Lily

Great book by a great author. Looking forward to reading the next one!

In this, the second chapter of the Ashcroft sisters' story, it's Lily's turn to bloom. Sweet and self-sacrificing, Lily lets her sister Rose draw her into a promise to help her win the dashing Lord Randal Nesbitt for a husband. But Lily's selflessness is tested sorely when she discovers that not only is she enchanted by the scholarly lord herself, but he, too, is beguiled by Lily's unconventional spirit. From the moment they kiss, their destiny seems certain. Lily fears she cannot keep her vow to Rose, and for the first time in his life, the confirmed bachelor Rand considers marriage. But when a sudden death and a secret promise threaten to destroy their newfound love, Lily and Rand realize they must join, heart and mind, to resolve the past and create a place for their romance to blossom.LILY is another engaging episode of the charming and offbeat Ashcroft family, set amongst the intellectual splendor of the Restoration period. The characters are delightful, the story riveting, and the descriptions rich with historical detail. Lauren deftly weaves humor, drama, warmth, and passion into a sensual tapestry that will leave readers with a sigh of satisfaction, a thirst for more Ashcroft stories, and a curious craving for champagne ...

I love Lauren Royal's books. She makes Lilly come to life. Royal's use of historical details are written into the story as part of the story. I like that. Lilly is adorable as is Rand. I can't wait for Rose's story.

I really enjoyed Lily. I had been looking forward to the story of Lily and Rand ever since I had read Violet, and I wasn't let down. Lily was waiting for her older sister Rose to get married before she could get married. They both thought Lord Rand Nesbitt was the perfect mate for Rose, but Lily had some deep feelings for Rand, feelings that Rand reciprocated. But, Lily made a promise to Rose to help her snag Rand as a husband because Rose has always wanted a Lord of some kind for a husband. Unfortunately for Rose, plans go aray, and Rand and Lily announce their engagement. Lily feels bad for hurting Rose, but she wants Rand and they are both deeply in love.Then Rand gets a letter from his father because his older brother died. Rand is now the Marquess of Hawkridge's heir, and he needs Rand to marry Margery, the girl he has raised as a daughter since her father died. Margery was engaged to Rand's older brother, a mean and pretty evil guy. Margery on the other hand was pregnant by a local Baron whom she was in love with. The Marquess was convinced Margery's lover was Alban's killer, and the plot just kind of took off from there. I won't give away more details, but the way that Rand and Lily figured out the answer was very interesting.All in all, this was a pretty good book. I guess I thought it could have been a little more exciting because all in all it was a tame plot, but nonetheless, I enjoyed reading more about the Trentingham family. This story set up Rose's story which is due out in October and should be very interesting.Oh yeah, and Lily's animal companions made for interesting characters in their own right. Very funny and imaginative and added a lot of humor to the situation. A great addition by Lauren Royal. She gets better all the time.

Four years have passed since Rand first beheld Lily, but no matter what he tells himself, he has never forgotten the charming, sweet girl. However, the thought her too young. When he realizes she is no longer a child, that changes his thinking, and the man who never wanted to marry, starts to think maybe it might be a good idea.The first obstacle to overcome is the fact that Lily's sister, Rose, is infatuated with Rand, and she is willing to defer to what Rose wants. Once they have gotten past that, Rand's father wants him to marry someone else, ostensibly to save the family fortune, but in time a deeper, more difficult reason emerges. It appears that to save a life, love will have to be put aside. <P...* Though this novel is part of a series, it does stand alone. The characters are amusingly quirky and quite honorable. There are no real villains, just difficult things to overcome. Historical fans will find it pleasantly diverting.