Diana Flowers Review-House In Grosvenor Square

The House In Grosvenor Square 
by Linore Rose Burkard
(Harvest House Publishers, 2009)


By Diana Flowers


5 stars~ *****
Riveting Regency Romance!


In this endearing sequel, The House In Grosvenor Square, Linore R. Burkard reintroduces all the delightful characters we so fell in love with in Before the Season Ends! Set in Regency London, it is a time of coming out balls, lords and ladies, magnificent gowns, beautifully architectured mansions with finely manicured grounds, and of course...romance in the air!


*Spoiler alert if one hasn't read Before the Season Ends* Our heroine, the lovely and compassionate, Miss Ariana Forsythe, has captured the heart of Mr. Phillip Mornay, the wealthiest and most sought after bachelor in town. In Ariana, Phillip finds an unpretentious young lady, as beautiful on the inside as she is on the out, and has fallen in love with her AND her God, quite in spite of himself.


In the two weeks before they are to be joined in holy matrimony, dastardly happenings begin to occur, putting a blight on the couple's newfound happiness. Expensive objects begin to disappear from Mr. Mornay's house, Grosvenor Square, and someone tries to abduct Ariana on her way home one evening. What insidious, sinister force has reared its ugly head against Ariana and her betrothed?...and why? Will they finally make it to the altar or will darkness prevail against them?


I was blessed to be able to read these two books back to back, and what a wonderful journey it was! Ms. Burkard's extensive knowledge of the regency era; the customs, architectural designs, the aristocrat's "lingo", clothing designs, etc., is astounding! With an exciting storyline full of twists and turns, and a beautiful, spiritual thread throughout, this novel is a must read! Very impressive, Linore Burkard!

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of  Linore Rose Burkard’s books, choice of format.

Review of Before the Season Ends by Linore Rose Burkard

Before the Season Ends

By Linore Rose Burkard
(Harvest House, 2008)

Review by Teresa Mathews

5 Stars*****

When I started reading this book I wasn’t sure if it was for me or not, since I’m not a huge lover of Regency books, I have to be in the mood for one. Well I am so glad I read this one! Linore Burkard    does a magnificent job describing this era, from the descriptions of the fashions, ladies’ and men‘s, to the architecture of the houses, it was all so clear it was like being transported back in time.

Miss Ariana Forsythe aged nineteen is a beautiful headstrong young lady who feels her calling in life is    to marry a man of the cloth. It seems the only one available is her current Rector, Mr. Thaddeus Admonicus Hathaway, so he must be the one God has intended for her. Ariana thinks it’s of no consequence that Mr. Hathaway is close to the age of 60. Her parents, Charles and Julia, think otherwise. So after the Rector and Ariana’s father come to blows on the church grounds, they decide to send Ariana to stay with her Aunt Agatha Bentley in London.

When Ariana arrives at her Aunt’s house, she realizes that it is in a very posh and exclusive part of Mayfield and she is excited to think a country girl as herself is about to be introduced to a London Season. She has never dreamed this could be possible. Ariana is shocked at the amount of money her aunt is spending on a new wardrobe for her, Dear Aunt Agatha wants to make sure Ariana meets someone special or maybe even engaged before the end of the season. She could not believe her luck when Ariana unknowingly catches the attention of the most eligible bachelor, Philip Mornay, at the picnic much of society has been invited to at Aspindon, one of Mr. Mornay’s estates.

Mr. Philip Mornay has a past that he wants to keep hidden and this makes him to seem aloof and ill-natured. He is known as the “Paragon” to society, not only is he handsome, he is always the epitome of fashion in his attire. But he is also known for his temper and his rudeness to any young lady that tries to attract his attention; it seems he will never be tempted to marry.

When Philip first meets Ariana you might say she almost knocks him over. Needless to say he was not very pleasant to her, and threatens to forcibly return her to her mother, or in her case, her aunt. What is it about Ariana that thaws his heart? Will she be the one to help him overcome his past? Will he be open to what she suggests to him in order for her to accept his offer of marriage?

This was a wonderfully written book; there were laugh out loud parts where poor Ariana’s better judgment was not in place. My favorite part was where Ariana explains to Philip the gift of Salvation and how important it is to her and how much she wants him to become a child of God. I will confess I might have been in need of a tissue while reading this part. I enjoyed this book immensely, and can’t wait to read the other books in this series by Ms. Burkard.

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of  Linore Rose Burkard’s books, choice of format.

Diana's Corner: Review of Coach and Four: Allisandra's Tale by Linore Rose Burkard

Coach and Four: Allisandra's Tale

by Linore Rose Burkard

41/2 stars~

Delightful Novella!

Interestingly enough, this delightful short tale by Linore Rose Burkard, takes place in a coach in which Allesandra FitzJames, the ward of King Charles II, finds herself trapped en route to visit with her friend, the Duchess of Langley. When her coach is stopped and the duchess steps out, she trades places with someone, and Allesandra finds herself trapped inside with none other than the debauched and infamous Lord Dorchester. Lord Dorchester is a notorious libertine, well known for his scandalous liasons with questionable ladies, and Allesandra is terrified to be alone with him, in spite of his most handsome countenance.

What is her friend the Duchess thinking, especially when Allesandra's coach was stopped by highwaymen just weeks before?...and one of the masked men had the audacity to steal a kiss from her; a kiss that Allesandra will not soon forget! Who was this masked man and why is Lord Dorchester offering his protection to Allesandra? Is he to be trusted, and are his words of the king's betrayal towards her true?

There was only one thing wrong with this book...it was just too short! I loved it for it reminded me of the masked man, Zorro, in my childhood days, who stole a kiss from many a lady. Ms. Burkard's writing style is impeccable, and although the setting of this book was in a coach, there was never a dull moment. I really enjoyed getting acquainted with this "new to me" author; she truly knows how to tell a story, and I am looking forward to reading her full length novels. 

(CFP Note: Linore has three full length novels published with Harvest House, all Regencies.)


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