Book Review ~ "Saving Grace" by Michele Paige Holmes

Saving Grace by Michele Paige Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Purchased kindle edition
Genre: Regency Romance

Book Description:  After the death of her grandfather, the Duke of Salisbury, Grace Thatcher wants nothing more than to live quietly in the country with her younger siblings. Her father’s debts thwart those plans, and to protect her sister, Helen, Grace must marry a man of her father’s choosing. 

As each suitor proves less than desirable, Grace comes up with clever schemes, causing each to reject her. While staying at the mysterious Sutherland Hall, a middle-of-the-night mishap sends Grace into the arms of a stranger, Nicholas Sutherland—and provides inspiration for her grandest plan yet—one that will leave her reputation in tatters yet free both her and Helen from all possibility of marriage. 

Too late Grace regrets her rash actions when her father’s last choice, Mr. Samuel Preston, proves to be a gentleman and a friend. But Samuel is the sworn enemy of Nicholas Sutherland, the man responsible for her “ruin.” Now instead of being free, Grace is caught between two men—each with his own agenda.
My thoughts: Saving Grace was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting to like the characters as much as I did. Grace is an enterprising young woman. She is in a difficult position. She has a money grasping/drunk/gambler for a father. His financial problems become hers when he pushes her to marry to get him financial gain. She must protect her younger brother and sister from her father and secure them a quiet life in the country.

I loved the way she found an escape from all of the men her father sent her wanted her to marry. She was on the "rounds" going from one suitor to another within days of each other. She used her intellect and quick whit to get her out of some tight situations. She is very daring. A proper woman of the regency era wouldn't put on breeches and join a hunt!

The romance in the book is gradual. Grace and Nicholas do not have a great beginning. In fact you could classify it as terrifying. It does give her another great idea to escape yet another suitor. She didn't expect that the suitor would be a gentleman that she liked spending time with.

This book has many missed opportunities. It has characters who have many flaws. Grace has a presence that helps those around her see room for improvement. She is genuine. She doesn't change her personality to fit her surroundings, she shows the other characters that there is room for different ideas and traditions.

This book is clean.

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About the Author: (Taken from Goodreads)  Michele Paige Holmes spent her childhood and youth in Arizona and northern California, often curled up with a good book instead of out enjoying the sunshine. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Elementary Education, and found it an excellent major in which to indulge her love of children’s literature. 

Her first novel, Counting Stars (Covenant Communications 2007), won the 2007 Whitney Award for best romance. Her companion novel, a romantic suspense titled, All the Stars in Heaven (Covenant 2009), was a Whitney finalist, as was her first historical romance, Captive Heart (Covenant 2011). My Lucky Stars (Covenant 2012) completed the Stars series. 
After having a novella published in A Timeless Romance Anthology European Collection (Mirror Press, 2013), Michele decided to focus on historical romance and began Hearthfire Historicals, with the debut novel Saving Grace. A companion novella, Loving Helen will be released February 2015.
Michele has been a member of the same critique group for over fourteen years and feels privileged to meet with fellow authors Annette Lyon, Heather B. Moore, LuAnn Staheli, Sarah M. Eden, J. Scott Savage, and Robison Wells. She has been a member of RWA and URWA, LDStorymakers, and The League of Utah Writers. Michele enjoys both attending and teaching at conferences. 
When not reading or writing romance, Michele is busy with her full time job as a wife and mother. She and her husband live in Utah with their five high maintenance children and a Shitzu that resembles a teddy bear, in a house with a wonderful view of the mountains. You can find Michele on the web at michelepaigeholmes.com and on Facebook and twitter .