Cindy Anstey

In 1917 Kent, England, eighteen-year-old Imogene Chively's father has chosen Ernest Steeple as her future husband, but his younger brother, Benjamin, wins her heart while she is giving him drawing lessons, all while someone seeks to do them harm.

Suitors and Sabotage

dija

This book was kind of a mess. 

RTC God knows when.

Candyce Kirk

This was a cute book. If you aren't a fan of love triangles, this isn't a book for you, haha. I have to say I didn't mind it in this book. The mystery element was nice as well.

I am part of the blog tour and my full review can be read here: https://thebookdutchesses.wordpress.c...

Ashton Reed

This. is. so. cute! If you ever need an adorable, fluffy romance to read, READ THIS! So frickin cute.

When the novel begins, we meet two best friends: our main character, Imogene, and her best friend Emily. They are young ladies just finishing their Seasons in London in the year 1817, and Imogene has a charming suitor by the name of Ernest Steeple. Ernest visits Imogene's estate with his brother, Ben, in hopes of courting Imogene and proposing to her. As Emily becomes increasingly attracted to Ben, and as Imogene becomes torn between following her heart and following her mind, things get... a little more complicated. It doesn't help matters when odd occurrences begin hurting people, and no one will listen to Imogene and Emily when they insist there is a conspiracy lurking behind these "accidents."

Firstly, like I mentioned earlier, this book is so adorable! I loved all the relationships, but not just the romantic ones. The friendships that develop between the characters are so sweet and are representative of what friendships should be like, in my opinion, and I think the characters learn a lot about that through their experiences. And, of course, the romance is very cute and sweet (obviously ;) ).

Disclaimer: there is only a tiny love triangle in this book. It's one of those where the reader knows who the main character is going to end up with, so it isn't one where you have to pick a guy and hope for the best, if you know what I mean.

But... if you're one of those people that doesn't want a whole lot of romance with their YA, that's perfectly fine! You might want to look into other books first, but this one is a little more than just a light read. 

Surprisingly, the plot gets pretty complex, first with the romance aspect. People begin to start "liking" who they aren't supposed to, and then that gets intertwined with the mysterious "accidents" that are becoming increasingly dangerous. Overall, the plot is executed perfectly, and the readers are constantly thinking, "Oh no, it can't get worse than this!" Come on, you all know what I'm talking about - it always gets worse. But... it has to get worse before it can get better, and that's all I'm going to say ;) . 

Now, I have read some other reviews where the reviewer claims the plot and the characters aren't true to the time period. I am, to be honest, not quite sure if that's true or not. However, I can tell you that the novel's purpose isn't to teach about the society in which the story takes place; Anstey's purpose is to entertain her readers with an adorable story that doesn't have any need for a setting outside of the families' various estates. With that being said, I think that Anstey did a great job of creating her own kind of world that teenagers can better relate to in this time, and the dialogue and descriptions enraptured me into believing its authenticity, personally, so it can't be completely inaccurate.

To sum it all up, this is such an enjoyable read! It didn't quite give me enough feelings for it to make it to my 2018 favorites shelf, but it was pretty close. It just made me happy inside and gave me that feel-good... well, feeling.

Thanks for reading, and au revoir, my fellow bookworms!

Thanks, Goodreads, Swoon Reads, and Cindy Anstey for giving me this sweet novel. All of the opinions in this review are my own.

For more bookstuffs, visit my blog at http://ashtonread.blogspot.com , and make sure to leave a comment on your feelings, too! I always love to talk about books ;) .

Megan During

Kristina Sanders

Two young people must hide their true feelings for each other while figuring out who means them harm in this cheeky Regency romance from the author of Love, Lies and Spies and Duels & Deception. Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother. Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural apprentice, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother's intended. But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm. And as their affection for each other grows—despite their efforts to remain just friends—so does the danger. . . In Suitors and Sabotage, author Cindy Anstey delivers another witty young adult historical fiction novel that is the perfect mix of sweetly romantic and action-packed. Praise for Suitors and Sabotage: A Junior Library Guild Selection "Mystery and romance are delightfully intertwined . . . Taking inspiration from Jane Austen novels, Anstey’s latest is a lighthearted and romantic read." ?Booklist Praise for Duels & Deception: "Jane Austen fans in need of a good new book, look no further. Cindy Anstey’s new YA novel, Duels & Deception, is your next regency romance treat." —Entertainment Weekly Praise for Love, Lies and Spies: "It’s Jane Austen meets Jane Foster in Anstey’s debut novel, which serves up a delightful combination of Regency romance, scientific curiosity, and spy intrigue for a tale that will have readers rooting for love and science." —Entertainment Weekly

Suitors and Sabotage

Reviews