Nora has expected all her life to marry Jonathon Browning, but she has never met him because he grew up in India. Now he is coming home and she is to meet him for the first time. But, charming though Jonathon is, her friend Devlin is quite distracting, and somehow she seems to care more about Devlin than Jonathon. Devlin is addicted to gambling and knows himself to be quite ineligible for that reason. But his feelings for Nora are strong, and if she has to get married...? And in the background is a third man, who may not be quite as innocuous (though unpleasant) as everyone thought...

I read this right through, but didn't particularly enjoy it. It is clean, but I found the writing not great and the storyline lacking. A good editor could fix up many of the issues with the writing that I found distracting (like that drooling kiss - disgusting, but also unrealistic?), but the whole story just didn't seem to me to quite hang together. The characters didn't seem real and their behaviours seemed often rather illogical. Not a terrible book, but I won't be reading more by the author.

Note that I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Nora Ellsworth is expected to marry Jonathon Browning in order to bypass the entail on her father's estate, which is to be inherited by the despicable Mr. Trenton. The Browning family is also pushing for the match because they have a secret motivation as well. However, Nora begins to change her mind after she meets Devlin Fausett, who captures her interest and her trust (in spite of his reputation as a gambler). What will Nora choose, and does she even have a choice?
This was my first time reading a book by Chalon Linton, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I love Regency era novels, and this one followed normal formulas, but at the same time the book was different from others I have read in the same genre. I cheered on Nora and Devlin as I read, and I was very pleased with the ending (which provided a couple of twists I didn't see coming). I highly recommend this clean read. There is a little violence at the end, but nothing horrific. If you enjoy Regency novels, you will definitely like this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

What a fun historical romance. No one wants to be forced to marry someone, yet the main character is facing just that. I loved the host of colorful characters: a sister who falls in and out of love way too easily, a gentleman who is kind yet has an addiction he is fighting, the long awaited fiance, an arrogant heir presumptive, and two energetic and opinionated mothers.
The plot was good, characters likable, and the ending was satisfying. There were enough twists to keep the plot from plodding. I would definitely read more by this author.

A lovely Regency romance with nods to Austen! The most obvious similarity is the "odious male cousin" expecting to inherit the entailed estate a la Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice and Mr. William Elliot from Persuasion. More subtle is the similarity of the author's writing style to Jane Austen's in that the narrative is rich with details of daily life and the manners of society. It's not a book that can be read quickly but needs to be savored. I enjoyed Nora and her friendly relationship with Devlin which balanced on the edge of something more throughout the book, complicated by Devlin's gambling addiction and Nora's mother encouraging a courtship with Mr. Browning. Nora exhibits a good deal of compassion for her friend even after learning of his scandal, and also for her sister when she develops a mysterious illness. I appreciate when the heroine of the story is unselfish and caring, I find it inspiring for me in my own life. Devlin's perspective was fascinating since he doesn't fit the usual gambling rake persona. He's troubled by his relationship with his father and there are deeper issues that he's battling at the table. It created a level of anticipation as I read, wondering if Nora could motivate him to change what he needs to in order to find peace in his life. This is the second book by the author and ties into her first, but can be read as a stand alone.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions expressed in this review are my own)

Another good read from Chalon Linton. I loved that she continued the story without retelling a story. The plot was sound and left you guessing till the end.

Nora Ellsworth, has her choice of eligible suitors, but since childhood, she has been expected to marry Jonathan Browning, a gentleman whose wealth and stability will someday secure the futures of Nora and her mother and sister. The family estate will pass to an odious male cousin upon the death of Nora’s father, and when he suddenly takes ill, her need to marry well becomes vitally important.
As Nora struggles with the idea of marrying without love, she finds herself increasingly drawn to Devlin Fausett, a man with dark eyes and intriguing conversation. But Devlin’s reputation as an indebted gambler is difficult to ignore.
An enjoyable read, which flowed well all be it slowly & it took me a few chapters to really get in to the story. The characters were well developed & likeable but I liked them I didn’t relate to them very much, my favourite was Devlin. There were some twists & turns along the road to Nora’s HEA.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Nora Ellsworth has long known that her mother intends her to marry Jonathan Browning, but Nora doesn't know if she can force herself to marry someone she doesn't love and who doesn't love her. Since upon her father's death, his estate will go to a male cousin that none of the family members are fond of, Nora knows it's important to secure a marriage that will provide for her mother and sister as well as herself. While Nora gets to know Jonathan Browning and tries to envision a future with him, she enjoys the friendship of Devlin Fauscett. He's easy to talk to, kind, and handsome--but he's also rumored to be in a lot of debt due to gambling.

Devlin knows he needs to curb his gambling, but time and again, he finds himself failing. His growing feelings for Nora Ellsworth make him want to be better, but he also knows she deserves to marry someone who has more to offer than he does.

For me, this was a 3.5 star book; I think it will appeal to lots of readers, particularly those who don't mind a slower pace and more details. My personal tastes leaving me wanting a book with more zip--a quicker pace than this one had as well as some snappier dialogue. The book was interesting in having the romantic hero be one with a gambling problem--on the one hand, it was interesting because it was a different take on a Regency romance, but on the other hand, it also made me irritated with Devlin.
I think fans of Anita Stansfield will really like this book; the styles are similar.

I read a copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

New author Chalon Linton's writing is going from strength to strength. In the opening chapters we return to Riverton Park, and are back with Charles Brumley & Leah Hastings, of her debut novel, 'An Inconvenient Romance'. I always love returning back to loved characters and places - and this was no exception. That connection provides the perfect opener to the telling of Devlin Fausett's story. Best friend to Charles, he was pivotal in uniting him with Leah. Something that they will be forever grateful for, and he is welcomed into their home. However Devlin is a very private person and probably for good reason. He has a weakness, that was perhaps easy to hide for the gentry. The constant flow of money, would feed the gambling addiction. Personally, one thing I love about this era & the stories written about it, is the tendency to get a strong male lead. I would not be surprised that this may cause an issue for some readers. After all, there seems to be no escape, and as with addiction the removal of hope. I liked that he and the heroine of the story, Nora Ellsworth, have already been introduced as the story begins. It removes some of that awkwardness, and there is already some semblance of an attraction. I loved how there was a family connection to Leah, those personal relationships all playing a part in weaving this whole plot together.

When it comes to historical fiction, I appreciate when the story moves around locations. I am not a fan of scenes in London, probably because I cannot imagine that I would have enjoyed that aspect very much! My favourite scenes are always out on the country estate and family seat. There is oodles of variety here between the balls, musical events and country house parties. Very early on we are introduced to a Mr Trenton, the presumed heir apparent of Ellsworth Meadows. Disliked by Nora and her family. With little sense of propriety he seems to keep randomly popping up. Devlin's struggles are genuine and real, the lack of hope for his future is an emotion you readily feel. The arrival of the Browning family, brings with it another element to the plot, back from India with a mystery of their own. Nora's mother is just delighted that she will be able to realize the plan to marry Nora to their son, Jonathan, will come to fruition. Thankfully, he is not an ogre, because having another handsome seemingly great catch thrown into the circle is so much better! Everything about this story was engaging, so many twists & turns throughout, many moments to make you go 'ahh', I could not put this book down!

What may have irritated readers about Devlin in the beginning actually, in my view brings a genuine heartfelt connection to me as I read about his weaknesses. While we are not all struggling with a gambling addiction, we will likely have our own problems that maybe we are drowning in. Where is our hope and our deliverance. Nora shines a light in his world, and is the reason he finally decides to make a change. Yet, it doesn't come smoothly, and setbacks appear. There is a part in the dialogue that discusses the difference between weaknesses that can make us weaker, and then others that we will become stronger because of them. I pondered on that as I followed the pathway that Devlin took. He is such a great character - loyal and dedicated and a defender of truth. Nora see's these qualities in him early on, and even when she discovers his hidden secrets, she never gives up on him. Bearing the weight on her shoulders of being oldest of the two sisters, she realizes that she must make a great match, as they are set to loose the family home to Mr Trenton upon her fathers death. The twists and turns in this plot line sets us up for a fantastic conclusion, and I just loved the resolution to the entail problem.

Strong, engaging characters full of many great qualities you will connect with Nora and Devlin, their chemistry as you read this beautiful and very enjoyable book. I will be purchasing this for my book shelves. I highly recommend this book to all readers of clean christian historical romance fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley & Covenant for the complimentary eARC. This is my honest review.

This was a delightful recency read that was very clean. I enjoyed that Devlins flaw was gaming addiction something that I had not seen a character through in This time period. I thoroughly enjoyed that the story was told in alternating view points. Nora is a well rounded character and I am glad she had brains too. I will read more by this author.

‘A Tangled Romance’ explores the issue of arranged marriages, a concept that is so removed for most people today. Nora is expected to marry a friend of the family, yet she finds herself drawn to Devlin, who challenges her when others don’t.
The alternating storyline allowed the reader to delve into the mindset of each character. Their attraction is evident, but Devlin’s gambling habit seems likely to keep them apart. The secondary characters fleshed out the story and I was surprised to hear that this was part of a series. The detail given in the book ensured that this was a stand-alone novel.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.