Can real love grow between a wallflower and an unrepentant rogue?
Sarah Drayton is eager to spend time with her best friend at her crumbling Northumberland castle estate. Matrimony is the last thing on her mind and the last thing she expects to be faced with on a holiday. Yet she finds herself being inveigled into a marriage of convenience with her friend’s rakish brother.
When James Langley returns to his family’s estate, he can’t be bothered to pay attention to his responsibilities as the heir. War is raging and he wants only distraction, not serious tethers. But his roguish ways have backed him into a corner, and he has little choice but to obey his father’s stunning decree: marry before returning to war, or else. Suddenly he finds himself wedded to a clever and capable woman he does not love.
Sarah craves love and a place to belong, neither of which James offered before returning to the battlefront. Now everyone around her thinks she married above her station, and they have no intention of rewarding her for such impertinence. It isn’t until her husband returns from war seemingly changed that she begins to hope they may find real happiness. But can she trust that this rake has truly reformed?
When tragedy strikes, this pair must learn to trust God and his plans. Will they be destroyed . . . or will they discover that even in the darkest depths of night, the morning still holds hope?
My Review:
published in 2022
Eeeeppp — Regency Marriage of Convenience with a Gothic flare! Have your fainting couch cleared, and keep your hankies handy for this emotional rollercoaster of a read.
I wasn’t quite sure what to think when I started reading ‘Midnight’s Budding Morrow’. Loved Sarah, but James? Yikes!!! Belligerent rake would be doing him a kindness. And the situation he puts Sarah in….I was an emotional basket case by the time he went back to war.
So, this is very much a two part story with the the first part a set up for the amazing redemptive tale found in the second. James is very much the prodigal son when he comes home from the battlefront. But it’s a change that Sarah doesn’t trust and his father is certainly not like his biblical counterpart, welcoming his wayward son back home with open arms. Somehow I found myself suddenly switching allegiance and getting snippety with Sarah because she couldn’t see into James’ heart the way I could (courtesy of being party to his inner thoughts.) Made for such an emotionally riveting love story!
And so profound! The faith elements in this novel are the kind that burrow into your heart and leave you with lots to ponder.
“It is most wonderful to see how God can restore the brokenhearted, and free those who have been bound to their pasts.” (p 294)
This really sums up James and Sarah’s story. How no one is ever too far gone, no situation is too desperate for God to restore. It starts out bleak and grim, oozing all that Gothic ‘charm’ but, gradually, as the story progresses, light penetrates into the dark and gloomy corners — not only of the estate, but the hearts of the people who live there — and by the end we’re filled with hope and the wonder of new beginnings.
Profoundly beautiful and powerfully told.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com (US) Kindle account
US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice
Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Midnight’s Budding Morrow, 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 September 9, 2023
Kav's Best Reads 
“Regency Marriage of Convenience with a Gothic flare!“ This sounds like the perfect combo to me!
manderley23 at gmail dot com
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It’s an incredible combination! Good luck, Kimmy!
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Fainting couch (automatic multiple adjustable recliner), hankies (box of Kleenex) and aa good supply of chocolate at the ready. All prepared so now I’m just waiting for the chance to have a copy of “Midnight’s Budding Morrow” in my hands in order to get started on this “rollercoaster of a read”.
Love this author’s books! Sarah and James’ story sure sounds like it will not disappoint this reader at all. Also sounds like the faith thread is what binds this story together adding another depth to it.
Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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Ha — you have a high tech ‘fainting couch’, Kay! And a supply of chocolate is thinking ahead! Good luck, Kay!
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Oh my word… that cover! I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve read by Carolyn Miller, so I look forward to giving this one a try!
dmandres5 at gmail dot com
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I have the third one in this series waiting for me on my TBR pile! Good luck, Melissa!
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This sounds like quite the story. I don’t remember reading a book by this author so it looks like I’m missing out on some good ones. Must put her on my watch list.
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Ooohhh yes you are missing out. She’s excellent at both historical (Regency!) and contemporary romance. Good luck, Becky!
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I had planned to “catch up” and read lots of her books….so this is a good place to start! Thanks for your giveaway, Kav!
jacsmi75 at gmail dot com
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You’ll have many happy reading hours if you do play catch up. Good luck, Jackie!
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Oh goody, another Carolyn Miller book!! Like I said in my comment for Muskoka Shores, I don’t know why I’ve hesitated reading these novels because they sound like ones I would love. I’ve read two of her novellas in the Independence Island series and enjoyed them. And, you know me and my love for Regency/Gothic/Historical romantic fiction.
I’d love to read Sarah and James story, it’s right up my alley with all the emotional angst I love 😊
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
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P.S. I noticed this is the second book in the Regencies Wallflowers series and was wondering if you have to read them in order or are they stand-alone?
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Oops – I should have mentioned that. Yes, this can definitely be read as a standalone novel, though you’ll really want to read all three, I’m sure. I’ve got the third one waiting for me on my TBR! Woohoo. Good luck, Trixi!
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Yippee! Sounds like another one I missed. leliamae54(at)aol(dot)com
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It’s the old refrain: So many books, so little time! Good luck, Lucy!
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At first I wasnt sure. But reading the blurb and your thoughts I have totally changed my mind. I would so love to read this book. Thanks for sharing. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
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Yay, glad you’ve had a change of heart. Good luck, Lori!
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Oooh, it WAS so good, wasn’t it?!😃 And then book #3 does a 180 turnaround and is more of a witty and lighthearted read, but just as excellent in totally its own way. Can’t wait to see what you think of it! (Don’t enter me, as I’ve got a copy😉)
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Eeeeppp — so glad you said that because I’m in the mood for witty and lighthearted right now and that third book is calling to me from the depths of my TBR pile! So glad you love this series too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Elly!
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Sounds interesting
marcus802001(at)yahoo(dot)com
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It is! Good luck, Mark!
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This sounds so good! It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book by Carolyn Miller but those I read I really enjoyed .
pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com
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You can’t go wrong with one of her books. Good luck, Pam!
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