A Sapphire Season by Lynn Morris

Lady Mirabella Tirel has determined this is the season in London in which she will find a suitable husband. Her desire is to be married and have children. With that in mind, she and her friend Josephine travel from their home in Camarden to London where they navigate the nuances of the ton. Mirabella sets her sights on three potential matches.

Sir Giles Knyvet is in love with his best friend. They have grown up together but it’s only been in the past few years he’s realized his feelings for Mirabella. But he knows he’s not a suitable husband for her. He’s merely a baronet and is trying to settle the debts of his family’s estate. There is no way he’s going to live off of his wife’s dowry.

As Mirabella and Giles spend time with the wealthy, titled upper class of England, they both seem interested in the other. Will Giles finally confess his love for Mirabella before it’s too late? Will Mirabella give up comfort and security for true love?

While I’m usually a fan of Regency fiction, this book felt a little lacking. First of all, I was disappointed I didn’t get to see more of Giles’s point of view. There were only a handful of chapters in the book that followed him and his friends. I found myself wondering a few times what Giles was up to. In addition, I was three quarters of the way through the book, wondering why it’s listed as Christian fiction before there was mention of God, prayer, or religion. Although, isn’t that the way it goes in life sometimes? We happily go along until something goes wrong and then we reach out to God. Finally, the narrative style was a little cumbersome and took some getting used to. I guess I prefer first or second point of view to being told a story.

With that said, if you enjoy the caste system of England, the costumes, the parties and balls, then this book is chock full of those details. The gossiping matrons, Gentleman Jackson’s boxing club, the ton, and etiquette were all in this book.

***Faithwords/Center Street provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.