Unfortunately, a DNF at about 35% for me. I LOVE regency era romances and usually find myself tearing through them in one sitting but this one was too slow of a burn --- I could not get into the flow of the writing or the romance of the characters at all. Disappointed because it seemed like an interesting plot line with a lot of potential, but I had a hard time with the sudden back and forth between POVs and the insta-love between the main characters.

Captain William Hawksmoor is the youngest son of a youngest son - long resigned to a life as a working man, and truly content with his life in the Navy. But tables turn for him when a chain of unfortunate (fortunate?) events lead to him inheriting the Marquis of Athelney when both his old uncle (the previous Marquis) and heir apparent his cousin Mr. William Hawksmoor die within a week of each other.

Forced to leave the Navy for the life of a Lord, the Captain must also handle the burden of his cousin's reputation as a rake as he is forced to deal with irate husbands and greedy women left in his cousin's wake. But none of this compares to the real problem - his uncle's will! Designed to reign in his wayward nephew Mr. William, the will stipulates that the Captain must not only marry but produce a male heir within two years in order to receive the money he badly needs for the upkeep of the Marquis' estate - Kingscastle. The only problem is: marriage has never been on the Captain's mind, and he certainly has no idea how to find the kind of woman "appropriate" for the station of a Marquis! The Captain must avoid the pushy advice of his widowed aunt and reign in his growing feelings for her live-in companion Miss Burgess if he is to ever have a chance with the women of society.

Sophia Holloway's Kingscastle is a Historical Romance Cinderella story. A pleasant read for those who enjoy a good Regency-era romance the story has a passing resemblance to Jane Austen style stories of strong-willed intelligent women who struggle to find a suitably open-minded partner. While I would be unlikely to revisit the book, it was a fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sophia Holloway and Allison and Busby for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Here we have the usual unexpected heir to a title, the villainous aunt who insists he marry the one she chooses, the put-upon companion to said aunt, which companion is lovely, good-hearted, and worthy -- so there is nothing particularly new here, but the story is well written and well developed, and I enjoyed it. It wasn't so cliche'd that I felt I didn't need to read it all the way through. So I can recommend it to those readers who like a well presented story, if not all that original. #NetGalley #Kingscastle

Sadly this one just wasn't for me. The premise was interesting and it had promise but I couldn't sustain my interest in it and I couldn't connect to the characters at all. I particularly struggled with William, I didn't like him from the first few pages and that set the tone for the rest of the novel for me. I also didn't buy the romance or chemistry between the main characters at all. There were some interesting side characters and plots but it wasn't enough to make me properly enjoy the novel.

Overall, it had promise but just wasn't right for me personally.

Kingscastle is not your traditional historical romance book, there is no istalust, there are more than one couple and there is no pointless assumption that leads to a rift between lovers, but there is a mad aunt who is willing to do whatever to keep the lover apart.
The beginning of the story is somewhat dry, lifeless even, but wait for it … there will be action, there will be humor and the story will enchant and the ending is quite enjoyable. A really good change to all those traditional historical romance books.

Captian William Hawksmoor or Marquis of Athelney suddenly finds himself as the heir to selfish rogue William Hawksmoor. More than one problem arises from confusion. Also his aunt has decided the the new marquis will marry her daughter. But most importantly he must prove himself to the people he is responsible for.
I found the twists that this book presents humorous as well as intriguing. Miss Burgress the author painted as a hard working abused companion with spirit. Again I really enjoyed this different aspects to this book. As well as the level of detial she included.

Similar in tone to a Georgette Heyer novel, but not quite as rich in period detail, Kingscastle is a very traditional Regency romance with no smut, It follows William Hawksmoor, a naval captain who unexpectedly inherits the title from a cousin and has to return from sea to run his country estate, much to the displeasure of his caustic Aunt. His inheritance, however, is to be held in trust until such time as he marries and produces an heir, and so he sets out to find a sensible wife to take on this duty. His aunt thinks her daughter would make a perfect marchioness and tries to bring the two together, but she is most displeased when she thinks that her companion Eleanor has caught the marquess's eye and does what she can to scupper any chance of a friendship blooming.

The horrible aunt is probably the best character in this book, she's delightfully awful. The marquess and Eleanor are a bit bland to begin with but did grow on me. All in all, it's a likeable book and I enjoyed reading it. (But I did wonder why Hawksmoor is referred to as a marquis throughout when the title in England is a marquess.)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This was a well written historical romance. William inherits an estate while serving in the Navy - but not without problems. I enjoyed the slow burn romance between William and lady’s companion Eleanor. It was sweet watching them both unwittingly fall for each other. The aunt was a nightmare full of entitlement and nastiness. I wanted to reach into the book and smack her more than once. Recommend if you’re looking for a non-angst, clean HR story.

Captain William Hawksmoor was quite happy on his ship and had no desire to leave, though the coming of peace had rendered the future less certain; he certainly had no desire to become a marquis and inherit Kingscastle! Having inherited, he soon realises that his cousin, who shared the same name and would have inherited had he not died shortly before his father, left behind a legacy of bad behaviour that may well cause him trouble - and that his aunt has every intention of making sure he marries her daughter. Unfortunately, Charlotte has never been allowed to have an independent thought in her head and he has no interest in her - whereas his aunt's companion Eleanor is quite a different matter... Can the new marquis weather the various storms headed his way and arrive safely in a port of wedded bliss?

This was my first introduction to this author, so I didn't really know what to expect, though the reference to Heyer piqued my interest. Well, while not up to Heyer standard in my opinion, it was still well written and clean, and I enjoyed it. It felt a little drier than your average Regency, but felt like it had a more solid plot than many. There wasn't as much of the wit I appreciate, but at the same time, the characters grabbed my attention and interest, and I guess in some ways it felt a little closer to 'normal life' rather than the social life of 'the season', and I liked that. William and Eleanor felt like real people facing up to real problems, which was great, and the secondary characters were likewise well drawn. I hope to read more by the author in future. 4.5 stars.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

This one wasn’t quite for me, Felt a little bland and did not really keep me engaged. I’m sorry it’s me, not you! I do appreciate this Arc in exchange for an honest review, Thank you.

Captain William Hawksmoor never expected to inherit a title or estate and is not impressed when it happens. He is especially annoyed by the little detail that he must marry in a year or be forever under the control of trustees. The new Marquis of Altheney takes command of his new home, Kingscastle, determined to do his best despite the machinations of his widowed aunt.

The cover of this book caught my attention because it is really pretty. When I saw that it was “A classic Regency romance in the tradition of Georgette Heyer“, I was intrigued. I really enjoyed reading this one. It is very much to the similar to the style of Georgette Heyer, who is one of my favorite authors.

The characters were interesting and felt like they fit the word that the author created. I loved the details of Kingscastle. The new marquis was the kind of hero I enjoy reading, although in the end I felt like his personality changed a bit. His love interest, Eleanor Burgess, was a lovely lady as well, and I loved seeing them together.

The marquis’ aunt is our “villain” of the story. She has her plans for who he should marry, her timid daughter, and she sets out to make sure her nephew is going to fallin with her plans by inventing tales. She is a rather one-dimensional character, and I was a little surprised how easily the marquis believed her.

Overall, it was an entertaining tale. I do think readers who enjoy a more traditional, clean Regency book will enjoy this one.

I really enjoyed this book! It made me feel like I was reading Jane Austen mixed with watching Bridgerton or Downton Abbey. The HEA (for multiple couples) type storyline made me feel good, but I was a little annoyed at how long the main couple spent thinking that they hated each other all because of a grouchy selfish old woman. BUT it was written so well that I overlooked that small annoyance and gave it 4 stars. It had a good plot, more than one couple to root for, and wonderful writing. Plus the cover is just wonderful!

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby publishing for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

Dearests, if you enjoy the pacing of Jane Austen’s books and do not require HEAT in your historical romance novels, then this can be a comforting read.

Official title: Kingscastle
My title: Kingscastle
Author: Sophia Holloway
Publisher: Allison and Busby
Fav character: Miss Greenham
Readability: Smooth
Type: Book
4.3/5

🌱THE EXCELLENT
~ A intimacies-less multi-romance historical romance (for those who enjoy such books)
~ A layered story with interesting characters
~ Great dialogue and insults 🤣 (I take note)
~ Clever conflict
~ Realistic character behaviours given the time

Captain William Hawksmoor, is about to have an unexpected change in fortunes. Due to the unforeseen death of several male family members, he is now the Marquis of Athelney and steward of many properties - However, while the title is unequivocally his, the funds to manage his properties are not and as a result, he must find a wife to meet the provisions of the will. At Kingscastle, William will be meant by the distasteful defiance of his aunt, the winsomeness of two ladies and strong friendships.

A story about finding home and living your truth, Kingscastle speaks about people who, through unforeseen circumstances, make unforeseen connections and fall into genteel love. The book takes its time to unfurl the activities, dynamics and love interests and Kingscastle and as a bonus, does an excellent job showing us how we can be kinder to one another.

✨Give it a read.

🌱THE MEH
~ The story didn’t NEED it, but I enjoy intimacies in my historical romance novels 🤣
~ (not quite meh) Written in a Jane Austen-esque style which may not be for all


♡🌱 But that’s just me ;)

———
🎁 Thank you @netgalley for the gift.
🌱 More Reviews: plotsandreviews.com

Captain William Hawksmoor, of his Majesty's Navy, inherits the title of the 5th Marquise of Athelney, Kingscastle and an aunt everyone comes to despise. Once he grabs hold of his duties, he takes his responsibilities in stride and adjusts to the title. Now, if he can only get his aunt's companion, Miss Eleanor Burgess, to say yes to his proposal. His devious aunt has other ideas and pushes her daughter in his path and keeps Eleanor away with lies. The new Lord Athelney finally takes matters into his own hands to fight for the woman he loves. I have to say his aunt, Lady Willoughby Hawksmoor, has to be one of the most hateful characters I have read in a book.
I was not sure I was going to like this book, but the more I read, the more I wanted to finish it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Captain William Hawksmoor never expected to inherit a marquessate, but he does after his uncle passes away. After some initial confusion with his late cousin, who had the same name and was a scoundrel, William ends up at Kingscastle, his new estate. There, he has to deal with an aunt who’s determined to get William to marry her daughter, Charlotte. But it’s his aunt’s companion, Eleanor, who catches William’s attention. A friend of William’s, Henry Bitten joins him at Kingscastle and meets the vicar’s sister, Anne, and we have a second budding romance.

This was an enjoyable book. That being said, I definitely enjoyed Henry and Anne’s story much better than William and Eleanor’s. That being said, I genuinely enjoyed both of their stories, all the characters were written as real, with all the emotions and actions that never became overdramatized like I’ve read in many other historical romances. I wish we got more of a look at Charlotte, because we did start to see her true personality then that storyline appeared to drop. I’ll definitely be reading more from Sophia Holloway.

When Captain William Hawksmoor inherits Kingscastle, he is not terribly impressed especially when he finds that he must marry within a year or be forever dealing with trustees. As the new Marquis of Athelney, he discovers that he must contend with his aunt, Lady Willoughby Hawksmoor, who would like him to marry her daughter. Yet he finds himself more interested in Eleanor Burgess, his aunt’s companion. However, Lady Willoughby will not let happen, under her watch.
Whilst I enjoyed the story of Captain William Hawksmoor and Eleanor, I found myself enjoying the romance between the secondary characters. Overall, this is a lovely story with witty dialogue between all.
I look forward to reading about King Grantham, who has always been such a complex character. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Historical romances are always either hit or miss for me and sadly this one is a miss. The plot looked promising but almost right away I knew I wasn't going to like it. I just couldn't connect to the writing or to the characters at all. I ended up DNF'ing at about 46%.

I kept having to remind myself to read this and found it a little tiresome. I didn't buy the romance at all and most of the characters felt bland and one-dimensional. I also felt that neither the romance nor the characters were developed as much as they could have been. There were little moments that I thought were sweet and/or interesting but they weren't enough to keep me going.

This is definitely going to be a lot of people's cup of tea, but it wasn't mine.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

When William Hawksmoor unexpectedly becomes the Marquis of Athelney, the former Navy captain has no idea of the sallies and broadsides that await him in the drawing rooms of the countryside’s gentry folk. A condition of the state demands that he must marry in the year, unless he wants to continually draw on his income from a trust, and he discovers with dismay that his aunt Lady Willoughby is determined to foist her daughter upon him. But while his insipid cousin does little to invite his interest, his aunt’s companion, the pleasant and forthright Eleanor Burgess, is far more to his liking. However, any attention shown to Eleanor is likely to result in private punishments for her later from the hand of his malicious aunt. As William unravels the immoral dealings of his predecessor, navigates the social pitfalls of country society, and works to save the villagers from floods that threaten to sweep away both lives and livelihood, he must make a decision as to where his heart and duty lie.

This romance is billed as being in the style of Georgette Heyer, and the elegant prose is indeed reminiscent of the queen of Regencies. The clever dialogue both fits the period and sparks the imagination. Featuring a capable hero and a forthright heroine, Kingscastle’s lead characters are determined to remain in control of feelings that run as deep as a nobleman’s pockets.

Recommended for readers of traditional, clean Regency romances in the older style.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I did enjoy this story, it had likeable characters and one that was certainly the villain of the story. Although Captain William Hawksmoor was unexpectedly the new Marquis of Athelney, he was not one to be trifled with. His naval training of being in command and expecting his orders to be obeyed, served him well. William doesn’t take himself too seriously and I enjoyed the way he put some people in their place. He was also caring about his tenants. Eleanor is in the unfortunate position of being a companion to a selfish and thoughtless lady. She often needs to stop herself from expressing her true thoughts. Eleanor and William are attracted to each other but Eleanor wants to marry for love. There are a number of romances in this story. The pace does slow down a little in the middle but there is plenty of action in the end. I found this to be an entertaining read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Regency romance starts well with Captain William Hawkswood of the Royal Navy, the younger son of a youngest son, finding out he inherited the marquessate of Athelney, but with the (probable) stipulation of marrying and fathering an heir within a year. When he meets Eleanor Burgess, his aunt´s companion, he´s not so sure he wants to marry Charlotte, the daughter Lady Willoughby wants to throw in his way. All is set for a humorous banter with a self-confident heroine, but then the story between the two looses its pace, as they let themselves be influenced by the cruel and domineering aunt. More misunderstandings and near-catastrophes till the end.
I liked the other love story better which is natural and loving with its share of humour. Also appreciated Charlotte´s development, the period setting and the people of the village.
Thanks to Alison & Busby and Netgalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.