A Match for Melissa

Melissa Southwood is out walking when she stumbles across an injured man, with the help of her former governess Miss Priscilla Cleaver & Reverent Cleaver they rescue the young man Mark Russell who is the new lord of the manor. Melissa is summoned back to London by her rich merchant father where she goes along with her ambitious father’s matchmaking schemes. Amidst balls, carriage rides, dinner parties, and danger.
This was a well written Christian novel .The characters were well portrayed, the plot was well paced too. Melissa was delightful, caring & compassionate. The male characters are also well portrayed. There are twists & turns along the way not everyone is how they seem. If you like Christian novels then I’d highly recommend the book but for me there was too many biblical quotations.

Christian books aren't really my genre of choice, but I could appreciate that this was well written with witty dialogue. I enjoyed it, but the quotes took me out of the story.
I received an ARC copy of this book from netgalley.

Publisher's Description:

Melissa Southwood goes along with her ambitious father’s matchmaking schemes until one event throws all into question.

Amidst balls, carriage rides, dinner parties, and danger, Melissa must navigate an arranged courtship as well as the attentions of another nobleman.

Which aristocratic suitor will win her heart?

My Thoughts:

I don't read much inspirational romance so the premise of this title was somewhat surprising in the blatant Christian vein.
I had not expected a story based on so much of a religious nature. It was an unexpected surprise.

There is a great deal of suspense along with a suspected murder an attempted murder and an abduction. This is only the background of a story of a young lady who must choose a groom. Her choices, an almost destitute and possibly dissolute young nobleman who needs her money to keep him from certain ruin or the other nobleman who was found by her beaten and thrown in a flooded ditch and left to die.

Who will the winner be in this convoluted story? Will it be the man her father has chosen for her or will her heart lead her to the other man that she found near death in a ditch?

I gave this book 4.0 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 1.0 of 5.0 flames. This story is more religious and thoughtful than sensual therefore the low sensuality rating. It is a good debut effort, and should only get better with additional books.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book via NetGalley from the publisher to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Melissa Southwood has an ambitious father that has decided she will marry a titled gentleman. He goes about it as he does his business. Melissa goes along with it to please her father. He finds an impoverished nobleman but she can't quite come to agree to the match. In the mean time Lord Russell has decided he needs a bride and goes to London to find one. They are each looking for a mate with their values. They have met in Russelton when she saved him after a robbery. Now can they come together with the help of his aunt and her friends? A fun read.

First book in the series called Honor's Point and I know I will be looking for more . Looks like this might be a new Author and if this book is anything to go by I hope she does well. The story was well written with other people in this book making it all come together as a whole.I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

I'm sorry, I just found this book difficult to get interested in, the H and h were promising, but the story was just not for me.. it started well, with a mystery and some interesting characters. But the romance just progresses so slowly, I lost interest. In addition, the author started adding other characters into the romance recipe and it just became jumbled. Too many couples! The H's father moves faster than the H in pursuit of his love interest. If you're looking for a book that is a Christian romance, this will do, but it wasn't for me. Even as a Christian, I want a little more sizzle in my romances.

Karsten does an excellent job with the historical part of this story. Great attention to detail. Her descriptions bring the era alive.

Characters are very well developed. Quite a good element of faith, and Melissa is adamant of marry in the faith. I found it hard to imagine that with that strong will to marry in the faith that she didn't see through several of the characters. Nonetheless, she perseveres and wins her man. Of course.

I found each page of the story to move the story along... none of the missteps that newbies generally make. She had an excellent editor to go along with her excellent story telling.

This is a keeper.