Review: A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell

Clara Stanton tries her best to take care of her family, and that includes saving them from the threats of her former fiancé. When her grandfather hires a new apprentice to work in his clock making shop, Clara distrusts the motives of the new man. Theodore Kingsley wants to hide from his past: the abusive father and family that was ashamed of him. Drosselmeyer, Clara’s grandfather takes him on as an apprentice and Theodore begins to admire the older inventor with an eccentric family. Clara is convinced her former fiancé, Rupert Forrester, planted Theodore to gain evidence that her grandfather is mentally unstable. Her grandfather sets off in the skies in a flying mechanical owl, the scavenger hunt that Drosselmeyer set up for Clara begins. Clara is joined by her animal loving mother, who it seems can’t abandon any animal, especially three baby foxes, and Theodore who earns her trust eventually. Each clue takes them across Europe, and in these clues her grandfather gives Clara spiritual advice and adventure. Through danger exciting escapades, and her mother’s prodding, Clara begins to find her feelings towards Theodore have quite changed since they met. He also has his life changed by this adventure and finds love with Clara and acceptance from her family. 
I loved this story! The characters were so well written, and the plot kept things interesting. The setting was so good, going to different locations in Europe and describing them. The concept was fun and Angela Bell executed it well. I loved Clara’s mother, who saves animals like the baby foxes and speaks up against animal cruelty. Theodore and Clara’s relationship was so good, especially when they started falling for each other, and the banter was great as well. Overall very much recommended.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for letting me review an arc through NetGalley. Opinions in this review are mine and not reflective of anyone else.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Powerless by Lauren Roberts

In the kingdom of Ilya being a person without powers is forbidden and Paedyn has to navigate through this world hiding that she is without powers- an Ordinary. After her father is murdered by the king, Paedyn survives by stealing and pretending to have psychic powers. When she saves Kai, one of the princes, she comes to the notice of him and others. Kai has been trained by his father to be a killer; a killer of Ordinaries and threats to the throne. He is drawn to Paedyn and when she is added to the Purging Trials, she becomes his distraction. Paedyn has to hide her identity from the Elites- those who have powers and deal with her attraction to Kai. Through the trials they become close and she also becomes friends with his brother the heir to the throne Kitt. Kai and Paedyn have feelings for each other but in the end hatred will separate them. The first book in a trilogy, this set up the series well and was a fast paced plot. The banter between Kai and Paedyn was well developed as well ...
Read more

Review: Heart Of Red Blood Of Blue by Rebecca Belliston

When a betrothal with a rival kingdom ends in a disaster, Gisela daughter of the king of Steinland believes it is because she is albino and the death of her betrothed,Prince Jerrik and some of his family is the start of war between their countries. Gisela believes that Bloodless Kristoff, a supposedly brutal commander from Krongton has killed her siblings and will eventually kill her as well. Gisela is betrothed to another king, but she does not want to marry him and runs away on the way to his country to evade his lust and cruelty. Eventually after an attack on the coast of Krongton, Gisela comes face to face with Kristoff, and he takes her into the country. He doesn’t know who she is at first and Gisela learns that Krongton and its Queen and people are not what she believed they were. Kristoff and Gisela find out who each other really is and they eventually find love with each other.  A entertaining and interesting story that is written at a good pace. The characters have depth a...
Read more

Review: Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Jessica, Norah and Alicia were just girls when they lived with thier foster mother and grew into sisters. When a body is found under the house they lived in during that time, questions about their foster mother and what she was capable of spur them to remember thier time with her. All three girls had difficult lives and this plays out with Jessica and Norah, while Alicia tries to help kids like she had been. All suspect thier abusive foster mother of doing something to someone, but they don’t have proof. Eventually the truth comes out and it frees the sisters to live thier lives. I thought this was disappointing story in that it was slow and was predictable. The twist at the very end was good, but I couldn’t get into the characters either. I liked Hepworth’s other books like The Younger Wife and The Soulmate better. Content warning: child abuse sexual abuse and strong language  ⭐️⭐️
Read more