencies within the stories and Lady Joanna’s personality seemed to vary somewhat. I really enjoyed the first story–Ned was just so lovable and adorable! The second story was sweet but felt a little harried in some ways and the tone seemed to vary from overly formal to overly casual in the blink of an eye. In the third story, I really enjoyed the second-chance romance, with Charlotte and Brand getting their chance to be together and I wished it had been longer in order to show even more of the story.
3.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Sometimes you just want a shorter story that passes some of the “hem and ha” of the longer books while still getting top notch clean romance. I love the society Lady Johanna put together to support and teach the Widows. All the stories were amusing, and “aww” inspiring. I was almost in a bit in love with Ned myself. I would love to visit any of the side characters’ stories in another book anytime!. *There is a mention of marriage beds, mostly not being visited, some neck kisses with the lips kisses and embraces but clean by many standards. * I was given an advance copy in exchange for a review but I’ve read many of there compilations, and I really was delighted that I enjoyed it so much*
These anthologies do not disappoint. I love getting 3 author’s with a common theme but 3 very unique stories. Plus, widows are a fun topic; they had much more freedom in Regency England. I liked the widow’s group and what they were trying to do for themselves. Fun read!
What would you do if your husband died?
Enter Lady Joanna Kingswood, mentor to all widows in Somerset. She takes them under her wing, introduces them to her solicitor, Mr. Norton, and teaches them how to navigate their new emotional and financial world.
Each widow has different challenges and each tackles it with a different approach. The three authors, Connolly, Geigle Johnson, and Moore, have their own voices and styles, but all provide a delightful reading experience.
Widows of Somerset is another Can’t-Put-It-Down collection of satisfying stories with charm, wit, and plenty of banter. And one heroine stuck on a roof.
A secret society, dangers of falling in love, and challenges to overcome. There is something for everyone is this series of three short stories. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
This anthology has a very unique premise—there is a secret society of widows where they discuss on business and financial matters for them not to be left desperate and destitute. A very nice and feminist-inspired read!
An Heir to Spare by Rebecca Connolly
This book is very sweet, with mature and likable characters. Great read and my favorite in this collection!
The Widow of Lavender Cottage by Jen Geigle Johnson
This one’s cute, with some witty banter between characters. A sneak peek of a new character in the epilogue got me intrigued!
A Promise Forgotten by Heather Moore
This book is more on the serious/drama side, but very heartwarming and redeeming, nonetheless.
Also, I am very intrigued by Lady Joanna’s own love story (hope they make one!) Overall, a very good read!