Review ~ Misleading Miss Verity (Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley #3) By Carolyn Miller

Published November 26th 2019 by Kregel Publications

Paperback, 352 pages

Verity Hatherleigh has a mind of her own—but her actions do not impress her viscount papa. When she gets into one scrape too many, he sends her off to the wilds of Scotland to rethink her headstrong ways.

Anthony Jardine relished his role as curate, but his new duties as laird of Dungally aren’t always to his liking. Though he thought his new inheritance would be a blessing, somehow he’s finding nothing but trouble on these estates. And the intelligent, compassionate, feisty lass who was sent to rusticate in his territory is one of the biggest problems. He’s falling in love with her, but she doesn’t share the faith that’s his foundation—not to mention he’s been lying to her about who he really is. For the truth-loving Verity, that may be unforgivable.

The tangled web these two have woven may spell disaster for their happiness—and for the tenants of Dungally. 

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4 STARS!!!

It’s not often a book sinks as deeply into my subconscious as Misleading Miss Verity. Miller always provides aesthetically pleasing visuals but that’s not what stood out to me this time. Verity is a character that I regret to say I could sadly identify with on many levels. She’s always known she was a disappointment to her parents because she wasn’t a boy, and thus she was always compared to others and treated as less than. I’ll clarify here my own mother never made me feel this way. But Verity’s mom is a real piece of work. I didn’t like her in the first two books and still don’t like her one iota.

Verity’s defining moment comes when she is surrounded in darkness and fear is overtaking her. She calls out to God and it’s a moving moment. But later when she realizes her worth is not in her parent’s expectations, that through Christ she is a new creature, spotless before God, and it is Christ who makes her worthy, it is powerful.

Once again, Miller has proven she has a compelling ability when it comes to storytelling.

I do want to mention I sort of lost respect for Verity’s sisters in this book. They didn’t seem to do anything to encourage her when they were around. And I really liked them in their own stories. Ha! The Chisholm family is great though. I’d like to see James get his own story one day.

I received an early copy from the publisher. My opinion is my own. No compensation has been received.

Kregel Blog Tour & Review ~ A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley #1 By Carolyn Miller

About the book:

Can a proper noble lady find a future with a fossil-hunting man of faith?

As the daughter of Viscount Aynsley, Caroline Hatherleigh knows every rule of society and she's always followed them precisely. But when she visits south Devonshire and encounters a fossil-hunting scientist and his sister, her assumptions about what is right are shaken. Questions she has never considered about the importance of friendship and faith suddenly confront her—and her comfortable understanding about how the world works is thrown off balance. What if God wants to be the center of her life, rather than merely a social obligation?

Gideon Kirby loves science, and hunting down proof of past lives is a joy he won't willingly give up. But his scientific leanings are being challenged both by his personal beliefs and by local smugglers in the Devonshire countryside. And every day his sister's illness becomes more desperate, her care growing more demanding. Adding a viscount's daughter to the mix is a complication Gideon never expected—especially since he must stay far away from this young woman he's falling for in order to protect his beloved sister's secret.

When a mysterious stranger visits the village, that secret will be exposed, no matter how Gideon fights. Then tragedy strikes in a smugglers' cave. And the threat of scandal may lead to broken hearts and passionless propriety. Will the shaky bond these two have nurtured be strong enough to overcome their differences, or will the trust they've withheld from each other tear three lives apart?

Read an EXCERPT.

Purchase:

CBD (best PB price)

My Review

5 STARS!!!

‘He might have come to the southeast of Devon searching for ancient treasure, but he suspected he had found treasure of a very different kind.’

I highly recommend this first book in the new series Daughters of Aynsley by acclaimed Regency author Carolyn Miller. I love how the author brings Christianity and science together in the character of Gideon Kirby. He is intelligent, self-sacrificing, and diligent in his pursuit of scientific discovery. He holds his sister in high esteem and is unafraid to show his care for her in his gentle ministrations and protective nature. He loves the Lord and is unafraid to pray aloud or ask for prayer for himself. He is not a perfect man but one who is firm in his beliefs and yet struggles with matters of the heart.

Caroline Hatherleigh introduces herself into Gideon’s life in a rather forward manner for the times and suddenly he is challenged in his loner thinking and intrigued by her interest in his scientific pursuits. That is not all she is interested in but she is of upper society and believes him not to be. You can see where this is going, right? Typical Regency, you might say, but there are hidden depths to this story and multiple layers that make it much deeper and richer than any ordinary Regency. Miller is more than adept at creating community with a myriad of impressive and appealing characters.

The realness of how Caroline came to know Christ touched me deeply. I was beginning to wonder how that was going to play out and then when it did, I was bowled over with compassion for her character. Bravo to Ms Miller for showing what a struggle it can be for the unbeliever, and the many questions that can arise in their minds as the Holy Spirit works in their heart. It was a beautiful scene when Caroline finally and fully surrendered to Christ.

There were times I thought I had a little too much scientific information flowing into my brain but in spite of that, Miller completely drew me into the story. I actually had to stop at one point and Google the creature Gideon was searching for to find out if it really existed. It did! And my extra reading was just as fascinating as what Miller put on the pages. I learned something new and that makes this book even better than I anticipated!

There are several characters that will settle down in your heart and bring you joy, like Caroline’s grandmother. She’s irascible in the beginning but pretty awesome in the end. And Aidan…what can I say? He’s an Irishman! I could go on and on but I’ve topped five hundred words [GASP] so I hope you’ll pick up a copy and discover all the lovely nuances contained within A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh. It really is a great book!

I received a copy from the publisher but was not required to post a review. No compensation has been received.

Side note: I wish I had a copy to offer for giveaway but I already promised to give my copy to a friend who didn't make the tour. Y'all need to Google the book and include GIVEAWAY in the search. Maybe there are some out there somewhere! :-)