lsoccer12's review against another edition
3.0
Anything involving nurses in WW1/WW2 is a must-read for me!
ellie_nao2903's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
thenovelbook's review against another edition
3.0
This World War I era novel is a bit Downton Abbey-esque, so fans of the show will find a lot to enjoy here. I enjoyed it myself, though I thought it would have benefited by being shorter. I can easily see it making a fun miniseries for TV, but the reading experience is a bit too strung out.
(I do have to give props for the use of Inveraray as the model for the Scottish castle... Even without paying attention to the cover, I recognized it immediately from the description! Super gratifying to a past visitor :)
An American heiress named Lily is shipped off to England because her mother hopes that some time with the Brits will mend her wild, independent ways. After a year, Lily's English cousin becomes a nurse in the war effort, and Lily goes with her as a nurse's aide to Scotland, to a manor that's been turned into a convalescent home for wounded soldiers.
Enter the rest of the characters... the stuffy matron, the conniving new-money socialite, the ice-cold dowager of the manor, the sleazy scandal-mongering newspaperman, and most importantly, the Laird... Alec, beset by his father's debts and his own sense of insecurity over not being well enough to fight in the war.
Lily comes in like a breath of fresh air and refuses to act like anyone expects her to. But not only does Alec have to decide whether to let her into his heart or not, he also has to figure out who is behind a series of suspicious circumstances that seem designed to ruin him.
The suspense or mystery of the book was not very compelling. The central characters and their relationship were the stronger part of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this digital review copy.
(I do have to give props for the use of Inveraray as the model for the Scottish castle... Even without paying attention to the cover, I recognized it immediately from the description! Super gratifying to a past visitor :)
An American heiress named Lily is shipped off to England because her mother hopes that some time with the Brits will mend her wild, independent ways. After a year, Lily's English cousin becomes a nurse in the war effort, and Lily goes with her as a nurse's aide to Scotland, to a manor that's been turned into a convalescent home for wounded soldiers.
Enter the rest of the characters... the stuffy matron, the conniving new-money socialite, the ice-cold dowager of the manor, the sleazy scandal-mongering newspaperman, and most importantly, the Laird... Alec, beset by his father's debts and his own sense of insecurity over not being well enough to fight in the war.
Lily comes in like a breath of fresh air and refuses to act like anyone expects her to. But not only does Alec have to decide whether to let her into his heart or not, he also has to figure out who is behind a series of suspicious circumstances that seem designed to ruin him.
The suspense or mystery of the book was not very compelling. The central characters and their relationship were the stronger part of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this digital review copy.
baskinkrobbins's review against another edition
5.0
like outlander but without the time travel and domestic violence
abigailkayharris's review against another edition
4.0
In a novel staring a character I didn't expect to like I found a new favorite author!
The setting for "Beauty Among Ruins" was ripe for the picking in my opinion. How could it not be with WWI, Scotland, an old castle, a gruff laird who has a sweet sister, and a misunderstood heroine?!
Yet, at the very first I didn't expect to like Lily for I thought she was just going to rebel... How wrong I was! She grew into a charming character that I needed to know what happened to.
Alec is the same kind of gruffly endearing hero that I love in historical novels, almost a beast like in Beauty and the Beast, he hid behind walls that had been built for supposed protection and stayed to the shadows for a long time.
The slight air of mystery was just what I like in a historical wartime romance, it wasn't so much a surprise to find out who was the bad guy and who wasn't but it was still fun to wonder somewhat who the bad guy or ... maybe girl was.
16/18+ for talk of past mistakes that were made by a character's father.
I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
The setting for "Beauty Among Ruins" was ripe for the picking in my opinion. How could it not be with WWI, Scotland, an old castle, a gruff laird who has a sweet sister, and a misunderstood heroine?!
Yet, at the very first I didn't expect to like Lily for I thought she was just going to rebel... How wrong I was! She grew into a charming character that I needed to know what happened to.
Alec is the same kind of gruffly endearing hero that I love in historical novels, almost a beast like in Beauty and the Beast, he hid behind walls that had been built for supposed protection and stayed to the shadows for a long time.
The slight air of mystery was just what I like in a historical wartime romance, it wasn't so much a surprise to find out who was the bad guy and who wasn't but it was still fun to wonder somewhat who the bad guy or ... maybe girl was.
16/18+ for talk of past mistakes that were made by a character's father.
I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
chrissie_smith's review against another edition
3.0
Lily is a wild spirit who is sent to England by her parents, in hopes she can be tamed into the role society expects of her. While there, the Great War breaks out and she enlists with her cousin to work as a nurse in a convalescent home. While there, she continues to run into Alec, the grumpy, mysterious, and extremely handsome Laird. Can she put aside her carefree lifestyle to help those in need, including Alec, or are her American ways just what is needed?
Alec is the Laird of a crumbling castle, while fighting to keep his estate from shambles, he’s playing host to wounded soldiers and the nurses who assist them. He has no time to worry about Lily, the American who cannot seem to follow expectations. He must choose whether to put aside his pride and accept help, or possibly lose the only home he’s ever known, and the woman he has grown to care for.
Any book set in Scotland instantly gets moved to the top of my TBR stack! I really loved the detail that the author used to describe the setting, she really made you feel as though you were standing in Scotland and gave you the ability to appreciate it in the same manner of those who lived there. In addition to the beautiful writing, I loved the grumpy-sunshine trope. I love the banter between the two characters and the way they are able to bring out the best in one another, despite their differences is always fun to read.
I mentioned earlier that this was a squeaky clean romance, which isn’t an issue for me, but I felt like there could have been more romantic tension between Lily & Alec. I also felt it was a slower read. This book has a lot of potential with the time period, romance, and mystery that took place. Overall, this was a fun read. I haven’t read a historical romance in awhile so it was a nice change of genre
Alec is the Laird of a crumbling castle, while fighting to keep his estate from shambles, he’s playing host to wounded soldiers and the nurses who assist them. He has no time to worry about Lily, the American who cannot seem to follow expectations. He must choose whether to put aside his pride and accept help, or possibly lose the only home he’s ever known, and the woman he has grown to care for.
Any book set in Scotland instantly gets moved to the top of my TBR stack! I really loved the detail that the author used to describe the setting, she really made you feel as though you were standing in Scotland and gave you the ability to appreciate it in the same manner of those who lived there. In addition to the beautiful writing, I loved the grumpy-sunshine trope. I love the banter between the two characters and the way they are able to bring out the best in one another, despite their differences is always fun to read.
I mentioned earlier that this was a squeaky clean romance, which isn’t an issue for me, but I felt like there could have been more romantic tension between Lily & Alec. I also felt it was a slower read. This book has a lot of potential with the time period, romance, and mystery that took place. Overall, this was a fun read. I haven’t read a historical romance in awhile so it was a nice change of genre
bookswithnopictures's review against another edition
4.0
An American girl in a Scottish castle? What I would give...
Lily is an American Heiress and somewhat of a disappointment to her parents. They send her abroad in hopes that she will return ready to be the ladylike socialite they've raised her to be. Instead, as WWI intensifies, Lily finds her way to Scotland and finds work as a nurse tending injured soldiers. Her independence and drive to contribute endears her to the local lord and his sister.
The history of the time is woven through Lily's journey in an appealing way. I appreciate the unique setting and the beautiful descriptions.
The narrator's dictation is very clear and concise. I'm not new to Kate Rudd as a narrator, but she isn't a favorite when it comes to accents outside of "American" English. I am disappointed that the Scottish brogue did not come through to add more flavor to the overall tone of the story.
Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Lily is an American Heiress and somewhat of a disappointment to her parents. They send her abroad in hopes that she will return ready to be the ladylike socialite they've raised her to be. Instead, as WWI intensifies, Lily finds her way to Scotland and finds work as a nurse tending injured soldiers. Her independence and drive to contribute endears her to the local lord and his sister.
The history of the time is woven through Lily's journey in an appealing way. I appreciate the unique setting and the beautiful descriptions.
The narrator's dictation is very clear and concise. I'm not new to Kate Rudd as a narrator, but she isn't a favorite when it comes to accents outside of "American" English. I am disappointed that the Scottish brogue did not come through to add more flavor to the overall tone of the story.
Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
whrohala's review against another edition
Just couldn't get into it. The story was pretty slow moving, and I think I just wanted something a bit faster paced.
shammons's review against another edition
3.0
I was able to find this one at Amazon Prime lending a while back and grabbed it for one day, when I felt like reading a Downton Abbey-esque book, as I had seen it compared to. Lily Durham is an American socialite who is not quite falling in line with her family’s high expectations of her entrance to society and whom they want her to marry. They “ship her off” to some English cousins and then the first World War breaks out. Very early in the story, we see Lily and her cousin Bertie reporting to a remote Scottish castle (Bertie as a nurse and Lily as a nurse’s aide) to help care for wounded British soldiers as the estate is turned into a convalescent home. The laird (lord) of the Castle is a burly, rough, no frills man who is gruff at every turn, walks with a limp and a cane, but guess what - has a heart of gold! We see their relationship progress, as well as those they live and work with in the castle. By the end, I was still enjoying this book, but I did feel like (for me) it was a bit wordy in spots. Seems like it got a wee bit repetitive in the last 1/3 of the book, about their feelings, and I was wishing it was just a tiny bit shorter. Still, an enjoyable read for this Downton and Scottish loving girl! (Note to self: I had thought this was Christian fiction, but it contained basically no elements of faith or God. It was incredibly clean, so I did enjoy that aspect of it, and did enjoy the book. I give it a solid 3.5 stars, just dragged on a wee much for me to award it a solid 4 stars).