She was here to discuss wallpapers, carpets and the such, not unravel the mysteries of Nicholas Blackstone's character.
Synopsis
Daughter of a wealthy upholsterer, Jo Metzger defies societal norms to pursue her dream of becoming an independent interior designer. The lack of good connections, as well as being a woman of German heritage makes it increasingly difficult for Jo to achieve what no woman has ever dared to do before. She is determined to push through, even when she is faced with an impossible task: in order to earn a mentorship with a prestigious member of The Society of Arts, she must transform the manor of a member of high society.
Enter Nicholas Blackstone, the dashing yet aloof son of a baron and the reluctant new master of Granborough Park. Jo finds herself at the Park, a pawn in her parents' intricate plans to secure advantageous marriages for their daughters. While the Park is the breakthrough Jo needs—a golden ticket to her independence—it also introduces a complication she hadn't anticipated: a growing attraction to Nicholas.
Granborough Park, like Nicholas himself, has seen better days. Haunted by a recent family tragedy and the weight of his responsibilities, Nicholas is far from the ideal suitor. As Nicholas grapples with the need to secure a marriage of convenience to save his family from financial ruin, and Jo fervently focuses on her work against the ticking clock of her deadline, their worlds collide, igniting an undeniable attraction.
As the restoration of the manor progresses, so does their unspoken connection. Despite their different social status and the impossibility of their budding romance, the attraction between them grows to such extent that neither of them can deny it any longer. What began as a clear path to her dream now risks leading her astray. Faced with the ultimate dilemma, Jo must decide if her pursuit of a career-defining opportunity is worth the risk of losing her heart.
Thoughts & Feelings
I love when authors flip the script on us. When they offer us something completely unexpected. Evelin Lazci did an incredible job flipping historical romance stereotypes on their heads, and it made for some wonderfully comical moments.
One thing that I absolutely loved about The Rose of Granborough Park was our leading lady's family. The Metzger's are based off of Evelin's great-grandmother's family (so cute!) and I absolutely loved them. I love seeing a loving and tight-knit family in novels. I loved seeing Jo and Gigi's relationship. They are completely different but are so loving and supporting of one another. It was fun to watch the Metzger parents interact with each of the sisters and the different ways that they show their love and support for them.
My hands down favorite moment was the disastrous waltz. When a couple is about to waltz in a novel I immediately expect that a romantic Pride and Prejudice moment is coming. You know what I'm talking about. Their hands touch and their eyes meet and the rest of the world disappears for the entire dance. Evelin completely flipped this moment on it's head and I could NOT stop laughing. I may have read the entire scene a few times because it was so good! Ya'll the waltz was nothing short of a hot mess. Nicholas and Jo barely spoke with one another, he seemed like he didn't know the steps of the waltz, and they were spinning so quickly that Jo was getting motion sick! YOU GUYS! I had all of the feelings including secondhand embarrassment for Jo. My reader heart was torn between wanting this horrid moment to end and wanting it to last a bit longer because I could not stop giggling. It might just go down as one of my favorite ballroom scenes of all time.
We cannot talk about this book without mentioning that Evelin has included not one, not two, but THREE love stories in this novel! I won't say much because I refuse to spoil anything and trust me this one is pretty fantastic. All I will say is that if Evelin ever wants to write the exact same story from the other two love story perspectives I am all here for it. I will be the first in line to preorder. My heart is almost desperate to know all the little love story details that occur "behind the scenes" of the main plot in The Rose of Granborough Park. Based on what we do see, these stories must be breathtaking and perhaps a little heart wrenching. But hey, we're used to crying for fictional characters right?
Book Information
Title: The Rose of Granborough Park
Series: The Blackstones, #1
Author: Evelin Laczi
Book Tags
Language
farmer swears (6)
takes the Lord's name in vain (3)
Steam Level
clean, kissing
Content & Trigger Warnings
death of parents and other family members: The Blackstone parents, and Uncle, have recently passed away in a carriage accident.
The Blackstones Series
The Rose of Granborough Park
A Respectable Rake - releases October 17, 2024
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