Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Best Intentions by Sarah M. Eden, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Best Intentions
Series: The Huntresses #1
Author: Sarah M. Eden
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: November 21, 2022
Genre: Clean & Wholesome Romance/Historical/Regency
In the eyes of London Society, Gillian Phelps is suitable enough. Though the ton whispers about her change of residence, any speculation remains just that: ballroom gossip. No one—not even the other Huntresses, the group of ladies she calls her dearest friends—knows that she is harboring a devastating family secret. Gillian has become adept at hiding the reality of her circumstances, but the close quarters of a house party will test her ability to conceal the crushing truth. And with so many people to deceive, the late arrival of another guest is a most unwelcome surprise.
Despite his standing as a gentleman of the ton, in truth, Scott Sarvol possesses little more than two debt-riddled estates. When an opportunity arises to survey one of his properties, he travels north, only to find himself an unwitting guest at Artemis Jonquil’s house party. He is warmly welcomed by all—except the aloof Miss Gillian Phelps. But when Scott proves himself unexpectedly helpful in a crisis, his acquaintance with Gillian shifts from wariness to something warmer.
As both her charade and her feelings for Scott deepen, Gillian realizes that the truth could spell not only a devastating fall from Society but also a shattered heart.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
IN MY OPINION
I am a fan of Sarah M. Eden’s books (although I’ve only discovered them in the past couple of years and have a lot of catching up to do) and was looking forward to the first in her The Huntresses series. Gillian and Scott meet early in The Best Intentions and their relationship progresses at a rapid pace from there.
I appreciated that these two people brought out the best in the other. Scott brought Gillian back to the person she used to be before life got complicated for her and her father, while Gillian offers Scott a listening ear, sound advice, and some laughter in the midst of his financial woes.
While this book is the first in the new series, it could easily have been a continuation of Eden’s The Jonquil Brothers series since so many of them (too many for new readers, imho) make appearances throughout the story. Because I haven’t read about all of the Jonquil’s, I sometimes felt like I was left out of the loop.
There were no genuine surprises in this story for me. I guessed what the deal with Sarah’s dad was almost immediately. There was also a lot of repetition in Gillian’s and Scott’s inner monologues, which made the story drag at times and didn’t allow me to fully engage with the characters.
I will most likely give this series a second chance (if I have time to go back and read the previous series beforehand).
Disclosure statement: I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today bestselling author of multiple historical romances, including AML’s “2013 Novel of the Year” and Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, and the Whitney Award’s “2014 Novel of the Year,” Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.
Connect with Sarah by visiting sarahmeden.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of book, $25 Amazon gift card, bookmark, stickers, and button.
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 28, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on December 5, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Thank you for sharing your honest review of The Best Intentions
The premise for the book is intriguing enough that I’d still read it without knowing all the characters and their back stories.