I love retellings of beloved stories and this Robin Hood tale literally hit the spot. Set in Regency times, with unconventional characters, I was riveted throughout.

Mary Grace is half Indian/half British and Mrs. Welling's gracious rescue and upbringing allowed her to move to Meridan Park in England, where a whole slew of events result. Robert isn't your typical, dashing, strong hero. Well, yes, he is that, but he has a major physical flaw that endeared him to me (and Mary Grace) all the more.

The mystique of the shadowy Sherwood Forest, the moonlit nights, and the mystery waiting to be solved were key elements to this story, but it was the "kiss for a hot cross bun," the gradual acceptance and awareness, and the wonderful and surprising cast of characters that stole the show!

From top to bottom, I adored this book.

Content: mild romance; mild moments of peril/violence/danger

*I voluntarily received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

I always love a story with a Robin Hood twist. This was a slow-burn romance between Mary and Robert but it seemed to fit these two wonderful characters. They both have a lot to learn about themselves. I loved both of their personalities, Robert's humor, and Mary's enduring nature. There were many secrets that the two kept from each other that stopped them from becoming closer at first. Mary seemed to be hiding from others because of her status in society: half-Indian & half-English. Class prejudice is clearly shown in this book which was prevalent during this time period of 1812 England. This aspect of the novel was very well-written.

Robert who is a second son has many health problems but believes in justice for all. I was quite worried for him a lot during the novel. His positive and cheerful attitude though not only wins over the characters in the novel but also readers. He wants to avenge the death of his friend and uses the story of Robin Hood as his guiding force of motivation. Robert is also so kind and caring towards Mary and other people. You can’t help but really love him.

This clean historical, Regency Romance has a bit of a mystery and adventure too. The dialogue is lively, there are characters to love and hate, and a plot that swiftly moves the story along. Overall this was a fun read that I recommend to other lovers of engaging romantic suspense novels.

I haven’t read very many books that feature the Robin Hood legend. But this is my second one in the last year. This one was really well done. I loved the authors characters. Their meet cute was fabulous. And the story line kept me reading, even when I had other things I should have been doing.

I loved Mary! There were so many things I loved about her. She was curious. Mary had dreams about a maiden, she wasn’t sure who it was. But she knew there was a message there for her. And she worked hard to figure out that message. Mary was tenacious. She knew there was a problem she needed to find a solution for, and she wasn’t willing to rest until she did. And she did all of this while a lot of people around her persecuted her because she was darker skinned than they were.

I really liked Robert too. His first scene where he meets Mary made me love him as a character. Because he didn’t care that Mary’s skin was darker. He liked her just the way she was. Robert worked hard in every way he could think of to help Mary. I loved how these two spent time at night in the forest. And the way they both understood that the other liked it that way. These two seemed to just understand each other from the beginning. I loved that!

The supporting cast of characters is so great in this one. I loved Robert’s mother and all of her plays. Mary’s Mrs. Welling is one of my favorites too. And there were several surprises from characters that I had already formed opinions about.

This book is so great! I loved it.

I was sent an e-copy of Meriden Park as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I loved the play on the Robin Hood story. It was a fun twist. Mary and Robert's meet cute was so funny and "scandalous". I loved it and loved when they referenced it later on. Mary seems like a strong and capable woman, but she has a lot of insecurities. I loved watching her grow during this story. There were some really wonderful secondary characters and some terrible villains, as well as some who changed from one to the other. I LOVED the romance in this story, as well as the intrigue and mystery.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley and this is my honest review.

DNF'd at 35%

When I first heard about this book, I was totally intrigued by the fact that it is a Regency retelling of Robin Hood. I thought it was very unique and I loved the tie-ins to Robin Hood that were woven in.

Given that it is a Robin Hood retelling, I guess I expected a little more excitement in the story. It hasn't quite captured my attention like I had hoped it would. After reading 35% of the book, I feel like not much has happened in the story and I find that I am not sad about putting it down to go about the rest of my day. Unfortunately, I think that this is not the book for me, though others who like Regency romances and Robin Hood retellings (who also don't mind a slow moving plot) will probably enjoy it.

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher; all thoughts are my own.

When I was little , I couldn't get enough of Robin Hood! The Disney version, Kevin Costner's version, any many others since then. I was excited to dive into this book with all of its nods to Robin Hood. It was so fun seeing how the author wove that into her book.

Mary Grace was a sweet character. She's had some challenges in her life (no spoilers) and of course with society being what it was during this time period, people don't always look at her kindly. I loved watching her quiet strength and fortitude. I loved watching her character arc throughout this story. I loved seeing her discover more about herself personally and trying to navigate what life kept throwing her way.

Robert is determined to see justice for his friends. Which of course leads him to Sherwood Forest. He has a great love for the story of Robin Hood and it was fun to see how that influenced him in his striving for justice.

The first meeting between Mary and Robert was funny. Caused some wagging tongues to wag even more and of course added a fun aspect to the story that continued throughout the book. *Happy sigh* These two together were very sweet. I loved all of their moments on scene together. The chemistry between them was great. They definitely have several adventures together in this book and must learn to rely on each other to survive a few situations.

There are twists and turns and some fun surprises in store.

Content: Clean. There are a couple sweet kisses but nothing further. There are some moments of peril and a couple deaths, but nothing overly graphic. I'd let my teenagers read this.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

I've always enjoyed Julie Daines' stories but this book is an absolute treasure! Not only does it deal with Robinhood, who I happen to love, but it also deals with hard topics in such a wholesome and uplifting way. Mary Grace is a beautiful character and I loved watching her grow and heal in this book. Robert is a fantastic flawed hero! Flawed heroes can be challenging to write but Julie does a wonderful job. This story is truly enchanting!

"Eleanor and the Iron King" by Julie Daines is one of my favorite books, and one I always love to go back and re-read. I read quite a few of her other books as well, and always love the fairy tale feeling of her stories and how magical they are.

"Meriden Park" was the first regency novel I'd read by Julie Daines, and I loved it. With all of the references to Robin Hood, it felt like reading a fairy tale and a regency novel at the same time. It kept the magic while still feeling historical.

I also really loved that Mary Grace, the main protagonist, was Indian. After reading "A Modest Independence" and "The Siren of Sussex" by Mimi Matthews, I'm a sucker for Indian characters in historical fiction. Reading about people who were present in England during the time period, but aren't usually prominently featured in books was such a nice change of pace.

"Meriden Park" is the story of Mary Grace, a young woman from India, immigrating to England with the English woman who raised her. Mary is apprehensive about her new home (mostly due to a large number of stodgy, prejudiced Englishmen looking down their nose at her), but all seems relatively calm at first.

... That is, until she sees a man murdered in cold-blood in the forest. And even more, why does the handsome, Robin Hood-like Robert Markham always seem to be there when danger stirs in the woods?

The Legend of Robin Hood, Shakespearean theatrics, the exotic of the West Indies and regency romance. There is alot going on in this book. Julie Daines is a wonderful author that magically brought all of this together. Mary Grace is a true rags to riches story, abandoned by her parents, to survive on the streets of Calcutta. When the wonderful Mrs Wellington stopped her carriage, asked her name (which she did not know), and proceeded to take her home. She grew up learning all the fine things to become a real lady. Robert Markham had been raised by his actress mother, until she married a wealthy gentleman. But he always had a soft heart for the downtrodden. When they moved to their country estate, that backed Sherwood Forrest, was when the Robin Hood persona, came out in him.
I loved the first meet scene, for Mary Grace and Robert. The story just ballooned from there. So many twists and turns that had you turning the pages, as fast as you could read. Intrigue, mystery, villains, hero’s, and sweet romance around up some of the aspects in this story. The characters are charming, interesting and of great merit. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is up for adventure, mystery, fables, and sweet romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Julie Daines has long been a favorite author. The unique, memorable characters and storylines she creates really pull you in and Meriden Park is no different. It’s a fresh new twist on the familiar Robin Hood story, set in Regency times. From the first, I was drawn into the action and romance and found it hard to put down.

When Mary Grace journeys to Nottingham, England with Mrs. Welling, she encounters the same prejudices she left in India. The exception is the handsome man in the marketplace who offers her a bun in exchange for a kiss. Later in the evening, walking through Sherwood Forest, she witnesses a horrible crime and finds the same handsome young man near the scene. Is he involved somehow?

Robert Markham loves all things Robin Hood. He spends his evenings traipsing through Sherwood Forest complete with bow and arrows, trying to right wrongs. When he finds the young woman he offered a bun and kiss on the cheek to running through the forest, he tries to help her escape, but his defective heart prevents him from running very far. Mary helps him during his time of distress and the experience creates a bond between them. Each subsequent interaction brings them ever closer together. But when Robert’s quest for justice gets him in trouble, will she trust in his character and help him find the truth or will they be parted forever?

I loved Mary & Robert! Both had obstacles in their life to overcome. While Robert’s physical heart may have been defective, his kindness and capacity to love others was almost perfect. He sees beyond what others see and selflessly helps where he can. Mary loves the moonlight because in it, she can hide. No one can tell her skin color and she doesn’t feel like she has to keep her head down. I loved the moment she truly learns to accept herself. I loved the way she literally counts her blessings each night and the stories she tells of India. I also enjoyed her witty banter with Robert and quick mind. Her dreams added a fun element to the story as well.

There are several interesting side characters and I enjoyed the way the author took the seemingly unsavory characters and made them redeemable. The diversity of the characters added to the richness of the story, especially having a hero with a heart defect. My daughter has a congenital heart defect and it’s empowering to have such a great character with a similar struggle.

The nods to Robin Hood, multiple intriguing plots, engaging characters, suspenseful action, and heartfelt romance will definitely keep you turning those pages. Highly recommend to Regency romance, historical romance, and Robin Hood fans everywhere! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

I did like the main characters of Mary Grace and Robert Markham, very much. I did feel for Mary and the way some people treated her because of the colour of her skin. She also felt unworthy because of her birth. Robert really saw Mary for her own worth and their connection was immediate. There is also a murderer to be brought to justice. I did like the way Mary became more confident and this was partially thanks to Robert. The pace was a little slow at times but the ending was all that I could ask for. Plenty of drama and tension and a very happy ending. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had a harder time getting into it. It was slow going at first but interesting with all the Robin Hood references and then really dragged all through the middle so I nearly quit. I took a break and ploughed on and it did get better towards the end. it never really lived up to the promise though the mystery side was very limp and never really developed into anything. Meriden Park is the first book that I have read of Julie Daines.. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

BOOK REVIEW - MERIDEN PARK - Julie Daines - 5/5 STARS

THE STORY
I found this story enchanting, it had a real lyrical poetic quality to it that made it so pleasant to read. The characters were unique and oh so quirky, especially the side characters. I particularly enjoyed reading from Mary's POV, as her nicknames and comparisons were very entertaining. Robert was so very dashing, I loved his whole mysterious Robin Hood vibe. The tiny dash of fantasy to the story was the cherry on top of a thoroughly enjoyable read!

THE ROMANCE
Mary's mixed heritage causes her to hide much of herself from others, so I loved how from the very start Robert sees only her, Mary. The 'bun transaction', as Mary called it, is such a delightful aspect of their romance! I just loooove a good memorable meeting, and this ones right up there!

THE TRUTHS
Mary thinks that, other than Mrs Welling, she is completely alone in the world. It’s not until later that she learns that she is not so alone as she thinks she is. No matter how alone we may feel, God is always there caring for us, He loves to surround us with people that showcase his love and care for us. I've never considered myself a big people person so when I broke my leg two weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of people who sent the support and prayers my way!

Mary Grace has gone from rags to riches, when her parents abandoned her as a young child in Calcutta to being taken in by Mrs Welling and her husband. When Mr Welling dies, both Mrs Welling and Mary return to Meriden Park, England. Mary finds that she will never be accepted in either India or England, being a half-Indian, yet she is determined to care for Mrs Welling as she becomes quite frail.
Whilst wandering through town, Mary makes the acquaintance of Mr. Robert Markham when he offers a hot cross bun for a kiss. Soon an innocent request is the talk of the town, but both Robert and Mary seem determined to maintain their friendship which blossoms into love during their long walks through Sherwood Forest. However, the forest soon reveals its dangerous side and Mary finds herself confronted the murders that occur there and wonders if Robert is what he appears.
This book is beautifully told, with a steady pace and well described characters. Mary’s determined personality is a wonderful match to that of Robert and I enjoyed seeing her develop, despite the racist comments that she is confronted by. There were several great secondary characters that also added to this story, giving it greater complexity. Plenty of mystery and intrigue, with a sweet romance to balance it all.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Will she find the strength to fight for them both …

After reading the author’s book related to Dracula myth, here is another tale with this time Robin Wood in the background.
The author offers us a lovely lively romance with a dash of mystery and some magic with two lonesome people who live a sort of a masquerade of a life.
Both wearing mask, like many around them, playing roles they were assigned to.
Mary is ashamed by her origins, believing them proof of her unworthiness when they only are a testament to her strength. She is a survivor, but she sees only her differences, her darker skin, her birthplace and her upbringing.
Yet a woman has deemed her worth the struggle, she kind of adopted her and offered her a second chance. And while not everything is rosy, as she stands out from everybody, she has been lucky to have won the love of this woman. Still, she continues to hide herself from others’ eyes, as those gazes are more often than less offensive and unkind. But from time to time, she crosses path with a kind soul.
Like this cheeky man trading buns with kisses.
Robert is all smile and charm, to hide his “heroic” persona and his fragile heart, no alpha hero, it does not prevent him from reenacting Robin Wood in seeking proofs of one man’s greediness and perfidy, to bring justice to those without freedom to speak.
Is it because he himself wears a mask that he sees Mary for who she is nor what she is. He sees her for the delightful courageous woman she keeps hidden below her wide bonnet and downcast eyes not for the color of her skin.

A lovely romance of two lonely souls as they become friends first until meddling people, past and present secrets and threats tear them apart, as their burgeoning relationship is tried, they will have to battle to prove their faith and trust in one another.
A sweet tale of an unconventional friendship facing dire circumstances with an unexpected resolution.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I really enjoyed this take on the story of Robinhood. Robert Markham needs to take down the evil Mr. Pykett, owner of Mansfield's lace factory. Too many people have been hurt and Robert feels it is his duty to put it to a stop. Miss Mary Grace is new to Mansfield and just wants to keep her head down and hide in the moonlight. As a half Indian half English woman, she is looked down upon by all those she meets. Until she meets Mr. Markham.
The story that unfolds is action packed and kept me saying one more chapter the whole time. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet romance.
#MeridenPark #NetGalley

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even Mrs. Knowell constantly quoting Shakespeare and me not understanding a word of what she was saying. She was quirky funny though and I enjoyed that. Mary's lack of self worth made my heart ache. I like to hope that I would be a Mrs. Welling or a Mrs. Funtington if I lived back then and came across Mary.
I love the Disney version of Robin Hood growing up, so it was fun to have his tale interwoven throughout this story. I would love to go see Sherwood Forest for myself one of these days.
Definitely a page-turner, one that I highly recommend.

4.5 stars. What a fresh new regency romance with a taste of Robin Hood. I love that the characters had vulnerabilities to overcome and they lifted each other. I loved the bun transaction and Robert is a very swoony and mysterious hero. Mary is half Indian so she struggles amongst society but she finds her courage. The mystery and danger was thrilling and I couldn’t put it down.

I did not finish this book. I am sorry. I got excited when I started my netgalley account this past year and should not have clicked request on so many. I got very overwhelmed and I won’t make this mistake again. Sorry again! I hope this doesn’t hinder me for the future with netgalley.

I found Meriden Park difficult to put down as the tension built during the chatacters' escapades in Sherwood Forest and the dishonesty of the smugglers brought in an element of danger! The setting was beautiful, the characters' unique backgrounds and struggles were fascinating to consider, and the overall theme of blessing the lives of those less fortunate than yourself was heartening.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.