Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Novella Review: Marrying Mr. English by Katy Regnery

Marrying Mr. English by Katy Regnery
(The English Brothers #7)
Part 1: out on November 17, 2015
Part 2: December 18, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Contains: strong language, married sex
Source: eARC for Honest review

You’ve all met the children and Eleanora and Tom English…but how exactly did down-on-her luck waitress, Eleanora Watters, meet trust fund hottie, Tom English?

You won’t want to miss this Christmas novel in two parts (each a complete novella – the first is a “Happily for now” ending and the second is a “Happily ever after” ending) that tells the story of how Eleanora met Tom, while he was visiting Vail in the 1980s.

The first novella, Marrying Mr. English, Part 1, will be included in the 12 Christmas Stories to Melt Your Heart anthology, which will feature twelve brand-new books and the proceeds of which will benefit The Autism Society of America.

PART 1 (4 STARS):
My review is just for Part One of 'Marrying Mr. English.' But let me tell you, I can't wait to get my hands on Part Two. Seriously, Tom and Eleanora are fabulous. If you've read any of the English Brothers series, or just simply read the title to this novella, you know Tom and Eleanora marry. So we go into this story with a blatant spoiler. But despite knowing the outcome, I was still fully engaged in the story, the conflict, and the circumstances. Just because I know the ending, doesn't mean I know the middle. And I loved reading the sweet, sweet story of Tom and Ellie's beginnings. The down-on-her-luck waitress and the trust fund cutie give us quite the show, but in true Regnery fashion, the love bug strikes, and strikes hard. And I loved seeing them work through their personal journey to get where they got in the end (but there's still more to come, so I'm anxious to see what new road blocks come their way before their HEA).

I also loved the setting of the story, 1981, with the hair styles and fashion choices. Very fun. Plus, getting a glimpse into how their sons' names came about. Super fun. Beyond that, simply seeing Tom and Ellie's personalities gave me insight into where their children's personalities came from, and I loved that. So this was a special bonus to Regnery fans. But anyone new to this series should get an idea how great the rest of the series is. With parents like Tom and Eleanora, it's no wonder I love the English brothers. Can't wait for Part 2!!

PART 2 (5 STARS):
This is where the story just got better and better. I loved Tom and Eleanora's meet-up. The uniqueness of their circumstances and choices was engaging and endearing. But now they're broke. The grand plans of inheritance lost. Reality has settled in, leaving them like the rest of us regular people, needing a job, a place to live, and in Tom's case, lessons on how the rest of the world makes ends meet. And I loved it! I loved watching how beautifully Tom and Eleanora handled their change in situation. They were humble, hopeful, and steadfast. And definitely in love.

Tom was amazing because he was so humble. This guy came from everything, yet the depth of love in his heart for this woman allowed him to leave his pride at his family's estate and do what needed to be done for his new job and his marriage. Even the moments when his ideals of being the sole breadwinner were challenged, he tried to fight it but still was able to see when he was wrong and take the humble approach. And of course, his pure, passionate, unrelenting, unadulterated love for Eleanora shone brilliantly, leaving no doubt that he made the right decision.

Eleanora was brilliant. Unlike Tom, she was born and bred in humble circumstances, so adjusting to life with him was not as severe. But what I loved about her was how gentle she was with Tom in her example, but also how bold she was when the situation called for it. She knew how to stand up for herself, and she knew how to stand up for her marriage, even if she was simply standing up to her husband. There were a couple scenes where I wanted to give a "You go girl!" for Eleanora. She rocked! And, of course, she loved her husband deeply, selflessly, and with absolute devotion.

Simply said, I loved Tom and Eleanora English's love story. Learning their past, and then seeing their present with their kids, was a beautiful thing. It's no wonder their love has stood the test of time for 35 years, and will continue to do so. Just thinking about them puts a big smile on my face.

PART 1:
Included in the 12 Christmas Romances To Melt Your Heart collection:

PART 2:

About The English Brothers series:

*All books in The English Brothers series are approximately 200 pages. The RWA classifies this as "Mid-length Contemporary Romance."

THE ENGLISH BROTHERS

Breaking Up with Barrett, The English Brothers, Book #1
My Review --  Amazon  -- Goodreads

Falling for Fitz, The English Brothers, Book #2
My Review -- Amazon -- Goodreads

Anyone but Alex, The English Brothers, Book #3
My Review  --  Amazon  --  Goodreads

Seduced by Stratton, The English Brothers, Book #4
My Review -- Amazon --  Goodreads

Wild about Weston, The English Brothers, Book #5
My Review -- Amazon --  Goodreads 

Kiss Me Kate, The English Brothers, Book #6
My Review ~ Amazon  ~  Goodreads 

Katy Regnery, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract for a winter romance entitled By Proxy.

Now a hybrid author who publishes both independently and traditionally, Katy claims authorship of the six-book Heart of Montana series, the six-book English Brothers series, and a Kindle Worlds novella entitled "Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Date," in addition to the standalone novels, Playing for Love at Deep Haven and Amazon bestseller, The Vixen and the Vet.

The Vixen and the Vet is included in the charity anthology Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After, and Katy's novella "Frosted" will appear in the upcoming (Jan '15) anthology, Snowy Days Steamy Nights. Additionally, Katy's short story, "The Long Way Home" will appear in the first RWA anthology (Feb '15), Premiere.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

Find Katy Regnery Online


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