Promises to Protect Your Heart

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

TYPE OF NOVEL: Regency Romance in the style of Julie Klassen and Julianne Donaldson

SETTING: Warwickshire, England 1812

SYNOPSIS:

Two years ago, Margaret Brinton had her heartbroken. She fell in love with her childhood friend and neighbor and was misled by his behavior and heart. After this heart-wrenching experience and the humiliation of breaking  their engagement, Margaret has determined her best recourse would be to protect her heart and seek a marriage of convenience with a man who cannot ever touch her heart – a rake. But Margaret’s plans are botched when the selected rake’s cousin mortifies her and then pursues her himself! An unhappy alternative is before our dear Margaret – she could do everything in her power to break this unwanted engagement or she could accept it and risk losing her heart and the promise she made to protect it…

WHAT I LOVED:

• A Romantic-Turned-Pragmatic Heroine: I thoroughly enjoyed Margaret – she is a delightful blend of Elizabeth Bennet (headstrong opinions), Marianne Dashwood (a nature lover who gets her heart savagely broken), Catherine Morland (charming naiveté), Charlotte Lucas (pragmatic views about marriage), and Bridget Jones (clumsy mishaps!). And I greatly admired the perceptive and accessible way Ms. Garriott portrayed her journey as a woman who is afraid of falling in love and is at war between her head and her heart.

• A Bevy Of Suitors: How fortuitous that Margaret is wishing to marry because there are three suitors vying for her hand! Mr. Northam is roguishly handsome and known for breaking hearts, Mr. Lundall is persistent, seemingly obtuse, and emits a foul odor, and Lord Williams is an “arrogant aristocrat” that frowns a lot, but is also surprisingly thoughtful and playful. All three characters are well-drawn, engaging, and unexpected. I enjoyed seeing Margaret feel so torn about which suitor would be the safest bet.

• What Are Their Motives?: Leah Garriott, you kept us in the dark! Why was a notorious rake almost proposing marriage to an untitled maiden with a modest dowry? Why would Lord Williams sacrifice his own future just to spare his cousin? It wasn’t until almost three quarters into the story that we finally get the answers to these questions with no real hints before then! I was wild with curiosity!!

• Jane Austen Nods: I loved catching some echoes of various Jane Austen characters and events in this story, and I though Leah Garriott did a marvelous job of inserting allusions to Jane Austen in her story without borrowing personalities and plot lines. There were plenty of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility flavors swirled into this story with a dash of Emma sprinkled in. Some of my favorite nods were Mr. Lundall, Alice’s illness, and Lord William’s protective actions.

• Other Relationships: Whether it was with her teasing brother Daniel, her loyal sister Alice, or other friends and neighbors, I enjoyed seeing different aspects of Margaret’s character through all the people in her life. And I loved how even though most of these characters had small roles, Ms. Garriott gave them plenty of detail and personality.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• Some Quibbles: SPOILER ALERT!! For such a loving and concerned father, the fact that Mr. Brinton signed engagement papers without speaking with his daughter first and learning her thoughts felt a little surprising. Also, I’m not sure how I feel about the real reason Mr. Northam and Lord Williams pursued Margaret, especially in regards to Lord William’s participation.

CONCLUSION:

Promised is a compelling and thoughtful debut that is sure to enchant fans of traditional Regency romances and Jane Austen. I found much to admire in Leah Garriott’s sensitive style, her expressive prose, and her keen understanding of the human heart! Not to mention her decided affinity for Jane Austen. 😉💕I look forward to seeing more from Leah Garriott in the future!

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My thanks to Laurel Ann Nattress for putting this lovely blog tour together and inviting me to take part!