Romancing Daphne

This book was cute yet totally predictable. I still enjoyed it.

Ok, so I’m a incurable romantic and cry while reading and viewing movies. I found myself pulling for the characters to overcome conceptions of themselves and open up their hearts to the great possibilities of a strong marriage. I tend to read for long periods and this book finished all to soon, not because it is to short but because I was so involved in the story and emotions of a courtship and didn’t want to leave.

what a wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed this it, and would recommend it to anyone.

Opening line:
"Daphne Lancaster stood hidden in the shadows of her brother-in-law's terrace, spying on Society's first introduction to a young lady of unparalleled beauty."

Poor Daphne! She is overshadowed by her beauty sisters; placed in the corner and ignored. She feels this is justified as she had been told many times how plain she is. A chance encounter with a kind young man gives her hope that she isn't forgotten, and she falls in love.

James Tilburn was the young man who called the young girl Little Sparrow and stole her heart, unbeknownst to him, of course. Six years later they chance to meet again. But it turns out to be more than chance and the lies and manipulation could ruin James and Daphne's hope at love forever.

Sarah Eden does a superb job at giving her readers character they come to love as one of their own family members. The plot moves along nicely as we move deeper into the story and intrigue that is keeping the couple (or couples) apart.

I really liked Daphne. I enjoyed watching her overcome her shyness and become a stronger person. I liked James too but I really wanted him to man up and tell Daphne the truth! I do have a confession...I ADORE the Duke of Kielder!

Oh, I love this story! It's wonderful to visit the Lancasters again, delightful to spend time with the Dangerous Duke, sweetly charming to view the blossoming love of individuals meant to be together, and heartening to enjoy the subtle wit. Of all the lovely things to enjoy about this book the best is how tenderly, yet intricately accurate is the characterization of Daphne. The complexity of the shy, fearful woman she is, how she came to be that summation, and then trying to unravel the equation is enumerated without error. Sarah M. Eden is simply an amazing author.

This is an excellent read, as expected for any of Sarah Eden's novels. I absolutely loved reading more about the Lancaster family in this sister novel to the many English sisters named after Greek Myth characters. This is the story of Daphne Lancaster, the timid, quiet sister who has so much more going on her beautiful mind than others suspect. Her character is one of contrasts from the expected or perceived and the reality and James Tilburn's character is the same, although in a very different point of conflict. There are definitely villains in this book, very well written and easy to dislike, which makes it all the more enjoyable to root for Daphne and James! One of my favorite things about Eden's writing style is the wit and charm that she effortlessly weaves into a compelling romantic tale that is wholesome and clean. I laughed out loud in several places as I read and read every second I could grab to reach the satisfying conclusion. I love happy endings!

There is nothing quite like the anticipation of a new Sarah Eden book. I usually get books well before I will be reading them so they sit there, taunting me with the awesome I know is inside but can't have just yet. But when I finally get to pick it up? It's like Christmas!

Sarah Eden will always be a must read, go-to author for me. I love her books. She has such a gentle way of weaving a story together. Her characters are flawed, with insecurities and mistakes which make them human and so very endearing. This book is no exception to that. It was exactly what I've come to expect from Sarah Eden and I was simply in love with Daphne and James.

It was so good to see characters from previous books. It adds to that feeling of coming home. This is the third book in this particular series but you don't need to read the previous books to enjoy this one. It would just add to your connection of secondary characters- mainly Daphne's sister and brother in law.

I loved this book. It was perfect.

Content: clean

I have loved every one of Sarah Eden's books and this one is no different. I was delighted to read more about the Duke of Kielder and the Lancaster family. After thoroughly enjoying both Seeking Persephone and Courting Miss Lancaster, I was thrilled to read about Daphne, the third Lancaster sister. In fact, I found myself relating to Daphne more than I did her two sisters, much as I liked them. Daphne is supremely shy, and self-conscious. Growing up after her mother's death and being shunted aside by her father, Daphne has spent most of her life moving quietly in the background. But after a brief encounter with James Tilburn at her sister's coming out ball, she decides that if she could meet someone like him she might like to marry someday. But she doesn't expect to run into James again, when she does she's uncertain of his interest but longs to develop the relationship further. Slowly as they get to know each other Daphne starts to bloom into the flower she was always meant to be. But an unfortunate piece of news sends Daphne running back into hiding and its up to James and the rest of her family to rescue her from herself. Full of sweet encounters as well as amusing ones (these usually involve the Duke of Kielder, who tolerates almost no one, or Artemis, the youngest Lancaster sister, who can't keep her opinions to herself to save her life), Romancing Daphne is a wonderful book and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Through no fault of her own, Daphne doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere. She feels like an outcast even in her family, as she's more reserved and not as blond and pretty as the rest of them. When a childhood crush, James, comes knocking at her door, her dreams for her future grow. I absolutely adore James! Although he's manipulated into a situation that he really doesn't want to be a part of, his sense of duty and loyalty take over and he does what must be done. He is a true gentleman and unknowingly builds up a broken heart. The outcome is unexpected and tugged at my heart, especially watching Daphne's confidence grow when she focuses on her strengths.

I love this family! I enjoyed seeing more of "The Dangerous Duke," Adam, in this story and love the way his gruff exterior gives way to a very sweet and caring man--at least where his family is concerned. The banter between characters and the nuances of each different relationship completely captivated me. There's a vile villain, dashing heroes, adorable heroines, and more in this delightful Regency romance.

Content: mild romance

*I received a copy through the publisher, which did not influence my thoughts in any way. All opinions are my own.*

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to read and review Sarah M. Eden's books. She is an amazing author! Her writing is excellent, and she creates such lovable characters. She's an author I've always been able to count on for good, clean, touching stories. The story in Romancing Daphne met and exceeded all of my expectations.

My first impression of a book is usually the cover (unless it's an eBook). Sadly, I didn't like the cover for Romancing Daphne, and something about the title rubbed me the wrong way (although it is a very good fit for the story). I'm only throwing those tidbits out there because if you have similar feelings and consider not reading this book, you are making a big mistake! I loved the story!

Romancing Daphne sucked me right in. The introduction of both Daphne and James told so much, and was the beginning of me neglecting everything else while I spent the day reading this beautiful story.

Daphne lost her mother at a young age, and subsequently lost her father in most ways as he succumbed to his grief. She was constantly overlooked, and when she was mentioned by people it was about how plain she was. She lost her eldest brother to war, and he was the one who'd really made an effort to reach out to her. She was used to blending in, and until she was able to move into her sister's house, she really didn't have anyone to discuss her interests with. The friendship she formed with her brother-in-law was heartwarming, but even that didn't completely remove the feeling of being unwanted. Reading about Daphne's struggles was very emotional.

James was also in a difficult situation, although not nearly as tragic. His father was basically a horrible person that forced James to do things by threatening other family members. I can't imagine being in a situation like that, and I loved seeing James take the high road, even at great personal cost to himself.

If you've read Sarah's other books, you're probably familiar with the Duke of Kielder. I loved the side that we got to see of him in Romancing Daphne.

I'm looking forward to reading this again, and highly recommend it.

LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. this book!!!
Daphne will capture your heart-- she is shy and tender and has developed a unique talent. And just wait until you read about James-- have you ever had to live in someone else's shadow??? Such GREAT writing! I adored how this story came about and the twists in the plot that were cleverly written!

It was also fun to read about Adam and Persephone again :)
You can find their story in Seeking Persephone-- But you can read this book without having to read that book first, although I highly recommend you get both books as they are FABULOUS!!!

Sarah M. Eden's books are FUN! FANTASTIC! FAVORITES!

This Regency romance has Persephone’s younger sister, Daphne, as the main heroine. She is shy and has felt overlooked all her life. Her father didn’t want her. Her siblings tolerate her, but she is invisible to them it seems. As her sister and brother-in-law, the dastardly duke, prepare to have her ‘come out’ in society to find a husband, Daphne is mortified and wishes to remain single the rest of her life rather than face society, knowing they think of her only as the plain sister to be pitied. But when James Tilburn seeks an audience with her, and then returns later to take her for a ride, she believes he might really see her…and possibly come to love her.

I really liked this story. Daphne is such a fragile, vulnerable heroine. Not your typical strong-willed, free-spirited heroine who can slay dragons. She’s a damsel in distress at first glance. But her inner strength shines through the more you get to know her. That’s the problem. No one has ever really stayed around long enough to get to know who Daphne really is. And so she has guarded her heart inside a fortress to keep from being hurt. To see her blossom and bloom is a treasure in this story. Her growth is so beautiful and poignant…and heart-tugging. Eden always writes deep, complicated characters, and I loved how both the hero and heroine have to struggle and wade though deep waters—almost drowning—to figure out their hearts and how to win each other’s as well. I highly recommend this one.

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book! I loved everything about it, the plot, the characters, the setting. So, so amazing!

First off, this book is not specifically about the Dastardly Duke, Adam, but he's in here enough to be so fun! I found some new quotes that are my favorites from him. For example, "If you overturn your carriage with her in it, I will shoot you dead. Dead." Or "...If I hear you have hurt her in any way, I will personally cut your liver out with a spoon, instruct my chef to prepare it with onions, and I will enjoy eating it immensely. And then I will kill you." Oh my goodness, Adam made me laugh! And I loved the care he takes for Persephone's family.

But this book is not specifically about him. It's about Daphne. And I really liked her as well. I liked her personality, she is quite and shy and overlooked. But she has a ready wit and she is much like Adam in the way she talks sometimes. I liked the way she is fiercely loyal to her family. And she doesn't seem like the simpering girls that I do not enjoy in Regency novels, she has substance. She is such a great character.

Then there's James. I liked the true him. He is a true gentleman through and through. He is kind of in a rough situation with the way his dad insists he court Daphne, but he tries his hardest and he is super selfless, through the whole book. And he doesn't give in to Adam or show his fear, that would be rough! He goes out of his way to protect Daphne and make sure she is all right after everything has happened.

This is such a great book! I love the way Sarah M Eden writes her Regency Romances, I never want to put them down. They aren't dry and boring, like some can be. They are perfect!

Oh, what a sweet and heartrending story! I loved Daphne from the first page, and while her story began a bit slowly, the foundation of building the characters served the later part of the story well since I felt able to connect to their emotions when the plot steadily picked up speed. The dynamics of both James and Daphne's families play a huge role in the plot, from James' meddling upward-climbing father to Daphne's overprotective brother-in-law, the Duke of Kielder (who also brings much of the humor). Trust and forgiveness are important themes that are explored as the relationship that Daphne and James built is threatened by secrets. I loved their friendship and innate goodness that made them a perfect match, and although James could be a bit frustrating, it was nice to see him utilize his backbone in the end and fight for his true desires. A wonderful romance and addition to the Lancaster Family series!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)