Samantha HastingsCritiques

I liked this as well as the first one. Some time has passed, and Tiffany is filling in as a governess for young Beau as well as being the librarian at the manor. The Duchess seems to be turning into a friend and her relationship with Samir seems viable. When Tiffany finds the body of a former footman in front of her cottage, the town's rush to judgement imprisons Samir while Tiffany, with the help of the Duchess and her older son, try to find out what happened. There were many historical details that were quite interesting, especially pertaining to the more common class of people of the time and how they were able to end unions and remarry.½

I enjoyed this historical mystery filled with love and hate. I do wish I had read some of the other stories in this series so I would have understood some of the characters a little better. I loved how Tiffany was a very tolerant person and she tries to teach others this. I loved all the different people that could have committed the murder. I really enjoyed the Duke of Beaufort. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I absolutely loved Once Upon a Murder! It’s a fabulous historical mystery with such endearing characters. I thoroughly enjoyed A Novel Disguise & this second book in the Lady Librarian Mystery series is even better if possible.

Miss Tiffany Woodall’s a 40 year old spinster who’s also the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort. She’s intelligent, humorous, and has the brilliant ability to solve mysteries. She fell in love with Mr. Samir Lathrop, a bookseller and local constable when they solved the murder of her brother. When a dead body is found near Tiffany’s cottage, she becomes the prime suspect, but when she’s exonerated Samir is accused. It’s up to Tiffany to solve the mystery & clear Samir’s name.

I loved this Georgian era mystery/romance! Tiffany is such a great character and I loved getting further glimpses into her personality. Though she’s a spinster, she longs for motherhood and a chance at love. I also love Samir and was really thrown for a loop when a secret he’s been hiding is revealed. It threatens his relationship with Tiffany and causes all kinds of chaos. I love the chemistry he has with Tiffany and was hoping there would be a way for them to be together.

The mystery was so good with all kinds of twists and turns. There are a host of suspects and I enjoyed trying to figure out who the murderer was. It’s a race against time and all comes down to a court trial in the last few chapters in the story. While everything was expertly wrapped up with a nice bow, I’m hoping that the series will continue. I thoroughly enjoy these characters and can’t wait to see the next chapter in their lives.

Highly recommend to those who enjoy romantic, closed door, cozy historical mysteries! Though Once Upon a Murder could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading A Noble Disguise first. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

Accused of murder!

Lively, pirate playing governess, forty year old Tiffany Woodall, who’s the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort is in love with Indian Samir Lathrope. He’s the bookshop owner and constable in the village of Mapledown. Tiffany is also teaching the six year old Duke using unusual and quite joyful methods. I’m in love with her wonderful joie de vivre.
However their relationship is strained when Tiffany becomes the suspect in the murder of ex footman and altogether womaniser Bernard Coram, and Tiffany is arrested.
Not only that Tiffany discovers that Samir has been married for the last ten years. His pregnant wife Evie turns up in the village long enough to have the baby and depart, leaving Tiffany literally holding the baby.
To cap it off, Samir is accused of murdering Bernard. A trial date is set and Tiffany must do all she can to have Samir acquitted.
Interesting fact emerges about how the common folk went about divorcing. The husband would sell his wife at a fair.
A somewhat cozy 1784 Georgian Mystery with heaps of charm and plenty of action.

A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

I’ve had this book sitting in my to read pile for a while now and I’m wondering why I didn’t pick it up sooner! I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, and The Marquess and the Runaway Lady is loosely based on one of my favorites, Cinderella. With endearing characters, humor, some dastardly villains, and a menagerie of animals, this book quickly captured my attention and was hard to put down.

I loved Louisa! She’s the main character who was treated so shabbily by her relations after her parents died. She’s secretly an heiress, but forced to live more like a servant. When faced with the prospect of being forced to marry her despicable cousin, she runs away with the help of the servants. She encounters a handsome marquess who mistakes her for a runaway governess and she soon finds herself at the marquess’ home with his younger sisters and their various exotic pets, including snakes.

Wick, the Marquess of Cheswick, is shocked to learn that the woman he thought was his sisters’ runaway governess is actually an heiress from a neighboring estate. He immediately wants to return her to her home, but when he learns of her cruel treatment, he decides to help her. He’s attracted to the red-headed beauty, but doesn’t feel worthy of starting a relationship with her due to a tragedy that happened in his youth. He ends up packing her, his sisters, and several kittens off to London where Louisa can fulfill her dream of a season and hopefully gain control over her inheritance.

I ended up falling in love with Louisa and Wick! Wick is such a caring, thoughtful brother despite the antics of his younger sisters. He has such a great relationship with his siblings and friends which makes Louisa trust him and leads to her falling in love with him. Louisa is such a sweet young woman who really grows throughout the book. She goes from a subservient mouse to a tower of strength. Once she realizes the lies that her guardians fed her through the years, she becomes more confident in herself. Don’t get on the bad side of her sewing needle either! I loved her ingenuity and the friendships she forms not only with Wick but with each of his sisters, especially Mantheria.

I’m excited for the next book in the series and hope Mantheria gets a happily ever after! Despite the fact that this is a Harlequin romance, it’s what I would consider clean. There are a few innuendos and some mildly spicy kissing scenes (French kissing), but other than that, it’s a tame, wholesome Regency romance. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

The premise of this book was amazing! Forty year old spinster Tiffany Woodall is wholly dependent on her half-brother Uriah. When she discovers his dead body, she immediately panics. After all, it’s his job as librarian to a prestigious duke that provides for them and allows them a cottage to live in. What’s a woman to do?

After burying him in the backyard, realizing she looks enough like Uriah to pass for him with a little powder and a wig, she decides to assume his identity, and that’s when the fun begins. There’s also a mystery to solve which suggests Uriah’s death may not have been from natural causes. As she and her new found friend Samir, the local bookseller investigate, she must assume her brother’s library position, discourage an overeager rector, keep her identity secret from Samir, avoid her visiting childhood friend, and find a murderer.

This story had everything: a cozy murder mystery, laugh out loud humor, a little romance, and enough suspense to keep me up late reading. Tiffany’s intelligence and wit made this such a fun read. I loved her budding romance with Samir and friendship with Tom, a former slave. Switching her identity back and forth between herself and her brother made for some humorous situations especially when she’s required to be two places at once! I also loved the classic gothic romances and literature references.

The mystery was well done with several suspects and motives. It kept me guessing until the end with a few red herrings thrown in. I enjoyed the way Tiffany, Samir, and Tom all worked together to discover who the murderer was. It’s a clever story cozy mystery fans will definitely enjoy.

I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are completely my own and voluntarily given.

Set in 1784, I immediately googled the heroine's name--Tiffany. The rabbit hole of what is known as the Tiffany obstacle is fascinating, many authors shy away from using it. Tiffany was the English version of Theophania, generally given to children born around Epiphany. Tiffany and her brother Uriah live in a cottage on the grounds of the Duke of Beaufort's estate, where Uriah serves as librarian. As a spinster, Tiffany cares for the house for her brother. One morning, she finds Uriah dead in his bed. She rather quickly decides to bury him in the back and take his place at the estate. The time period works well for her masquerade, face powder and wigs help disguise her. When another at the estate is found dead in a similar manner, Tiffany begins to put things together with the help of local bookseller and magistrate Samir Lathrop. The big question is how long she can keep up the charade. I was invested in all parts of the story and hope to read more about Astwell Palace.

Oh my! Beware the mask of disguise!

When Miss Tiffany Woodall’s sanctimonious, penny pinching, selfish brother died overnight her second thought was what would happen to her. His position as librarian to the Duke of Beaumont gave them a house to live in and money. Where would she go? Then she hit on her desperate ingenious plan. Disguise herself as her brother and continue as normal. As Uriah’s sister she’d been the one to shop, and engage village folk. Uriah had been too high in the instep for that. What could go wrong?
Everything! Moving Uriah’s body was just Tiffany’s first difficulty. From then on, being caught naked bathing in the lake, to the hilarious time of both Tiffany and the dead Uriah (yes, at the same time) being asked to dinner with the Duke and Duchess, and her once upon a time friend, another Duchess. Despite these setbacks Tiffany manages to win through, only to have the sudden death of one of the staff in a suspicious manner disturbs things. As the bodies begin to pile up, it’s obvious that there’s a murderer on the loose! Tiffany is once again liable to exposure. Especially given the attention of the intelligent, dreamy Constable Lathrop.
Lots of high jinx had this novel galloping to an end that didn’t quite resolve some questions I’d had, but definitely answered others. I’m unsure if this is black comedy, or a satire of the times. Interestingly the laws and practices of the time are documented, heightening my knowledge of why Tiffany would consider the actions she took.
Well worth the read.

A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

When Tiffany Woodall's older half-brother Uriah dies in the night, Tiffany decides to bury him in the garden and assume his identity as the librarian for the Duke of Beaufort. If she doesn't, she'll lose her home and be thrown on the parish for charity.

She is almost caught the very first night of her deception when bookseller Samir Lathrop catches her swimming in the Duke's lake to clean up after grave-digging and attempts to "rescue" her. She gradually fits herself into life at Astwell Palace but things begin to get difficult when one of her childhood friends comes to visit and she needs to find a way to be both herself and her brother.

More problems come when the slimy vicar decides that Tiffany will make an excellent third wife and mother to his fourteen children. And still more problems arrive when a larcenous maid dies after taking poisoned snuff and the footman who takes the maid's snuffbox gets sick. Tiffany realizes that her brother's death was also caused by poisoned snuff instead of his usual stomach complaints as she had first believed.

Now Tiffany needs to find out who murdered the maid and her brother while keeping her identity secret from everyone including Mr. Lathrop who has introduced her to novels and been a friend to her.

This was an entertaining historical mystery set in the 1700s in England. There was interesting historical detail especially regarding people of color in England at that time. I also enjoyed reading about the various costumes and make-up of the day and the criminal justice system.

Fun Cinderella-style story. Louisa is an heiress who has been kept under the thumb of her cruel aunt and uncle since she was ten years old. Upon learning that they plan to marry her to their ne'er-do-well son, Louisa runs away, hoping to take refuge with her other uncle and finally get the London Season she's dreamed about. But she's waylaid on the way by a gentleman who believes she is his sisters' governess.

Wick is the head of his family while his parents are away, leaving him in charge of his three younger sisters. The girls are quite mischievous and have driven away several governesses. Wick takes his responsibilities very seriously and is often overwhelmed by their antics.

I liked both Wick and Louisa. Louisa's aunt has done a number on her self-confidence and belief in her own worth, but she has enough spunk to escape when she learns of her plans. Louisa is a kind soul who only wants to love and be loved. I loved how she was taken in by the Stringhams and made to feel like part of the family. As she experienced life away from her aunt, her self-confidence and worth grew. By the end, she had the strength and independence to stand up for herself. I especially enjoyed the friendship that developed between her and Wick's sister, Mantheria, something she'd never had before.

Wick is a good man but a little too wrapped up in responsibility. He is still grieving the loss of two of his siblings ten years earlier. He believes their deaths were his fault, even though the circumstances were beyond his control. I loved his relationships with his sisters and brother. There is a great deal of love there, which shows in their interactions. Seeing how the girls tried his patience was fun, yet he always had their backs.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Wick and Louisa. The attraction was there from the moment they met, but Wick fought hard against it. Louisa initially had a strong case of hero worship, but as she got to know him, those feelings turned to love. There are some sweet scenes between them, from balls to walks with his sisters. Wick can't deny his attraction but vehemently argues that he isn't in love. Because of those guilty feelings from the past, he believes he is not worthy of love. When a run-in with her cousin risks Louisa's reputation, Wick steps up to do the right thing. But Louisa doesn't want a marriage based on duty, not love. It takes some time with his sisters to finally let go of the past and believe in a future with Louisa. I loved the ending.

The secondary characters were great. I loved Wick's sisters. They are quirky, fun, and loving. Each has a unique personality, and I would love to see more of them. I ached for Mantheria and her heartbreaking situation. I also adored Wick's friend, Sunny. I liked how he supported Wick but also called him out when Wick denied his feelings for Louisa. The housekeeper was terrific and made me laugh out loud in the scene with the snake.

Meanwhile, Louisa's relatives were awful. The aunt and uncle who raised her were downright criminal in their treatment of her. Their son was even worse and deserved every bad thing that might happen to him. The other aunt and uncle were unsympathetic creatures, more concerned with their status than helping Louisa.

#netgalley

new-series, first-in-series, librarian, masquerade, clergy, bookseller, mystery, secrets, romance, historical-novel, historical-research, historical-setting, london, lies, murder, 18th-century

A nice, light escape for a wintry day. She finds her brother dead and realizes that she has no hope nor money, so she rather ably impersonates him and occasionally herself. By the time she becomes aware that her brother was murdered, the game is well and truly afoot! Good start to a new series!
I requested and received an EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Secret of the Sonnets is a must-read for those who enjoy stories set in the Regency era! Author Samantha Hastings uses wit and humor to tell of the search for some of William Shakespeare's lost papers, and I can't think of two better characters to be involved in the hunt! Miranda Hatch and Lord Robert Hamilton couldn't be more different but together, they are a force to be reckoned with. I loved the bantering interaction, their increasing awareness of each other, and the amazing chemistry that's both sweet and tantalizing. Will Miranda continue to believe that she doesn't "desire to be helpmeet or an obedient wife"?

Hastings is a new-to-me author and I love the way that she developed this story. She began each chapter with one of Shakespeare's sonnets and included many historical references to add to my interest, but I was totally captivated by the intrigue and romance! Secret of the Sonnets is a delightful story and I recommend it to all who enjoy Regency romance.

I received an advance reader copy from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

“Robert leaned forward, placing his lips on hers, and it was as if all the sonnets and love poems ever written were for such a moment as this.”

Thoroughly enjoyed Secret of the Sonnets! Samantha Hastings is a new to me author and I will definitely be reading more of her books. This story is a refreshing new take on Regency romance with a Shakespeare tie-in that was well done. Whether you’re a Shakespeare fan or not, the mystery surrounding his works continues today and this story provides an interesting twist to part of the mystery. There’s also a sizzling but clean romance with plenty of wit and humor thrown in.

Opposites definitely attract when Miranda Hatch, a 26 year old bluestocking scholar from the working class with a love of Shakespeare meets the handsome but poor Marquess, Lord Robert Hamilton who is more into horses than the Bard. Miranda is a force to be reckoned with. She’s quick witted with a dry sense of humor. Robert is thoughtful and charming but left with heavy financial burdens from his father’s reckless investments, and a mother who has no idea what the word economy means.

When Lord Hamilton receives two separate inquiries into a long lost relative’s ties to Shakespeare, he hopes that this may somehow be an answer to his financial woes. He and Miranda work together to search for the lost Shakespearean sonnets and along the way find intrigue and romance. But is their love enough to overcome class differences or will Robert be forced to marry a wealthy heiress if they can’t solve the mystery?

This is definitely an author I’ll keep an eye on. I enjoyed all the references to Shakespeare and the swoon-worthy romance. Robert’s mother was awful and it was satisfying to see her get her comeuppance. It’s always fun to try a new author and I definitely recommend giving Samantha Hastings a try. Looking forward to the next book in the series she teases at the end. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

Identical twins, hiding true identity, romance, a desire to become more than what society deems—delightful doesn't even begin to describe this fun tale about two very adventurous girls.

Sophie and Mariah are identical twins, who have had a rough start in life. Their parents died when they were very young, and the foster parents they were given to sent them away when a son was born. The two girls then spent many years working for a unkind couple. So, when their only existing relative, an aunt who hated their mother, invites Sophie to London with the hopes of bringing at least her into a solid marriage, Sophie can't leave Mariah behind. Secretly, they live in their aunt's bedroom, acting as Sophie as they switch places, and Sophie heads out into London to follow her true dream—to become an apprentice and later an inventor. She's sure that with income, she can support both her and Mariah, but society isn't nearly as progressive as she wishes. Unfortunately, many other things keep popping up, which even makes it questionable how long the two can even keep up the scherade.

The minute I read the first page, I knew I was going to like this one. The writing style is easy to read and yet holds a nice, historic flare. But then, the author has not only placed this tale in an historical time period, she's also added true historical figures and tried to build in a few facts, while weaving these into the story. It creates a world, which comes to life and invites to get lost in. These girls are easy to get swept away with, anyway.

Sophie is risk friendly, shares her opinions fairly openly, and works to achieve her dreams. Mariah, on the other hand, is quieter, polite, and not nearly as out-spoken. The two stick together no matter what, and even when they do disagree, find ways to iron things out again. It's a wonderful sibling relationship, but one with enough pricks and pokes to make it fun.

The pacing is smooth and fast enough to keep me from laying the book down. Not only do Sophie and Mariah have to go up against a very unpleasant aunt, but they thread interesting relationships with those around them. The side characters are packed with personality, and add quite a bit of tension as well as humor. Of course, all of this is made more difficult as the two girls try to keep their secret from being discovered. It's simply fun to watch how things slip and twist, and emotions flip in all directions along the way...especially on the romance end.

It's simply a sweet, historical tale, which not only demonstrates how women were scene at that time, but inspires with sisterly love.

Identical twins Sophie and Mariah Carter were orphaned directly after their birth and taken in by the Captain and wife of their father's navy ship, the Trenton's. Soon after they were taken in, Mrs. Trenton has a child of her own and Sophie and Mariah are sent away once again to the Ellis' who own a clock shop. Sophie and Mariah must work tirelessly for their keep; however, Sophie learns about clock repair from Mr. Ellis and dreams of being an inventor while Mariah takes care of the Ellis' children. Approaching adulthood, the sister's know they must find a place outside of the Ellis' home. Sophie writes to their one remaining relative, Aunt Sophrinoa Bentley in London hoping that she will take them in. Their Aunt agrees to take in only Sophie and only for one season in order to find Sophie a husband. Sophie and Mariah can't imagine splitting up, so they simply set off to London together planning on both acting the part of Sophie with only one of them appearing at a time. Their plan works and Sophie is able to see the 1851 Queen's Great Exhibition along with Ethan Miller whose watch Sophie fixed up in the park. Meanwhile, Mariah spends most of her day in the house with Aunt Bentley and her ward Charles where she discovers her passion for female authors and painting. Each man believes they are dating the real Sophie Carter as the twins learn they are not as similar as they thought.

The Invention of Sophie Carter is a sweet Victorian Romance for Young Adult and New Adult readers. I fell immediately for both Sophie and Mariah's characters as they were unwanted by one family and then another but still found hope, strength and fortitude in one another. I did find their scheme at their Aunt's house far fetched and was amazed that they were able to sustain the charade; it did make for a very fun and suspenseful plot. Sophie and Mariah were very opposite in personality and I loved Sophie's need for knowledge and adventure as well as Mariah's quiet discipline although Sophie's pluck seemed a little out of place for the time period at points. The romances were equally as swoon worthy with both Ethan and Charles being perfect matches for Sophie and Mariah's personalities. I also enjoyed reading about the Great Exhibition and seeing it through Sophie's eyes as well as some Pre-Raphaelite artists through Mariah's training. Most of all, it was interesting to see the twins begin to realize just who they are as people and that they are very different, but can still support each other's passions. Overall, an endearing and engaging Victorian Romance.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Lucinda Leavitt has just returned home from finishing school. Lucinda's mother died when she was young and Lucy has grown up at her father's countinghouse where she learned how to help with the books and complete sums quickly in her head. After finishing school, Lucy would like to have a job at the countinghouse, however, she is now expected to spend her days as a lady- working on stitching, attending parties and generally wasting the day away. One of Lucy's pleasures after finishing school is reading her favorite serialized novel, but the issue that the ending of the story should be in instead contains a note that the author has died and the story is left unfinished. With a renewed purpose in life, Lucy begins the hunt for deceased author B. Smith's final words of the story. Although, a proper lady cannot go about with her chaperone and a man to guide her, so she enlists her sleepy chaperone Mrs. Patton and childhood friend and father's business partner, David for the adventure. While tracking down B. Smith, Lucy proves to others and herself that she is much stronger than she believes.

The Last Word is a fun, young adult, Victorian romance with a strong female lead. Lucy is a magnetic personality from the start, wanting to defy all of the female norms for women in 1861. Her determination to use her intelligence to work, find the end of her story and be more than a lady who sits around until she finds a husband is immediately captivating. I absolutely loved the idea of the adventure to find the last words of B. Smith's story, I know that this would be something that bothered me as well. I was even more pleased to find out that B. Smith's story was based on the real unfinished work of Elizabeth Gaskell. Lucy's quest brought her on a journey through many Victorian-era homes and people of the time. David was a perfect travelling companion for Lucy and I enjoyed watching their friendship turn to romance through their many swoon-worthy moments together. David's respect for Lucy and his understanding of her intelligence and strength makes them a perfect pair. In addition, I enjoyed the historical aspects of the novel, the culmination of the story with the Tooley Street Fire and the impacts it had on the area as well as the introduction of Bloomers to society and the practice of wealthy American women marrying into English families for titles make an appearance as well. Overall, a charming Victorian romance with a fiercely determined heroine who will make her own last words.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review