REVIEW: "Protecting Her Heart" by Nancy Campbell Allen

 

About the book…

*Title: Protecting Her Heart

*Author: Nancy Campbell Allen

*Genre: Historical fiction, Mystery, Romance

*Series: Book #3 of the Matchmaker’s Trilogy {See review for book #1 here and review for book #2 here!}

*Recommend for: Ages 16 & up

My Personal Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

📖Synopsis

London, 1887

When newly graduated medical doctor Charlotte Duvall receives word that her father has died, she immediately leaves America and returns home to see to her family’s estate. Among her father’s possessions is a box of her late mother’s letters, which feels like a balm to Charlotte’s grief-stricken heart. But the letters contain some inconsistencies that suggest there was more to her mother’s death than Charlotte had been told. She turns to the one man she trusts more than anyone—her treasured friend and director of London’s police force, John Ellis.

John Ellis has harbored feelings for Charlotte ever since he first met her. Tucked into his heart are thoughts of her sharp mind, quick wit, and remarkable beauty. Though he has not yet found the courage to share his feelings with the young doctor, he is eager to help her in her hour of need.

Investigating the details of a death was not how Charlotte imagined she would find love, but as she and John work to unravel a dark web of secrets and lies, she finds herself relying on him more and more—and opening her heart to him in the process.

As the danger draws ever closer, John vows to do everything in his power to protect Charlotte from harm. But he fears protecting her heart might come at the cost of breaking his own.

💭My Thoughts 

I enjoyed this, and am a little sad that this fun trilogy is over!

This book definitely had a sadder overall feel than the previous two books, simply because the main murder being investigated was that of Charlotte’s very own mother. However, that being said, I think the author did a great job keeping the book from being too heavy and hard to read. There was some banter, humor and romantic elements that lightened the mood throughout the book.

I really loved the cousins’ relationship a lot, though I wonder how likely it is that a very similar chain of events would happen to each of them in the space of 5 years…

Also, this is a little odd, but I think I should note that I really, really liked Dirk. In fact, I liked him more than John. I kind of wish Charlotte had somehow ended up with him! He was just so quiet, sweet, loyal and relatable, and once he warmed up, the little gestures of kindness and care that he made were the best. I rather wonder why exactly the author included some of the things Dirk did/said with Charlotte if they weren’t meant to be together. It did not seem at all like it was supposed to be a love triangle either. Hmm. 🧐 Also, a random note: If my memory serves me, all three MLs from the three books had “half smiles”. That brings me to what I have been saying throughout the whole trilogy...I would love to see more unique, fleshed-out characters and character arcs.

While not the most compelling mystery I’ve read, it was still entertaining and got exciting towards the end. I don’t really have too many thoughts on this final book…it was overall a good read, and aside from some of the physical romance, altogether this trilogy was fun and I enjoyed it!

⚠️Content notes

Wanting to kiss & almost kissing; remembering & missing kisses; several kisses lasting up to a few sentences in length; “kissing her senseless” is said; noticing lips; touching & wanting to touch; Charlotte’s mother was said to be “pursuing a married man”; no language stronger than “blast it all”, “what the devil” & “give a fig”; a character “cannot imagine God’s reasoning in calling Charlotte’s mother home so young”; several murders happen; Charlotte looks at the autopsy photos of her mother- some details; Being attacked; a fairly detailed fight scene lasting several pages; severe injuries, pain & blood; drinking port & smoking a cigar; mention of children dying from influenza; Charlotte says “Now that we’re married, you can change your clothes in my bedchamber and Mrs. Burnette will have nothing to say about it.”

❤️ This book is for you if…

You are an older teenaged girl who enjoys Victorian books, is alright with a very romantic mystery, and have read the first and second book of the Matchmakers trilogy.

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Bookishly yours, 

Lottie M.

REVIEW: “To Capture His Heart” by Nancy Campbell Allen

 

About the book…

*Title: To Capture His Heart

*Author: Nancy Campbell Allen

*Genre: Historical fiction, Mystery, Romance

*Series: Book #2 of the Matchmaker’s Trilogy {See review for book #1 here!)

*Recommend for: Ages 16 & up

My Personal Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖Synopsis

Seaside, England 1886

Eva Caldwell is an accomplished and well-known photographer who often works with the local constabulary to assist in documenting crime scenes, which means she also often works alongside the handsome and charming Detective Nathan Winston. She appreciates his intellect and how he treats her like an equal, but Eva’s heart is still healing from a past relationship, so, for now, she decides to keep her feelings for Nathan a secret. 

One evening, Nathan arrives on her doorstep asking for a personal favor. Would Eva be available to photograph his mother’s legendary, week-long dinner party and matchmaking event? The catch is that Eva would also have to pretend they are courting in order for Nathan to avoid the many single women seeking his attention. 

Though wary of the charade, Eva agrees. Spending a week with the two things she loves most―her detective and her camera―sounds simple enough. And if she wants to imagine that Nathan’s pretend courtship of her is real, well, what’s the harm in that? 

But when a criminal from Nathan’s past threatens revenge on the detective, Nathan must be extra vigilant to keep his mother and the rest of the partygoers safe. He confides in Eva, and as the two work together to solve the mystery and apprehend the criminal, they find that they might capture more than they expected―each other’s heart.

💭My Thoughts 

A solid 4 stars! I really enjoyed this one!

First of all, I absolutely loved all the historical photography elements and how photography was such an important part of the plot (if you read till the end, you’ll see). As someone who dabbles in photography myself, I found that element so fascinating and really enjoyed it.

I also discovered that this was the first real fake dating trope I’ve read in a book, and it was so much fun! I also liked the few matchmaking parts, and Nathan’s mother made me laugh. As an introvert, I couldn’t imagine taking part in a huge house party lasting 10 days though! Especially with what happens during it…

I tend to enjoy mysteries that keep me on my feet, that have brilliant, intricate plots, and that contain at least one unexpected twist. This book was not all that, but it did have those elements more so than the first book in the series. I have to tell myself that not every author is an Agatha Christie. However, as in the other book, I noticed that there wasn’t too much crazy excitement or suspense the first three quarters of the book, but then it really picks up towards the end. Goodness, from about chapter 23 through 29 in To Capture His Heart, my heart was pounding!

Interestingly, I felt that the Winston of this book didn’t exactly match my perception of the Winston from the first book. Maybe it’s just me? But throughout this series, I’ve wished I could see more character development. That is something I love seeing in books. Thoroughly developed characters. Characters who are interesting and have a unique, fleshed-out personality. A couple examples would be the March sisters from Little Women or Emma and her circle from The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. Their character arcs are incredible, they feel like real people, and they are unique and oh, so memorable! If this makes any sense at all, my mild complaint is that the main couple from To Capture His Heart (in some ways-not all) felt the like the same people from The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart, just with different names. At least give me a good foil character or two!

Oops. I apologize for rambling there. I’m just very passionate about character development and character arcs! I’m not saying that this book had them, but something I can’t stand to read in books are stale, underdeveloped, very typical characters.

Anyhow, continuing on with what this review is actually about…

The romance was super cute and sweet (particularly in the first half) and I enjoyed the bit of banter between Nathan and Eva that came along with the fake dating. However, just like the first book, I wish the physical attraction was lighter. I was not a fan of all the touching and wanting to touch, and especially in the second half of the book, it unfortunately got way too kissy for my taste. Like, go ahead and kiss, but do I really need to know the details of every single one of the dozens and dozens in the book? I’m fine, thank you. And I was greatly annoyed when they just had to kiss when they were literally standing over a dead body. Really? You can’t wait?

So there was that, and overall it was just a little much for me personally. (Again though, all that was mostly in the second half of the book).But aside from the personal bumps with the romance content, this book truly was so enjoyable! There were so many aspects and elements of it that I loved, and altogether it was definitely a book worth reading. I’m very excited to read the next book and finish this fun trilogy!

⚠️Content notes

Some sexual tension throughout; Noticing, smelling, touching & wanting to touch each other; lots of kissing, a couple lasting several sentences; almost kissing & wanting to kiss; a mention of a past event in which someone tries to kiss someone who doesn’t want to; “darned”, “confound it”, “blasted”, “blazing” & “minx” each used once; mentions of whiskey & cigars; Eva discovers a dead body- described in semi-detail; another dead body but no details; mentions of poisoning- a child is poisoned but survives; severe injuries & pain; *being vague for spoilers*~ someone is shot & killed.

❤️ This book is for you if…

You are an older teenaged girl who likes Victorian books, is alright with a very romantic mystery, enjoys photography and/or fake dating, and has read the first book of the series.

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Bookishly yours, 

Lottie M.

✨Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag✨ {2025}

Question #1: How many books have you read so far? 

~ As of writing this, I am currently reading my 45th book of 2025! 

Question #2: Have you already found a book you think might be a 2025 favorite? 

~ Yes!! Several, actually. In January I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time, and it has become one of my all-time favorite books. It was an absolute masterpiece, and I foresee rereading it many times through the years! I also recently binged the entire 8-book series of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. Words fail me. I had such a glorious time reading the books. The laugh-out-loud wit, memorable characters, beautiful writing, and so many other aspects of those books have left me in awe. I may or may not have started rereading the first book days after finishing the last one. Other favorites of the year so far are The Blue Castle  and Kilmeny of the Orchard  both by L.M. Montgomery {for fiction}, Don’t Waste Your Life  by John Piper, Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson, and How Should We Then Live  by Francis A. Schaeffer {for nonfiction}. Overall, it’s been a pretty good reading year for me! 

Question #3: Any 1 star books/least favorite books of the year? 

~I actually have not had any 1 stars or DNFs yet! But two books I wasn’t a big fan of this year were Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, which I gave 2.5 stars, andThe Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie, which I didn’t rate. 

Question #4: Most read genre so far?

~I believe I have a tie! Out of the 44 books I’ve read, 11 were mystery, 11 were classics, and the rest a mix of historical fiction, theology, biographies, one each of science fiction and fantasy, and a few others. So…Mystery and Classics have been my top genres so far! 

Question #5: A book that surprised you? 

~ For literature class, my teacher read The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse  by Charlie Mackesy aloud to the class as an exercise. It’s technically supposed to be a children’s book, but oh my goodness! The depth and wisdom of it really stunned me! As an added bonus, the illustrations were gorgeous as well :)

Question #6: A book that come out in 2025 already that you want to read but haven’t?

~ Two books that came out this year that I’ve heard good things about are Hope's Enduring Echo by Kim Vogel Sawyer and The Curious Inheritance of Blakey House by Joanna Davidson Politano, and I would love to get to reading those soon! 

Question #7: One goal you made that you’re succeeding at? 

~ At the beginning of the year I set my Goodreads reading goal to 100 books and I’ve been on track with that so far.

Question #8: One goal you made that you need to focus on?

~ I really, really would like to read a lot of world classics this year. So far I’ve read a few such as Jane Austen and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but I need to get to more! Some classics that I really hope I can read by the end of the year are Jane Eyre, War and Peace, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Animal Farm. 

Question #9: New to you booktubers/book bloggers for 2025 you’d recommend?

~ A couple months ago, I discovered Lindsey from Books for Christian Girls, and I’ve been loving her reviews and videos so much!! I would highly recommend her media to Christian girls who care about the content of the books they read and anyone who needs a wide range of recommendations!

💗Thank you for reading! Please consider following The Boundless Bookshelf and/or signing up for my newsletter! (if on mobile, click “view web version” to access those features)

Bookishly yours, 

Lottie M.

REVIEW: “The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart” by Nancy Campbell Allen

 

About the book…

*Title: The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart

*Author: Nancy Campbell Allen

*Genre: Historical fiction, Mystery, Romance

*Series: Book #1 of the Matchmaker’s Trilogy

*Recommend for: Ages 16 & up

My Personal Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

📖Synopsis

A romance develops as a detective partners with a lonely-hearts columnist to solve a murder mystery.

London, 1885

Amelie Hampton is a hopeless romantic, which makes her the perfect columnist to answer lonely heart letters in The Marriage Gazette. When Amelie plays matchmaker with two anonymous lonely hearts, she also decides to secretly observe the couple's blind date. To her surprise, the man who appears for the rendezvous is Harold Radcliffe―a grieving widower and a member of Amelie's book club.

Police detective Michael Baker has been struggling ever since his best friend and brother-in-law died in the line of fire. Because he knows the dangers of his job, he has vowed never to marry and subject a wife and family to the uncertainty of his profession. But when he meets Miss Hampton, he is captured by her innocence, beauty, and her quick mind.

When a woman's body is pulled from the river, Michael suspects the woman's husband―Harold Radcliffe―of foul play. Amelie refuses to believe that Harold is capable of such violence but agrees to help, imagining it will be like one of her favorite mystery novels. Her social connections and clever observations prove an asset to the case, and Amelie is determined to prove Mr. Radcliffe's innocence. But the more time Amelie and Michael spend together, the more they trust each other, and the more they realize they are a good team, maybe the perfect match.

They also realize that Mr. Radcliffe is hiding more than one secret, and when his attention turns toward Amelie, Michael knows he must put an end to this case before the woman he loves comes to harm.

💭My Thoughts 

Overall, this was pretty enjoyable!

I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book with matchmaking as such a main theme, so it was interesting and I liked that element a lot. The various quotations at the beginning of each chapter were such a fun bonus, and I think the author did a good job writing the two POVs.

Admittedly, after having read so many Agatha Christie mysteries, I found myself expecting that a big, shocking plot twist would happen at some point in this book…and it never did. The murderer was basically known to the reader throughout the whole book, from the very beginning. There wasn’t really any “deducting”, guessing, or keeping an eye out for clues for me. Which is fine, I suppose, just not what I’m used to.

That being said, I feel that there was decidedly more romance than mystery. While it was sweet, the attraction was rather physical, with too much noticing, touching, staring, fluttering, etc. for my comfort. It was clean, of course, but as someone who already isn’t the biggest fan of reading a lot of romance, that part of this book just wasn’t for me. A couple of the kisses were *too much* for me. And, the couple’s relationship felt a little “love at first sight” in some ways, with them going from bickering and annoyed with each other, to suddenly realizing they’re madly in love! A few things that the ML did/said/thought seemed out of character for him as well, and his change of heart seemed rushed…Well, I suppose love will do that to you.

At several parts in the story, I wondered how realistic it really was that a young girl with no detective/police background whatsoever would be in the setting she was, assisting a professional detective, investigating and looking for clues, and putting herself in danger. Also, I would have liked if there was a little more excitement throughout the book, instead of most the excitement and suspense being in the final 50 or so pages.

All that aside, this book wasn’t bad altogether. I enjoyed a lot of aspects of it and didn’t have trouble reading it relatively quickly. I’ve heard the second book in this trilogy is supposed to be the best one, so I’m very excited to get to that one, and am glad I read this one first.

⚠️Content notes

Lots of noticing & touching; hand kisses, cheek kisses, forehead kisses, and a few (at least one semi-detailed) lip kisses; 2 dead bodies both described in some detail, one being a pregnant woman; “bastard” used once in its proper meaning; “idiot” used once; “give a fig” used once; 3 page long fight scene that was pretty intense and had a fair amount of description of attacking, injuries, pain, etc.

❤️ This book is for you if…

You are an older teenaged girl who likes reading Victorian books and are alright with more romance than suspense.

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Bookishly yours, 

Lottie M.

REVIEW: “Jane of Lantern Hill” by L.M. Montgomery

About the book…

*Title: Jane of Lantern Hill

*Author: L.M Montgomery

*Genre: Classics, historical fiction

*Series: No, a standalone novel

*Recommend for: Girls aged 13 & up

My Personal Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖Synopsis

The Happiest Summer of Her Life

Her whole life, Jane had believed her father was dead. It was, therefore, quite a shock to receive an invitation to stay with him for the summer on Prince Edward Island. From their very first meeting, Jane falls in love with her charming father and his whimsical cottage on Lantern Hill. A whole summer of fun and adventure, meeting neighbors, and making friends―far away from her grandmother's dreary house in the city. If only she could get her mother to come too.

As Jane juggles her love and loyalty for both parents, she dares to dream...a dream that she and her parents could live together without Grandmother directing their lives―of a house where they could all find home.

💭My Thoughts 

While this wasn’t my absolute favorite standalone book by L.M. Montgomery (that would be The Blue Castle or Kilmeny of the Orchard!), it was overall a very nice read! I liked that there was no romance centering around the main girl; rather, it was simply a sweet story about family, healing, and love, particularly focusing on the parents and daughter relationship. And of course, Montgomery’s exploration of nature, and the beauty and magic of Prince Edward Island I loved as always- In all of her books, but this one especially, I could really feel the love she had for her land.

I do admit that I never really felt overly attached to Jane. Perhaps that is because she felt quite young compared to Montgomery’s other heroines? And though her character development was fair, I rather wish there was more development for the other characters, particularly Jane’s parents. I almost thought that Jane’s dad was too good to be true…he just seemed to be much too perfect. Everything else, too, seemed to work out a little too flawlessly.

Well, maybe I’m just being nit picky- it is a work of fiction, after all! Altogether, it was still a very nice read that I enjoyed as an avid L.M. Montgomery fan.

⚠️Content

Unkindness, ill-treatment, bullying and misunderstanding; marriage & divorce are talked of many, many times; Jane says she dislikes the Bible until her dad changes her mind; says “God is no good” but later repents; people repeatedly tell Jane she never should have been born; a starving, suffering kitten is depicted; mention of a dog that possibly was poisoned by Jane’s grandmother; another cat dies; Jane says at one point that she wouldn’t mind falling over the edge of a body of water; Jane’s dad smokes a pipe; Jane’s dad jokes once that there must be such a thing as witchcraft because Jane seemed to be in three places at once; name calling including “bossy snip”, “foxy-head”, & “stuck-up minx”; Jane’s dad says that he once told her mother to “shut her head”; he admits that he used to say that Jane had the face of a monkey as a baby; a character who has a heart condition believes she's dying; someone says he must be drunk because of something he saw; a couple discusses adopting a child & aren't quite correct about what they should be looking for & what makes a child worth adopting; Jane gets dangerously ill; "darn" & "idiot" are each used once.

❤️ This book is for you if…

You love L.M Montgomery and are looking for a short, sweet story about family.

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Bookishly yours, 

Lottie M.