Harriet has been in love before. She feels like she will never love again. Can the meeting of Brew Ware change her life?

This was an enjoyable HEA.

This is the third of Natalie Kleinman's regency romances I have read and once again it is a heartwarming tale that is an easy read, moving at a gentle pace. There really isn't a lot to say about the story because, while they are wholly enjoyable and a perfect way to while away a few hours, they are also predictable. But that isn't a bad thing. Sometimes you are comforted in knowing what's coming. That's the beauty of these gentle reads.

Harriet Lambert has had her season. She came out, met and became betrothed to John Downing after a short courtship in which both had fallen madly in love. Unfortunately, it was at the time of the Napoleonic War in France and no sooner had they become engaged than she had lost him on the battlefields at Waterloo. And then in the months after that lost also her beloved papa.

Now three years have since passed, the war has ended and the time has come for Harriet's younger sister Amabel (which I thought was a typo at first) to experience her first season and coming out ball. Along with their mother Louisa Lambert, the sisters make their way from their country estate in Kent to the capital where dresses are ordered, bonnets are purchased and arrangements are made for Amabel's coming out to society.

At one of the first soirees, the sisters meet lifelong friends Major Brew Ware and Gil Carstairs, having returned from France after the former making his fortune after the war's end. It isn't long before Gil has won the heart of young Amabel and Brew finds himself a gentle companion in Harriet. Whilst Amabel and Gil are as obvious in their devotion, Brew and Harriet aren't at all sure of the other's feelings.

Added to this is Brew's family drama. He and his father have been estranged for some fifteen years and with his sister also in London to make her coming out debut, it seems he is to cross paths with his father once again.

So while Amabel and Gil are love's young dream, neither Harriet nor Brew were seeking love. And yet they find it in each other.

A heartwarming read as regency romances always tend to be. The characters were well developed and interesting...especially the man with the vivid striped waistcoats...lol It was refreshing not to have someone plotting against anyone and aside from one bad apple that made a small appearance it was just a really satisfying read.

I must say, mail in those days (considering they had to go by horse mail coach) makes a far quicker journey than it does today going from one county to another, when I have trouble sending something two suburbs away!

I would like to thank #NatalieKleinman, #Netgalley and #SapereBooks for an ARC of #TheWishingWell in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

First things first, I don't love this cover. Something about it gives the impression of being unpolished. Perhaps it's the gold accents and font. Well-designed covers have the title and any print encompassed to make it appear as part of the artwork. Not just text on top of cover art. But covers can be deceiving. I advise you not to be too put off by this cover.

Harriet has been in mourning for the last three years. She had a whirlwind romance to ended in an engagement. Her betrothed was in the military and died in battle before they could be married. Her father died shortly after. She hasn't completely given up on the idea of marrying, but it's hard to imagine feeling the same feelings for another man. Yet, it is time to launch her sister, Amabel into society. So Harriet, Amabel, and their mother travel to London for the season. This family was all goodness. And their mother, Louisa is particularly kind in a way that more often than not the opposite of many mothers from this period.

Brew's friend quickly becomes interested in Harriet's sister, and thus he and Brew are regularly in the sisters' company. Brew and Harriet are slower to develop their relationship. Brew isn't sure if Harriet is still pining for her lost love. And Harriet isn't sure Brew is interested in her beyond friendship. In some ways, the reader is blessed with two love stories within the same book. I can never find fault with that.

Brew has some extra drama on his family's side. Brew and his father have been estranged for many years--fifteen, I believe. His sister is also making her first (and only one that her parents can afford) season. She's young, impressionable, and commits a rather large blunder. Thanks to Harriet, and their very close friends, her situation doesn't become the scandal that is usually talked about.

There was this weird scene where Harriet goes off on Brew in an odd way. I wasn't sure if this was meant to be flirtatious or if she was genuinely annoyed. If she was flirting, her words were the opposite of what one would expect. If she was genuine, it felt out of character and a bit petulant. It also fizzled as quickly as it arose. The scene mostly made me crinkle my nose and ask myself what just happened and why. I mean there was foot stamping involved. The whole scene just felt off from the tone of the rest of the book.

The Wishing Well gets 3.5 Stars. I did enjoy it. And I read it pretty quickly, which is always a positive thing. I can only really remember the one scene that felt weird that I've already mentioned, but I still can't quite give it a 4 Star rating. I will certainly check out any future books if Natalie Kleinman decides to write another and make this a series. Have you read The Wishing Well? What did you think? Let me know!

This book was my first introduction to Ms. Kleinman's writing and I very much enjoyed it. The story was sweet and interesting and captured my attention from the start and held my interest till the end. It was well written and entertaining with wonderful plot twists that kept me interested and turning the pages. Ms. Kleinman clearly has a good handle on the Regency period, as was evident throughout the book in her writing. She does a nice job of really pulling you into the story with her vivid descriptions and attention to detail. You feel as if you are experiencing it all for yourself. The characters were well-developed and interesting and I enjoyed seeing their development throughout the story. A creatively written story that held my interest the whole way through. If you are looking for a charming, proper Regency, then this is one you will definitely want to pick up. I hope to read more from this author soon!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Beautifully written regency! Harriet and Major Brew Ware both recovering from broken hearts from the past. She is dealing with the loss of her fiancé and he from the death of his younger sister. The journey for these two is beautiful and emotional. The romance is sweet and clean. Recommend this book!

A Clean gentle slow paced love story about two people who have suffered losses in their past. It was a reasonable enough story there just wasn't any passion it was so staid and proper they hardly saw each other as he was always running back and forth between Lincolnshire and London. I couldn't dislike it but found it a bit blah which caused it to drag a little. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

THE WISHING WELL by NATALIE KLEINMAN is a charming Regency romance novel which I recommend to anyonevwho enjoys this genre. The book is well written and theauthor gives us a great description of life in England in 1818. We feel the excitement of a London Season and all that it entails, with soirees and balls, shopping and fashion, as the search for suitable marriage partners takes place.
It is not Harriet Lambert’s first season. Three years earlier she fell in love with a soldier to,whom she became engaged, only to lose him at the battle of Waterloo. It is her younger sister Amabel’s first season, and the two young ladies set off for their London house with their widowed mother, Louisa.
Major Drew Ware is back from France with his best friend Gil Carstairs. Brew hasn’t seen his family since he ran away at the age of eighteen due to a tragedy thatt alienated him from his father. It is also his siter Rebecca’s first London Season……
There is a lot more to the story but I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling the read for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Sapere Books. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

This was a sweet Regency romance with likable characters. Though there's a bit of drama in the back story, the overall tone of this book is quite light. Actually, it felt a bit lackluster to me. Also, the exposition occasionally felt clunky, as can happen when characters are telling each other bits of their story that the other person already knows. Still, for readers looking for an affectionate, smoothed-out love story that doesn't feel too high-stakes, this would fit the bill.

I quite enjoyed this slow, gentle love story. Harriet and Brew are both likeable characters with a bit of mourning under their belts. No secrets, no love triangles, just a nice, friends to more, gentle romance. This type of book is a palate cleanser from all the drama and tropes that too often muddle this genre. I appreciate this kind of solid story. This is my first time reading this author but won't be the last! I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review.