Holding the Line is the third and final book in the Love Along the Wires series. While there are some character crossovers between the novels, I think it would read just fine as a standalone as well. Of course, as with any series you will often get the most out of it by reading as a whole.

One thing that I love about reading historical fiction is that I feel like it so often gives us a glimpse into the past beyond the basics we learn in the history books. To be honest, history was never my favorite subject in school as remembering names and dates is just not my thing... but learning how people lived and communicated during those times? Now THAT I find fascinating. The author did a great job of drawing the reader back to this point in time in a way that feels very genuine. I really enjoyed the characters and the story... and of course, the romance. It was more of a slow burn romance than I so often prefer, but it worked here.

Overall, a good read and one that fans of historical romance are sure to want to check out!

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Do you ever feel the need to help another despite the risks? Rose Finlay jumped right in and did that! I admired her character and what she did. Helping a stranger because she saw herself in her and also joining in with the girl’s uncle to combine forces was commendable. What could possibly go wrong? This man, Sandy, who’s very powerful, could ruin the lives of Sophie, the niece, and her family. Follow along and see what ultimately happens. I got drawn in quickly and felt like I was apart of this whole story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.

Rose has a jaded outlook on men, relationships, and romance. She's been married, and her husband horribly betrayed her. She's sworn off marriage and men. But she's also witnessed her two closest friends find love--love that seems genuine compared to what she experienced. Since she's widowed, Rose has more freedom to move about in society. She's worked her way up in the post office from the lowest level clerk to potentially becoming a new branch manager. She's proud of her accomplishments, especially because she didn't need a man's help to get where she is now. But she can't seem to help herself from wanting to help a girl she sees a little too much of younger, more naive self from making the same mistakes that she made--trusting the wrong man.

John had to step up to head of the family when his older brother died. Similarly, his brother-in-law has also passed away. So he's trying to manage his own affairs, his brother's business, his sister and her two daughters, as well as, his sister-in-law and her children. He's being pulled in all directions, but he handles it well. I respect the lengths to which John will go in order to protect and guide his niece, Sophie, when she catches the eye of a known philanderer. While my own nephews and nieces are beginning to forge their own paths, and not all of them seem to be heading in the healthiest directions, I find myself wanting to do a little protecting and guiding myself. Regardless, he can't help but appreciate Rose's help and sees her for more than his family is willing to see her.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Rose and John had a sweet maturation from reluctant allies and then into friends and then of course to more. But I also appreciated Sophie's story, every aspect of it. I could relate to both Rose who has been hurt and is a little jaded and to Sophie who is naive and hopes for the best from the one who has captured her heart and attention. Oh man, all of these pieces had me remembering my own youth and inexperience with hurt and betrayal from those with less-than-pure intentions.

Rose and John's story was a wonderful wrap-up to an interesting series following three telegraph operators who also got a little wrapped up in a spinster's guide to love and romance book. I appreciated all the aspects of this story. I liked Rose and her tough exterior. I liked Sophie and her naivete. I wish I knew more Johns who loved their families enough to sacrifice so much for them. Holding the Line was a good reading experience all around. And I wouldn't mind a book about Sophie finding her happily ever after (or her younger sister) either. Holding the Line gets 4 Stars. Have you read Holding the Line? What did you think? Let me know!

Jennifer Delamere has a quiet approach with resounding effects. In Holding the Line, she shows that her writing gets better as she progresses in this series. While I enjoyed the first two, I think this one was one my favorite. The characters are very relatable and learn deep lessons through everyday life. The writing is compelling, and themes of forgiveness and second chances remained with me. I also love the demonstration of loyalty to family. Faith in action is expressed in multiple ways that left me feeling hopeful in my own relationships. Don’t miss this conclusion to a wonderful series! You can read as a standalone, but in my opinion, it will be a richer, more impactful experience if you start with the first book and meet the characters along the way.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

I enjoyed this book and its characters. It could’ve been silly but the author did a great job of keeping the characters and their situations believable.
I read the first book in the series some time ago and enjoyed it as well.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review. Four stars!

Set in London, England in the late 1800s, Holding the Line tells the story of Rose Finlay, a widow who highly values her independence. Betrayed by her husband, Rose has no illusions about men or marriage, and has only recently been considering that some men are deserving of trust as her two best friends had recently married fine men. John Milburn had no time to consider romance, much less marriage, as both his brother and brother-in-law had passed away leaving two families in his care. Very unusual circumstances brought Rose and John together in supporting the welfare of John's eldest niece, only recently introduced into society.

Jennifer Delamere has written a well-paced story that demonstrates the value of people, and the importance of seeking wise council. This story also stresses that we should allow ourselves second chances as we do others. Once again she has given us a story that is a pleasant read and that also provides important themes to ponder.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Holding the Line from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved every minute of Holding the Line by Jennifer Delamere. This story is fantastic! I have enjoyed each novel in Delamere’s Love Along the Wires series, but this final installment is, hands down, my favorite. I loved so many aspects to this excellently crafted story. The pacing is superb, and the engagement — oh my goodness was I hooked from the very first page. I was furiously turning pages well into the night. As far as characters go, they’re all excellent, but Rose is simply amazing. She’s so poised, confident in herself as an individual, and positive in her mindset. Even with all the bad from her past — and her past is a doozy — Rose refuses to let it ruin her present. She works hard to make a good life for herself, she has a lovely mothering tendency, and she is unwavering in doing what is right even if what is right causes her a bit of discomfort and turmoil. Rose has real, deep personal struggles, struggles that had me tearing up for her a couple of times, but she’s so comfortable in her own skin. She is able to take constructive advice, pray on it, and evolve into an even better version of herself. Rose is actually quite inspiring to me.

My most favorite aspect to this story is not the friendship between Rose and John that builds into a sweet romance, although that part of the story is really good, but rather Rose’s many interactions with a very self-focused, self-centered teenager named Sophie. Perhaps it is because I’m a high school teacher and spend my whole day with teens like Sophie, but I really enjoyed Rose’s time mentoring this young woman. Sophie is so frustrating, but she’s also not. She has a good heart deep down and her vulnerable moments are genuine and so sweet you want to hug her, but Sophie’s a teen AND the product of her higher-class Society, so there are moments that make the reader want to smack her a little. I very much enjoyed watching Rose take on this character. She is a strong, confident adult in Sophie’s life who consistently illustrates what it means to be a good, moral adult navigating a very icky, self-pleasing world. Of all the many excellent aspects to this really good story, this illustration of a compassionate mentoring relationship between a lovely mother-figure and a child who desperately needs guidance is, in my humble opinion, the absolute best part of this delightful story.

Holding the Line is a well-written, well-crafted Historical Romance and a superb conclusion to a really enjoyable series. Purchase yourself a copy today! You won’t be disappointed you did.

I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in order to review. I also received a paperback copy of this novel from the author, Jennifer Delamere, as part of her Street Team. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Even though Rose thinks of herself as a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need anyone, she really has a soft spot for the young and those in need. She’s very gracious to her mother-in-law even when she doesn’t deserve it. John is the same way with his widowed sisters. They lean on him a bit too much but it’s hard to say “no” to family.

I enjoyed Rose and John’s interactions and the way they bonded over Dickens. I always like a romance that has its base in something other than looks and flattery. It was also fun to encounter characters from previous books again.

This is the third book in the Love Along the Wires series but it can easily be read as a standalone. I’d recommend this book and the series. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy. All opinions are my own.

Never again will she allow a man to dominate her life!

Rose Findlay was widowed quite young, after her philandering husband was killed in an accident. As life with him left much to be desired, she makes this statement. Planning to never marry again, she sets her sights on a career as a telegraph operator and slowly moves up into a supervisory position. Overhearing a conversation that appears to put a naive young lady in a questionable situation, Rose unwillingly is swept into a dysfunctional family. Will she manage to come out of this unscathed?

This early copy of Love along the Wires #3 was received through Bethany House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group and NetGalley. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.

This is a nice conclusion to the Love Along the Wires series. John and Rose are very down-to-earth and real characters living everyday lives. In the midst of the mundane, they find each other almost by chance and find love where neither expected it. John's commitment to his family and his steadfast loyalty are admirable traits as is Rose's independence and leadership skills. Their bonding over Dickens is fun and I found their friendship and romance endearing and tender. John's family's schemes to penetrate the aristocratic society and his niece's antics were quite over the top but they were necessary for the premise of the storyline.

If you enjoy historical romance, you will enjoy this book and the series. I received the book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Holding The Line is the third book in the Along The Wires series. I really enjoyed this book so much. I loved the characters as well. The story flowed smoothly with an HEA at the end. This is a very well written book.
It is a Christian and clean story. I look forward to this author’s next book. The first 2 books in the series were excellent as well.

Holding The Line is the third book in the Love Along the Wires series and the final book in this series. While I have enjoyed them all this one may be my favorite of them. I loved seeing Rose, a minor character in the other books have her own story. While this can be read as a standalone in my opinion, you'll enjoy it more if you read the series as there is some character crossover from book to book.
Rose and John are my favorite characters. Rose, a young widow has been hurt by her late husband, is not looking for any romantic entanglement and is happy to be an independent woman now. She works at the post office and is looking to progress with her job quickly. I enjoyed seeing how John helps his widowed sister and sisters-in-law families, he feels the responsibility for them since his brother's death. We see a lot of twists and turns in the story as he and Rose work together to try to keep his niece from an aristocratic rake who sweet talks her into believing he is interested in this sweet young naive miss when it's only her dowry he's interested in.
A slow burn romance may be developing between Rose and John, but caution will not be thrown to the wind. Intriguing plot kept me reading.


Pub Date: 06 Dec 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed Holding the Line by Jennifer Delamere. So much so that I stayed up until 4:30 this morning to finish it!

The third book in the Love Along the Wires series can be read as a standalone. I have not read the first two books, but I quickly picked up on what had gone on in the previous books. That said, I will definitely be going back to read the first two books!

In Holding the Line, we are introduced to Rose Finlay. She is a widow whose deceased husband hurt her in the worst possible way. She is, therefore, wary of men in general and re-marrying. But then she meets John Milburn. As she agrees to help him steer his niece away from a known rake, her resolve to never re-marry begins to wobble in the face of her growing feelings for John.

I quite enjoyed the will-she or won't-she vibe of this book. Rose was an independent, self-reliant woman who risked her career so that someone she didn't know wouldn't fall prey to a wily man. Rose is entirely selfless, and I like that about her. Her concern for a stranger starts her on a path she wasn't expecting to go down. John, for his part, is very astute and can see that something is keeping Rose at arm's length. His ability to draw her out as "just a friend" helped Rose grow to see that not all men are evil.

I would love to see Sophie have her own book as she deals with the aftermath of her choices. She still has a lot of growing up to do.

If you love historical romance, I highly recommend Holding the Line!

I was provided with a review copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Will The Spinster’s Guide to Love and Romance help make another match?

I was very caught up in this final book in the Love Along the Wires Series… unless there will be another? Hmmm… I love how this series all started with a book The Spinster’s Guide to Love and Romance being passed from one person to the next.

In this book you’ll get some mystery, people you will strongly dislike, growing romance and some of it might frustrate you. It is very worth the read! I look forward to reading her next book!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

AT last!! Rose finally gets her own story! And what a journey it was!
I loved every minute of it!
The characters Rose and John were my favorite people.
I appreciated that they cared enough for certain people in their lives.
Rose and John also proved to us that love can happen anywhere, anytime and any age!
I very much enjoyed the slow build up to an awesome plot.
It will make you keep turning the pages to see what would happen to Sophie, Rose,and John. Sophie's description of John as a stuffy ol uncle made me laugh outright!
I'm so glad I wasn't born an aristocrat.. Yes, it'd be nice to have money but not if it means snootiness, meaness and all sorts of things. Middle class is hard enough without all that.
Wonderful Christian messages woven in as a reminder to turn to God when we need a little help.
5 stars for a job well done! I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Part of a series of books, but easily a stand alone read - however, I would like to go back and read the first two stories, too.

Rose is a young widow, working at a post office and hoping to become a manager soon. She meets John who is taking care of his widowed sister and sister-in-law's families and is trying to keep one of his nieces, Sophie, away from an aristocratic rake who's after her dowry. Rose, against her better thoughts, becomes a companion to Sophie for a couple of events. There is a lot of twists in the story, the characters are entertaining and the storyline intriguing.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I found this to be a satisfying conclusion to the Love Among the Wires series. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the rise of the middle class as they find their place in Victorian England society. I also loved seeing women's roles in the workforce slowly changing.

Rose was a secondary character in the first two books of the series and I was so happy that I finally got to read her story. This is a beautiful story of overcoming one's past and finding the ability to trust once again. I loved reading of the sweetly unfolding romance between Rose and John as they team up to protect his niece from an unsuitable match.

While some of the characters from previous books make a cameo appearance, this can be read as a standalone.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rose Finlay’s late husband was a scoundrel and she doesn’t miss him. She also doesn’t want to marry again. Overhearing a young woman about to make a scandalous mistake, Rose watches Sophie.
Rose’s Uncle John is also concerned, and intrigued by Rose. His widowed sister-in-law has designs on him and too much influence on his widowed sister. They think its great that Sophie has attracted the eye of an earl’s son.
This was an enjoyable read. I like Rose and John, although his relatives are kind of annoying with all their fuss about advancing the family in society with no concern about the man’s character. It was good to catch up with Emma and Alice from the first two books in the series.

This is one of my favorite books that I have read this year. I have loved the entire series but Holding the Line is one that I have thought about long after I finished reading it. Rose Finlay is a strong, disciplined, hardworking widow, she knows what she wants out of life and she is very focused. It was all going well until she overhears a conversation between a young man and, somewhat naïve young lady. I love how Rose knew what was happening and went outside of her comfort zone to try to help the girl avoid a big mistake.
Rose obviously will need help and who better than the uncle of the niece being led astray? I loved John Milburn; he sure has his hands full with his family situation but luckily, he has Rose to help him sort out the many challenging things that keep him on his toes.
This novel has it all, an amazing storyline, memorable characters is perfectly paced and will make you shed a tear. If you love historical fiction, this is a must read.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

I've been reading this series and this one is my 2nd favorite. Book one is the favorite. I think this is good for those who enjoy a slow burn, subtle friends first romance. I thought the Chirsitan elements was well done. I didn't think this book was written as just a way to teach a principle or moral. I liked the twists and conflicts written into the story. This had me reading and wondering how'd it resolve. I enjoyed there were funny moments and genuine female friendship the h has. I thought the book had a sweet ending. I thought the story well thought our and had a natural flow to it. I felt there was a genuine connection between the h and H. A pleasent read.
*thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC. All opnions are 100% my own.: