Audiobook Review: "Her Country Gentleman" by Sian Ann Bessey, Sarah M. Eden, & Rebecca Connolly

I've recently come to dearly love Regency romances ... but what of romances set in the Georgian Era? I'll admit I didn't even know if it came before or after Regency (turns out the Regency period comes at the end of the Georgian Era). Her Country Gentleman is a novella collection set during the era.

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London is not the only place to find love....

'Spring at Tribbley Hall'
by Sian Ann Bessey

When Charlotte's grandmother invites her to accompany her to Norfolk, Charlotte jumps at the chance to visit the sea and escape the fuss surrounding her sister's wedding preparations in London. Lord William Cheston, on the other hand, is most unhappy when his mother informs him that her old friend and a granddaughter are coming to stay. Not only is it lambing season, but he's also dealing with the mysterious loss of several sheep. The last thing he needs is a child underfoot.

When Charlotte and William first meet, he does not realize that the lovely young lady is the granddaughter in question, and she assumes that the man dressed in work clothes in the barn is a servant. A dinner party at the house introduces Charlotte to some of the gentry living nearby but cannot compare to her experience the next evening, when she and William battle to save the life of a newborn lamb.

Soon afterward, Charlotte stumbles upon a clue to William's sheep's disappearance. And when her life is placed in jeopardy, William is forced to choose between saving Charlotte and catching the thief.

'Love of My Heart'
by Sarah M. Eden

Cordelia Wakefield has never lived anywhere but London and is not overly happy when her family is forced to retrench to a small estate near Teviotbrae, Scotland. An ill-fated game of battledore and shuttlecock brings her face-to-racquet with Sebastian, who runs the home farm at nearby Teviot Castle. What begins as a clash of personalities, expectations, and preferences, soon leads to a friendship neither had expected.

As the magic of Teviotbrae weaves its spell, the possibility of something more than friendship begins to blossom. But what future is there for a lowly farmer and a London lady?

'Miss Smith Goes to Wiltshire'
by Rebecca Connolly

Martha Smith wants to marry for love, and will not be persuaded otherwise. She is highly sought after in Society for her beauty and status, but refuses to consider any suitor whose only claim is that his prospects meet with her mother's approval. Her widowed mother has had enough of Martha's romantic sensibilities, and is sending her to stay with unfortunate cousins in Wiltshire to show her that marrying for love is a risk that is too great.

Benjamin Steele, Lord Hillier, is working on his new and dilapidated estate when he first catches sight of the striking Martha Smith. Becoming Lord Hillier has only brought him a house that needs significant repairs, tenant farms that had been abandoned, and only the money he'd already possessed. He wants meaning in his life, and he's more than willing to work for it. Though worlds apart in all else, on this point they can agree: a life of meaning would change everything.

From the publisher of the 'USA Today' best-selling number-one Amazon Timeless Romance Anthology series in regency romance.

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Her Country Gentleman features three novellas set in the English countryside. One of the things I tend to dislike about novellas is that the romances often seem rushed. That does happen with all three of these stories, but it didn't blunt my enjoyment too much. I really enjoyed each novella pretty equally; they were all 4 stars for me. I probably enjoyed Spring at Tribbley Hall the best, just because of the mistaken identity (always a favorite trope of mine!) and the slight mystery, but all were enjoyable. I also found the descriptions of fashion in Miss Smith Goes to Wiltshire to be fascinating; the fashions were definitely different in the Georgian Era than what we've come to know as Regency fashion. I look forward to more entries in this new Timeless Georgian Romance collection!

I listened to the audio version of this book, and narrator Kim Bretton did a fine job. However, her voice was just a bit too soothing, and I dozed off multiple times and then had to go back and figure out where I was. I think that, had I been listening while doing other chores rather than while lounging during vacation, I wouldn't have had that problem!

Buy the book or audiobook (Amazon ad).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. I was not required to leave a positive review, and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.