Sian Ann Bessey did it again! This was a beautifully written masterpiece. I absolutely loved Benedicts character. He was so kind, selfless and very swoony. I loved the instant friendship that was formed between him and Caroline. And Meg.... what isn't to love about cute innocent Meg? She is absolutely adorable and added so much to the fun of the story.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well written and you can’t help admiring their strength and compassion. I loved how the story pulled in real events from that time period. I not only was able to enjoy a really good story but I learned some fascinating history. I highly recommend this book.

Talented author Sian Ann Bessey has written a captivating tale which perfectly illustrates why historical romantic fiction is my favorite genre. I can learn fascinating things about a slice of history while I’m reading an absorbing story. A Provincial Peer is set around the time that Edward Jenner was experimenting with a vaccine to help prevent the dreaded smallpox disease that caused so many deaths. Set in Gloucestershire, England, this tale stars widow Caroline Granger who has been scarred by smallpox which also killed her husband. Left with poor health and a young daughter, Meg, she returns to Leyfield village, her childhood home to stay with her father. When she mistakes her childhood friend Lord Benning (Benedict) as a farmhand, she is mortified. As they get reacquainted with each other, they find their relationship changing. Caroline’s daughter Meg is adorable and such a fun addition to the story. I recommend this book to those who enjoy clean, wholesome, sweet historical romance. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

`A lovely, tender-hearted love story set in rural England in 1796. The final entry in The Georgian Gentlemen series, The Provincial Peer touches on issues and beliefs of the day while building the story of a slow-burn romance. Caroline, recently widowed and disfigured by small pox, returns to her family home with her young daughter, Meg. There, she becomes reacquainted with a childhood friend, Lord Banning, or Benedict, and romance ensues.

As in all her books, Sian Ann Bessey gives us likable, intelligent characters who exhibit kindness, compassion, and respect, and manage to grow in very real ways. I was especially touched by the way Bessey handled Caroline's coming to terms with her disfigurement and how she gained perspective through positive involvement in other peoples' lives. The inclusion of Dr, Jenner's work toward vaccination against the disease was a definite plus as was the fact and folklore surrounding cow pox..

I've read all the books in this series and highly recommend each and every book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I so enjoyed A Provincial Peer, by Sian Ann Bessey, and learned a lot from her diligent research.

Lord Benedict Benning is more involved in his farming estate than his title. As a gentleman in the 1700's, he is expected to be in the social circle but finds himself helping with calving and milking. When little Meg wanders into his estate, he is instantly charmed. He is intrigued by the veiled woman who comes looking for her.

Caroline Granger and her daughter Meg returned to her father's vicarage after she loses her husband to small pox which has left her severely scarred. She was Benedict's younger brothers playmate when they were children. She is drawn to Benedicts kindness and compassion. But Caroline must place her trust in God as she seeks a measure of peace for her future, and her heart.

This was such a captivating romance, where one's outward appearance was not the focus. I loved the well developed main characters as they make their way through the ravages of the dreaded disease. This is the first book by Bessey that I have read and will be reading more. She has a very distinct writing style with apparent lots of research of the time period. A nice, light hearted, clean faith based story, tender with a bit of humor and mystery. I definitely recommend this story.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When his younger brother's childhood playmate returns home widowed with a young daughter Meg, Benedict is happy to see her again, and soon finds himself wrapped around Meg's little finger. But Caroline is badly scarred after an attack of smallpox, caught while nursing her husband, and is finding going out into village society difficult. Benedict does what he can to coax Caroline out of her shell, but when her worst fear comes back to haunt her, will it be enough? And as he begins to realise more of the plight of the villagers after a hard year, it turns out that there's more going on than he realised. Can he solve the mystery or is not just the village but even his family in serious trouble?

I can only call this a happy-making story. I can't put my finger on what it is, but as I read this book, I just found it making me happy. It's not that there isn't hard stuff going on, or that everyone is wonderful - and though there's humour, I didn't spend the entire time laughing my head off. No, it was a quiet, deep satisfaction that went beyond words. The story itself is delightful, if in many ways nothing special - a somewhat predictable background problem, a couple enjoying spending time together, a four-year-old girl (who isn't perfect but is held to standards - refreshing), and some interesting secondary characters. But the way they're put together makes all the difference. I loved Benedict's care for and feeling of responsibility towards the villagers (not to mention Caroline's). I hated the neighbour's comments about Caroline's scars, but loved both her and Benedict's responses. And I appreciated that the bad guy had at least some positive reason for his bad actions. The mention of vaccinations was intriguing, too - it's something we tend to take for granted too often, but at one point it was new. All in all, a great read, and I'm really looking forward to the author's next book. Recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

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!