Set in Regency London this book is about a royal spy sent to uncover a plot against the King. He stays at an inn and there meets the daughter of the house. She is tough but kind. As the sole financial supporter of her family she makes choices that are questionable. Good book.

Great addition to the Bow Street Runners series - historic intrigue and romance at which Ms Griep excels. Full bodied suspense, unique characters, complexities, and relational contracts to keep the readers head spinning with efforts at solving perceived discrepancies,
A do not miss for your to be read shelf.

I was lucky enough to get an Arch of this book via Netgally.

I am very late with my review, I believe this is perfect for those who love "Regency Romance" books.
"The Innkeeper's Daughter" by Michelle Griep is set in England 1808, and we follow to characters Officer Alexander Moore and Johanna Langley.

Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue. . .until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm. Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, however, his mission has to be his first priority.

The writing of this book is very lovely and easy to read; her descriptions are vivid and help the reader envision the setting and the way the story takes place.

Overall, 4 stars

This was not one of my favorites. The time period was interesting, but I really could not get into this book for some reason. I don't really know why. The book was well written, but I guess it just was not one for me. I will give it the stars because it just was not for me. Try it, maybe you will like it.

Personal Rating: 4.43        Star Rating: 4/5 

Summary: Johanna is a young woman who struggles to keep her family's livelihood, the Blue Hedge Inn, afloat.  Her mom and little brother do all they can to help her, but the majority of the responsibility is heavy on her shoulders.  Opportunities for financial help present themselves but not without risks.  When a handsome man shows up at the Inn, Johanna faces moral dilemmas and a threat to her life.

My Thoughts: Michelle Griep's books are ones I anticipate reading. Her writing style is engaging and her characters keep me emotionally invested. The Innkeeper's Daughter was no exception to this.  I was worried about how Johanna and her family were going to survive their terrible situation. Johanna seemed strong enough, but some of her decisions kept her from being wise.  This lack of wisdom was aggravating, yet kept me intrigued as to why.  I adored her brother because he was determined and spoke his mind.  of all the character in this story, Alexander was the one I mulled over. I wasn't sure I liked him, but then Ms. Griep finally gave me what was needed - more of Alexander's backstory.  Backstories always make characters more interesting and this one delivered these satisfying tidbits.

The plot. Even though it was a little confusing at times, it did move quickly and everything eventually made sense. Some scenes were predictable and some were unexpected.  Ms. Griep, as usual, blended the two in a perfect way because I wasn't bored nor was I constantly on-the-edge-of-my-seat excited.  It's the perfect blend of a book when I want to mentally relax with a book and still be entertained.

Content: The Christian theme was evident in the life of Johanna's mother.  A simple message to trust God was well conveyed in the context of conversations and there was no moment when I felt the book preachy.  It was a very clean book, but there was some mistreatment against women and some fighting among the men.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing. opinions expressed are completely my own.)

My Reading Experience: I recently read The Captured Bride by the same author and was so enthralled with it that I couldn't wait to read another of Ms. Griep's books.  I received  The Innkeeper's Daughter before I researched it enough to see that it was the second book in The Bow Runner's Series.  I don't like reading books out of order and went into this one hesitantly.  In spite of that, I still very much enjoyed it and will pick up the first one, Brentwood's Ward, very soon.

Excellent dip back in time! This felt really historically accurate and the characters were very compelling, though the plot felt a bit loose at times. All in all, I would recommend this to any historical fiction lovers.

I was nicely surprised at the chance to read this book. The plot was well developed and the characters were unforgettable. So glad that NetGalley supplied a copy for me to review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I first downloaded the extended preview and then was delighted to download it in its entirety! Fascinating characters and wonderful plot twists abound in this novel. It was all I expected from the description, and more! I fell in love with the characters and had a difficult time putting the book down. I read it in just a couple of days and truly hated to see it end. Superb!

While set in a time and place that is not our own, the struggles and realities of living daily to trust god to provide is something we can all relate with the main characters of the story. We do not always understand the guidance and direction we receive from God and godly people, but when we are faithful, we can have confidence that god is with us and will see us through. The weaving in of spiritual truths was well done as the characters reflect on their own faith and beliefs.

The character development is strong, with diverse characters in multiple ways. The story moves at a good pace with twists and changes.

Wow, this book had me turning the pages! I fell in love with these characters, and wanted more! I don’t think I have ever heard of a bow street runner, and really enjoyed learning about them through this book. The writing was great, and the attention to detail had me transported back in time. So many twists and turns through out the book kept me guessing until the end. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

I'm a bit conflicted with this review.

The writing is beautiful. The author did a great job of describing the setting and characters in such a way that I felt I was there. I even found myself cringing my nose when the goal and smells were described!

The plot about the subterfuge was intriguing in the beginning. But somewhere it lost my interest and it was the mystery around Alex's father and Johanna's mother knowing him and her history with Ford which grabbed my attention again. The final 30% was again very exciting and had me turning pages. And there was a lot of plot twists I didn't see coming.

The message about Freedom from duties we place on ourselves, and how this can steal our happiness I loved.

The main reason why I'm only giving this 3 stars, is because I was bored for 50% of this story. I didn't really connect with the characters. Before I started this book I expected to like it, since I really liked the first book in this series, Brentwood's Ward. Mr Nutbrown was more irritating to me than funny/interesting and some choices made by Johanna and Alex left me frustrated. I also felt that there was a lot of smaller stories left unfinished, hopefully that means we will get another book in this series.

Will I read more from Michelle Griep? Yes, she has a beautiful way with words, describing things in a way that is refreshing and entertaining.

Another historical fiction. Set in early 1800's England, I liked this book. The characters are 'quirky' and likeable. The heroine, Johanna, is trying to hold her family's Inn together. Even though she has low self-esteem, she is feisty. The plot is full of intrigue and wit while uncovering a plot against the King. And, of course, let's not forget the romance angel between Johanna and Officer Alex Morton. Always adds to the tension of the story. At times, it was difficult keeping the characters and plot connected. Thanks, Net Galley, for the advanced read opportunity. 3.5 Stars

If Alex chooses to ask the mission he will have to uncover a plot against the crown in Dover, England in 1808. He has to stay in a rundown inn as part of his mission. Where little did he know he would fall in love with the inn keeper's daughter. Yet in order to win the confidence of the Viscount he proposes to his daughter Louisa. Can he figure out who the traitor is before he has to marry someone he doesn't love? Will loyalty to his mission cost him the women he loves.

Johanna has to find a way to keep the inn open and things just seem to keep happening to test her faith. She owes the rent and the hearth payment and no one seems to come to the inn. What does she have to do to be able to get the money she needs. Then she meets Alex and he makes her feel things she doesn't want to admit. Will Johanna be able to have faith that things will work out or will she take things into her own hands?

A historical love story with action and geared towards having faith and leaving things in the hands of god. I really enjoyed reading this book and I don't think it will disappoint romance readers.

Oh my goodness, I did like this book. I almost forgot it was supposed to be in the same series as 'Brentwood's Ward' which was published almost 3 years before. Though each title in the series can be considered a standalone title.

Anyhow, its a wonderful story with great characters, and a plot that is a lot more complicated than it seems. (Clue: its not actually about a plan to assassinate the King, as the synopsis says). At the heart of the novel is Johanna Langley, an Innkeeper's daughter who is struggling to keep her family's business, burdened by debt, afloat.
Desperate to attract more customers, she is glad when Alexander 'Morton', supposedly the son of a merchant from Sheffield arrives, but actually a lawman working undercover: but not so pleased about a band of traveling musicians.

Events and people converge on the small inn, and the city of Dover with a possible smuggling operation, the dealings of a local aristocrat whose attentions Alexander seeks. He has been told something more sinister then smuggling is going on.
In the course of the narrative, loyalties, love and faith are tested, and not always certain. The trustworthiness of almost every character gets thrown into doubt at some point, including members of Johanna's family.

Both Johanna and Alexander have a active faith, but she struggles to trust God in the midst of her family's trials, especially their monetary troubles, and wants to do what is natural, to solve things herself.
Alexander trusts implicitly, but also struggles with the contradictions of his life, and his self-identity following a tragedy in his childhood. The religious themes and matters of faith are dealt with very well in this story, without being too preachy and overbearing, and I found myself highlighting many such passages.

One though, I had a problem with: in the context of this novel it was fine, but the implications need to be considered.
At one point, Johanna's mother tells Alex that it can never be right to abandon that which you love to accept that you don't for the sake of duty.
OK, that's all well and good, but what happens, say that applies to a man who has a wife he does not love and a mistress he does? By that standard, he should abandon his wife and family, and leave with his lover.

Still I digress. With The Innkeeper's Daughter, Michelle Griep has written a tremendous novel, full of adventure, drama, intrigue and romance, and without some of the negative content which plagued its predecessor (a totally unnecessary rape scene right in the middle of Brentwood's Ward soured the flavour of that one for me).
Which is not so say the characters are perfect, far from it, they are realistically flawed and the novel does not shy away from the darker aspects of human nature and behaviour.

There were a few of the expected Americanisms, although most of those were in the narration, rather than the speech of the characters. I did wonder about Johanna's referring to her mother as 'Mam' as I always thought that was more of a Northern English term. Still there was little to jar readers from the narrative in any of the above.

Yet there is a hopeful tone to it overall. I heard there might be another novel in this series involving Alexander's mysterious, almost ghost-like (for his tendency to appear suddenly and without warning) colleague Thatcher. Generally, I'd recommend it to all fans of Regency with a hint of mystery.

The author kindly gave me a paperback edition, and I purchased the kindle edition on Amazon of my own volition. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

My Review
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction.


My Rating: 3 and ½ Stars because of violence.



Recommendation: 14 and up, because of how some characters act.


My favorite character/s: Johanna Langley is a strong character, I love how she takes care of the people who she cares about.
My Verse for Johanna is Psalm 4:1

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. King James Version.



Alexander Moore is an okay character, I love how he acts with Thomas and he gets better through the book.

My Verse for Alexander is Romans 13:13
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. King James Version.


My thoughts: I enjoy this book, Historical Fiction is one of my favorite Genres and this book does not disappoint.



Slight spoiler,
Warning Some men are rude and disrespectful to Johanna, and there is a bit of violence.





I received this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review and the thoughts are my own.

I became a fan of Michelle Griep quickly, about 25% of my way into the first book of hers that I read, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor. But I did kind of wonder if it was a one-hit wonder for me or if I would enjoy other books by this author. So when I was offered a complimentary ARC of The Innkeeper’s Daughter by her, I jumped at the chance!

Well, reading this second book of Mrs. Griep’s has confirmed it for me! I am a big fan! I can’t wait to read my next book of hers. She has this way of writing historical fiction that feels like classic literature, only it’s better. It doesn’t ever drag, and the characters are so relatable.

And her plots! This plot twisted and turned so many times, I had no clue how things were possibly going to work out! One of my favorite things about Mrs. Griep’s writing is how characters that seem very minor when you meet them end up becoming quite integral to the plot later. I’ve learned after two of her books never to pass quickly over a townsperson or acquaintance that seems to just be making a passing appearance in the story because you never know who will be important until they are. That’s actually a pretty good life lesson!

All in all, I loved this book! As mentioned, I loved the characters, the plot, and the unique settings, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the strong spiritual message of this book. I was challenged a number of times to search my heart and make sure I was really trusting God as I say I am. I highly recommend this book to any lovers of historical fiction; it is highly enjoyable!

The first thing I thought of when I read The Innkeeper’s Daughter was the Renaissance. The characters, the mannerism, the setting, all played out to be a good Renaissance style book. It contained mystery, intrigue and a bit of romance.
One of Michelle Griep’s strengths is she has a very descriptive writing style. This story was written from the viewpoint of two main characters- Alexander Moore and Johanna Langley. And each character provided a fun often conflicting tale. My first laugh was when I realized that my impressions of the Inn changed immensely viewing it thru Alexander’s eyes rather than Johanna’s. Through Joanna’s eyes, I saw a quaint and beautiful Inn. But through Alexander’s eyes, the reader finds out that the inn is dilapidated and far from five star.
The Innkeeper’s Daughter has a lot of other colorful characters and amusing scenes. The plot moved fairly slowly. But the character’s kept my interest and the pages turning. Throughout the book I highlighted words of wisdom that made it worth reading The Innkeeper’s Daughter. I received a copy of this book with no strings other than to provide an honest opinion.

Reviews posted on Amazon, CBD, Goodreads

Johanna felt responsible for her mother and brother's safety, security and happiness. She was determined to keep The Blue Hedge Inn from going under. She refused to think that all would be lost and they would land up in the workhouse. She would even put herself at risk to save them.

It wasn't until she met Officer Alexander Moore aka Alex Morton that Johanna felt she didn't have to carry the burden all alone.

This book is set in the early 1800's in England. The clincher for me to pick up this story was the location!

I loved It! There was espionage, hearts to be healed and a love story to unfold.

I received this free to review.

2.5 stars The Innkeeper's Daughter was okay but lacked the character development and emotional depth that I look for in a story. The book's action-packed plot moves along at a fast pace and has several different storylines which converge at the end.

The reader is introduced to Alex Moore AKA: Alex Morton, a lawman He is directed by the magistrate to go undercover as a wine merchant to figure out who the traitor is among a group of high ranked officials. He is ordered to stay at the Blue Hedge Inn which is run and owned by Johanna and her family. While staying at the inn, Alex becomes enamoured with Johanna and close to her family. However, with deception playing a big role in his life, Alex must figure out a way to fulfill his dangerous duty and be with the woman he loves, which seems an impossible task. You get the gist I'm sure...There are other secondary characters that weave in and out but the reader really doesn't know much about them except whether they are "good", "bad" or "to be determined."

One of the issues I had with this story was its predictability. The characters, the plot, the ending....there was nothing unique or earthshattering which made for a less absorbing read. Everything felt cliche, one dimensional and flat. With that said, I think readers looking for just an action-based, no thrills, plot driven story, they might get more from it than I did. The writing itself is good and the historical bits interesting. I just wish they had been better developed.

I really like Michelle Griep. Her books tend to be a bit more serious and heavy than I prefer, but she does it well and keeps me turning the page. I enjoyed reading about the intrigue in this book and the barriers that Johanna and Alexander had to cross as they developed their romance. A beautiful story.