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A review by cctblog
Miss Serena's Secret by Carolyn Miller
4.0
As often happens to me with a Carolyn Miller book, as I read Miss Serena's Secret, I swiftly became immersed in Serena's world.
I loved both Serena and Henry as characters, and their romance was both sweet and frustrating ... but ultimately satisfying, of course!
Henry and Serena were both flawed characters who spurred each other to be better and to rely on God. One thing I absolutely loved about this book was the way that Henry's renewed relationship with God did not make him perfect. He still struggled with one particular sin ... which led Lord Hawkesbury (Nicholas Stamford, hero of The Elusive Miss Ellison) to offer the following advice: "If London has the means to ensnare, then why stay? Return north, and remember who you are. And who you are no longer." I know I'd do well to remember that advice in my own life!
I did find a couple of things confusing: I wasn't quite sure what the art master had done to Serena (and apparently I was imagining something much worse than what actually happened), and her mystery illness was ... well ... quite mysterious. Though both of these were somewhat explained near the end of the novel, the way the reader was kept in the dark didn't add anything to the novel and really just pulled my focus from the main story.
Overall, though, I loved this book! It's romantic, entertaining, and challenging—a wonderful read! 4-1/2 stars.
Disclosure of material connection: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
I loved both Serena and Henry as characters, and their romance was both sweet and frustrating ... but ultimately satisfying, of course!
Henry and Serena were both flawed characters who spurred each other to be better and to rely on God. One thing I absolutely loved about this book was the way that Henry's renewed relationship with God did not make him perfect. He still struggled with one particular sin ... which led Lord Hawkesbury (Nicholas Stamford, hero of The Elusive Miss Ellison) to offer the following advice: "If London has the means to ensnare, then why stay? Return north, and remember who you are. And who you are no longer." I know I'd do well to remember that advice in my own life!
I did find a couple of things confusing: I wasn't quite sure what the art master had done to Serena (and apparently I was imagining something much worse than what actually happened), and her mystery illness was ... well ... quite mysterious. Though both of these were somewhat explained near the end of the novel, the way the reader was kept in the dark didn't add anything to the novel and really just pulled my focus from the main story.
Overall, though, I loved this book! It's romantic, entertaining, and challenging—a wonderful read! 4-1/2 stars.
Disclosure of material connection: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.