A mystery that keeps you on your toes. Loved the first half in particular, probably because the romance was more subtle and the mystery had more clues. Towards the end things speed up a lot and there's not as much for the reader to figure out. A solid clean proper romance.

Nancy Campbell Allen never fails to give readers what they want. This delightful romance brought back all my favorite characters from The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart, yet gave me all the Eva and Nathan I could handle. I love how Allen incorporates mystery with falling in love.

Nathan and Eva made my heart pitter-patter throughout the entire house party. They also made me want to take a vacation to the seaside to explore caves and wade with my feet in the shallows.

Though, I do have to say that Sammy steals the show. I love that little boy and his witty attitude. He is a good nugget through and through.

I award To Capture His Heart a full 5 out of 5 stars.

We met Eva and Nathan in book one of the matchmakers series. He is a detective and she is a photographer who sometimes photographs crime scenes. When his mother wants him to attend her annual house party full of eligible young ladies, Nathan panics and claims he is already interested in someone so there is no need to meet her guests. When his mother asks about the woman he likes he tells her she is a photographer. Since there is no other female photographer in London, his mother knows instantly who he is talking about and has him invite Eva and hires her to photograph the party. They make an agreement to act interested in each other to save Nathan from his mother's matchmaking. The story is slow moving and mellow even with an escaped kidnapper out to get his revenge on Nathan. The party moves along, there's a couple of "Mean Ladies," to hate, parlour games to play, and sabotage to the camera equipment, while Eva and Nathan quickly fall in love. This is a zero steam romance.

Thanks to Nancy Allen Campbell and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an e-arc of To Capture His Heart

I’m a sucker for historical romance and this book was no different. I love that the main women of this series are seeking independent lives and even have their own jobs as it is the turn of the century. Eva, who this book is centered on, is a photographer who occasionally moonlights for the police department for crime scene photos. Nathan, a detective, just so happens to be one of the detectives she works with often and met the previous year when her cousin was working with Nathan's partner.

Nathan and Eva have been dancing around their feelings for a year, but when Nathan’s mother is hosting her yearly fundraising event, he is concerned his mother is plotting in hopes he might marry. Nathan blurts out he is interested in someone and his mother insists on hiring her as the photographer and inviting her to the event. So begins Nathan and Eva’s “fake” courting.

Meanwhile a criminal from one of Nathan’s past cases has resurfaced. Nathan and Eva work together to solve the mystery at hand, while dealing with snooty ladies of the upper class, and also dancing around their true feelings for one another.

If you enjoy historical fiction romances I recommend you pick this up. Also I would recommend this romance to anyone since it is a clean romance with no sex, since I know not everyone wants that in their books. This is book 2 in the series, but you could easily read this as a standalone as well.

Mystery. Fake relationships. Hidden feelings. House parties. This book had it all, and it was a blast!!
In this book we get Eva and Nathan’s story! Yay!! We could see the sparks flying in the previous book, and just knew this would be a fun romance. This series is unputdownable. It will capture you from page one with its wit and mystery and lovable characters. Eva and Nathan embark in a fake relationship when Nathan’s family hosts a house party. Why?! To avoid some very unwanted attentions of course. And I’m sure you can imagine how much fun that gets in the story.
And the mystery?! One of Nathan’s cases has followed him to the house party and the twists and turns that case takes, I loved it so much! It added the perfect element if intensity and intrigue to the story.
If you haven’t started this series yet, The Matchmakers Lonely Heart being book 1, and this Book 2. You will absolutely love it!!

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the complimentary e-arc in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Content: clean
Romance: kissing
Violence: mild, kidnapping, other mild events.
Language: none

I loved this book! The author always takes me on a journey of fun and adventure! This book is no different! Enjoy!

Since they met, accomplished photographer Eva Caldwell and detective Nathan Winston have been attracted to each other but neither have acted on their feelings. Now, with Nathan’s mother determined to see him wed, he and Eva make a deal: a pretend courtship to hold family and other single women at bay. An innocent enough scheme, but a criminal from Nathan’s past threatens revenge. Together, Nathan and Eva must solve the mystery and apprehend the criminal before irreparable harm is done.

What I like about this book is that these two have met before. While they were attracted to each other from the first, it isn’t an instant love. They’ve had time to get to know each other and they have worked together in unusual circumstances.

While the first book was more mystery with a side of romance, this one definitely felt more romance with a side of mystery. I’m not sure how I feel about the change. This book definitely had a different feel from the first book.

Overall, it was well paced and detailed. I was disappointed that there were instances of Eva lamenting her tight corset. It seemed strange that an independent young lady would subscribe to the minority that tight-laced.

Readers of historical romance will enjoy this late Victorian era story. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.

Just the right amount of mystery, just the right amount of romance with a whole lot of characters you can’t help but love.

Including the side characters I can’t help but hope each of his sisters will get they own story.

I enjoyed the details about photography the author included and the way she gave you clues without giving anything away.

It was a fast paced mystery with a slow burn romance which led to just the right balance for a thoroughly enjoyable story.

A delightful historical romance and mystery. Entertaining with likeable characters.
Many thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

"'My dear friend,' he said softly and very much not for their audience, 'you are lovely every minute of every day.'"
This is such a wonderful story! I was totally captivated by the romance and love story! I enjoyed the fake dating trope in this time period/setting, and it was written in a way that felt unique. I was impressed by the way the mystery and romance built together, and never could guess who the villain was! I underlined so many favorite lines and parts and feel such a kinship to the characters in this series! I am so thankful for the gift of being able to read this one, and look forward to the next one in this series!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this Victorina romance. It had fake courting, a house party, mystery, suspense and a fabulous first kiss! It had the thrill of a mystery dinner party. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Rating: 3.75 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for sending an E-ARC of this book.

This book is a historical romance/mystery about inspector Nathan and the well-known photographer Eva. On top of that it takes place in an eight day charity organisation at the coast of England.

I very much enjoyed the plot and the characters in the book. Since I didn't read the first book in the series I kind of missed the development of both of their feelings but reading it was fun anyway. The only negative aspect I found was, that the book was too short for my taste, I would have wanted a much longer book, where we see how their emotions for each other grow.

I wish I had reviewed this book when everything was fresh on my mind. I do remember how much I enjoyed this book.

I loved the friends-to-lovers theme. Eva and Nathan are great friends and work well together. They both harbor a secret, they admire each other. The problem is that neither has expressed their feelings to the other. A house party gives them both a week to admit their admiration.

Eva is a photographer and I loved learning about the process in the Victorian Era. There are aspects that I don't think have been needed in my lifetime. I appreciate Nancy Cambell Allen's research and the detail that she was able to share. Nathan works for law enforcement. He loves what he does, but he doesn't need the income. It is what interests him. They can work together on cases because of their areas of expertise.

The book is set during a house party that Nathan's mother is hosting. She wants him to meet someone and get married. To avoid her matchmaking, he says he is interested in someone, Eva. I found his mom to be delightful. She really sees more and knows more than her children gave her credit. His sisters were the perfect compliment to the party. They know how to keep the marriage-minded-misses at bay.

There is mystery and suspense. A criminal from Nathan's past is seeking revenge. He is intent on causing havoc. I loved following the clues that led to the mysterious man. Eva and Nathan work together to stop him before he can cause permanent harm.

I know this review is full of my ramblings. The thing to know is that I give this book a very strong recommendation.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
1 like

To Capture His Heart by Nancy Allen Campell captured my attention real fast. This book was AMAZING! Definitely one of my top books for 2022.You will love this book if you like:- Fake Dating Trope- The Victorian Era- Mysteries- Helpful little assistants (Sam)Nancy definitely knows how to write a suspenseful romance. The mystery surrounding the house party really kept my attention. I kept jumping to different characters, trying to figure out if they were the criminal who was behind the threats towards Nathan's loved ones. Even at the end I was shocked. It had a little bit of the fake dating trope while being at Nathan's mother's party but I could tell quickly that they weren't going to be able to keep that up. Nathan and Eva's feelings for each other were growing for a while.  They just need an opportunity to be able to show them to each other. Their love was sweet and heartfelt.  I highly recommend this book. I can't say enough good things about it. *** I am beyond grateful I was given an ARC to write a review.

After reading and really enjoying book 1 in this series earlier this year, this one was on my must-read list for sure! I loved this book even more than the first one. The chemistry and banter between Eva and Nathan was fantastic and made for a charming read/listen for me. This will without a doubt be one of my top 2022 reads and will be going on my keeper shelf. Loved this story!

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how there was a mystery that needed to be solved and I love how the romance developed between Nate and Eva. I liked that Eva had to let down the walls she had built and realize that Nate was not like the person from her past that had hurt her. I also liked how they worked together to find the bad guy. I thought the story was very well written and I enjoyed learning a bit more about the Victorian time period.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

A very nice story, blending criminal suspense story with a romance story. Interesting to learn more about how photographs were created during the Victorian era.

3.5 stars. I truly enjoyed the story as it was “pleasant.” For me, a 4-5 star story would either include more character development/growth, or have a fairly unique storyline, or feel some strong emotion—whether it make me laugh really hard or cry because I’m swept along with the emotions of the story/character, etc.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

I love a house party setting with a variety of characters! This one was a bit unique with Eva and Nathan already knowing each other through the case solved in the previous book, as well as her photography work. I loved the details about early photography and how she had a mobile darkroom that she brought to Nathan's estate. This is the second book in the series and I wish I had read the previous one first, since Eva and Nathan's friendship begins there and I missed out on that since this book moves right into a deeper relationship, even though there is a brief pretense of pretending. Nathan's skills as law enforcement and a detective helped him see that Eve might return his feelings, but also sensed her reservations, and I loved how patient he was with her. They have some special moments that are so romantic, and even though there is a suspenseful mystery developing that keeps them preoccupied, working together gives them the opportunity to grow closer. Nathan's mother and sisters as well as Eva's assistant Sammy all added to the story with their vibrant personalities, and the drama from the guests as well as the danger from the villain kept the pace of the story moving along from beginning to end.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

I really enjoyed this story. It was a nice change from the regency I usually read.
I loved the characters and enjoyed the plot. I’ve read the steampunk books that are also written by this author and I think I liked this book even more than those.
This is the second book in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone without missing out on anything important.

To Capture His Heart features Eva Caldwell, photographer, in the Victorian era. A successful independent woman in a male-dominated profession and male-dominated society is sure to draw attention. Some of that attention comes from Nathan, who belongs to her circle of friends, but has not let on that he is attracted to her.

Nathan Winston’s mother is throwing a week-long party in the county and needs a photographer. Eva fits the bill for the job. Plus they can pretend they are a couple to avoid Mom’s matchmaking designs. It just happens that Mrs. Winston is very supportive of independent women like Eva, so she is perfect for the party.

Lots of things happen at the party. The relationship between Eva and Nathan begins to change from pretend to capturing each other’s hearts. But other things start to go terribly wrong at the party. Mean girls try to make things difficult for Eva. And Eva’s very charming young assistant, Sammy, gets into trouble while worming his way into everyone’s heart.

This book is about good people: independent women, and the men that support them. It includes information about the evolving technologies of photography and the slowing changing Victorian society. To Capture His Heart is tied to The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart, but both books stand alone. If you are looking for a delightful wholesome historical romance, Nancy Campbell Allen has lots to offer.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.