Book Description:
An arranged marriage. A powerful company tainted with corruption. Two souls caught between obligation and a longing to find their true calling in this Regency romance set in glittering London ballrooms and Calcutta street markets.
When Kitty Grenville’s grandfather announces her engagement to Sebastian Sinclair, she’s appalled. She barely remembers the boy she met once as a child―and now he’s a man tied to the East India Company, the very organization that tore Kitty and her brother from their mother and home in Hyderabad years ago. Unwilling to relinquish her dream of a love match or her passion for astronomy, Kitty is determined to refuse the marriage and find freedom in her own way.
Sebastian Sinclair carries the weight of duty and regret. To atone for past sins, he complies with his grandfather’s orders to return to England, fulfill a long-standing betrothal, and defend the maligned East India Company before Parliament. Though Kitty makes her disinterest clear, Sebastian is drawn to her intellect and spirit.
As Kitty navigates her first London season, her opinion of Sebastian begins to shift, especially when he shields her from scandal. When he’s abruptly called back to India, Kitty stuns everyone by marrying him and going with him, hoping to escape her grandfather’s control―and to find her mother.
But the challenges that await in India are greater than imagined. Together, Kitty and Sebastian must confront the legacy of family and empire―and discover if a marriage born of obligation can grow into a love strong enough to endure.
Sweet historical romance filled with hope, faith, and an arranged marriage dynamic.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading The Light of Stars, a delightful regency romance set in England and India. Kitty is struggling to find her place in the world. She was born in an Indian palace and has fond memories of her early childhood with her parents and brother. After their English father passed away, they lived with their wealthy paternal grandfather on his English estate. Kitty wants to discover the truth about what happened to her beloved mother who was left behind in India.
Sebastian is the middle grandson of an English Earl who resides in India and oversees the East India Company. When his father and older brother pass away, Sebastian becomes his grandfather’s heir and the grandson who’s forced into an arranged marriage. Sebastian is furious about the idea of marrying a stranger but he’ll lose his inheritance and livelihood if he doesn’t comply with his grandfather’s wishes.
Kitty has a difficult relationship with her domineering grandfather and she refuses to be forced into an arranged marriage with Sebastian. A charming romance unfolds and unexpected sparks fly when they first meet. Sebastian’s strong sense of family duty dictates that he courts Kitty. Their relationship faces many challenges and obstacles on their path to a marriage that’s a true love match.
I loved the political intrigue and mysteries in the story, combined with family drama, that complicated Sebastian and Kitty’s romance and put them in dangerous situations. They’re both dealing with emotional baggage from the past and in the present day. Sebastian was challenged to seek truth and act with integrity, despite other people holding his rebellious past against him.
Kitty’s love for astronomy was fascinating and I appreciated her strength of character as she advocated for causes close to her heart. It was fun meeting real life historical figures in the story. Social justice, redemption and forgiveness themes are explored.
I recommend The Light of Stars to regency romance readers who like arranged marriage romances set in England and India with complex mysteries, political intrigue, danger, family drama, and strong faith elements in the story.
Many thanks to the author for the advanced reader copy.
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