Reviews

Saving Grace by Michele Paige Holmes

casimiera's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

cammmiam's review against another edition

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4.0

Without a doubt, the best part of this book was the romance. I am not usually one to read what can be labeled as “clean” historical romances, but I think I may need to remedy that mistake after being pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Saving Grace.

From the opening chapter I felt invested in this story, particularly because I was so caught off guard by Grace’s desire to thwart any chance of receiving a proposal from a suitor. The way she went about being dismissed from the suitor’s home was clever; most importantly, it niggled my interest in her character. I wanted to know why she was determined not to marry. I wanted to know the stakes at risk if she did not. In time, I came to want to know more about the siblings she was determined to protect, along with their home life. When her disastrous encounter with Nicholas Sutherland occurs and leads to her plot to be thoroughly ruined by scandalous gossip I was sold on her character. And yet, she continued to surprise me. Grace is the kind of heroine I truly enjoy to read about.

Now for the romance: there is a love triangle. But unlike the love triangles in books that usually frustrate me to no end, this one did not get too bothersome. Yes, it was an extension of perhaps more plot than this book needed in terms of conflict between characters that must be resolved, but the other party was likable and always gave the reader the feeling he knew of (and approved of) the love blossoming between hero and heroine. As for Grace and Nicholas, the evolution of their relationship happens over many months, which is a significant part of the charm of their love. I did not feel as if things were rushed, and I appreciated being able to observe the growth of respect and admiration between them. This was a romance that felt real, and the “clean” aspect of this story made the tension between them all the more delicious to behold because no bodice-ripping was going to happen.

In the end, my only disappointment with this book can be found in its ending. The conflicts were unnecessary. But even worse than that, the cheesiness of the reconciliations had me inwardly cringing. I felt as if I had come to know Grace and Nicholas very well as I read, therefore it was off-putting to encounter thoughts and dialogue that did not match what I knew of their personalities. Maybe these two are one of those couples not suited for declarations of love to be publicized…

digitlchic's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5

valeriew's review against another edition

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2.0

Maybe 2 stars is a little harsh but it honestly took me months to finish this book. I finally just got to the point where I would skip pages at a time. Pages. Way too wordy for my taste. But thee were also things explained in detail then 5 chapters later explained again. And I knew that even skipping pages. Besides that it was a good story. I liked the characters.

linz's review against another edition

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5.0

(I received a copy of this book from eBooks for Review in exchange for an honest review.)

Grace is the daughter of a worthless gambler, and the granddaughter of the Duke of Salisbury. After her grandfather passes away, her father plans to marry her off to one of the loathsome men he owes, and he sends her to visit several of them. Grace does her best to thwart her father's plan, and is even willing to ruin her reputation to do so. She only wants to hold out long enough for her inheritance from her grandfather to come through so she can move to a quiet place with her siblings. Her love for her brother and sister is clear, and she will do whatever it takes to protect them. When she unexpectedly ends up at Sutherland Hall, her plans begin to gradually change.

Saving Grace is enchanting and well-written, and I really enjoyed reading it. While I'm not usually a fan of love triangles, it actually made sense in this story, and it wasn't unrealistic for Grace to be torn between the two men.

While I had an inkling about what might happen, I was never absolutely sure, and it was gratifying to read to the end without already knowing the outcome.

This was such a sweet and clean Regency-era romance, and I would highly recommend it.

beckiebookworm1974's review against another edition

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2.0

Grace Thatcher is the granddaughter of the duke of Salisbury and due to his death and an issue with her and her siblings inheritance is strong armed by her waste of space gambler father, into acquiring, or at least pretending to a husband.Grace feels better her than her younger shy timid sister. What follows is series of events that puts the three main characters of the story in the spotlight. We have Grace, sweet caring and totally unspoiled by her unfortunate upbringing which was untill later life a background of poverty. mr Samuel Preston a kind charming gentleman still grieving for his dead wife Elizabeth but determined to live his life as she would have wanted and lastly Nicholas Sutherland Elizabeth brother a dark bitter gruff man who blames Samuel for the death of his sister and his bent on revenge. Saving Grace is a clean sweet romance which shows the characters evolving through their interactions.

dcgw's review against another edition

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4.0

Enjoyed it

It had plenty of 'adventure' in it to keep you interested and engaged right to the end. I like her spunk and determination. Enjoyed all the characters and 'developments' too. Very nicely done.

ghumpherys's review against another edition

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5.0

I absolutely loved this sweet historical romance! The main character, Grace, had such determination to overcome her challenges and difficult childhood and protect her siblings. She did not become bitter but always looked for the positive. I loved that she was not afraid to stand up for herself and willingly sacrificed for those she cared about. Nicholas likewise had a difficult past to overcome. He gradually recognized how his quest for revenge had had such a negative impact on his life and his home. I loved how both characters needed each other (even though they were too stubborn to see it at first!) and each brought out the best in the other.
The Regency setting was perfect -- all the details were richly woven into the story. The other characters added a lot as well -- I especially enjoyed the servants and their loyalty and perspective. There were several humorous situations, and I loved the banter between the characters. And of course, such a sweet romance! I can't wait to read the companion novel about Helen.
I received an e-book copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

nicolepeck's review against another edition

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4.0

***I received a copy of this book from another author (Heather M. Brown) in return for my honest review.***

I thoroughly enjoyed this Regency romance, Grace's personality, and how the story came together. For a while, I wasn't sure how it was going to play out because there was so much up in the air between the characters and a love triangle going on. There was a lot going on and at times things would start abruptly from where they left off before with no explanation (though sometimes dealt with later), but, overall, I really enjoyed the writing and the characters and am looking forward to the rest of the books in this series.

cats_cardigans_and_catalogs's review against another edition

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4.0

Plowed through it pretty quick for a 375 page book. Grace is so cute, so dumb in the beginning, but so sweet. She made a few dumb choices but managed to grow beyond them and they were mostly in the first quarter. Nicholas felt very beast-like (beauty and the beast) and Grace managed to help him get through his anger and grief to make him much more princely. It felt a bit long for the story but there was enough action to keep me interested. It was definitely a light, fluffy read but it was fun. Definitely recommend to the Mormon fiction regency crowd.
*squeaky clean, just a few kisses