Beauty Among Ruins: A Novel of the Great War

Romance and Mystery in Scotland During the Great War -- Wannabe "bad girl" American heiress Lily Durham is sent off to visit English relations just before the start of World War I. Her parents hope she will become a more proper young lady more suitable for marriage within their stratified social set. But Lily's life changes as England becomes embroiled in the Great War. She and her cousin opt to help as an aide and nurse, respectively, at a Scottish castle now dedicated to helping wounded young men coming back from the front. The story is both a romance and a mystery. The young heiress captures the interest of the young, impoverished, and physically disabled Laird of the castle. As they get to know each other under the watchful eye of "the matron," unfortunate incidents start happening around the castle, like a missing patient, a fire, and a poisoning. Not only do these horrible things happen, but a London newspaper owner is happy to not only publish stories about them but smear the laird's and his family's good name. Will the laird get over his belief that his physical limitations prevent him from marrying? Will he figure out who's causing all the problems around the castle before it's too late? I listened to the audiobook version of this story, and unfortunately, I didn't think the narrator always did a good job. Although she voiced the Scottish villagers and tenants fairly well, her vocal styling for the laird was almost laughable. I've been to Scotland several times, and the accent she gave him sounded more Eastern European most of the time, or even Indian in places. Now and again, a Scottish flavor would come out, but that was rare. As the laird is the romantic hero and so often at the Forefront of the story, the sound of his voice is actually important. In general, I liked the story itself. The heroine certainly had a growth arc; she matures yet still retains her essential core herself that not only endears her to the hero but also to the men she cares for. The girl certainly has strength and flare! And she’s not afraid to stand up to difficult people when needed. I liked the relationship the heroine developed with the laird's reclusive, ill younger sister. I thought, perhaps, the hero was a little too broody, and I didn’t like the way he believed his leg injury was such a romantic setback that it would preclude marriage. Despite the poor vocal styling, I thought he was a great character, though, and swoon-worthy as we like our historical heroes to be. I thought the author did a good job setting up the book’s mystery aspect as well. Something was definitely amiss at the castle, and I enjoyed puzzling out who the villain or villains could be. I figured it out before the reveal, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of the story. Neither the book's title nor cover reflected the book well. I'm not quite sure what “Beauty Among Ruins” is supposed to mean, as the castle is not in ruins and the heroine's beauty is the least important aspect of her character! The castle on the cover doesn't look like an early 1700s-era Scottish castle. It looks more like what people think castles should look like or what some of the more whimsical ones in France and Germany look like. All in all, though, I found this to be a well-written and enjoyable book. -- I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story by a new to me author! The setting of a Scottish castle during wartime was really enjoyable to read about. I listened to the audio book and thought that the narrator did a good job with this story. She used a light brogue when reading the Scottish characters’ lines. The accent was not too heavy and very easy for me to understand, yet definitely sounded Scottish. Her tone of voice also changed to a pleasant accent for the main character, Lily. I liked the way the romance developed between Lily and Alec, which began as frustration between the two of them and grew into respect, friendship, and affection. I was frustrated that someone was trying to bring ruin to Alec and his holdings as Laird and hopeful that all would be revealed. Overall, this was a very interesting story, with an unknown villain working to bring down a man of honor. I look forward to reading more books by this author. (4.5 stars) I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Beauty Among the Ruins by J’nell Ciesielski follows New York socialite, Lily Durham, on a journey across the ocean to her relatives in England. Her parents hope she gains a sense of direction and responsibility, but they never imagined how playing a role among war-torn men would change her forever. Alec MacGregor is giving all of himself to keep his family’s crumbling legacy--Kinclavoch castle and the abounding estate--from bankruptcy and ruin. But a bubbly American works her way under his skin and changes his perspective on almost everything, but especially himself. The author has a special gift for painting a luscious landscape of the land surrounding Kinclavoch, to the point you can see the beautiful, rolling hills of the Scottish estate and wish to stroll beside the loch in the spring to see the wildflowers. The descriptions brought a vividness to the story and made you feel as if you were walking alongside the characters. And those characters are wonderful. Lily may be flippant in her duties at Kinclavich castle at first, but she quickly comes to realize the value of what she is doing. I loved her optimistic attitude, and I am jealous of her ability to handle hostile situations with grace (and maybe a little venom). Alec is a grumbly mystery, but it is impossible not to have respect for a man who tries so hard to provide for his family and his fellow countryman. He is part of the noble beauty of Kinclavoch, and it was both entertaining and heartwarming to watch Lily soften his heart little by little. I listened to this book on audio, and I loved it! Hearing the Scottish brogue and Gaelic sayings made the story even more genuine. Overall, I loved this story. The Scottish countryside. The witty quips from Lily. The brooding of Alec. This is a beautiful, historical romance that also has a twist or two of mystery. This is a novel you will devour but wish you didn’t have to reach the end! Any fan of historical fiction/romance will enjoy Beauty Among the Ruins. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.