Cover Image: The Innkeeper’s Daughter

The Innkeeper’s Daughter

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Member Reviews

I did not connect with the writing style/plot and decided to put this one down before reaching 100 pages. I may just not have been in the right mood/stage to read this one, but will try it again to make sure I didn't miss a good story.

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the early copy.

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I could not finish this book. The story was disjointed and did not make any sense in its historical context.

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DNF - did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style/plot and decided to put this one down. Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the early copy.

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The Innkeeper is Daughter by Bianca Schwarz. Elisa and Henry love story. Of sweet me knots and clock and daggers.

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An intriguing historical romance set in early 19th century London. The book was well written and the characters have a lot of depth. It is a page turning thriller with many twists and discoveries. There are parts of the story that are quite graphic and may make some readers uncomfortable. There were many parts that I felt the details could have been scaled back.

This book offers romance, action, friendship, mystery and espionage. There is rarely a dull moment and I was interested from beginning to end of this emotional roller coaster ride. The ending left it open for more books with Eliza and Henry and I will be looking forward to reading the continuing story. Until then I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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There are some truly great things about this book. The romance is on the steamy side and Henry and Eliza are wonderful, interesting characters (in fact, Henry is one of the best book boyfriends I've come across recently and that alone makes this worth the read). There is a need.to suspend reality somewhat, but what romance doesn't? It's a bit violent in the beginning and occasionally the author uses a word of phrase that is so inappropriate for the time period that it's jarring, but overall a very entertaining read.

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I wasn’t sure where this one was going at first but I’m so happy I stuck with it. A good thriller/ mystery. I can’t wait for the sequel!

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The Innkeeper’s Daughter is a brilliant historical romance with a built-in mystery. I’ve not read many books like this before. Usually, you get a bit of romance or a hint of mystery, but this one is special because you get both. Bianca Schwarz did a remarkable job combining these two genres, and I can’t wait to read more.

Eliza is a downtrodden girl sold to a nasty piece of work. But, she escapes before this man can take possession of her. Fortunately, Henry finds her battered and bruised on the side of the road and takes her home. However, Henry’s rescue adds fuel to the already burning flame of London’s underbelly. This fire leads to solving the mystery of spies and sex rings.

I love Eliza. She is bright and strong-willed. She escapes from her horrid stepfather and stays alive to boot. When she meets Henry, she surprises him with her wit and keen eye. Eliza becomes crucial to the plan to catch the bad guys. I also liked Henry. Though, I am a bit upset that he allows his status in society to keep him from marrying Eliza. I understand why, but I don’t like it. To her credit, Eliza takes to the demimonde like a duck in water.

If I could visit any place in any era, I would choose to visit London during the late 19th century. I can see myself walking through Mayfair, riding in Hyde Park, and visiting Grosvenor Square. Though, these characters tend to move more through clandestine back gardens. The intrigue heightens with every determined move.

I enjoyed this novel. It combines all my favorite things and does it in a way that the 416 pages passed like nothing at all. I am excited to read the second novel in the series called The Gentleman’s Daughter releasing in July 2021.

I award The Innkeeper’s Daughter 4 out of 5 stars. This book is different enough that any fan of romance or mystery will find something to love. Though I must warn you, the subject matter can be difficult for a lot of people. So, please take caution if you are sensitive to violence against women, including rape.

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This is not your typical historical romance suspense/thriller. This book deals with the dark and gritty world of human trafficking. Overall, I found the story to be quite interesting and engaging. I don't know if I have ever said this in a review before but I felt that there was to much description!

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While a great concept, the writing wasn't focused. A difficult read at best. Needs a fair but good content editor. I honestly believe the story could be tightened into a good novella if the overflow of description was edited out and the plot was better directed.

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Set in the early 19th century, the book begins with Eliza being beaten by her step-father and locked away in the cellar when she finds out she's been sold for marriage. Though badly injured, Eliza manages to escape through the coal chute and make a run for it. She is soon spotted and rescued by a gentleman by the name of Henry.
Eliza is kept at Henry's home, cared for well by his staff. Her injuries begin to heal, and she spends a lot of time in the library. Henry also begins to take her out - though they are aware that Eliza may be spotted, so are mindful of being seen.

A enjoyable read all told, however there could have been less of a focus on description.

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This was certainly an interesting read. I want to state, first of all, that there are highly explicit sexual scenes, as well as references to violence, including extreme sexual violence and abuse. It is, therefore, not a suitable read for everyone.
Set in the early 19th century, the book begins with Eliza being beaten by her step-father and locked away in the cellar when she finds out she's been sold for marriage. Though badly injured, Eliza manages to escape through the coal chute and make a run for it. She is soon spotted and rescued by a gentleman by the name of Henry.
Eliza is kept at Henry's home, cared for well by his staff. Her injuries begin to heal, and she spends a lot of time in the library. Henry also begins to take her out - though they are aware that Eliza may be spotted, so are mindful of being seen.
Life is good for a while, and Eliza fits in to the household nicely. But she isn't entirely safe - as they find out the hard way. Eliza and Henry begin to grow close. Henry speaks of his daughter and the relationship with her mother that went so wrong. And Eliza talks about her childhood at the inn, and how her life changed so dramatically upon the death of her mother.
Throughout all this, Henry and his friends discuss the French spy known as 'De Sade Anglais' - dubbed so due to his habit for abusing women horrifically, leaving victims both alive and dead. When victims of this nature begin to appear in England, Henry knows it's the same man. And when Daisie, a maid who he rescued from prostitution, describes her experiences, it becomes clear that she also encountered De Sade.
So the 'spy' aspect of this novel revolves around the hunt for De Sade. He is believed to be a man of power, making his discovery and persecution that much harder. And on top of it all, they learn of a target, meaning they are now working against the clock.
Eliza plays her part in it all, too, and proves to be rather valuable. It's an intriguing thriller of a story, with many twists and discoveries. There are several interesting slide plots in more personal areas, including around Henry's past relationship. It's well written and definitely interesting, though I was not particularly comfortable with a lot of the sexual scenes, purely because they were so detailed and, honestly, unnecessary. The level of description was just too much, and I didn't think it added to the story in any way. It just isn't my thing and I would have been happy to read the book without such intimate scenes. Overall, I did enjoy it, but it's not entirely my cup of tea - so I'm giving it 3.5 stars!

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A historical romance mystery set in the streets of London. The story follows Henry March and Eliza Broad after he rescues her from an abusive environment as well as potentially being trafficked.

The romance was okay, it happened quickly and I didn't really like it when Henry was looking at Eliza's injured body and thinking about how desirable she is.

I couldn't get into the story too much, there was certainly some interesting details but it didn't keep my attention.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the book for me.

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I was unable to finish reading this. I tried for 2 months and only managed to get through a few pages each day until I finally gave up today after making it halfway. The writing was weak and plot did not make much sense. The characters were not memorable either.

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I tried a few times to continue reading this book but unfortunately it became a DNF for me. This one just was not for me.

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This book was not like the books I usually read. It had a lot of mystery and maybe a little more graphic than I would normally read but it was a good read and told a story from a different perspective than my normal proper romance or regency romance. This story line has so much potential but I feel the romance didn't quite make it one of my favorites. I am sure that men of this time had ministries and not many historic novels touch on that aspect or write about it this way and I will say that was interesting but I feel the romance between Eliza and Sir Henry could have been a little better in the beginning. Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel but I am sorry I am not going to be able to put my review on my IG, however I will put it on Goodreads and Amazon.

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Eliza found a way to escape her abusive stepfather who has sold her to a man who was even more brutal. While escaping she is rescued by Sir Henry. It doesn't lake long to get to 'You're amazing, I love you', but following their adventures while they try to stop a human trafficking ring kept me turning pages! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will definitely read more from Bianca Schwarz!

I added this to my wishlist on Netgalley, and I managed to wait a week, but I couldn't wait anymore. So, impatient me bought the book, then a couple of weeks later I received my approval for it! Who doesn't like getting approved for a book though, it just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.🤗

* I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review...something that happens quite often. But this book was different. I received direct emails from the publisher sharing their excitement at this books release. Genuinely amped up, I moved The Innkeeper's Daughter to the top of my pile.

The first in a historical romance mystery series set in Regency London, I wasn't particularly dazzled by the slow burning romance between Eliza...who is the innkeeper's daughter the title eludes too, and her saviour Henry. Call me cold hearted or not very soppy if you like. Many readers WILL love this book purely for the romantic windfall poor and beaten Eliza finds, as she desperately trys to escape her cruel stepfather. And how her life is transformed when she is literally picked up off the road by Sir Henry March, who is rich, charming and somewhat of a womaniser.

What I was excited by and kept picking up the book for, was the dark and dangerous world of the elite aristocratics of London who have a perverse need for the savage and sadistic thrill of sex trafficking. A fate Eliza narrowly evaded herself.

This side of the book is gritty and shocking.....maybe too descriptive for some. Far removed from the tender sex scenes of the two lovers.

I can promise, readers emotions are taken on a roller-coaster ride. I was hungry to see justice served, a young girl (her life and virginity literally hanging in the balance) rescued and the nasty pimp deviant at the centre of this anglo french ring caught.

There is something for everyone in this tale. Historical detail paints an accurate backdrop of regency London. An often raw read, we are treated to a glimpse at the end, of where this story unfolds in the second instalment.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bianca M Schwarz and Central Avenue Publising for this ravishing read. (

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This was DNF for me. The writing was disjointed for me and I’m just not connecting with the characters.

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I really loved this and it’s not my usual choice of reading, but something drew me in to request this. Historical espionage, suspense & romance aren’t my usual read, but the synopsis just called to me and I was so glad I requested this. . The characters are well constructed and developed, even if their conversations aren’t always something you’d expects to hear from people at this time on history, but I let things like this go as overall, it was really entertaining. The romance is lovely but doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the story. A great a mix of romance and mystery. A story that can be quite dark and quite descriptive , but you won’t be able to stop reading. Fantastic

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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