A Companion for the Count + Giveaway

Miss Emma Arlen’s position as a companion never included distracting her mistress’s suitors, but when a handsome Italian ambassador arrives determined to find an English bride, Emma happily takes up the cause.

Emma Arlen has spent a decade as a member of the duke’s family, in the position of companion to his daughter and ward to the duke himself. She would do anything to show her support to the ducal family for their love and kindness. When Lady Josephine begs Emma to distract a most determined Sicilian suitor, she agrees at once. How hard can it be to keep one man entertained for a few weeks?

Luca, the Conte di Atella, left his home in the newly formed Kingdom of the Two Sicilies under the direct orders of King Ferdinand I. Luca’s duty as ambassador to England includes everything from negotiating better trade agreements to strengthening the bonds between the two nations. If possible, by marrying a lady of high birth. When he optimistically sets his sights on Lady Josephine, Miss Arlen consistently disrupts his plans. The more time that passes, the more he realizes he does not mind at all.

Continually in the conte’s company, Emma recognizes in him a spirit of adventure and nobility like she has never witnessed before. When the time comes for him to go, will she be able to part with him and keep her heart intact?

As the second stand-alone novel in a new series by author Sally Britton, this story continues the Clairvoir Castle romances. This is a light-hearted, romantic series set in the Regency period.

My Review:

Sooooo romantical!!!!!! I mean, Luca!!!! I dare you not to swoon when he makes an appearance. (Cue the fainting couch alert…and grab the smelling salts while you’re at it.) He’s so earnest and determined to bring honour to his country so he’s a bit…unyielding…solemn…sometimes intense?…in his approach to wooing the duke’s daughter. He even makes a list which is all kinds of fun! But no worries, this is in no way a love triangle kind of romance. Josie wants nothing to do with courting and matrimony and enlists Emma’s aid in thwarting the Count’s dogged attempts.

Watching Emma and Luca slowly fall for each other was all kinds of delicious! Sweetly tender one moment and then laugh inducing the next. The banter shines in this novel (one of my favourite things in a Regency) and it’s made even better by the occasional language misstep that adds a whole other dimension to the bantering. So witty and clever!

This is the second Clairvoir Castle romance but easily reads as a standalone. The duke’s family and their large estate feature in each novel, creating the backdrop for true love to finds its way in each story. The secondary characters are written in such a way that they easily feel familiar no matter if you’ve met them in the first book, or one of the later ones. And they are so much fun! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

I listened to the audible book narrated by Jessica Elisa Boyd who did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life (including the count’s dreamy accent.) I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Companion for the Count, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 18, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

27 thoughts on “A Companion for the Count + Giveaway”

  4. WOW! Love the cover on “A Companion for the Count”! So simple, but yet so beautiful in color choice and use of them.

    Greatly appreciate your review which has me gathering supplies and anxiously awaiting the opportunity to read this one. Can’t wait to dive into Luca and Josie’s story as well as the part Emma plays. I’m very much in need of a good Regency read.

    Thank you for the chance to win a copy!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  8. Can’t get enough Regency fiction in my book…lol! 😁 Love the “hard to get” heroes or heroines…it adds so much fun. 💖

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  11. It sounds like a really fun book to read. I haven’t yet read any of this author’s books but I probably should since I keep hearing such good things about them.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  13. Sounds like a winner again Kav, and you’re almost convincing me to try the audio version soon. I seriously can’t see myself changing, but lately I’ve been doing my morning Bible reading through audio and am really loving it, so I’m thinking its time to start with a book as well.

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    1. If you do decide to go the audio route, check out Chirp — you don’t have to pay a monthly fee and the second book in this series — Sir Andrew and the Authoress — is on sale at just $1.99! It’s a US company, but they are open to Canadians now. I still love my audible account too, but a reading friend (I’m looking at you, Perrianne) pointed my in Chirp’s direction and their sales are really good. Good luck, Becky!

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