Two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society's opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.
Handsome appearance counts for naught unless matched by good character and actions.
That's the firm opinion of not-so-meek minister's daughter Lavinia Ellison. So even though all the other villagers of St. Hampton Heath are swooning over the newly returned seventh Earl of Hawkesbury, she is not impressed. If a man won't take his responsibilities seriously and help those who are supposed to be able to depend on him, he deserves no respect from her. In Lavinia's pretty, gray eyes, Nicholas Stamford is just as arrogant and reckless as his brother--who stole the most important person in Livvie's world.
Nicholas is weighed down by his own guilt and responsibility, by the pain his careless brother caused, and by the legacy of war he's just left. This quick visit home to St. Hampton Heath will be just long enough to ease a small part of that burden. Asking him to bother with the lives of the villagers when there's already a bailiff on the job is simply too much to expect.
That is, until the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. With her angelic voice in his head, he may even be beginning to care. But his isn't the only heart that needs to change.
These two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society's opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.
Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister's daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a humbled appreciation of God's grace and the true strength of love.
From the Author
I hope you enjoy reading The Elusive Miss Ellison – she was certainly a lot of fun to write about!
I love reading about feisty heroines as much as the next redhead 🙂 but sometimes too much ‘feist’ can come across as just rude. Miss Ellison has some sass, but a warm heart, and when she meets her match in Lord Hawkesbury, she begins to learn a few home truths.
I try to create characters that face some of the same challenges and problems as we all do at times: issues with families, loneliness, financial constraints, society’s expectations. It’s my hope that people can identify with, and appreciate the journey these characters go on, from presumption to understanding, from pride to humility, and be inspired with hope, as these characters transform into people we want to be. People who forgive, who extend grace to the unlovely, who care more about other people than they do about their appearance. People who bring kindness into the world.
Miss Ellison has been close to my heart for years – I hope she’ll grow close to yours, too.
Carolyn Miller
