Rachel Fordham has once again given us a story that doesn't let you go until the last page but stays with you long after you close the book.

Hazel has just spent five years in a state reformatory for a crime she didn't commit. Now she needs to clear her name and find a way to support herself while doing so. The problem is that most people won't hire someone with such a questionable background. So she changes her name and ends up working for a dentist (Gilbert Watts) as a lady in attendance.

While she tries to make sense of how she was framed for a crime she didn't commit, Hazel begins to realize she needs to trust someone with what has happened to her. Especially when she is attracted to that someone.

I loved the friendship between Hazel and Gilbert and how she brought out the best in him and vice versa. While their romance brewed beneath the surface, they grew together as good friends first.

The theme of redemption is strong in this story and how important it is to learn to forgive others for their transgressions and forgive yourself for past mistakes. I also loved how the author fit Ina and Duncan into the story. Ina's story will resonate with many who feel uncomfortable in their own skin.

A beautiful tale of romance, danger and possibilities! I highly recommend it!

I received this book courtesy of Revell through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Rachel Fordham: A Lady in Attendance

Love a great book that makes you smile? Then, this is a story for you. A Lady in Attendance, written by Rachel Fordham is a clever, unique story with engaging and wonderful characters. As the story begins, you meet Hazel after she was sentenced to five years in a women’s reformatory for an unnamed crime. Once released, Hazel seeks employment as a Lady in Attendance with a local dentist named Gilbert. As the story continues, Hazel and Gilbert form a charming relationship. Throughout the story, Fordham sprinkles clues about Hazel’s past which only fuels you to keep reading to find out more. As a reader, you wonder about Hazel’s past, but as she seeks to redeem her name and prove her innocence, you hold your breath in anticipation of a resolution. Each scene in the story is clever, refreshing and engaging. The plot is filled with twists and turns leaving your gasping as new clues are revealed and new characters enter the story. This is a magical story of forgiveness, new found beginnings and happy endings!

I must say Rachel Fordham is quickly becoming one of my most favorite authors. If you like Christian Historical Romance, you will love her newest book. I couldn't wait for this novel to come out after reading her others. Rachel has a way of grabbing you by the heartstrings right from the start and she keeps your interest through the entire story. I appreciated the mystery and suspense in A Lady In Attendance. Her characters are always very well done. I instantly fell in love with Gilbert. Even though going to the dentist is the last thing I like to do LOL. He was a real sweetheart.

I’ve been anticipating this book ever since I first saw it coming out. I’ve loved every book Rachel Fordham has written and this one was no different!

First of all, I found it so interesting how unique Hazel’s profession is for historical fiction! I was definitely intrigued when I found out she was a dental assistant (called a lady in attendance at that time.) I’ve contemplated this profession, so reading about what that was like in the late 1800s was so neat!

I loved Hazel and her story. It was inspiring and gripped me. I wanted to know all of it. I felt for her in so many ways and was rooting for her the whole time. Her past was written so well. I was so intrigued by it, and I felt so much emotion behind it. I really love how her past unfolded throughout the novel instead of having an info-dump at the beginning. It left me wanting to read and more to find out what had happened.

Gilbert was an amazing male lead. I’m sure I sighed several times throughout because he was so romantic! Yes, Rachel Fordham successfully made a 1800s dentist romantic. ☺️ I just loved him! He was awkward and shy and adorable! (I feel weird calling him adorable but he really was... in a manly way.)😉 As an introvert, I felt for the poor guy! I loved and admired his loyalty to Hazel. He was just really sweet!

I also love the secondary characters, especially Ina. Her and Duncan made my heart so happy! I even liked Eddie in the end.

The love story was beautiful! It was just the way I like it. It was slow-burn, and wasn’t based merely on looks/ physical attraction. I find so many romance novels focus on the character’s looks and outward appearance when their character and heart is what really matters. Rachel Fordham does a beautiful job at writing a romance with depth. It made me smile and sigh. It made my heart happy!

This was more than a romance novel though. There was mystery and suspense that made the book hard to put down. There were themes of forgiveness, both forgiveness towards others and yourself. Themes of moving on from your past and finding peace. The faith woven in is beautiful. Simple and yet profound.

I loved the humor. I laughed and smiled so much! The banter was so good.☺️

Also, I just have to point this out because I’m such an Anne of Green Gables fan that even a mention of the name Gilbert brings Gilbert Blythe to mind... but Gilbert and Hazel reminded me slightly of my favorite fictional couple ever, Gilbert and Anne. I think it’s Hazel’s “red” hair that did that.😉

I loved this novel! It had a good love story, wonderful characters, and the right amount of suspense. I couldn’t be more excited for her next release. Her books never fail to inspire me! I recommend to anyone looking for a good historical fiction.

A Lady in Attendance releases June 1 and is available for preorder now!

*Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a lovely story of growth and forgiveness. Hazel and Gilbert are both characters you like and want to root for, and I enjoyed watching them grow together and change each other for the better. The supporting characters, with the possible exception of the villain, were all fleshed out very well and you can't help but get attached to most of them as well. Even Eddie. ;P

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Lady in Attendance is an excellent book! Hazel is wrongfully accused of theft, but it has brought shame to her family, so she gets a job in a nearby town where nobody knows her and nobody knows she has spent time in prison. Her new boss, Gilbert, likes his new assistant, and the quiet man begins to open up to her. She tries her best to clear her name, and has to get help from a friend that happens to be a lawyer. After gathering information, they discover who was behind her false arrest. Will he catch up to her? He has sworn he would kill her if he catches her. It is an intense story but very clean and enjoyable. Loved it!

Rachel Fordham has penned another historical romance with wonderful characters, an intriguing mystery and a sweet romance. This one has a fiery heroine in Hazel and a quiet, but steadfast hero in Gilbert. I related well to Hazel and her spitfire personality. And I loved to see the character growth as the book went on. There was a dominant theme of forgiveness throughout the book - both forgiving others and forgiving oneself. I enjoyed how the characters related and the humor throughout. The faith thread was subtle, but very present, paricularly in the forgivenss theme. I enjoyed the unique qualities of the characters - Gilbert was a dentist, Hazel had been to a "reformatory", and later obtained a job I'd never heard of, though it's like a modern "dental assistant". Ina had a rare birthmark that placed an unfair stigma on her and Duncan was a single father. All of these are rare to find in historical novels, but give everyone someone to relate to. The mystery in this one - about Hazel's past and what could clear her name - was intriguing and had me turning pages. The romance was sweet, though I felt it moved too quickly (but that's always a hang-up for me in romance novels), and I enjoyed the ending and the gift that Hazel gave to Gilbert. All in all, this was a wonderful novel and I would strongly recommend it to fans of historical romance. Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

A Lady in Attendance by Rachel Fordham is an excellent historical fiction and romance that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end.

I have been a huge fan of Ms. Fordham for quite some time now and could not wait to read her newest book. And this did not disappoint!

I always love the literary descriptions, the ability that the author is able to give the reader pictures and visions of the landscapes, eras, and life of each historical period she writes about. The visions she is always able to conjure is just stunning. She has a real talent of describing town inhabitants, day-to-day life, and all of the details are just perfect.

I loved the slow burn of the relationship and feelings between Hazel and Gilbert within this story. The way the author was able to create likable, realistic, imperfect, yet human characters that seem to bring the best out of one another is impressive. Both have their flaws, worries, pasts, fears, hopes, and passions that really make them complex and fascinating.

The few mysteries, moments of suspense, and twists and turns that are sprinkled throughout the narrative really add another layer to the story and help keep the reader engaged. It all fit in perfectly at the turn of the 20th century.

I loved this book and I highly recommend this novel for anyone that loves a great historical fiction with a fabulous narrative and a slow-burning romance that rounds everything up quite nicely.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Revell Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 6/1/21.