To Suit a Suitor by Paula Kremser

Title:  To Suit a Suitor
Author: Paula Kremser
Publisher: Sweetwater Books
Published: November 8, 2016
Genres: Clean Romance, Regency, Romance

Pages: 256
Series: standalone (I think)
Source: own
Format: e-book

Summary from Goodreads:

Julia North is nearing the end of her third London season and has just been jilted. Again! All she wants is to leave London and its eligible gentlemen behind. When the opportunity to leave for two months comes her way, Julia jumps at the chance. But her mother will only let her leave on the condition that she choose Julia's next suitor, and her mother isn't nearly as picky as Julia would like. Against her better judgment, Julia makes the promise and leaves town, only to run into Henry Chamberlain. Julia is warned that his heart is locked up tight, but she doesn t need to be warned away from him; Julia has been jilted enough to know that his flirtatious smiles can't be taken seriously. With time running out, a change of mind and a change of heart is their only chance for the joy that only true love can bring.

At the beginning of this story, there is a little backstory into Julia’s mom and her potential snob (suitor). I’m glad the story didn’t follow them. The male was definitely a piece of work, but now that I think about it, it would probably be a little funny at times if it did follow them. The guy made Julia’s mother promise him that they wouldn’t get married until her daughters did because he didn’t want to shell out money for their doweries. Based on this alone, I can see a union between the two to be pretty loveless. As the story progresses, you’ll probably see the same traits in Julia’s mother.

Anway,I didn’t think there was a lot of action to this story.  Think there was a lot of emotional back and forth insecurity. I think I’m more a plot driven person. I liked the story a bit at times, but I really wanted more exciting things to happen. This might just be a problem that regencies can have. I do really enjoy them, but it’s much more about the people themselves. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but I just need a little more action. I did enjoy the ending and the two main characters I just needed a little more.

The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan

Title:  The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Rachel McMillan
Publisher: Harvest House
Published: March 1, 2016
Genres: Mystery, Historical, Christian Fiction, Romance

Pages: 222
Series: Herringford and Watts #1
Source: own
Format: paperback

Summary from Goodreads:

In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.

Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city's underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor.

While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto's premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever--if they can stay alive long enough to do so. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book before I read it. I didn’t really have a lot of expectations, good or bad. The story was told from three different perspectives, Merinda, Jemima, and Ray. I feel like Jemima had more time from her point of view. I could be wrong. I also enjoyed hers the most so that could be why. I do think there are funny moments to this book. This book was a slower paced read. A quite bit slower than I liked. There were some references to Sherlock, which I enjoyed. The book also had short quotes in the beginning of each chapter. I think all the quotes were fake literature the author created. Some were funny. I don’t always read those, but I would in this case.

I guessed who I thought did the crimes. I was kind of right but then I doubted myself, so yeah. I do think the romance kind of happened a bit fast. I was glad with the pairings but would have loved a slower burn. I probably will read the second book, but if I don’t like it much better, I don’t know if I’ll bother with the rest. I still think it’s a four star, but it was just too slow for my taste, especially being a mystery. I’ll just have to wait and see.

This is definitely a pretty clean book. I think blas*** is used.