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Stonecliffe #1
An Affair at Stonecliffe
In this delightful new regency romance from New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp, a feisty commoner and a ruthless aristocrat spar in all the right ways.
Noelle Rutherford will never be accepted by the London ton. Her late husband, Adam—a free-spirited aristocrat with bohemian tendencies—married her for love, much to the dismay of his well-heeled family.
In the wake of Adam’s death, Noelle is approached by Carlisle Thorne, who was raised as a brother to Adam. Noelle is horrified when the severe, irascible Carlisle offers her money in exchange for taking her young son, Gil, to be raised at the Rutherford estate, Stonecliffe.
Convinced that Carlisle will use any means necessary to take Gil from her, Noelle flees, hiding from Carlisle and the Rutherfords for five long years. But Carlisle never stopped looking for them.
When he finally catches up, it’s clear that each has made wrongful assumptions about the other, and grudging mutual respect gives way to a close bond that is both lively and tender.
And when Noelle and Gil find themselves in danger from someone after Gil’s inheritance, she and Carlisle must work together to protect what matters most—even if it means losing their hearts.
A Stonecliffe Novel
Noelle Rutherford will never be accepted by the London ton. Her late husband, Adam—a free-spirited aristocrat with bohemian tendencies—married her for love, much to the dismay of his well-heeled family.
In the wake of Adam’s death, Noelle is approached by Carlisle Thorne, who was raised as a brother to Adam. Noelle is horrified when the severe, irascible Carlisle offers her money in exchange for taking her young son, Gil, to be raised at the Rutherford estate, Stonecliffe.
Convinced that Carlisle will use any means necessary to take Gil from her, Noelle flees, hiding from Carlisle and the Rutherfords for five long years. But Carlisle never stopped looking for them.
When he finally catches up, it’s clear that each has made wrongful assumptions about the other, and grudging mutual respect gives way to a close bond that is both lively and tender.
And when Noelle and Gil find themselves in danger from someone after Gil’s inheritance, she and Carlisle must work together to protect what matters most—even if it means losing their hearts.
A Stonecliffe Novel
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 24, 2022
98 people are currently reading
530 people want to read
About the author
Candace Camp
121 books1,251 followersCandace Camp is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty books.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
May 28, 2022
For about 60% of this book I thought this would be a 5 stars for sure. The plot was so good. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. But then it started to drag a loooot and by the end while the mystery was being "solved" everything was hushed. We didn't know for sure if the villain really murdered all those people. A pity when the mystery isn’t well developed.
I gotta say though that I am looking forward to the next book. I hope it is about the black sheep of the family.
So 60% of the book was a big 5 stars and the rest was a 2 stars. Making it a 3.5?
I gotta say though that I am looking forward to the next book. I hope it is about the black sheep of the family.
So 60% of the book was a big 5 stars and the rest was a 2 stars. Making it a 3.5?
May 31, 2022
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Noelle could hardly breathe. Her heart hammered, and she stared at the pouch as if it were a snake. Thorne thought she would sell Gil to him.
Noelle has just become a widow with a new baby, as she's laying out all her worldly goods to see what she can sell, Carlisle Thorne arrives at her door. Carlisle was the childhood friend of her husband, but like her husband's aristocratic parents, he didn't approve of her husband marrying a commoner. Thorne is hurt and grieving over the loss of his friend and sees Noelle as a gold-digger, he thinks she won't want to be weighed down with the caring of a child, so he offers her money so that he can take Gil, the baby, back to England to be raised by his grandparents. Noelle is horrified that he thinks to “buy” Gilbert and then becomes terrified Thorne will take Gil and never let her see him again. She decides to go on the run to keep Gil with her.
“I've found her, sir.”
After Noelle decides to go on the run, the story then jumps five years and we learn that Noelle has been on the run all this time with Thorne's man trying to catch up to her. The men that Noelle thinks Thorne has sent after her all over Europe, have tried to snatch Gil away and been rough with her. When Noelle goes back to London because of an opportunity for more stability in Gil's life, even though it puts her in the same city with Thorne, she finally gets caught and learns that Gil's grandfather has died and Gil is now the Earl. As Noelle finally settles down and stops running, she realizes that Gil needs to learn how to run his estate and that Thorne and Gil's grandmother don't want to rip him from her and that she'll be able to live with him. The prologue with the anger, animosity, and feeling of danger, did immediately pull me into the story but as the story went on, Noelle started to be annoyingly distrustful of Thorne and the Misunderstanding between the two will probably want you to tie them down to chairs to force them to sit and talk.
“But...if it was not you who tried to abduct Gil, that means...”
He nodded. “That someone else is after you.”
Around 30% the story switches gears a bit and the characters and reader learn that it wasn't Thorne who was trying to snatch Gil away from Noelle but someone else and it's all tied into a tontine. A group of aristocrats, including Gil's grandfather, put money into a trust that would eventually go to the last alive male descendant of the men. This plot thread was all a little, just go along with it, especially when it was vaguely, 'they did put a time limit!'. It kept the danger feeling going throughout the book and introduced, brought in a character named Sloane, a cousin who has a shady past and obvious unsettled feelings with another character named Annabeth, but other than giving me Sloane, the whole tontine had many sections that made my eyes want to glaze over.
Yes, she was flirting with this dour man. Even more strangely, he was flirting back. It was mad; it was exciting.
I'm pretty far in the review and I haven't mentioned the romance yet, you're going to have to have patience, besides the distrusting animosity between Noelle and Thorne, these two don't really get going in the romance department until around the 60% mark. Then they just kind of start secretly sleeping together as they journey around England investigating the descendants of the tontine to see who would want Gil dead to inherit it. I can't say I ever felt the romance between them, either because they didn't have chemistry or because the story was muddled with all the distrust and tontine business. I wish three or four times of Noelle not trusting Thorne and scenes with the tontine descendants would have been cut; this story felt too long. Even though this couple takes until the second half to even get the romance engines revving, there was still a little bit of third act angst, which, of course, was Noelle not trusting Thorne's intentions when he asks her to marry him, even when it was fairly obvious why he was asking.
The last 85% ramps up and brings to head the action and danger and bouncing from reveal to not so fast to reveal. It kind of felt exhausting after a longer story that had a fair amount of moments that had the aforementioned eye glazing. Then the ending gave the romance aspect a very abrupt ending with quick “I love yous” and a marriage proposal. There was too much continuous distrust from Noelle, the romance took a bit too long to get going and then didn't provide the emotions I wanted, the danger to Gil was mostly what this story was about, and by the time I got to the ending it felt exhausting. I am, however, very curious and wanting more about the black sheep cousin Sloane and the quietly suffering Annabeth, I just hope there is no tontine in their story and it's more about the romance.
Noelle could hardly breathe. Her heart hammered, and she stared at the pouch as if it were a snake. Thorne thought she would sell Gil to him.
Noelle has just become a widow with a new baby, as she's laying out all her worldly goods to see what she can sell, Carlisle Thorne arrives at her door. Carlisle was the childhood friend of her husband, but like her husband's aristocratic parents, he didn't approve of her husband marrying a commoner. Thorne is hurt and grieving over the loss of his friend and sees Noelle as a gold-digger, he thinks she won't want to be weighed down with the caring of a child, so he offers her money so that he can take Gil, the baby, back to England to be raised by his grandparents. Noelle is horrified that he thinks to “buy” Gilbert and then becomes terrified Thorne will take Gil and never let her see him again. She decides to go on the run to keep Gil with her.
“I've found her, sir.”
After Noelle decides to go on the run, the story then jumps five years and we learn that Noelle has been on the run all this time with Thorne's man trying to catch up to her. The men that Noelle thinks Thorne has sent after her all over Europe, have tried to snatch Gil away and been rough with her. When Noelle goes back to London because of an opportunity for more stability in Gil's life, even though it puts her in the same city with Thorne, she finally gets caught and learns that Gil's grandfather has died and Gil is now the Earl. As Noelle finally settles down and stops running, she realizes that Gil needs to learn how to run his estate and that Thorne and Gil's grandmother don't want to rip him from her and that she'll be able to live with him. The prologue with the anger, animosity, and feeling of danger, did immediately pull me into the story but as the story went on, Noelle started to be annoyingly distrustful of Thorne and the Misunderstanding between the two will probably want you to tie them down to chairs to force them to sit and talk.
“But...if it was not you who tried to abduct Gil, that means...”
He nodded. “That someone else is after you.”
Around 30% the story switches gears a bit and the characters and reader learn that it wasn't Thorne who was trying to snatch Gil away from Noelle but someone else and it's all tied into a tontine. A group of aristocrats, including Gil's grandfather, put money into a trust that would eventually go to the last alive male descendant of the men. This plot thread was all a little, just go along with it, especially when it was vaguely, 'they did put a time limit!'. It kept the danger feeling going throughout the book and introduced, brought in a character named Sloane, a cousin who has a shady past and obvious unsettled feelings with another character named Annabeth, but other than giving me Sloane, the whole tontine had many sections that made my eyes want to glaze over.
Yes, she was flirting with this dour man. Even more strangely, he was flirting back. It was mad; it was exciting.
I'm pretty far in the review and I haven't mentioned the romance yet, you're going to have to have patience, besides the distrusting animosity between Noelle and Thorne, these two don't really get going in the romance department until around the 60% mark. Then they just kind of start secretly sleeping together as they journey around England investigating the descendants of the tontine to see who would want Gil dead to inherit it. I can't say I ever felt the romance between them, either because they didn't have chemistry or because the story was muddled with all the distrust and tontine business. I wish three or four times of Noelle not trusting Thorne and scenes with the tontine descendants would have been cut; this story felt too long. Even though this couple takes until the second half to even get the romance engines revving, there was still a little bit of third act angst, which, of course, was Noelle not trusting Thorne's intentions when he asks her to marry him, even when it was fairly obvious why he was asking.
The last 85% ramps up and brings to head the action and danger and bouncing from reveal to not so fast to reveal. It kind of felt exhausting after a longer story that had a fair amount of moments that had the aforementioned eye glazing. Then the ending gave the romance aspect a very abrupt ending with quick “I love yous” and a marriage proposal. There was too much continuous distrust from Noelle, the romance took a bit too long to get going and then didn't provide the emotions I wanted, the danger to Gil was mostly what this story was about, and by the time I got to the ending it felt exhausting. I am, however, very curious and wanting more about the black sheep cousin Sloane and the quietly suffering Annabeth, I just hope there is no tontine in their story and it's more about the romance.
February 24, 2025
Three stars
Noelle Rutherford, widow of her beloved Adam, knows his aristocratic family consider her as common and not worthy of Adam. Noelle is a fiercely independent woman determined to now raise their son Gil alone. She is horrified when Carlisle Thorne, a long time friend of the Rutherford family and sent by the Rutherford family, seeks to give her money in exchange for letting Gil be brought up at the Rutherford estate. Noelle flees from Carlisle believing he will stop at nothing to take her son from her. She and Gil take up life on the run, always moving around, never staying in one place long. Too many times she is almost caught but manages to escape over the next five years. But then circumstances change. She ends up back in London and getting caught. It is only much later she finds out things are not quite what they seem. But danger looms when Gil is shot at. Who to trust is the issue?
For once I actually managed to start a series with book 1. I liked Noelle. She is inventive, fiercely protective of her son and is easy to empathise with. Carlisle is a little harder at times to get a sense of. There are a number of suspects for readers to consider as the one who wants to harm Gil. However, I found that far less interesting than the mystery. It didn’t ring true to me. Others may feel differently. It seemed repetitive and over long. Enjoyable but not wholly satisfying, so not sure I will continue reading more of the series. Still, plenty of others enjoyed it more than I did so maybe give it a go and see what you think. It seems to be a book people have quite differing opinions about.
Noelle Rutherford, widow of her beloved Adam, knows his aristocratic family consider her as common and not worthy of Adam. Noelle is a fiercely independent woman determined to now raise their son Gil alone. She is horrified when Carlisle Thorne, a long time friend of the Rutherford family and sent by the Rutherford family, seeks to give her money in exchange for letting Gil be brought up at the Rutherford estate. Noelle flees from Carlisle believing he will stop at nothing to take her son from her. She and Gil take up life on the run, always moving around, never staying in one place long. Too many times she is almost caught but manages to escape over the next five years. But then circumstances change. She ends up back in London and getting caught. It is only much later she finds out things are not quite what they seem. But danger looms when Gil is shot at. Who to trust is the issue?
For once I actually managed to start a series with book 1. I liked Noelle. She is inventive, fiercely protective of her son and is easy to empathise with. Carlisle is a little harder at times to get a sense of. There are a number of suspects for readers to consider as the one who wants to harm Gil. However, I found that far less interesting than the mystery. It didn’t ring true to me. Others may feel differently. It seemed repetitive and over long. Enjoyable but not wholly satisfying, so not sure I will continue reading more of the series. Still, plenty of others enjoyed it more than I did so maybe give it a go and see what you think. It seems to be a book people have quite differing opinions about.
October 16, 2022
4 stars. I really enjoyed this book. I found the dialogue and banter to be exceptional. I looooved that the MC’s and side characters all had long, in-depth conversations - it’s so hard to find books with really good dialogue! I often feel like book MCs barely talk during the entirety of the story. This book really excelled in that regard. This really was on track to be a 5 star read until the final 30% or so - where the storyline became a little too elaborate, and the mystery a little too dramatic. Also, the lack of epilogue alone was enough for the lower rating. I *really* wanted to see this couple married a few years down the road.
The heroine is widowed and is left alone abroad with an infant son. Her husband was next in line to be earl, but with his death, her son is now the heir. Her deceased husband had a falling out with his family about his decision to marry the heroine (who isn’t the same social class), but upon his death, the hero arrives at the heroine’s door offering to take her child off her hands in exchange for money. The heroine freaks, thinking that the hero wouldn’t take no for an answer, and spends the next five years on the run. During those years, there are constantly men after her, trying to kidnap her son. Five years later, the hero finally finds the heroine and her son - but things aren’t quite as they seem. As misconceptions begin to unravel, the hero and heroine really get to know each other. The romance builds pretty damn slowly, but it made their relationship all the more interesting. They work together to figure out who is trying to kidnap the heroine’s son - and get a HFN ending.
The nice thing about the mystery in this book - it’s not as straightforward as it initially seems. I liked that my guess about who-dun-it was constantly changing. The author really did a great job with misdirection. Ofc, maybe I was just being a slow top and the villain was easily discernible to other readers. 🧐
However, there is a slight inconsistency regarding the villain - why didn’t he/she just take a break and try again later? Why keep going when everyone is already on guard? Supposedly, there wasn’t much of a rush to commit these crimes. I think this is common in these types of books though. The final thing that bothered me… we got very few answers about the why, how, and who else may have been a target. This once again comes down to a lack of epilogue, and I wonder if this will be addressed in the next book of this series.
Now I’ve finished, and enjoyed, several books by Candace Camp. It’s safe to say that I enjoy her writing style and storytelling. I was surprised to see that this book was just released this year, so I’m hoping the next in the series will be released soon bc I need answers that this book didn’t give me. Also, I need to know who the (most likely) next heroine ends up paired with. If it’s a second chance romance… BOOOO!!!
Safe; heroine married and loved her husband, he passed and she wasn’t with anyone in the five years after his death, hero’s past isn’t really discussed at all… YAY. Hero was like an older brother (raised in the same household but unrelated) to the heroine’s deceased husband. It barely played a role. There’s no om/ow drama or scenes, no cheating.
The heroine is widowed and is left alone abroad with an infant son. Her husband was next in line to be earl, but with his death, her son is now the heir. Her deceased husband had a falling out with his family about his decision to marry the heroine (who isn’t the same social class), but upon his death, the hero arrives at the heroine’s door offering to take her child off her hands in exchange for money. The heroine freaks, thinking that the hero wouldn’t take no for an answer, and spends the next five years on the run. During those years, there are constantly men after her, trying to kidnap her son. Five years later, the hero finally finds the heroine and her son - but things aren’t quite as they seem. As misconceptions begin to unravel, the hero and heroine really get to know each other. The romance builds pretty damn slowly, but it made their relationship all the more interesting. They work together to figure out who is trying to kidnap the heroine’s son - and get a HFN ending.
The nice thing about the mystery in this book - it’s not as straightforward as it initially seems. I liked that my guess about who-dun-it was constantly changing. The author really did a great job with misdirection. Ofc, maybe I was just being a slow top and the villain was easily discernible to other readers. 🧐
However, there is a slight inconsistency regarding the villain - why didn’t he/she just take a break and try again later? Why keep going when everyone is already on guard? Supposedly, there wasn’t much of a rush to commit these crimes. I think this is common in these types of books though. The final thing that bothered me… we got very few answers about the why, how, and who else may have been a target. This once again comes down to a lack of epilogue, and I wonder if this will be addressed in the next book of this series.
Now I’ve finished, and enjoyed, several books by Candace Camp. It’s safe to say that I enjoy her writing style and storytelling. I was surprised to see that this book was just released this year, so I’m hoping the next in the series will be released soon bc I need answers that this book didn’t give me. Also, I need to know who the (most likely) next heroine ends up paired with. If it’s a second chance romance… BOOOO!!!
Safe; heroine married and loved her husband, he passed and she wasn’t with anyone in the five years after his death, hero’s past isn’t really discussed at all… YAY. Hero was like an older brother (raised in the same household but unrelated) to the heroine’s deceased husband. It barely played a role. There’s no om/ow drama or scenes, no cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2022
Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: Stonecliffe #1
Publication Date: 5/24/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 384
This author never disappoints. Her writing style just resonates with me. Do you know what I mean? Some authors write excellently and you enjoy their books, but others just seem to sing out to you – this author’s books always sing out to me for some reason. The pacing is excellent and your emotions, fears, etc. just ebb and flow right along with those of the characters. You can absolutely feel the panic as it overtakes Noelle when she thinks Carlisle will take her son, Gil, away from her – by fair means or foul. Yes, our poor Carlisle has a lot to answer for in this enemies to lovers book – and believe me, it really is enemies to lovers because Noelle thoroughly despises Carlisle Thorn.
Noelle is the daughter of a Cambridge professor, so her education is unusual for the times. Being a progressive thinker, her father educated her far beyond what most women were – she spoke several languages and knew art, Latin, mathematics – well, all of it. Noelle is also arrestingly beautiful and much sought after by the students at Cambridge. She ignores them until Adam comes along and won’t take no for an answer. He’s handsome, romantic – and a gifted artist – and they love each other. They marry and have a child a couple of years later – only Adam dies – and she and the child are destitute. They’ve been living in an artist community on the continent – and Adam has been cut off from his family. Now, what is Noelle and baby Gilbert (Gil) going to do? And that is where the book begins. A tall, forbidding, grim, angry, and overbearing, dictatorial man shows up at her door and wants baby Gil – the man wants to PURCHASE Gil. Panic sets in and Noelle flees with Gil.
Carlisle Thorn was taken in by Adam’s family when he was a young boy. To Carlisle, that is his family and Adam was like a little brother. He’s tried to convince Adam’s father to reconcile with Adam, but he won’t – and now Adam is dead so they never will reconcile. The least Carlisle can do is bring Adam’s son home to England so he can be raised in the comfort he deserves. He just has to get the baby away from that scheming female who beguiled Adam and tricked him into marriage. There is no telling what someone with her loose morals will do and how she’d raise Adam’s child.
So, the misconceptions are off and running from the first page of the book. Noelle and Gil are constantly on the move. They hide their identities, they change how they look, they change their names – yet, Carlisle Thorn is continually searching for them – even after five years. He’s relentless and he’s almost caught them several times – well he did catch them several times and tried to kidnap Gil, but they always managed to escape.
When Noelle and Carlisle finally confront each other a second time, she really blisters his ears. Yet, he is unrepentant and doesn’t understand why she is so upset and fearful of him. As the story continues, each begins to understand the other may not be who they’ve believed all these years.
The secondary characters are wonderful and I loved them all. None of them are superfluous fluff added in just to fill page time. Each had a vital role in the story as it unfolded and each was truly likable. You’ll find mad dashes through unsavory parts of London, carriage chases across England, and hurried, dangerous flights across rooftops, but mostly you’ll find an exciting and well-told tale.
I can definitely recommend this book and cannot wait for other books in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Series: Stonecliffe #1
Publication Date: 5/24/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 384
This author never disappoints. Her writing style just resonates with me. Do you know what I mean? Some authors write excellently and you enjoy their books, but others just seem to sing out to you – this author’s books always sing out to me for some reason. The pacing is excellent and your emotions, fears, etc. just ebb and flow right along with those of the characters. You can absolutely feel the panic as it overtakes Noelle when she thinks Carlisle will take her son, Gil, away from her – by fair means or foul. Yes, our poor Carlisle has a lot to answer for in this enemies to lovers book – and believe me, it really is enemies to lovers because Noelle thoroughly despises Carlisle Thorn.
Noelle is the daughter of a Cambridge professor, so her education is unusual for the times. Being a progressive thinker, her father educated her far beyond what most women were – she spoke several languages and knew art, Latin, mathematics – well, all of it. Noelle is also arrestingly beautiful and much sought after by the students at Cambridge. She ignores them until Adam comes along and won’t take no for an answer. He’s handsome, romantic – and a gifted artist – and they love each other. They marry and have a child a couple of years later – only Adam dies – and she and the child are destitute. They’ve been living in an artist community on the continent – and Adam has been cut off from his family. Now, what is Noelle and baby Gilbert (Gil) going to do? And that is where the book begins. A tall, forbidding, grim, angry, and overbearing, dictatorial man shows up at her door and wants baby Gil – the man wants to PURCHASE Gil. Panic sets in and Noelle flees with Gil.
Carlisle Thorn was taken in by Adam’s family when he was a young boy. To Carlisle, that is his family and Adam was like a little brother. He’s tried to convince Adam’s father to reconcile with Adam, but he won’t – and now Adam is dead so they never will reconcile. The least Carlisle can do is bring Adam’s son home to England so he can be raised in the comfort he deserves. He just has to get the baby away from that scheming female who beguiled Adam and tricked him into marriage. There is no telling what someone with her loose morals will do and how she’d raise Adam’s child.
So, the misconceptions are off and running from the first page of the book. Noelle and Gil are constantly on the move. They hide their identities, they change how they look, they change their names – yet, Carlisle Thorn is continually searching for them – even after five years. He’s relentless and he’s almost caught them several times – well he did catch them several times and tried to kidnap Gil, but they always managed to escape.
When Noelle and Carlisle finally confront each other a second time, she really blisters his ears. Yet, he is unrepentant and doesn’t understand why she is so upset and fearful of him. As the story continues, each begins to understand the other may not be who they’ve believed all these years.
The secondary characters are wonderful and I loved them all. None of them are superfluous fluff added in just to fill page time. Each had a vital role in the story as it unfolded and each was truly likable. You’ll find mad dashes through unsavory parts of London, carriage chases across England, and hurried, dangerous flights across rooftops, but mostly you’ll find an exciting and well-told tale.
I can definitely recommend this book and cannot wait for other books in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 24, 2022
An affair at Stonecliff
Stonecliff #1
Candace Camp
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Noelle Rutherford knows that she will never be accepted by the ton. Adam, is not only her late husband her was a free spirited aristocrat, married her for love, much to the utter dismay of his well to do family.
After Adams death, Nolle is approached by Carlisle Thorne, who was raised as a brother to Adam. What Carlisle wants is her young son. She's absolutely horrified when Carlisle actually offeres her money in exchange for taking her small son, Gil, to be raised at the Ritherford Estate, Stonecliff.
Feeling like she's without options she runs, hiding from Carlisle and the Rutherfords for five long years. But Carlisle has never stopped looking for them.
When he finally does catch up with Noelle, they end up finding that each of them went to far, and made some wrongful assumptions about eachother. After this is realized the grudging mutual respect they find is now turning into a close bond that is ever so sweet.
Then Noelle and Gil find themselves in danger from somone who is after Gil's inheritance. Now she and Carlisle must work together to protect what matters most, even if it meand losing their hearts.
Candace Camp is brilliant. This author can write and she is one of my special go to authors who always makes my day with the books she writes. This couple had to go from down right anger to trusting eachother and that is no easy feat. There was quite the tention at times between the two main characters, but I think that's what made it all so much more intresting.
This is one of those awesome authors who takes pre conceived notions and does away with them. This book was also an emotional whirl wheel for me. So many enotions bottled up in one book. Totaly and utterly phenomenal. Thank you Ms. Camp I needed a break from life.
Stonecliff #1
Candace Camp
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Noelle Rutherford knows that she will never be accepted by the ton. Adam, is not only her late husband her was a free spirited aristocrat, married her for love, much to the utter dismay of his well to do family.
After Adams death, Nolle is approached by Carlisle Thorne, who was raised as a brother to Adam. What Carlisle wants is her young son. She's absolutely horrified when Carlisle actually offeres her money in exchange for taking her small son, Gil, to be raised at the Ritherford Estate, Stonecliff.
Feeling like she's without options she runs, hiding from Carlisle and the Rutherfords for five long years. But Carlisle has never stopped looking for them.
When he finally does catch up with Noelle, they end up finding that each of them went to far, and made some wrongful assumptions about eachother. After this is realized the grudging mutual respect they find is now turning into a close bond that is ever so sweet.
Then Noelle and Gil find themselves in danger from somone who is after Gil's inheritance. Now she and Carlisle must work together to protect what matters most, even if it meand losing their hearts.
Candace Camp is brilliant. This author can write and she is one of my special go to authors who always makes my day with the books she writes. This couple had to go from down right anger to trusting eachother and that is no easy feat. There was quite the tention at times between the two main characters, but I think that's what made it all so much more intresting.
This is one of those awesome authors who takes pre conceived notions and does away with them. This book was also an emotional whirl wheel for me. So many enotions bottled up in one book. Totaly and utterly phenomenal. Thank you Ms. Camp I needed a break from life.
May 28, 2022
Title: An Affair at Stonecliffe
Series: Stonecliffe #1
Author: Candace Camp
Release date: May 24, 2022
Cliffhanger: n0
Genre: historical romance
This is my very first read by Candace Camp (I know, I know. It's like I've been living under a rock or something.) I'm so glad I decided to give this author a try because I really enjoyed her writing style and her attention to detail. The first half of the book I was so completely engrossed with what I was reading that I couldn't detach myself from the story long enough to make highlights and notes for the review. Not only was I laser focused and flipping through quickly, but I was able to connect to the book from page one. For those reasons, as well as my level of enjoyment, the first 50% was easily five stars. The second half of the book slowed down quite a bit for me personally because of the mystery heavily entering the forefront of the story. That's just my personal preference. I tend to get a little bored when characters are deeply entrenched in trying to solve a mystery. I find myself starting to skim through those sections to get to the action or character building scenes.
There were several things I loved about the couple's dynamic together. I liked that they came from completely different backgrounds. She was working class, and he is nobility. Although her late husband was nobility and marrying him gave her the title of "lady" she never put on airs or desired to be part of that world. Noelle is highly educated because of her scholar father and can hold her own in any intellectual conversation. She speaks multiple languages, she's well read, and well informed about art. Carlisle is equally well-educated, but unlike her, he's grossly snobbish and judgmental. There's also a degree of the forbidden love theme involved between Carlisle and Noelle because he views her as off-limits. She is his brother's widow and low-born which would cause scandal and gossip were they to get involved. Of course, in the beginning, there was no danger of a romance between them because he makes a disastrous first impression on her. Not only does he insult her character, but he thinks that he can offer her money and take her child Gil away to be raised at Stonecliffe manor. She instantly despises and fears him.
Carlisle Thorn was like a brother to her late husband but not a blood relation. He comes into the first meeting with Noelle being highly offensive, pushy, and condescending. He doesn't attempt to hide the fact that he thinks she's a social climbing, greedy, loose woman who brought ruin upon her husband. The man has zero tact, but you can't fault his honesty. You certainly know where you stand with him, that's for sure. The author did a great job creating friction and animosity between these characters that was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. It was so entertaining watching her outsmart and outmaneuver him time and again when takes her son and goes into hiding. After the smug way he treated her, I couldn't help but smirk at how she managed to keep slipping through his fingers. Noelle was a fierce mama bear when protecting her son Gil-she fought Carlisle savagely when backed into a corner. It made me absolutely adore this heroine.
It took quite a bit of effort to convince Noelle that she was safe at Stonecliffe, but eventually his sincerity and apologies broke through. He still had plenty of unfair preconceptions about her that he needed to let go of, but he was trying with everything he had to be accommodating and cordial. She began to see how protective he was of his family, and her son was no exception. Carlisle is Gil's guardian. If he wanted to, he could push her out of her son's life and take total control without any input from her. It's hard to believe there was a time when a mother was deemed inconsequential by law if a male of no relation was assigned to his care. Despite his legal power, he never once considers controlling her or taking her son away. He really redeems himself as they get to know one another. It doesn't take him long to discover how horribly he's wronged her and forced her to live a life of fear. An uncomfortable attraction begins to grow that neither is prepared for.
He’d finally found her, ended the chase, achieved exactly what he wanted. He should be satisfied. Content. But the bloody woman still had him in a turmoil. She confused him. Worse, she made him confusing to himself.
They had such great tension as they tried to ignore their growing feelings. Moving beyond their tenuous friendship was a bad idea for many reasons, particularly the possibility of it not working out. They would still be constantly in each other's company but things would be uncomfortable and awkward. If anyone found out, the family's reputation could be tarnished. As much as they tried to stay away from each other, it felt inevitable. These two seemed like an unlikely pair in the beginning, but by the end, they absolutely adored each other and they fit. It took overcoming misunderstandings, and having the courage to choose what their hearts needed the most over society's expectations.
The mystery of the book involved figuring out who was attempting to kidnap and harm Gil. It became quite long and involved with lots of possible suspects. Noelle and Carlisle go to visit several people looking for information. While some of it was interesting because it allowed them to have alone time away from the family to grow closer, I wish the investigation didn't take up so much page time. Not everyone feels as I do about that subjective issue. For me, it did drag the pace down somewhat.
My first Candace Camp book was a success. I'll be very happy to continue on with the series, hopefully with Annabeth's story next. If you're looking for a new HR series to follow, and you love an element of murder mystery, An Affair at Stonecliffe could be the one for you!
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November 19, 2022
3.5/5. I enjoyed the start of this book, when the heroine, fearful of losing her infant son to her husband's aristocratic family, makes a run for it. For the next five years, they moved from city to city all over Europe trying to evade their pursuers who on multiple occasions came very close to capturing Noelle and her son. Carlisle was like a brother to Noelle's late husband and represents the interest of his family. He has been trying to track down Noelle and the child who is heir to an earldom. Their initial interactions were fiery but the story turned more towards solving the mystery of who wanted to harm the child and the romance unfortunately took a backseat.
July 14, 2024
Me ha gustado mucho más de lo que pensaba
Una novela muy tradicional, historia de enemies to lovers con un punto de misterio que al final ha conseguido atraparte
No es un novelón, pero me ha entretenido mucho. Me ha gustado mucho Carslile, aunque hubiera preferido que siguiera mucho más con ese punto gruñón y ella es una mujer muy valiente y decidida, de las que me gustan. Su romance no es un instalove y tiene escenas suculentas y, el misterio de quien hay detrás de los ataques a Gil está muy bien llevado
Mención especial a lady Loocwood (o algo así) una vieja dragón que me ha hecho pasar muy buenos momentos
Deseando leer el segundo, promete muchísimo
Una novela muy tradicional, historia de enemies to lovers con un punto de misterio que al final ha conseguido atraparte
No es un novelón, pero me ha entretenido mucho. Me ha gustado mucho Carslile, aunque hubiera preferido que siguiera mucho más con ese punto gruñón y ella es una mujer muy valiente y decidida, de las que me gustan. Su romance no es un instalove y tiene escenas suculentas y, el misterio de quien hay detrás de los ataques a Gil está muy bien llevado
Mención especial a lady Loocwood (o algo así) una vieja dragón que me ha hecho pasar muy buenos momentos
Deseando leer el segundo, promete muchísimo
May 25, 2022
Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of An Affair at Stonecliffe in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
Did somebody say historical fiction? Yes, please. Although I had some reservations, because An Affair at Stonecliffe is considered a romance novel, I was cautiously optimistic.
Now, I’m sitting at my desk with a slight headache starting between my eyes, wondering how much tea I can drink before I get the jitters. I have said it before, it looks like I’m not cut out for the romance genre. We just don’t mesh.
I nitpick. I ask too many questions. My analytical mind takes over and then it’s all downhill from there.
The Details
The protagonist. Is she rational? Does she understand what her situation is like? Does she know what she has to do? Probably. But we get so caught up in her thought process of making decisions that it’s hard to say for sure.
Every action, every decision, it seems needs at least five pages to describe her feelings, her thoughts etc. I swear, at one point I was almost shouting at the book for her to finally do something. The thing that is most obvious and she ended up doing, but we had to read how her mind came to the conclusion to act this way in very painstaking detail.
Why, oh why, is this book so longwinded?
It could have been so much better, if somebody had just cut out half of the telling part.
It’s never a good idea to tell rather than show in a story. Do not waste too much time going into mind-numbing details about how the character should run, or stay, or speak up. And do not repeat the same phrases over and over again to explain the character’s feelings/nerves.
Tell me once the character’s nerves are “jumping”. I get it. Let’s move the story along.
And what was the deal with the male character? He reminded me a little of a bad interpretation of Mr. Darcy, always sour, in a bad mood and grumbling.
I never got the dark, brooding type as sexy trope. It’s not sexy having a sourpuss to deal with.
Anyway, I’m on a roll and I should stop.
The Verdict
Overall, I must stay away from romance novels. We are not good for each other. I’m sorry, but this is another pass for me.
June 15, 2024
June 2024: Getting the ARC of book 3 in this series has me revisiting the first two installments. I love how Candace Camp weaves a mystery and romance together in her books. This one is still a favorite. I love how fierce Noelle is.
September 2023: Candace Camp always manages to give you a substantial plot with a crime or political intrigue to go with the romance story. I loved the premise here: Noelle is the daughter of an Oxford professor who marries the son of an Earl while he's at school. They settle in Paris, where he is an artist. The husband dies just after the birth of their son, Gilbert (Gil) and a friend of the husband's family arrives to take the baby. Noelle panics and flees.
Noelle is pursued around Europe for five years, thwarting several attempts to kidnap Gil. Finally, when she is living in London, she and Gil are cornered and she reluctantly agrees to meet the family. Despite a reconciliation, someone is still trying to kidnap Gil, so Noelle teams with with the family friend who started this all to figure out who is after her. Of course, the romance develops between the two.
This was a fast, fun read and I enjoyed the ride. It did a great job of setting up the second book in the series without being obvious.
September 2023: Candace Camp always manages to give you a substantial plot with a crime or political intrigue to go with the romance story. I loved the premise here: Noelle is the daughter of an Oxford professor who marries the son of an Earl while he's at school. They settle in Paris, where he is an artist. The husband dies just after the birth of their son, Gilbert (Gil) and a friend of the husband's family arrives to take the baby. Noelle panics and flees.
Noelle is pursued around Europe for five years, thwarting several attempts to kidnap Gil. Finally, when she is living in London, she and Gil are cornered and she reluctantly agrees to meet the family. Despite a reconciliation, someone is still trying to kidnap Gil, so Noelle teams with with the family friend who started this all to figure out who is after her. Of course, the romance develops between the two.
This was a fast, fun read and I enjoyed the ride. It did a great job of setting up the second book in the series without being obvious.
August 3, 2024
Aš knygas vertinu pagal tai kokią emociją man sukėlė užvertus paskutinį puslapį. Tad paskaičius kitų atsiliepimus, pamąsčiau, kad gal aš neturiu tiek daug palyginimui istorinių meilės romanų, bet man šis patiko👌 dėl “blogiuko” mane apmovė🙈 bet šiaip buvo įdomu skaityti, patiko ir tie tokie enemies to lovers🤭 gal kas užkliuvo, tai kad visą knygą veiksmas ir meilės istorija buvo palaipsniui vystoma, o tada pabaiga tokia tik bam bam ir happy ending. Ir šį kartą sakyčiau pritrūko man epilogo. 😁 bet kaip jau minėjau - bendrai man knyga patiko.☀️
April 15, 2025
Meilės romanas, besiplėtojantis XIX a. Anglijoje. Veikėjai ir istorija lengvai mane įtraukė. Dar pagardinta intrigomis, paslaptimis, pavojais, nesusipratimais. Maloniai praleidau laiką skaitydama.
June 30, 2022
Was really looking forward to this, but it kinda became a mess. Win some, lose some. Shrug
July 28, 2022
Lots of twists and turns and red herrings! Really engaging. I hope Sloane gets a book!!
July 21, 2024
Iš esmės, vidutiniškas istorinis meilės romanas, vidutiniškai parašytas, neblizgėjo čia nei humoru, nei šmaikščiais dialogais, nebuvo įdomių istorinio laikotarpio detalių, išskirtinių veikėjų, nesužavėjo jų meilės linija, BET detektyvinė siužeto linija antroje istorijos pusėje kilstelėjo bendrą vertinimą, sugebėjo ir apgauti, ir šiek tiek nustebinti. 3.5/5
October 18, 2022
Carlisle Thorne and Noelle Rutherford’s first meeting proves that first impressions can be wrong. Noelle is in France and mourning the death of her husband Adam and wondering how she is going to care for their infant son when Carlisle shows up and says he is a close friend of the Rutherford family, especially Adam’s father, the Earl of Drewsbury. Adam’s father didn’t approve of their marriage and it is clear that Carlisle doesn’t either, when he basically accuses Noelle of being a golddigger and seemingly implies he was going to pay her off and take her infant son, Gilbert back to England. Noelle bolts and is on the run for the next five years.
Carlisle realizes he botched things badly with Noelle and is determined to set things right, he hires a detective to find Noelle, and finally, after five years and several sightings, he finally pins her down. He explains that he never meant that he was going to take Gil away from her and that as the Earl’s only heir, Gil should be raised in England and learn of the estate and title. Carlisle also tells her that the Earl is dead, so Gil is now the Earl and Carlisle is his Guardian. Noelle isn’t sure what to believe, since several times over the years men have tried to abduct Gil, but she doesn’t want to rob him of his birthright and ultimately agrees to go to meet Adam’s mother. But when there is another attempt to abduct Gil, Noelle is sure that she has been duped and once again bolts. When Carlisle tracks her down, they realize that Gil is in danger, but not from Carlisle. As they work together to find out who is behind the attempts on Gil, they form a friendship that leads to deeper feelings. But examining those feelings will have to wait until they find the villain responsible for the attacks because if they don’t, any chance for their HEA will be over before it begins!
This was a well-written, fast-paced story with very likable characters. I enjoyed this story, but I was expecting more romance and instead found the romance taking a backseat to the mystery. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but there were aspects of their relationship that I felt were not addressed in lieu of the mystery, such as her relationship with Adam and how that impacted them as a couple. But as far as the mystery is concerned, it was very well done and kept me guessing until the end. So overall, this was a good read, that I would be happy to recommend and I do hope there will be more books in this series, as I would love to see Sloane and Nathan find their true loves, and I would enjoy seeing Noelle and Carlisle living their HEA.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
Carlisle realizes he botched things badly with Noelle and is determined to set things right, he hires a detective to find Noelle, and finally, after five years and several sightings, he finally pins her down. He explains that he never meant that he was going to take Gil away from her and that as the Earl’s only heir, Gil should be raised in England and learn of the estate and title. Carlisle also tells her that the Earl is dead, so Gil is now the Earl and Carlisle is his Guardian. Noelle isn’t sure what to believe, since several times over the years men have tried to abduct Gil, but she doesn’t want to rob him of his birthright and ultimately agrees to go to meet Adam’s mother. But when there is another attempt to abduct Gil, Noelle is sure that she has been duped and once again bolts. When Carlisle tracks her down, they realize that Gil is in danger, but not from Carlisle. As they work together to find out who is behind the attempts on Gil, they form a friendship that leads to deeper feelings. But examining those feelings will have to wait until they find the villain responsible for the attacks because if they don’t, any chance for their HEA will be over before it begins!
This was a well-written, fast-paced story with very likable characters. I enjoyed this story, but I was expecting more romance and instead found the romance taking a backseat to the mystery. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but there were aspects of their relationship that I felt were not addressed in lieu of the mystery, such as her relationship with Adam and how that impacted them as a couple. But as far as the mystery is concerned, it was very well done and kept me guessing until the end. So overall, this was a good read, that I would be happy to recommend and I do hope there will be more books in this series, as I would love to see Sloane and Nathan find their true loves, and I would enjoy seeing Noelle and Carlisle living their HEA.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
August 8, 2022
I'm sorry. I can't. I didn't finish it. I almost never DNF a book. I live with OCD. I NEED conclusions. I just skipped to the last few pages. I find myself joining the group asking what the heck happened to Candace Camp? I LOVE Candace Camp. This book absolutely did not do it for me. Is this a ghost writer gone wrong situation? Is Candace just trying something new? What is happening!?
The story is impossible to get into. The characters are vapid. Their conflict does not make sense. Ugh. Such a disappointment.
Additionally, the format of the ARC was screwed up. When I couldn't finish it, I passed it to my sister to see if maybe she liked it. I thought, maybe it's just me and like, 70% of the GoodReads Reviews. She couldn't read it at all. She got like 2 pages in and got a mega migraine (dyslexia is a bitch - the font was italicized and we couldn't turn it off.) And it was shaded. Maybe it was just my copy, but it was unreadable. If the story had been worth it, I would have either powered through or reached out to Netgalley, but honestly, it just wasn't worth the effort.
https://ssshwearereading.wordpress.co...
The story is impossible to get into. The characters are vapid. Their conflict does not make sense. Ugh. Such a disappointment.
Additionally, the format of the ARC was screwed up. When I couldn't finish it, I passed it to my sister to see if maybe she liked it. I thought, maybe it's just me and like, 70% of the GoodReads Reviews. She couldn't read it at all. She got like 2 pages in and got a mega migraine (dyslexia is a bitch - the font was italicized and we couldn't turn it off.) And it was shaded. Maybe it was just my copy, but it was unreadable. If the story had been worth it, I would have either powered through or reached out to Netgalley, but honestly, it just wasn't worth the effort.
https://ssshwearereading.wordpress.co...
May 25, 2022
Noelle, who is grieving the loss of her husband is confronted by someone his family sent to take her son. She would do anything to protect him even if it means running and hiding. Finally after doing just that for many years and when she finally thinks they might be safe things change once more.
I thought this was a good book for it’s time period. It was a little slow in spots and could have been fifty pages shorter.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
I thought this was a good book for it’s time period. It was a little slow in spots and could have been fifty pages shorter.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
June 7, 2022
Is this a ghost writer?
Candace is a one-click author for me. I have loved her works for over a decade now. As time has went on, and most prominently in this book, it feels like there is a ghost writer.
The characters were underdeveloped, the plot was nothing new, and the relationship was boring, rushed, and "told not shown."
This book took forever to read and I genuinely disliked it the whole time.
Candace is a one-click author for me. I have loved her works for over a decade now. As time has went on, and most prominently in this book, it feels like there is a ghost writer.
The characters were underdeveloped, the plot was nothing new, and the relationship was boring, rushed, and "told not shown."
This book took forever to read and I genuinely disliked it the whole time.
September 13, 2022
Enemies to lovers troupe with a murder mystery twist!
October 11, 2023
4/5
Al fin un libro que me ha gustado. Venía de una racha muy mala. Me gustaron los personajes y la trama.
Quiero leer el de Sloan.. Que promete!
Al fin un libro que me ha gustado. Venía de una racha muy mala. Me gustaron los personajes y la trama.
Quiero leer el de Sloan.. Que promete!
November 18, 2025
Oh my god, maybe a meteor will hit Stonecliffe and put all these awful people out of their misery.
May 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this Regency romance featuring widow, Noelle Rutherford, her son Gil and her husband's best friend and surrogate brother, Carlisle Thorne. Noelle and Adam Rutherford ran off to be married against his family's wishes. They have a child when he dies suddenly, so Adam's father, an Earl, wants Gil to come and live with them so they can raise him to be the new Earl. Carlisle Thorne is sent to fetch him and offers Noelle money to allow him to take Baby Gil. Big mistake, she runs. The story picks up five years later, after the Earl has died and Gil is now the Earl. Carlisle finds them once again and convinces Noelle to come to the estate and meet Adam's mom, Gil's Grandma. It seems things will work out, until someone tries to kill Gil. Carlisle now has to protect the young boy and his mother, who he is extremely attracted to. Who is after Gil and why?
This is the first book I have read by Candace Camp and I will be checking my library to see if they have any of her backlist. She created wonderful, relatable characters that I was cheering for. The emotion Noelle would have felt during this story (fear, panic, anxiety) broke my heart. As a mother, I can only imagine those feelings and was happy that she didn't give in to the easy way out. At the beginning of the story, Carlisle was somewhat unlikable, but as we learn his story, as well as recognizing what was going on during this time, I began to understand him and like him more. This is a story with action and adventure, a mystery and romance. I liked the enemies to lovers trope, and liked how it developed. There is sizzle, then some steam as Carlisle and Noelle give in to the feelings they were fighting. I did not figure out who was after Gil, but once it is revealed it made perfect sense with a motive as old as time. If you enjoy historical romance, adventure, some steam and a good enemies to lovers trope, then you will love this story.
I listened to the audiobook of An Affair at Stonecliffe, narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown. This was the first time I have listened to this voice actress and enjoyed her performance. She gave voices to the various characters regardless of age or gender. Her expression added emotion to the story and I very much enjoyed listening to this one.
This is the first book I have read by Candace Camp and I will be checking my library to see if they have any of her backlist. She created wonderful, relatable characters that I was cheering for. The emotion Noelle would have felt during this story (fear, panic, anxiety) broke my heart. As a mother, I can only imagine those feelings and was happy that she didn't give in to the easy way out. At the beginning of the story, Carlisle was somewhat unlikable, but as we learn his story, as well as recognizing what was going on during this time, I began to understand him and like him more. This is a story with action and adventure, a mystery and romance. I liked the enemies to lovers trope, and liked how it developed. There is sizzle, then some steam as Carlisle and Noelle give in to the feelings they were fighting. I did not figure out who was after Gil, but once it is revealed it made perfect sense with a motive as old as time. If you enjoy historical romance, adventure, some steam and a good enemies to lovers trope, then you will love this story.
I listened to the audiobook of An Affair at Stonecliffe, narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown. This was the first time I have listened to this voice actress and enjoyed her performance. She gave voices to the various characters regardless of age or gender. Her expression added emotion to the story and I very much enjoyed listening to this one.
May 26, 2022
Noelle Rutherford has been on the run for years. Her husband Adam has died and her young son is in line for a Dukedom. Carlisle Thorne, a man who was much like her husband's brother has offered her money in exchange for taking her son Gil with him so that he can be raised at the Rutherford estate in Stonecliffe. This is the very reason that Noelle went on the run. She will not give up Gil to anyone for any reason.
Eventually Carlisle finds Noelle, and it couldn't have been a moment to soon, as it appears that someone else is after Noelle and she soon finds that she needs protection for her and Gil. Noelle finds out she needs protection of another matter entirely - and that involves her heart. The thing is, she hated Carlisle on sight, so it behooves her as to why her feelings for him begin to change. Noelle is not alone when it comes to growing feelings, Carlisle cannot help but be drawn to the gentle beauty.
Not only is this a warm engaging story, I am delighted that An Affair at Stonecliffe is the the first book in a new series. Candace Camp is a remarkable writer, one who draws the reader into her stories, delivering a wonderful read certain to capture a regency romance lover's attention.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/Qow_mv_k-nM
Eventually Carlisle finds Noelle, and it couldn't have been a moment to soon, as it appears that someone else is after Noelle and she soon finds that she needs protection for her and Gil. Noelle finds out she needs protection of another matter entirely - and that involves her heart. The thing is, she hated Carlisle on sight, so it behooves her as to why her feelings for him begin to change. Noelle is not alone when it comes to growing feelings, Carlisle cannot help but be drawn to the gentle beauty.
Not only is this a warm engaging story, I am delighted that An Affair at Stonecliffe is the the first book in a new series. Candace Camp is a remarkable writer, one who draws the reader into her stories, delivering a wonderful read certain to capture a regency romance lover's attention.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/Qow_mv_k-nM
October 9, 2022
If it matters, I read a library large-print version.
This is mostly a romance but becomes a mystery. The hero and friend jumping to conclusions about the heroine, being obnoxious, etc. is the kind of thing that always gets on my nerves. The longer it goes on, the more I want to stomp into the drawing room and smack the idiots. Same thing when the female characters are assuming away. In this case, it worked to unveil that there was a mystery going on. Since I read (and write) mystery, I liked that aspect.
I liked the way Noelle handled herself, her determination and dignity. The hero grew on me, and I liked the mother-in-law character. And her mother was both helpful in the mystery and a bit of comic relief.
Overall, I liked the book - the romance and the mystery angle - and I'm looking forward to the next title - and which of the men it will feature. I haven't read Candace Camp in a while. Not for any reason, I just hadn't. I'm glad I read this book, though!
This is mostly a romance but becomes a mystery. The hero and friend jumping to conclusions about the heroine, being obnoxious, etc. is the kind of thing that always gets on my nerves. The longer it goes on, the more I want to stomp into the drawing room and smack the idiots. Same thing when the female characters are assuming away. In this case, it worked to unveil that there was a mystery going on. Since I read (and write) mystery, I liked that aspect.
I liked the way Noelle handled herself, her determination and dignity. The hero grew on me, and I liked the mother-in-law character. And her mother was both helpful in the mystery and a bit of comic relief.
Overall, I liked the book - the romance and the mystery angle - and I'm looking forward to the next title - and which of the men it will feature. I haven't read Candace Camp in a while. Not for any reason, I just hadn't. I'm glad I read this book, though!
May 25, 2022
I enjoyed An Affair At Stonecliffe. It's one of my favorite literary tropes: enemies to lovers. I really connected with the character of Noelle who is a young widowed mother being pursued by dangerous men. I felt her fear and turmoil at the ever shifting circumstances of her life. I admired her resourcefulness and her fierce protection of her young son. I found myself questioning if Carlisle Thornton was actually a hero or an antihero? Camp does a splendid job building the tension and drawing the reader into her web. She also throws in some mystery and plot twists that I didn’t see coming. Her steamy romance scenes are brilliantly and tastefully written. I hope she is planning on another sequel to this story.
March 30, 2024
Ar tikrai tas, nuo kurio bėgi, yra pats pavojingiausias?
Stounklifo intrigos - nauja knygų serija, kuri nukels į pūstų suknelių Angliją ir susuks tokį serialą, kad nebesinorės nė trumpam sugrįžti į realybę, kol nebus užverstas paskutinis puslapis.
Nors tokiose knygose seniausiai AIŠKU, kas čia ir su kuo gyvens džiaugsme bei varge (čia ir yra esmė), bet siužetas parašytas pagauliai ir apgaulingai (čia - patys didžiausi bonusai). Slystelėjau ir truputį apsigavau, bet tuo džiaugiuosi - autorė sukūrė vietos nustebti. Būta čia ir meilės scenų (kaip gi be jų), bet šįkart kraują labiau paspirgino lengva detektyvinė žiežerba - tai kas, po perkūnėliais, čia vyksta? Intrigos tai intrigos, bet kad jų bus tiek, tai maloniai nustebau.
Leidyklos fėjų buvau informuota, kad knyga patiks Lisos Kleypas gerbėjams, bet vat niekas neįspėjo, kad geriau neskaityti tol, kol nepasirodys kita dalis. Taigis, taip puikiai praleidau du vakarus, taip nerealiai patogiai įkritau į pasaulį, kuris neegzistuoja, kad dabar nežinau, kaip reiks sulaukti tęsinio. Pati istorija kaip ir išbaigta, bet knygoje buvo keletas šalutinių takelių, į kuriuos, kaip supratau, autorė nuves kitomis dalimis. Tik intriga, ar ir vėl bus TIEK intrigų. Žodžiu, nuoširdžiai laukiu 😁
Tokios knygos yra mano priklausomybė, mano poilsis ir skaniausi saldumynai prie kavos. Gerai, kad literatūriniai, nes šitaip neturint saiko saldumams, mano pačios suknelės gali būti ramios 🤭😁
REKOMENDUOJU, jei visos Lisos Kleypas knygos perskaitytos, bet norisi dar kažko panašaus - taip, čia tikrai gali būti TAI. Saldu, lengva, bet ne vulgariai bloga. Ir dar su žaismingais detektyviniais piruetais.
NEREKOMENDUOJU, jei Londonas jums gražus tik šiuolaikinis, o meilės reikalai įdomūs tik realių žmonių - tai ne, ši dailaus viršelio knyga jūsų širdžiai nepasirodys tokia pat daili.
4⭐️, nes taip ramiai įsivažiavusiai knygai pabaiga man pasirodė per daug staigi - net truputį nuliūdau 😅
Stounklifo intrigos - nauja knygų serija, kuri nukels į pūstų suknelių Angliją ir susuks tokį serialą, kad nebesinorės nė trumpam sugrįžti į realybę, kol nebus užverstas paskutinis puslapis.
Nors tokiose knygose seniausiai AIŠKU, kas čia ir su kuo gyvens džiaugsme bei varge (čia ir yra esmė), bet siužetas parašytas pagauliai ir apgaulingai (čia - patys didžiausi bonusai). Slystelėjau ir truputį apsigavau, bet tuo džiaugiuosi - autorė sukūrė vietos nustebti. Būta čia ir meilės scenų (kaip gi be jų), bet šįkart kraują labiau paspirgino lengva detektyvinė žiežerba - tai kas, po perkūnėliais, čia vyksta? Intrigos tai intrigos, bet kad jų bus tiek, tai maloniai nustebau.
Leidyklos fėjų buvau informuota, kad knyga patiks Lisos Kleypas gerbėjams, bet vat niekas neįspėjo, kad geriau neskaityti tol, kol nepasirodys kita dalis. Taigis, taip puikiai praleidau du vakarus, taip nerealiai patogiai įkritau į pasaulį, kuris neegzistuoja, kad dabar nežinau, kaip reiks sulaukti tęsinio. Pati istorija kaip ir išbaigta, bet knygoje buvo keletas šalutinių takelių, į kuriuos, kaip supratau, autorė nuves kitomis dalimis. Tik intriga, ar ir vėl bus TIEK intrigų. Žodžiu, nuoširdžiai laukiu 😁
Tokios knygos yra mano priklausomybė, mano poilsis ir skaniausi saldumynai prie kavos. Gerai, kad literatūriniai, nes šitaip neturint saiko saldumams, mano pačios suknelės gali būti ramios 🤭😁
REKOMENDUOJU, jei visos Lisos Kleypas knygos perskaitytos, bet norisi dar kažko panašaus - taip, čia tikrai gali būti TAI. Saldu, lengva, bet ne vulgariai bloga. Ir dar su žaismingais detektyviniais piruetais.
NEREKOMENDUOJU, jei Londonas jums gražus tik šiuolaikinis, o meilės reikalai įdomūs tik realių žmonių - tai ne, ši dailaus viršelio knyga jūsų širdžiai nepasirodys tokia pat daili.
4⭐️, nes taip ramiai įsivažiavusiai knygai pabaiga man pasirodė per daug staigi - net truputį nuliūdau 😅
July 22, 2022
3,5. I wasn't sure if I was going to give it a try based on reviews but I liked the premise. It's not 4 stars since the enemies to lovers is not my trope and it has to be done pretty well for me to love it. In the case it didn't feel natural that they would fall in lust and then in love, though I did like they're happy ending. I'm also curious for the next book OTP!
March 17, 2024
This book was better than I thought it would be considering I don’t normally read historical romance.
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