I have been waiting for the opportunity to read this book, and Miller did not disappoint! Yes is has plenty of history and laughs along the way, but it is really Miller's faith thread that readers will find themselves drawn to.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Julia and Gretna certainly pulled at my heartstrings. This tale showed some of the best sides of historical fiction as Julia was forced to return home and deal with her mother's consternation on her quick marriage.
Forgiveness is often painful and rarely easy, but it is necessary and the lessons we learn from it are inspiring. Where would we be without forgiveness.
Julia and Gretna's whirlwind romance is put to the test of true love's merit when Julia begins to mistrust Gretna's absence. God is the healer of all wounds, and it takes His great power to mend the rift created through distrust.
An excellent Regency novel.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

In The Making of Mrs. Hale, Julia runs off to Gretna Green to marry in haste, but her new husband suddenly disappears, leaving her on her own. Her dreams of happily-ever-after are dashed with his disappearance. She returns home to the family she left behind, and seeks forgiveness for her rash decision and hope for a future, especially in light of a possible pregnancy. Will she find healing in their midst? What she ever find out what really happened to her husband?

Readers can relate to Miller’s characters because they face problems in terms of others’ expectations, faith issues, and their everyday circumstances. Witty banter, first-rate characterization, historical narrative, reappearance of characters from earlier books, and a light but evident faith element characterizes Miller’s books.

In this third and final book of the A Promise of Hope series, Carolyn Miller shares Julia's story in The Making of Mrs. Hale.
In the first book of the series, Winning Miss Winthrop, we are left wondering what will happen to Lord Winthrop's sister, Julia, as she runs away to marry Major Thomas Hale against her family's wishes. Now that her husband is no where to be found, Julia contemplates returning home as she is without money for basic human needs. Will her family forgive her for betraying them?

This book explores whether certain sins are too bad to be forgiven. Many times in christian circles, sin is seen as being on different tiers for severity instead of seeing all sin as grievous before God. Of course, different sins do have different consequences. I liked that the author asks the reader through the characters "what do you believe about forgiveness?" The story is interesting as more and more mystery arises as to where Major Hale has been and why he was gone. I like trying to solve a good mystery. I didn't like the major indiscretion by Major Hale after he was married. It kinda sullied the story line for me. I did think that this final book did wrap-up the series well and didn't leave any loose ends concerning the main characters.

*** I received a complimentary e-book from Kregel Publications on Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The author pulls out all the stops in this novel, spiritually, and relational (just to name a few), with some characters I wasn’t fond of (Thomas- Julia’s mother) and others I liked right away. There are heavy themes, of falsehoods, betrayal, as well as God’s forgiveness and grace. I liked how the author shows Julia fighting for her marriage despite how her family wanted things to end because of her husband’s disappearance, (was he dead), the secrets she and her husband held close to their chests and the surprising trauma that surrounded Thomas’s military career.

The author said, …” readers may find this book is perhaps a little more real, a little more raw, than some of my others.”

I agree. The spiritual component is deeply engaging. This is a story I couldn’t put down as the characters were believable, relate-able and face life’s struggles and hardships with hope, faith, mercy and forgiveness.

I liked what the author said in Author Notes: “We live in a disposable society, where it’s all too easy to give up on people or on institutions such as marriage, and to be led by feelings rather than vows uttered before God. I hope and pray that my readers will be encouraged to find strength and hope in God and His grace, and in the promise of hope found in the Bible…”

This is a novel that would work well for book club and for an enjoyable read. There is so much in there. I like learning about history this way.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine https://www.bookfun.org/page/past-issues-book-fun-mag

Happy sigh!
Strong plot written with compassion and working through all the layers of the characters - guilt, regret, hope... Carolyn Miller wisely deals with the consequences of our choices but also shows that light has the greatest power.
I love how, while the series change, we still get to catch up with dear characters.
I`m so happy that, though this was the end of "Promise of Hope" series, it's not the last time I'll see Julia, Thomas, sweet Charlie, or all the others!

THE MAKING OF MRS. HALE is Carolyn Miller's third book in her Regency Romance series THE PROMISE OF HOPE. Without her mother's or brother's approval, Julia elopes to Gretna Green to e When her new husband, a soldier, disappears and leaves her penniless, she reluctantly slinks back home, hoping her family will take her in. When her husband reappears, only to disappear again, Julie must decide what marriage means to her. After his return, Major Thomas Hale feels he must find answers to why his wife was never given the message and money he had left for her. Plus he must try to recoup the money he was promised for his secret military assignment. Hoping to start again with his bride, he can only hope she never learns all that happened when he was imprisoned in Spain.

I did not read the first two books in this series, but I was able to follow the plot of this book, although at times I was a bit confused. The villains of this book are clearly villains, but I was never quite sure what their motives were. I am a fast reader and I may have missed something, or this could be the result of the book being part of a series. Some characters who play a minor role in this book were the stars of the previous titles; likewise, I think Thomas and Julia played lesser roles in those books. While many Christian romance novels only light touch on romance or faith, this book handles both with finesse. Both Thomas and Julia grow in their understanding of love -- both romantic love and God's love. And that means they learn lessons in forgiveness. It has been years since I read a Regency romance, and while I think I've moved on from that time period setting, I did enjoy this title. Julia, who certainly has been sheltered in a very restricted society, acts on her heart's desires. Her relationship with her mother and her refusal to again be put under her thumb is worth the time it took to read this book alone. But it is the faith message that will make you glad you picked up this title. I received a copy of this title from Netgalley and Kregel books; all opinions are mine.

Recently when I needed a break from some non-fiction reading, I picked up Making of Mrs. Hale a fun regency romance by Carolyn Miller.
It turns out this book is the third in the series Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope. I had not read the previous books in this series but did not find that a problem when reading the book although familiarity with the others may be useful.

Author Carolyn Miller utilizes alternating viewpoints to tell the story of Julia and Thomas. This works very well particularly at the beginning of the book when the recently wedded couple is separated and is uncertain if their relationship is intact. Given a variety of meddling relatives who are more concerned about societal opinion mixed with a bit of mystery and military intrigue and the reader is left wondering if Mr. and Mrs. Hale will survive. As this is a Christian romance published by Kregel, there is a Christian element to the story. For the first half of the book, the Christian element was largely unnoticeable beyond the romance being very "clean" and no inappropriate language. Later in the book, the Gospel message is woven into the story and also emphasizes the importance of not judging others.

Overall, I found Making of Mrs. Hale an enjoyable book. It was also an appropriate read for the season as Christmas is a brief part of the story. I would recommend this book to others looking for a fun, lighthearted book to read. It is appropriate for teens and up. I am also intrigued enough that I will most likely seek out the previous books in the series and other books by this author as well.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book, Making of Mrs. Hale, free from Kregel via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I think I say this with every book I have read by Carolyn Miller (and I’ve read them all) but she keeps getting better and better.

The tension and drama and lies this book begins with are sure to capture the reader and propel them forward to keep reading more.

The reader knows Julia is hiding something from the beginning but we don’t get the full story for quite some time.

The reader knows what Thomas will have to hide when he returns to his bride but we can’t help but wonder how long that will last and what will happen when Julia finds out.

If you are a regency romance lover I have no doubt you will adore this book.


A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

I have loved this series, and this book is by far the best! Carolyn Miller captures the era and the faith perfectly in this book providing readers with an enjoyable tale of love and faith.

Marry in haste, repent in leisure--Mrs. Hale is about to find out how painful that repentance can truly be.



Julia Hale ran off to be married in Gretna Green, following romance instead of common sense. But her tale isn't turning into a happily ever after. Her new husband is gone and she doesn't know where--or if he's ever coming back. Julia has no option but to head home to the family she betrayed by eloping and to hope they'll forgive her. Especially now that she might be carrying a baby from her brief marriage.



My Thoughts: Although this is book three in the "Regency Brides Series" it can be read stand alone. This novel is centered around Julia and Thomas. Carolyn Miller does not disappoint us in this book, it is filled with intrigue, love and dealing with the choices we make in life. The main theme in this book is forgiveness and learning to trust; knowing that family is there for one another.



This book is very entertaining and deals with life issues that everyone can relate to.



This has been a wonderful series and I do recommend to read all three books in this series.

We first met Julia Hale in Winning Miss Winthrop, when Julia ran away to Gretna Green to marry Thomas Hale in defiance of her family's wishes.

But, as the old saying goes, "Marry in haste; repent at leisure."

Julia is left destitute after her husband disappears. Six months later, she has sold everything she can and has no choice but to return to her friends and family in London and ask for help. They are pleased to welcome her home, believing she is either an abandoned wife or (possibly) a widow. They are less pleased when Thomas Hale returns home ...

This means The Making of Mrs Hale follows one of the lesser-used romance tropes: a married couple falling in love. Or perhaps they are rediscovering their love, as Julia clearly still has feelings towards Thomas and vice versa. But Julia has to fight to keep what she has—a marriage to a man she loves.

There is also an exciting suspense thread. Thomas is concerned his ending up in a Spanish prison may not have been an accident. This threatens him, Julia, and their attempts to rebuild their relationship while surrounded by disapproving family members.

I have always been a big Regency romance fan, and Carolyn Miller has established herself as a leading author in the Christian Regency genre. Her research is spot on, yet never gets in the way of the story (I wish this was universal, but I find there are more authors who think they can write authentic Regency than actually can).

In contrast, Carolyn Miller consistently comes up with realistic yet detailed plots.

She fills her novels with realistic, complex characters facing issues that are true to the historic period, yet resonate with modern readers. Her novels are also definitely (and perhaps defiantly) Christian. They're not just "clean". Her characters are forced to evaluate themselves and their relationship with God, which is a refreshing contrast to a lot of the fiction being published by CBA publishers. Overall, I recommend Carolyn Miller and The Making of Miss Hale to anyone looking for genuine Christian Regency fiction.

Thanks to Kregel Publications and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

The Making of Mrs. Hale
by Carolyn Miller
Kregel Publications
Christian , Romance
Pub Date 27 Nov 2018


I am reviewing a copy of The Making of Mrs.Hale through Kregel Publications and Netgalley:


Julia Hale finds out that marrying in haste can lead to trouble.


Julia Hale ran off to br married in Gretna Green she was following romance instead of common sense. Her story is not the Hapily Ever After she dreamed of. The man she just married is gone and she doesn’t know if she will ever see them. Julia has to head home to the family that she betrayed by eloping hoping they will forgive her now that she is carrying a child from the brief marriage.


Will her family forgive her?


Will she find happiness?


I give The Making of Mrs Hale five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I have enjoyed all of Carolyn Miller’s books and was glad to finally be able to read Julia’s story. Julia and Thomas face many difficulties because of their selfish and impulsive decisions. Not only does it put their marriage in jeopardy, their very lives are threatened. This regency story has an intriguing storyline with some suspenseful moments. The themes in this book of love, forgiveness, faith, and trust give this story its heart. This was a good ending to this series. It was also fun to read the first chapter of the next book to come out in 2019. Carolyn Miller is a talented Regency writer and I’m looking forward to her new series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Making of Mrs. Hale is not your typical regency romance. It begins with Julia and Thomas already married (and physically separated—she has no idea if he's even alive), and as the novel goes on, they have to deal with the consequences of their actions and work to repair relationships with their family, friends, and each other.

This novel started out fairly slowly for me, and I didn't like either Julia or Thomas, which made caring about their stories difficult. I'll be honest: I didn't really like Julia at all until very close to the end of the novel. Thomas grew on me, though, especially once he connected with Lord Hawkesbury (Nicholas from The Elusive Miss Ellison, the novel that started Miller's regency romances). It's a conversation with Lord Hawkesbury that leads to Thomas's spiritual awakening, and it's written so, so well.

I ended up very much enjoying The Making of Mrs. Hale. I wish it hadn't taken so long to get into the story, as I very nearly abandoned it, and I would've missed out on a really good novel. 3-1/2 stars.

Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

The Making of Mrs. Hale
By Carolyn Miller
Following her heart Julia Hale runs off to Gretna Green with her beloved, Major Thomas Hale. While Thomas’s rakish behavior is softened by Julia, he gets caught up in his past which causes confusion for Julia. Julia’s family disapprove of the match from the beginning and their low opinion seems to be proven from Major Hales recent behavior. But is Major Hale the person he seems to be or is he as honest and true as Julia feels she knows him to be.
Although I read the first two books of this series, I required a bit of reading into the book before I had the story straight in my mind. The intrigue developed caused me to be confused at times but not so much that I wanted to put it down. I think this was a well written regency that revealed a not so typical romance.

I don’t often give Five Star reviews, but I think that this book deserved it by the end. The Making of Mrs Hale is her sixth book, the conclusion of her second trilogy set in Regency Britain.
It follows Julia Hale, the sister of a nobleman who disappeared in the first book in this series, eloping to Gretna Green with a military man and friend of her brother known as major Thomas Hale. Thomas was known to be a rake and knowing her family would disapprove of her marrying a commoner with no title or lands and such a reputation, they chose a clandestine marriage in Scotland.

Eighteen months later, Julia appears destitute and having been apparently abandoned by her husband on the doorstep of one of her friends. What’s more, she has a baby in tow. Here the story begins, and it’s not a typical Regency. The protagonists are already married: but their relationship is fractured through separation, secrets, betrayal and emotional trauma.

There are many other Regency stories which involve rakish characters making right, and this could have following that formula, but does not. At least, not slavishly. Julia’s family apparently hate Thomas for what he did to her (or what they believe he did), but she struggles to love and trust him, and win their acceptance and approval. Above all, it’s a story of reconciliation: of husband and wife, family, friends, and ultimately reconciliation with God.

There is also a strong element of danger and intrigue in this story, with a possible plot against Thomas by a corrupt army officer and a secret mission gone wrong. This provided a lot of interesting details about the 19th century military and some government offices. It also was a good way of incorporating characters from the earlier books into the story but might be a little confusing for those who have not read them.

Above all there was a very strong emphasis on the spiritual maturity of the characters, and a very strong salvation message. There was a great deal of grace involved, and Thomas’s reasons for hesitating and doubting in his faith were credible. Indeed, I find myself highlighting many passages about mercy, forgiveness and repentance.

I did feel a few incidents were implausible or not properly accounted for: like how did Julia manage to travel all the way from Edinburgh to London in such dire straits and with no money? Overall though, it was a lovely confusion to the story.

Thanks to Kregel for inviting me to read this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

The Making of Mrs. Hale by Carolyn Miller

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

______________________________________________________________________________

Story Notes

Carolyn Miller delivers her third installment of the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series that begins rather slowly and only slightly redeems itself by the end.

I have loved reading this series by Carolyn Miller; getting to know these ladies and their families has been fun and I love the snappy conversations that often go on. However, this book was not quite as up to the mark as the previous ones and for that I was really sad. It took a long time for the story to really get going, despite the fact that there were supposed to be dangerous happenings. And I was a bit lost at the beginning trying to tie everyone back together to the other books. Not sure why this was but it made the book hard to read. The story began with Julia Hale attempting to leave the child she has claimed as her own on the doorstep of her brother’s good friend, Lord Carmichael. She is desperately sick and is afraid the child will also become sick if he remains with her. Julia is well aware of everyone’s disapproval of her elopement last year and hopes to convince her brother to allow her houseroom until her husband returns from his mission with the War Office. But Carmichael and his wife Serena will not hear of her leaving until she is better. They bring her in and offer her room and rest as long as she might need. Her family will return soon and she will have to face them, but Julia is happy for the respite at the moment. Julia hopes that Thomas will return soon, but there are rumors swirling that he has died overseas. With nothing to live on, Julia will be forced to ask for help and forgiveness to provide for herself and her adopted son, Charles. But life with her snobbish mother may be more than Julia is willing to endure. Thomas Hale has been in what surely must be hell for the past six months. His comrades and he were captured by the Spanish and are now tortured for whatever information they might have about England’s war department. So far, two have died, and the rest are so beaten and starved they have little hope of recovery. But when the opportunity for escape comes, Thomas and the others will do whatever it takes to be free again. His one thought is to get home to his wife so he can beg her forgiveness for being gone so long. His most fervent wish is that she will welcome him back into her heart and home and not hate him for “abandoning” her. His return brings short-lived joy however, and there will be many to stand in the way of his permanent reunion with Julia. Thomas will have to prove himself to everyone and seek true forgiveness if he is to really be welcomed back. There is also a conspiracy plotting against his life that he will have to face as well before he can be free from his tortuous past. Both Julia and Thomas will need to accept and offer forgiveness so they can truly become the family they’ve always hoped to be. With such a good plot one would think this book would be wonderful. But sadly, it seemed to fall a little flat in the development of said plot. While I loved the faith journeys the two main characters walked, I was disappointed with their character development. They appeared to be so wishy-washy as to believe anything, no matter the source. I wanted to cheer for them but could not find a real reason to. The other characters in the story made it a much better read, providing good conversations and snappy dialogue. So while I would have loved to recommend this book to others, I only will do so in the interest of adding to the series information. Perhaps others will find this book a better read than I did, but its not one I think I will want to reread. Hopefully Ms. Miller will release a better story soon.

I received this e-book free of charge from Kregel Publications via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

The Making of Mrs. Hale is the third book in Carolyn Miller's Regency Brides - A Promise of Hope series. You can read it as a stand a-alone, but I recommend going back to the very first book (The Elusive Miss Ellison). There are characters that go all the way back to the first book so reading from the start will enhance your enjoyment and add understanding to this story. I found all six of the books delightful to read, so if you are in the mood for a good book marathon I think you should go for it!

Themes of forgiveness, redemption and abiding love resound throughout The Making of Mrs. Hale. I found this story a little "heavier" in plot content than the rest the Regency Brides novels because the characters deal with slavery, adultery, poverty and attempted murder. While I often found myself wondering when the Major would "catch a break" the multiple plot twists kept me turning pages from beginning to end.

If you enjoy Regency time period romance novels then you will enjoy any of Carolyn Miller's books.

The Making of Mrs. Hale is currently available for purchase from your local or online book retailer.

Thank you Kregel Publications and Net Galley for the free e-copy of The Making of Mrs. Hale. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a Regency romance type of book. It is a Christian book but not at all preachy. You can see God's hand throughout the book, though. The story has a bit of a twist from other novels of this type. I will not give it away, but I found it quite interesting. It switched back and forth between the two main characters but in a smooth fashion.

The story flowed well. The characters were quite well developed, at least the main characters and the mother. The editing was also done well.

I asked to read and review this book through Netgalley..com. Yes, I was given an ebook with no charge. No, I was not required to leave a review. I do recommend you read this book, I'm sure you will enjoy it.