Entertaining, Historical Romance with Mystery

Henry was back from the dead. Kitty thought she lost him at Waterloo. He asked her to keep it a secret that he still lived. Someone was trying to kill him, and he must uncover the truth. In the meantime, Kitty was in a bind. Her father wanted her to marry a man she despised to restore the family's fortune. It would be a web of mystery and danger. Who tried to kill Henry? Would he discover the truth before it was too late? I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like historical romance with mystery and suspense.

3.5 stars

The writing is not bad but I didn't really take to it. The heroine seems really young. The hero has lots of angst about his personality changes post Waterloo. His servant was a gem and sounded more interesting. I wondered if this was part of a series and that the author was busy fleshing out the next people. The baddy is quite unpleasant and two dimensional. I don't think his accomplice was sorry enough for all the problems she caused especially to the heroine's mother. The father was weak. At one point the baddy has hiding the heroine in a house in Bath and the hero is walking the streets to find her.....I couldn't see how he had a hope of finding her even in the Regency times an arial photo of Bath shows the housing is vast. It's a clean read only kisses and much was made over the fact that the hero like the heroine were virgins. I wondered if this is aimed at a younger audience perhaps teens?

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

I struggled with this book. There were many tropes I should have liked-friends to lovers, regency and a war hero. I also don't mind closed door and "sweet" romance. My issue was the writing style. I can only describe it as juvenile- and almost insultingly juvenile. And other than Carter and Martha, none of the other staff had names, even if they had dialog. They were just constantly referred to as "abigail" or "the footman". The main characters needed more depth, maturity and just plain old humanity in this story.

3.5 stars

Lost And Found is a Regency romance set in Bath.

This novel is set a short while after the Battle Of Waterloo (1815) and is the story of two young sweethearts and their reunion. Kitty and Henry grew up as friends and became very fond of each other. Henry went off to fight in the war against Napoleon and was believed to have died.

To Kitty’s great surprise he returns to Bath, but in disguise; a mystery surrounds Henry and he cannot risk exposing his return until he finds out who wishes him ill.

This is a very innocent romantic story; part of my thoughts about the book sympathise with the era of the characters and how attitudes and societal customs were so different, but I also felt that the choice of some of the dialogue and characterisation might fall short of the expectations of a modern day reading audience.

I’m not the right audience for this book. This would serve well as a young adult book. Even then there are a few things that could be done better. The writing is very juvenile, the dialogue is repetitive, and the plot is just silly. I think the author can get better at these as their writing career goes on.

Lost and Found (The Heart of Bath Book 1) by Jenny Worstall (independently published, June 2024) is a sweet Regency romance set in Bath.

I was really looking forward to reading this story – its premise promised mystery, danger, and a romance all set in Bath (a favorite Regency romance settings of mine). Unfortunately, the first chapter, the first couple of paragraphs even, were completely disappointing.

According to the author’s blurb on her very own website for Lost and Found, the hero was “missing and presumed dead.” Then how can he be very much alive and actively engaged in a face-to-face conversation with the heroine in the two opening paragraphs of Chapter One? I kept reading to give the story time to unfold and the characters a chance to develop; I stopped trying at Chapter Four and gave up-I did not finish this book. The story had started in the wrong place and the hero’s narrative, meant to set up the plot, was confusing and convoluted (another hint the story had started in the wrong place). The author’s writing style was stilted and juvenile and when coupled with a hero and heroine who were a little too immature, a little too dewy eyed, and just too awkward on the page for my tastes convinced me this book was more suitable for a young adult/12+ reading audience. (Amazon has the target audience as 16-18; I don't remember seeing this information anywhere else; if I had known this ahead of time, I probably wouldn't have accepted the opportunity for an ARC - I frequently read JF/YA books (like William Ritter's Jackaby, Pam Munoz Ryan's Echo, Dan Gemeinhart's Some Kind of Courage, Gail Carriger's The Parasol Protectorate), but generally not romances due to the characters' ages; I just can't relate.)

I received an ARC of Lost and Found in eBook format directly from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Henry Templeton returns from the battle of Waterloo six months after the end of the battle. His family and friends all believe he perished in the battle. However, Henry remains hidden, only letting his parents and Kitty know he is alive. Someone wants Henry dead, and until he can figure out who that is he remains secreted away. Henry loves Kitty, but does not believe he is good enough for her.
This was a lovely romance that young, 13+ readers would enjoy.

Although this was overall a cute story, I was definitely not the right audience for it . The whole book had so much foreshadowing that I could have basically not read it and would have known what happened - except maybe the very odd reason for all the drama with Lord S…

2.5 ⭐️

Kitty was a good character: strong within the confines of her society, and clever. She wanted nothing more than for Henry to return the feelings she’d had for him since childhood. She just wanted more. She didn’t want Lord Steyne, and her mother stood up for her. She wan’t as sure of her father. Things ramped up to the level of dangerous, for all involved. It was a rousing story.

I was invited to read Lost and Found by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #JennyWorstall #LostAndFound
Lost and Found by Jenny Worstall appears to be a first novel in this genre and looking at it this way, it is a good effort. The story is good, it is the telling that needs work. It begins with research and ends with a good editor. There is not one listed. I look forward to seeing the growth in this author. The story is intriguing as Henry, thought to be killed at Waterloo, reappears, much to the delight of his family and his friend, Kitty. He is still in hiding, though, as it appears someone wants him dead and he needs to figure out who. As he repeats the story to Kitty, she is horrified. But, she has other things to deal with, for example the most unwanted courtship by Lord Steyne. Then there are other problems: her mother’s illness, her father’s gambling, and Miss Steele, who had been her governess and was now supposed to be her companion. That wasn’t working out as well as she would have liked.

Set in Regency Bath, 'Lost and Found' resembles a delightful, many-layered cake - there are many complexities and plot twists, but its heart is sweet and light. A touching tale of love, families, loyalty and betrayal. The author's love of music, sprinkled through, is the icing on the cake.

This is a Twinkie of a book - overly sweet, very processed, but not very filling. The leads are painfully earnest cardboard cutouts, the writing simplistic and suitable for a juvenile reader, and the villains so well signposted that a blind man would have an easy time figuring this out.

Story: Kitty's beloved childhood friend Henry had been thought lost to the war. She is overjoyed when he suddenly arrives in Bath, albeit in secret and with a tale of betrayal and hardship. Together the two will work together to thwart the mysterious villain trying to off Henry.

So yes, the 'mystery' here is about the level of a Scooby Doo mystery and the characters are also similarly cartoony. Kitty and Henry talk like a 10 year old would imagine a romance: all silly declarations and ardent hand holding. And really, we're told rather than shown that the two are in love; the book starts abruptly with Henry talking to Kitty about his travails in Spain so we are even denied a great reveal. The nuance level of the characters is about the depth of a sheet of paper with hoary inner monologues and insipid tete a tetes.

The cloak and dagger mystery aspect is similarly silly: a set of machinations by the leads mind bogglingly witless with villains similarly clueless. It's almost a farce or perhaps along the lines of a penny dreadful.

I am not quite sure if this is best suited for my 80 year old grandmother or my fourth grade niece. It's clean and simple enough to suit either. Bland, uninspired, formulaic, silted, illogical, and unrealistic. But like a Twinkie, perhaps it has its own charm in being so undemanding and sweet. reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

A sweet romance which I felt is more suited to young adults, despite some of the gory details of war. Kitty Honeyfield is devastated when she receives news that her best friend and the man she has always loved has been lost in battle. Captain Henry Templeton's return from war is shrouded in mystery and he has to keep it a secret in order to root out the man who tried to take his life. Set in the city of Bath, this novel takes one back in time to an era of promenades and balls and when it was dishonourable to cheat at cards, but quite alright to have a mistress! Fortunately, time have changed somewhat. I found the second half of the book more enjoyable than the first chapters as the suspense ramped up towards the end. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Lovely sweet book, excellent for young readers 13+, Henry and Kitty have been friends from childhood. When Henry returns from war, he is convinced that someone is trying to kill him. He's a generally gentle man who is very protective of his family and Kitty. She's sweet and still kind of young. The first of a series. Some repetitiveness, but still a gentle loving story.

Right off the bat, I can honestly say that I was just not the intended audience for this book. If you are looking for something to introduce your young teen into the world of historical romance? This would be the perfect introduction. It was a cute read, and I would also go so far as to say that for those of you who like books with very little angst, and/or clean reads with no intercourse shown on page, this would be right up your alley as well.

Kitty and Henry have an adorable friendship, although I would have liked to have seen more of them reconnecting as the people they are now (especially with everything Henry has endured during his time on the battlefield), while still showing how their childhood friendship had led to a deeper love and connection as adults. Instead, I feel like we are told this more than shown it, which is disappointing.

My next issue has to do with the way Kitty and Henry speak and think about each other. In my opinion, the writing felt a bit juvenile and very repetitive. Some examples of this include when Henry wishes everyone but himself and Kitty would just "vaporize" so they could be alone together, and in the very next chapter Kitty herself thinks, how "marvelous" it would be if "everyone melted away" so that she could be alone with her "darling Henry". Also, if I had a dollar for every time Kitty referred to him as "H" or her "darling H" I would have a tidy little sum indeed.

Finally, let me talk about the whole "hidden enemy" plot. Everyone (and I do mean everyone) keeps telling Henry that he needs to be careful since they do not know who was behind his almost death. And yet, Henry not only sneaks around Bath (supposedly in costume, but really, other than the time he wore a full face mask, how well does a big floppy hat and odd clothing hide who a person is? If anything I would think a person dressed thusly would attract MORE attention around other people of polite society. Then Kitty overhears two people conversing that are trying not to be seen together (and for all purposes do not have a reason to be conversing in the first place), yet she and Henry don't clue in to the fact that these people are likely planning something nefarious?

And don't get me started on what happens when the person is finally uncovered and how they basically get away with everything they have done (except one thing involving the repayment of funds) with no repercussions. Sure, they will have to leave Bath, but a few years away and chances are good they come return to London at least. And even if they can't, what is to stop them from carrying on just as they were on the continent? Also, their entire reason for doing what they did was so laughably childish that I found myself rolling my eyes. Sure, hold a grudge against an entire family and try to ruin them because you had an infatuation with a woman you saw one time in your youth and were too shy (your own words) to approach. Get out of here.

That being said, as previously stated, I know I was not the intended audience here, as I like a bit more with my historical romances, but I do still think this would appeal to a variety of other readers.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

I would like to thank netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable, but it was twee.

A mystery in Bath...

Henry is back, but hiding out, so he can find out who wants to off him.
Kitty and Henry like each other, but can Henry sort out his enemy so they can be together?

Henry Templeton returns from war incognito; someone wants him dead but until he can identify the culprit, he must stay hidden. He cannot however stay away from his sweetheart. Will revealing himself to Kitty place her too in danger? Or, are Kitty and her family, a clue in the tangled web in which he is entrapped?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve been in a reading rut recently, but I’m glad to say that Jenny Worstall got me out of it with this sweet love story with hidden darkness that raises the stakes beyond the usual twists and turns of the marriage mart… Perfect for Bridgeton fans looking for something with a twist.

Particularly liked the quick and comedic dialogue and the meticulous research, lightly worn. And the gorgeous Bath setting. (Why is every other regency romance always in London?).

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC for Lost and Found, to be released June 21, 2024. Views my own.

Overall, the plot and the language of the book was quite good. The book had all the right ingredients, romance, intrigue and a happily ever after. But somehow, I could not immerse myself in the book. I could not connect with the characters at all.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jenny Worstall for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Lost and Found coming out June 21, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really enjoyed the setting of Bath. I think a lot of books just happen to be set in London. I thought it was a really sweet romance. I think the fact that they were already childhood friends made it easier for the romance, but the downside was that they didn’t really have a lot of conflict in getting together. Some of the plot points was a little confusing such as how Henry knew the mystery enemy from Waterloo was from Bath as well? Like if he didn’t know who he was, then why did he think he was going to find him in his home? He had to change his name and all this other stuff. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story. The dialogue was fun.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys regency romance!