A Lady's Honor by Laurie Alice Eakes (Review)

A Lady's Honor
by Laurie Alice Eakes
Cliffs of Cornwall series, Book 1
Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance
Available April 2014
Zondervan
336 pages

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About the Book

Society is concerned about her honor, but Elizabeth must realize her worth doesn't lie in her inheritance.

In order to avoid a forced marriage to a dangerous man, Elizabeth Trelawney flees London. An unexpected stranger arrives to help her, and as they elude her pursuers across Cornwall in the night, Elizabeth realizes her rescuer, Rouan Curnow, is familiar.

Their differences in social status kept Rouan from pursuing a courtship with the lady his heart wouldn't let him forget. Now because of dangerous smugglers and local murders, the two are plunged into a reckless alliance that rattles Rouan's fledgling faith in God.

The closer they get to Bastian Point-Elizabeth's true home-the more she realizes it is the only place she longs to be. Even the sight of its solid structure perched on the cliffs makes her feel safe. Elizabeth is the most likely to inherit Bastian Point if Grandfather never learns she spent the night, however innocently, with a near stranger.

As spring warms into summer, Elizabeth finds herself torn between wanting to be the perfect grandchild and her growing love for a man of whom no one will approve as a match for her, a man she knows she shouldn't entirely trust. Unsure whether she is being foolish or following the right path, she sets out with Rouan on a quest to find the true culprit behind the local violence.

Their quest leads them to danger, and she must choose whether to follow the man she loves or cling to the safety of her family home.

My Thoughts

Initially, I found A Lady's Honor a little difficult to get into. For me, I felt like too many characters with too many twisty plot details were introduced in quick succession. However, once I started piecing together who everyone was (does anyone else get confused by the way people during this time period were often referred to by multiple names?!) and what was going on, I quickly got caught up in the story and was turning pages as fast as humanly possible.

It's not often that I've read a true suspense novel set during a historical period, but Eakes does a great job combining suspense, history, and romance to create an intriguing novel. I enjoyed reading this book from the perspective of Elizabeth, who is bold and courageous—definitely living outside the expectations for women during her time. I'm looking forward to see how this series will continue. [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Laurie Alice Eakes has created stories since she can remember. In 2003, she graduated from Seton Hill University with a master’s degree in writing and sold her first book two years later. Family Guardian won the National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency in 2007, and her third book, The Glassblower was a 2010 Carol Award finalist in 2010. In the past three years, she has sold six books to Baker/Revell, five of which are set during the Regency time period, four books to Barbour Publishing, as well as two novellas to Barbour Publishing and one to Baker/Revell. Six of her books have been picked up by Thorndike Press for large print publication, and Lady in the Mist, her first book with Revell, was chosen for hardcover publication with Crossings Bookclub. She also teaches online writing courses and enjoys a speaking ministry that has taken her from the Gulf Coast to the East Coast.

Laurie Alice lives in Texas with her husband, two dogs and two cats, and is learning how to make tamales.

Laurie Alice Eakes Online

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