Lady Anna’s Favor by Karen Tuft

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Book Review of Lady Anna's Favor by Karen Tuft

Who doesn’t love an adventure story? Or a romantic story? How about a romantic adventure story? Should we add in a little historical fiction? Yes, please!! Lady Anna’s Favor by Karen Tuft deftly turns a proper romance into an adventure, worthy on its own merits, but then adds a bit of historical fiction by setting it at the end of the Napoleonic Wars in France. It’s such a fun story with several twists and turns, and lots of my favorite tropes.

Blurb:

London, England, 1814
Lady Anna Clifton will stop at nothing to find her missing brother—even if it means working alongside the dashingly handsome but sometimes infuriating Mr. Jennings, who just might steal her heart.

Lady Anna Clifton has arrived in London with a purpose known only to a few. Her soldier brother has been reported wounded and missing in France, and if he is dead, his title and their family’s estate will go to a horrible distant cousin, and Lady Anna will be homeless. Desperate to find her brother alive, she contacts old family friends, the Bledsoes, who vow to help her in any way they can. However, Lord Bledsoe’s efforts come up empty, except from the Duke of Aylesham, who offers his yacht to carry her to France when Anna decides she must look for her brother there herself.

James cannot board the Duke of Aylesham’s yacht to take him to France fast enough. After his sister’s rushed marriage to the duke himself, James wants nothing more than to enjoy a relaxing journey back to Paris before rejoining England’s diplomatic war efforts against Napoleon. When he boards the ship, he cannot deny his instant attraction to the strikingly beautiful young woman who will be joining him across the sea. But when he receives only a cold reception from her, James dismisses her outright—until he learns the tragic reason she has set out on such a perilous journey. As infuriating as Lady Anna’s brash behavior and indifference to him is, her search seems much too dangerous for a young lady of the ton to undertake alone, so James reluctantly offers to assist her in her quest.

Together, they embark on a search that will take them across the sea and through France to uncover the truth all while trying to reconcile their differences and the preconceived notions they have about each other. With every step, they come closer to solving the mystery surrounding Lady Anna’s brother’s disappearance—but each step also pushes their hearts closer together.

My Book Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lady Anna’s Favor. It’s well written, flows and transitions well, and has great character development. I loved the setting as well. It has a fun and unique plot, with surprising twists and turns, that makes the book enjoyable to read. Ms. Tuft skillfully describes the scenery, making the reader feel as if she were travelling in the carriage or on the ship with the characters.

Speaking of the characters, they are each well developed, unique, authentic, and come to life on the page. I admire Lady Anna’s determination! She can be naive at times, not quite understanding what is needed to accomplish her goals, and she’ll jump right in anyway. I found this frustrating at times, as I’m sure James did also. However, she also has a good ability to read people and the room. Overall, I liked Anna as a character, but there were times that her actions made me cringe.

James, on the other hand, has more knowledge and experience. He knows how to get things done and does them well. He’s adept at politics, and he knows how to utilize the system. He’s not quite as adept, though, at reading people. I liked James a lot. He’s such a gentleman and has the “save the damsel in distress” routine down perfectly. He’s kind and generous.

I’ve read a lot of books, and this particular plot is so unique and fun. I love the adventure of it, and I enjoyed the little bit of a mystery as well. The time period this book takes place in, 1814, is not written about as much, especially including Napoleon. I enjoyed getting to know the time period better in this book. The cover art is beautiful and compelling. If you’re judging a book by its cover, you’ll pick this one for sure!

I enjoyed this book! If you’re looking for a proper romance with adventure, mystery, love, betrayal, and great characters, this book is for you! It’s entertaining and is a quick and easy read.