Scan barcode
A review by meezcarrie
Miss Serena's Secret by Carolyn Miller
5.0
4.5 stars
Miller’s characters feel as though they’ve been plucked from the background of an Austen novel and given their own chance to shine in a smart, layered and delightfully-rendered story. The people on the pages of Miss Serena’s Secret are no exception. There is Serena, who may come across as distant at first (with good reason) but in reality has a heart of gold, a heart falling for a man all kinds of wrong for her. There is Henry, a rake by reputation (some of it well-deserved) whose promise to look after Serena without wooing her is sorely tested the more he spends time with her. Henry’s sister Melanie and their grandmother are refreshing spots of light amid a society (including Henry’s parents) who are entirely too reticent, and Serena’s sister and her husband (whom we meet in Winning Miss Winthrop) add further light to the shadows. Let’s not forget the dowager Lady Winthrop, Serena and Catherine’s mother who could give Mrs. Bennet a run for her money and will be sure to have you stifling giggles more than once. And of course I cannot forget to mention Monsieur Despard, Serena’s new art master, whom I could easily imagine scurrying around his studio. Miller has done such a brilliant job drawing these characters, giving them distinct personalities, wit, heart, and sincerity.
The internal journey that Serena and Henry both find themselves on is honest and layered, the integration of faith, grace and redemption organic and heartfelt without feeling preachy or forced. Readers from all walks of life and experience will be able to relate to the hero and the heroine, for if we haven’t been exactly in their shoes we’ve felt the same anxieties and inadequacies on one level or another. As part of this internal journey they are on, their romance fits right in. Not only is it swoonworthy, with sizzles and sparks of electric chemistry and deep attraction, but the emotions behind it are complex and uncertain. This leads to some deliciously held, don’t-dare-breathe gazes and deeply felt emotions.
Bottom Line: Reading a book by Carolyn Miller is truly an immersive experience for me. The verbiage, the setting, the characters, the romance, the faith – it all draws me in until I’m lost somewhere in the Gloucestershire countryside, ear to the door while I eavesdrop on the lords and ladies in the next room. Miller gets even better with each book, and with the ending of this one I’m waiting impatiently for The Making of Mrs. Hale!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
Miller’s characters feel as though they’ve been plucked from the background of an Austen novel and given their own chance to shine in a smart, layered and delightfully-rendered story. The people on the pages of Miss Serena’s Secret are no exception. There is Serena, who may come across as distant at first (with good reason) but in reality has a heart of gold, a heart falling for a man all kinds of wrong for her. There is Henry, a rake by reputation (some of it well-deserved) whose promise to look after Serena without wooing her is sorely tested the more he spends time with her. Henry’s sister Melanie and their grandmother are refreshing spots of light amid a society (including Henry’s parents) who are entirely too reticent, and Serena’s sister and her husband (whom we meet in Winning Miss Winthrop) add further light to the shadows. Let’s not forget the dowager Lady Winthrop, Serena and Catherine’s mother who could give Mrs. Bennet a run for her money and will be sure to have you stifling giggles more than once. And of course I cannot forget to mention Monsieur Despard, Serena’s new art master, whom I could easily imagine scurrying around his studio. Miller has done such a brilliant job drawing these characters, giving them distinct personalities, wit, heart, and sincerity.
The internal journey that Serena and Henry both find themselves on is honest and layered, the integration of faith, grace and redemption organic and heartfelt without feeling preachy or forced. Readers from all walks of life and experience will be able to relate to the hero and the heroine, for if we haven’t been exactly in their shoes we’ve felt the same anxieties and inadequacies on one level or another. As part of this internal journey they are on, their romance fits right in. Not only is it swoonworthy, with sizzles and sparks of electric chemistry and deep attraction, but the emotions behind it are complex and uncertain. This leads to some deliciously held, don’t-dare-breathe gazes and deeply felt emotions.
Bottom Line: Reading a book by Carolyn Miller is truly an immersive experience for me. The verbiage, the setting, the characters, the romance, the faith – it all draws me in until I’m lost somewhere in the Gloucestershire countryside, ear to the door while I eavesdrop on the lords and ladies in the next room. Miller gets even better with each book, and with the ending of this one I’m waiting impatiently for The Making of Mrs. Hale!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower