Love Unseen, by Rachel Kelley Stones, tells of Hannah Hadley trying to find her spot in London society. All she can think of is that she wants to get out of the crowed ballroom. When she meets Jonathan Carter in the crush of the crowd, Hannah soon learns his is moving to her neighborhood. When he asks her to dance, she immediately refuses. Little does Jonathan know that Hannah is actually blind!

After Jonathan makes several more faux pas, a friendship is slowly formed. Before you know it, Jonathan begins to feel very different feelings for Hannah. He wants to make her his bride!

During a trip to the seashore with Jonathan’s family, Hannah’s mother steals her away. Before you know it, Hannah is being pushed toward marriage with another man. You wonder where she will end up by the end of this tale!

I enjoyed so much about this debut novel. It’s a character driven plot with a unique main character.

Having a serious disability since the age of 17, Hannah realizes that her future probably doesn’t involve love or marriage. I loved how Hannah’s disability was handled throughout the book. I found myself thinking of how I’d feel if I were in her situation. I admired how Hannah remained kind, strong and courageous throughout all the obstacles that were ahead of her.

I had mixed feelings about Jonathan at first, but he turned out to be a great character. Having recently returned to England with his sister and mother, Jonathan discovers that his “new money” status might not be accepted by everyone. When he meets Hannah for the first time, he misunderstands her reasoning for refusing to dance with him. Let’s just say he doesn’t make a great first impression! Even though he puts his foot in his mouth several times in the beginning, I loved how he was quick to realize his wrong doings and apologize. I also loved how he cared for his family.

This is a slow burn romance and I loved the natural progression of enemies to friends to more. I really enjoyed Jonathan and Hannah’s sweet scenes together but I personally would have like a little more tension or spark in their relationship. I appreciated how thoughtful and tender Jonathan was with Hannah. Their journey to HEA was not an easy one for sure.

I understood the villain and her reasonings, but I just didn’t feel that was enough motivation for all the hatred and cruel things she did. She was truly a monster.

Overall, I thought this book was very enjoyable. I recommend it to anyone who loves clean regency romances!

Thanks to Covenant communications and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

LoveUnseen #NetGalley

This is a1 debut novel by Racel Kelly Stones, a unique story but also one that I had a hard time putting down. Hannah Hadley doesn't have much hope of marriage and has resigned herself to being a spinster. A new neighbor Jonathan Carter is good at ruffling her feathers and saying things that upset her,.Hannah longs to have someone look passed her differences and see who she really is inside. When things look desperate who will come to her rescue.?

This story has a blind heroine, an evil mother, a scheming sister and a clueless brother. These dynamics make up a great story that take the reader through the journey of Hannah and Johnathon’s road to happiness. The road is a rocky one with big boulders along the way. I thought the story was well written and engaging.

"Love Unseen" by Rachel Kelley Stones certainly isn't short of charm or excitement. This novel presents a narrative that isn't typical for a Regency romance but is nonetheless intriguing.
Our heroine, Hannah Hadley, suffers from blindness—a condition she manages admirably but one that casts a significant shadow over her prospects for marriage. Add to this her demanding mother and dismissive siblings, and you have a protagonist who's easy to root for. Her strength and determination to lead a fulfilling life despite her circumstances make her an admirable character.

Across the street, we have Jonathan Carter—a man of considerable fortune but of dubious social standing due to his "new money" origins. He is initially uncouth in his interactions with Hannah, but there's a mutual attraction that they can't ignore.
Their relationship develops from a rocky start to a slow-burning romance. There's palpable authenticity to their feelings for each other, with the ups and downs, misunderstandings, and heartfelt moments playing out naturally.

But the book isn't without its flaws. Sometimes, the language doesn't quite match up to the time period, lending a modern touch to an otherwise historical narrative. Additionally, certain pivotal events aren't given enough description, which can disrupt the story's overall flow.
That said, "Love Unseen" is still a compelling read, featuring an ensemble of diverse characters who invoke emotions from sympathy to frustration. The character development is commendable, especially for Jonathan, who evolves from a bumbling idiot to a considerate and caring man.

For a debut novel, Rachel Kelley Stones demonstrates an impressive knack for storytelling. With a fresh take on Regency romance and well-rounded characters, she's a writer to watch out for.

I'm giving "Love Unseen" a solid four stars. Despite minor missteps, it's an engaging read that provides a new perspective on the genre. If you're looking for something different within historical romance, this book might be worth your time. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Rachel Kelley Stones for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love Unseen does a great job of getting into the mind of Hannah as she navigates her world. Stones painted a beautiful picture to help us glimpse her world and imagine the challenges she overcame. I loved to see the character development of Jonathon as he overcame his prejudices and fell in love with Hannah. He never tried to fix or change her, but instead looked for ways to increase her independence. The family dynamics showed the harsh realities that people with Hannah's disability face at times. It was sad to see how her mother and sister treated her. Yet Hannah showed both forgiveness and the strength to set healthy boundaries. All of the characters were well-rounded, showing their human flaws, with many showing characteristics of fundamentally good people.

A proper (clean) Regency romance and a debut novel from Rachel Kelley Stones. Hannah Hadley is a beautiful, intelligent and kind but does not have prospects to marry. She is 21 but she became blind by illness when she was 17. Her mother sees her as a burden and an obstacle for her getting matches for her other daughter. Jonathan Carter is accepted on the fringe of the ton. His father made the family wealthy being a merchant in the West Indies. After his death Jonathan returns to England with his mother and younger sister. He purchased the house closest to the Hadley family.

He feels snubbed by his first meeting with Hannah and it is only later that he and the reader realize her ailment. I like that he is rather blunt in his assessment of her limitations and has to look beyond to what she can do. Hannah of course is a stark contrast to her social climbing mother and marriage hungry sister. I like how the author weaves into the story the ways that Hannah has had to adapt and cope with her impairment.

I enjoyed the story. I don’t want to give away all the twists and turns but it is a good adventure for a shortish romance. The story is told from both Hannah and Jonathan’s POV which I like. Thank you to Covenant Communications for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.

What I enjoyed about this story was the ablitly for the author to envoke empathy and emotion within the pages. It was a moving romance and story. I liked the strength of character the h had. I haven't read a story with this particular disability. I thought that was handled well and authentically. The story offered a general feel of the era. I think there were some light anachronisms in speech. This isn't written in the style of Georgette Heyer, fyi. We still get the feel and sense of the time. I thought there was a nice flow and some exciting moments. I'd say an overall good read. A read for something lighter with heart and good writing.
*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book. Opinions are 100% my own*

I really enjoyed this story, so much that I pulled an all-nighter and finished reading in one sitting.

Some elements of the story are inspired from Cinderella but with a refreshing take. Hannah, our heroine, has a disability and yet, despite all the challenges, Hannah remains a strong character.

I enjoyed reading the love blossoming between Hannah and Jonathan.

There are some depictions of toxic family relationship but the overall tone of the novel is still light-hearted and not heavy.

Content notes: kissing only, toxic family

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Rachel Stones makes herself seen in this debut novel. I am really impressed and fully enjoyed this unique story. This is my first regency I’ve read with a blind FMC. I love how her character was handled with her strength and persistence amongst her treatment in society. And wow, her mother was a true villain! I love the chemistry between Hannah and Jonathan. They had some rocky moments but Jonathan was totally swoon worthy and made up for his not-so-good words and actions. A delightful, unique debut that every clean historical lover should read!

Love Unseen is an amazing novel by new author Rachel Kelly Stones. I really enjoyed reading this book it was sweet and charming and also has a fair amount of suspense! It kept me up half the night because I just had to see how things would turn out.

The main characters in this book are Hannah and Jonathan. They made a perfect couple. Hannah was sweet and loving. She was also incredibly determined and brave. She had a lot of challenges but refused to let her disability rule her life. Jonathan was a perfect hero. He was able to look past Hannah’s disability and see her for the wonderful person she was. This story is told from the perspective of both of the main characters. I loved getting to see how both of them interpreted their interactions.

This book is a refreshing change from the typical regency romance and one you don’t want to miss!

I am so impressed with new author Rachel Stone. Love Unseen was simply a captivating experience from the first chapter to the last. The characters are developed well and the story is driven by real issues and feelings.
The main characters Hannah and Jonathan have a rocky start when they first get to know one another. In fact, Jonathan comes across as very rude to Hannah.I absolutely adored the way that things developed between them eventually. Slow burn for the win here.
Hannah is blind and dealing with a mean and vicious mother. The "mother" is so well written I disliked her from the start. You do eventually find out why she behaves this way though I had no empathy for her. Hannah has learned to live with her blindness but it's others in society that don't know how to treat Hannah with kindness and respect. Thank goodness for a few cherished friends that loved and supported her.

Jonathan's family has come from "new money" and is not looked at kindly by well-established old societal families. This does not stop him and his mother and sister from trying to make a name for themselves after living in the West Indies. Once Jonathan meets Hannah his life changes in ways he never expected. With family drama abounding, it makes for interesting situations and people with nefarious purposes that raise your ire.
This clean romance written in first person is not your typical Regency Romance. There's so much more to it, as Hannah's disability is highlighted and how that changed so much of the regular view you see of upper English society in this time period.

I was happy with the way things turned out and the epilogue brought some tears to my eyes. It was all very sweet. If you are looking for something other than the norm, you must give Love Unseen a chance.

Amazing debut novel by Rachel Kelley Stones! The main characters Hannah and Jonathon have a rocky start when Jonathan doesn’t realize Hannah has a disability. I love how the author wrote the first chapters without revealing the disability so the readers can maybe understand a little more Jonathan’s perspective. There’s so many twists and turns through the story I didn’t want to put it down! As the true nature of the villain is shown, you just want to jump in the book and rescue Hannah. This book is one I’ll be reading again. Can’t wait to see more from this author!

What on earth. I was not expecting so many of the turns here. This was a fun read AND it kept me up late into the night reading. I ignored my hot bath for this because I could not be bothered to move from my chair. I had to find out what was coming next. A deftly woven tale of misunderstandings, hope, help, jealousies, and love. The mother in this one. You will be appalled with this creature claiming the title. What a . . . hmm. Keeping it clean. But the main character was one worth rooting for and the story was wonderfully paced. I would absolutely read this again.

**I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley. But my words are my own, as always.**

I really enjoyed this book! I really liked the way the author navigated the first few chapters. It made the reveal that much more meaningful and helped us to see things from Jonathan’s point of view. This was a unique premise with Hannah having a disability you don’t see as the main subject of many novels, especially in the Regency era.

I thought the author did a good job in her portrayal of Hannah and her disability. My daughter suffers from the same disability and I thought she captured the experience pretty well. Hannah was a wonderful character and it was nice that Jonathan could see past her disability and into her heart.

The villain in the story, oh my! It’s hard to imagine someone so awful. I would have liked to have seen her get a little more comeuppance than she did, but Hannah handled things with so much grace at the end. It would have been nice to see a stronger motivating advantage for the villain’s plan though, like money, prestige or something more than just distance and being rid of her. The reasons given just seemed a little weak in my opinion. But it didn’t affect my ability to enjoy the story at all.

This was a wonderful story that kept my attention the whole way through. The author showed great insight and I liked her writing style. I’m looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

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

Love Unseen
By Rachel Kelley Stones
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Series: None
Rated: 3
Obtain: Borrow
Back of the Book: “Hannah Hadley is a permanent fixture in London Society and well on her way to becoming a spinster. Despite her beauty and kind disposition, Hannah has accepted the harsh reality of her situation: she will never marry. Continually affected by an illness from her youth, Hannah acknowledges her chances of entertaining potential suitors, at least respectable ones, is slim.
To members of the ton, Jonathan Carter is undeniably unsuitable. Though he is in possession of a massive fortune and is handsome as well, there remains an insurmountable black mark against him: his is new money. Even so, he’s caught off guard when his enchanting neighbor, Miss Hadley, flatly rejects his offer to dance. Despite their rocky introduction, however, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. But when circumstances force Hannah from her home, the couple’s warm association comes to an abrupt end. Now, Jonathan must find a way to rescue the woman he just might love or risk losing her forever.”

Impressions: This was a pretty standard historical romance. Although it was not Christian it was a clean romance. The hero and heroine were sweet and likable, but their family's actions became a bit extreme from my perspective as the story came to a close. It was ok but not great. I believe the main characters were a creative idea for what could have been a more enjoyable story.

Quotes: “‘There are always those in life who choose to dislike and discourage, but that’s a reflection of their character, not yours. You must learn to ignore them.’”

“‘But perhaps you may consider your own actions before you condemn others. By making certain choices, you risk certain consequences. Assigning fault to others does not change that; it only ruins your relationships.’”

I received an ARC of this book via the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here. For more book reviews go to: https://thebluestockingbooknook.wordpress.com

@rachelkelleystones_author no way this was your debut novel?!?! If this is just the beginning, I can’t wait to see where your writing journey takes you! This book was amazing!

The expertly written prose, terrific execution of the ever evolving plot, and a romance that was almost “not to be” had me glued to the pages and kept on the edge of my seat. The empathy, anticipation, and angst I felt was intense and constant. And I must say, I don’t know if I have ever despised a character as much as I did Mrs. Hadley, that woman infuriated me to the “n”th degree. You elicited such strong emotion from me on that account. Bravo!

I admired Hannah’s strength and ability to overcome her disability and disappointments. She was brave and determined, kind and compassionate.

I appreciated Jonathan with his courage to admit his wrongs and his efforts to atone for them. His olive branch offering was one of the most wonderful and thoughtful things ever.

Outstanding debut! This is a clean romance with a disability rep. Lots of twist and turns, horrid family relations, and sweet, comforting friends. A must read in my book! From one KY girl to another…congratulations, Rachel!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

#rachelkelleystones #loveunseen #regencyromance #cleanromance #netgalley #bookstagram

BRIEF REVIEW
I liked the disability representation in this; it was very unique, and I've never seen a main character quite like this in a regency romance. I was interested to see where the story was going to take us. Unfortunately, I had quite a few issues with the writing itself, the characters, and the progression of the story (you can refer to my blog post for more details on that). However, it was a pretty fun one-time read for me (though, to be fair, I don't usually reread books anyway 🫣).

As always, just because it wasn't MY favorite doesn't mean it won't be YOURS. If you're interested in it, please give it a go! Mine seems to be an unpopular opinion, and I'm fine with that--in fact, I'm happy about that! because it means a lot of other people are loving this book! I give the author huge props for writing a novel that is unique from others in the same genre, and going through the intense process of publishing!

BRIEF CONTENT GUIDE
😘🙊🍷🤕All mild on the page. Some potential TW listed in blog post.

BOTTOM LINE
You may be interested in this one if you like clean regency romances, plus disability representation.

FULL REVIEW AND CONTENT GUIDE available on blog (betterbookbureau.weebly.com)

#loveunseen releases on July 5, 2023.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an eARC.

Love beyond Sight!

Miss Hannah Hadley is used to being unseen, by her mother, society, and even her siblings. When unexpectedly asked to dance by a new acquaintance, she knows she must decline. It is difficult to dance when one can not see. And even more difficult to discern a new neighbor's character.

Jonathan Carter is a hero who feels misunderstood. Fresh from the West Indies the London scene is far from his comfort zone. When he feels slighted, by Miss Hannah Hadley he easily gives it in return, until he learns the reason behind her actions. Seeking forgiveness he searches out his new neighbor and is finding far more to her than just her lack of eyesight. Indeed, she may just be a woman worthy of his heart if only he can convince her of such.

Love Unseen is a wonderful read, showing the importance of looking beyond the physical to see the heart. Both characters felt very real and personal. I really enjoyed Hannah's optimism despite her difficulties. And Jonathan's goodness and devotion. I enjoyed journeying with these two as they overcame to find their happy ending.

How does it feel to finish a book and stare at a wall completely at loss of words? Well... now I know.
Love Unseen was the first book with the main character having this sort of disability. And, to be honest, I am amazed by how well the author expressed Hannah's point of view. It gave me a whole new perspective about the way we see the world. Books like this often make me see how blessed we are without even realising.

The book has Cinderella vibes, which I adore. Jonathan and Hannah have a cute first meet, and since then I knew I was going to love their relationship.
As a romanian author once said, this book is a beautiful 'harmony of contrasts'.

I can't wait for another Rachel Kelley Stones masterpiece because this is what Love Unseen is.

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