Book Review: To Capture His Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen

Image courtesy of Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Capture-Heart-Proper-Romance-Victorian/dp/1639930515
 

My Rating: 4 Stars

During the summer 1886, Eva Caldwell finds herself employed as photographer for a 10-day fundraising party, hosted by Detective Inspector Nathaniel Winston's mother at the Winston family estate in Seaside. Nathaniel and Eva agree to act enamored with one another to help Nathaniel stave off a few marriage-hungry harpies that have been invited to the party. As the party rolls on, two things become apparent: their affection for one another may not just be a show, and someone on the premises has murderous intentions. Eva and Nathaniel must have the courage to share their true feelings for one another and outwit the villain before he claims his victims.

This is a cute companion story to Nancy Campbell Allen's other book, The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart. I enjoyed the appearance of a few familiar characters throughout the course of this story. 

The romance was very sweet and founded upon mutual respect (always very refreshing!), and I thought the element of suspense gave it a nice flair. I have to admit though, that the mystery was not as puzzling nor adrenaline-inducing as I had expected, based on my experience reading The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart. This book is definitely more tame. I did think that the plot and characters were both believable though and I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the noble intentions of the good characters. These characters are the kind that do the right things for the right reasons, and I'd have to say that's one of my favorite things about Allen's books--the good guys are just really good, inside and out. 

Content Guide:

Sex & Affection--Ardent kissing.
Language--None
Drugs, Alcohol, & Substance Use--None
Violence & Crime--Two men are found dead, one with bodily injury but descriptions can hardly be considered graphic. A few people are injured and injuries are not described graphically, save for one character noting the spreading of blood on another character's clothing.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.

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