"The Artful Match " is written by Jennifer Delamere. It is a historical fiction book with romance as well. It takes place in 1881 in London. Cara Bernay lost her job and met an artist who encourages her to also become an artist. the book is well researched and showed the history of art at that time. She enjoyed the life of an artist but struggled to get along with Henry Burke who is The Earl of Morestowe and her friend's brother. Henry is concerned about the finances in the family and his brother's spending. Henry has a ward as a child. She is unruly and difficult. Cara ended up doing handling the child really well and Henry is impressed. Henry is also impressed with how well Cara does with his brother who He also finds difficult. There are many secrets in Henry's family. What will become of Cara and her future? What will happen with Henry? Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this wonderful historical fiction book. It is well written. I am under no obligation to give a positive review.

I loved this third book in the London Beginnings series. I think that Cara was my favorite sister. It was interesting to learn about the artists of this time period. I liked how Cara dealt with both Henry and his younger brother, Langham. This is a very interesting time period. I also love how everything from all the books in the series are tied up in this book. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

(4.5 stars) An unexpectedly charming & thoroughly engaging read

One of the joys in the life of compulsive readers like myself is finding a new author to add to our list of favorites. I was not familiar with Jennifer Delamere, but after reading her newest story, "The Artful Match", I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is the concluding volume of a 3 book series called "London Beginnings. It's set in the Victorian era and follows the lives of 3 sisters, with this particular installment centering on the youngest discovering the developing London art scene.

It’s almost a background detail, but the girls grew up in George Muller's orphanage and we get to see the beautiful influence his spirituality of trusting God had on their lives.

Cara is a wonderful character - she’s intelligent, though impulsive and a bit naive. She has a gift for keeping positive but isn’t an annoying Pollyanna about it. I think what impressed me most about her character was how she never shrank back or ran away, even when she seriously messed up, but owned up to her mistakes, accepted the consequences & tried to atone in whatever way she could.

My heart broke for her - we all make mistakes (anyone who’s lost a child in a store, for example, can assuredly relate), but our mistakes aren't usually life-threatening, & forgiveness in the face of tragedy or near tragedy is certainly pretty challenging. The Needenham’s are wrong, to some extent, but there are few who would blame them.

I loved this line by the author: "God was abundant in mercy, but people’s forgiveness was often harder to obtain." So true.

Stalwart Henry is the one I empathize with the most - he is trying so hard to take care of everybody (often more than he should) & they are content to let him carry them. He’s constantly stuck dealing with challenging situations in which there will be someone unhappy with him no matter what he does.

Especially Langham who, not to diminish his suffering, is one of those people who's so self involved that he's oblivious to what he does to others. It’s hard to dislike him, but it’s hard to like him, too. Langham’s weakness really illuminates Henry’s quiet, steadfast heroism.

The relationship that develops between Henry and Cara is believably done and so sweet.

Even though this is the 3rd in a series, I had no problem following the story except for the prologue which made no sense to me in relation to Cara’s story and I forgot about it till the end when the connection was revealed. The finale wraps up all loose ends and is fully satisfying.

Recommendation: Enthusiastic yes
Clean romance level: sweet kisses
Some religious discussion in the book, but very minor and not at all preachy.

"Julia, with her supposedly clear-eyed view of the world, had learned that sometimes the "sensible" path wasn't the right one after all."

Victorian Christian Romance set in England 1881. Third in the series, this is about the third sister Cara. An accident while she was working as a governess makes her decide to go to London and rejoin her sisters, who she then learns happen to both be away.

"She'd seen many times at the orphanage that answers to prayers could come out of nowhere, and hardly ever in the expected way."

Instead she meets Lanford, second son of a Lord, who is a painter. Cara has painting talent, and joins him and his friends. The Earl himself comes into the picture when he pulls Lanford away, and Cara finds that she can positively influence their Ward, a 7 year old girl. Even though she's made a vow to never be a governess again. Which she isn't now - she is a guest. Sort of. Artfully intertwined story with interesting character situations that pull on your heartstrings. Great Christian messages.

"Why hadn't anyone told her, when forcing her to plod through dry tomes for school, that some books could actually be fun?"

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This book is the final in this series. Each book focuses on one of the sisters. I did not read the first two in the series before this, but it reads as a stand-alone and is not necessary to read the first two books to understand this one.

This is Cara, the youngest sisters story.

This was an easy read, and I enjoyed it for the most part. The only issues I had were that Cara is so very naive. She blindly trusts the first person she meets in a new city. Who does that? PLUS there is the group of bohemian artists and I felt they gave a weird vibe to the book. Their lifestyle seemed kind of scandalous for the time period and Cara embraces this with no problems.

Other than this, I still found the book to be an enjoyable, light read.

I would recommend this book to those who like Christian historical fiction.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Artful Match
By Jennifer Delamere
After the near death of her charge, Cara is let go. Jobless, Cara decides to return to her sister in London but is surprised to find her sister married and away on her honeymoon. Alone and afraid Cara seeks refuge with other family but is sidetracked by a handsome stranger. While asking for directions Cara gets distracted by an idea, to be an artist. On the spot, Cara decides to pursue are and in order to do that she follows this stranger, Langham, to his friend’s house. Langham and Cara forge a quick friendship over art. In this whirlwind of a decision, Cara learns that Langham comes from a titled family and is at odds with his brother Lord Henry, Harry.
Harry is trying to keep his brother from ruining the family’s reputation and bank account. The last thing he desires is for Langham to stir romance into the mix. As Harry watches Cara however, he is surprised by his feelings towards her. Cara is intriguing and helpful in calming and caring for his charge, Amelia.
Cara soon finds herself caring for a child, which she vowed never to do again. But her heart is pulling her to help Harry and Amelia.
Love is a powerful pull but is it enough?
I enjoyed this fun read very much. There is something about the tension in falling in love that doesn’t get old. I married my high school sweetheart but our relationship prior to dating wasn’t always sweet. We were young and I was awkward. Rather than being upfront with our feelings we played that high school game of denial. Rather than saying hey I like you we teased each other. No one was teasing in this story but there was tension as the characters began to figure out their feelings.
Here is a quote that I enjoyed from this book:
“Do you see now why that is? Life can feel hard and unfair sometimes- no matter who you are. But whenever we decide to be thankful for the things we do have, somehow the rest doesn’t seem nearly so bad.”
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion which I’ve shared here. For more reviews visit my blog here: https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com

Jennifer Delamere brings the story of the Bernay sisters (Roselyn’s and Julia’s stories make up the first two books in the London Beginnings series) to a close with Caroline Bernay’s adventures. Caroline, known as Cara to her friends and family, makes a horrible mistake whilst watching her young charge. She vows to never watch over children again—but has no idea how she’ll support herself.

When she sets off to London to seek solace with her sisters, she discovers that Julia has married without telling anyone. Furthermore, the newlyweds have disappeared on a wedding trip to South America.

With that avenue of refuge closed, Cara heads to the home of Roselyn’s husband. Along the way, she meets an outgoing artist who soon sweeps her up in his dream of art and making a living as an artist.

Despite his unconventional manners, Langham Burke seems harmless enough, and his dream matches Cara’s dream—to live as an artist. Langham even arranges for Cara to model for one of his housemates and helps her find a safe place to live.

Cara finds it difficult to keep her vow to stay away from children when she meets Langham’s brother, the Earl of Morestowe and his young ward. She instantly feels an affinity for Amelia, and bemuses the brothers when she steps in and calms the child.

Henry struggles to deal with his overbearing mother, his irresponsible younger brother, and his unruly ward amidst a financial crisis. Door after door to his new investment venture seems to close, and he despairs of ever bringing the family into solvency again.

The moments he spends with Cara ease an ache in his soul he never realized he had. Will he choose to let his heart love again, or will he follow his mother’s wishes.

Readers Will Love…

You don’t have to read the other two stories to enjoy the last book in the series (although, why not read them). The sisters grow up in George Mueller’s orphanage—an experience which grows a deep and sincere faith in each of them. The unique setting, London in the 1880s, allows the author to include newfangled inventions with old-fashioned ideas.

Delemare’s well-developed characters come to life in this sweet historical romance.

The third and final book in the London Beginnings series focuses on the youngest of the three Bernay sisters, Caroline or Cara. Rosalyn, the oldest, has married and is a successful stage actress and singer.
Julia, the middle sister, is on her honeymoon and will return to attend medical school to become a doctor. Cara, the youngest, is serving as a governess; but her real dream is to become an accomplished artist. Set in Victorian England, none of the Bernay sisters seem to march with the times but rather to their own drummer.

Once again Delamere has a wonderful story filled with ups and down in the life of Cara as she attempts to reach her goal of being a portrait artist. She is somewhat immature, a bit naive, and very idealistic. But I loved seeing her grow in all these area as well as in her wisdom and faith. Langham was a devil-may-care, do as I please, self-centered young man who needed to definitely grow up, assume responsibility for his life, and make better choices. Henry, Lord Morestowe, was a wonderful hero-caring, supportive, and serious. Amelia, Henry's ward, often stole the show; and the interaction between her and Cara helped her make better choices as a 7 year old.

Wonderful conclusion to this series which I would definitely recommend to those who love historical fiction.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

This is the third book in the "London Beginnings" series. I read the first, missed the second, and just finished the third. While I missed the story of the second sister, Julia, I don't felt that it affected my understanding and enjoyment of this story.

Cara is a woman with a good heart. She tries to do her best in all things, but mishaps have a way of finding her. Her latest was an accident that she is keeping close and others are having a hard time forgiving. This "mishap" was the cause of her termination as a governess and her hasty retreat to London. It turns out that the saying "Where one door closes, another opens" led to some great blessings in store for her.

There are moments that left me shaking my head as Cara allowed herself to be drawn into situations that had the potential to tarnish her character. Somehow she pulls through in the end.

This book is one of redemption, forgiveness, and moving forward in times of hardship and trial. The romance was sweet. This book does contain Christain elements.

Source: I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

In the final book in Jennifer Delamere’s series, the youngest Bernay sister gets the spotlight in this stand-alone novel.

In the previous books, readers got just a taste of Cara’s free spirit and maybe a bit of gullibility. That is really brought to light when Cara leaves her post as a nanny and travels to London. There she meets Langham Burke, an artist whose jovial, effervescent nature draws her in and opens up the possibility of a new dream.

As Cara’s life becomes entangled with both Langham and his brother Henry, the Earl of Morestowe, she finds herself wanting to draw out kindness (and a few answers) from the serious earl. Her kindness toward Henry’s young ward and her gentle nature with Langham intrigues Henry.

I’ve loved how Delamere has highlighted the changing opinions of the people during the Victorian era in this series, and The Artful Match is no exception. Readers will get a peek into the emerging artistic community and the changing aristocracy while gaining a little more historic knowledge about England in this delightful series finale.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

This fun book is #3 in the London Beginnings series by Jennifer Delamere. The Artful Match tells Cara's story as she encounters Henry and his brother. Cara has just left her job and is seeking a new employment opportunity when she goes to London, hoping to live with her sister but instead encounters Henry and his brother. Family dynamics, choices by siblings, and a solved mystery along with romance all combine in this delightful story.

The Artful Match, by Jennifer Delamere, wraps her London Beginnings series. You pick up Cara Bernay's story, when she is fired from her governess job after she losses track of her young ward. Cara heads to London, not knowing which way to turn. Should she run toward her sisters for shelter or should she attempt moving toward her interest in art as a new direction for her life?

Cara soon crosses paths with Langham Burke, the younger brother of Henry Burke, the current Earl of Morestowe. Langham is also trying to find his way in the art world, so as fellow artists, Cara and Langham decide to team up as they both try to find their way in the world!

Before you know it, Cara's worlds is suddenly is wrapped up in the Burke family dynamics. A world she knows nothing about!

Hold on as Cara stumbles down this new path and learns more than she ever imagined. Definitely a journey worth taking part in!

I’ve enjoyed reading the London Beginnings series by Jennifer Delamere. It follows three sisters in London in the 1880s. The Artful Match is the concluding book and features Cara Bernay, an aspiring artist, as she attempts to navigate the London art scene. Cara was spunky and charming, although a bit naïve. Henry Burke seemed a bit austere at first, but I was happy to see that he loosened up and began more endearing as the story progressed. Langham, Henry’s brother, and Amelia, Henry’s ward, were both unruly and caused Henry much trouble and grief, but they, too, mellowed out and became quite lovable by the end of the story.

Cara’s sisters, Julia and Rosalyn, were mostly absent during this story, but it was fun to have them make an appearance and see what they were up to. Delamere is a talented writer and created great characters for this series. Her obvious knowledge of the setting and time period added to my enjoyment of it. Themes of family, forgiveness, and healing relationships give this book an added dimension. Although it’s part of a series, this book can stand alone. I’m looking forward to more stories from this author.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The time period that Jennifer Delamere has set for this series is right in the midst of some major cultural changes. Each of these books and main characters are tackling roles that are on the verge of taboo yet becoming acceptable. Rosalyn is a performer in the theater. Julia is becoming a doctor. And Cara is an aspiring artist. I enjoyed each of these career choices being outside of what I'm used to reading about from this or similar time periods.

I was really concerned about Cara. Her situation is unconventional to say the least. How she met Langham, her living arrangements, and her naivete all had me worried that she was going to put herself in a situation that isn't respected. Yet her relationship with God and determination to make good on a vow that she made to Him is what put her in a place above servitude.

Considering Langham had more in common with Cara, I wasn't excited to see the two of them get together. Of course, that's not the direction the book went at all and I loved seeing how it all played out. One of my criticisms of The Heart's Appeal was that Julia and Michael's relationship just sort of happened through a lot of telling and not as much showing. Jennifer Delamere rectified that with Cara and Henry. There was so much relationship building and I loved being a witness to it.

Henry, himself, was such an honorable character. He cares for his family even though they're imperfect (who among us isn't) and even though they often made things more difficult for him. He shoulders the burdens of his title and what all that entails while working very hard to put their family back into a stable financial situation and at the same time trying to right some of the wrongs done in the past.

As a mother, I particularly enjoyed Amelia's role in this story. Her behavior felt very genuine and in line with what one might expect from a child who has over and over been abandoned. I loved seeing Cara relate to her, and I feel like I may have even learned a few things that I can put into better practice in my own life with my children. Seeing Henry and Amelia's relationship grow and develop was heart warming as well. Ten years ago this part of the story probably wouldn't have appealed to me at all. It's so funny how much becoming a mother changes you.

The Artful Match was so enjoyable for me. It ticked all my boxes. It surpassed my somewhat disappointed reaction to The Heart's Appeal. My only complaint is that things wrapped up very quickly with Cara's siblings and family there at the end. All in, The Artful Match gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Artful Match? What did you think? Let me know!

Cara Bernay has been working as a governess, but when a costly mistake causes her to lose her job, she meets an artist who encourages her to pursue her art. But she soon finds herself at odds with her new friend's titled brother.



Cara is gifted with children, optimistic, and somewhat impetuous. She and Langham become fast friends, and she helps to rein in his more wild tendencies. Henry, his brother, admires that about her and invites her to come and stay with them and his young ward.



This was a pleasant read, with intriguing secrets and unique situations. I loved how Cara bonded with Amelia, and gave her the attention and structure that she was lacking.



Henry is responsible and bound by duty and the heavy burden of the financial needs of the estate. He loves his family deeply, but doesn't always know the right thing for them.



I did struggle with the realistic-ness of the plot at times, as some of her decisions were not the wisest for the time period, and didn't feel very realistic to me. But it does stand alone well, and while it does help to read the previous books, it is not necessary. A good conclusion to the series though, and I liked the interaction between the characters. I also learned a lot about the artist movements of the time which was pretty cool. A story of love and creativity.





I received a complimentary copy of this book.

Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cara Bernay has never fit in. At loose ends in 1881 London after a near tragedy costs her a job, she befriends a carefree artist. With his help, she begins planning a new life and developing her own artistic talent. But soon Cara finds herself at odds with the artist's brother--a handsome but arrogant earl forcing his brother back to a "respectable" life.

Henry Burke, the Earl of Morestowe, feels the weight of growing financial burdens. His younger brother is the one person who can save their family, and Henry needs him back home. Despite misgivings about Cara's mysterious background, Henry sees she's a positive influence on his brother and on Henry's young ward, and he strikes a deal with her to return with them to their estate.

But the family has their own secrets, and when Cara, drawn ever closer to Henry, stumbles onto the truth, she must choose between following her heart and pursuing a bold plan that could bring disaster.

This book is the final in this series. Its not necessary to read the first two books to understand this one. This is Cara's story. The book also wraps up any loose ends from the previous books.

This book shows the snobbish behavior of some of the aristocrats of England and how servants were treated. It was an easy enjoyable read. It was one that you could put down and pick back up without any problem. I recommend this book.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

The Artful Match is a sweet, tender story about finding a place to belong. I really liked heroine Cara. Though she was a bit naïve, she was a spunky character with a big heart. It was interesting to read about art and artists in the Victorian era, a subject I’m not terribly familiar with. And while, like many others, I love reading about English earls in the Victorian era, Henry was a rather hard hero for me to like. While it is understandable for him to still grieve his wife, he just had a closed-offness about him that made him hard to relate to. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that toward the end we begin to see him differently, that makes him seem softer and more likable. I just wish this would have taken place a bit earlier in the book. Still, the good outweighed the bad in this book for me, and I appreciated seeing the message of finding worth in God and finding family in the people we love.

Full of heart and charm, The Artful Match is book any fan of inspirational historical fiction will enjoy.

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

This has to be one of the oddest books I've read in awhile. Considering I didn't realize that I was jumping into book three of a series, it didn't really matter. The previous stories had already occurred and this one about the third sister. Fortunately I was able to get into the swing of things, although the background and characters were just different.

The prologue of the story, is probably the one area that had me confused as to the purpose of the rest of the story. I didn't know who this Julia character was and why the story was starting out as it did. So in turn, I thought that was to be a key play in the story. It wasn't.

For me, it was a spin on the 1800's and the era of sophistication and the elite, the ball gowns and the women trying to find their matches. It throws you into a bohemian sect of artists trying to make it. This was the part of the story I wasn't expecting, and the character, Caroline, I was trying to get a grasp on just who she was to be.

All in all, it was an interesting story that I fought my way through reading. Every chapter I just wanted to read forward and figure out if the story was worth reading all the way through. It was, but it's unlikely I'm going to read the first two stories in this particular series.

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through NetGalley.

I almost never read a third book in a series without reading the preceding books, but this book caught my interest so I decided to give it a try.

It was clear that there was a fair amount of backstory that I was missing, but the author did try to keep me up to date so the lack of prior information wasn’t confusing. And I’m curious enough now that I’ll probably go back and read the other books.

Oddly enough, the character that I connected to the most was the earl’s brother; the migraine afflicted, substance abusing artist. I think it is the mark of a good writer that all the characters in the book are well developed and that you can really see inside the lives of more than just the main character. That said, Cara’s impulsive idealism made for an interesting story.

There were clear indicators that the character’s had more than a passing relationship with God, even though some of their understandings were off at times. In fact, those struggles with false beliefs are what makes the characters so very human.

The writing felt light and easy to read, even when the subject matter was serious. All in all, I am glad that I read this novel and I’ll look forward to reading more by Jennifer Delamere.

I was surprised by Cara's naiveté and the potentially dangerous situations she allows herself to be drawn into. Fortunately the people she encounters and trusts don't have nefarious intentions, but I was worried for her the whole time she was in London! I can see how her sisters worried over her and her impulsive tendencies. I enjoyed the art scene she finds herself in and the way Cara is excited to develop her talent and passion as she searches for a purpose for her life. She is good for Henry and it was fun to see their very different personalities complement each other. A sweet romance with difficult family dynamics and secrets that create an interesting plot. A nice finish to the series!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)