This was such a fun quick read for me. I really enjoyed it. If you haven't picked it up you definitely should. The characters will have you falling in love in a matter of pages..

Title: Suitors and Sabotage
Author: Cindy Anstey
Genre: young adult, historical romance
Rating: 4.5/5

Shy Imogene Chively hated the Season, but she had a successful one, gaining a serious suitor, Ernest Steeple. Now the aspiring artist just wishes to get to know Ernest better before he proposes. When Ernest and his brother, Ben, arrive earlier than expected for their visit, Imogene finds herself in over her head.

While Imogene and Ernest get to know one another, charming Ben reveals his dark secret: he’s an architect apprentice who can’t draw. Fortunately, Imogene is an apt teacher, and the two work together as Ben learns to draw.

But a series of suspicious accidents lead them to believe that someone is out to get Ben. The only suspects are Imogene’s friends and family, so Ben, Ernest, Imogene, and her friend, Emily do their best to uncover who means Ben harm. Along the way, Imogene realizes she has feelings for the wrong brother—feelings that could break Ernest’s heart and alienate her from her demanding family.

Suitors and Sabotage was a fun, light read full of sassiness, humor, and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! It had the feel of Jane Austen mixed with a modern romcom, but the characters showed some surprising depths and the identity of the saboteur surprised me completely.

Cindy Anstey loves to travel and write books inspired by Jane Austen. Suitors and Sabotage is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Swoon Reads in exchange for an honest review.)

This book was great! I didn’t enjoy the last couple of books I read, so this was a great book to get me out of that rut.

I love Victorian novels, and this was a great twist on the traditional love story. Imogene is conflicted between two suitors. And even worse, the suitors are brothers! This would be too scandalous for Victorian times, but it made a great conflict for a contemporary story.

The story was very fast paced. It has mystery elements that keep the story moving. It appears that someone is trying to harm Ben’s reputation, which also would have been a scandalous storyline for the main character of a real Victorian novel.

This was a very exciting story. I loved it, and I highly recommend it!

I read Love, Lies, and Spies by Cindy Anstey and I liked it very much. I also liked this book too! Ms. Anstey really knows and understands the Regency world and its inhabitants.

Back during the regency period, comes a novel where love and mystery entangle to prepare you for Suitors and Sabotage. The love triangle aspect is turned up to a level 11 and you know how I feel about those. However, this one isn't a true love triangle since two of the characters are obviously falling for one another and not their "suited" counterparts.

We open to the year of 1817 where Imogene Chivey's family estate is being visited by her match, Ernest Steeple and his brother Benjamin. Her father immediately is taken with Ernest and believes the match will be prosperous while looking down upon Ernest's brother Benjamin. Benjamin has a high interest in architecture, though, and is hired by Imogene's father in order to restore a castle on the estate property. Benjamin has a secret, though, he lacks the ability to draw. Imogene jumps in and offers her help to teach him and their relationship takes flight from there.

Despite Ernest's efforts, Imogene slowly begins to turn her attention to his brother Benjamin. The chemistry between these two are subtle and not overpowering like many "insta-love" literary couples. The development in their relationship takes time and it's the PERFECT time. On the other hand, Imogene's best friend, Emily, is falling for Benjamin as well and Ernest with Imogene, respectively. It feels a bit complicated at times and I found myself having to pause for a few minutes in order to let the idea of it all sink in.

The mystery component of this novel is gradually added into the novel. Several incidents take place, causing problems to arise for Benjamin and capture Emily and Imogene's attention. The incidents are small and inconsequential but then they begin to escalate to where they could possibly kill someone. The reveal of the culprit needed a bit of work. I was surprised at the identity, but how they were caught is a whole other ballgame completely. It needed to be revealed in a different way, in my opinion.

I enjoyed this book. I positively enjoyed the awkward conversations and the dynamics the characters brought to the table. If you are looking for your next Regency-era YA read, I highly recommend you pick this one up!

‘In which a young lady finds her attention is drawn to her charming but rather serious suitor’s hotter younger brother.’

Apologies to Cindy Anstey for my rather poor attempt to emulate her humorous chapter headings that playfully evoke the era of Jane Austen. Some of my favourites include:
‘In which hands and fluff are subjects of a deep discussion.’
‘In which the words “dreadful” and “secret” are bandied about.’
‘In which a question about the question is questioned.’

Imogene (with curious ‘e’ on the end) finds herself in a quandary. She admires kind, charming, bookish Ernest, who lives up to his name in being serious and (whisper) at times perhaps a little dull. As she confides to her best friend, Emily, ‘I never feel my heart race when our eyes meet.’ However, she knows her mother and father would strongly approve if she was to accept an offer of marriage from Ernest.

Imogene finds herself more and more attracted to Ernest’s younger brother, Ben, a much more lively character, very easy on the eye and someone who shares Imogene’s interest in architecture and art, even if he’s no match for her on the sketching front. Ben’s need to improve his drawing skills in order to progress in his architecture apprenticeship provides the pretext for him and Imogene to spend time together for some one-to-one tuition.

Imogene forces herself to fight against the attraction, especially once it appears it may test the bonds of friendship. ‘Ernest had so many stellar qualities that Imogene had made a list of them...a list she repeated every time her traitorous thoughts veered toward Ben.’

Events take a darker turn when what start out as mischievous pranks progress to sabotage and acts that may endanger life or limb. Uncovering the culprit provides a gentle secondary story line to the brotherly rivalry for Imogene’s affections.

I really enjoyed Cindy Anstey’s previous novel, Duels & Deception, and in this book again she provides insights into the social proprieties of the time. For example, the contrast between ‘town manners’ and ‘country manners’, with the latter involving relatively more informality, much earlier hours of rising (except for those ladies who keep ‘town hours’ and rise late) and outdoor pursuits such as walks and picnics.

Suitors and Sabotage was a lovely light read with some nice little touches of humour. For example, I liked that the author has Emily remark, ’The wonderful aspect of books is that they wait for you...and are not in the least insulted if you deviated for a bit.’ How true! Also, I loved the little in-joke as Emily comments, ‘I’m not at ease with the idea that someone under this roof has some sort of sinister intent. That is something that happens only in novels, not in reality.’

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley, publishers Swoon Reads and Giselle at Xpresso Book Tours in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Review and more can be found at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ **
"Might I have the return of my hands, Ben?"
Ben looked down to see that Imogen's hands were encased in his. He rather liked the way they fit together; then he realized that he had been holding them overlong.
"Oh, yes, indeed. Are these yours?" He let go with a laugh that sounded a little forced even to his ears.
"Since birth."

What a situation we have here! We have serious Ernest who has an intense crush on quiet Imogen, wanting to court her; Shy Imogen who feels nothing for Ernest but is attracted to his younger brother Ben; Charming, flirty Ben who only wanted to help his brother get the girl but then finds himself also falling for the same girl; and bold Emily, Imogen's best friend practically sister, who is instantly infatuated with Ben and thinks he feels the same way. Can you say complicated? Why yes, yes indeed my good chap!

The story is dual narrated by Imogen and Ben as they navigate themselves through their romantic feelings, their current situation and the mystery to solve. I really enjoyed them both, liking their quirks and personalities and loving what their interactions brought out in each other. I hate to say this, but I really did like Ernest. Sure, Ben is more charming, outgoing and personable, but Ernest was so real, genuine, and sweet- but maybe he was too much like Imogen and she needed someone to challenge her and bring her out of her shell instead of someone also quiet who make no demands.

Let's take just a minute to fully appreciate the wonderful friendship between Emily and Imogen. Here we have two girls who are developing feelings for the same guy, yet both want to be good friends and support the other in any situation. There was no cat-fighting or throwing the other under the bus, just two girl who would do anything for the other regardless of them not getting their way. Now, this, this is what we need more of in YA. Also, Emily's parents, the Beeswangers were pretty much amazing people (and that is all you get out of me- read the book, you will not be able to argue).
​
“Are you?”
Ben stared again— no longer sure if Imogene was being enigmatic or if he was having a problem thinking. His brain seemed to have lost its train of thought. “Am I what?”
Imogene laughed. “Greatly interested?”
Ben stared at pretty Miss Imogene Chively in her soft blue dress that accented her lovely blue eyes and agreed readily.
“Most definitely,” he said, no longer sure of the topic.
“Very interested.”

I really find myself enjoying historical romances with the proper rules, etiquette, societal expectations, costuming, courting procedures- it is always such a fun time reading these types of stories and I love that now there are YA versions (you know, the same but without the heaving bosoms and such). I found this to be a cute story heavy on the romance and light on the mystery with engaging characters that I felt like I really ended up knowing. I enjoyed Ms. Anstey's fun writing style so much so that I have already picked up her previous book Duels and Deceptions to jump into next (technically this is her third book, but I am like 95% sure they are all standalones and can be enjoyed independently- this one most certainly can!).

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance, complimentary copy of this book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Almost exactly two years ago, I reviewed Anstey's debut, Love, Lies and Spies . I really enjoyed that one, and I hoped for the same sort of experience with Suitors and Sabotage. Alas, I will admit I didn't get as stuck in to this as the debut, but that's not to say it wasn't a good book!

The relationships in this were intentionally all over the place. Imogene, the very shy heroine, attracted the attention of Ernest during her first season in London. Returning to the countryside, she resumes her favourite activities: drawing and painting. Ernest, a quiet reading sort, comes to visit for a week so he may get to know her better, bringing along his younger brother Ben, an architect's apprentice and very charming indeed. And let's just add in Imogene's flirtatious friend, too, Emily. Amongst these four, there is some weird love square funny business going on. It made me a little bit uncomfortable to read because I didn't know how it would end well (though real-life relationships are messy, too). Someone in their review on Goodreads said it was like A Midsummer Night's Dream, which I think is a fair comparison. But ultimately, it was clear in terms of disposition and complementing interests that, while Ernest was a nice enough suitor, Ben was ultimately the Steeple brother for Imogene.

Three things kept this from being as good as Love, Lies and Spies for me. First, there was a bit of a mystery involved in the story, but it wasn't written smoothly enough to keep the reader intrigued while also giving them some ideas of what was going on. We readers like to guess along the way! It seemed as though someone was trying to get Ben in trouble, but the events seemed largely random with no clear culprit. And then no punishment! Second, the book seemed to be drawn out a bit too long. I understand wanting to tone down the heat and make it realistic, but at the end of the day, Imogene and Ben are young people, and I would have liked a bit more heat (even in just the form of lingering eyes and touches) and a bit sooner. Finally, I have no freaking clue what any of the buildings look like, as the descriptions were written in technical/flowery language and were so long and convoluted that I honestly didn't have the patience to try to piece together in my head.

I rather enjoyed the chapter titles, which were done in a Friends-like form. They gave a hint at what to expect without giving too much away, just enough to tease out some anticipation. For example, chapter 7's title: "In which a question about the question is questioned." That being said, I think I was hoping for more comedy in the story, as some of the chapter titles lent themselves well to humour. Then again, Imogene is so sedate, so calm and shy, that maybe a comedy wouldn't have suited her character.

One thing I can say for all of Anstey's books is that her covers are consistently lovely, and each in their own way. I like the intricacies in this one, and how the text has been fit in amongst the curling lines and pictures. They're all like little pieces of art. Another thing I've noted of the two books I've read so far is that Anstey adds a touch of feminism to her historical stories. For example, neither Ben nor Imogene had traditionally respected career aspirations, but they supported each other's dreams completely, and Ben never considered Imogene's art to be a silly hobby (like her parents did). Plus, Imogene wanted to marry for love and not just because her parents said so.

Anyway, if you are a historical romance wanting to dabble in YA (which will naturally be on the sweeter side), or a YA fan wanting to try historical romance without going full steam ahead (haha), I would certainly recommend Cindy Anstey's light reads!

I really enjoyed Suitors and Sabotage! There is a unique style in Cindy's books that reminds you strongly of Pride and Prejudice"! All the English form and attitude, the shy heroine who at the same time wants more for herself and even the small funny moments between the scenes.

The romance is sweet and adorable between Ben and Imogene! Like a teenage historical movie, you expect to happen and can't help but root for! If the fluffy, historical romance is your trope then the whole stand-alone books are here for you!

I love the idea of young adult regency romance, however the actual romance of this book fell a little short. While I am happy it wasn't insta-love, the main characters didn't *really* develop their feelings for each other until over halfway into the book. The ending was super cute though and the "mystery" aspect kept things interesting.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Suitors and Sabotage is fun and flirtatious. It’s an endearing and cheeky story set in the regency period. For lovers of historical fiction romances, this one is for you.

I thought this one was really cute. It had an elegant writing style and was very engaging. It reminded me of reading Pride and Prejudice.

As a historical fiction, in one of my favorite time periods, it was very atmospheric and really captured my heart. It had all the fun and frivolity of what I enjoy reading in “high society”. There was the overbearing family, pressing courting and marriage, there were the “proper” ladies worrying about fashion and propriety, and there were the dashing, chivalrous men, out to capture a lady’s heart. Though the story could have used a little more excitement, it was sweet, just like the romance.

The romance was a little on the “insta-love” side, but still took a little time to develop and was adorable. It was definitely predictable, and obviously ended happily, but it sweetly fit in the time period. It reminded me a little of Alex & Eliza.

I do wish I had connected with the characters a little more. They were interesting to read, and very enjoyable, but I didn’t get invested in their lives. I was happy for the ending, but was never too worried about the outcome.

The plot itself was a little slow. It definitely had some unpredictable moments, and the “villain” reveal was a surprise, but it wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped. This isn’t to say it was bad, because it was still very pleasant to read, it just wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be. I would still recommend this one to anyone who enjoys sweet romances, historical fiction, and the regency period. 3.5 stars!

Thank you Xpresso book tours for providing me with this free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review, and as part of the blog tour.

This was a cute and fun story. While I’m normally not a big fan of love triangles, I enjoyed this one. The author was great at describing the surroundings and it made me wish I could be there in the 1800s. To start everything off I loved the chapter titles and the humor this book. The writing style was pleasant. The only thing that bugged me was the switch of POV. It wasn’t smooth for me, but it could just also be the format of my ARC. Besides the love triangle, I loved the mystery element. A lot of unpleasant things were happening and it was fun trying to figure who the culprit was. It kept me guessing and I didn’t figure out who it was before the big reveal. This is only my second historical fiction and this one left me wanting more. Hopefully we will eventually get books about some of the other characters like Emily and Ernest.

Actual rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

"Love was a gift, a compliment. It might not be reciprocated…"

Imogene Chively’s suitor Ernest Steeple arrived at the Gracebridge Manor a little too early with his brother Ben Steeple. She was expected to say yes whenever Ernest asked her hand in marriage, especially her father. However, it turned out that Ben has caught Imogene’s eyes even more than it should be because Mr. Chively had always Ernest’s company instead of spending it together with Imogene to know each other really well, with a little time for both of them.

Studying architecture as a first-year apprentice in Canterbury and granted with the summer off, Ben could not really draw and didn’t know how to render his own designs. He realized that what he needed all along was having the right teacher. With Imogene’s impeccable talent, Ben knew she was the one he was looking for.

As they’ve spent more time together with heated glances and a furtive kiss behind a parasol, their feelings grew even they didn’t want to. With a series of incidents, rather than an accident and what started out as tomfoolery, became desperate and threatening, it was a mystery as to who and why someone like to harm Ben. Was it because of an insatiable need for mischief or was it done out of delusion cause by sorrow? Probably someone who got a secret jealousy that no one knew has coming.

At the beginning of the story, I thought that there has a love triangle of some sort (thankfully there’s none) and it got complicated when Emily, Imogene’s best friend thought that she was in love with Ben too. Ernest wanting to know Imogene better before the imminent marriage, Imogene who felt something for Ben rather than her original suitor, Ben who denied his feelings for Imogene because he didn’t want to betray his brother and so he flirted with Emily who meant that there was something more between them — the dynamic within these characters were undeniable. I really enjoyed each time they were all in the same room together because it always felt like the long awaited secret would finally revealed.

While insta-love existed and was twisted into a slow-burned romance where Ben and Imogene’s relationship developed into something more, I couldn’t say that it worked well for me the way I wanted it when the pacing was sometimes tedious and uneventful. All I know is that, the chemistry between Imogen and Ben was just perfect, swoony, and dreamy.

As I went along and all these mishaps were keep coming with an air of mystery which I didn’t realized until after Emily and Imogene were trying to figure out the true culprit behind, the story got me on spiral.

The “sabotage” aspect came to me by surprise though there were moments in the story that made me think it was all about Ben because he inadvertently came between Imogene and Ernest, and the real shift was he’s actually the one being sabotage.

What I love most was how the story ended with the realization of Imogene becoming an exemplary character who have dreams of her own. What seem to be a disaster was only just a minor setback in the fulfillment of her becoming an art teacher and setting up a studio or art academy. Even if her father would not agree, she knew that what she has was never been a pipe dream but something tangible if only she believed in herself.

I also like Imogene and Emily’s friendship because even if it was problematic or they were not entirely honest to each other, they acknowledge it in the end. They didn’t let one man to come between their relationship as friends but instead became even more supportive with each other.

Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey is a fun and delightful read with Regency-filled setting and a Jane Austen vibe into it. I would still recommend this book as I am looking forward to read more books from the same author like Carols and Chaos, which will be a spin off to Matt and Kate’s story to be release later this year.

***Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillian Children’s Publishing Group – Swoon Reads, Xpresso Book Tours and Cindy Anstey for providing me an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Review being posted on 4/19/18
3.5/almost four stars

Imogen is a young woman whose parents can't wait for her to get married and continue on with the family name. Having said that though they got about it in a very strange way at times, and aren't supportive at all of what Imogen wants. In fact, they are determined for her to marry a young man named Ernest who they think will be perfect for each other. Imogene, on the other hand, could care less. But now she has to court him, and hopefully marry him. The only way she can make it through all of this is with some help of her best friend and her favorite hobby.

Overall this book was okay/enjoyable at times for me. It sadly fell a little flat for me. I thought it was going to be YA historical fiction mystery. Instead, it was more focused on the romance part, and less on the mystery sadly. This was fully my fault for expecting certain things about this book.

Having said that I did like the friendship between Imogen and Emily. They don't have a lot of things in common when it comes to hobbies, but Emily and her family are very supportive of what Imogene wants to do and I loved that. Emily's family was the best and I loved them so much.

As for Ben and Ernest his brother, I was so afraid this was going to go into a really awkward love triangle and it almost did, but thankfully certain things happened that stopped that. I loved the banter between the two brothers, and how they were both very different, and not competitive!

Even with this book not being what I expected it was so close to being a four-star book. It could have been as well if more of the mystery had been talked about. I did figure out who was doing it as well before the end and while I got why it was just kind of meh.

Also please tell me Emily's getting her own novel, because I would love to learn more about her!

When Imogene has a good season in London, her family deems it best for the most suitable gentleman to join them over the summer. She is eager to get to know her suitor better as a proposal is bound to come, that is until she meets his younger brother. As Imogene and Ben spend more time together, they do their best to fight off their growing feelings. However, it seems that someone amongst them seems to be plotting against Ben as many incidents happen that when put together just couldn’t be accidents.

The Story
How does Cindy Anstey do this? When I read her books I am reminded how much I just adore regency novels. All the proper manners and indirect speech. I love it. It gives more for the heart to yearn for.

So I docked a star solely for the fact that the book seemed to lag just a little bit in the middle. As Imogene and Ben got closer a lot of time was spent with them ignoring their feelings and just pushing it aside.Unfortunately for me I didn’t become really attached until Ben and Imogene were so wound up that they began to have a disagreement. Really it’s not the part where they are falling for each other, its the part where they just can’t be together that I find so riveting.

The fact that there was actually a 4-way love triangle at first seemed like such a terrible idea, but it turned out to work so perfectly. It made the growing tension more…intense. I just loved how much their affection grew as their denial was forced more and more. The complication of their feelings for each other affected so much more than just their own shyness or situation, it affected a brother and a best friend.

The underlying mystery of who was trying to subtly attack Ben definitely added substance to a story that could have just been about a real awkward situation between best friends and brothers.

The World Building
I loved the description of the homes and the ruins in this one! I absolutely adore old architecture, so the fact that our characters visited more than just one home over the course of the book, but also old castle just made my heart happy. I would just love to jump into this book and lounge about on a picnic while learning to sketch.

The Characters
One of the best part of this book was that you were subtly thrown into the mystery of who was trying to hurt Ben. With that being said we were introduced to a plethora of characters that could have had reason to hurt him. While I guessed it about half way, I still wasn’t entirely sure. I am not going to really discuss all the characters because I don’t want to give anything away. However, I could say I adore Imogene. It was so hard to read about her forcing herself to try to admire Earnest while watching her friend flirt with the man she was actually interested in. I loved that neither girl ended up being ridiculously catty about the men. They were both just sweet, tender hearted women.

This book wasn't quite what I expected, and I think that is majorly why I ended up not really liking it (and why it took me 3 months to finish it). I knew things might get a little messy because it is a book about a girl (Imogene) who is set to marry a guy (Ernest) but ends up falling for his brother instead (Ben), but what I didn't know going into it was that there was also a fourth person added into this mix (Imogene's friend Emily). I could have enjoyed this more had it not been a love square that created a huge mess, not to mention a lack of communication that complicates things more. The other thing that fell flat for me was the whole mystery part of the book. I just wasn't interested in it, and I didn't feel like it did as much for the story as it was supposed to.
While I ended up not being a huge fan, I can see why other people do and might enjoy this, and I would recommended it for people who enjoyed A Midsummer's Night Dream, or The Importance of Being Ernest.

Three families, linked by the childhood friendship of the mothers, have made it their practice to spend their summers together by hosting various "house parties" at each of their estates in Kent. This summer, one of the three has died over the winter months, but the tradition continues. There is the Chively family including daughter Imogene and son Percy plus a St John's water dog, Jasper. The kindly Beeswanger's have a daughter Emily along with younger daughters (Hardly) Harriet and Pauline. The third family, minus "Aunt Clara" consists of Mr. Tabard and his son Jake.

Emily and Imogene have just experienced their first "season" with The Ton. This summer, potential beau Ernest Steeple has been invited to join the party, bringing along his younger brother Benjamin. The steadfast Ernest has been taken with the quiet charm of the shy Imogene who's headstrong father would like nothing better than to see his daughter wed to this eligible young suitor. However, it's the charismatic Ben who makes an impression with his attentions to all the women, grabbed onto by a hopeful Emily who fancies herself in love. Imogene, by contrast, needs time to be sure that Ernest is the one for her. While she enjoys his company, she's not sure if that quite qualifies as a love match.

Ernest's goal is to ascertain if he can get Imogene to say yes to a marriage proposal. Ben, an apprentice architect, has a different sort of problem, he cannot draw a straight line. Normally this would not be an issue, but when building structures it is necessary to be able to accurately complete sketches. Imogene has the talent he lacks and her art work is full of the outdoors including the numerous ruins which are scattered throughout the countryside. Noting that Imogene is giving art lessons to Harriet, Ben confesses his need for her expertise as an instructor to help him hone his currently nonexistent skills. She happily agrees to be of assistance and the foursome spend the summer days whiling away the hours enjoying country life. Unfortunately, "accidents" keep occurring, each one becoming more dire. Somehow Ben seems to be the target of these continuing mishaps and since nobody could be that clumsy, sabotage is suspected. Yet who and why is someone trying to injure this young man? Answers need to be found and decisions made which will effect the future for everyone concerned.

While the premise for Suitors and Saboteurs by Cindy Anstey sounds promising the delivery left a lot to be desired. The mundane details (full of unnecessary minutia which doesn't advance the plot) along with the stilted boring dialogue made reading this Regency Romance an interminable act of tedium, despite the occasional delivery of a few clever conversations thrown into the mix. About 100 pages too long, Anstey should have focused on the mystery eliminating irrelevant, nonessential points and needless repetition which bogged down the storyline. Please don't compare this one to works by Jane Austen - not even close and an insult to a beloved author. We don't want the intended audience of young adults who read this book to think that this is the best the genre has to offer.

A generous three stars and a thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read:

https://ellenk59.wordpress.com/2018/04/16/suitors-and-saboteurs-by-cindy-anstey/

3.5

Following a successful season, shy Imogene Chively is looking forward to summering with her family and her good friend Emily and her family as is tradition. Imogene's father invites Ernest Steeple and his brother Ben as part of hopefully securing a marriage between Imogene and Ernest. While Imogene definitely wants to get to know Ernest better and doesn't want to disappoint her father, she's more immediately taken with Ben. They both share a love of art and architecture. Ben even goes so far as to ask Imogene's assistance in teaching him how to draw. The problem is, Imogene's friend Emily seems to also have her eye on Ben, and at times it appears Ben has his eye on Emily as well. Plus, of course, the problem that Imogene is supposed to be courting the idea of marrying Ernest, not Ben.

All this is secondary, however, to the fact that it seems as though someone means harm to befall the Steeple brothers, particularly Ben, as a series of "accidents" keep occurring around him. As Imogene and Ben work to keep their feelings for one another a secret, they'll have to figure out who means Ben harm as what starts out as silly pranks, becomes ever more dangerous and deadly.

I've enjoyed Cindy Anstey's previous books and for the most part I really enjoyed Suitors and Sabotage. I loved the setting. The idea of these families spending summer season together and travelling between each of their respective houses. It was just a very idyllic.

I loved the friendship between Imogene and Emily. They are truly more like sisters and I felt for Imogene when she discovers that Emily fancies Ben as well. The internal conflict that Imogene suffers is completely understandable and as Imogene's undeniable feelings for Ben continue to grow, you do feel a sense of isolation as Imogene essentially loses her only confidante.

It's the same for Ben and Ernest. You understand that these are brothers who are extremely close. They are only a year apart in age so they grew up alongside one another. Ben tries his hardest not to come between Imogene and Ernest. But whereas Imogene closes herself off more and more as the story goes, Ben tries to make up for his feelings by heaping too much attention on Emily thereby giving her the wrong impression. There were quite a few times that I didn't find him as charming as I think we were supposed to.

And this brings us to my biggest problem with the book: I wasn't really invested in Imogene and Ben's romance. I'm not sure if it's because it started out too complicated; A love quadrangle, or some such. Or if it's Ben's overcompensation in trying to prove to everyone that he is most definitely not in love with Imogene. It's not even that I preferred Ernest to Ben. I didn't really think one way or another about Ernest, unfortunately.

I did love that part of Imogene's conflict is tied up in the fact that she desperately wants to be an art teacher which is something her father can't even fathom. He insists that his daughter uphold traditional female roles. I loved that Imogene doesn't want to think about giving up her dream, and by the end we see her taking steps to make her dreams come to fruition despite the choice she made in suitors. I would have loved more focus placed on this aspect of Imogene's story with the romance maybe being a side plot.

I will say that the "sabotage" portion of the story carried me through to the end. Cindy Anstey certainly kept me on my toes and revising my theories again and again about who was behind all the "accidents".

Regardless of my feelings about the romance, the friendships, setting, and mystery were standouts, and I will still read everything Cindy Anstey writes. So I was super excited when I stumbled upon this little gem: Carols and Chaos. Apparently this will follow Emily's lady's maid Kate and Ben's valet Matt. Now here is a romance I'm excited to see play out on the page!

SUITORS AND SABOTAGE takes the reader back to the Jane Austen times of courting. Ernest Steeple finds himself drawn towards Imogene's shy nature and manages to see beyond it. When he and his brother Ben visit Imogene's residence, Imogene finds her eyes pulled to one of the boys, but it isn't the one she's supposed to be attracted to.

When Imogene is with Ben, she feels comfortable instead of timid. She and Ben also have a lot in common, like their love for architecture and art. Ben is impressed by Imogene's realistic drawings and asks if she will teach him. The more time they spend together, the more confused each of them becomes at their growing affections. When accidents start happening to Ben, Imogene can't help but to believe that they were intentional and is determined to find out who is the culprit.

I love the old-timey feeling that SUITORS AND SABOTAGE brings. There is an air of mystery as well as Imogene tries to uncover who has it out for Ben. I felt bad for Ben who kept getting attacked even though he has such a good character. I love the innocence of their innocence that's in their interactions. It's sweet and perfect.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of old fashioned courting, romance, and Jane Austen.

I've come to realize that I really enjoy historical fiction whether it has magic or not.

Question that I don't have an answer to: was this story inspired by the play, The Importance of Being Ernest ????

We follow a story of a group of four - essentially a very messy love square while also realizing one of them may be in serious danger of getting hurt in a purposeful accident.

I LOVED all of the characters in this story. Cindy Anstey did an amazing job creating characters that made it hard to know how you wanted this very messy love square to end up. I loved every second of this story. Adding the setting of the 1800s added such an amazing, wistful experience with all the discussion of outfits and locations.