Book Description:
She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground.
Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.
Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey’s once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget’s potential trove of artifacts. He will not—cannot—fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.
Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading No Stone Unturned, a delightful regency romance set in 1811 in West Sussex. Bridget is a strong and independent woman who’s an academic at heart. She loves history and has uncovered Roman era antiquities in the ground on her friend’s farm. Bridget’s station in life as the vicar’s daughter, and the need to support her father in his parish pastoral work after her mother passed away, means she has no marriage prospects. Her wayward younger brother is missing from the Royal Navy. Bridget feels guilty that she has broken her promise to her dying mother to care for her brother.
Rafe is a captain who injured his leg and has been discharged from the military. He’s the new viscount where Bridget lives and has inherited the title from his scandal-plagued uncle. Rafe was only six when his mother escaped the abbey and her terrible marriage to Rafe’s father. Rafe didn’t have a privileged upbringing and, when he arrives at the abbey in West Sussex, he discovers he has inherited a financial mess. The Crown are threatening to reclaim his land and title if he can’t pay the back taxes and get the estate in order.
Rafe and Bridget’s first meeting is memorable for all the wrong reasons. Their relationship as they move from enemies to friends to potentially more, and navigate the social class differences that make their match an unlikely pairing, is fun and sweet. The mystery in the story puts both Rafe and Bridget in danger and challenges them to consider faith matters and work out what’s important in life.
Bridget and Rafe are lovable and relatable characters, and I appreciated how their adorable romance played out on the page. I loved the quirky side characters and the archeology elements in the story. I recommend No Stone Unturned to regency romance readers who like enemies to love romances set in rural England that include Roman era antiquities, a mystery subplot, and strong faith elements in the story.
Many thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
