Friends and Foes

By Sarah M. Eden

After five years of tracking and capturing spies on English soil, Philip Jonquil, Earl of Lampton, is in pursuit of his last quarry. But at a traveler’s inn, he encounters an unexpected and far more maddening foe: Sorrel Kendrick, a young lady who is strikingly pretty, shockingly outspoken, and entirely unimpressed with him. Indeed, Sorrel cannot believe the nerve of this gentleman, who rudely accuses her of theft and insults her feminine dignity. Double annoyed when they both end up at a party hosted by mutual friends, Philip and Sorrel privately declare war on one another. But Philip’s tactics, which range from flirting to indifference, soon backfire as he finds himself reluctantly enjoying Sorrel’s company; and, much to her dismay, Sorrel finds Philip’s odd manner to be increasingly endearing. In the midst of this waning war and growing attraction, Philip catches wind of the French spy he’s been tracking, and Sorrel inadvertently stumbles upon a crucial piece of the puzzle, making her indispensable to the mission. But can two proud hearts negotiate a ceasefire when cooperation matters most?

It has taken me so long to get to this book, though not by choice! After trying unsuccessfully to get this book at my local library, (I had to tell the librarian that this book was the first in the Jonquil novels so she would order it!) and then having gone to another library in the county only to finally get the book and discover it was too heavily inundated with cigarette smoke (which I am allergic to) to read, I was desperate for Philip’s story! I have read all the other Jonquil’s stories, and loved each one. After (finally!) getting a copy,  it did not disappoint. I loved Philip’s character, his dissatisfaction with playing a fool that he most certainly was not for the sake of his country and family, and his playful and witty banter with “General Sorrel” was always smile inducing. I always enjoy a clean romance, and feel that everyone needs a bit of lovey-fluff in their reading library. Sarah M. Eden is one of my go-to sources for an entertaining, polished, and properly romantic read. In fact, I’ve decided to get my favorites for my own ever-growing library. And in case you are interested, that includes Seeking Persephone, this novel, and As You Are.

I give this a solid 4 out of 5.

Kiss of a Stranger

By Sarah M. Eden

When Crispin, Lord Cavratt, thoroughly and scandalously kisses a serving woman in the garden of a country inn, he assumes the encounter will be of no consequence. But he couldn’t be more mistaken—the maid is not only a lady of birth, she’s the niece of a very large, exceptionally angry gentleman, who claims Crispin has compromised his niece beyond redemption. The dismayed young lord has no choice but to marry Miss Catherine Thorndale, who lacks both money and refinement and assumes all men are as vicious as her guardian uncle. Trapped between an unwanted marriage and a hasty annulment, which would leave his reputation tainted and Catherine’s utterly ruined, Crispin begins guiding his wife’s transformation from a socially petrified country girl to a lady of society. Their unfolding relationship reveals encouraging surprises for both of them, and privately, each of them wonders if theirs may become a true marriage of the heart. But their hopes are dashed when forces conspire to split asunder what fate has granted, and as a battle of wits escalates into a life-threatening confrontation, will it be possible for Crispin and Catherine to live happily ever after?

Sooooo, here’s another regency romance by the lovely Sarah Eden. This is, I guess, a kind of addendum to the world of the Jonquil brothers books, as Crispin is a close friend and honorary Jonquil brother. Crispin’s story goes at a fast clip, and also advances in a backward sort of way. It reminded me of the TV movie Love Comes Softly, because Crispin marries Catherine, and it takes a while for them to fall in love. Crispin is proud and hard-headed and had me frustrated at times with how silly he is when dealing with his ‘wife’. Catherine is so timid and fragile that he has to walk on eggshells and figure out how to treat her so she won’t run away or think he’ll hit her. This is actually a good story for showing how marriages and love can grow as you learn about your spouse and how to read their moods and figure out what makes them happy. I enjoyed the slow way that Crispin and Catherine fall in love, one good turn at a time with plenty of steps backward. This was also a good read, though I liked As You Are and Drops of Gold better.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5

As You Are

By Sarah M. Eden

A horse breeder by trade, corbin Jonquil is more at home in the stables than in the ballroom of his sprawling estate. Corbin is the quietest of the Jonquil brothers and has always faded into the background, contentedly unnoticed. When a mysterious young widow, Mrs. Clara Bentford, moves into the neighborhood, however, Corbin quickly comes to realize that being noticed has its advantages. But how to catch the eye of the lady? According to his brothers, Corbin need only make a few simple changes to transform himself into the object of any woman’s desire—dubious advice, indeed. Following a series of misadventures, Corbin and Clara slowly lower the facades behind which they’ve been hiding, leaving Corbin shocked by the horrors that haunt the woman he’s coming to care for so ardently. When the menace of Clara’s past threatens to tear them apart and tensions mount, will the couple have the courage to fight for the promise of forever?

I have now read a fair few of Sarah Eden’s books, all of which are proper romances set in the regency era. This, however, has been my favorite. I think it is because anyone who feels introverted and shy will immediately connect with our main character Corbin Jonquil, a man who while being shy and unassuming, is also warm, gentle and unfailingly kind and loyal. Okay, maybe I was a little in love with Corbin too—and isn’t that what makes for the best romances? Clara was a fun character and love interest for Corbin, because she is humble but strong and feminine. She is very motherly and I think that is part of why Corbin starts to fall for her. I liked that this one was about second chances as much as first love. It was also hilarious in the fact that Corbin just didn’t know how to get Clara to notice him because he’s spent most of his life trying to blend into the background. His brothers don’t help matters and give him the worst advice! I just loved the goodness and gentleness of their love story and I highly recommend this story for those who enjoy regency romances. This is a part of the Jonquil brothers series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

I give it a 4 out of 5