Flame and Ember - Review

Flame and Ember (The Kingsleys, # 1)

By: MA Nichols

Publication: March 27, 2018 by M.A. Nichols

266 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Regency

Source: YouTube Audiobooks

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--A heartbroken man, a frustrated spinster, and a marriage of convenience that proves quite inconvenient.

Simon Kingsley is in desperate need of a wife. After years of searching, he finally found love. Unfortunately, she wed another, and now, it’s time to settle for someone with whom he can share his life. Love is no longer an option for a man whose heart is irrevocably broken.

Mina Ashbrook longs to marry for love but knows she’s too old, too plump, and too plain to catch a gentleman’s eye. And a marriage of convenience is better than being a spinster sister living off her brother’s charity. Simon may not love her now, but Mina knows there’s hope—if she can convince him that love comes in many forms.

Will Mina find a way to heal Simon’s heart? Or will the shadows of the past keep them from finding happiness together?

Mina's mother died many years ago, and Mina stepped into the role of mother and mistress of the house to serve in her place. She raised her younger brothers as best she could when all they wanted was their mother back. She ran the household and learned how to manage an estate, at least the female duties. She's described as being a bit overweight, frumpy, and unattractive. She's now 30 years old and basically considered a spinster. She is tired of being overlooked and unwanted. And now that Nicholas has married, his wife has taken over the role of mistress and hostess of their home. Mina is unneeded. Her grandmother left her a cottage, but when her father passed away, he didn't leave her the income she expected to be able to run the cottage. So she's stuck. Even though her brothers love her and she wouldn't say she is unwanted, she desires more than anything to have her own home to run and to be useful.

Simon had his heart broken when the woman he was in love with decided to marry another man. He still carries a torch for her. And he is determined that he will never love again. In truth, Simon doesn't know the difference between love and attraction because his parents and family never showed him any of the real deal. He needs a wife to help him run his estate, but he just can't seem to get past how the one he wanted is no longer an option.

Man I have to tell you that I spent most of this book wanting to kick Simon in the teeth. I suppose we don't know what we don't know. And Simon knew nothing about true love. But sheesh. In his efforts to work so hard at not having a marriage that mimicked his parents in any sort of way, he was doing nearly everything possible to bring about the very thing. My heart hurt for Mina because once again she was chosen, but only as the second option. I applauded her when she decided to stand up for herself. And honestly, I felt a bit like Simon got off too easy. But there's no point in repaying pain for pain.

I really enjoy the narrator Madeleine Brolly. She did a wonderful job.

I didn't want to stop listening to Flame & Ember. I'm pretty sure I dozed off a time or two when I was trying to squeeze in just a few more minutes before bed. Simon and Mina do have a good story about the journey of finding a deeper love than initial attraction. And Mina, in particular, was a wonderful, heartwarming character who persevered in times of struggle yet maintained her goodness above those around her. Yet, the desire to shake some sense into Simon did deflate my overall enjoyment just a smidgen, which means I think Flame & Ember deserves 3.5 Stars. Have you read (or listened to) Flame & Ember? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for A Debt of Honor

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

A Debt of Honor (The Leighs, # 4)

By: MA Nichols

Expected Publication: February 27, 2024 by M.A. Nichols

pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Can a marriage based on obligation become something meaningful?

Benjamin Leigh is at a crossroads. Having reached his majority, his parents expect him to do his duty and break the entail that keeps them from selling off bits of the family’s estate. Doing so would destroy his family’s legacy, but to deny his parents would bring their wrath down upon his head.

Bigger troubles arrive when Benjamin receives a letter from a dear schoolmaster, who was more a father figure than a teacher. On his deathbed, he begs Benjamin to provide for his beloved daughter, who hasn’t money or connections to protect her once he is gone.

Yet to do so would ruin her reputation.

Unless she is his wife.

Nan Price is stuck in a difficult situation. Whilst reeling from the death of her father, she finds herself turned out of the only home she’s ever known and barely able to feed herself, leaving her little choice when an old pupil of her father’s arrives and offers a marriage of convenience.

With their present in upheaval and their future in question, they return to Benjamin’s family’s home and his parents’ disapproval at his having married a girl of such low standing—and they will do anything to be rid of Nan and free their estate from the entail.

Can Benjamin remain strong against his parents’ machinations when their financial aid is the only thing keeping the young couple from the poor house? How will he provide for his wife without their support?

And how can two strangers learn to coexist when so much stands between them?

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2023

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2023

1. Helen Scheuerer - Blood and Steel (Legends of Thezmarr, # 1)



2. Rebecca Yarros - This should probably be my number 1. I didn't rank them in order of preference. But these two books are in my top favorite of 2023.



3. Jennie Goutet - I read 9 books by Jennie Goutet this past year which is pretty phenomenal for a new-to-me author in one year. I read: A Yorkshire Carol (A Christmas Match, # 3 --review coming), An Amiable Foe, A Regrettable Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 1 --review coming soon), A Faithful Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 2 -- review coming soon), A Daring Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 3 --review coming soon), A Fall from Grace (Clavering Chronicles, # 1), Philippa Holds Court (Clavering Chronicles, # 2), The Sport of Matchmaking (Clavering Chronicles, # 3 --review coming soon), & His Disinclined Bride (Seasons of Change, # 7)



4. MA Nichols - Read The Shameless Flirt (The Ashbrooks, # 2) & Flame and Ember (The Kingsleys, # 1 --review coming Thursday)

5. Katie Stone Stewart - I read Scotland's Melody and immediately hoped for a sequel.

6. Louie Giglio - We finished How Great is Our God and we are reading Indescribable now.

7. Jamie Erickson - I read Homeschool Bravely and LOVED it.

8. Libby Hubscher - Play for Me was much deeper and complex than I expected. I'll defintely check out more from her in the future.

9. Amanda Taylor - I read an Uncharted Devotion and was totally bummed to have missed her newest release Persuaded to the Sea when it was available on egalley. I'll get around to it eventually, I'm sure.



10. Nisha J Tuli - I read Trial of the Sun Queen & Rule of the Aurora King. These weren't perfect books for me, but I did read them quickly.

Which new-to-you authors did you read in 2023? Let me know!

The Shameless Flirt - Review

The Shameless Flirt (The Ashbrooks, # 2)

By: MA Nichols

Expected Publication: February 5, 2019

284 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: YouTube Audiobooks

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--A rogue with a silver tongue, a spinster with an iron heart, and the doorstep baby that brings them together.

Ambrose Ashbrook spends his life hiding. Even his family sees nothing but the roguish façade he hides behind. But when he finds an abandoned infant, all pretense is upended with one look at her dimpled smile. Knowing his sister is better equipped to help the child, Ambrose climbs aboard a carriage bound for the country.

It’s only a day’s journey. An easy distance. Caring for a baby cannot be that difficult…

Mary Hayward despises flirts. One broke her heart, and she won’t allow it to happen again, so being trapped in a public coach with a chatty charmer is the last thing she wants. But when it’s clear the gentleman is struggling to care for his young charge, Mary has no choice but to lend a hand.

If only he would be quiet! A gentleman like him cannot possibly be interested in a plain spinster like herself… Could he?

I started The Shameless Flirt on my drive to my sister's house 3-3.5 hours away from home. And I have to say that this was the perfect audiobook for me to listen to on my drive. And shame on me, but I finished this book more than a month before sitting down to write my review. I can't seem to get into a rhythm of writing reviews now that my computer is shut away in the office where Husband is working from home all day.

I haven't often read (or listened) to a book where one of the main characters is described as unattractive. That was the case for Mary. Because she's unattractive, she's pretty much been overlooked her whole life. She had an experience with someone that she was in love with, and they gave all indications they reciprocated until it became clear that she was just being used as sport. It broke Mary's heart and shattered her trust. As far as trust goes, it didn't help the way that her parents put all their efforts on helping her sister secure a wealthy match and treat Mary like a servant or housekeeper. How could anyone love her when her family didn't even seem to?

Amrbose has been labeled as the flirt. His family doesn't take him seriously, and neither does society. He has been known to engage with women here or there, but only ones who wouldn't expect him to marry them. He's charming, even when he doesn't mean to be. And he reminded me of Husband in many ways. Ambrose finds himself in possession of a small child that was meant for his neighbor, who, of course, would not accept the child. Ambrose needs to determine a good home for Dottie (I think I remember that being her name), and so he sets off to his sister's house to ask her for help.

Mary's parents take her sister to London for the season in hopes of securing her a wealthy marriage. Mary expects to spend the season in London as well. But her mother essentially sends her home in a public coach. Mary and Ambrose are forced together in the coach for most of their journey home since Mary's home and Ambrose's sister are neighboring estates. Despite Ambrose quickly forming an attachment to Dottie, it is obvious that he doesn't know the first thing about entertaining or taking care of a child. Mary takes pity on him despite having an objection to Ambrose's flirtatious personality, which she almost takes as a personal affront, considering flirtation was used as a weapon against her at one time. She despises the falseness about it all. Ambrose can't figure out what he's done to offend her, but he appreciates her help with Dottie regardless.

You would think their journey would take up the majority of the story, but that isn't the case. Ambrose and Mary do have a lengthy journey that felt like it would never end in some ways, but it was also not the entirety of the book. Ambrose begins to realize he's developed feelings for Mary and attempts to court her, but Mary is so wholly unable to even imagine someone could possibly love her in that way that she can't believe him to be genuine. Much of the story revolves around Ambrose's attempts to woo her.

Since so much time has passed between finishing the book and sitting down to write this review (shamefully, a whole two months), I'm struggling with the finer details. But I do remember that I really enjoyed it. I appreciated the backstory between both main characters. Their own histories and hurts from the past playing into their struggle to overcome where they are now in hopes of having a future where they could possibly be happy together was done well. I will check out other books by MA Nichols for sure. I liked how each and every piece of this story played out. I only wish I had written down my feelings about it all much sooner. I can't forget the narrator, Madeleine Brolly, does a wonderful job as well. The Shameless Flirt gets 4 Stars. Have you read or listened to The Shameless Flirt? What did you think? Let me know!