Anne Beasley may be the granddaughter of an Earl, but her father’s Indian heritage prevents her from being fully accepted by her English brethren. When she was 8 she was sent to live with her aunt’s family after her mother’s death. The subsequent death of her father left her in their care permanently. The loss of her inheritance by a swindling steward leaves her little choice but to take on the role of a governess. She meets William Thaxton at a house party given by her employers. He is the 3rd son of a Baron with political ambitions. They develop a deeper relationship as they get to know each other, but she knows that nothing can come of it. Being mixed-race is mostly despised by the proud, narrow-minded English people of the time. Even the servants treat her with distain. William is a tender man with a heart for the downtrodden and is appalled by the treatment Anna is shown. When a terrible accident occurs and the blame is unjustly put on Anna, he tries to help her with unexpected consequences.
This story is very emotional and sweet. The prejudice towards Anna breaks my heart and infuriates me. I cried a few times in the last half of the story. Her growth throughout the story is inspiring. The love between William and Anna is very sweet and powerful. I highlighted so many quotes from this book. I can’t believe this is a first book for this author. I’m very glad to be a part of the launch of this wonderful story. I will definitely be on the lookout for her following stories.
This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review.

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Anna is a governess for a family with two daughters. Anna is often overlooked because she is from India and her mother was British and her father was Indian. Even her English family treats her poorly. When William notices her because of her personality and quick wit Anna hopes for something different instead of being overlooked.
A Regency period novel with a different story line that was enjoyable.

(3.5 Stars) Clean historical romance with some provoking extras. First the cover is lovely and fits the story. Secondly, the premise is handled well, with many opinions shown and spoken that I wouldn’t have thought about. Third, the romance to me was the least interesting part.

Anna Beasely is orphaned and is English and Indian. Her English mother went to India and married a soldier there. She was sent to live with her aunt, a viscountess who raised and educated along side her own daughter. For the last five years Anna has been working and supporting herself as a governess. Anna is surprised to find her aunt and cousin are guests of her employer along with the cousin’s fiancé and brother William.

The bulk of the book takes place during the house party. Anna is stretched trying to be a chaperone to the eldest daughter and her other governess duties. Her aunt doesn’t like her being treated as a servant and others don’t like having a servant in their midst. Racism, gossip and her own self doubt all lead to a lot of drama. I like how the author tries to give her characters reasons for their behaviors. But at times it is too much. Racism is never called out as it is just to be expected. I didn’t get Anna’s attraction to William other than him being kind to her. His attitude of I am a man and can solve things only makes things worse. And too much is left unsaid at the ending. There is a two year jump to an epilogue and I didn’t know what the MCs have been doing. How is he working? Are they accepted in society? Are they accepted by his family? I liked the characters enough to want more after slowly moving through every meal and gathering.

This is a debut novel and I would like to read what the author writes next. Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

4.5 Stars

What a lovely story. Anna is half Indian and half English. She is also a Governess. She faces a lot of racism and I felt so bad for her. No one really sticks up for her, including her family. William comes a long and sees her as a person, not her skin color and they hit it off. I really liked their relationship. They are both very caring of the children Anna is taking care of. I liked how William does his best to help Anna in all situations. Overall, I thought this was a great story and I definitely recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This was an engaging period piece, and a really enjoyable read.

The characters were very easy to like, especially our main character Anna. The writer did a very good job of making you feel for her and her unfortunate position in society and the Ton. The meet cute was adorable, and the romance is sweet. The way that they persevere through all of the obstacles thrown their way is admirable, and the romance was really nicely written.

Definitely worth the read, and I look forward to more from Jill!

Wonderful debut novel from Jill E. Warner!

So many emotions throughout this book. I was pulled into Anna's story from the beginning and kept hoping so many things for her situation. Hoping for it to improve and hoping for her to be truly seen as herself. I found myself crying several times throughout this book as she experienced different setbacks and prejudice from people, just for her being her. But Anna is a beautiful character full of light and hope. She didn't sit and wallow in her struggles and hardships but she served and loved others.

I loved watching Anna in her interactions with her two charges as a governess. The love and strength that they drew from her was beautiful. Those are definitely some favorite scenes of mine in seeing the connections she forged through her love and goodness. And of course I loved the scenes between her and our dashing hero! There were plenty of humorous moments that gave a great balance between the struggles and prejudice. This isn't a heavy read. I figured I better clarify just in case I was giving that vibe in my review. It is a beautiful and touching story of discovering who you are and being happy with who you are.

Even with the naysayers towards her, Anna had a great support system and many who loved her and wanted the best for her. The sweet love story was gentle and touching and will have you swooning and sighing!

Content: Clean. Anna is bi-racial and some characters are not the kindest towards her because of it. The author wrote it in a very sensitive way that I thought was very well done. Some kisses but nothing further.

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

Happy Reading!!!

I loved this book. Anna is of mixed heritage. Her mother is from England and her father is from India. Her mother passed away when she was young and her father, who was a soldier, thought it best to send her to her mother's family back in England. She hasn't had a sense of belonging and has been treated horribly by most people. She has found herself a good position as a governess and loves her charges.
William is the third son of a baron and wants to make a difference in the lives of those who don't have a voice. When he meets Anna while going to his cousin's house, he is enchanted. But there are many, many obstacles in the way of a relationship.
I love Anna's courage, strength and restraint in dealing with the many abuses and hardships she is dealt. I love William's kind heart and caring nature. This is a book that will stay with me. It is beautiful and very needed in today's society.

Mixed English-Indian Anna is brought to England to be raised by her wealthy extended family when she is orphaned at a young age, but as she grows into adulthood, she feels the sting of racism among society and her family. She takes work as a governess for William Thaxton's two daughters.

The slow burn romance between Anna and William is exquisite. This may be a bit plot-heavy for some romance readers. There are heavy themes of racism, betrayal and redemption in this story. I really enjoyed the deeper themes, the writing, and the character development, especially Anna's growth and William's deep love for her. Beautifully written! ❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Anna has lived with her aunt and uncle since her parents died. Her inheritance is lost, and she works as a governess when she meets William. He has political aspirations, and Anna, being of Indian descent is not a desirable choice as wife. Will they overcome the adversities to keep them apart? Or will they go different ways?

I enjoyed this book. I just wished that the aunt and uncle had had to account for the lost of her inheritance.

4.5 stars
Oh my goodness, this book was just so good. I have to admit that it did take me a little while to get into the book but I ended up really enjoying it. Of Jasmine and Roses is a sweet historical romance written by Jill E. Warner.
I felt so bad for these characters. They drew me in and I just wanted William and Anna to be happy. Anna was just trying her best to help her employer and care for the girls under her charge. However she really felt the pressures of society. I understood Anna from the beginning and I just wanted her to feel like she belonged. William was fun and I enjoyed his wit. I loved how he was kind and how he cared for those whom others seemed to miss.
I really liked the progression of Anna and William’s relationship as they got to know each other. They connected with each other and they fell in love. It felt natural. The romance was definitely sweet. The side characters were interesting. There were some who I really disliked which I think was the point and there were some that I wanted to shake. However these characters felt real and they were struggling in their own way.
I would definitely recommend Of Jasmine and Roses. The characters drew me in and it was such a lovely read. It was a little heartbreaking but it also had witty conversations and a sweet romance. Of Jasmine and Roses is a clean historical romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

A beautifully written, easy read. I loved the character development and sweet love story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical pieces or clean romances.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such an interesting and different read from the usual Regency fiction told from the perspective of someone who wasn't accepted by sociality because of her heritage. So often my heart ached for the heroine as I can only imagine how it really was for women who tried to fit into either world while not being accepted in either.
I loved the gentle romance and how everything developed. I felt the ending was a bit rushed but overall it was a delightful read!

What a beautifully written book! We start off right in the middle of the action which eventually leads to a delightful meet cute during our heroine and hero, Anna and William. Their relationship was so sweet and full of adorable moments. And a side character that stole my heart was Diane, Anna’s student.

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Of Jasmine and Roses is a wonderful book for anyone who like other stories like Pride and Prejudice or Wuthering Heights. It is set in the 1800's and is a wonderful story of one woman's struggles with identity and discrimination and finally finding her place in the world. The love story starts almost immediately and the pining after each other carries through until the very end. At some points I was not able to put it down. It's a quick read and would be excellent for a plane ride, vacation read, or bedtime read if you are looking for a good uplifting story.

I love the cover of the book - how was the story was to follow, and how the author described the details of the time. There were some parts of the book that the characters actually felt more modern than set in their era - particularly the last chapter of the book - I felt like could take place in present time. But overall I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and love stories in the British Aristocracy.

I enjoyed having a perspective of a person of color and the difficulties faced. It wasn’t an easy read because of some of the situations but I felt it was done well. I am not sure how accurate it is historically and it wants me to learn more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first title with this author. I believe this is a debut novel and I think overall this was well done. There may be a few Americanisms or 100% perfect in Regency customs. Though I think if so it is pretty subtle and I'm not a historian. We get the feel of the time period. I liked the plot is unique in it gives the pov of a person of Indian decent navigating the English aristocracy. The begining had an interesting hook and the tone was set nicely from the start. There was good flow in the story. I had genuine empathy for Anna. I liked William for being her champion when no one was. I loved the endearing tea in the schoolroom moment. I thought the story was sweet and didn't regret my time in this book. I think this book is good for someone who enjoys a clean Regency period with a story of two good people overcoming expectations put up on them by others then breaking free of that to find each other.
*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for and ARC. My opinions are 100% my own.*

A fun read. Anna and William are both entertaining characters, and I enjoyed getting to know them as their story goes on.

I really enjoyed this story. I found it thought provoking and in the end, a sweet romance. The author did an excellent job and gave the characters true depth. Definitely worth reading!

I just love regency romance books. This was just the perfect little pick for me. This was light and airy and completely engaging. I didn't want the story to end.
I just reviewed Of Jasmine and Roses by Jill E. Warner. #OfJasmineandRoses #NetGalley
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Anna is of a unique heritage. Her English Mother fell in love with her Indian Father. When her mother died, she was sent to be raised by English relatives who gave her the best proper English upbringing. When the family falls on hard times, she is forced to find work as a governess, but the problem lies in finding a proper position with employers who are not prejudiced about her heritage.

She thinks she finds this in the home of Sir Richard and his new bride who is a widow with two daughters. She was married previously to a merchant so doesn't quite fit into the ton.

Anna uses her training to help her mistress navigate her house party bringing Anna to the attention of the guests, some of whom she is related to.

Anna's situation had me hanging on to see what would happen next. She struggled to find a place in society and struggled to accept herself. She is strong and yet frightened. The growth that she experiences as she faces her plight and reconnects to her family is what makes this a strong story,

Our hero is wonderful, flawed, yet wonderful. He is kind and a little unorthodox, He and Anna are delightful as they navigate this world. Anna is able to address some of her concerns and face some of her fears. The character growth is well done and the chemistry is on point.

I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.