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.

While I have enjoyed every other book I've read by Michelle Griep  I did not like this one at all. I found it very difficult to identify with the characters. The plot seemed almost non existent. I felt that the last 1/3 of the book  carried the story and the first 2/3 could have been deleted as it was very boring. It was a struggle to finish the book. In fact, I had to put it down twice for a few days and come back to it.  What I did like of the book was the last 1/3 of it. I really would have trouble recommending this book to a friend. And, yes, I would try another of this author's books.

“The Innkeeer’s Daughter” follows the story of Johanna, proprietor of the run-down Blue Hedge Inn, and Alex, an officer of the Bow Street Runners.  At first, I was confused by the nature of Alex’s position because I had never heard of the Bow Street Runners.  Cited as the first police force of London and a precursor to Scotland Yard, the Bow Street Runners revolutionized crime fighting in London.  Prior to their existence, citizens were expected to help catch criminals and take them to the parish constables and night watchmen.  The Bow Street Runners, led by Henry Fielding, would apprehend criminals and take them back to Bow Street to stand trial.  It’s under this backdrop that we meet Alex, a Bow Street Runner assigned the task to apprehend an unknown traitor who is feeding information about the English to the French.  Alex poses as an elite purveyor of fine wines as he works undercover to unearth the traitor.  During this time, he stays at the fledgling Blue Hedge Inn, which is under the management of Johanna, her mother, and her little brother, Alex.  Johanna is struggling to keep the inn afloat and has only weeks before her debt is recalled, leading her to a potential trip to the workhouse.  That is, until a she meets a handsome wine purveyor that will change her life forever…

I loved the developing love story between Alex and Johanna.  While it was apparent from the start that they would end up together, it was fun reading through the journey of how they got there.  With that being said, the plot got rather complex at times, and it was hard to sift through the vast cast of characters.   There were a lot of twists and turns in the story, and I can honestly say that I was left guessing who the traitor was until the very end.

“The Innkeeper’s Daughter” contained more action than I was anticipating, and I love how the author used the character of Mr. Nutbrown to both drive the action and provide comic relief.  The reader first encounters Mr. Nutbrown at the Blue Hedge Inn, where he is dodging Johanna so that he doesn’t have to pay his rent.  Mr. Nutbrown speaks exclusively through Nixie, a handmade puppet he wears everywhere and views as a real person.  Mr. Nutbrown and Nixie unwittingly become mixed up in the traitor’s plot, and I couldn’t help but view him (or them, rather) as endearing “bad guys.”

Overall, I enjoyed “The Innkeeper’s Daughter” and my introduction to The Bow Street Runners series.  While I would definitely read the next book in the series, it may not be one that I am so impatient to read that I run out and buy it on release day.  I give this book 3.5/5 stars.

I am disappointed to say that I struggled to connect with this book. I was intrigued by the description and looked forward to it, but unfortunately found it did not keep my attention.

Historically accurate but a bit difficult to relate to.  I personally found the pace to be fairly slow. This story is well written, however I couldn’t connect with the characters and that is a difficult hurdle for me to jump. It’s important to note that historical fiction is hit or miss for me.

This book seemed to very historically accurate.  It was a good story, although it was a bit slow for me.  I would have preferred more Christian elements intricately woven into the story.  Not my favorite book but it is a good book.

The Innkeeper Daughter

Description:
A London officer goes undercover to expose a plot against the Crown
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.
All 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? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother. 
Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.

My Thoughts:
I've know this author in her others books and I've really enjoyed her style. 
This gripping tale of mystery and intrigue comes complete with spies, undercover agents, traitors, danger, deception and a damsel in distress that finds her hero. That was a bit resumed, for sure, but there is much more! I really enjoyed this book. I like how this was write and the flow that you feel as the story progressed. Loved the twists and turns, the unexpected moments were good and intriguing. Over all a good solid book. I'll definitely recommend, it was really entertaining!
Happy Reading everyone!