Description
What begins as a pleasant holiday with a new friend in
Brighton quickly turns to devastation for Anabelle
Milton when she receives the tragic news: her parents
are dead. Turned out of the only home she’s ever known,
Anabelle is sent to live with an aunt and uncle who are
strangers to her. Heartbroken, she arrives at Bellingham
Cottage, a cozy home on the sprawling grounds of
the Bellingham estate, to find an unexpectedly warm
welcome—not only from her own family but also from
the family of their aristocratic neighbors, Lord and
Lady Bellingham.
Anabelle soon attracts the attention of the heirs of
Bellingham—brothers who, though connected by
blood, could not be more different. As she slowly begins
to distance herself from the polite and obedient young
woman her mother trained her to be, Anabelle is free
for the first time to choose her own path. She knows
she must be true to herself, even if it means risking
unrequited love—but can she trust that the gentleman
who has stolen her heart will not break it?
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My Review:
This is the debut novel for author Katie Stewart Stone, and she did a very nice job with this gentle regency story. The main character, Anabelle, has faced great tragedy, and her future seemed uncertain. I enjoyed following Anabelle’s story as she finds a new life with her aunt and uncle. She also begins to hope that she might have an opportunity to marry for love instead of wealth and social standing, but faces some challenges along the way to actually realize her hopes and dreams.
I liked Anabelle, and she came across as a kind, but quite outspoken, young woman. She was drawn to Lord Peter Alexander, who was as quiet and withdrawn as she was out-going. I appreciated the fact that the author allowed Anabelle to show characteristics of being a young, still somewhat immature young woman, as many regency stories tend to make an 18 year old appear to be more mature than they should be at that age. I also enjoyed the setting of the story and the secondary characters in the book. This is a good beginning for a new author, and I hope to read more from her.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.