I just finished this story last night, and ah, what a great one! Not only did I get to learn more about smallpox and the creation of the vaccine for it, but there was an absolutely beautiful budding romance to go along with it! And Meg. Who can forget Meg? She was adorable. I appreciated that Caroline was strong enough to stand up for herself, her family, and others who really needed help. Reading about people who go about doing good is always refreshing. I highly recommend it.

The story was captivating in so many ways. Foremost, the love story that unfolds between two childhood friends. The reuniting of Caroline and Benedict, who grew up as neighbors. Caroline and Benedict’s brother, Henry were much closer friends in childhood. Benedict had always envied their closeness. After Caroline’s husband had passed away from smallpox, and Caroline had been sick with it also. She had no other choice, but to go back to her hometown and her father, who is the local Vicar, in tow with her 4 yr old daughter, Meg. Meg was adorable. She was so full of life and sweetness. The historical information in this book was so well researched and written. I found it interesting to learn about the outbreak of smallpox during the late 1700s and also the drought and following frigid winter that was devastating to so many people. I highly recommend reading this story if you are historical romance lover. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I LOVED this book! It was one of Sian Ann Bessey’s best work to date (and that’s a hard choice because ALL of her books are amazing!) I absolutely loved the characters, they were well developed and very relatable. I loved reading about a gentleman who simple loved his tenants and wanted to see to their welfare. I also loved that Caroline wasn’t this well bred peer, who was absolutely beautiful that every man wanted. I enjoyed seeing an average woman, who had her own struggles, find love and acceptance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book completely!
I love this author's writing style and character creations.
The storyline was absolutely awesome.
The bits of historical facts within the plot were very interesting and educational, and made the whole story very believable.
Benedict and Caroline are so well matched in character, integrity and compassion.
Clean romance - which I appreciate so much!
No bag language at all.
A nice, and gentle inclusion of faith in God.
My only complaint is that it is just a bit too short. An epilogue would have been great. My complaint is not enough for me to take any stars away though.
I highly recommend this excellent book - as well as all others from this author.
Thank you to this author for writing such great, clean romance stories!

In a refreshing take, Sian Ann Bessey's "A Provincial Peer" takes place in rural Gloucestershire, with nary a visit to London and its glittering social functions. The brother of Henry from "An Unassuming Curator", Lord Benning may be titled, but is more at home in the country attending to the many responsibilities there. Scarred from smallpox, heroine Caroline Granger hides behind a veil.

This is a touching story about acceptance and realizing that one's outward appearance doesn't define who that person is. While the author tackles serious subjects such as disease and poverty, there are some lighthearted moments. Caroline's daughter Meg is a charming diversion whose innocent prattle is highly amusing. There's a villain, yet this character's motivation is hard to classify as entirely deplorable, albeit dishonest. The dreaded insta-love is thankfully absent.

Bessey incorporates interesting historical events in this novel. Smallpox and its devastating effects play no small part, along with Dr. Jenner's vaccine development. The impact of the wheat shortage is vividly described.

This author's prose is lovely. The book is also well-edited and clean. "A Provincial Peer" is the sixth story in Bessey's Georgian Gentlemen series. It stands alone, although earlier characters are occasionally mentioned.

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of this engaging story.

I love Sian Ann Bessey's books, and this one is fantastic! It's a beautiful story of the importance of being yourself and loving yourself!

Lord Benning, or Benedict, is more interested in farming than the expectations that come with his title.

Caroline is a recent widow who has been scarred, both emotionally and physically, by smallpox. She is trying to find her place and purpose, all while caring for her young daughter Meg.

I loved the "behind the scenes" look at life on a large estate - the running of the farm, the kitchen, visiting the tenants. It was a fun switch from the normal balls and society gatherings in most historical romances.

I also love Meg - she's just a little sweetheart that wins everyone over!

I loved following these two characters as they found themselves - and each other!

Thank you to Covenant Communications, Sian Ann Bessey, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring various aspects of history during the late 1700s in Sian Ann Bessey's Georgian Gentleman series. Each book, including this one, stands alone. The sweet interactions between a peer, a widow, and her precocious daughter throughout this story were simply delightful. I appreciated the hands on approach that allowed me, as the reader, an up close look at the farmwork and the plight of the tenants during this challenging time. One of my favorite parts was a gray hair analogy about the ludicrousness of judging based on appearances. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend the entire series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

All the stars for this charming, gentle romance! I’ve absolutely adored each book in the Georgian Gentlemen series and am sad to see it come to an end, but this book wraps things up in such a beautiful bow. I love second chance romances especially if they were childhood friends. This sweet story involves Caroline Granger who lost her husband to small pox and is recovering herself from the disease. Left scarred and weakened, she returns home to her father’s rectory with her darling four year old daughter Meg.

Though he’s an heir to an earldom, Lord Benning much prefers working on his farm. When Meg wanders onto his property, he’s immediately charmed by the cute little girl. When her mother comes searching for her and mistakes him for a farmhand, he’s intrigued by the veiled woman. When he discovers that it’s Caroline, his brother’s best childhood playmate and the girl he used to race boats with, he’s determined to get to know her again as adults.

I loved this tender romance! Caroline is always self conscience of her small pox scars that ravaged her body and health. I loved the way Lord Benning/Benedict could easily look past the scars, and love her. I also loved how Benedict and the women in her father’s parish help her have the courage to remove her veil. Caroline’s kind, compassionate nature completely won Benedict over and her darling daughter has “Mr. Bent” wrapped around her little finger as well. I loved the visits to the farm, boat races, rescues, the daisy crowns, that first kiss (sigh), and the natural progression from friendship to love.

I knew quite a bit about small pox going in to this story, but I loved the way the author incorporated the history in such a personal, thought provoking way. As with all of the books in the Georgian Gentlemen series, there’s a bit of a mystery involved and I enjoyed the twists that challenged my perceptions of what was going on.

Highest of recommendations for this amazing conclusion to a fabulous series! It can definitely be read as a standalone, but those who’ve read previous books will recognize mentions of familiar characters. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

Caroline and her daughter Meg return home to her father’s vicarage after smallpox has claimed her husband and left her scarred in 1796. She doesn’t want anyone to see her, but she intrigues Lord Benning, who considered her his younger brother’s friend. Caroline and Meg provide a bright spot for him as he wrestles with his estate manager is evasiveness about Farwell Estate’s needs. Meg steals the story with her comic antics. The tenants’s easy acceptance of Caroline is heartwarming. Lord Benning is swoon-worthy.
A quick read and relaxing story.

What a wonderful book! Sian does a wonderful job researching the time periods she writes about and brings her stories to life with the knowledge she gains. And this book was no different. She wrote about famine and small pox and how those would affect different people’s lives. The authors note at the end was enlightening and I learned something new!
I really liked watching Caroline and Benedict’s love story unfold. Watching each of them admire traits in each other and the good they did shows what true love is all about. The mystery aspect of the story was engaging and kept you guessing. The ending was adorable and perfect. A lovely ending to the Georgian Gentlemen series!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sian Ann Bessey for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Provincial Peer coming out May 7, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve read several books by this author. I love her writing! I think she does a lot of research and sticks to historical accuracy. Her stories are always a lot of fun. I tend to love her medieval stories more. I think this Georgian era setting was interesting. I loved Benedict’s character. He was very generous and kind. There was a little bit of an instalove. I know they grew up together, but he seemed to be into her from the start and it was hard to see why. Especially if he thought she was still married with a child. I would’ve liked to see a little more challenge. There wasn’t a ton of conflict either. I would’ve liked to see a bigger obstacle for them to overcome. But overall, I loved the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet regency romances!

Caroline is enjoying the countryside again after losing her husband and almost her life. One of the things I truly enjoy about this series is the depth of the goodness of the characters. As always I enjoyed getting to know Benedict and Caroline and seeing their love story unfold!

The setting is a village in Gloucestershire, in 1796, Georgian Era England. Caroline Granger returns home widowed with a four year old daughter. Her father is the vicar. Caroline is scarred by smallpox that took the life of her husband. Her daughter Meg meets Lord Benedict Benning who invites her to visit his new calves. Benedict is not put off by Caroline’s scars and enjoys spending time with her and Meg. Beyond covering the perils of smallpox the story includes investigating some mismanagement of the Benedict’s estate.

I enjoy the easy flow of Bessey’s storytelling. I read a lot of Regency romances and it is nice to go a bit further back in time. I can also count on the author including research and facts of the time period. In this case on smallpox and the wheat famine. This is the sixth (and maybe last) in the Georgian Gentlemen series and I have read most of them. This one easily can be read as a stand alone although I did catch that Benedict writes to the MC in, An Alleged Rogue (Nov 2021).

This is a wholesome proper romance with only a few kisses shared. I thought it was enjoyable and would recommend the whole series. Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review.

The last book in the Georgian Gentlemen series but definitely my favorite! Benedict is not your average peer, he is so much more in character and integrity, Everything about him just draws you to instantly cheer for this man. He meets the lovely but scarred widow Caroline and her charming daughter Meg. Meg is such a delight!! Caroline is a perfect match for Benedict! The journey for Caroline and Benedict is slow but steady and worth the read. Highly recommend!

I have loved this series, but I definitely think this one is my favorite. If you love a regency novel set in the country, a little bit of mystery, and a heartwarming romance then pick up this book! One thing I love about Sian’s books is how she always puts an event or tidbits of real history in there. I always learn something from her books but I get to do it in a fun way. I loved this book and I highly recommend it and the whole series!
Thank you to Covenant Communications and NetGalley for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sian Ann Bessey has done it again! This was absolutely delightful!. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were charming, witty, and well-developed. I highly recommend this fun and quick read! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Beautiful story and fantastic writing! I was hooked just from reading the synopsis! And Sian Ann Bessey is a must read everything she writes author for me! I love her books. I am always pulled in right away and don't want them to end. And that's how I feel about this Georgian Gentleman series. This is the last book and I can't tell you how much I have adored this series. They are all beautiful, tender, sweet stories with some mystery and light suspense!

Caroline and Benedict melted my heart! And that first kiss...be still my heart and all the happy sighs! Clean and sweet romance lovers will be very happy with their whole love story. Add in Caroline's adorable 4 year old daughter Meg, and the cuteness factor is perfect! I love when I read this author's books, especially this series, there's no unnecessary drama between the main characters. They feel so real and are easily relatable to.

I loved the author's note at the end of the book in regards to smallpox. Wow! So interesting and I love how she wove it throughout the story. I highly recommend you pick this one up. It can be read as a standalone if you haven't read the previous books in this series. But I do recommend those books as well if you're looking for some fabulous reads!

Content: Clean. Some talk of smallpox and death and the feelings of loss. A couple of sweet kisses but nothing further.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

A PROVINCIALPEER by SIAN ANN BESSEY is a delightful novel that takes place in Gloucestershire in 1796 at Farwell Estate nesr the village of Leyfield. Benedict, Lord Benning, is a hands on farmer and has no time for the social niceties of the ton. He comes from a family where his parents show love towards each other and their two sons. Benedict takes seriously the fact that the people he is responsible for are suffering from lack of food, particularly flour, due to the recent drought.
Caroline Granger and her four year old daughter, Meg, come to live with Caroline’s father, the vicar, next door to Farwell Estate. As a child Caroline was a frequent visitor at Farwell where she played with Benedict’s younger brother, Henry. Caroline bears scars of the smallpox that she caught after the dreaded disease killed her husband….
I like to see the honesty and integrity of most of the characters and their trust in God which comes through the story, underlined by Caroline’s father’s godly wisdom, and I find young Meg quite irresistable…..
A Provincial Peer is a most enjoyable read and one I highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Covenant Communications. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Title : "A Provincial Peer"
Author : Sian Ann Bessey
April 30, 2024

Sian Ann Bessey's "A Provincial Peer" transports readers to the captivating world of 18th-century England with elegance and finesse. In this meticulously crafted historical fiction gem, Bessey expertly captures the essence of the era, delivering a narrative brimming with poignant moments that tug at the heartstrings.
What sets this novel apart is Bessey's masterful incorporation of historical events and figures, such as the pioneering work of Edward Jenner in combatting smallpox. These elements seamlessly blend into the fabric of the story, enriching the reader's experience and adding layers of depth to the narrative.
But it's the characters that truly steal the show in "A Provincial Peer." Each one is intricately developed, their struggles and triumphs painting a vivid tapestry of human resilience. Readers will find themselves deeply invested in their journeys, rooting for them every step of the way.
At its core, this novel explores themes of friendship, acceptance, and the pursuit of what truly matters in life. Through the trials and tribulations faced by its characters, "A Provincial Peer" delivers a powerful message that resonates long after the final page is turned.
For fans of historical fiction craving a read that is both uplifting and inspiring, look no further than "A Provincial Peer." With its rich historical detail, compelling characters, and timeless themes, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression.

***Many Thanks to the Author #SianAnnBessey, Publisher #CovenantCommunications and #NetGallery for the advanced copy of the book.
#AProvincialPeer #HistoricalFiction #Romance

"A Provincial Peer" is a romance set in 1796 in England. Caroline married hastily and discovered that her naval husband chose the sea over her. He gave her a daughter but brought home smallpox, leading to his death and her scarring after her recovery. Now she hides behind a veil, but she slowly discovers that not everyone judges by appearance and many have scars. Her childhood playmate, Lord Benning, welcomes her charming daughter (and therefore Caroline) to spend time at his farm. The three spend time together, getting to know each other and coming to admire and love each other. Benedict supported Caroline's concerns and found joy in her company.

However, Benedict has some problems with the estates' steward. He must uncover what's going on while Caroline must confront her fear of possibly losing another loved one through disease. The characters were well-developed and likable. Historical details were woven into the story about how the weather created a food shortage and about a surge in smallpox at that time. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance.