I had a hard time rating this book. While I do think that Jane Ashford is a skilled writer, A Lord Apart just didn’t do much for me.

On the positive side…there is some witty banter to be found in this book and a few comical moments too. Jane Ashford’s sentences are super smart and well constructed with a nice ebb and flow. She has a superb command of language and it’s well executed. She also incorporates some interesting history which I always welcome.

But…There wasn’t a lot happening in this book. Not in the present, anyway. A Lord Apart is heavy on dialogue without very much action. Now, this would be fine if all the talking was advancing the plot and moving things along but that wasn’t always the case here. I just kept waiting for something to happen.

My biggest issue though was that I didn’t sense any chemistry between this couple. If you like your love scenes to be …descriptive…you won’t find that in A Lord Apart. Love scenes in this book are few a far between and not at all explicit. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you prefer your romance more sweet than sexy, you might totally love this book. Personally I need a lot more heat than I found here. It doesn’t have to be mega-raging-dirty-graphic sex every time for me…but I definitely need to know what everyone’s body parts look like and who’s doing what with which…*awkward*

I would definitely try another from Jane Ashford. She’s a good writer. Maybe this book just didn’t hit for me. A Lord Apart releases on March 26, 2019. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

Daniel Frith, Viscount Whitfield, is still coming to terms with his parents' recent death. When Daniel learns the Rose Cottage, one of his parents' properties was left to a complete stranger, he is baffled. Thus begins Daniel's fascination with his new neighbor, the owner of Rose Cottage, Penelope Pendleton.

Penelope leaps at the chance to help Daniel straighten up his important papers. While they are going through them, maybe they can discover why the cottage was given to her. Unfortunately, the more time Penelope spends with Daniel, the more she is in danger of losing her heart to him. What will he think of her when he learns why she has moved so suddenly to Rose Cottage?

There are two books in Jane Ashford's THE WAY TO A LORD'S HEART series, BRAVE NEW EARL and A LORD APART. There is a little story circling around each hero. They have all loved and lost and a certain peer is helping them along the way to find love. It is an interesting concept, especially since the matchmaker (he can loosely be called that, in my opinion since he mostly just happens to be around when these guys find love), is an older man. Still, each story is entertaining in it's own way. A LORD APART is about Daniel and Penelope, two strangers who unknowingly share a connection. Forces bring them together and from then on, it seems they're meant to be together.

A sweet romantic historical, with a bit of intrigue. This is the second book in The Way to a Lord's Heart series.
Daniel Frith, aka Viscount Whitfield has a mystery on his hands. Who has his father willed the Rose Cottage to...and why?
The fact Penelope Pendleton was willed the Rose Cottage was a blessing in the hell her life had become, At no fault of her own. She'd like to know why, but she has no clue.
Searching for answers together, they not only find them... but also trouble. It's followed Penelope here and they now have to find a way to end her persecution.
Ms. Ashford's descriptions and characters make for a very enjoyable read.
I was granted an ARC from NetGalley to peruse and loved this tale.

I think Daniel gets quite shocked with his girl's boldness, the nan doesn't know what to do, “did you like it?” she asked. Daniel groped for words. One didn’t speak to young ladies about such matters. It wasn’t done. They would be scandalized and offended." I liked this book, I liked Daniel. It was an enjoyable read.

This historical romance was a nice and quick read. I liked how detailed it was. Though the characters were a bit flat and the romance lacked chemistry.

I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Quite an interesting history lesson, but not much of a romance

Jane Ashford writes delightful historical romances. A Lord Apart is book two in The Way to a Lord's Heart series. Perfect for fans of regency that also expect novels with plenty of plot, wit and character.