The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller

 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.

The Elusive Miss Ellison was a phenomenal novel that I devoured in one sitting. The plot was well written and moved at the perfect pace to allow me to embed myself in the story without getting bogged down in details or feeling bored. The story line included elements of mystery, romance, and a little suspense, and had many important themes such as the importance of forgiveness, mercy, and not being too quick to judge others and their circumstances. I liked both Nicholas and Lavinia, and I enjoyed how their characters clashed and completely misjudged one another due to what they assumed and their past experiences. I thought both characters (and other minor characters) were well developed and had many strengths and weaknesses. I enjoyed watching both main characters grow more mature and seeing Nicholas' change of heart toward God as the story progressed. I liked how the author wove the ending of the story together and brought out some interesting secrets from both characters' families. Overall, I highly recommend this novel, and I cannot wait to read more of Carolyn Miller's works.

I received this novel for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for an honest review.

Learn more and read other reviews at: http://litfusegroup.com/author/CMiller

  

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About the author:

Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.