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english_lady03's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this title, but I wasn't entirely keen on the narrator. Her accent sometimes fluctuated between something that sounded more like Pakistani or Jamaican than English or Scottish.
Alex, Lily, and their supporting characters were excellent, even Matron proved not to be such a dragon at the end. I can identify with Lily being a little clumsy, getting lost and making mistakes involving her being made to do menial tasks all the time.
I did also appreciate the vague nods to various classic movies and novels in certain details. The geographical setting was realistic and well used too. I don't think there were any wild boars in Britain in 1915 though. Not even in the Highlands. They became extinct in the 1500s and weren't reintroduced until the 1950s.
I did spot a few Americanisms coming from the British characters, and I dunno, I why do all Scottish characters have to be these extreme nationalists? The English and Scottish actually have more in common that Americans like to admit.
An enjoyable historical novel which was little more lighthearted than some of the author's other offerings where the characters are on the front line of the war, or caught up in international intrigues.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson for approving my request for this audiobook. I was not required to write a positive review.
Alex, Lily, and their supporting characters were excellent, even Matron proved not to be such a dragon at the end. I can identify with Lily being a little clumsy, getting lost and making mistakes involving her being made to do menial tasks all the time.
I did also appreciate the vague nods to various classic movies and novels in certain details. The geographical setting was realistic and well used too. I don't think there were any wild boars in Britain in 1915 though. Not even in the Highlands. They became extinct in the 1500s and weren't reintroduced until the 1950s.
I did spot a few Americanisms coming from the British characters, and I dunno, I why do all Scottish characters have to be these extreme nationalists? The English and Scottish actually have more in common that Americans like to admit.
An enjoyable historical novel which was little more lighthearted than some of the author's other offerings where the characters are on the front line of the war, or caught up in international intrigues.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson for approving my request for this audiobook. I was not required to write a positive review.
farmfreshlisa's review against another edition
4.0
This was a new to me author. And I really liked her style! The book kept my interest and had a good story. We saw changes in the characters from beginning to end. She reminds me almost of a Pollyanna or Josephine March kind of person.
Solid story.
Solid story.
cari1268's review against another edition
**DNF at 67%**
I wanted a good fluff book and thought this would fit the bill. What can beat a romance novel set in Scotland? Yum.
Nope. No. Nuh-uh. I did not like the hero of the story. The hero, Alec, put blinders on in regards to his problems and it drove me crazy. His temperament could be described in one word: sullen.
It's a shame because I really liked Lily. The author gave her a great personality. Although she was sometimes annoyingly over-perfect. Her only fault was trying to help people too much? Come on.
Because Lilly was so great and Alec was a curmudgeon, I couldn't cheer for them to get together. That pretty much kills any enjoyment of a romance I might have. I ultimately decided to stop reading when I realized I was actively rooting for the two not to be together.
One situation in particular actually made me mad. I need my females leads to have a backbone and stand up for themselves.
I might have been able to finish this if it weren't so overly long. This is slow-paced book. At least a hundred pages could have been shaved off.
2 Stars.
I wanted a good fluff book and thought this would fit the bill. What can beat a romance novel set in Scotland? Yum.
Nope. No. Nuh-uh. I did not like the hero of the story. The hero, Alec, put blinders on in regards to his problems and it drove me crazy.
Spoiler
For YEARS he sold off art work to pay debts. It's apparent in the book that he can't do this forever but no plan is in place to save his estate. Years with this problem and no solution. Uck. My Type A personality was in pain.It's a shame because I really liked Lily. The author gave her a great personality. Although she was sometimes annoyingly over-perfect. Her only fault was trying to help people too much? Come on.
Because Lilly was so great and Alec was a curmudgeon, I couldn't cheer for them to get together. That pretty much kills any enjoyment of a romance I might have. I ultimately decided to stop reading when I realized I was actively rooting for the two not to be together.
One situation in particular actually made me mad. I need my females leads to have a backbone and stand up for themselves.
Spoiler
Alec verbally lashed out at Lily. He said a lot of unfair and not true things. Lily was willing to KISS him without any of this addressed. His behavior was not okay. But I get it. We're humans and sometimes we say thing we don't mean. Plus, he's a grump and I expected no less from him at that point. Lily's willingness to ignore the situation was just terrible. Demand to be treated better, girl. Ugh!!! When the problem is finally addressed, Lily stated that she deserved what he said. Huh? No, sis, ya didn't.I might have been able to finish this if it weren't so overly long. This is slow-paced book. At least a hundred pages could have been shaved off.
2 Stars.
morgangiesbrecht's review against another edition
3.0
Scotland, WW1, and a hint of mystery? This book had major selling points for me, but in the end didn’t quite deliver as I had hoped.
Lily and Alex gave me major Beauty and the Beast vibes. Sunshiny woman waltzes into a crumbling castle with a broody injured lord, and they proceed to fall in love.
My favourite characters were Guthrie the butler (seriously this man is a gem!), Bertie, and Viola. As for those I didn’t like… that list could go on for a while because there are many “villains.” ;)
The romance was a bit intense for my personal tastes. Lily definitely went too far at times with some of her “efforts to be helpful,” but the mystery itself was interesting although not altogether shocking.
I loved the whole aspect of a convalescent nursing home setting; unique angles into wartime life are always appreciated. I felt this to be well done and honestly one of the best parts of the book!
Lily and Alex gave me major Beauty and the Beast vibes. Sunshiny woman waltzes into a crumbling castle with a broody injured lord, and they proceed to fall in love.
My favourite characters were Guthrie the butler (seriously this man is a gem!), Bertie, and Viola. As for those I didn’t like… that list could go on for a while because there are many “villains.” ;)
The romance was a bit intense for my personal tastes. Lily definitely went too far at times with some of her “efforts to be helpful,” but the mystery itself was interesting although not altogether shocking.
I loved the whole aspect of a convalescent nursing home setting; unique angles into wartime life are always appreciated. I felt this to be well done and honestly one of the best parts of the book!
tschonfeld's review against another edition
4.0
Took me a little while to get into this, but I quite enjoyed it once I did . It was an unusual setting for a romance. There were a few lost plot threads, but overall I didn’t mind it so much. I met the author at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, and she was lovely! Rounded up from 3.5 stars.
inspiretruth's review against another edition
3.0
An American heiress meets a Scottish laird during World War I
Beauty Among Ruins is a unique novel. Set in the early 1900s, the story follows Lily Durham, an American socialite from New York, after her parents ship her off to England to “learn how to act like a lady.” During Lily’s stay, the war intensifies, scorching through Europe with a force that calls all the men to arms and the women to care for the wounded coming off the battlefield.
Following her cousin, Birdy, to the Scottish Highlands, Lily finds herself in Kinclavoch Castle, where she is to be a nurse, though she is hardly qualified. Nevertheless, always up for a challenge, Lily plants her feet in the ground and gets to work, no matter how many lines she crosses or rules she has to break to prove her point. Quickly creating a name for herself, Lily is introduced to the castle’s owner, Alec MacGregor, who seems just as cold and worn down as his home. Will Lily be able to melt Alec’s cold heart, or will her American spunk bring more chaos than care? As accidents become all too frequent and Alec struggles to pay his father’s debts, the future of the castle’s ownership seems shaky. War and love change everyone, but will Lily and Alec learn how to speak one another’s language before they too are torn apart?
I was wildly surprised by Beauty Among Ruins! This was my introduction to J’nell Ciesielski’s work, and I really loved her writing style and the narrative she created, though I was a little upset at how the chapters began to skip chunks of time towards the end. J’nell’s words were charming and captivating; I found myself absorbed in the storyline and couldn’t stop reading in anticipation of what would happen next. Beauty Among Ruins is a great book for any historical fiction lover as it adds a new approach to the war and sparks the reader’s admiration for Scotland.
However, I will say that the audiobook was atrocious. I’m sure the narrator tried hard, but her Scottish accent was so bad I could feel my ears screaming in protest. If you are going to tell such a beautiful, elegant story based in Scotland, you need to have a narrator who can make the country proud! My father, a Scot, along with my Scottish friends, were appalled at the accent. So, I implore the publishers to please add a Scotsman to this book, giving readers another reason to fall in love with Alec and dream of meeting a Scottish prince one day!
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*
Beauty Among Ruins is a unique novel. Set in the early 1900s, the story follows Lily Durham, an American socialite from New York, after her parents ship her off to England to “learn how to act like a lady.” During Lily’s stay, the war intensifies, scorching through Europe with a force that calls all the men to arms and the women to care for the wounded coming off the battlefield.
Following her cousin, Birdy, to the Scottish Highlands, Lily finds herself in Kinclavoch Castle, where she is to be a nurse, though she is hardly qualified. Nevertheless, always up for a challenge, Lily plants her feet in the ground and gets to work, no matter how many lines she crosses or rules she has to break to prove her point. Quickly creating a name for herself, Lily is introduced to the castle’s owner, Alec MacGregor, who seems just as cold and worn down as his home. Will Lily be able to melt Alec’s cold heart, or will her American spunk bring more chaos than care? As accidents become all too frequent and Alec struggles to pay his father’s debts, the future of the castle’s ownership seems shaky. War and love change everyone, but will Lily and Alec learn how to speak one another’s language before they too are torn apart?
I was wildly surprised by Beauty Among Ruins! This was my introduction to J’nell Ciesielski’s work, and I really loved her writing style and the narrative she created, though I was a little upset at how the chapters began to skip chunks of time towards the end. J’nell’s words were charming and captivating; I found myself absorbed in the storyline and couldn’t stop reading in anticipation of what would happen next. Beauty Among Ruins is a great book for any historical fiction lover as it adds a new approach to the war and sparks the reader’s admiration for Scotland.
However, I will say that the audiobook was atrocious. I’m sure the narrator tried hard, but her Scottish accent was so bad I could feel my ears screaming in protest. If you are going to tell such a beautiful, elegant story based in Scotland, you need to have a narrator who can make the country proud! My father, a Scot, along with my Scottish friends, were appalled at the accent. So, I implore the publishers to please add a Scotsman to this book, giving readers another reason to fall in love with Alec and dream of meeting a Scottish prince one day!
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*
storiedconversation's review against another edition
5.0
I love reading any book that takes place in Scotland whether it is in the past or present. There is just something about it that makes romance all the better in my opinion. In this one we are in 1915 and Lily Durham has been sent to England in order to find a husband. However, Lily takes a position as nurse’s aid at Kinclavoch Castle convalescent home for WWI soldiers in Scotland.
While Lily is a socialite she isn't the flighty woman the head matron thinks she is. She is determine to help regardless of being given the worst possible assignments. She is a breath of fresh air for the patients and does a wonderful job of keeping their spirits up.
In fact she is such a breath of fresh air that she is able to get Laird Alec MacGregor out of the despair over finances that he is in. Of course someone wants the estate to fail and when a patient goes missing Lily and Alex work together to find out what happened.
Lily is a great character and one who despite having been told her whole life that all she had to look forward to was finding a husband and making a good match is, determined to be more. To have a purpose beyond marriage. While Alex is the quintessential brooding Laird goes through a lot of emotional change as he gets closer to Lily.
As I said, I love Scotland, and putting Lily there gave her more challenges to overcome than she would have if she had stayed in England where she was sent. It gave her a chance to spread her wings and fly. The romance and the mystery are both so well written that this book checked every box for me. It was simply wonderful.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review was originally posted on Wickedly Romance
While Lily is a socialite she isn't the flighty woman the head matron thinks she is. She is determine to help regardless of being given the worst possible assignments. She is a breath of fresh air for the patients and does a wonderful job of keeping their spirits up.
In fact she is such a breath of fresh air that she is able to get Laird Alec MacGregor out of the despair over finances that he is in. Of course someone wants the estate to fail and when a patient goes missing Lily and Alex work together to find out what happened.
Lily is a great character and one who despite having been told her whole life that all she had to look forward to was finding a husband and making a good match is, determined to be more. To have a purpose beyond marriage. While Alex is the quintessential brooding Laird goes through a lot of emotional change as he gets closer to Lily.
As I said, I love Scotland, and putting Lily there gave her more challenges to overcome than she would have if she had stayed in England where she was sent. It gave her a chance to spread her wings and fly. The romance and the mystery are both so well written that this book checked every box for me. It was simply wonderful.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review was originally posted on Wickedly Romance
jeaninetaniece's review against another edition
5.0
“I talk so others won’t see the missing pieces.” ~ Lily
“And I keep quiet so they won’t see the missing pieces.” ~ Alec
I loved this beautiful and engrossing story!
Lily Durham, an American socialite, is sent away to England, by her parents in a effort to quell her flippant, unrestrained ways. But once she arrives, war breaks out and she follows her cousin to Scotland to work as a nurse for convalescing soldiers.
Alec MacGregor has suffered from a childhood disability for years and cannot join the war efforts. So he offers his crumbling home and failing estate to wounded soldiers as his contribution.
When Lily arrives their worlds collide, like water and oil. She is light and happiness, he is reclusive and severe. She is carefree, he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. They are polar opposites, but the ever optimistic, ever hopeful Lily is determined to make a difference in the lives of those in her care, including Alec and his ailing sister.
This is an outstanding story of hope, compassion, perseverance, and servitude. The growth the characters experience is wonderful. There is plenty of drama, suspense, and mystery. The antigonists were absolutely deplorable. Some of the worst! I had so much angst waiting for the plot to resolve. I had some Secret Garden vibes while reading this book. Lily is a lot like Mary in her resilience, and her insistence and persistence to make other’s life’s better. Definitely a must read if you like slow burn, enemies to friends to more, grumpy/sunshine.
“And I keep quiet so they won’t see the missing pieces.” ~ Alec
I loved this beautiful and engrossing story!
Lily Durham, an American socialite, is sent away to England, by her parents in a effort to quell her flippant, unrestrained ways. But once she arrives, war breaks out and she follows her cousin to Scotland to work as a nurse for convalescing soldiers.
Alec MacGregor has suffered from a childhood disability for years and cannot join the war efforts. So he offers his crumbling home and failing estate to wounded soldiers as his contribution.
When Lily arrives their worlds collide, like water and oil. She is light and happiness, he is reclusive and severe. She is carefree, he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. They are polar opposites, but the ever optimistic, ever hopeful Lily is determined to make a difference in the lives of those in her care, including Alec and his ailing sister.
This is an outstanding story of hope, compassion, perseverance, and servitude. The growth the characters experience is wonderful. There is plenty of drama, suspense, and mystery. The antigonists were absolutely deplorable. Some of the worst! I had so much angst waiting for the plot to resolve. I had some Secret Garden vibes while reading this book. Lily is a lot like Mary in her resilience, and her insistence and persistence to make other’s life’s better. Definitely a must read if you like slow burn, enemies to friends to more, grumpy/sunshine.
bibliopage's review against another edition
4.0
A sweeping romance and drama! This was a quick read and an enjoyable one!