Book Review: Bewitched By the Bluestocking by Jillian Eaton

Jillion Eaton is a fantastic Regency romance author who is well known for writing about sexy women and dangerous men. A combination that indeed spins a romance novel that will throw you on your heels. She has a lot of wit and uses a more modern and lighthearted turn of phrase than others in the regency romance writing industry. Furthermore, she is hilarious. Eaton lives on a farmette with some fun rescue animals and her family. Her love of animals comes out in her books as many of them take the classic Disney approach and have “princesses” and their pet sidekicks. Or, in these cases, fun, boisterous women with some peculiar animals that make you laugh. If you are ready to laugh, cry, and have all the swoon-worthy feels over an adorably lighthearted romance novel series, then launch your journey with Bewitched by the Bluestocking, book one in The Perks of Being an Heiress series.

Summary of Bewitched By the Bluestocking

Page Count: 308

Release Date: January 26, 2021

Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing

Series: The Perks of Being an Heiress, book 1

Joanna Thorncroft is a spunky American who travels to London in 1870 to hunt for her mother’s stolen ring. It seems like a lofty goal to travel across the pond and find a single piece of jewelry. However, Joanna and her sisters are down on their luck and need the ring. It will fill their coffers for years to come. So, they sell a dress or two and hit the docks.

Thomas Kincaid is a private investigator and hero of this tale. In fact, he used to be one of the best investigators in London and the surrounding area until his scandalous downfall. After his demise, he had to work his way back out of the ashes to make something of himself again. As a result, the whole debacle has made him wary of outgoing, beautiful women, which is exactly what Joanna Thorncroft is.

The perfect match or a couple destined to fail from the start? They meet through some extraordinary circumstances and face some incredibly trying times, and the deadline to do it is approximately one week. Can Joanna thaw Kincaid’s cold heart in that short of time, or will she have hers broken in the process?

While this is a happily ever after tale, it actually spans several books, so you have to begin reading the next book in the series to figure out where their love story goes. Instead of ending the story in a traditional marriage and baby epilogue like many regency authors do, we see this strong-willed couple come together. But do they actually stay together?

If Bewitched by the Bluestocking seems like a book you would like, go ahead and read the first two chapters for free.

Noteworthy Moments of this Historical Romance Novel

This novel is set in a time when railroads are booming across England, but there is still some carriage action to tye in the entire regency vibe. It is set in an era about 50 years after most regency romance novels are based, and in a bold move, Jillian Eaton also made this book focus on two commoners instead of the gentry or the English ton. While it is not your typical regency romance, it is a great read. True to Eaton’s style, Joanna is described as the kind of woman that makes other women envious. Readers aspire to be this beauty as she has thick lashes, high cheekbones, and soft lips.

However, at first glance, Thomas Kincaid is the farthest thing from a dangerous man you would ever believe. He grew up in an orphanage and was a nerdy boy in glasses, better known as spectacles. Throughout the novel, though, you see him for the rough around the edges and strong peeler that he used to be (a peeler was the first British police force).

The book compares and contrasts Joanna and her sister Evie a bit as one will marry for nothing but love, but the other wants the money, fame, and standing that a successful marriage will bring. The comparison within this book heavily resembles the tides turning in the old way of marriage for some sort of gain vs. today’s standards in the western world which are typically to marry for love. Though love won out in the end, I like the argument that was also made for marriages conducted for reasons besides love:

“Do you love the roof over our heads? Do you love the food on our table? Do you love the clothes on our backs? Because if you don’t marry soon, and marry well, not being able to afford a pound of butter is going to be the least of our concerns.” 

Evie Thorncroft in Bewitched By the Bluestocking, by Jillion Eaton. Page 25

While this plot is pretty lighthearted, it has its fair share of revealed secrets and “scandals” for the characters. But above all, one thing that I loved about this story is that the author weaves in elements of actual writing. For instance, when something outlandish happens, one such character says,

“Like the plot of some gothic romance novel.” 

Jillian Eaton, Bewitched by the Bluestocking, page 64.

If you continue reading the series, you will notice this trend occurring in each of the books, and the irony of the book characters thinking they sound like book characters are always good for a laugh.

One character you will grow to love is the very loveable but pretty dastardly Sterling, Duke of Hanover. He appears throughout the series, so keep an eye on him in this book. He is relaxed, loveable, and possibly a murderer. The plot thickens from there.

Five Star Regency Romance Novel

Bewitched By The Bluestocking is a five-star regency romance novel. Jillion Eaton is a witty writer who crafted a phenomenal, funny book and had a lot of intriguing plot twists. While it was not an incredibly realistic book, the outlandish side of it was what made it all the more fun!

Do you want to hear another review for this book? Check out Caitlyn Lynch Sexy Romances With Heart book blog.

Steamy Regency Romance By Jillian Eaton

Bewitched By the Bluestocking is a steamy Regency romance. It is rated four flaming hearts out of five on the steaminess scale. There were sex scenes within the book and playful kissing and flirting sense that escalated. However, it is still a tasteful novel, and it does not have sex all over the place.

Where Can You Buy This Book?

You can get Bewitched By the Bluestocking on Amazon in ebook or paperback format. As of the time this blog post was written, it was also available through the kindle unlimited program. With the Kindle Unlimited program, you can read various romance novels, and other books for a monthly fee, like Netflix. In fact, Amazon has 2 million books and counting enrolled in the program. If you don’t have a subscription yet, check out these great first-time subscriber discounts:

• 5% off a 6 month pre-paid plan
• 10% off a 12 month pre-paid plan
• 20% off a 24 month pre-paid plan

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