I don't know what happened but I did a review and posted but I didn't get it submitted on NetGalley! So here you go....

Isabelle and Alexander
By Rebecca Anderson
Published May 4th, 2021

I enjoy when a new #ProperRomance comes out and this was another great one! I will say this is not like any of the other #ProperRomance novels and for a little bit I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish it. But then the book started to turn and really fell in love with this couple and the struggles that they were both going through.
Isabelle and Alexander's relationship begins as an arranged marriage. They are different in many ways, and are trying to get to know one another. After a terrible accident occurs, and Alexander is paralyzed, Isabelle knows she will help to take care of him. Through ups and downs, good and bad times, and everything in between, their relationship grows, strengthens, and deepens. Perhaps romance and love will bloom as well.

Thank you to #ShadowMountainPublishing and #NetGalley for the ARC ebook. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I think this one, while not bad by any means, was perhaps less compelling than some. It's sweet but moves at a slower pace than most romances of this kind. There's significantly less cute flirting, more emphasis on friends and relationships and what it means to love. None of this is bad but it's important to note as this genre can sometimes tend towards frothy regency romance....and this is certainly not that.

I may try re-reading with a physical copy and seeing if my opinion changes at all.

This novel is labeled as a romance and I think that would lead one to believe the hero is swoony and the chemistry is on fire. This book is far more subtle in those big feelings we readers typically look for in a romance but no less powerful. I had such a big heart for Isabelle and her personal troubles. Her drive to create a lovable and safe space for herself ultimately makes her a heroine I found myself rooting for.
It took me quite some time to pick this up based on other reviews from friends, but I'm so glad that I finally did. While I didn't love Alexander, I like so much that the story is different than what now feels standard for the genre and time period. Also this is probably one of my favorite covers in the Proper Romance Series.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Isabelle Rackham's marriage to Alexander Osgood is an arranged one. They are both finding it difficult to build a rapport... Alexander is aloof and keeps busy at his textile mill and Isabelle feels abandoned and more like a guest than a mistress of both his homes in the country and Manchester City. Sensing her sadness and discontent, Alexander begins to make an effort towards both getting to know each other when tragedy strikes and a riding excursion leads to an accident leaving Alexander completely immobile. What follows is a long journey towards Alexander's recovery... a journey through which both Isabelle and Alexander discover the level of their own strength and courage in fighting this battle while forging their own love story in the process.

This was a sweet and heartwarming love story. The writing was good and the characters were well written and the story progressed at a decent pace. I felt there was a innocence to it which was quite endearing. The cover picture is endearing as well.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Shadow Mountain Publishing and the author Rebecca Anderson for the e-Arc of the book.

Set in the era of England’s Industrial revolution, the book tells of how love can blossom despite adversity and against all odds.

Isabelle comes from a rich family, while Alexander is a self-made man who owns mills in Manchester. While he now has money, he’s not exactly at ease in social circles. Isabelle on the other hand is confident and used to social life. When a marriage is arranged for them, they seem to be at odds with each other. Isabelle finds it hard to draw Alexander out and their conversations are stilted and awkward.

As they seem to start getting to know each other, Alexander is injured in an accident that leaves him bedridden. Isabelle gets involved in his care and starts to make decisions about their home and business. It’s lovely to read of how this girl comes into her own and with the help of a good doctor and loyal staff, she manages to get Alexander on the road to recovery.

How they romance moves forward despite all the unfavourable circumstances makes for a sweet, clean romance.

Seeing a romance blossom from forced circumstances was a firmly historical but pleasant story to read. The big struggles and the little kindnesses that built their relationship made for a sweet story. And like most books published by Shadow Mountain, it is a wholesome romance. Sometimes, a little mystery doesn’t hurt.

Overall, this book is incredibly pleasant. It is a linear story with no varying viewpoints, which is kind of a relief after reading various recent novels that jump timelines and points of view. In doing this, I could immerse myself in the story and not have to reorient myself with each chapter. A stroll in the park of stories. And I say this with no malice or irony – I like it!

The hurdles they do face before they come together are very serious and incredibly worrisome. But it works in the favor of both their love and their personal development. Readers get to see the strength in Isabelle that they wonder is there when she enters the marriage with no sign of resistance.

Isabelle and Alexander is the first book I have read by Rebecca Anderson. I thought it was pretty good and am giving it four stars.

A beautiful story about a cotton mill owner and his arranged bride. It has definite North and South vibes. This is a clean romance. A feel good story.

Victorian Manchester, England, young couple just married, very much matched for business purposes, Alexander suffers an injury, making it much more than a young marriage, Isabelle rises to the occasion, works to rehabilitate him, as well as saving his fabric mill from fire.

This is not your ordinary Regency romance. Isabelle and Alexander's marriage is an arranged marriage. Alexander is handsome, from a good family and successful, but he spends a lot of time at his textile mill, and when he's home he doesn't have much to say to Isabelle. Things improve when he takes her to his country estate--he talks to her more and she's just getting to know him when he's badly injured in a fall while they're horseback riding. When Alexander finally regains consciousness, he's angry and moody because he dependent on others to take care of him.

Because the story is told only from Isabelle's point of view, we never know what Alexander is thinking or feeling. It took longer than I'd have liked to find out why he's so quiet and hardly had anything to say to Isabelle. I liked how much his original doctor and the staff at the country estate cared about Alexander.

Isabelle could've taken the easy way out and had others care for her husband or put him in a care facility like Dr Fredericks suggested at one point, but she chose to be in charge of her husband's care and learn what was necessary to help him. It was interesting to read about rehabilitation methods in Victorian times. I can only imagine how painful it was. I enjoyed the parts that took place in the factory and how involved Isabelle was after Alexander's accident, especially that she wanted changes to accommodate his wheelchair so that he could still be involved in running his business.

This is an interesting story with wonderful side characters. I received a copy of this book from the publisher Shadow Mountain via NetGalley. I also have my own paperback copy. All thoughts expressed in my review are my own.

Isabelle and Alexander is not your typical proper romance. To me it was more real to life with depth and growth.

The book begins with Isabelle and Alexander's wedding- an arranged marriage to join Isabelle's father's empire with Alexander's prosperous mill. She knows little of Alexander beyond his attractive outward appearance. She moves to Alexander's rather bachelorish home anticipating companionship and a happy marriage. Instead she finds loneliness and isolation. When Alexander invites her to his country home and then on a horseback ride she eagerly agrees feeling more comfortable with him than she has their entire marriage. However, when Alexander's horse spooks and he gets thrown both their lives are changed.

This book requires real, painful growth for Alexander and Isabelle. Through this growth they gain an understanding of each other and develop a deeper relationship than might have been possible without their challenges. Isabelle finds support in the housekeeper and the wife and daughter of Alexander's manager. Recommend to those who enjoy more real to life romances and learning to endure difficult circumstances.

Thank you to netgalley and Shadow Mountain for this complimentary digital copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

3 1/2 stars

This is one of those times where I wish I hadn’t read the book blurb. I was drawn in by the cover, the blurb made me dread reading the book. Once I got started, I was drawn in to Isabelle and Alexander’s marriage. I felt for Isabelle and her slowly dying hopes, and couldn’t wait to see their romance blossom. I loved the setting in Manchester with the cotton mill. It reminded me fondly of North and South.

I wished to have more of a glimpse in Alexander’s thought processes. We get a peek through his letters, but never see them in their entirety. I want to read them! I’m nosy like that.

This was a beautiful and heart wrenching marriage of convenience story.

I love this book so much that I bought it in paper back. I love how it was told in first person. I feel the author did a great job for it be her first Novel. I hope to see more from her in the future! I really love Isabella and Alexander’s story!

Isabelle Rackham is from a respectable family, her father a well-to-do businessman. As an only child, she’s known for years she’ll likely marry to strengthen his connections. And so indeed she finds herself marrying Alexander Osgood, a handsome and successful owner of a textile mill that is supplied with coal from her father’s business. But she hardly knows Alexander before the wedding, and even weeks after she moves into his home in the bustling manufacturing city of Manchester, Isabelle fears she won’t get to know him. He is polite but distant, rarely engages in conversation, and spends a great deal of time at his mill. Isabelle is lonely.

When Alexander takes Isabelle to his home in the country, the couple begin to get to know each other a little. But when he is thrown from his horse and left unable to move, the embers of hope Isabelle had begun to feel for their future seem to be doused. How can she draw out Alexander again so they can build a relationship, particularly now that he is facing an uncertain future with his health? It seems almost impossible, but Isabelle determines she will do all she can to care for him in every way. As she does so day after day, she finds strength in herself and depth of character. And as Isabelle grows, so does the possibility for a beautiful love between these two young people.

Most books set in past eras (this takes place in 1850) don’t address the lives of people with disabilities or serious injuries. In Isabelle and Alexander, the husband is fully paralyzed initially and slowly regains some mobility, with care at home, though they do discuss the option (basically a given in that time) of him being sent to a sanatorium. Another character has an intellectual disability and is likewise an anomaly because she lives at home rather than being sent away. So I was intrigued to see how these unusual circumstances were handled. The author must have done some research to find out what was the standard for that period and what was the most “cutting-edge” treatment for those who could afford it. This story was also different in that its characters are wealthy but are “new rich” and their money comes from actively running businesses, as opposed to Jane Austen’s most popular tales, set among those of highest social standing and old wealth. Alexander’s mill, where fine fabric is created from cotton, is an important part of the book. It opens a window into the early part of the industrial age in England, and that too indicates good research on the author’s part.

I enjoyed the book and found it compelling, not just for the tender love story of two people who fall in love as they deal with a difficult trial, but for the way it tackles serious topics in a straightforward but gentle fashion. It was more than I expected.

Isabelle and Alexander are thrown into an arranged marriage and neither one knows what to do. Alexander thinks Isabelle is above his station so he doesn't know how to interact with her and Isabelle doesn't understand why Alexander is so cold. This book would have been better if it wasn't only from Isabelle's pov. I wanted to feel the growing connection from both of them not just Isabelle.

A poignant and yet hopeful story that follows the trials and tribulations encountered by Isabelle and Alexander as they enter into an arranged marriage and Alexander suffers a riding accident that leaves him paralysed.

Living with a disability, myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the representation Ms. Anderson gave to commonly underrepresented and underprivileged groups in society, demonstrated by the characters of Alexander and Glory. I could relate to the dejectedness and agitation that Alexander felt at not being able to perform his job as effectively as before and seeming like a burden to those around him. Perhaps if a few chapters had included his perspective too, readers may have been able to sympathise with him better when he castigated Isabelle's efforts to help him.

Nonetheless, I appreciated how their relationship began to blossom throughout the novel and would definitely recommend that historical romance enthusiasts read it!

I am a HUGE fan of the story and movie "North and South" and this story reminded me of that story, a little bit.

Isabelle was raised in the Lake District of England. Her father arranged a marriage for her with someone who would help further the family business. Her husband was to be Alexander Osgood from the city of Manchester. He is a very successful businessman who owned a cotton mill in Manchester and is a very handsome, eligible bachelor.

Isabelle knew her marriage was not a love match but she hoped, that with time, a love would be formed between them. From the beginning, there marriage was not what she expected and she felt ignored by her new husband. During a brief trip to the country and Alexander's country estate, he was injured in a riding accident and was paralyzed from the neck down.

Alexander (Alec) has a long recovery and there are many bumps in the road but there is finally a happy ending to celebrate.

I loved how the story developed the relationship between Alec and Isabelle and how they both came to see what was most important and how they depended on each other. I couldn't stand the doctor and nurse that attended Alec in Manchester. I thought their bedside manner was so awful. On the other hand, I loved Doctor Kelley and his investment in his patient's and their health and friendship.

The book is a clean, wholesome, romantic story that would have very realistic for the time period.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed Isabelle and Alexander. It's written solely from Isabelle's perspective, and I think a first-hand look at Alexander's perspective would've helped in getting me completely immersed in the story. Still, I really enjoyed watching Isabelle change throughout the novel as she got to know her neighbor Glory and learned to embrace her role as Alex's wife and all that it unexpectedly entailed.

I do wish that the romance aspect of the novel had been a little more prominent (this is a Proper Romance, after all) - the romance was very understated and didn't even factor much into the pages until the last 20 percent of the book. So if you're all about the romance, this probably isn't the book for you; however, if you enjoy well-written stories with a hint of romance, you'll find much to enjoy here.

Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South is one of my absolute favorite books. And, I don’t think I’m alone, when I say that this book was extremely comparable to that classic.

This is a story of an arranged marriage that doesn’t start out too promising. It’s not that the newlyweds are awful people–they just don’t interact much.

In an effort to make his new wife happy, Alexander takes a much needed trip to the country where his wife can ease her loneliness. After an accident, Isabel is tasked with taking care of her new husband.

To say that this couple has a rough go of it would be an understatement. But, some of the best relationships happen when they overcome trials and tribulations.

I really enjoyed the message of this story–that one should never give up and that even those who may have had a more privileged upbringing can be made of steel. Isabel definitely is one of those characters who rises above. She and Alexander both are.

This is a clean, lovely romance that leaves me feeling refreshed and happy.

North and South fans will love this new historical romance by debut author Rebecca Anderson. Set in Victorian Manchester, Isabelle and Alexander marry without knowing much about each other, but Isabelle hopes that love will grow. So, she soon finds herself trying to find her place in Alexander’s world – despite his moodiness and stoicism.

Isabelle and Alexander is a slow-burn romance about two people getting to know each other while building real love. With the cotton mills, industrialization, and character growth, it’s hard not to see how this novel pays tribute to Elizabeth Gaskell.

However, it’s more of a sweet read, perfect if you’re looking for something enjoyable and satisfying to read.

Overall, this is a pure romance full of swoony moments, excellent characterization with a fantastic female character, and lovely writing. I look forward to reading more of Rebecca Anderson’s future novels.

Adaptation Recommendation: This needs to be a feature film period drama – perfect for streaming. The swooniness of the story will surely get the period drama audience watching.

Content Note: Completely wholesome.

Overall rating: 4.5
Romance rating: 5