Review: The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller

Debut Regency Romance

Amazon Description

Handsome appearance counts for naught unless matched by good character and actions.

That's the firm opinion of not-so-meek minister's daughter Lavinia Ellison. So even though all the other villagers of St. Hampton Heath are swooning over the newly returned seventh Earl of Hawkesbury, she is not impressed. If a man won't take his responsibilities seriously and help those who are supposed to be able to depend on him, he deserves no respect from her. In Lavinia's pretty, gray eyes, Nicholas Stamford is just as arrogant and reckless as his brother--who stole the most important person in Livvie's world.

Nicholas is weighed down by his own guilt and responsibility, by the pain his careless brother caused, and by the legacy of war he's just left. This quick visit home to St. Hampton Heath will be just long enough to ease a small part of that burden. Asking him to bother with the lives of the villagers when there's already a bailiff on the job is simply too much to expect.

That is, until the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. With her angelic voice in his head, he may even be beginning to care. But his isn't the only heart that needs to change.

These two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society's opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.

Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister's daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a humbled appreciation of God's grace and the true strength of love.

My Review

The Elusive Miss Ellison is everything a good Regency romance should be: it’s consistent with the writings of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, and features plenty of wit and sparkle in the dialogue, especially that of the titular Miss Lavinnia Ellison. She reminds me of a combination of Austen and Heyer heroines, and there is a definite nod to the BBCs Ehle/Firth version of Pride and Prejudice in terms of the characters.

The plot isn’t P&P (thankfully), but again has echoes of Austen. The big difference (improvement?) is that The Elusive Miss Ellison is clearly Christian fiction: Livvie is a minister’s daughter with a real faith in God, and unwilling to be romantically involved with any man who doesn’t share her faith. Especially not the man she holds responsible for the death of her beloved mother, and who appears to hold too little regard for the wellbeing of his tenants.

Nicholas obviously has his own personal and faith journey, and I think his is the stronger story—he’s the one with the obvious character faults which need to be changed through the influence of a good woman. And perhaps her love as well ...

I’m a big Regency romance fan, so very much enjoyed the authentic Regency voice and attention to detail. Some of the writing was a little shaky, and the pacing was somewhat uneven. Parts of the novel sparkled with wit, but others felt as though the sparkled had been scrubbed out.

All the same, I’ll be keen to read the sequel, The Captivating Lady Charlotte (love the title!). Recommended for fans of Christian Regency romance.

Thanks to Kregel and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Carolyn Miller at her website

Friday Fifteen: Lea Waterhouse

Yesterday I reviewed Dawn on the Road, the debut YA novel from author Lea Waterhouse (click here to read my review). Today Lea is here to share her Friday Fifteen: the fifteen authors who have most influenced her life and writing.

Most authors who visit to share their Friday Fifteen share authors and books they've loved. Lea shares one she didn't love ... but which influenced her all the same. (And I have to say I agree with her!)

Welcome, Lea!

15 Authors Who Influenced My Life

by Lea Waterhouse

1. Robin Jones Gunn

She arguably influenced my life more than any other author. After reading Summer Promise at age 14, I became a Christian. My parents allowed me to attend a church, and her continuing Christy Miller books were a constant companion during my early spiritual journey.

2. Paul Watkins, AND 3. Geraldine Brooks

Brooks and Watkins are my two favorite contemporary authors. Their books are prime examples of meaningful historical fiction. I especially recommend Brooks’ Year of Wonders and Watkins Promise of Light.

4. Jack London

Because I love travel and adventure stories! I think exploration and creation go hand-in-hand (which is why both are important themes in Dawn on the Road).

5. Fred Rogers

Yes, Mr. Rogers! His writing captures his gentle, loving, accepting spirit. He embodies the attributes of Christ.

6. Marguerite Henry

She was my first favorite author. I got her books from my elementary school library, and when I’d read them all, I started writing my own stories for the first time.

7. John Steinbeck

His deep insight into the human experience (and his particular affinity for working classes) changed the way I view the world and my fellow human beings, regardless of religion or background. Grapes of Wrath is especially poignant in the current political climate here in the United States.

8. C.S. Lewis

Mere Christianity and Letters to Malcolm, Chiefly on Prayer are regularly re-reads.

9. Carson McCullers

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter digs deep (in an unpretentious way) into the loneliness and isolation of those often left without a voice in society.

10. James Joyce

This is an odd one to add here…because I don’t like his stuff. I know, I know: He’s “the best.” He was influential in making me realize I don’t have to force myself to like a writer just because other people say I should.

11. Lin-Manuel Miranda

Have you listened to Hamilton??? Have you listened to In the Heights??? His lyrics are delicious poetry, and I consider him one of our best narrative storytellers.

12. J.R.R. Tolkien

Because of the Lord of the Rings…obviously!

Obviously! If you ever visit Hobbiton, look me up and we can have Second Breakfast at The Shire's Rest Cafe.

13. Roger Scruton

He unwraps philosophy from a non-religious position, but is both fully intellectually and fully respectful of religion.

14. J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter brought a whole new generation (and not just the born-bibliophiles like me) to view books as a delight--something to devour.

15. Mark (of The Bible fame)

His was the first gospel I ever read. It added meat and truth to the glimpse of Christianity that Robin Jones Gunn’s books had given me as a teenager.

Some great choices ... and some inspiring titles to add to the to-read list. Thanks, Lea!

About Dawn on the Road

SHE’S HERE FOR THE RIDE. FOR THE ROAD. FOR INSPIRATION.

Dawn Berlin dreams of adventure, inspiration, and to feel something deeper. She’s certain that art will be the catalyst for these goals, except that the adults around her think she’s not being realistic. When Justin Devenport returns to her life the summer before her senior year, he convinces her to find inspiration on the road. Now she’s off, perched on the back of his motorcycle, heading up the coast to a preview weekend at an art school. 

It isn’t long before Dawn realizes Justin’s view of inspiration is quite different than hers. He believes it comes from a God she was taught absolutely does not exist.

On the road, maybe she’ll find a friendship renewed. Maybe art. Maybe even love. Or perhaps she’ll find all three wrapped up in a different kind of inspiration, but only if Dawn can break from her upbringing, open her heart, and figure out what she believes.

Review: Dawn on the Road by Lea Waterhouse

YA Road Trip

Dawn Berlin is a high school senior with her life mapped out for her. At least, her mom has Dawn’s life mapped out, starting with an Ivy League college. But Dawn wants to go to art school and study photography. And her first choice of school has an open day next weekend. Not that she’ll be able to go. No way would her mother allow it.


But then Justin Devenport, her childhood best friend, walks into the diner where she works, and the impossible becomes possible. Justin has a motorbike and a tent, and the time to take Dawn north to Vancouver …

Dawn on the Road is a solid coming-of-age story. 

Sure, there are few glitches. It took a while to get going, and the end was abrupt, if fitting. The story is told entirely in first person, which works for young adult, but which made the repeated I thought” tags feel redundant.

I wasn’t entirely convinced by Justin. 

He was an excellent character—intelligent, ambitious, and growing in his Christian faith. But I wasn’t sure exactly what motivated him to look Dawn up after all those years. I guess that’s one of the down sides of first person—we don’t always understand the secondary characters (because Dawn doesn’t understand him either).

Dawn I understood only too well, the internal battle between doing what she wants and doing what everyone else tells her is the right thing to do.. The desire to try her own way, even just once. And the complete lack of thought over the possible consequences …

Yes, I enojoyed Dawn on the Road. 

It was a quick and easy read, although those readers who prefer the more traditional third person past tense might not agree. Recommended for fans of Serena Chase.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review. You can come back tomorrow to find out more about Lea Waterhouse, as she'll be sharing her Friday Fifteen—her fifteen favourite books and authors.

You can connect with Lea via Twitter or her website.

Review: The Writer’s Book Launch Guide by Keely Brooke Keith

Short, but to the point

This is a short book, because it’s one that is meant to be acted upon rather than just read (in fact, there is an accompanying Writer’s Book Launch Journal for tracking the details of your book launch plan).

But while it might be short on words, it’s not short on ideas … or timing. The author recommends writers begin planning their book launch a full year before the launch of their first book, by establishing (or updating) their author website. This might scare off some authors, but it makes sense. Couples planning for a new baby (especially a first baby) start planning months before the birth (I certainly did. We needed a new place to live and a new car to start with, and those things don’t just happen). The same is true of a book launch. As this book makes clear,

The weakness of this Guide is that it doesn’t go into sufficient detail in some areas. For example, many aspiring authors know they should have a website, but what kind? Blogger, Weebly, Wix or Wordpress? Self-hosted or not? What does that even mean? What are the relative advantages of Hootsuite vs. TweetDeck vs Buffer?

This is where the guide could have done with more detail. However, the author rightly says that a lot of this information changes, and there is already a huge amount of information available.

One thing I particularly liked (and that other debut authors could learn from) is her recommendation that authors start finding potential book reviewers nine months before their launch day. As a book reviewer, I agree. I’m often approached by authors wanting reviews for their book which releases next week (or if they’re planning ahead, next month). Few authors realise how quickly our reviewing schedules can fill up!

Not all authors will want to undertake every activity (*cough* podcasting *cough*). But the list is a starting point, and it’s up to the author/reader to decide what is going to work best for them and their book.

There is also an accompanying Writer's Book Launch Journal (paperback only), for tracking all the details of your upcoming launch.


Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

If you'd like to find out more about Keely Brooke Keith, visit her website, or pay a visit to Christian Editing Services tomorrow, where Keely will be my guest as she discusses the basics of launching a book.

Review: Raging Storm by Vanetta Chapman

Exciting Sequel to Deep Shadows

Raging Storm is the second book in Vanetta Chapman’s The Remnant series, following Deep Shadows, and it’s definitely a series you need to read in order. If you haven’t read Deep Shadows, I recommend you read it before even reading this review. But you can click here to read my review of Deep Shadows.

Long story short ...

A solar flare has fried every computer chip in North America, so there are no computers, no Wi-Fi, no electricity … and little in the way of government or police protection.

(At this point I’m wondering how New Zealand would fare after a solar flare. After all, our local hydroelectric power station predates computer chips by decades, so surely it would still run. It also makes me thankful for our gun control laws—I don’t know anyone who owns a gun except a couple of farmers who keep them for shooting possums.)

Raging Storm starts with Shelby and her teenage son in Abney, Texas, in relative safety. But not for long—Shelby needs insulin to manage Carter’s diabetes, which means a trip to Austin, in the hope there will be some there. And a trip to Austin in this increasingly lawless society means facing unknown dangers.

Raging Storm seemed to start slowly, because it took a while for me to get into it. But once I did, it was solid conflict and action. There were a lot of bad people, but there was also a significant minority who tried to do the right thing—and some paid the price.

The whole novel takes place over a relatively short period of time, which means there isn’t a lot of room for character change and growth. The focus is more on fast-paced action.
I guess what shocked/surprised me most (but perhaps shouldn’t have) was the selfishness of most of most of the minor characters. Not just the low-key selfishness of wanting to do our own thing rather than something harder that is in the best interests of other people, but the willingness to abandon any semblance of civilised behaviour the moment it becomes clear there will be no consequences.

I suppose this is everyday life for people outside my first-world bubble.

An exciting dystopian thriller, recommended for those who want to read something a little outside the Christian norm.

Thanks to Harvest House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Vanetta Chapman at her website, and you can read the introduction to Raging Storm below: