Lily Durham wielded irritating yet endearing arrogance without concern for probable fallout. All her parents wanted from her was an advantageous marriage that would lend them prestige. They shipped her off to England for her aunt to deal with, and World War I and U-boat warfare keep her there.
She and her cousin Bertie serve as nurses, or in Lily’s case, a nurse’s aid, at a Scottish castle turned into a convalescent home. Lily finds her calling, trying to bring cheer into the lives of the wounded soldiers. She also goes to work on the stern, reclusive laird, Alec MacGregor, and his sickly sister, Viola.
Bad things happen. A soldier is kidnapped on his way to the castle, the stable is torched, an actress is poisoned. Alec is failing to keep the castle solvent and is selling possessions left and right. A scandal-monger newsman wants to buy the castle, but how can they prove he is behind all the trouble?
Lily took a few chapters to warm to. She did seem at first to be the empty-headed, always-looking-for-fun gal her parents despaired of. They were the stereotypical stern, unloving folks more concerned with their reputation. Alec’s mother was also a severe woman.
Lily’s never-say-no buoyancy kept the pages turning as she dealt with a jealous nurse and battle-ax matron, and broke down Alec’s walls. I received a complimentary copy

I’m always interested in the Edwardian/WWI time period but find books set during this time are hit or miss. This was luckily an enjoyable book to read.

Lily is an American heiress who is sent to England by her parents to learn “proper” decorum. The start of WWI forces her to stay longer than planned and nurse wounded soldiers at a convalescent home at Kinclavoch Castle. It’s laird, Alec, is less than welcoming mostly due to a large pile of estate debts and some issues regarding his family.

I really liked this - there was the realistic build up to a romance between Lily and Alec, wonderful descriptions of Scotland, some mystery, and lots of multidimensional characters, both good and bad. Definitely highly recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction.

"An American heiress finds herself in Scotland amid the fallout of the Great War, and a wounded Scottish laird comes face-to-face with his past and a woman he never could have expected."
I loved the Scottish setting—an old castle serving as a convalescent home during the Great War and I enjoyed the mystery. The story is well written, with insights into Scottish culture and traditions and the beauty of nature.

This book had the major ingredients for a fantastic read: mystery and intrigue, historical detail, and a clean and sigh-worthy romance. Set mostly in Scotland during World War I, the story follows American socialite Lily Durham, who has volunteered as a nurse’s aide helping convalescing soldiers at Kinclavoch castle, and her interactions with the handsome laird of Kinclavoch, Alec MacGregor. It was heartening to see how Lily grew in self-confidence and maturity during the course of the book and also to observe Alec as he dealt with and learned from personal struggles. I loved Alec’s sister Viola as a secondary character and would love to see her get her own story some day.

The Gaelic glossary included at the beginning was very helpful, as the inclusion of these words in the story gave it an even more authentic feel. While I felt the inspirational aspect of this novel could have been more strongly developed, the book is a clean read and well worth your time. This is the first novel I have read by J’Nell Ciesielski and I look forward to reading more of her books!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

What a fantastic story ! I truly enjoyed the rythm of the unfolding of the mystery and romance. The pace is as deep as a diary, the reader becomes a witness of the everyday life during world war one, in a castle in Scotland, transformed into a convalescent home for tommies. But also the pace of the storytelling is close to one of a thriller ! a real page turner ! Also, the characters are so well depicted that you think they are family. I just hope that this is the first book of a long series ! The style is perfect, the dialogues, the descriptions of feelings and wonders, the descriptions of landscapes, all is great and mixed with great craftmanship. I will strongly recommend such good literature with action and insights to anyone who wants a great escape !
All my opinion are mine, I received a copy from NetGalley.

Beauty Among Ruins is the first book I’ve read by J’nell Ciesielski, and I was not disappointed. After all, what could be better than a romantic, ancient Scottish castle? This stand alone book, set during WWI, features a woman seeking adventure and a wounded laird striving to save his ruined family estate. As war progresses amid mysterious sabotage to the castle, they each must learn what it means to grow in strength as individuals, and as a couple.
To say I loved the setting of this book is an understatement. But I also quickly fell in love with the hero and heroine, as Ciesielski crafted a tale that captured both my attention and my heart. I know I will be ordering her other books, because she is an author I no longer want to miss!

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

American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.

Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.

Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

This was the first time reading this author. This was an engrossing historical story with a bit of romance and mystery. I really enjoyed it.

This was a delightful read. The characters were well drawn out. The pace of the story was a little slow but I still found it compelling.

Ciesielski's latest is a WWI-era story set in Scotland. While I liked Alec and Lily, but the secondary characters weren't as developed. I found her parents to be somewhat flat and unlikeable, I had a hard time with this. It was very slow to get. Therefore, the suspense angle wasn't as engaging as I'd hoped. The drama angle, in general, felt a bit forced. I did enjoy some of the insights into Scottish traditions and culture. The author obviously did her research.

This World War I era novel is a bit Downton Abbey-esque, so fans of the show will find a lot to enjoy here. I enjoyed it myself, though I thought it would have benefited by being shorter. I can easily see it making a fun miniseries for TV, but the reading experience is a bit too strung out.

An American heiress named Lily is shipped off to England because her mother hopes that some time with the Brits will mend her wild, independent ways. After a year, Lily's English cousin becomes a nurse in the war effort, and Lily goes with her as a nurse's aide to Scotland, to a manor that's been turned into a convalescent home for wounded soldiers.

Enter the rest of the characters... the stuffy matron, the conniving new-money socialite, the ice-cold dowager of the manor, the sleazy scanda-mongering newspaperman, and most importantly, the Laird... Alec, beset by his father's debts and his own sense of insecurity over not being well enough to fight in the war.

Lily comes in like a breath of fresh air and refuses to act like anyone expects her to. But not only does Alec have to decide whether to let her into his heart or not, he also has to figure out who is behind a series of suspicious circumstances that seem designed to ruin him.

The suspense or mystery of the book was not very compelling. The central characters and their relationship were the stronger part of the book.

Splendidly written, "Beauty Among Ruins" features a diverse cast of characters against the backdrop of the Great War. Irrepressible heroine Lily Durham is banished from her wealthy family in New York City to live with a cousin in England; apparently this will ensure more "proper" behavior.

The novel primarily takes place in a dilapidated Scottish castle that is housing convalescing British soldiers. Lily immediately gets off on the wrong foot with her supervisor Matron Strom, then proceeds to run afoul of laird of the castle Alec MacGregor and sparks quickly fly. She is sweetness and light, while he is taciturn and moody.

While dealing with the serious subjects of war, injured soldiers and PTSD, "Beauty Among Ruins" has some lighthearted scenes as well. The "Squints", and the fact they referred to themselves as such, are highly amusing. Alec's sister Viola is a delight.

Characters are well-developed. Even the villains' personalities are somewhat nuanced, and that includes the unpleasant parents of Lily and Alec. The lovely heroine and braw hero grow throughout the story. This wonderful book is clean with few grammatical errors. Cielsielski's prose is simply beautiful. While this is the first book from this author I've read, it won't be my last. The title, taken from Alec's private writings, is fitting for the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an ARC of this delightful novel. All opinions are my own.

J'Nell Ciesielski has populated her latest offering with a variety of personalities and situations. Lily is an American heiress whose exploits truly confound her parents to the point they send her to cousins who live in Great Britain. Alec is the owner of a castle that has been turned into a convalescent home for soldiers who have been wounded in the trenches of World War I. Richard Wright is a man bent on destroying Alec because Alec's mother jilted him years ago. Esther is a "nouveau riche" heiress wanting a title--specifically the title of Lord Alec's wife. Matron Strom is the head nurse watching over the nurses who were tending the soldiers. Bertie is Lily's cousin, and the two of them go through nurse's training to be able to go to the castle and help with nursing the soldiers.

Lily is a self-proclaimed flibbertigibbet, who gets lost in the castle more times than she'd care to count, ends up on the matron's bad side before she even walked in the door, and worms her way into Alec's life without even giving it much thought. What Lily did best was to cheer up the soldiers and boost their morale. And she brought Alec's sister, Viola, out of an invalid's life into living in the real world.

Alec is a recluse, who would like to have gone to serve his country, but due to a badly set broken leg is not fit enough to serve. He is trying save his home from foreclosure, from decay, and from being plundered by Richard Wright.

The way J'Nell describes seeing the Scottish Lowlands through Lily's eyes, makes the scenery come alive in the reader's mind. The intrigue she brought to the book keeps the reader involved all the way through to the last page. Her research into the laws and circumstances surrounding debts is woven into the book seamlessly without seeming like a text book recitation.

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and ceilidh with haggis included to celebrate life.

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

#BeautyAmongRuins #NetGalley

This book was a slow read for me.Set in WWI. Lily Durhamis sent to England, to live with her cousins. When war breaks out, Lily and her cousin, head to Scotland, to become nurses and help take care of the injured. They end up at Kinclavoch Castle,belonging to the McGregor family, the castle is in ruins, but turned into a hospital for the injured. The McGregor family is about to lose the castle, due to gambling debts. Strange events are happening and one man is determined to buy the castle even though Lord McGregor insists that it is not for sale.

I could not possibly have adored this book more. I read J'nell Ciesielski's The Socialite earlier this year and immediately became a fan, so I would've read Beauty Among Ruins no matter the setting or storyline. But when I discovered it took place in Scotland (and featured a Scottish hero 😍) I went from eager to I-need-this-book-now! And it completely lived up to my readerly hopes. I loooooved the Scottish setting—an old castle serving as a convalescent home during the Great War. I enjoyed the mystery too, but it was the romance between Alec and Lily that completely swept me away. Deftly paced, skillfully written and oh-so-believable, it was all things sumptuous and swoony. I know I'll be rereading this book! 😍😍😍

A historical fiction romance set in Scotland “Beauty Among Ruins”, by J’nell Ciesielski (Thomas Nelson), features a wounded hero troubled by the weight of the family heritage and for not being able to enlist and an intrepid, bold heroine with a compassionate nature.
In the beginning, Alec is a very appealing brooding, stoic hero. Swamped by family responsibilities and a “legacy of debts”, Alec has a deep sense of honor and duty and a pessimistic perspective on life. Lily’s passion and joy slowly change his perceptions and he loses some of his gloominess (and some of his appeal, in my opinion).
The story is well written, with insights into Scottish culture and traditions and the beauty of nature. There’s a love for the land which is interesting.
Several incidents in the suspense subplots made the pacing a bit too slow for my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC... I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
What an amazing book. This is my second book by this author and love how she writes her stories. This story involved mystery, betrayal (or so one character thought), hurt and finally love. The characters were brought to life by the author's story telling. We were able to see Lily grow into a mature woman and become her own person rather than have her life dictated by her parents.

Beauty Among Ruins is a truly romantic story! Lily is a young woman given to mischief, when her parents decide to ship her off to England to visit family. She begins volunteer work with her cousin, Bertie, and they are assigned to work in a castle in Scotland. She gets lost during her first week, and ends up in the family quarters where she meets the grumpy laird of the castle and insults his upkeep of the castle. As they get to know each other better, she learns that the laird, Alec, has been trying desperately to save his castle from financial ruin, and because of an old injury, he can't join the army. World War 1 is being fought, and he can't do anything to help, but donate the use of his castle to the use of a convalescent home for injured soldiers. Clean, wonderful story I highly recommend!

This was the first time I read this author and I enjoyed this book and her writing style.

Lily is an American sent to England by her parents who hope she'll learn decorum while she's away. But the Great War breaks and Lily is forced to extend her stay. Despite her lack of training, Lily joins her cousin in nursing convalescent soldiers and they end up in Scotland.

When they arrive at the Kinclavoch Castle, the laird, Alec MacGregor is not very welcoming to Lily and is weary of her sunny disposition.

I liked how Lily had a positive attitude, even when she got in trouble with the matron. She and Alec don't see eye to eye, but as she becomes a friend to his sister, he recognizes the good she does.

There's so much going on in this story! Alec is almost out of funds and is selling family heirlooms to keep the castle afloat. Alec's right hand man is quite the character, doesn't mince words, as are some of the help, nurses, and the soldiers. Alec's sister is sick and pretty much an invalid in the beginning, but by the end, due to Lily's research and help, she's doing much better.

There are secrets and a mystery, a kidnapping, severe financial problems, and an unscrupulous newspaper owner who's always making trouble for Alec.

I loved the ending and the epilogue, so cute!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Set at a castle turned convalescent home for soldiers wounded in WWI, this story pulled me in and didn't let me go.

The story follows Lily as she is sent to England to visit family and grow up and grow up she does. She faces opposition in her own decisions (she just can't completely suppress her nature, which makes her endearing), the dragon-like matron, and a nurse who has her sights set on the Lord of the Manor. She also runs up against a kidnapping and mysterious happenings in the castle, threatening the ability for the Lord to maintain possession during a time when many of the old castles and manors are being sold.

Alec MacGregor is trying to save his home and finds himself selling off bit by bit. He is drawn to Lily. He could save the castle and land with a large dowry but wants to figure it out on his own.

Alec and Lily run into each other quite often and it is not love at first sight, but what happens is a glorious dance and two people finding themselves and eventually each other. The faith, the growth, the healing, and the discovery of true self is brilliantly executed in this book. The mystery is good and adds another layer to this complex story.

This is not an era I often read but this book persuades me to seek out further books in this time period.

I received a complementary copy of this story and this is my honest review.