Hi y’all!

As we move into March, I hope you are feeling hopeful and happy. And that spring is coming to you soon! We’ve had a big week at our house. So grateful for my home and my kids this week.

I am thrilled to share my review of A Return to Hawthorne House by Kristi Ann Hunter! I am SO happy that Kristi gave us these new novellas giving the backstory on two couples from the Hawthorne House world. You can also check out my review of the Hawthorne House series (4 novels and 1 novella).

Both of these novellas are as engaging and fun as the books in the series. Make me want to reread the whole series now. I love this world so much!

Novella Summaries: “Always a Lady: Despite the fact that her daughter is not cooperating, Caroline, Duchess of Riverton is determined to ensure every one of her children marries someone they love as much as she loved their late father. William, the widowered Earl of Blackstone, is delighted to have his days of escorting daughters approaching an end. The last thing he expects is to find himself drawn to a woman who is just starting such a journey. Are they each too set in their ways to grasp this chance to have a second love?

The Lady’s Maid: When Lydia Smith began her career as a parlor maid, she knew love and marriage wasn’t likely in her future. Dreaming about the boy next door as she dusted seemed harmless until he started working as the new valet under the same roof. When Finch needs her help with a special project, will it give them a chance to defy expectations and find love or ruin their happiness forever?”

The novella Always a Lady gives us a rare perspective from the matriarch of the Hawthorne family, Caroline Blackstone. I loved getting inside Lady Blackstone’s head and seeing how her mind works and why she does what she does. Such a classy, sophisticated woman who seems to always know what to say and do. I really enjoyed seeing her a bit off kilter and how love surprised her so. Also so fun to see Miranda and Trent scheming for her happiness. I am glad this one was a novella because a whole book of Caroline trying to put others’ needs above her own happiness could get old. Luckily, this was shorter and those conflicts were quickly resolved. Also loved getting to know Lord Blackstone and seeing into his world as well. They are an unlikely match but also a lovely one.

I loved Finch and Lydia’s story in The Lady’s Maid! I have wondered about how they got together and how their unusual situation came to be. Certainly their love story is unconventional for the time, but it comes together with all the grace and beauty that I have come to expect from Kristi. I love Lord Trent and seeing him in this story so much was a joy. I also love the climax and the surprising twists. Lydia and Finch just belong together. Their love is so sweet and their friendship is lovely. It was fun to see into the world of Lord Trent’s townhouse in the beginnings of the transition into his life there. His book is one of my favorite in the series, and I enjoyed remembering how these characters continue their journeys later in the series. A great tribute to love, friendship, and embracing the unexpected.

Both of these novellas are lovely! They are quick reads and so satisfying especially for fans of the Hawthorne House series. Fans of the series will love these additions, and if you haven’t read the novels yet, I highly recommend them all!

What are some of your favorite historical romances?
How about favorite historical romance authors?