The Elusive Miss Ellison

March 6, 2017
Miller sets the first of her Regency Brides series in St. Hampton Heath, England, a village suffering from ramshackle housing and influenza. Lavinia Ellison is the reverend’s daughter and exhibits great empathy for her neighbors’ plight. Nicholas Stamford, an ex-soldier, has become the 7th Earl of Hawkesbury upon his brother’s death but wants his bailiff to continue managing estate affairs. Lavinia’s mother was accidentally killed by Nicholas’s brother. Her father professes forgiveness, but Lavinia does little to hide her disdain for the new earl. She often subjects him to the opinionated speech acquired from the aunt who helped raise her. Woefully unprepared for the obligations he has assumed, Nicholas (who bears a strong resemblance to Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy) finds expectations of family and friends often conflict with his own judgment. As a cat-and-mouse game unfolds, an unexpected twist alters everything. The characters undergo obligatory changes in heart and soul, sometimes creating distracting contradictions with established characterizations, but this series launch is otherwise promising. Agent: Tamela Hancock Murray, Steve Laube Agency.

Starred review from February 1, 2017

Arrogant Nicholas Stamford, the seventh Earl of Hawkesbury, is home on a brief leave to relax and give himself time to consider the ramifications of the war he left behind. However, rest is not possible when he is called upon to check in with the villagers, which irritates him greatly. Lavinia Ellison, the minister's daughter, finds the young nobleman even more cavalier than he was before the war. Sparks fly between the two immediately. Secrets, society, and attitudes conspire to keep the couple apart, but God may just make a way to place them together. VERDICT Displaying a flair for comedy and witty dialog, Miller is clearly an author to watch. Her debut Regency rockets off the page with clever, snappy repartee, creating an exciting and fast-paced read. Fans of Georgette Heyer and Julie Klassen will love this romance and eagerly anticipate the second volume (The Captivating Miss Charlotte), coming in June.

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