Book: Carving for Miss Coventry
Author: Deborah M. Hathaway
My Rating: 4 Sweet Stars
Hey bookworms! It’s been a minute since I’ve read a regency romance. I stumbled across this series by chance and really enjoyed the first book. So, it’s my duty to share it with y’all!
Ok, a brief synopsis before I get into the random details that I LOVED about this book. Edward Steele (stellar name for a leading man BTW) is trying to keep his dearly departed father’s woodworking business afloat. Like, that is his number one priority. And number two is taking care of his momma. So, when he takes a job for the Coventry family, he is 100% NOT there for anything but a paycheck. Or is he? (Read that in your best Keith Morrison voice.) It’s impossible for him to ignore Miss Marianne Coventry. Mostly because having a carpenter work on their library is like the most excitement the poor girl has had in her entire life, and so she is straight up stalker material. Eventually, they form an unlikely friendship that turns into love. But how will it work? He’s working class, literally the hired help. And Marianne has an unwed older sister, meaning she’s not even supposed to be on the market. What will they do? Will true love prevail????
First of all, I adored Edward immediately because he had zero time for rich, pretentious old men and his strategy for dealing with it was to just eat a bunch of food on the old man’s dime. So, pretty much from chapter one I was a big fan. Edward was also surprisingly good at reading a situation. Most leading men are like, “Women are so complex. I don’t understand. I’m lost.” But Mr. Steele was totally intuitive about what Marianne needed. Even though she often left him scratching his head with her banter, when it counted he was there. For her part, Marianne was sheltered, but super up for a good time. I mean, a carpenter working on some bookshelves was an exotic thing to her. In reality it’s pretty mundane when you think about it. I loved her quirks and how she latched on to anything remotely interesting or exciting. It made for an adorable story arc of them becoming friends and then more. I was enjoying it so much that I really didn’t get caught up on the logistics of how much their relationship should not have worked.
It’s the first in a series and I’m excited to read more, however each book is written by a different author so I’m not sure what to expect with the rest of the series. If you like historical romance and are looking for a sweet, clean read I recommend this one!
Krystle Goodman is a crazy cat lady, who loves to drink exorbitant amounts of coffee, and read a shocking amount of books. She lives in Benton with her husband Josh, her son Roman, and their two cats Roxanne and Abby. When she isn’t reading, you’ll find her cooking, painting, or watching true crime shows. Watch for Krystle’s book reviews every other Friday. Send fanmail to: [email protected]
See more of Krystle’s reviews at www.mysaline.com/krystle.