Mel's Shelves: Blog Tour/Review: Lies & Letters by Ashtyn Newbold

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Blog Tour/Review: Lies & Letters by Ashtyn Newbold

Lies & Letters, by Ashtyn Newbold
2017, 247p, Clean Regency Romance
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way

After a season in London, Charlotte Lyons is still regrettably unattached. With her family’s finances in peril, she is sent away with her sister to a bleak coastal town where she is expected to pursue a wealthy earl. Beautiful and talented, how could she possibly fail? But when her heart is captured by someone entirely unexpected, Charlotte finds herself caught up in a web of lies and intrigue. Between hardship and sorrow, she finds more than she bargained for, forced to choose between the life she once wanted and a new love she never imagined.

I loved this book! The main character, Charlotte, 18, started out completely unlikable. Her mother was even worse, haha. Her sister, Clara, 16, had some redeeming qualities which gave me hope. The story takes place in England in 1818. When the family is left destitute, their mother sends the girls away, expecting Charlotte to use her feminine wiles to ensnare the rich earl and save them financially. Charlotte is haughty and proud and not about to lose her heart to anyone.

I actually like it when an author can take a character that I don't like and show how they can redeem themselves over time. At the beginning, Charlotte relied solely on her beauty to take her through life, without a care for how she treated other people. When she was sent away, she met a man who would challenge her and help her see life differently. There were lots of great characters who helped the sisters change and grow.

I enjoyed this book from the beginning, even when the characters were awful. I was hopeful that I would like them by the end and wondered how that would be accomplished. If you enjoy clean regency romance with flawed characters and plenty of drama, this is a book you will want to read!

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Ashtyn Newbold discovered a love of writing early in high school. Inspired by regency period romance, she wrote her first novel at the age of sixteen. Because she can’t vacation in her favorite historical time periods, she writes about them instead. When not crafting handsome historical heroes, she enjoys baking, sewing, music, and spoiling her dog. She dreams of traveling to England and Ireland. Ashtyn is currently studying English and creative writing at Utah Valley University. She lives in Lehi, Utah, with her family.

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