Anita Stansfield

Title: The Scoundrel’s Widow
Author: Anita Stansfield
Pages: e-book
Year: 2022
Publisher:
My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.
Sylvia Hewitt is a young widow in the early 1800s. Her husband went to war against America, losing his life. Sylvia now manages their farm while dispensing herbal medicines to the local population secretly. Some think her a witch, so those who want her medicine arrive under the cover of darkness. She has two faithful servants who are more family than servants. They live far from town and don’t mingle with the townsfolk. One day Sylvia discovers a filthy, injured man in her barn who looks just like her dead husband. He has a different name, a different accent, but says he knew her husband. In fact, they served together in the same unit. He has come to her as he has nowhere else to go, and her husband said that she would take him in. As a healer, Sylvia decides to care for his wounds. Other than that, she isn’t sure.
They spend time together while he heals. She learns about his past, which is similar to her husbands as they were both ne’er-do-wells, always scheming to separate people from their money. However, he has turned over a new leaf since his return from war. He has made restitution to all of those he swindled. Sylvia tries to keep her distance, but this man is who she always wanted her husband to be. However, all is not as it seems. Strange men appear at her door, asking questions about any strangers who might have crossed her path recently. Has her patient really changed his scheming ways or are these men here to exact retribution against him for his part in swindling them?
For me, a 3-star rating isn’t a bad rating; it is average. There were some good portions of the novel, and there were some average portions of the novel. It was slow moving, but the romance between Sylvia and her patient was heart-warming. He was so humble and truly repentant for his former life. I also admired Sylvia’s compassion extended to those who had hurt her as she offered her healing skills. The book is worth reading, and I think many will enjoy it.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.… (mere)

This is a touchstone Historical romance with an edge of suspense.

Shockingly, a woman with two young children learns of her husband's accidental death. As soon as the funeral was over, she fled to the home of the aunt and uncle who had raised her most of her life. She needs the type of comfort their home offers. She made her excuses to her mother-in-law and made the ling journey... She wasn't going back!

This novel's content has adventure, rehabilitation, longing, retribution, suspense, and family relationships in it. It, also, addresses the subject of verbal and physical abuse.
​This was very well written except in a couple of places it slightly dragged.
I offer a Four Stars rating
*This was gifted me with no request of a positive review. This is my honest review.… (mere)

Bess is weary from the work she does for her father, who is a doctor. When she is offered the opportunity to be a nurse to a young man who has months to live, she takes it, if only to save herself from her father's indifference. What she finds is a real family and love she never expected.

There is one thing that kept this from being a five star read for me: lack of a build up to emotion. We do not get to see the progression of Bess falling in love or why she does so. It's difficult to explain but it felt like the author jumped from one emotional scene to the next with everything else reduced to a paragraph or two. This kept me from feeling the emotions I was supposed to feel.

Bess is a likable character, although at times she comes across as too good. Perhaps her naivete is her biggest flaw. I think she would have been more memorable if she had made mistakes or if we were allowed to see what changes her feelings.

It was difficult to stay in the story. I found it all too easy to put it down for something more engaging. Still, the story is clean and sweet.

I would recommend it to readers who enjoy a calm story with only a few plot twists. I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.… (mere)