Lies & Letters by Ashtyn Newbold
Paperback
Published
July 11th 2017
by Sweetwater Books
After a season in London, Charlotte Lyons is still regrettably unattached. With her family’s finances in peril, she is sent away with her sister to a bleak coastal town where she is expected to pursue a wealthy earl. Beautiful and talented, how could she possibly fail? But when her heart is captured by someone entirely unexpected, Charlotte finds herself caught up in a web of lies and intrigue. Between hardship and sorrow, she finds more than she bargained for, forced to choose between the life she once wanted and a new love she never imagined.
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My Review: 4 Stars
I'm going to get this out of the way right from the start--I did not like the characters at all....at first. The mother is like Cinderella's evil step-mother personified and her two daughters aren't any better. Charlotte is a spoiled rotten brat with no tact, and Clara is a sniveling wimp. Luckily, through a series of unfortunate events, two-thirds of these characters changed. The growth they experienced gives me hope for the worst of characters because I grew to absolutely adore them.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the thought that you can make your choices, but you sure can't choose the consequences from those choices and that's exactly what happens with this story. Many events lead these girls to crossroads, where they had to choose how to act or react and each choice left them softer and better, especially as they had to deal with the aftermath, both good and bad. I loved their journey and the lessons that came from so many different sources. I especially love the idea that love really can conquer all.
This is a great flip-side to a Regency point-of-view. The desperate attempts to fit in were definitely portrayed, as were many other feelings, including the intense efforts to find acceptance and love. Ms. Newbold does a great job bringing emotion and conflict to some pretty flawed characters, giving them life and transformation. I enjoyed my time spent in this story.
Content: mild romance; mild violence.
*I received a copy from the publisher, which did not affect my opinion. All thoughts are my own.*
I'm going to get this out of the way right from the start--I did not like the characters at all....at first. The mother is like Cinderella's evil step-mother personified and her two daughters aren't any better. Charlotte is a spoiled rotten brat with no tact, and Clara is a sniveling wimp. Luckily, through a series of unfortunate events, two-thirds of these characters changed. The growth they experienced gives me hope for the worst of characters because I grew to absolutely adore them.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the thought that you can make your choices, but you sure can't choose the consequences from those choices and that's exactly what happens with this story. Many events lead these girls to crossroads, where they had to choose how to act or react and each choice left them softer and better, especially as they had to deal with the aftermath, both good and bad. I loved their journey and the lessons that came from so many different sources. I especially love the idea that love really can conquer all.
This is a great flip-side to a Regency point-of-view. The desperate attempts to fit in were definitely portrayed, as were many other feelings, including the intense efforts to find acceptance and love. Ms. Newbold does a great job bringing emotion and conflict to some pretty flawed characters, giving them life and transformation. I enjoyed my time spent in this story.
Content: mild romance; mild violence.
*I received a copy from the publisher, which did not affect my opinion. All thoughts are my own.*
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About the Author:
Ashtyn Newbold discovered a love of writing early in high school.
Inspired by regency period romance, she wrote her first novel at the age
of sixteen. Because she can’t vacation in her favorite historical time
periods, she writes about them instead. When not crafting handsome
historical heroes, she enjoys baking, sewing, music, and spoiling her
dog. She dreams of traveling to England and Ireland. Ashtyn is currently
studying English and creative writing at Utah Valley University. She
lives in Lehi, Utah with her family.
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