Sian Bessey

All the stars for this charming, gentle romance! I’ve absolutely adored each book in the Georgian Gentlemen series and am sad to see it come to an end, but this book wraps things up in such a beautiful bow. I love second chance romances especially if they were childhood friends. This sweet story involves Caroline Granger who lost her husband to small pox and is recovering herself from the disease. Left scarred and weakened, she returns home to her father’s rectory with her darling four year old daughter Meg.

Though he’s an heir to an earldom, Lord Benning much prefers working on his farm. When Meg wanders onto his property, he’s immediately charmed by the cute little girl. When her mother comes searching for her and mistakes him for a farmhand, he’s intrigued by the veiled woman. When he discovers that it’s Caroline, his brother’s best childhood playmate and the girl he used to race boats with, he’s determined to get to know her again as adults.

I loved this tender romance! Caroline is always self conscience of her small pox scars that ravaged her body and health. I loved the way Lord Benning/Benedict could easily look past the scars, and love her. I also loved how Benedict and the women in her father’s parish help her have the courage to remove her veil. Caroline’s kind, compassionate nature completely won Benedict over and her darling daughter has “Mr. Bent” wrapped around her little finger as well. I loved the visits to the farm, boat races, rescues, the daisy crowns, that first kiss (sigh), and the natural progression from friendship to love.

I knew quite a bit about small pox going in to this story, but I loved the way the author incorporated the history in such a personal, thought provoking way. As with all of the books in the Georgian Gentlemen series, there’s a bit of a mystery involved and I enjoyed the twists that challenged my perceptions of what was going on.

Highest of recommendations for this amazing conclusion to a fabulous series! It can definitely be read as a standalone, but those who’ve read previous books will recognize mentions of familiar characters. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.… (mehr)

Sian Ann Bessey’s Georgian Gentlemen series has been a favorite of mine, and The Unassuming Curator is a wonderful addition to it. Bessey is a master at creating interesting, memorable, engaging characters and building delightful stories around them.

Emily Norton is dreading her upcoming London Season. When she comes across a gentleman digging up a flower near a hedge, she is intrigued. As she meets him again in London at a dinner party, they discover they are interested in many of the same things. Henry Buckland is a curator of natural history at the British Museum and happens to be colorblind, which is a detriment in his job. He is caring and diligent and connects quickly with Emily who enjoys reading, science, and learning new things. I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow as they spent time together. When danger threatens, Henry’s Aunt Millward and Emily step in to help. Aunt Millward is such a fun character. She’s witty, adventurous, helpful, and a great addition to the story.

I enjoyed learning more about the British Museum while reading this charming tale. Bessey’s rich historical research is evident, and the author’s notes at the back of the book were very interesting. The writing is excellent and the story flowed well. Although this is part of a series, it can easily be read alone. Some characters from previous books in the series make an appearance in this one, which is an added pleasure. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy clean and wholesome historical romance. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.… (mehr)

Another delightful, warm hearted, sweet romance in the Georgian Gentleman series. I loved this book. I can always count on Sian Ann Bessey to fascinate me with interesting historical details and an enjoyable romance. In this story, we’re treated to a behind the scenes look at the life of a museum curator in the late 1700’s. Brimming with a gentle romance, witty dialogue, endearing characters, and a hint of mystery/suspense, this story was definitely one I thoroughly enjoyed reading and had a hard time putting down.

Emily is the type of kind, down to earth, knowledge seeking young woman you’d want to be friends with and Henry is just as endearing and interesting. When they meet on a country lane and banter over a red campion flower, both think it unlikely they’ll see each other again. But, that brief encounter stays with them and when they formally meet again in London, there’s a definite attraction there.

Emily thirsts for knowledge and is constantly curious about the world around her. She loves reading nonfiction and can’t wait to see the museum where Henry is a curator. Henry suffers from color blindness, a condition that wasn’t well understood at the time. This makes identifying the colors of flowers in particular difficult. As their relationship blossoms into more, danger threatens when Henry’s reputation and health are put in jeopardy after being considered for the position of director of the museum.

I loved Emily & Henry. They’re both the type of characters you easily cheer for. I enjoyed Henry’s forthright, lovable aunt, as well as seeing Phoebe and Adam again. There’s also a conniving villain who doesn’t want Henry to succeed. The mystery builds towards the end when everything comes to a head.

Highly recommend, especially to historical romance fans! Although it’s part of a series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are completely my own and voluntarily given.… (mehr)