**Review of "Awaken the Heart" by Penny Fairbanks**

"Awaken the Heart" by Penny Fairbanks is a Regency romance that covers love, loss, and redemption. The story centers on Lady Eliza, a widow grappling with grief and societal expectations, and Lord Henry, a reclusive war hero hiding from his past. Eliza’s strength and resilience make her an admirable heroine, while Lord Henry’s vulnerability beneath his stoic exterior adds depth to his character. Their evolving relationship is portrayed with sensitivity and nuance, making their emotional connection feel authentic and powerful.

The novel’s setting is richly described, immersing readers in the elegance and challenges of the Regency period. The plot is a tender story about finding love and hope after tragedy. Penny Fairbanks has crafted a good romance that will linger in the hearts of readers long after the final page is turned.

Awaken the Heart. My fellow readers. Listen to me. This is a book that I know that all you romantics at heart are going to enjoy reading. Sebastian and Lydia are the cutest couple that I have read so far. The are charming. They sweet. They are adorable. They are an endless love. What?! There. I said it. Shut the front door! I’m going to say it again. They are an endless love. Where can another couple compare with that. I thought that this story was excellently written. I very interested in the characters, particularly the main characters and their loving romance. The entertainment, humor, fun times and most importantly special times spoke volumes for Lydia and Sebastian’s beautiful story. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!

This is the first book of a new series, Society of Swans, and it is off to a lovely start! Lydia is not considered a particularly friendly person, more likely described as a bit cold and rigid. Which is probably the reason why she has not had much luck in the marriage mart as she has not had one successful Season. After her fourth, she is convinced she will not be able to find a gentleman who will love her for who she is. But then she receives a mysterious letter from Lady Swan which seems to lead her to believe that the man of her dreams is closer that she realizes, and the only person fitting that description would be her best friend Sebastian. But her and Sebastian are just that, friends, nothing more. He is also the complete opposite of her, being more open and friendly. Sebastian has secretly loved Lydia for years, but is afraid he would not live up to her mother's expectations. Sebastian agrees to help Lydia solve the mystery of the letter and in the process Lydia might just discover her true heart's desire has been right in front of her all along.
This was an absolutely sweet and wholesome friends to more story that was simply delightful! It's a lovely beginning to a new series which I am looking forward to continuing. So glad to have had the opportunity to read this!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Very close friends, Lydia and Sebastian have always understood each other. Restricted by her mother's constant rules, Lydia has never looked beyond friendship with Sebastian, until she receives a mysterious letter from Lady Swan.
Beware of the wicked Mrs. Dailey.
A clean romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I’d not heard of Penny Fairbanks previously, and thought I would take a chance based on the blurb.

I am a sucker for a friends to lovers trope, but this book failed to deliver. Lydia and Sebastian came across as friends only, with zero chemistry, they were more like siblings.

The characters were also underdeveloped, especially Lydia. The reader never really sees what makes her tick, what motivates her, what she cares about, why she had the friends she had, which leads the reader feeling disconnected from the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for my honest review.

My first time reading a novel by Penny Fairbanks, and it was a little slow at the start. Both Lydia and Sebastian have known each other and grown up together and are extremely comfortable interacting with each other. Lydia also has a group of ladies that she is close to and interacts with a lot. Added to this mix is her strict mother who has extremely lofty expectations for both her children and is a stickler for society's rules and regulations - even going as far as to insist on her family's behaviour behind closed doors.

Lady Swan, who is unknown to Lydia, sends her a letter advising her to take a closer look for her true love match. She discusses the letter with her girlfriends and Sebastian. All her friends immediately point the finger at Sebastian, to which Lydia disagrees, given the fact that he has not indicated anything to her in the five years she has been on the market for a suitor. Sebastian does not think his suit will be acceptable to Lydia's mother as she has more lofty ambitions for her children.

A lovely story if a little slow moving that I enjoyed. I received an ARC from Dragonblade and NetGalley with thanks and submit my honest review.

Friends-to-Lovers, Historical Romance

Can a secret matchmaker help Lydia and Sebastian to see that they are destined to be together? Their path will not be an easy one. There is a manipulative mother who wants a title for her daughter at any cost. Then, there are Lydia and Sebastian who resist what is in front of their faces. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like friends-to-lovers, sweet historical romance.

This story is ok but not a favourite. I’m not a big fan of friends to lovers and this one definitely lacked the required spark for me.

However it does seem like the start of a cute new series and I’d def try the next book

A great start to a new series by an author previously unknown to me. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
Lydia Dailey has a strict and rigid mother that is not afraid to point our every mistake that Lydia makes which causes Lydia to doubt herself an turn inward.
Fortunately she has a group of childhood girlfriends that support her, including Sebastian Harrowsmith.
Lydia receives a mysterious letter from Lady Swan who encourages her to look closer to home for the love she seeks.
You don't want to miss this great story, and learn more about Lady Swan.

When you've been best friends most of your lives it's scary to even try and change the relationship. It could need a nudge from an outsider. That is what our characters face in this historical romance. We have a new mysterious matchmaker giving struggling young ladies the ideas to think about in this series.
It's a gentle and sweet romance with lovely characters. I can see there will be a lot more fun to come in the next books. I look forward to reading them.
Good fun.

2.5 stars rounded to 3. I had high hopes for this book based on the description, but it was just “meh” for me. I agree with the reviewer who said the two main characters had little chemistry; their relationship seemed more like that of siblings. I think part of the problem was that Lydia was a very opaque character. I never really felt like I knew her—what motivated her, what she cared about, etc. Example: why were her friends her friends? Other than the fact that they lived near each other, I have no idea.

I also didn’t understand her mother’s motivation. It was obvious that she was the villain of the story, but why was she the way she was? Who knows.

This book had a lot of potential, but it just didn’t quite click for me.

This is my first time reading a book by Penny Fairbanks, and I was entertained! At the beginning of the novel, Lydia (going into her fifth season) receives a letter from a mysterious "Lady Swan" encouraging her to look closely at the men around her for a love match. Trying to balance her strict mother's expectations and her own hopes for the next chapter in her life, Lydia asks her friends, The Bainbridge Ladies and Mr. Sebastian Harrowsmith, for their help solving the mystery.

This novel is a friends-to-lovers (a trope I normally enjoy), but Lydia and Sebastian felt more like friends than lovers. Their chemistry didn't quite click. I can see how on paper the two get along and enjoy each other's company, but they never had me giggling when they interacted. This book does play into the miscommunication trope pretty heavily, which may be some people's cup of tea, but not mine. I felt like a lot of the hurdles Lydia and Sebastian faced could've been resolved with a conversation instead of assuming how the other felt.

Thank you Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC

Long, slow burn, and then convolution...

Lydia is dour and never meets her mother's outlandish expectations. Her mother is forever moving the goalpost.

Sebastian has always adored Lydia, but is okay with courting another, a Miss Woods, because everyone thinks they will make a great match. He gets on board with this and that's a no-no.

Lydia and Sebatian have known each other for twenty years but Lydia was too busy trying to seek her mother's approval and Sebastian didn't think he was good enough. Three letters from a Lady Swan gets them into a convoluted state (think a messy mess).

A new very sweet series has begun. The mysterious Lady Swan has sent a message to Lydia giving her advice. But who is Lady Swan and how does she know what's best for Lydia? Being withdrawn, cold and overly proper, Lydia must find her true self rather than the one her dominant mother wants her to be. Lovely, lovely story of friends to lovers as Sebastian does his best to help Lydia find herself. Want to know more? Read this engaging story and be prepared to want more stories that include Lady Swan.

Having had a taste of this sweet new series, I enjoyed kicking back and indulging in warm-hearted romance with the promise of more to come. Miss Lydia Dailey has lived her whole life under her mother's rigid and uncompromising rules, leaving her withdrawn and doubting her self-worth. Her only outlet is among her close friends and Sebastian Harrowsmith, whom she has known all her life. As much as Sebastian would love to court Lydia, he is equally intimidated by Lydia's mother and fears that he will never be good enough for Lydia. The best he can do is to ensure she has someone to bolster her confidence and attempt to be a buffer between her and her mother. From out of the blue, Lydia receives a letter from Lady Swan, who encourages her to look closer to home for the love she seeks. It is not without mishap and Mrs Dailey's cruel machinations that Sebastian and Lydia finally break through the barriers that confine them. The novel is well-written and tender and is also a standalone. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Lydia and Sebastian have been best friends since birth. But none of that matters to Lydias mother. However when Lydia receives a mysterious letter what others think may not matter as much.
I actually really liked the ending to this book. It was an HEA but not everyone repented and turned good. It had a semi-realistic ending with a HEA. I look forward to seeing what Lady Swan has in Story for this group of friends.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

Sweet, clean, Historical Fictional Regency Romance. Prim and proper, Lydia must attend another season of the ton. With an overbearing, strict Mother, she balances expectations and the quest for a husband. Lydia is a relatable, likable character with a gaggle of friends and confidant Sebastian. There are buried longings never expressed. A stolen kiss. Pressure to marry for wealth and title.

With a mysterious nudge from an anonymous “Ms. Swan,” Lydia is challenged to examine her connections for love. Will they break out of their roles and see what is perhaps already there?

Sometimes, being too near an object becomes natural, and it takes skewing the perspective to see clearly.
3.5/5-star rating.

Sponsored ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Absolutely Awesome Read, well written, great characters, Awesome story line, easy read to hold you on their journey, its a really wonderful story cannot wait for more from this Author.