REVIEW: In Sickness and In Health by Valerie Holmes

In Sickness and In Health (The Yorkshire Saga #4) by Valerie Holmes

Genre: Historical fiction, Regency romance

Read: 4th August 2020

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Published: 13th April 2020

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A Regency adventure story you need to get your hands on! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Jane Aiken Hodge and Jane Austen.

Will Sophia be ruled by her head or her heart…?

1809, Yorkshire

Ten years ago Sophia Baxtor-Lodge’s world was torn apart when her mother died in childbirth.

Her father, Sir Kenneth, became cold and distant, and Sophie sought comfort in the only friend she had ever known – the stable lad, Isaac.

But when Sir Kenneth found Sophia and Isaac locked in an embrace he drove them both out in a fury.

Isaac was sent to fight for his country in the Peninsula Wars, and Sophia was shipped off to a Ladies College.

Now Sophia is back at Fenton Hall, helping organise the estate on behalf of her father’s new, much younger, wife Cynthia.

Sir Kenneth is determined to marry Sophia off before she gets up to any more mischief, and introduces her to the charismatic trader, Mr Lucas Huntley.

But Sophia’s heart still lies elsewhere…

Can Sophia ever repair her relationship with her father? Will she obey him and marry Mr Huntley?

Or will Isaac find a way to come back to her?

IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH is the fourth book in The Yorkshire Saga: a traditional British, Regency romance novel full of adventure and espionage, with a love story at its heart.

THE YORKSHIRE SAGA SERIES
BOOK 1: To Love, Honour and Obey
BOOK 2: For Richer, For Poorer
BOOK 3: To Have and To Hold
BOOK 4: IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH


MY REVIEW:

What a delightful escape from reality IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH by Valerie Holmes is! I do enjoy a little Regency romance from time to time set in sweeping historical times...though not the Mills & Boon or Harlequin kind. While this book is part of the Yorkshire Saga series, it is a standalone story not related to the first three and can be read as such.

The story opens in 1799 with Sophia Baxter-Lodge's world being torn apart with her mother dying in childbirth, leaving Sophia the only child of her father Sir Kenneth. Growing up, her father was cold and distant so Sophia sought comfort in her only friend - a stable boy named Isaac. But when Sir Kenneth found them together he was furious and banished Sophie to Ladies College and Isaac to the army, never to return.

Yorkshire 1809: Sophia has returned a lady, taking charge of Fenton Hall and organising the estate on behalf of her father's new and much younger but charming wife, Cynthia. Although Sophia cannot bring herself to think of Cynthia as her mother she is incredibly fond of her as the two women eventually become friends and allies of a kind. However, Sir Kenneth is determined to marry Sophia off before she gets herself into more mischief. But Sophia claims to marry only for love or not at all. Sir Kenneth believes that to be a foolish notion.

Sir Kenneth has organised for a friend of Cynthia's family, Charles Huntley, to visit in the hope that Sophia can pilfer information about his son with the idea to match him with Sophia's distant cousin. However, Charles Huntley has taken ill and sent his son Lucas in his place to settle the business dealings he has with Sir Kenneth. En route, Lucas meets a returned soldier, Lieutenant Isaac Daleman, injured in the Pensinula Wars when they both arrive to book a room for the night and end up having to share the last remaining room available. As both men are en route to Fenton Hall, Lucas insists that Isaac accompany him as his guest. But how would Sir Kenneth react to a former stable lad returning through the front doors of Fenton Hall? One who was flung out after being caught in a tryst with his daughter?

However, upon arrival at Fenton Hall as soon as Lucas sets eyes on Sophia, it is soon made clear that he intends to take her as his wife and to the colonies in Australia. He does everything to woo her and charm her but Sophia only has eyes for Isaac and is thrilled to find he has returned to her as he promised he would. But alas, though Isaac may now be a war hero and a lieutenant no less, is that enough for Sir Kenneth to accept him as a match for Sophia?

But Isaac's injury is worse than he thought and he finds himself bedridden in one of the Hall's grandest rooms and all the while as he recovers at Sir Kenneth's generous expense, Lucas attempts to woo his way into Sophia's heart and finalise an agreement with her father for her hand. But Lucas has underestimated his new friend. Will the truth about Lucas Huntley come to light in time? And will Isaac's new-found fortune find him in favour with Sir Kenneth as a husband for Sophia?

A truly delightful and engaging read from beginning to end, IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH had a Downton-esque feel about it and was just as compelling. There are loves, losses, death, tragedy, villains and the like - from both upstairs and downstairs - that all make up this entertaining read which I read in two sittings. It is a quick read that is captivating from the start, and incredibly easy to devour.

IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH is the fourth book in the Yorkshire Saga series but can be read as a standalone, which I did. I will, however, endeavour to read the first three as soon as I can.

A traditional romance that captures the essence of a regency romance and its historical setting, IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH is the perfect escapism from the depressions of today.

Thoroughly recommend!

I would like to thank #ValerieHolmes, #NetGalley and #SapereBooks for an ARC of #InSicknessAndInHealth in exchange for an honest review.


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Valerie Holmes became a published author when she won Writing Magazine’s Annual Ghost Story Competition in 2002 with Three Squashed Pumpkins. Since then she has had over forty novellas published.

The majority of her historical romances/mysteries are set in the early nineteenth century in a time of dramatic social change and of war with France. Smuggling, espionage and press-gangs all add to the drama that the hero/heroine faces. Valerie’s work also includes contemporary titles. Two of her novellas were shortlisted for the category Romance Award by the Romantic Novelists’ Association. She literally ‘Loves the Adventure!’

Growing up in a coastal town on the edge of North Yorkshire, Valerie Holmes’ novella world often reflects her love of the dramatic beauty of North Yorkshire; an area where she enjoys both hiking and discovering its fascinating history.

She is an experienced creative writing tutor of distance learning courses who enjoys being able to encourage unpublished writers to move towards their dreams. Valerie also completes manuscript appraisals for the Romantic Novelists’ Association, New Writers’ Scheme. As a reader for the Historical Novel Society she reviews both adult and children’s books. She is a member of the Society of Authors, The Crime Writers’ Association, Historical Novel Society and the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

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