The Determined Miss Rachel by Laura Rollins

 

The Determined Miss Rachel by Laura Rollins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source:  Received to Review

Genre: Regency Romance

Book Description:  She wants nothing more than to leave.

He wants nothing more than for her to stay.

Change may be the only constant in life, but for Rachel Chant change has only ever meant loss. First her father passed, then she was forced to leave her mother, and now she has even lost her home. Enough is enough and Rachel determines to find a way to be with her mother once again. She is no longer a little girl, dependent on those charged with her care, and she won’t stand by while her mother slips beyond reputable society and further into poverty.

Christopher Dunn has always lived among the comforts of high society, but never as a true member. The son of a musician and now a tutor, he has long since given up on having a home or family. Change and disruption are a way of life for him. He’s a man without roots, and he’s fine with that. That is, until he meets Rachel.

Steady in the face of uncertainty and with a love of music that runs as deep as his own, Rachel first captures Christopher’s interest and soon afterward his heart. However, Rachel’s determination to return home won’t let her rest. But to return home would be to leave Christopher. Life, it seems, is not yet done taking away those she loves, and this time it just might be more than either of them can endure.

As the second stand-alone novel in a new series by author Laura Rollins, The Determined Miss Rachel continues the Daughters of Courage series. This charming story is a light-hearted, clean and wholesome romance set in the Regency era (think: a clean Bridgerton). All books in this series have their own Happily-Ever-After and can be read apart or enjoyed in proper order.

My thoughts: Rachel is on a mission. She is determined to go home and help her mother. Her guardian, her Uncle, has a different mission. His goal is to see Rachel settle and keep a secret about why she can not go home. To say the least, it is complicated.

I loved Rachel's character. She knows what she wants and tries to figure out how to achieve her goals. Lord Fitzwilliam is another favorite character. He provides comic relief. He is also determined not to marry but is curious about the proposal process. I loved that he practiced his proposals on Rachel and asked for feedback about how he could improve. He is a grown man, but still employs a tutor, Christopher. The relationship is one of respect and friendship between the two. He balances out Fitzwilliam and is a confidant and friend to Rachel.

The story does not turn out exactly as you think it will. There is the mystery of Rachel's mother and why she is unable to see her. I didn't have the ending figured out. There were surprises, which was refreshing.

I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more in this series.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is available for Kindle Unlimited, or is available for purchase.

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About the Author: Laura Rollins has always loved a heart-melting happily ever after. It didn’t matter if the story took place in Regency England, or in a cobbler’s shop, if there was a sweet romance, she would read it.

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Life has given her many of her own adventures. Currently she lives in the Rocky Mountains with her best-friend, who is also her husband, and their four beautiful children. She still loves to read books and more books; her favorite types of music are classical, Broadway, and country; she loves hiking in the mountains near her home; and she’s been known to debate with her oldest son about whether Infinity is better categorized as a number or an idea.