Seeking Rachel

This charming Cinderella-style Regency from Riviera (Seeking Patience) sees an impoverished woman without a dowry find her happily ever after. With no mother and a father who drank and gambled, Rachel Lockhart grew up under the tutelage of the Romany who camped near her home and works as a governess for her cousin Charlotte’s daughter. But with her job about to end, Rachel determines she needs to marry, a proposition made difficult by her lack of a dowry. When she meets Capt. Nash Browning, she falls hard, but is determined to keep him at a distance after he reveals his skepticism of her Romany friends and she becomes convinced he wants to cause trouble for her them. Nash, though, is set on winning her affection. When Rachel learns Nash is already engaged, Rachel turns to God to answer her prayers. Nash, meanwhile, has turned his back on God and vows never to set foot in a church. He is willing to break that vow, however, if it means he can win Rachel’s love. Riviera blends historical details and religious elements nicely into the complicated, surprising courtship narrative. This fast-paced romance will delight fans of Julie Klassen. (Self-published)