5 stars - but only if you are okay with suspending some disbelief and seeing the story as a whole instead of in separate little pieces

So here's the thing, this book had things that bothered me, but what I loved about it far outweighed any annoyances. I mean it was the world's best cookie with the occasional butterscotch chip thrown in. I don't love those, but the cookie was so good that the occasional imperfect bite still didn't change the fact that it was the best cookie ever! :)
K, so this book isn't perfect or the best in the world, but my oh my it had my heart and my attention. The first person dual POV for the main characters had me in their heads and hearts and I loved seeing their world/story that way.
Yes, somethings are a bit slow, or a bit unbelievable, but the heart that is woven through the setting, characters, and plot overcome all of that for me. It was never slow or unbelievalbe for very long and if I could just wait a few pages usually my concerns were completely smoothed over with what happened next.
This definitely has more emphasis on attraction and kissing than a Jane Austen book, but is still very much closed-door.
Yes, the characters get together very quickly, but somehow this whirlwind romance worked for me.
My biggest compalint by far is that every book I've picked up since I have given up on because I want every book to be as enjoyable as Highcliffe House.
Whom do I recommend this book to?
Regency Romance fans that like closed-door, first person dual POV, seaside setting, society rules/customs of the time period, cozy cottages filled with more love than money, a rich and motherless heiress trying to find people to love her and not just her money, the most adorable and precocious little sister, and long, indulgent kisses.
Happy reading!

"I want to be with him. I want to be beside him. Is that not the point of loving someone? To walk through hardships together?"

My rating: 4.25 stars

Megan has done it again. She made me fall in love with her incredible writing, her well-rounded characters, and her heart-filled story.

Oh, how sweet this book was. Graham and Anna were the best kind of rivals-to-lovers. Watching them come together and overcome prejudices and assumptions was, in a word, delightful. Besides their love story, the banter and games were incredibly fun, and I found myself laughing loud and often throughout their antics.

And the setting, oh my word. Megan painted the seaside town of Brighton so vividly with her words, there were times I could swear I was smelling the salty, briny air and could hear the waves crashing to shore. Now I feel a call to go and visit the coastal town for myself and see all the marvelous things that Graham and Anna saw.

A few parts of the story felt a little slow for me, so it took me a little longer than normal to finish this book, but I still enjoyed my journey with Anna and Graham. And Tabs. Tabs was darling. :)

There is so much heart in this story. It's clear that love and attention to detail went into every facet of this plot and the writing, and the resulting story was incredibly lovely. Megan has a way with words, and I cannot wait to see what she has next for us.

Definitely recommend for anyone and everyone.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Shadow Mountain and the author for my copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

General Notes:
Author: Megan Walker
Format: Ebook
Genre: Historical romance
Language: None
Romance: Kisses
Violence: None
Trigger/Content warnings: Death of a parent (off page, prior to beginning of story)

#BookReview : Highcliffe House by Megan Walker

I loved this book! It's a delightfully fresh take on the enemies-to-lovers trope in a Regency setting. Anna and Everett, both as stubborn as mules, were certain they hated each other. Well, maybe more on Anna's perspective. But the sparks started flying when they found themselves thrown together on a trip to Brighton.

Highcliffe House was a surprise for Anna, but Tabitha's presence was an even bigger one! I'm so glad the author included her character. Tabs, with her child's view, added a whole new layer of fun to the story. She just made me laugh. I loved that Everett treated Anna was respect. His love for his family was admirable. Showing her the beauty of Brighton was fun, including the fishing trip. Though it was a tad too long for me , it turned out great for everyone.

I highly recommend this book for regency romance readers!

Rating : 4.5 ⭐

Pub date : 07 May 2024

Thank you to the publisher and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sigh. Sometimes you just need a sweet regency novel. Its weird, they make me feel nostalgic and I love it.

If you like Brighton, water, precocious sisters, enemies to more, sweet, regency romances, look no further!

I loved this one! Loved that where there could have easily been a miscommunication trope, the characters actually talked about the issues. I loved the way the main characters challenged each other, and the exploration of that fine line between love and hate.

“Tell him you think he’s handsome and you’d like to marry him. That should send him running back to his study.”

Enemies-to-more, forced proximity, mixing in a little business, an adorable little sister, and a picturesque seaside setting all make for an un-put-down-able book.

It’s hard to put into words how much I LOVE this book. I’m not usually at a loss of words when it comes to books but every word, every scene, everything was so incredibly put together that any words I try and use won’t do it justice.

If you’re a historical romance fan and have been measuring every book to a fellow Proper Romance book like Edenbrooke, this book is at an Edenbrooke level of awesomeness. And I don’t say that lightly. This book is hands down one of my all-time favorite historical romances ever to exist.

It’s funny, clever, witty, swoony and I’m not sure I’ll ever get over this book hangover. A part of me hopes I never do. The characters come alive and are flawed, but seeing their character arcs make them so real and the romance even sweeter.

I would love to give this book a million stars and all of the praise. If you want to read one of the best books ever written-bump this one to the top!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Content: loss of loved ones, feeling neglected/left behind, rivals, romance-kisses only

In a most unexpected turn of events, Anna finds herself journeying on the behalf of her father to Brighton to oversee a business opportunity. She above all else has plans to shut it down as the deplorable Graham Lane is at the head of the venture. Between their misgivings and notions, the pair finds themselves surprised that there's more to the other than they've thus far discovered.
This book is incredible! I loved, loved, LOVED everything about it. And that scene in the stairwell after fishing? Absolute gold. Megan did a fantastic job delivering on all of the feelings: the pride, conceit, disdain, curiosity, development of affection, love, and support. I adored Lakeshire Park and this one is just as much of a knockout. I highly recommend for fans of historical romance, particularly regency.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Ahhh, Megan Walker is an author that weaves such beautiful love stories. This one had me captivated from the first page. An enemies to lovers historical romance, the original plot provides first person perspectives into the thoughts and feelings of the H and h.

This first person vantage point gives depth to these insightful characters as they are forced to explore their daunting relationship. Neither can believe that the other could have a heart for anyone but themselves. Crass statements, frustrating encounters and selfish endeavors soon fade to the shock of enamored feelings, flutters and sighs. With playful banter in between, our MCs go through several plot twists to hopefully find their HEA. This is definitely a story I will read again.

This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.

After reading and loving Lakeshire Park and Miss Newbury’s List by Megan Walker, I was so excited to read her latest release. Highcliffe House did not disappoint! It was so much fun to read and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Anna and Graham were wonderful main characters! Their banter and enemies-to-lovers story was so much fun! It was both fun and sweet to watch them go from despising each other to becoming friends to falling in love.❤️

Anna was a bit like Emma Woodhouse. I didn’t immediately like her but I did find her interesting. As the story progressed and I came to understood her better, I really liked her! I especially liked her desire to be genuine in a society where everyone was taught to be fake.
I really liked Graham’s character pretty much from the start. He was kind of adorable (particularly the fact that he was self-conscious about having to wear spectacles! I was smiling so big when I found that out!🥰) I also really admired him for taking care of his sisters and mother.❤️
Tabs was hilarious and so much fun! I loved having a cute kid in the story, especially since she’s Graham’s little sister. I loved her immediate bond with Anna! They were the quite the pair!🥰

I also loved the family dynamics in this story! I loved seeing how Graham took care of his mother and sisters. It was incredibly sweet and made me love his character even more. I also loved Graham’s friendship with Anna’s father so much! It made me a little emotional after learning about Graham’s hard life.🥺

Content wise, the romance was clean and there was no language. There was one kiss that was a little more detailed or intense than I prefer but it was very brief and didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the story.

In conclusion, I loved this book! It was lighthearted but also had enough emotional moments to add depth to the story and characters which I loved! It’s the perfect summer regency read since it has a seaside setting. If you’re fan of regency romance with:
-enemies-to-lovers
-a seaside setting
-family dynamics
-a cute (and hilarious) kid
-witty banter
I think you’ll love this one!🥰

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me a complimentary copy! All opinions are my own.

I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down until I finished it! My favorite book by Megan to date!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Beautifully written story about misperceptions, misunderstandings, family, friends, young love, learning to see beyond face value, loving yourself, forgiving yourself, trust, hope, seeing beauty around you, friendship and sweet love (yes I mentioned friends and love twice on purpose)!

I love this book! It is definitely one I highly recommend! Especially for Regency readers. Megan Walker is a very gifted and talented writer in developing characters and relationships and placing them in beautiful settings. I was transported to Brighton and imagined myself in Highcliffe House as well as strolling along the beach, at the pavilion and enjoying a happy day with Graham's family.

You're going to absolutely love Graham's mom and sisters! They were such a delightful addition to the story! The many emotions and navigating the developing relationships were splendid! I giggled over their antics and my heart was thoroughly warmed at their acceptance and joy of having Anna with them.

And the banter and developing relationship between Anna and Graham had my heart soaring. I loved every minute of it! They had me laughing, cringing and sighing. Love, love, love their story so much!!!

Content: Clean and wholesome.

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

Happy Reading!!!

Such a truly delightful book! It’s not always that I feel connected to both of the main characters in any story, but Anna and Graham had me from the start in Highcliffe House.

Graham is a man who is intrinsically a gentleman, even though he has struggled much and tries so hard to maintain respect. In circumstances that demanded little more than a boy to take on the responsibility of a man, he has shown iron to his core while lovingly caring for his mother and sisters.

Although Anna can appear outwardly snobbish initially, it quickly becomes evident that she has her own insecurities and heartache to bear.

Anna deeply resents Graham for taking so much of her father’s precious time to discuss business, leaving her feeling forsaken.

As Anna and Graham are thrown together through a business arrangement made by her father, their truer selves and personal lives are revealed to one another and circumstances lead to trust and friendship and quickly to a deep abiding love.

It was delightful to see how “Tabs” initially and unexpectedly win Anna’s affection. Through his family, Anna truly gets to see the real Graham and learns to respect him. (I wonder if perhaps Ginny and Tabitha will wind up with her own stories?)

I wholeheartedly give this one five stars!! My hope is that it may come out in audiobook version so that I can share it with my daughter and other family members who primarily read through audiobooks.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. I had requested it because I have so enjoyed Ms. Walker’s books previously. The opinions expressed above are most definitely my own.

I absolutely loved this book!!! I always like a good enemies to lovers story. I enjoyed both Graham and Anna’ characters and the banter between them kept me laughing! It is such a fun story! I highly recommend reading it!

Graham Everett has found a fabulous opportunity to purchase land in Brighton for development, but he needs extra capital. Turning to his mentor, he asks for him to invest in this project. Little does he realize that Mr. Lane would only consider it if his daughter, Anna, go with Graham in order to give him an assessment as to the wisdom of the investment. That would be fine, but Anna and Graham detest each other. This humorous and poignant story of realizing that impressions are just that until you get to really know someone. Watching Anna’s walls of self-preservation come down was the sweetness of the story. Both Graham and Anna had to let go of their judgements of each other to see the true nature of each other.

Eight year old Tabitha was such a fun character and a delight to have in the story. She is a wild child who loves the outdoors and is fascinated with animals. I loved how she met Anna and couldn’t help but laugh!

Things to love about this book:
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Brighton
Twist on Pride and Prejudice
Graham’s family
Beach adventures
Fishing surprise
Humor
Enemies to more
Clean romance

One of my favorite quotes:
“True to form, she turned her nose up at me, took her father’s arm, and smiled the most innocent and gracious, helpless, and hopeful smile that could turn any man’s heart to utter mush. A smile that would one day trick some poor hapless man into marrying her.”

I highly recommend this Regency romance. Readers from teens through older readers will enjoy this story. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

What made this book so excellent? Well because I felt like Graham and Anna were two regular people and this is a situation that could definitely have played out. There are a lot of books where it feels a bit too convenient and just not real, but this story isn't like that! I loved the enemies-to-lovers theme. Sometimes that theme doesn't work well, but this time Megan successfully used that theme. And in a brilliant way! Will definitely read again!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Graham needs to secure a business deal with Anna’s father. Anna sees Graham as a threat to her relationship with her father. Forced together for a week, each is trying to get what they want. Their old opinions of each other start to change as they see one another in a different light. I loved this book and the sweet romance between Anna and Graham. The banter and teasing were so perfect!

Megan Walker has become a must-read, five-star Proper Romance author for me. Highcliffe House has all of my favorites: clever, relatable characters, unique premise, and a heartwarming love story. It made me laugh and cry. To top it off, this is a truly believable enemies-to-lovers tale. Not only do they start out basically hating each other, for valid reasons, but as their hearts and minds awaken to other possibilities, I was amazed to find that their hatred wasn't at all what it had initially appeared. The characters' introspection, their insecurities, their uncertainty about inevitable life changes, were all superbly rendered. And the happily-ever-after was sweetly satisfying.

3.5 stars

This is one of those books that you want to devour in only a few sittings!

Enemies to lovers, witty banter, found family, a setting by the sea and multiple swoony scenes made this book very enjoyable.

For years Anna and Graham have allowed their assumptions and pride to colour their opinions of one another, but when the pair is thrust into forced proximity, their opinions are repeatedly challenged.

Brighton made for a refreshing backdrop for this love story and the family–in particular the little sister–were endearing.

My biggest critique would have been to have given Anna more gumption at a few key points in the plot. She is a strong character however, a few of her decisions didn’t feel entirely believable.

This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing.

This book has been getting a lot of love and it is well deserved. First, we have 2 characters that really can’t stand each other. But what happens when they are forced to spend time together?

I really loved the set up of the book - yes, they don’t like each other, but WHY? And how accurate is the WHY? And once they uncover more attributes about each other, will that opinion continue to be valid?

I loved their sweet moments together and the way they analyzed the choices before them. Tabitha was definitely a favorite side character. I loved what she brought to the story.

I thought the differences in the 2 families was an interesting contrast as well. I loved how it really showed that backgrounds and influences do change who we are, how we view things, and the choices we make.

Most of all, I loved watching Anna and Graham change and try to be better throughout the story. Such a lovely read and one that can be re-read again and again.

Where do I even begin with this review? I absolutely loved loved loved this book. This is my second book from Walker and I loved it just as much as Miss Newbury’s List. Every character was so well done and the setting was so lovely in this enemies to lovers regency.

Graham and Anna, they are such memorable characters and I really enjoyed their journey to HEA. Many characters stood out, especially Tabs. I was laughing out loud many times and her and Anna’s relationship was enduring. The dual POV was perfect and I appreciated being in Anna and Graham’s head. I had many favorite quotes and parts I highlighted.
I received a Netgalley approval and a paperback ARC from the publisher. All views are my own.