Review ~ Vying for the Viscount (Hearts on the Heath) by Kristi Ann Hunter

• 352 pages; Bethany House Publishers

When a strange man appears to be stealing horses at the neighboring estate, Bianca Snowley jumps to their rescue. And when she discovers he's the new owner, she can't help but be intrigued--but romance is unfeasible when he proposes they help secure spouses for each other. Will they see everything they've wanted has been there all along before it's too late?

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My Review

3.5 STARS

Vying for the Viscount is a strikingly descriptive story that fans of historical fiction, especially Regency, will want to read.

I’m a huge fan of Kristi Ann Hunter and always look forward to her stories but while I liked Vying for the Viscount, I didn’t love it. The beginning seemed slow and tedious to me. Hudson didn’t come across as a very strong character. He was raised in India and although he kept saying he had been prepared his whole life to take over the role as Viscount, it didn’t seem like it when he got to England. I found him sort of ‘soft’ for lack of a better word. Bianca is a smart, horse-loving woman in a kind of sad situation at home. Each morning, she goes next door to help exercise the Viscount’s horses. Their first meeting is sort of funny but I was hoping for a bit more spunk and spark between her and Hudson.

Aaron, on the other hand, is the character whose story I wanted to hear most. He’s an emotionally wounded man, not in an overt manner but you can tell he’s experienced deep hurt at the hands of others. He has a familial connection to someone in the story but it’s a bit before we find out who it is. I’m really hoping his story is next.

I was provided an electronic copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.