A Lady Unrivaled

Author: Roseanna M. White
Genre: Historical Romance

Lady Ella Myerston can always find a reason to smile--even if it's just in hope that tomorrow will be better than today. All her life everyone has tried to protect her from the realities of the world, but Ella knows very well the danger that has haunted her brother and their friend, and she won't wait for it to strike again. She intends to take action . . . and if that happens to involve an adventurous trip to the Cotswolds, then so much the better.

Lord Cayton has already broken two hearts, including that of his first wife, who died before he could convince himself to love her. Now he's determined to live a better life. But that proves complicated when old friends arrive on the scene and try to threaten him into a life of crime. He does his best to remove the intriguing Lady Ella from danger, but the stubborn girl won't budge. How else can he redeem himself, though, but by saving her--and his daughter--from those dangerous people who seem ready to destroy them all?

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Reviewer: A. J. White

“A Lady Unrivaled” will transport you back in time to the Edwardian Era of Britain.  This is Roseanna White’s third book in her Ladies of the Manor Series. This author has an excellent ability to create the world of the Cotswolds and its upper class during this time period.
 
Since I was not acquainted with the previous two books, sometimes I felt as if I had entered into the middle of the conversation.  A curious reader could find out more from the previous installments.  I think doing so would give a better perspective and more connection to Ella, her two suitors, and the mystery of the Fire Eyes diamonds. 
 
It was difficult to hate or fear the villain to any great degree. The author gave many reasons for sympathy for the villain and that made it seem he was not quite as ruthless as he appeared.  The last several chapters seemed rushed and I did wonder about the accuracy of some historical social settings such as the many hours Lady Ella spent alone in the library with Cayton.
 
However, the message of the gospel’s ability to transform an individual and give hope to those who believe was well depicted in Cayton and some of the other characters.  Overall, this was a pleasant romantic mystery set in an age of beauty and elegance. 

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Reviewer: Elsie Stoltzfus

Wow! I'm speechless. This book is quite simply, fantastic. The story kept me on my toes, trying (and failing) to see where it was headed. It was interesting, realistic, imaginative, and exiting. As for the characters, they were enthralling. And realistic. Lady Ella was captivating, and Cayton was, well, Cayton. The other characters are fabulously done. The good ones made mistakes, and the bad weren't completely bad. There was a very strong theme of redemption throughout, without being blatant.

And, very high praise from me, it is a good Christian book. It isn't preachy while being very Christian, and without sacrificing the plot.
 
I highly recommend this to everyone who likes a good historical fiction adventure/romance story.
 
So, all in all, I desperately want to read more books from this author. 

​This book  has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

A Lady Unrivaled by Roseanna M. White is the third book in the Ladies of the Manor Series, which was probably why I was confused at times while reading it. However, that did not stop me one minute from enjoying it! In fact, if I didn't now know how this series ended I would go back and read the other books - this one was that good.

I found the character of Ella absolutely charming in her ability to get herself in trouble and in trying to make Lord Cayton aware of her charms. While she seemed a very quick thinker in dangerous situations, she was ever attuned to the Lord's voice, which guided her when making decisions that her family and friends seemed to never understand. The character of Lord Cayton was irresistible as far as a "prince-charming" type of hero could get. Wanting to stay clear of his "Cinderella" (Ella) but inextricably drawn to her as she is to him.

At times I was incredibly lost in this story, simply because I'd never read the other books. Characters would suddenly appear without introduction and I'd be scratching my head. Also, near the end of the book Ella starts calling Lord Cayton "Drat", for reasons I'm stumped on. I thought she was talking to someone else until I realized she had given him a nickname of sorts. Why, "Drat" is the nickname I have no idea, but I just chalked it up to something else introduced in one of the other books.

Leaving the other books out of the equation, I really liked this story once I got into it. Eventually, bits and pieces of information filtered through and I got a good enough idea of what had gone on before. For example, Lord Cayton used to be a cad, and Catherine used to be a shrew, but people change. In Lord Cayton's case, he found the Lord and Catherine found redemption as well, making her story bittersweet.

Overall, A Lady Unrivaled is an excellent book filled with action, adventure, mystery and of course love. Do yourself a favour though and read the other books in the series before this one, as I'm sure the ending will have much more of an impact.

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

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Reviewer: Rebecca Maney

"The man you are, not the man you were."

Lord James Cayton remains buried under a mountain of guilt and regret; he broke the hearts of two women that he never truly loved, one of whom was his wife. Utterly bewitched by the lovely and optimistic Lady Ella Myerston, he catches a glimpse of the kind of man he would like to become; his newfound faith steadily growing and his beautiful little daughter giving him measure of hope. When Ella refuses to accept his surly moods, their acquaintance becomes a tender friendship, until the storm clouds of their past suddenly appear on the horizon, and Cayton is once again recruited to betray his life long friends.

Ella Mysterson refuses to be daunted by the very handsome, but moody Lord Cayton, choosing instead to believe in the man that he is becoming. When the ownership of a much sought after family heirloom is once again the object of diabolical attention, Ella and Cayton go on the offensive; having everything to gain and nothing to lose, except perhaps, those that they love. Fortunately, there is always reason to hope," and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts . . . "

"A Lady Unrivaled" is beautifully plotted. The author's ability to ingeniously re-introduce familiar characters, while carefully inserting a support cast who add an impressive level of interest and intrigue, is invigorating. The entire "Ladies of the Manor" series has been an absolute pleasure to read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

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