This is one of my favorite books by this author! I couldn’t stop myself from reading this book as I went through each chapter. It included a beautiful arc of growth and redemption along with love and romance.

I always love reading a book from Arlem Hawks. She does such an amazing job with this genre. I always learn something when I am reading one of her books too. The way the author brings the battles and life at sea up close and personal. Not holding back the hard, but brings so much good in too.

May and Elias were wonderful. I loved May’s journey and growth in this book the most. She had a lot to overcome and forgive and I loved how she learned to let go of past hurt. May is outspoken and headstrong but as she gets to know Elias (and others), her heart changes. How the two met is awkward, with misunderstandings and preconceived meetings. But how they both were able to see the strengths of the other was lovely.

I loved the setting, taking place mostly on a ship. Hawks really knows her stuff when it comes to this time period and life at sea.

I haven’t read GEORGANA’S SECRET yet, but I must as soon as I can. I enjoyed reading about the Peytons in this book. This is book two in a series, but they standalone.

I received an ebook from NetGalley from the publisher. All views are my own.

This storm-tossed romance is beautifully written with depth and heart and enough details that readers will almost feel the salt spray as if they were on the ship with the characters. Miss May Byam’s father has been branded a criminal and taken away in irons, leaving her and her mother desperate to support themselves. May takes a position as a lady’s maid on a ship, but a difficult meeting with the ship’s chaplain makes her wonder if she’s made the correct choice. The chaplain, Elias Doswell is nursing a broken heart, but is intrigued by the new lady’s maid and wanting to make amends for the awkwardness of what happened when they first met. As they grow closer, battles with the French hang over them, threatening their love and their lives. Can they survive the rough waters ahead?

There are so many layers to this story of love and redemption set against the backdrop of England’s war with France. Elias is struggling with feelings of self-worth and where he fits in the world. May is also struggling with that after her father’s betrayal, but the way they deal with their internal issues is vastly different. Readers will easily identify with each character as they work through overcoming the emotional and physical obstacles in front of them. Most of the story takes place on a ship and the author does a phenomenal job in explaining intricate details about life at sea in the 1800s that never feels overwhelming or like a textbook. The entire cast of characters is easy to visualize and some will be familiar to those who have read, “Georgana’s Secret.” Across the Star-Kissed Sea is an emotionally satisfying adventure romance with just enough tension and suspense through battles of the sea as well as battles of the heart to create a story that readers won’t want to put down!

I enjoyed this one but not as much as the previous book by the author. I find myself unable to sympathise / relate to the FL and her actions are quite questionable, or maybe just me who finds it so. the writing style is still very gorgeous. would be a nice standalone but the story would make more sense if you have read the previous book. 3 stars

This is a beautiful story of loving, learning, overcoming prejudice, adventure at sea, and so much more. I love the characters and seeing how they developed. Elias is so sweet and May is so headstrong. It is fun to see the two of them come together. I always learn so much about the time period when I read Hawk’s stories. Looking forward to more!

This was an enjoyable romance that is a companion/sequel to Georgana's Secret. The main focus in on May and Elias. The story itself has it all: adventure, romance, and tender moments. A must read.

Another beautiful book.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain for being a dependable publisher of clean and awesome romances.

I loved this book! Taking place on the sea was so much fun. There were some hilarious mishaps, sweet moments and such a good story. And we see characters from previous stories. I really enjoyed every page of this book!

This was a fun sequel to Georgiana's Secret. You don't have to read Georgiana's story first to enjoy this one, but it gives some good back story and was a fun book. May and Elias didn't have the best meet cute, but luckily they were eventually able to overcome that. Their story had a lot of ups and downs. I enjoyed the life and battles at sea. It was a nice change from the Regency novels I've been reading lately. This was a sweet story of growth and forgiveness on several sides.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

It has been a few years since I read the first book in this series, and I actually wish I had re-read it before starting this book, so I could have a refresher. I kept getting bogged down on who was who and what their role was in the original book. Even with that, it didn't take away from the enjoyment of this story. Not having any desire at all to live a life at sea, I sure do seem to read a lot of books about people who do (fictional and real!)
I loved May and Elias' story. They were perfect for each other, even though it took them a REALLY long time to realize it. I also was happy to have Georgana and Dominic play such a strong role in the story as well. I like them just as much as I did in the first book.
Definitely a keeper for me.

I really enjoyed this book. After being shunned because of something her father did, May gets a job as a lady’s maid on a ship. Little does she know at the time that she has been hired by someone whose husband is deemed responsible for her cousin’s death by her family. She sets foot on the ship and a well meaning man offers to pay her for services but not actually use them when he mistakes her for a prostitute. He does it as away to protect her.

I really enjoyed her journey of finding out details that allow her to forgive and fall in love.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of this eARC; the review is my own.*

Every once in a while, I find an author who consistently delivers amazing books. This is my third Arlem Hawks book, and all three of them have been solid 5-star novels. All of the books have been connected, though they can be read independently. Maybe I will go back and read <i>Beyond the Lavender Fields</i>, even though I already know the fates of the two main characters.

As with her other books, Hawks has successfully written realistic characters I can’t help caring about. Her research of the time period and events must have been thorough, and it feels like she pulled the characters’ stories right out of history rather than placing them within it.

May (19) is a firecracker. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself, even though she occasionally overstepped. But her foot-in-mouth moments made her feel quite real, and I’m sure most people have wished they’d just kept their mouths shut at times. It made her quite relatable. Aside from that, though, she worked hard and loved deeply. I adored Elias (26). He had such a good heart and an unfortunately low opinion of himself, but he always pushed himself to do whatever was needed. His quiet shows of affection and care for May were filled with tenderness. They really were perfect for each other.

I enjoyed seeing Dominic and Georgana in this book, though they were side characters. (If you haven’t read <i>Georgana’s Secret</i>, you should.) Though I was a little confused about the timeline of the two books. The epilogue for GS took place in November, and this book started in September. But everything in this book seemed like it started after GS. Still, that didn’t impede my enjoyment of either book. Both books take place almost 20 years after <i>Along a Breton Shore</i>. Étienne is in all three books (plus BtLF) in some capacity or another (BtLF is his story). I love interconnected books.

Since I’ve had such good luck with Arlem Hawks, I plan to add the rest of her books to my to-read list. She’s a talented writer with a good mind for crafting stories.

Notes: Nothing bad.

There is always so much emotion in Arlem Hawks’ writing. So much heart and compassion for both sides in her stories.

I loved the dynamic of May and Elias. Having two opposites that instantly attract, but with underlying misunderstandings and story complications that bring amazing tension. I loved the time she took for them to see the real person and the depth below.

I loved the unique characters, beautifully described setting and a plot that’s so different from others in its genre. It’s the kind of soul wrenching goodness that she always delivers.

Arlem Hawks is such a talented author. I love her stories set on the high seas. I did not realize at first that this was tied to Georgana’s Secret, and I adored that story. Meeting May and Elias was an adventure, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Truthfully, I did not love May at first, and I think that may be part of the point. She has some maturing and learning to do and the experiences she encounters allows her the space to do so. I loved the role of the other characters in helping her get there. Elias is such a kind man, and I would love to be a recipient of some of his creative concoctions. As soon as the chemistry sparked between these two, I was hooked and so glad to be along for the ride. I found the action convincing, the plot enticing, and the adventures exciting. To top it all off, the romance was sweet and endearing and fills the cup of any romantic. Enjoy some previous characters (though totally fine if you have not read the other book first) and see what they have been up to.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

OH I loved this beautiful story! The lead characters were well developed and I felt like I would be friends with them, This is highly unlikely since I am never going to be in a battle on the open see with either of them! But still, I loved the premise and the characters from the previous book were just right for the book! Enjoy another fun story on the high seas of early 1800's!

Thanks to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for the chance to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I learned from Mae and Elias. There were experiences that both went through that I could relate to. I enjoyed seeing Georgiana and Captain Payton again from a previous book. I thought the story was well written and engaging. I was very involved in it from start to finish. I highly recommend it.

Romance, adventure, forgiveness.
Though not listed as part of a series, this book continues the story of Dominic and Georgana from Georgana’s Secret and even contains characters from Beyond the Lavender Fields and Along a Breton Shore if I remember correctly, but can be read alone.

May is hired to live on a ship as lady’s maid for Georgana when her family falls into financial trouble and she is forced to find work. She gets too much attention from some of the sailors than she would like so she becomes friends with Elias Doswell, the chaplain on the ship, despite a big misunderstanding when they first met.

Topics include misjudging character, family relationships, loyalty to family, forgiveness, mercy, and compassion. I loved the reappearance of “Mr. Taylor” from the previous book, brave, intelligent women saving the day, and a happy ending. Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC to use for my review.

Across The Star-Kissed Sea is a fantastic book by Arlem Hawks, and it's the sequel to Georgana's Secret, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was eager to dive into this new story. Like the first, this novel is part of the Proper Romance series, meaning it's a clean read. I have a soft spot for historical romance, especially since much of the story unfolds in 1811 aboard a Royal Navy ship, the HMS Marianne, in the Mediterranean Sea.

May is a headstrong young woman who impulsively becomes the lady's maid for the ship's captain. She's escaping a family scandal and is still mourning her uncle and cousin, who died at sea the previous year. May is in a lot of pain and faces the tough journey of learning to forgive. When she first meets the young Chaplain Elias Doswell on the ship, there's a misunderstanding, and they start off as enemies before becoming friends and eventually more. This romance builds slowly, and I loved watching their relationship grow. Elias also has his own struggles, dealing with rejection and heartache. He joins the ship to escape his past but finds it hard to trust. He's a unique leading man, and I found him very likable.

It was great to see characters from Georgana's Secret return in this book, and the ship setting added a special touch to the story. Across The Star-Kissed Sea is well-written, exciting, and often heartfelt, taking you on a fun adventure.

Across the Star-Kissed Sea captured my attention from the awkward first meeting to the nail-biting conclusion! I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to Georgana’s secret. Arlem Hawks is known for her meticulous research, swoony romance, and heartfelt characters which all come shining through in this latest book. I loved May & Elias & their sweet enemies to more, close proximity, he falls first romance!

May Byam’s family is struggling after deaths & scandal upended their world. May takes a position as the lady’s maid to a young sea captain’s wife on board the HMS Marianne, despite her mother’s & aunt’s pleas not to go. May wants the adventure, the security, & to avenge her uncle’s & cousin’s deaths. But, her awkward first meeting with the ship’s clergyman gets things off on the wrong foot.

Chaplain Elias Doswell’s suffering from his latest broken heart & returns to the sea. When he sees a beautiful woman boarding, he unfortunately misjudges her & her reason for being on the ship. Though he’s attracted to her & tries to make her stay on the ship more pleasant, he first has to gain her good opinion. As they spend more & more time together, their relationship begins to change, but with war threatening the seas, will their love survive?

I adored Elias! Though he appears the stuffy, well dressed gentleman, he has a deep, caring heart. His thoughtful gestures tugged on my heartstrings. I also loved the way he rehearsed his sermons. His wounded past as well as the horrors from previous battles come roaring back as they face the French.

May is Elias’ complete opposite. She’s feisty, headstrong, & not afraid to speak her mind. Though she struggles with forgiveness & hurt pride she also loves fiercely & is willing to do anything to protect those she cares for.

The story takes place almost entirely on ship & I loved experiencing the ups & downs, dangers, & close proximity this setting affords. I loved seeing the Peytons again! Georgana’s Secret is a favorite & enjoyed the significant roles they played in this book. Though this is a proper Regency romance, there are the realities of war & dangers of the sea present. It’s a heart achingly lovely story full of romance, forgiveness, & gorgeously written scenes that will leave a lasting impression.

Highly recommend to Regency & historical romance fans! Though it’s a sequel to Georgana’s Secret, it can easily be read as a standalone but is more enjoyable if you’ve read the previous book. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

May Byam, seeking escape from family scandal, joins a naval ship as a lady’s maid to the captain’s wife. There is immediate tension between her and the ship Chaplain Elias Doswell, but close quarters of ship life does not leave room for them to avoid each other. Will they risk their hearts when the threat of war looms over them?

I remember enjoying the first book, Georgana’s Secret, so I was interested when I saw this one. However, I did not enjoy reading this one at all for the simple fact that I didn’t like either of the main characters. I found May’s behavior childish and incomprehensible. She was soo angry for a lot of the story and I didn’t understand why. Elias was an awkward mess.

The setting was the most interesting part. A ship at sea with the threat of war on the horizon should have been a perfect setting for a reluctant romance. However, I wasn’t rooting for either one to succeed with the other.

Overall, it was well-written. Readers who are looking for a historical romance set on a ship may enjoy this one more than I did.

Arlem Hawks is a consummate story teller. Georganas secret caught my attention last year and the story was so well written. So of course I jumped on the bandwagon to read this book. A broken hearted Elias, and a hurt May find friendship and love. The storytelling was realistic, evocative and emotional at times. The narration was beautiful, the characters beautiful and the romance genuine.

#netgalley #AcrosstheStarKissedSea