Pepper Basham is a newer author to me. The first of her titles I read was Sense and Suitability, which comes before Pride and Practicality. This Regency era romance was a refreshing delight to read!
I very much enjoy a novel with good banter. There is not shortage of that here! There are many witty moments and conversations which brought a smile as I read them.
I appreciate Arianna’s character development. We see her grow in maturity as returns home, seen as a prodigal daughter. While she did not do anything wrong, a rash mistake in Arianna’s past gave the impression of wrongdoing. This is enough to ruin a woman’s reputation and opportunity to marry during this era.
The hero, Thomas, is my favorite character. He is steady in his faith and calling to ministry, as well as not being locked into expectations put upon him by his mother and those around him. He has an excellent sense of humor and strong compassionate heart.
As with other stories by Pepper Basham, the romance unfolds in a slow and sweet manner. The romantic scenes have restraint which only adds to the anticipation of the developing romance. I appreciate low-spice love stories I am comfortable recommending to my teen daughters and their friends.
My favorite aspect of this story is how Thomas desires to follow God and His plans above societal expectations. We should be sure to avoid all kinds of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), but we should also make sure that our standard is the Word of God, not the expectations of others to determine what is and what is not evil.
I highly recommend this title (as well as Sense and Suitability!) for anyone looking for a sweet romance set in the Regency era.
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