Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Meriden Park by Julie Daines,
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
****I received a complimentary ebook from publishers, publicists, book tours, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.****
Book Summary
Following her childhood rescue from the gutters of Calcutta, Mary Grace’s life has been an astonishing rags-to-riches tale. The Wellings raised the half-Indian orphan with all the love and care the childless couple possessed, allowing her to grow into a beautiful and refined woman. But upon Mr. Welling’s death, it is time for Mrs. Welling to take Mary home to England―home to Meriden Park.
Despite her genial nature, Mary is received with suspicion by the villagers. For his part, however, Mr. Robert Markham is intrigued by the curious new beauty in town. Determined to make her acquaintance, he offers Mary a bargain she can’t refuse: a hot cross bun for a kiss. That seemingly innocent exchange is the first of many encounters between Robert and Mary, whose friendship blossoms into love during long walks in the privacy of Sherwood Forest. But the shadows of the forest hide a sinister secret, one Mary fears Robert might be a part of. As the mystery of the recent string of murders creeps closer and closer, Robert and Mary are drawn into a dangerous game, and unless she can unearth the truth, the couple risks losing one another forever.I always love a story with a Robin Hood twist. This was a slow-burn romance between Mary and Robert but it seemed to fit these two wonderful characters. They both have a lot to learn about themselves. I loved both of their personalities, Robert's humor, and Mary's enduring nature. There were many secrets that the two kept from each other that stopped them from becoming closer at first. Mary seemed to be hiding from others because of her status in society: half-Indian & half-English. Class prejudice is clearly shown in this book which was prevalent during this time period of 1812 England. This aspect of the novel was very well-written.
Robert who is a second son has many health problems but believes in justice for all. I was quite worried for him a lot during the novel. His positive and cheerful attitude though not only wins over the characters in the novel but also readers. He wants to avenge the death of his friend and uses the story of Robin Hood as his guiding force of motivation. Robert is also so kind and caring towards Mary and other people. You can’t help but really love him.
This clean historical, Regency Romance has a bit of a mystery and adventure too. The dialogue is lively, there are characters to love and hate, and a plot that swiftly moves the story along. Overall this was a fun read that I recommend to other lovers of engaging romantic suspense novels.
****Meet Author Julie Daines****
Julie Daines is an award-winning and best-selling author. She was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and was raised in Utah. She spent eighteen months living in London, where she studied and fell in love with English literature, sticky toffee pudding, and the mysterious guy who ran the kebab store around the corner.
She loves reading, writing, and watching movies—anything that transports her to another world. She picks Captain Wentworth over Mr. Darcy, firmly believes in second breakfast, and never leaves home without her vervain.Connect with Julie by visiting juliedaines.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of book, $25 Amazon gift card, bookmark, stickers, and button.
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight December 5, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on December 12, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
~*~*~*~*Read an Excerpt from Meriden Park~*~*~*~*
Mary lowered her eyes as she walked along the great hall filled with portraits of stern-looking men all frowning down upon her. Angrezi sahib—English gentlemen. She need not see their scowls to know she did not belong here. That she was an impostor was written clearly upon her face, upon the color of her skin.
Had they known the truth about her beginnings, they would understand that the source of her shame had nothing whatsoever to do with her skin. But still, they looked down on her, these Angrezi sahib, along with everyone else, not caring one whit about the person behind. This was why she’d lowered her eyes. It was easier to keep her head down and avoid the whole mess.
She was tired of it all. So very tired. Why should their opinions matter to her? They were not so high and mighty now. Their glorious lives reduced to nothing but brush strokes on canvas nailed to ancient walls. She paused at the top of the stairs and glanced back. None of the portraits had ceased their glowering looks. She lifted her eyes and gave each of those stodgy men her most defiant glare before turning to descend the grand stairs.
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Thank you for the review, sounds good.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Thanks for reading.
DeleteSounds really good
ReplyDeleteIt is! You'll love it!
Deletethanks for being on the tour & sharing your review!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me be part of the tour! I loved Meriden Park. Julie did a wonderful job.
DeleteI enjoyed reading the excerpt and Meriden Park sounds like a thrilling read for me to enjoy, thanks for sharing it with me@
ReplyDeleteThanks, Why Not? Because I Said So Book Reviews and Author Interviews!, for sharing your review!
Have a magical holiday season!
Thanks so much for reading the review. I hope you also have a wonderful holiday season.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! Meriden Park sounds like a must read for me.
ReplyDelete