Lies and Letters
Ashtyn Newbold
247 pages
Library copy edition
From the Publisher:
“That same ache I had been feeling for weeks now blossomed inside of me, bruised, bleeding, and broken. Only now did I realize it was my heart.”
After a season in London, Charlotte Lyons is still regrettably unattached. With her family’s finances in peril, she is sent away with her sister to a bleak coastal town where she is expected to pursue a wealthy earl. She is beautiful and talented, how can she possibly fail? But when her heart is captured by someone entirely unexpected, Charlotte finds herself caught up in a web of lies and intrigue. Between hardship and sorrow, she finds more than she bargained for, forced to choose between the life she once wanted and a new love she never imagined.
Book Review:
Eeek! I am so excited! A good friend gave me her library copy of this book yesterday at church and told me she read it in one day and she knew I would love it. She knows me well – I did! I started this book last night as we put the littles to bed and then got up early this morning to finish it.
Let me start by also saying another piece of advice my friend gave me, Charlotte is a total jerk. But don’t put the book down. Don’t let it get to you. She is a jerk! But she has her moments and there is redemption! Spoiler alert: I totally think the mother is the only true jerk in this story. I think the mother is even a bigger jerk than the father.
I was so happy Clara and Charlotte finally became friends. Their relationship was so hard for me to read at the beginning of the book. I can’t imagine treating or talking to my sisters in such a way! I was also super happy that Charlotte found a good motherly example figure, as well as some true friends. Since finishing the book, I also have been reading some of Newbold’s blog and it looks like her newest book will include some familiar characters…I hope we read more about Rachael!
I did think it was a bit predictable but I didn’t mind and loved every bit of it. Although, I have to admit, my first prediction was proved wrong so maybe not that predictable….or I’m just really bad a guessing what will happen!? Sometimes that is what these clean books are about for me, books I don’t have to worry about when I read.
I loved the banter and teasing between James and Charlotte. I felt there was a good friendships relationship built between them. I wish I could have heard the story of Clara’s side, but I guess this book wasn’t about her. 😉
I’m totally impressed with Newbold! She is young….like still in college young, and this impresses me! She is also a local author,so I want to support her even more. I even told the librarians this morning we should try and get her in for a book club meeting!
If you enjoy regency era books or clean romance books, this is a book for you. I highly suggest it! I can’t wait to read her other book and I’ll even check out her anthology collection too! She has new books coming out in April, 2018 and I totally feel comfortable saying she is one of my new favorite authors! I hope she keeps it up, I can’t wait to read more.
Oh – and one last thing – I LOVE when authors do this – you can check out Newbold’s blog here for pictures about the setting and characters…exactly how I pictured it!
Read a likes: A Heart Revealed by Josi Kilpack, Edenbrooke, Julianne Donaldson, or Romancing Daphne, Sarah M. Eden.
