Holding the Line by Jennifer Delamere: Book Review

 *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Can she find the strength to heal the wounds of her past--and open her heart again?

A widow at just thirty years of age, Rose Finlay is determined to put all ideas of marriage and family behind her and pursue an independent life. But when she notices a young woman about to be led astray by a roguish aristocrat, bitter memories from her past arise, and she feels compelled to intervene. The unintended consequences of her efforts will ultimately force Rose to reexamine her life in a new light.

As the guardian of his two widowed sisters' financial and domestic affairs, John Milburn carries heavy responsibilities for a single man. But he's faced with his biggest challenge when his headstrong niece falls prey to the attentions of a powerful man who could ruin both her and her family.

When Rose and John join forces to protect his niece, they put everything they hold dear--including their growing attraction--in jeopardy.

Jennifer Delamere's (www.jenniferdelamere.com) debut Victorian romance, An Heiress at Heart, was a 2013 RITA Award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She's been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.

Holding the Line is the third and final book in the Love Along the Wires series. While there are some character crossovers between the novels, I think it would read just fine as a standalone as well. Of course, as with any series you will often get the most out of it by reading as a whole. 

One thing that I love about reading historical fiction is that I feel like it so often gives us a glimpse into the past beyond the basics we learn in the history books. To be honest, history was never my favorite subject in school as remembering names and dates is just not my thing... but learning how people lived and communicated during those times? Now THAT I find fascinating. The author did a great job of drawing the reader back to this point in time in a way that feels very genuine. I really enjoyed the characters and the story... and of course, the romance. It was more of a slow burn romance than I so often prefer, but it worked here. 

Overall, a good read and one that fans of historical romance are sure to want to check out!