Loved this book! Although I usually enjoy Caroline's books, Franny & Eli are not your typical leads which lent a nice touch to my overall reading enjoyment.
Thank you Caroline Warfield, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

The Forgotten Daughter and the Earl’s Steward

Fanny’s circumstances are dire, and creditors are knocking at her door. Just in time, she finds out that she is the illegitimate daughter of an earl. She decides to seek him out and get her due. What she finds is a dead father who forgot about her, entirely, a steward who she cannot get out of her mind, and danger. Eli is not like any of the heroes she writes about, but he is her hero, nevertheless. He comes to her rescue, and whether she wants him to or not, he steals her heart. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like historical romance with a dash of mystery and suspense.

On the brink of desolation, Fanny seeks help from her real father, the Earl of Clarion, only to discover he forgot her in his will. Fanny was born on the wrong side of the blanket. She’s always known her birthright as a bastard but didn’t realize her father was an earl until after her mother died. With her unscrupulous stepfather also dead and leaving her destitute and in need of money to feed her younger siblings, she makes the journey to seek out the Earl of Clarion. She meets the earl’s steward, Eli, and he informs her the earl is dead and didn’t leave her anything. In fact, the earl listed all his other bastard children in his will but not her. The only thing in her favor is she has the earl’s hair color and eyes. Eli agrees to help her and accompanies her back home while waiting to hear from the current earl. Eli’s expertise is invaluable, but she can’t deny burgeoning feelings for him. Is he her hero in disguise or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

The Forgotten Daughter is a riveting historical romance I couldn’t put down. This book has all the elements I enjoy in a historical romance: a feisty yet down on her luck heroine, an unexpected hero, a love worth risking it all for, historical accuracy down to the last detail, and a few unsavory characters to defeat. The plot moves at a great pace with twists I didn’t anticipate. I connected with both Fanny and Eli right away. As a couple, they complement each other. Yes, it took them quite some time to get together but it just made the ending all the sweeter. The historical world-building was exquisite, and I didn’t want The Forgotten Daughter to end. Caroline Warfield is a brilliant historical romance author who takes pride in her research prowess. Her heart and soul are in between the pages of The Forgotten Daughter. If you love historical romance, pick up The Forgotten Daughter. Fans of historically accurate romances will simply adore The Forgotten Daughter. Another gem by Caroline Warfield and one I highly recommend!

My Rating: 5+ stars

The Forgotten Daughter by Caroline Warfield, is the 3rd book in the Ashmead Heirs series and follows the story of Frances Hancock, the illegitimate Daughter of the previous Earl of Clarion. Frances and her half- siblings are in dire financial strait and she travels to Ashmead hoping to get assistance from the Earl not knowing that he had passed away a couple of years back. Instead, she meets the steward to the current Earl, Eli Benson.

Eli is bright, loyal and sharp; he had also been instrumental in turning about the fortune of the estate and making it fictional again, after it had been left a mess by the current Earl's father. He feels for Frances aka Fanny's plight and makes a concerted effort to bring it about.

At this juncture, Fanny is suddenly abducted by ruffians and things turn more intriguing. Why is she kidnapped and what is the reason behind it? These questions are answered in an interesting and fairly engaging manner. The author has paced the story well and most of her descriptions are elaborate, trying to take us into the places she describes. Both Fanny and Eli are relatable, ordinary people; particularly they are both flawed people with prejudices and are quick to form judgements. The only complaint I had with the story is that it was not very engaging; the story didn't hook my mind and attention. There were times I just couldn't understand the motivation of certain characters.

All in all, it's a light,, life changing, slightly intriguing, moderately well- written story for other kids. Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free ARC in exchange of my honest review. All the opinions expressed in the review are my own.

This was a delightful instalment in the Ashmead Heirs series. Caroline Warfield is an excellent author, and this is an eminently readable story, with a lot of different threads which she manages beautifully.

The former Earl of Clarion was a horrible man who left a string of illegitimate children around the country, they all have the auburn hair and green eyes of the earl, so are easily identifiable. Falling out with his heirs, the Earl made numerous small bequests to his illegitimate offspring, beggaring the estate and causing problems for his legitimate children. Eli Benson, steward and lawyer to the new Earl has been trying to unpick his father's torturous will and has disbursed all the bequests, but one daughter, Frances Hancock, was forgotten.

Frances only found out who her father was The Earl after her mother's death. Guardian to her half siblings, her stepfather has left them very badly off, and she is struggling to make ends meet. She decides she is going to insist her father recognises her and supports her. When she arrives, tired and dishevelled from her journey from Manchester, she is disheartened, as she discovers the old Earl is dead. The new Duke's steward Eli is immediately fascinated by Frances and determines to do his best to help her, but the strains on the estate are myriad, so he is not sure how much the estate can bear.

Mr Benson is a cool, competent fixer, who quietly gets things done, he ios not the image of a dashing hero, but he is a determined, good looking intelligent, compassionate man, He is not sure what the Earl will agree to, but in the interim he travels back to Manchester with Fanny to stop the forclosure on her brother's inheritance - the drapers shop, and to ensure the safty of her two younger half siblings.

The plot then thickens, with kidnappings, the slave trade, human trafficing and fraud. As Eli and Fanny navigate all this together, they are intensely aware of each other, but too unsure and jealous to be honest with each other. As Fanny comes to admire the steadfast and brave man behind the sober attire and serious attitude, she falls in love, and we get a most delightful HEA.

Read it, you will love it.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

I haven't had the pleasure of reading one of Ms. Warfield's books before and after having the opportunity to read this I realized I have really been missing out! Her storytelling really makes the characters and story come alive. Her vivid descriptions really makes you feel as if you are in the story experiencing it for yourself. This is the third installment of The Ashmead Heirs series. I had no trouble reading this as a standalone, but I have the feeling I would have enjoyed it even more had I read the previous books. I have plans to remedy that soon!
The late earl thought to punish his family by including his illegitimate children in his will. Frances, however, had been left out. She never knew she was the daughter of an earl until her mother died. She and her younger siblings are close to becoming homeless and she is in dire need of money. Eli is the steward to the current Earl of Clarion and is working hard to clean up the mess the late Earl has left of the estate. He is good at fixing things, but can he fix the situation with Frances? He is certainly going to try! I guarantee you will fall in love with this unlikely hero. I was pulled into this story and captivated from start to finish. This was an engaging and enjoyable read and I wholeheartedly recommend!

Thank you Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy. This is my voluntarily and honest review.

Eli Benson, steward for the Earl of Clarion, has quietly gone about his job helping wherever and whenever he is needed. He is organized and very efficient at his job. Everyone in the Earl's household and Estate rely on Eli to fix or solve their various problems.
Enter Frances Hancock, the forgotten daughter left out of the old Earl's will. She has no one to help her except Eli, who again has been tasked with trying to figure out how to help another of the Earl's children with a living when there is no money available.
This is a fantastic series, and Caroline has done an outstanding job telling Eli's story. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book for your reading enjoyment.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Following the death of her mother, and drunkard step father, Frances Hancock knows she needs to find her birth father, the wastrel Earl of Clarion, and demand he give her her due, in order to save her family's business, and allow her to care for her siblings. But when Frances has managed to scrap together enough to travel to Ashmead, all she finds is that her father has passed, and the estate's steward, Eli Benson, has to tell her that she was the only illegitimate child of the previous Earl not to be left a bequest. Frances is at a loss, but Eli can't allow her and her family to suffer, so will do whatever it takes to help her, though his growing feelings for her may just complicate matters.

I've been wondering a lot about Eli, the brother of Rob, the protagonist from the first book, and hoped that he would be the hero at some point in this series. He's definitely an Ashmead boy, born and bred, and will do anything to help anyone, so Frances' story definitely hits a soft spot for him. When they meet, it's not the best of first impressions, but soon the spark that was there takes light, and they are clearly falling for each other, and falling hard. Another thing I loved was the mystery plot line, running alongside the romance, as I felt like it was one of the best if read recently, and kept me gripped until the final page. Now all there is to do is wait for the final book, and see if the current Earl can find happiness again, and overcome all his own difficulties.

This exceeds my expectations. One of them being romance isn't the only affair that moves the story forward. The paths that the characters chose sometimes are questionable but thank God the others or even the characters themselves have the wit to question said paths which makes plain that an intriguing story is possible without sacrificing basic thinking. Some characters I encountered are so devoid of logic *le sigh*. The humor is smooth and just the perfect amount.

Neither the hero nor the heroine is an aristocrat—Eli is a steward and Fanny is a bastard. It’s common to have one of lowborn and the other of highborn so “The Forgotten Daughter” is a breath of fresh air to the genre. Eli is so easy to love; he is quick-witted, well-rounded, sensible, and not too possessive. He gets jealous a lot but doesn't allow said jealousy to steal his brain. He’s a steward, after all, he will see to it. Meanwhile through our heroine, Fanny, we have the representation of women of literature in the past who had to put in more effort than their male counterparts to have their works published. The romance is slow burn but the story mostly moves at quite a fast pace.

I also want to appreciate the dedication page because, for once, I feel appreciated.

This was my first time reading one of Caroline Warfield's books and it won't be the last. I loved the story between Fanny and Eli, the family steward of the Earl of Clarion. When Fanny's mother dies, she finds out that her real father is the Earl of Clarion. She is left with a lot of debts and 2 younger siblings to care for. There is no doubt that she is one of the Earl's offspring, but he has died, and his son is now the earl. Eli feels a moral obligation to help Fanny.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes historical romance.

Frances Hancock is a bastard daughter of the late Earl of Clarion. The Earl had a lot of bastards and two legit children he's left all the children but he forgot Frances. Frances, her brother, and Sister are almost homeless she had come to the Earl for some help. Eli Benson is the new earl's steward he goes with her to where she lives. There he starts to help her sort out her debts. She is almost kidnapped. Eli takes her and little brother, and sister to her brother the earl. Her other half brother Robert Benson, who was in the first book of the series who is also Eli's brother with eli's help start's investigating who's behind france's almost kidnapping.

Because she is trying to keep her siblings safe and fed she goes in search of a man she has never met. Only to find out the she is one of many illegitimate children. Only she was forgotten. As the steward tries to makes amends they become better acquainted.
I found this book wonderfully entertaining. Slight mentions, not in depth descriptions of the intimacy. Throughly enjoyed.
I recieved a copy in exchange for my honest review.

A pleasant story with likeable characters and an interesting premise, although one that seems a bit far-fetched for the situation.

The heroine, Fanny Hancock, is the illegitimate daughter Earl of Clarion —one of numerous bastards that he fathered and ignored during his lifetime. Fanny has a half-sister and half-brother, and after her mother and stepfather die, they are in dire straits. Prior to his death, Fanny’s stepfather had run up debts and run the draper’s business that Fanny’s mother had inherited into the ground. With no other option, Fanny decides to approach the earl and seek assistance. She finds out that the old earl is dead, and his will left bequests for all his children, legitimate and not.

The estate’s steward/solicitor, Eli Benson, has just spend a long year cleaning up the complications that the earl’s will created, ensuring that all bequests were received by the rightful recipients. When Fanny shows up at the estate while the current earl (David, her half-brother) is away, Eli is torn. The estate has no legal responsibility to Fanny since she was not named in the will (likely because her mother never told the earl about Fanny’s existence). However, her physical appearance (red hair, green eyes) strongly supports her identity as a child of the earl. Eli feels a moral obligation to her, and despite the fact that the estate is not in the strongest financial position, he would like to see what can be done for her; a position that he believes the current earl will agree with. So Eli sets out to do what he does best: determine how to fix things for Fanny.
The villain in the story is a thug who is owed money by Fanny’s dead stepfather. To cover these gambling debts, he attempts to abduct Fanny to sell her into slavery. Her red hair is apparently highly prized by a potential buyer on the Barbary Coast.

Eli and Fanny grow closer while working together to come up with a solution to her situation while protecting her from harm. Their romance builds slowly over time during which Fanny also gets to meet her other half-siblings.

Although it helps to have read the previous books in the series, it is not essential to following the story. Thanks to #NetGalley and #DragonBlade for the advance copy to review.

When her mother died, Frances Hancock learned that she is the natural daughter of the Earl of Clarion. She and her siblings need help, so she decides to ask her father’s assistance. She travels to Ashmead, only to learn that her father is dead and the new Earl is in London. One look at Fanny and Eli Bensen knows she is another natural child of the late Earl of Clarion. Unfortunately, while she is his daughter, the Earl left her nothing in his will (she must be the only one). He apparently forgot about her. Eli is the new Earl’s Man of Business, plus, and he is very good at it. He will do his best to find a solution to Fanny’s problem.

This is a compelling story, unpredictable and hard to put down. There is plenty of action, danger, and intrigue; and of course, romance. Eli is a fantastic hero – intelligent and insightful, cunning and resourceful, caring and protective. A fixer, problem solver who isn’t afraid to take it to the bad guys. Fanny is brave, intelligent, determined, and demanding. All of that, and loving, caring, and protective of the “Ducklings,” as she calls her siblings.
Members of the Benson and Caulfield families are here and are more than willing to lend a hand. I enjoyed getting to know David, the Earl, a little better. A great story and a wonderful addition to the series. I can’t wait to read David’s story.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

After reading books one and two of this series. I was excited to read Eli's book. First, I want to say the author has done an amazing job on the characters of this series. Eli, was a wonderful character and a hero, but Caroline Warfield made him an average looking man and solicitor. He wasn't the muscled, gorgeous and wealthy man we typically get. I enjoyed that. I also liked Fanny's character. This book was interesting and had underlining passion. I am looking forward to Clarion's book, the next in the series. I will miss the people of Ashmead when the series is over.
I received this book from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an honest review.

Fanny and her siblings are on the verge of destitution. Their appalling father has died leaving them with nothing but debts. Fanny has one last hope of keeping herself and her siblings from becoming homeless. She goes to ask for financial help from her birthfather, the Earl of Clarion, only to find out he’s died. The estate’s steward pleads her case to the new Earl, her half brother, and is given the task to help her. Eli, is not only the steward but also the estate’s solicitor and fixer. He’s competent, kind, and thoughtful. Fanny is a fighter, independent, tenacious with a writer’s imagination.. There’s a harrowing kidnapping, an obvious villain and an evil scheme. I very much enjoyed the romance between Eli and Fanny however the mystery /thriller started off as a nail biter but I felt the author lost interest mid-way.

Although this book is the 3rd in the series, it can be read as a stand alone. I highly recommend “The Defiant Daughter”.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC.

The Forgotten Daughter by Caroline Warfield is the third of the Ashmead Heirs series which tells the stories of the old earl's offspring, both legitimate and not. There were many more not. He had delineated them all in his will and left them a little something. But, he had missed one: Frances (Fanny) Hancock, who was now on her way to Ashmead to ask for help, not knowing he was dead. One thing the old earl had passed along to all of them was their appearance. Their hair and eyes were striking and any who laid eyes on them knew who their father was. So it went with Fanny when she arrived at her destination and was told Mr. Benson would deal with the problem. The earl was in London, oh, yes, the young earl, the older being dead. Who was this Mr. Benson? Turns out he was the steward, solicitor, and general factotum for the earl. The largest problem was that the earl had not money. Very little he could do to help, which Mr. Benson knew for a fact.

Eli (Mr. Benson) was the most accomplished, well-organized, and self-deprecating person around. The answer to most queries was Mr. Benson, and he took care of nearly all of them. Fanny was hard working, accomplished, and mature. Despite the fact she looked 15, she was nearly 21. She had a half-sister and half-brother to take care of. Their mother had died, and now their father, who had run their business into the ground and left them with myriad debts. She didn't let that hinder her in any way. As the adventures she insisted on going on with Mr. Benson increase in regularity and danger, she recognized that he was the man for her. The plot was consistent with the first two books and was well plotted and appropriately paced. They were not nobility so in some ways their lives were simpler, except for the siblings left by her father. It was an interesting and reward read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Forgotten Daughter by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #dragonblade #carolinewarfield #theforgottendaughter

Miss Fanny Hancock has been left to care for her two younger siblings, the home they always lived in is about to be taken from them. So it's time her natural father, the Earl of Clarion to face his responsibility and help her.
Our heroine is an intelligent and capable young woman, but her age and the "ducklings" make her vulnerable.
Eli Benson is the steward of the Clarion estate and he's had a lot to sort out since the old Earl died and left a very complicated last will and testament. Our hero is not the typical type who charges in and saves the day. He's a hard working man who "gets things done". His knowledge of the law and just about everything will prove invaluable.
This historical romance is part of a wonderful series . Each book can be read on it's own, but are better in series order because what the other heirs have faced impacts on all of them. The characters are fabulous and there's plenty of danger and excitement to go with the gentle romance.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I loved it.

The Forgotten Daughter by Caroline Warfield
The Ashmead Heirs #3

Historical romance that is a bit different with both hero and heroine not of the upper class but both worthy of their story being told.

What I liked:
* Frances “Fanny” Hancock: illegitimate daughter the Earl of Clarion, older half-sister to Wil and Amy, sole caretaker of her siblings after the death of her mother and stepfather, handling a financial mess, a budding author, in need of a hero
* Eli Benson: steward for the Earl of Clarion, good with numbers, good with puzzles, son of an inn keeper, brother of the illegitimate son of the Earl of Clarion, has a married sister, the go-to person for most everything, smart, intrepid
* That the lead characters were “commoners”
* Watching the relationship develop between Fanny and Ian
* Wil & Amy: younger siblings of Fanny
* Seeing how the families of Fanny and Ian worked together and took Fanny and her siblings in
* The Barbary Coast Pirates tie-in
* That there were a few foes to vanquish
* That the mystery of who wanted to kidnap Fanny was figured out and dealt with handily
* That I read the work of a new-to-me author I would gladly read again
* The writing, plot, and complexity of the story
* How it all came together for the couple at the end
* Wondering about the stories that came before and the next one in the series that will star the Earl of Clarion-David
* All of it except…

What I didn’t like:
* The stepfather and the way his behavior impacted Fanny and her siblings
* The kidnapping ring, what they were up to, and the misery they created
* Having to say goodbye to interesting characters even though I have a feeling I will see them again

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the ARC – This is my honest review

4-5

When the old Earl of Clarion leaves a will with bequests for all his children, legitimate and not, listing each and their mothers by name, he complicated the lives of many in the village of Ashmead and beyond. One of them was left out. Frances Hancock always knew she was a bastard. She didn’t know her father was an earl until her mother died. The information came just in time. She and her mother’s two younger children were about to be homeless. Eli Benson, the Earl of Clarion’s steward, took great pride in cleaning up the mess left behind by the old earl’s will. When a dainty but ferocious young woman with the earl’s hair and eyes comes demanding help, his heart sinks. She isn’t in the will. She was forgotten entirely. And the estate is just getting its finances back in order. But he knows a moral obligation when he sees one. He may not be her idea of a hero, but he is Mr fix it. He’s good at it.
This is the third book in the series & it could be read on its own but the author brings this village & its inhabitants to life so as with all series I’d highly recommend reading from the start. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, the descriptions of places & events are so vivid that you feel you are there. I’ve loved Eli throughout the series but he came into his own, he’s one of the most adorable heroes I’ve come across, he’s unassuming, loyal, hardworking & totally indispensable. Fanny may be small in stature but makes up for it with her feisty personality. The pair are perfect for each other & I was totally invested in their journey to a HEA which was thrilling, engrossing – I loved it & highly recommend this beautifully written book
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read