Review ~ Winning Miss Winthrop (Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope #1) by Carolyn Miller

Paperback, 320 pages

Expected publication: March 27th 2018 by Kregel Publications

Catherine Winthrop has cried out to God too many times to count. Years ago, the man who stole her heart rejected her--and she's never recovered. Now tragedy has brought him back into her life. This time it isn't her heart he's taking, it's her home and her family's good name--and she has no one to share her grief. 

Jonathan Carlew's life may look enviable from the outside--wealthy, handsome, landed--but the mystery surrounding his birth has shadowed his entire life. Now as he ascends to the barony, fresh challenges await, including a scheming mama who wants him to embrace power, even at the cost of losing love. How can he remain the kind, honorable man he strives to be and still meet the demands of his new society responsibilities? 

These two broken hearts must decide whether their painful past and bitter present will be all they can share, or if forgiveness can provide a path to freedom for the future. 

Set in the sumptuous salons of Bath, Regency England's royal breeding ground for gossip, Winning Miss Winthrop is the first volume in Carolyn Miller's new series. Fans of the wholesome and richly drawn first series won’t want to miss this new set of characters. 

Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's previous novels have won several contests, including the 2014 RWA "Touched by Love" and 2014 ACFW Gensis contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy.

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My Review 

"...trials are merely opportunities for faith to grow."

Having fallen in love three years before, Mr. Carlew, a member of the merchant class with a questionable background, and Miss Winthrop, a baron’s daughter, were thwarted in their romance. Due to unanticipated circumstances, they are thrown in to close proximity. Indicative of classic Regency, copious misunderstandings persist between them. Will the interference of their mother’s cause them to remain estranged? Or will Jonathan and Catherine, through many trials, discover that loves flame has not been extinguished?

While I enjoyed this novel, my attention wandered. Jon and Catherine did not sizzle. And I’m a fan of more dialogue. I felt like I was hearing second hand about their past. But, it was delightful to see Lavinia and Nicholas from The Elusive Miss Ellison appearing throughout the book. Catching up on their life was a highlight for me. Catherine’s Aunt Drusilla and General Whitby are lovable characters that found a place in my heart.

Miller is a gifted writer who knows the Regency period. The descriptions of the unusual weather taking place were vivid, making me cringe at the thought of all that mud! The masquerade ball was most expressive, drawing me right into the scene. Undertones of Persuasion are recognizable which makes me positive historical fiction lovers and fans of Jane Austen will undoubtedly enjoy a few hours of escapism with Winning Miss Winthrop. I look forward to the next book in the series because Miller is more than proficient at conveying the Regency Era and all it entails, and it is my favorite historical period to read about.

I was provided an electronic copy of the book from the publisher through Netgalley. I was not obligated to write a review. No compensation has been received.