I've had an up and down relationship with the Georgian Gentlemen series. Overall, my biggest complaint has been that the mysteries can take over the plot. But that wasn't the case with A Provincial Peer, and I'm so happy that the series ends with this book.

Benedict is the leading male in this story. He is the big brother to Henry who was the leading male character of the previous book, The Unassuming Curator. He is the heir to the estate and title of Lord Farwell. He likes being active on the estate with the cows and wheat. I liked that his father was an active character in the story. Often, the main male character is already the head of the estate and property, even though Benedict is very involved in the estate, his father is still the head of the house, property, and family. His father was needed for necessary estate business, but he was also a source of wisdom and advice for Benedict.

Caroline is the daughter of the local vicar. Her husband recently died of smallpox and Caroline suffered from the illness as well, but thankfully lived. Caroline and her young daughter Meg have moved back into the vicarage with her father. Caroline is still regaining her strength from her illness, but Meg is an active young girl and wanders onto the earl's property which reintroduces Caroline to Benedict. Of course, they've known each other since their youth. Caroline and Henry were close friends growing up.

I enjoyed the slow build between Caroline and Benedict. They had history, but not enough to have any hurdles to overcome with past traumas. Caroline was the sweetest character. She wanted only to help those around her and never seemed to think of herself too highly. She couldn't consider Benedict as even in the realm of possibility because of the differences in their station as well as her scarring from the illness. Benedict has no lack of humility. And he also is working hard to help all of the tenants and villagers.

The mystery in this book wasn't so much about some robbers or kidnappers. And the story was layered in a way that you could easily feel for all of the characters involved. That's all I'll say about that so I don't spoil anything.

Favorite quotes:
-"It has been my observation that those who find beauty and joy in their current circumstances will find it anywhere they may go; whereas those who always yen to be somewhere else will find those same feelings resurfacing no matter where they find themselves."

-"It is remarkable how God works within the confines of the most trying circumstances to help us improve ourselves. I would not wish the hardships you have experienced upon you or anyone else, but I see the strength and wisdom you have developed because of them."

-"Everyone deserves kindness. It should be at the foundation of every act and every conversation. I only wish that those who refuse to accept so simple a truth would understand that when all is said and done, thoughtless or cruel behavior ultimately causes more damage to the giver than the receiver."

-Frustration was a poor companion, and he knew full well that he would be better off without it, but that did not make relinquishing it easy.

-"But that is what it means to love completely and to live to its fullest, is it not? We willingly set aside our fears and take a step into the unknown--a leap of faith, if you will--so that we might experience true joy."

Side note, I appreciate how Meg wasn't dumbed down. Often times when an author isn't immediately around children of a specific age that they're writing, it can be easy to write a 4-year-old in a way that a 2-year-old might act. This is easy to understand the confusion, but as a parent of young children (my youngest is 3), it can be a pet peeve at the same time.

A Provincial Peer was such an encouraging story about a trying time in history. Smallpox was so deadly. Caroline and Benedict had a sweet journey. And I loved Meg and Benedict's relationship with her. The mystery was just enough for me that it didn't take over the rest of the plot, but it enhanced instead of taking away from the plot. A Provincial Peer gets 4 Stars. Have you read A Provincial Peer? What did you think? Let me know!

The Georgian Gentlemen series has been remarkable. A Provincial Peer is an incredibly sweet novel. I quickly grew to love Lord Benning, Benedict, who is one of the most charming male characters I've met within the pages of a book. While not flawless, he quickly rectified his mistakes. Caroline Granger, who returned home with her young daughter Meg after her husband's passing, shows impressive bravery. Caroline carries scars from a bout of smallpox. Although Benedict is an old family friend, Caroline shares a closer friendship with his younger brother. This story explores themes of social class, self-acceptance, and weaves in a bit of mystery alongside the romance. Seeing the bond between Benedict and Meg from the start was heartwarming, and their interactions always made me happy.

The plot involving the deadly smallpox outbreak and the introduction of the first smallpox vaccination was intriguing. I enjoy a delightful romance that also educates me.

A Provincial Peer and the entire series are so skillfully written that you are instantly immersed in the story.I love feel-good stories where good people come out on top. All of the heartfelt moments in this story will also make you an instant fan of Author Sian Ann Bessey...unless you already are.I enthusiastically recommend reading the entire Georgian Gentlemen series.

This book was wonderful. Seriously- really good!
I’ve read all the books in the series and enjoyed them all, but this just might be my favorite.
I loved hearing all about smallpox and the beginnings of inoculations.
I loved Caroline and her son and thought Lord Benning was amazing.
This book was well written and unique.

What a way to end a wonderful series. I've loved all the books in the Georgian Gentlemen series and don't think I could pick a favorite, but I loved this gentle love story so much. Caroline's backstory will touch your heart and her precocious, 4 year old daughter Meg will bring a smile to your face. I loved how Caroline and Benedict reconnected because of little Meg and that she couldn't say Lord Benning's name correctly which led to various nicknames.

Caroline and Benedict are such likeable characters. I enjoyed watching them get reacquainted and appreciated how Benedict didn't push Caroline to remove her veil or gloves, which she used to hide her smallpox scars. I loved all his interactions with little Meg; they were so sweet. Benedict truly is the best of the best! We can see that he truly cared about his tenants and his animals.

This slow-burn romance was just the right pace for me and I appreciated that there wasn't a lot of angst. Dual POV is my favorite because I love knowing the male character's thoughts. I love how the author is able to put bits of history into her stories so I'm learning while being entertained with a lovely story. There's an author's note at the end regarding smallpox in the Georgian period I found very interesting.

Each of the Georgian Gentlemen books can be read as standalones and I highly recommend them all. I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

A sweet historical romance.
I love how the author weaves historical events with fictional characters! This book focuses on two characters : Benedict and Caroline (and her daughter Meg) . Caroline survived smallpox and now lives with her father as she fully heals.
Benedict loves Caroline’s young daughter right away.
Caroline wears a veil wherever she goes (to hide the smallpox scars ) and so it takes him a little
Longer to realize she is his childhood friend . From friendship to love and passion . But Caroline is faced with almost ptsd when the town is hit with smallpox .

Although the pacing was a little different than alot of romance novels I found this book engaging and interesting. Pick up this book and you too will be rooting for Caroline and Benedict .

Thank you to netgalley for a free download in exchange for an unbiased review .

Well, that book was incredibly adorable. Benedict is such an awesome guy, kind, generous, funny. Caroline is lovely, strong and caring and they absolutely 100% deserve a happy life together. Besides the romance, the history in this book is amazing. Learning about the drought and small pox, especially vaccines, was fascinating.

If you like Georigan romances, childhood friends, history, and a little bit of mystery, this one is HIGHLY recommended.

I have loved every single book in this series by Sian Ann Bessey, and this most recent novel is gold! I loved it! Considering I grew up in the country as a farm girl, I completely understand the desire of Benedict to spend more time in the country caring for the land and the animals. 🙂
Benedict and Caroline are such sincere and beautiful characters. I love how Benedict is so down to earth and treats everyone no matter their social status with respect and kindness. He's incredibly likable and deep, with his own vulnerabilities and strengths. The easy way he falls for Caroline and her daughter is perfectly endearing. Caroline has so much courage even when she doesn't see it in herself. Her whole life has changed; she has lost her husband to small pox and she is weakened and scarred as well. Benedict and Caroline are so meant to be together and I love how they support and complement each other.
I also loved the fascinating facts about small pox and the first steps to eradicating this awful disease. This added such a stimulating dimension to this romance novel.
Five star read!!!

I received a copy from Netgally, and all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this story. I felt like I learned a lot about life in the 1790s. Benedict and Caroline a great characters but it didn’t grab me the way some of Bessey’s other books did. Still, a good read.

Sian Ann Bessey did it again! This was a beautifully written masterpiece. I absolutely loved Benedicts character. He was so kind, selfless and very swoony. I loved the instant friendship that was formed between him and Caroline. And Meg.... what isn't to love about cute innocent Meg? She is absolutely adorable and added so much to the fun of the story.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well written and you can’t help admiring their strength and compassion. I loved how the story pulled in real events from that time period. I not only was able to enjoy a really good story but I learned some fascinating history. I highly recommend this book.

Talented author Sian Ann Bessey has written a captivating tale which perfectly illustrates why historical romantic fiction is my favorite genre. I can learn fascinating things about a slice of history while I’m reading an absorbing story. A Provincial Peer is set around the time that Edward Jenner was experimenting with a vaccine to help prevent the dreaded smallpox disease that caused so many deaths. Set in Gloucestershire, England, this tale stars widow Caroline Granger who has been scarred by smallpox which also killed her husband. Left with poor health and a young daughter, Meg, she returns to Leyfield village, her childhood home to stay with her father. When she mistakes her childhood friend Lord Benning (Benedict) as a farmhand, she is mortified. As they get reacquainted with each other, they find their relationship changing. Caroline’s daughter Meg is adorable and such a fun addition to the story. I recommend this book to those who enjoy clean, wholesome, sweet historical romance. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

`A lovely, tender-hearted love story set in rural England in 1796. The final entry in The Georgian Gentlemen series, The Provincial Peer touches on issues and beliefs of the day while building the story of a slow-burn romance. Caroline, recently widowed and disfigured by small pox, returns to her family home with her young daughter, Meg. There, she becomes reacquainted with a childhood friend, Lord Banning, or Benedict, and romance ensues.

As in all her books, Sian Ann Bessey gives us likable, intelligent characters who exhibit kindness, compassion, and respect, and manage to grow in very real ways. I was especially touched by the way Bessey handled Caroline's coming to terms with her disfigurement and how she gained perspective through positive involvement in other peoples' lives. The inclusion of Dr, Jenner's work toward vaccination against the disease was a definite plus as was the fact and folklore surrounding cow pox..

I've read all the books in this series and highly recommend each and every book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I so enjoyed A Provincial Peer, by Sian Ann Bessey, and learned a lot from her diligent research.

Lord Benedict Benning is more involved in his farming estate than his title. As a gentleman in the 1700's, he is expected to be in the social circle but finds himself helping with calving and milking. When little Meg wanders into his estate, he is instantly charmed. He is intrigued by the veiled woman who comes looking for her.

Caroline Granger and her daughter Meg returned to her father's vicarage after she loses her husband to small pox which has left her severely scarred. She was Benedict's younger brothers playmate when they were children. She is drawn to Benedicts kindness and compassion. But Caroline must place her trust in God as she seeks a measure of peace for her future, and her heart.

This was such a captivating romance, where one's outward appearance was not the focus. I loved the well developed main characters as they make their way through the ravages of the dreaded disease. This is the first book by Bessey that I have read and will be reading more. She has a very distinct writing style with apparent lots of research of the time period. A nice, light hearted, clean faith based story, tender with a bit of humor and mystery. I definitely recommend this story.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When his younger brother's childhood playmate returns home widowed with a young daughter Meg, Benedict is happy to see her again, and soon finds himself wrapped around Meg's little finger. But Caroline is badly scarred after an attack of smallpox, caught while nursing her husband, and is finding going out into village society difficult. Benedict does what he can to coax Caroline out of her shell, but when her worst fear comes back to haunt her, will it be enough? And as he begins to realise more of the plight of the villagers after a hard year, it turns out that there's more going on than he realised. Can he solve the mystery or is not just the village but even his family in serious trouble?

I can only call this a happy-making story. I can't put my finger on what it is, but as I read this book, I just found it making me happy. It's not that there isn't hard stuff going on, or that everyone is wonderful - and though there's humour, I didn't spend the entire time laughing my head off. No, it was a quiet, deep satisfaction that went beyond words. The story itself is delightful, if in many ways nothing special - a somewhat predictable background problem, a couple enjoying spending time together, a four-year-old girl (who isn't perfect but is held to standards - refreshing), and some interesting secondary characters. But the way they're put together makes all the difference. I loved Benedict's care for and feeling of responsibility towards the villagers (not to mention Caroline's). I hated the neighbour's comments about Caroline's scars, but loved both her and Benedict's responses. And I appreciated that the bad guy had at least some positive reason for his bad actions. The mention of vaccinations was intriguing, too - it's something we tend to take for granted too often, but at one point it was new. All in all, a great read, and I'm really looking forward to the author's next book. Recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

I just finished this story last night, and ah, what a great one! Not only did I get to learn more about smallpox and the creation of the vaccine for it, but there was an absolutely beautiful budding romance to go along with it! And Meg. Who can forget Meg? She was adorable. I appreciated that Caroline was strong enough to stand up for herself, her family, and others who really needed help. Reading about people who go about doing good is always refreshing. I highly recommend it.

The story was captivating in so many ways. Foremost, the love story that unfolds between two childhood friends. The reuniting of Caroline and Benedict, who grew up as neighbors. Caroline and Benedict’s brother, Henry were much closer friends in childhood. Benedict had always envied their closeness. After Caroline’s husband had passed away from smallpox, and Caroline had been sick with it also. She had no other choice, but to go back to her hometown and her father, who is the local Vicar, in tow with her 4 yr old daughter, Meg. Meg was adorable. She was so full of life and sweetness. The historical information in this book was so well researched and written. I found it interesting to learn about the outbreak of smallpox during the late 1700s and also the drought and following frigid winter that was devastating to so many people. I highly recommend reading this story if you are historical romance lover. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I LOVED this book! It was one of Sian Ann Bessey’s best work to date (and that’s a hard choice because ALL of her books are amazing!) I absolutely loved the characters, they were well developed and very relatable. I loved reading about a gentleman who simple loved his tenants and wanted to see to their welfare. I also loved that Caroline wasn’t this well bred peer, who was absolutely beautiful that every man wanted. I enjoyed seeing an average woman, who had her own struggles, find love and acceptance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book completely!
I love this author's writing style and character creations.
The storyline was absolutely awesome.
The bits of historical facts within the plot were very interesting and educational, and made the whole story very believable.
Benedict and Caroline are so well matched in character, integrity and compassion.
Clean romance - which I appreciate so much!
No bag language at all.
A nice, and gentle inclusion of faith in God.
My only complaint is that it is just a bit too short. An epilogue would have been great. My complaint is not enough for me to take any stars away though.
I highly recommend this excellent book - as well as all others from this author.
Thank you to this author for writing such great, clean romance stories!

In a refreshing take, Sian Ann Bessey's "A Provincial Peer" takes place in rural Gloucestershire, with nary a visit to London and its glittering social functions. The brother of Henry from "An Unassuming Curator", Lord Benning may be titled, but is more at home in the country attending to the many responsibilities there. Scarred from smallpox, heroine Caroline Granger hides behind a veil.

This is a touching story about acceptance and realizing that one's outward appearance doesn't define who that person is. While the author tackles serious subjects such as disease and poverty, there are some lighthearted moments. Caroline's daughter Meg is a charming diversion whose innocent prattle is highly amusing. There's a villain, yet this character's motivation is hard to classify as entirely deplorable, albeit dishonest. The dreaded insta-love is thankfully absent.

Bessey incorporates interesting historical events in this novel. Smallpox and its devastating effects play no small part, along with Dr. Jenner's vaccine development. The impact of the wheat shortage is vividly described.

This author's prose is lovely. The book is also well-edited and clean. "A Provincial Peer" is the sixth story in Bessey's Georgian Gentlemen series. It stands alone, although earlier characters are occasionally mentioned.

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of this engaging story.

I love Sian Ann Bessey's books, and this one is fantastic! It's a beautiful story of the importance of being yourself and loving yourself!

Lord Benning, or Benedict, is more interested in farming than the expectations that come with his title.

Caroline is a recent widow who has been scarred, both emotionally and physically, by smallpox. She is trying to find her place and purpose, all while caring for her young daughter Meg.

I loved the "behind the scenes" look at life on a large estate - the running of the farm, the kitchen, visiting the tenants. It was a fun switch from the normal balls and society gatherings in most historical romances.

I also love Meg - she's just a little sweetheart that wins everyone over!

I loved following these two characters as they found themselves - and each other!

Thank you to Covenant Communications, Sian Ann Bessey, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.