"Penelope's Hope" by Sarah Baughman

About this book:

  “Life has given Penelope Drayton very little hope. After years of preparations, 1806 is the year that she is determined to create her own hope. The successful execution of her plan would grant her independence, but failure would certainly be her ruination. Just when her plan begins to meet with difficulty, she finds a faithful ally in Miss Violet Wyndham.
  Violet's brother, Mr. Ashbridge Wyndham, has but one objective for London's Social Season: escape unscathed. With his mysterious benefactor, he is suddenly a sought-after prize for the matchmaking mamas. Unfortunately for him, marriage is the last thing he wants at present. His sister Violet, with her shy but calming spirit, is the only part of the Season which he finds tolerable.
  When Penelope and Ash meet through their mutual affection for Violet, will God use the acquaintance to begin healing for both of these wounded hearts?”


Series: Book #1 in the “Regency Silhouettes” series.  

Spiritual Content- Romans 8:24-25 at the beginning; Lots of witnessing to the main characters; Scriptures are mentioned, quoted, & talked about; Many talks about God, Jesus, pleasing Him, trusting Him, forgiving, desires, plans, & confessing; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Penelope doesn’t remember having a good earthly father, so she’s not interested in a Heavenly one (she voices thinking He’s a weak King because of all the suffering in the world, she says she has seen little of God’s goodness in her life); Ash wants to keep his own time & time, and says he’s his own master; *Spoiler* Both main characters come to God near the end *End of Spoiler*; Faiths grow; Many mentions of God; Many mentions of Violet’s faith; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading & time with the Lord; Mentions of churches, going to church, church services, sermons & a rector; Mentions of luck vs providence; Mentions of faiths & religions; Mentions of Christians & caring for the poor; A few mentions of God’s creation; A few mentions of a hymn; A few mentions of a prayer book & hymn book; A few mentions of sins; A couple mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of going to a church for a funeral & the sermon;

*Note: A mention of an ancient Greek goddess; A mention of making someone’s life hellish; A mention of sending himself to hell.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘biddy’, a ‘blasted’, a ‘dash it’, a ‘thunder and turf’, three ‘what/who/why the devil’, and ‘lawks’ is exclaimed three times; Ash drinks & gets a headache later (over does it once, but drink again once later, up to semi-detailed); Playing cards & gaming (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of drinking, drunks, liquor, flasks, over imbibing, being foxed & headaches afterwards; Many mentions of gaming, bets, debts & threats; Many mentions of gossip, rumors, unkind words, insults & put downs; Mentions of snuff-boxes, them being used & the tobacco in them (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths, a cancerous tumor, & illnesses (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths in a war; Mentions of duels, dueling & deaths; Mentions of threats; Mentions of thieves & a stolen item; Mentions of lies, liars, lying & deception; A few mentions of eye rolling & sarcasm; A couple mentions of fighting & bruises; A couple mentions of wine; A couple mentions of jealousy.

Sexual Content- a hand kiss, three forehead kisses, a semi-detailed cheek kiss, an almost kiss, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and a semi-detailed kiss; Remembering a couple kisses (up to semi-detailed); Wishing to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Warmth, Tingles/Shivers, Nearness, & Butterflies (up to semi-detailed); Sitting in a fiancé’s lap (no details); Noticing; Blushes; two forms of ‘hoyden’; Mentions of noticing & blushes; Mentions of flirting & being smitten; Mentions of a crushed heart & being spurred; Mentions of reputations, chaperons, ruination, a woman being compromised & forced weddings; A couple mentions of lightskirts & brothels; A mention that a man better not keep a mistress; A mention of a honeymoon; Love, falling in love & the emotions;

            *Note: A mention of unmentionables; A couple mentions of modesty & a covered décolletage; A couple mentions of a waist of a dress under the bosom; A few mentions of womanly figures.

-Penelope Drayton, age 20

-Ashbridge “Ash” Wyndham, age 25
                                     P.O.V. switches between them & Mrs. Wyndham (once)

                                            Set in 1806 {Prologue set in 1801}
                                                 310 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

I honestly don’t think I’ve read a better regency. The majority of regency books I’ve read normally have a (sexual) scandal, this one did not. And it was so refreshing. This novel was very impressive, it was completely faith filled and had some wonderful discussions of God & believing that I’m sad to say I don’t see as often in Christian Fiction anymore. Both characters were flawed, but they both grew and how the author did it, well, I’m still smiling. I can’t say for spoilers, but there was many parts I really truly enjoyed and found so pleasant.

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.