First of all, this book completely drew me in with its comparison to one of my favourites, Edenbrooke. There was an adorable meet-cute. There were fun and interesting and a couple of less lovable misunderstood characters. There was some adorable romantic tension and swoony moments.
I adored Amelia and her love for her younger sister. I felt for her situation. I REALLY adored Peter and how sweet he was despite not seeming that way at the beginning. This book made me smile, it made me swoon, and it made my heart clench and soar. It was so good.

This group of proper romance regency novels rarely lets me down and this book was no exception. Plus...have you seen a cover this gorgeous around anywhere else lately?

Lakeshire Park follows Amelia Moore who wants her younger sister Clara to find love and security. She, on the other hand, would be happy with security only, having seen how fickle and hurtful love can be. Their stepfather, their only family, is on the brink of death and once he dies, they’ll have nothing. No roof of their heads and no penny to their name. To save themselves from destitution, Amelia’s only hope is Clara securing the hand of Sir Ronald Demsworth while they attend a house party at his estate, Lakeshire Park. However, Clara isn’t the only lady vying for Sir Ronald. Georgiana Wood has her eyes set on him and her brother, Peter, a good friend of Sir Ronald, is constantly pushing her into the limelight while casting a shadow on Clara. When Clara suggests Amelia draw Peter’s attention away, Amelia finds herself promising a fortnight of her afternoons to Peter in exchange for his lack of meddling. As they spend time together, she finds herself charmed by Peter. Could she risk her heart, her sense of security for love?
My heart went out to Amelia. She hasn’t been dealt a good hand, yet I loved how she put her sister first. How she wanted her sister to experience happiness, even if the idea of love had turned bitter for her. The author, Megan Walker, gave a strong and convincing reason why Amelia would be against the idea of love, how her life and finance position forced her to be practical. I enjoyed seeing Peter bring those walls down, making her long for companionship and affection along with security.
I liked how Peter was the romantic in the relationship. I loved his playfulness, his teasing. I wish we had gotten his point of view though, which I felt would’ve add depth to his character. I wanted to know what his thoughts on how his sister treated others, namely Clara and Amelia. What had propelled him to encourage Georgiana in pursuing Sir Ronald when his friend clearly didn’t seem interested. And most importantly, I loved to have heard his uncertainty and confusion regarding Amelia’s behaviour later on, his jealousy of Mr. Pendleton. We do get to hear about this when he shares them with Amelia and get glimpses of it, but his characters just didn’t feel fleshed out enough compared to Amelia’s. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Peter’s character, because I really did. I just wanted more.
I’d recommend if you’re in a mood for a charming, lighthearted regency romance!


Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Shadow Mountain Publishing and Megan Walker in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.

It’s been years since I read a new sweet and, yes, proper Regency Romance. Many that call themselves Regencies today include graphic and/or explicit sexual scenes.

That is not the case with Lakeshire Park. The story is the key in this book. The story is about two individuals in particular. Amelia Moore and Mr. Peter Wood are the heroine and hero of this story.

Amelia is trying to promote a marriage between her sister Clara and Sir Ronald. It is imperative that it happen soon as the two sisters (unbeknownst to Clara) have fairly well been cast off by their dying and truly unlikeable stepfather.

Peter is, at the same time, trying to promote a match between his own sister and Sir Ronald. His sister is a bit of a spoilt brat and wants Sir Ronald regardless of whether he wants her or not. Peter caves in to his sisters demands because of event in the past.

This sets up a sparring match between Amelia and Peter as the push each of their sisters forward. The two them take to taking bits of jabs at each other and the story moves to their growing relationship.

The story was funny, sweet and at a few points, a bit tragic as events of the past are delved into and fear for the future is explored.

I’ve found a new Regency Romance author and will look forward to reading more. This story reawakened my enjoyment of this genre. While looking for new authors, I am also enjoying going back and reading my old favorites as well.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Brighton England - 1820

Amelia and her younger sister, Clara, live with their stepfather, Lord Gray. Their mother died sometime ago leaving him to care for them. He is ill with a lung ailment which leaves him coughing a lot and being very grumpy. He has been told that he will not get better. When he passes away, Amelia and Clara will be on their own. They have just returned from a season in London where Clara met Sir Ronald whom she truly likes. Now, both girls have been invited by Sir Ronald to a house party at his family’s home.

Enroute, Amelia has an unpleasant confrontation with a man at a shop. Upon arrival at their destination, she is unhappy to find the same man there, Peter Wood. He is with his sister, Georgiana, who also has her eye on Sir Ronald. Peter does all he can to see to it that his sister has Sir Ronald’s eye.

As the party progresses, Peter continues to tease Amelia and goad her. They agree to a plan where they spend the afternoons together so he will not try to manipulate Sir Ronald and Georgiana. Their togetherness sparks an attraction, but Georgiana has alluded that Peter needs to marry an heiress as he needs money.

When another opportunity presents itself to Amelia, she feels that it will have to be the way for her to go. But will she have to turn her back to Peter and what if Clara does not win Sir Ronald’s heart? Life for both of them could be rather grim.

This is a delightful story of enemies to friends to maybe more and the oh, so wonderful marriages that have to result in money gain in some way. I really liked it and the characters. The author presented them in such a real way and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Amelia had a very difficult life with her stepfather and knew that once he died, she and her sister, Clara, would be destitute. Hence they were visiting Lakeshire Park, in the hope that Clara would receive an offer of marriage from Sir Ronald. Unfortunately, there is another lady who wishes to marry Sir Ronald and her brother, Peter is Ronald’s friend. Amelia always puts her sister first, regardless of her own feelings. As Amelia and Peter spend time with each other, so their regard for each other grows. However, not everyone is happy about this. There are a number of misunderstandings and spiteful actions before everything comes to a satisfying conclusion. This was an enjoyable read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh my goodness! I absolutely adored this book. From start to finish, I was invested in the characters and the plot. The scenes between Peter and Amelia range from hilarious to achingly sweet, handled with tender care by the author. And the relationship between Amelia and her younger sister, Clara, is realistic and beautiful. This is just a winning novel all the way around. Fans of Julianne Donaldson will adore this clean regency romance!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel via NetGalley and courtesy of the publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.

I loved this book! I am sure I will go back and read it again and again. It is witty, fun, clean, romantic and oh so good. I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. I would highly recommend.

I’ve found a new author! Y’all, this book is soooo good and has all the romantic feelings in it. The voice of Amelia Moore immediately hooks you in as you watch her struggle to put her sister above her wants and desire.

And the hero—swoon alert!—is the best! I loved how he tries to draw Amelia out of her shell and show her what love could be.

This book was so good I reread it a few times and still cannot seem to find the words on how great I found it. All I can say is please get it and read it. It’s a great escape, especially in these times of the pandemic. I give it all the stars!

*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

I loved this book! For this being Megan Walker’s first book with the Proper Romance series I thought she did a fantastic job! I have loved all of the Proper Romance series books and I am glad that she is now one of their author! I loved the characters and I loved how it was an enemy to lovers story. The story draws you in and you don’t want to put it down. Wonderful job and I highly recommend it. Can’t wait to see what other books she comes out with!

This was a perfect read for our current situation. It was light and fun. I really enjoyed reading this. I read it in one sitting. I would definitely read more by this author.

A Proper Romance set in Regency England, the heroine Amelia Moore is spunky, resilient and does not realize her own value or even her beauty. She is invited with her younger sister Clara to a house party at the home of Sir Ronald, an acquaintance from their unsuccessful London season. Dire circumstances force Amelia to go to great lengths to try to secure the match that Clara is hoping for with Sir Ronald. But there are other guests at the house party with the same agenda. Among those present is Sir Ronald’s longtime friend Peter Wood, whose sister hopes to secure Sir Ronald for herself. As the two young women vie for his attention, Peter and Amelia, who were each trying to put their own sister forward, agree to relent and instead start spending time together. Initially, Amelia cannot stand Peter. I loved how they slowly get to know one another by spending afternoons together. Since Amelia is not trying to impress Peter, she can relax and be herself around him. There is a lot of witty banter between the two, but eventually they start opening up to one another as never before. True to many Regency romances, there are secrets that will come to light, plot twists that create tension and a surprising scandal that nearly derails everything. This is a beautifully written story with a classic enemy to lovers trope that I highly recommend to fans of clean, Regency romance.

(4.5 stars) - Absolutely loved it!

This cinderella-flavored Regency story was entertainingly reminiscent of Austen at times. Amelia & Clara are both in dire circumstances thanks to their hateful stepfather. But Amelia takes care of Clara & keeps it from her while they attend a house party because she wants her younger sister to have a chance to find happiness with their host, Sir Ronald, if possible.

When they arrive, they find that Clara has some competition for Sir Ronald's affections - and Amelia has some competition for being a doting, supportive older sibling

The rivalry between Peter & Amelia on behalf of their sisters was a little awkward at times but also frequently funny. Peter seems a bit of both scoundrel & knight, but when you realize that his teasing is because he's increasingly intrigued with & delighted by Amelia's appearance, intelligence & wit, things becomes much clearer

The author does a good job of making Peter & Amelia's challenges that prevented better communication between them understandable & believable - and talking about such circumstances as the young women were facing was just not done in that time. But one could see where the one impersonal arrangement being formed would contribute to Amelia thinking 'if it's ok to do it for that instance, then why not for this one'?

Despite a few minor quibbles (like I wasn't sure why Amelia would think Sir Ronald wouldn't know Clara's situation, since his mother was fully aware, so surely she would have informed him), I was fully immersed in the story from beginning to end, and was only disappointed when there wasn't anymore, lol!

*Clean romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic

Romance, clean, period;
Gorgeous, subtle, period romance. As Amelia and her sister Clara are on the brink of poverty, they have one last chance for Clara and possibly Amelia to make a match that will secure their future and keep them out of poverty at their stepfather's passing.
Sir Ronald and his mother have invited them both to a house party, and Clara hopes to secure his affections. They chance meet Mr. Peter Wood, and later see him and his sister Georgiana at the house party. Amelia is at odds with Peter for a good portion of the novel, but we see subtle glimpses of his affection for her throughout the novel. They are at cross purposes with him trying to help his sister secure Sir Ronald's affections, and she trying to help her sister do the same. Amelia, at one point, seeks to marry for convenience, but when she recognizes that she has grown to know him, and his heart, and see how much he actually cares for her, a life of just a 'partner' won't do. Lovely, heartfelt, emotional, with two honest hearts and subtleties that make this a fun read. My favorite kind of read!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. My opinions are my own.

I made the mistake of reading starting this book in the evening before bed. I thought I would just read one chapter and see what the book was about but after the ‘meet cute’ I was hooked. Fast forward six hours later to me struggling to stay awake to finish the book. Yes it is good enough to stay awake all night to read it.
I loved the easy relationship between Peter and Amelia. I felt like I really believed them as a couple because of their deep conversations. I loved every interaction between them. The drama wasn’t over the top. It was just a really enjoyable story that I would give 6 stars to if I could. I rarely gush about books but this one is totally worthy. I will look for more books by this author in the future.
I received this book from Net Gallery and this is my honest opinion about this story.

A delightful romance by a new author. I love the Country Houseparty trope and this one is lots of fun with Amelia doing her best to thwart Peter's efforts on behalf of his sister. Amelia decides if she can just keep Peter occupied then Clara, her sister, and Georgiana, his sister, can each duel it out for Sir Ronald's affections without interference. But little did Amelia suspect she might fall for the man who drove her crazy.

This is a charming, sweet romance that will bring a smile to your lips.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Unfortunately, I read it before the world went crazy and so much has happened since then, that the things I loved or would critique are not as sharp in my memory. However, this is one I will probably read again, so I will make a note to add to my review then.

I thought the story was charming and the characters relatable. There were some laugh out loud and smile stupidly to yourself moments that I always appreciate. I will say that I didn't find befriending a nemesis as believable (or speedy) as it was portrayed, but I enjoyed it all the same. I saw a certain situation being set up early on, so it wasn't a surprise, but oh was it believable. Possibly some of the best plot points / major road blocks I've read and I love, love, loved how they were dealt with.

I cannot wait for more from this author.

Lakeshire Park is such a beautiful story of two people falling in love, and there are a number of really beautiful moments throughout the book.

Amelia Moore is a self sacrificing person whose heart is drawn to naturally put others first, especially her sister Clara. I think it is more about being naive but Clara comes off as selfish. There is no way she doesn’t know about Amelia and Peter spending time together yet she never asks Amelia about it and only cares about her own comfort.

As the story is told in first person we don’t know Peter Wood’s inner dialogue but I still feel like the reader is given a true connection to him. He thinks of himself as selfish but he puts his sister first as long as things are done in a fair way.

The first meeting between Peter and Amelia was a little strange to me. Peter clearly had the gloves first and Amelia was so put out for so long because he wouldn’t give them to her. Why did she deserve what he had first? And why was he crawling out from under the table?

I found the story very interesting and it moved along at the perfect pace. I also liked the characters and found them very realistic.

I would love a sequel with Georgiana and Pendleton and we could see a little of what Peter and Amelia are up to. I’m not ready to leave these characters.

Favorite quotes:

"You never know who you are hurting by denying kindness."

"Before he died, he told me to remember that some things aren’t worth being angry over, but plenty of things are worth fighting for. It is a motto I try to live by."

"I don’t mind the trouble. As long as I’m with you."

This is a delightful Regency-era story. Amelia and Clara are at the financial mercy of a stepfather who resents the responsibility. After an unsuccessful season in London, they are given one final opportunity to find a match for at least one of them when they are issued an invitation to visit Lakeshire Park. The story is told entirely from Amelia’s point of view, and I found it to be a well-written and engaging narrative.

There were so many ways I could see this tale unfolding, and it was lovely just to watch it progress and be amazed at the unexpected turns. It flowed so pleasantly, neither to fast nor to slow. The characters were enjoyable and their development satisfying. I loved the lessons and themes and how neatly they were woven into the story. This novel hit all my sweet spots!

3.5 stars

I've been in the mood to read some regency romances, and Lakeshire Park fit the bill just right for me.

The book sees Amelia and Clara, sisters, whose father died, followed years later by their mother. They are left with a stepfather who feels no affection for them, and is clear about the fact that they will be left with nothing when he dies - which will be in the VERY near future.

Invited to a house party, Amelia sees the perfect opportunity for her sister to win the heart of a man who will be able to take care of them both so they will no longer need to worry about their futures. The only problem? There is a rival for Sir Ronald's heart.

Amelia was a fantastic protagonist, and Peter a very charming leading man. I loved how their relationship developed over the book and the different road blocks that got in their way.

I also enjoyed Clara and Sir Ronald as the secondary couple. I did wish we'd gotten to know a few of the other side characters from the house party a little better. I found myself not knowing who they were when their names were mentioned.

Overall, the book was sweet and enjoyable.

3.5 stars
Things to love:
- the witty banter (one of my favorite things, always). Peter was incredibly sassy, and Amelia delivered the insults right back to him.
- a wonderfully done enemies-to-lovers trope (well, sort of. Enemies might be a strong word, but Amelia definitely disliked him in the beginning).
- an amazing sister relationship between Amelia and Clara. Even though Clara was not really my favorite character, I greatly appreciated Amelia's loyalty to her sister.

there was just one thing that bothered me...
- you might have a hard time getting through this book if you are a dedicated fan of Austen and the historical time period that she lived in. There were many events that happened in the novel that would have been horribly inappropriate during the time period. (i.e. pretty much every time the two main characters were alone without a chaperone... that would definitely be considered scandalous!)
Honestly, that was the weakest point of the book for me. If you can separate it completely from its time period and their social customs (or you don't really care if those customs are followed) then you will probably have no issues with it.

In the end....
Despite my one criticism of this book, it was a quick, easy, and deliciously romantic read. If you've ever read Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson, I think you'll find this story to your liking!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.