The Nature Of A Lady By Roseanna M. White

The Nature of a Lady

by Roseanna M. White

Publisher: Bethany House

Series: The Secrets of the Isles

ISBN: 9780764237188

Being a huge fan of Roseanna's books, when I was given the opportunity to be on her launch team for the first time, I jumped at it!! She's one of those "auto reads" when any books of hers come out! She sent me her book for review.

Summary:

1906

Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles onto the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished. 

Oliver Tremayne--gentleman and clergyman--is determined to discover what happened to his sister, with the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.

As Libby and Oliver work together, they uncover ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love.

My Review:

Having read Roseanna's books I was excited to start a new series with her.

The Nature of a Lady was SO different than I'm used to with her writing. I say this in a good way. It's not at all what I was expecting. I'm so used to her stories being set in a city and the parameters that come with those kinds of stories, no matter the time period. With The Nature of a Lady, it was similar, but being on a set of small islands, gave her writing such a different spin. There are also several different POVs which I thoroughly enjoyed.

First we meet Libby. She's headed to the Scillies for the summer with her lady's maid to escape her brother pushing her into a betrothal with a man she has no desire to marry. The mysteries begin almost right away. They're staying in a home that still has the previous renter's items there. Very curious.

Then we begin to meet more and more characters of the story and the islands start to come to life. Mabena Moon is Libby's maid, but she also harbors some secrets. Being on the Scillies doesn't leave much room for secrets though! I enjoyed her storyline and all that she wrestles with. 

And then there's Oliver. I just love the male characters the author creates. They're always so easy to be drawn to, which makes sense when Libby feels a connection to him. The way Oliver connects with people seems to be handed down from his grandma Mamm-wynn. She is absolutely one of my favorite characters in this story!! I want to be a granny like her!

The storyline was rather intriguing. I love a good pirate tale and this one did not disappoint. There's certainly mystery and intrigue that surround the pirate story of this book. Oliver's sister, Beth, is missing and no one is sure what's going on. But strange things begin to happen with Libby and being mistaken for Beth, and then the mystery begins to unfold!

There's a strong faith element in the story and the gospel message is given in a way that makes sense with the story and the characters. It doesn't feel forced, but I love how it's explained. Watching Libby try to understand how God and science can blend together is wonderful, especially with me being a fan of flora and fauna. This story, and specifically Libby's storyline, really resonated with me. You don't have to have a love of plants and wildlife to enjoy the story, but if you do, then you'll enjoy it even more!

I already can't wait for book 2!! If you enjoy Julie Klassen, this will be up your alley!

About the Author:

Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. She pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to Edwardian British series. Roseanna lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.roseannamwhite.com.