Along Came a Lady

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Along Came a Lady by Christi Caldwell. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this emotional novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating. Along Came a Lady is another well-written Regency romance with delightful characters and a heartfelt plot. The pacing pulled me in from the first page and held my attention to the last, and there’s no slow-down in the middle! Edwina Dalrymple is the lovely heroine. She’d had to find a path professionally that will give her access to the ton as a woman who can train young debutantes to face the rigors of high society. Because of her illegitimacy, she carries a lot of shame and doesn’t believe she can fit in anywhere. I could feel her emotions and sympathized with her. I loved her grit and her never take no for an answer! Rafe Audley is the hero, and his loyalty to his family won me over right away. He’s had to carve out a place of importance as a foreman in the coal mine. When his powerful father finds a way to circumvent his determination to never give in to the man who sired him and abandoned him and his sibling, my heart went out to him. The romance between Edwina and Rafe is sweet and grows into what I believe is an abiding love. Another aspect of this romantic tale is the sexual tension between the pair. I love this in Regency romance. I truly wanted them to find their way to each other. This is difficult since both suffer from feelings of abandonment and find it nearly impossible to trust anyone. At least Rafe has his siblings who support and love him. Edwina has no one. If you enjoy Regency romance with endearing characters and an emotionally charged plot, then you will love Along Came a Lady. Ms. Caldwell is an amazing author. I have yet to read one of her books that didn’t pull on my heartstrings. Happy reading!

Trying to right decades of wrongs Rafe has hated his father for as long as he can remember, seeing his mother - the duke's mistress - suffer in silence while bearing his children, until she finally dies in childbirth. Years later when the duke tries to make up for the past, Rafe is slow to forgive, preferring to hang on to the anger that has fueled his entire life. Edwina, her own scandalous past notwithstanding, is hired by Rafe's father and new stepmother as a tutor to not only polish Rafe's rough edges so he can assume his rightful place in Society, but she also has to convince him he wants to in the first place. No easy feat at all. I loved the chemistry between these two, and how they brought out the best in each other. The plot moves along seamlessly with more than a few surprises, yet their eventual HEA was never in doubt. I loved getting to know Rafe's family and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.