I almost didn’t request this book to review because the cover didn’t appeal to me. It felt too dark, although I could see it reflected the title (actually, I wasn’t too keen on the title, either). But it’s by Carolyn Miller, and I’ve enjoyed every one of her novels so far … so I decided to give it a go.
Sarah Drayton is single and of “advanced age” (about twenty-eight) in a time when ladies are supposed to be married much younger. She goes to stay with Beatrice Langley, an old school friend, but is tricked into a marriage of convenience with Beatrice’s badly behaved brother, Captain James Langley.
We see James from Sarah’s point of view at first, and he doesn’t come across as a likeable person. But we get to know him better as the story progresses, and have more sympathy for him as we understand him better.
For his part, James has no desire to marry Sarah—but has even less desire to see his estate go to a distant cousin. But if he wants an heir, he’s going to have to spend time with his bride and court her properly.
Midnight’s Budding Morrow is darker than many of Carolyn Miller’s previous books.
The combination of the decaying old house, unhelpful servants, and overbearing patriarch give the story a gothic feel, like old Victoria Holt or Mary Stewart stories. The age-old rumours of a hidden treasure in the house only reinforce that feeling.
While the start is somewhat dark and a little contrived (aren’t all marriage of convenience stories? Isn’t that why we love them?), the novel progresses well. It is yet another strong novel from Carolyn Miller, with excellent characters, a unique setting, and a strong Christian faith arc.
Thanks to Kregel Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
About Carolyn Miller
Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. She is married, with four gorgeous children, who all love to read (and write!).
A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn’s novels have won a number of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers. Her favourite authors are classics like Jane Austen (of course!), Georgette Heyer, and Agatha Christie, but she also enjoys contemporary authors like Susan May Warren and Becky Wade.
Her stories are fun and witty, yet also deal with real issues, such as dealing with forgiveness, the nature of really loving versus ‘true love’, and other challenges we all face at different times.
Find Carolyn Miller online at:
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About Midnight’s Budding Morrow
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?
Find Midnight’s Budding Morrow online:
Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong
