Restoring Miss Hastings

Hearts of the Hall #3

by Edwina Kiernan

Devastated by loss… a stranger takes her in.
But will her presence ruin his plans to restore all he’s lost?

Harriet Hastings has nowhere left to turn: after losing both her parents within a few months of each other, she is penniless and alone. So when a distant relative makes arrangements for her future, Harriet faces another loss — leaving the place she calls home to go and live with strangers.

Edmund Derringer’s on a mission: to restore the family heirlooms he pawned to cover the debts of his failed speculation. The last thing he needs is to be saddled with his cousin’s ward — a friendly chatterbox who intrudes on his time, distracting him from the task at hand.

But when outside forces threaten their burgeoning fondness, each will be compelled to re-examine what they really believe about one another, and what their most important goal for the future truly is…

Immersed in faith and intrigue, this Christian Victorian romance from award-winning author Edwina Kiernan will encourage and delight you long after you turn the last page.

Genres: Christian

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2022

About the author

Edwina Kiernan is the Christian author of the award-winning novel, Ruby’s Redemption.

An enthusiast of classic novels and history, Edwina combines her faith, imagination and research in hope-infused tales set in times past.

A lifelong word admirer, with Welsh and Irish heritage, she started writing stories early in childhood.

She is a committed follower of Jesus (the Living Word), and endeavours to use her pen to point others to Him.

When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist.

Join her mailing list for free gifts, updates, regular giveaways, and lots of classic and historical fiction goodness. Subscribe at EdwinaKiernan.com

Reviews

[Ranee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story - nothing too deep

[Rod · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clean Christian themed story. It is always hard to develop characters etc in shorter stories. I think it was achieved in this one. There were some oddities. Firstly when Harriet travels to the Hall she is ashamed of her dress - frayed hem and oil marks from the mill. One assumes as she is a sensible girl and is expecting to be going to people who are potentially better off etc that she would be wearing her best dress. But when Ada suggests a trip to the shops (purpose not mentioned) Edmund refuses. So is Harriet still in tatty dresses? Not sure Edmund would be happy with that, but no mention of any new clothing. Nor is there any mention of them asking about her working life- I am sure that would intrigue Ada. Then there is the big conundrum. Edmund is obsessed with correctness, as was society, but we have a young lady going to what is effectively a batchelor house - Ada is there so potentially a chaperon, but at her age? And then Ada leaves and Harriet is alone with Edmund, and he is not her guardian per se. I suspect around this time some social ideals were relaxing but it does surprise me. Similarly I think Ada would have informed Edmund when Silas had tried to kiss her. That was 2 years earlier so she would have been quite young. And whilst Silas is busy chatting with Harriet why isn’t someone chasing him up. The staffing is reduced so how did he have the time?
I liked the story so I am undecided if this is a 3 or 4 star. Rightly or wrongly I have gone with 3, but it was close.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring Story!

This was another well-written and inspiring novel by author Edwina Kiernan. It is the third book in the multi-author Hearts of the Hall series. While I have not read the first two books, enough background information was provided to fully enjoy this book. Harriet Hastings arrived at Duriel Hall, orphaned and under the care of temporary guardian Edmund Derringer. She had much to adjust to in her life and I found Edmund’s temperament to be a bit off-putting and mercurial. However, as the story moved along I came to appreciate his transformation from self-reliant and unforgiving to a steadfast man of faith. I love the inspirational messages that I can count on from this author and this book focused much on forgiveness and reliance on God’s presence with us. I would love to see Ada get her own story. Enjoyed this book!

[D'anah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story, reflects the era, I guess. In today's terms it tends to lack a sufficient development of emotions. It seems to go from negative to devotion seemingly fast. It has interesting aspects to the story that give it some depth. I like Edmunds repentance and change of focus. A clean read with a good ending.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story of a woman whose parents die and because she is not of age the next closest relative gets the privilege of providing for her. He is someone she's never heard of, a distant cousin, and he is out of the country so she is sent to his home where a young man and his sister reside.

The young man has made a very costly decision in backing a losing venture, now he is working hard to make things right - he doesn't need another mouth to feed or someone that needs taking care of. The sister on the other hand becomes her friend immediately, making this transition easier for her. Unfortunately the sister's other friend needs her badly and she leaves right away. Now she is left alone with an angry moody man.

Where the story goes is interesting. She doesn't change, she is always her sweet self trying to make a friend - but he is having none of it, until events begin to open his eyes...

This is a clean read.

[Linda Klager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harriet's parents died and she was forced to leave the family home. Then she received a letter from a distant relative that she was to move to an unknown home. Poor Harriet felt all alone.

Luckily, a young woman named Ada made Harriet feel very welcome. Ada's brother, Edmund, was not happy about this arrangement.

Edmund had invested in a speculation property and lost much of the family's inheritance. He pawned most of his family's possessions to recover what was lost. Little by little he was reclaiming these precious articles.

Edmund blamed himself and could not let go to trust God to help him. He was very suspicious of Harriet.

Ada was called away to take care of a dear friend. Edmund was at a loss of what to do.

Through it all, both Edmund and Harriet learned to trust God fully to have a great life together.

[Susan Sloan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps I’ve been away from Regency stories too long because the pacing felt slow to me. The author took the first five chapters to develop the two main characters before they meet each other. Such a strategy is more acceptable in certain genres, particularly historical romance, but it can take the reader a bit to adjust if they’re used to the plot moving quickly.

That may be why each of us is drawn more to one genre over others. Kiernan did a good job of eliciting empathy for the characters, which is what kept me engaged in the story.

[Fiona Manser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious! Quotables!

This love story was full of delicious quotables! The sort of sentences and sentiments that I will treasure as sustaining ideas for years to come! I loved that the twists in the story were lessons and somewhat predictable -as they did not come as jarring shock to the storyline. The happy ending is always my favourite thing about a good book. This was thus truly a good book!

[Vi Bakshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only book I’ve had the pleasure of reading by author Edwina Kiernan and I recommend the book and the author wholeheartedly. It is a clean faith based story that transcends all religions and I believe can be enjoyed regardless of the reader’s denomination. The book has a solid plot and characters that keep you enthralled in the story. It’s an emotional roller coaster that is anything but cookie cutter. It was a lovely book and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Kiernan.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The highs and lows Harriet endures tugged at my heartstrings. This story flows nicely from one scene to the next. It was like a dance between Harriet's love of life and Edmund's distain & distrust of others. I believe Harriet & I would have become friends were I her neighbor. I look forward to more books by Edwina Kiernan.

[BlueJeansAndTeacups · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novellas are always a bit rushed for my taste, but overall it was a good story. It had faith, drama, danger and romance. The continued feeling of rejection, grief, and displacement Harriet felt was palpable and at times painful to read.
I believe this was a free download that got buried in my TBR pile.
All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.

[Heidi Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Historical Christian fiction

This was a fantastic Historical Christian fiction series conclusion. The story was believable and the characters were heartwarming. I was able to read a copy of this book via Kindle, but it did not in any way affect my review. All opinions are my own.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Restoring Miss Hastings

I enjoyed this short story. The two main characters are fun to get to know. This is a quick delightful book...a few twists an turns.... but faith at its heart.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It drew me in right away. The story kept me reading to see how things turned out. It kept my interest with how the characters developed and related to each other. I won this book in a giveaway, but would have been happy to purchase a copy.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story tells of an orphaned young lady who ultimately finds her hea after she goes to temporary home to await her new guardian’s arrival back to England. I had a time getting through this one but it is a clean romance

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet book

Restoring Miss Hastings by Edwina Kiernan is a lovely Christian romance. It has some quite original plotting and kept my attention throughout. This is book three of a multi-author trilogy. I think I'm going to have to go back and read the first two.

[Sussie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great clean Christian historical romance. It is a perfect quick read. I liked the storyline and how it was fast paced. Well done, Edwina! I will definitely check out some other books by you. :)

[MaryEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The emotion level was pretty high through most of the story. Sorrow, confusion, outrage, and joy all made an appearance.
The characters were believable and engaging.

I enjoyed the story and the series.

[E.V. Sparrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read from this author. It nails the cultural and societal details, and also gives each of the main characters emotional depth. I always enjoy Regency Romance, and if you love that era this story will please you.

[Yamashitacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book especially the twists and turns of Silas who portrayed a dark side and his sister’s devilish ways. The mystery of what they did was intriguing. I had a hard time putting it down. A great read.

[Linda DuPont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I don’t usually like manipulative characters, I found the way this was written into the story was easy to swallow. My take away must be “All is well that ends well”. The Christian outlook was refreshing and uplifting.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, the time period and how different society was then.
At points I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next.
I would like to read more of Edwina Kiernan’s books, she is a new to me author.

[Linda Zaragoza-zrubek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a delightful book and enjoyed the story of Harriet and how she was left alone after the death of her parents. A very distant cousin comes to her recuse and the story begins about Harriet and her new life. A good read.

[Sunnymay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story with a twist at the end. This Regency romance has a way of tugging your heart while leaving a satisfying feeling of resolution at the end. The fashions, morals and customs of the ton are true in spirit and fact. I received this book for free and gave an honest opinion.

[Rebekah Carulli Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story of faith, forgiveness and redemption. Well written with an emphasis on God’s love and mercy. R. K. Hanson

[Kez Sharrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Christian romance, easy to read with all the warm feels.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story but a bit melodramatic. Maybe emphasizing the time period?

[Veniece · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasant read.

[Sam Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely end to the trilogy

[Compulsive Book Shopper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief Summary

Harriet Hastings, a character deeply grieving and displaced, is forced out of her only home to live with strangers. Edmund Derringer, on the other hand, is on a mission to restore his family legacy. As their paths cross, will Miss Hasting’s presence jeopardize his plans? Will Harriet’s grief cloud her perception of life?

 

Book Review
Kiernan crafted a slow-burn romance featuring artfully composed scenes. The author dedicated the necessary time to initially develop the characters, allowing readers to become familiar with them. Edmond’s distaste for Harriet is consistently evident throughout the book. His distaste made their romance for me hard to believe. I found myself questioning, “Was this intended to be an enemies-to-lovers trope?” While the enemies’ portion was well established, the transition to affection seemed somewhat abrupt. His attraction appeared unexpectedly, and his feelings would have been more credible had he been portrayed as struggling with his attraction from the very beginning. Initially, I perceived that he didn’t like her. This led me to contemplate whether their romance was intended to parallel that of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice." If that is the case, then his complex emotions towards her become more comprehensible. Overall, this work presents a cozy read for those seeking a brief escape from reality.

Restoring Miss Hastings by Edwina Kiernan receives a 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend this enjoyable read.