A great conclusion to this series! Full of adventure and family drama this novel will keep you turning the pages until the very end.

This is a wonderful story that will immediately swept me to London in the late 1800's. This is the first book I've read by this author, but not the last. She brought the characters to life for me with her vivid descriptions and by conveying their raw emotions realistically. Her characters are strong, complex and well developed. The plot is a mix of faith, mystery, romance, and forgiveness, but it's also so much more.
Cara Bernay has a heart of gold. She has good intentions, but one misstep has her plagued with guilt and shame. As the story opens she is the nanny of a very active toddler, but when the child is put in danger by her actions her position is terminated. She has no place to turn except to her older sisters, which is not something she's excited about. Her father's disappearance and loss of her mother at a young age plus her time spent in an orphanage has shaped her into a woman of great compassion. Cara's arrival in London is met with many challenges, but she puts her best foot forward towards a future that opens up to her. I truly liked and admired this character.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves history, romance, or just a good clean read.
*I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hmm. While I highly enjoyed "The Artful Match" I did not love that there was so much focus on the possibility that a child was born out of wedlock. The romance was sweet, the reunion was wonderful, and I loved the main characters' relationship with the ward.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical romance that contained threads of family brokeness restored, secrets brought to light, and healing of the deepest hurts. The characters were warm and compelling. The setting and details rich and vibrant. Now I must go back and read the sisters' stories.

An Artful Match was an interesting conclusion to the series. In some ways, I might say I enjoyed it more than the previous two books.
Maybe its just that I preferred Cora to her other sister in the second book. She seemed more human and a little less sanctimonious and perfect, and her faith seemed more - real. More relatable perhaps is the better word.

Maybe it was that the story didn't seem as cliched or forced as some parts of the other two. Its kind of odd for the final novel in the trilogy to be a favourite, but I think that was the case here since it just seemed to be the strongest. Even if some of the situations and some of Cora's actions were a little implausible considering the period.

I enjoyed other elements of the story as well, such as the rakish younger brother Langham who comes good. There was always something likable about him, underneath apparently Bohemian lifestyle. Maybe its just I root for the lovable rogue? There were also some interesting tidbits about late Victorian art scene, the Industrial Revolution, and even the interest in dinosaurs burgeoning at the time.

My only complaints were the Americanisms, which were made all the more prominent with the preseence of minor American characters who comment on the differences between American and British society in the late Victorian age. Yet they don't remark on upper class British characters dining in the American manner with only forks, or using Americanisms like 'candy' and 'in the fall'.

I would recommend for lovers of historical fiction, and those who wish to finish this series. Also recommended because its a little less cliched and more unusual than a lot of Historical Romances of this type.

Thanks to Bethany House and Netgalley for my ARC copy. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Last in the London Beginnings series, The Artful Match can stand alone. It is a delightful tale that follows Cara Bernay in her search for work and a home for survival while she pursues her gift of art. Cara has recently lost her job as a Nanny due to her brief lapse in judgement which put a child in harm's way. She has decided not to pursue being a child's Governess ever again; however, when she meets Langham Burke an aspiring artist with issues of his own, she finds herself on her way to his country estate under the protection of his brother Henry Burke the Earl of Marstowe. Henry is burdened with the debt of their estate and the precocious child whom everyone believes is his and he knows to be Langham's.

Cara is drawn into helping with the child against her better judgement but she has a gift with children. She is also drawn to Henry and feels he reciprocates the feelings until a visiting family with a marriageble aged daughter come to visit and Cara is relegated to servant status.

The misunderstandings and mysteries escalate to a near tragic ending. This book is well worth your time and earns 5 stars. Thanks to Bethany House Publisher's for allowing me to read this book throug Netgalley. The views expressed are my own opinion.

A wonderful ending to this series!!
I have to admit I like Cara. She's a lot like I used to be and still am in many ways and does not fit in anywhere.
I love Jennifer's writing style!!
I love secrets!! But only the good ones!!
I love the mystery that she weaves into her stories along with the historical aspect of it.
I learned a lot from her books. This is why I love historical fiction!!
Some of the places I even went to look up and wow I do want to visit someday! Jennifer is at her best here!! Her characters are easy to make friends with and you gotta love them as well!!
I also love the fact that she included the characters from her previous books too!
There wasn't one thing that I could find fault with! This is a book that will keep you entertained for a few hours at least.
Henry is a good man. I enjoyed getting to know him.
My thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book
No compensations were received and all opinions are my own!!

If you have not read the other books in this series, I’d suggest that you do so before you read this one. It will help you understand Cara’s relationship with her sisters and the circumstances in which she finds herself in this story. That being said, I enjoyed reading about Cara’s misadventures in this story, She really is a sweet, caring, innocent, free-spirited young woman. I loved her romance with Henry. Her sweet attitude towards life has a major impact on this family . It’s a great ending to this good series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

London. Victorian Era. Art. Romance...What an absolutely charming conclusion to the London Beginnings Series. I have genuinely loved getting to know the Bernay sisters. What a power packed bunch. Learning along the way, making some mistakes, falling down and getting back up again, there is so much we can take away from this story.

Cara is on a journey to discover who she is. She is determined to prove herself worthy and will go to any lengths to do so. Her passion for art is inspiring. And the Earl of Morestowe....yes, please! Kind, caring, protective, and determined. I love his personality and his love for Cara. But his brother....oh man, did HE take us on a ride. But I loved the ending!

A fun, beautiful story filled with beautiful artistic descriptions and quite the artful match. This whole series is one for the keeper shelf for sure!

I received a complimentary copy of An Artful Match from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Artful Match
by Jennifer Delamere
Bethany House

Bethany House Publishers

Christian

Pub Date 02 Apr 2019


I am reviewing a copy of The Artful Match through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:



After a near tragedy cost her job in 1881 London, Cara Bernay Who never really fit in befriends a carefree artist. Cara begins to develop her artistic talent, but she dooms finds herself at odds with the carefree artist!


Henry Burke, the Earl of Morestowe is feeling the weight of growing financial burdens. There is only one person that can save his family, that is his younger brother so he needs him back home. Despite some misgivings about Cara’s background Henry can see she is a positive influence on his younger brother and in Henry’s young ward so he strikes a deal with her so they will return to the estate.


The Burke Family has their own secrets though and when Cara is drawn closer to Henry and stumbles onto the truth she must decide between following her heart and pursuing a bold plan that can bring disaster!


If you are looking for a good, clean, Christian historical book to read, I recommend The Artful Match!


Five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This is the third part of the London Beginnings series, but functions well as a stand alone.

This is a sweet romance, but is light on the story and character development. Good for a light read.

This is book three in the the London Beginnings series, However I would say it is a stand alone book, since it is the first in the series I have read and had no problem keeping up. I would say I probably missed some history in the Bernay sisters, but not enough to be confused, probably just enough to miss a few things.

Cara Bernay is a beautiful, artistic girl who feels she has never fit in or lived up to her sisters expectations. When a near tragic experience sends her home she must learn what it is she is destined to be.

Henry and Langham Burke are polar opposites, even though they are brothers and probably have more in common than they think. When Langham befriends Cara they never expect what all is in store for them. Henry is suffering from a broken heart and to many responsibilities, so Cara is not anything he expected.

This book is full of mystery, surprises, romance and more. If you enjoy reading historical romance books you will enjoy this one.

A disgraced governess, with dreams of being an artist, meets the brother of an English earl and it’s clear that her life will never be the same.

Cara Bernay is pulled into an world of paints and modeling when she meets Langham Burke, the brother of the Earl of Morestowe. When the Earl, Henry, comes to bring his wayward brother home, Cara is brought along as a guest to help with Henry’s unruly ward, Amelia. Cara has a way with children, and soon Henry can’t help noticing her kind and graceful nature. And after a kiss, Cara can’t help but imagine her life as the countess of Morestowe. However, the battle for love is on as they face a potential match for Henry with an American heiress, financial debts, and Cara’s past catching up to her.

The Artful Match by Jennifer Delamere is a peek into the lives of Victorian era artists as they painted and lived in this dynamic time. The events of the story flowed nicely and I enjoyed seeing the character’s change and grow into loving each other. I did feel that I was watching at a distance and not really living the story with the characters. However, I didn’t want to stop reading, especially near the end, to make sure that everything turned out all right for everyone.

I really enjoyed the character of Amelia, Henry’s ward. She added so much in the way of fun, wonder, and excitement to the story. The artists in the London scenes with Langham were fascinating and made me want to visit their studios and watch them paint. And of course, I couldn’t help but enjoy Cara. She was a delightful character and it was exciting to watch her journey unfold.

All-in-all, an enjoyable book and now that I’ve read book three, I should go back and read the first two! :)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I LOVED Jennifer Delamere's Love's Grace series...they're romantic re-reads for me, for sure!

I've had a little more of a struggle getting into this newer series. It was a little harder to connect with these characters. But I've still enjoyed them, including this final one in the series! She does a fantastic job with storyworld, making me feel like I'm right with the characters in London. The history is great, too.

This is the first book I’ve read by Jennifer Delaware and I found it was a struggle to get through.
The story opens with a prologue that absolutely made no sense whatsoever to me, and it seemed to have such a key role that by the time I reached the end of the novel, it became a minute detail in the grand scheme of things. There was a big disconnect with it and the gist of Cara’s story, and likely would have worked better threaded throughout the ending as a narrative or dialogue between Cara Bernay’s family.
Once the reader was taken to Cara’s story, I sludged through the first half of the book (and read 3 or 4 other books completely before picking this one back up). The first half just wasn’t compelling to me. Cara’s character was kind but naïve and the family she worked for were unrealistic in the way they conducted themselves toward her. Nonetheless, it was her dismissal as a governess that sets the stage for the rest of her story.
Cara wants to be a painter and when she meets Langham, the second son of an earl, he introduces her to the way of the bohemian artists of Victorian England and encourages her to pursue her dreams. With the introduction of Langham, Cara’s life takes an unexpected turn. Straddling the worlds of aristocracy and bohemian artists alike, she is faced with a mistake of her past, and must overcome the obstacles of class, among other things, to ensure her future.
The pace of the story picks up at the mid-way point, which helped propel me to the finish line.
It’s the third book in the trilogy, so likely the reason for the lengthy prologue. Lots of backstory is sprinkled throughout the pages so one doesn’t need to read the rest of the books to understand Cara’s story.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Many books have been written that are set in Victorian England so one might think that a new book set in this time period wouldn’t be much different than all the others. However, in The Artful Match, the third book in the London Beginnings series, Jennifer Delamere writes about artists and the Aesthetic Art movement in Victorian England, which was very interesting to read about. I really enjoyed learning more about art during this time, through the main character, Cara Bernay. Cara was such a delightful character since she was so very trusting, optimistic, and caring. She is also naive and a little absent minded due to daydreaming at times, but one can’t help loving her anyway. Another aspect of the book I enjoyed was the perspective (even if it was fictional) of someone who had grown up in George Mueller’s orphanage. It was a very good reminder to me to trust God to take care of my needs.

I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction set in Victorian England, sweet romances, and art history.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I hadn't liked Cara much in her sisters books, always seeming flitty and flighty. Turns out I really didn't know her, just like her sisters didn't really know her, and I loved getting to learn her better.

Henry is a great match for her. His brother... had me worried. He had that personality that leaned on the edge of dangerous, especially with beautiful, naive Cara following in his wake. This might be a spoiler but you can rest easy and know that nothing bad happens between Henry's brother and Cara.

Henry was gorgeous and adorable and practically perfect. He does have an animosity towards his brother due to a misunderstanding between them. It added to the story, though slightly frustrating.

I loved Cara's character development. She found herself in the book, being lost as to her purpose in life. Her story was fun to read and a great conclusion to this series.

In this, the third book of the London Beginnings series, we are given youngest sister Cara Bernay’s story. To recap, the three sisters due to unfortunate circumstances were raised in George Mueller’s orphanage. As with the other two sisters, Clara is also interested in a career path that is unusual for a woman of her time. She is an artist but she has been supporting herself as a governess. After an unfortunate situation, Clara is let go from her position and so she travels to London to meet up with her sister Julia, only to discover that unbeknownst to her or (her older sister later), Julia her middle sister has eloped.

So here dear Cara finds herself in a predicament. She does not have much money to feed herself or for a place to stay. What I really liked about her character was that she really didn’t seem to worry. When faced with a problem especially with her circumstances, she was very practical. She was somewhat a dreamer, but due to her upbringing she was a well-grounded individual.

In regards to her upbringing, she was even practical about that. She did not give up hope that her father was still alive and she was certainly a realist when it came to her memories of the orphanage. They had just enough. Nothing fancy, only what they needed, and even though Cara may have liked more, she was thankful for the kindness of George Mueller’s orphanage.

Cara comes to London and meets a young talented artist that has problems of his own, one of them his older brother Henry Burke, the Earl of Morestowe. Henry is a rule follower and carries the weight of his family name and responsibilities on his shoulders. He is a great hero and I really enjoyed these two opposites, Cara and Henry, grow in fondness for each other. Also there are many secrets on both sides that need to be brought into the light. Theirs was a story that kept me turning those pages.

This was a delightful read and I am so glad that loose ends since the beginning have been tied up and I highly recommend this whole series and even reading more about George Mueller if not familiar with him. Every time I read his story I am amazed at the providence of God.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to publish a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

The Artful Match is the third installment from Jennifer Delamere's London Beginnings. I have enjoyed the previous books in the series and this one is no different. A reader will be taken on quite an adventure with this one. Henry and Cara are characters I am glad I got to know.
I give The Artful Match four and a half stars. I recommend it for readers who love well written, inspiring and clean historical fiction.
A great read that should not be missed!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, this review is my personal opinion.

I had such a great time with this series, I have my own copy of the first two books. I just loved this book, finally is Cara turn. At the beginning of the story, Cara is working as a governess, she already has four years in this house. Sadly one day in one outing she falls to sleep and Roby got lost and he got really sick, and almost die. So, she makes a promise to God about don't work ever again with children.

While she is in London, she meets Langham. A young man, who likes art and help her to find a place to stay for a while. Since she decide to pursue a career in art. She is angry with Rosalyn and Julia, for a misunderstanding. So for her is a new fresh start. On the other hand, we have Henry Burke, the Earl of Morestowe, eldest brother of Langham. He has been looking for investor in order to help the family legacy that has been reduced due to financial problems.

What I like the most of this book is how well Jennifer Delamere describe the scene and the use of elements of art. Cara has been feeling guilty for the situation on his previous work, and Henry needs to move on from the past. Both topic a think we can all relate. Also, I like the fact their forgiveness and a second chance to write a new story. We have the answers to what happened to the father of the Barnay sisters, but must of all, in my opinion, this book gives the series a beautiful ending.

If you like a good Christian historical fiction book, fullied with faith, romance, family and a lovely end. This book a wonderful choice!