Review & Giveaway: The Bluestocking by Christi Caldwell

I'm excited to be part of the blog tour for Christi Caldwell's (a new-to-me-author) newest in the Wicked Wallflower series, because I seriously enjoyed the story!  I'm so glad I gave The Bluestocking a try! As part of the tour I have my review and a cute little questionnaire below to determine if you might be a Bluestocking too. I think I qualify since 3 out of the 5 were affirmative. 

Also, I have a wonderful giveaway provided by the lovely people of Montlake Romance: $25 Amazon Gift Card and a digital copy of The Bluestocking! Awesome, right?! 

The Bluestocking (Wicked Wallflowers #4) by Christi Caldwell

Publication Date: May 7th 2019 by Montlake Romance

Pages: 348

Source: Publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

Gertrude, the eldest Killoran sister, has spent a lifetime being underestimated—especially by her own family. She may seem as vulnerable as a kitten, but given the chance, she can be as fierce as a tiger. Her adopted brother, Stephen, has just been snatched back by his true father, and she’ll be damned if she relinquishes the boy to the man reviled throughout London as the Mad Marquess.

Still haunted by a deadly tragedy that left him publicly despised, Lord Edwin holds only hatred for the Killorans—the people he believes kidnapped his son. And not one of them will ever see the boy again. But when Gertrude forces her way into the household and stubbornly insists that she remain as Stephen’s governess, Edwin believes he may have found someone madder than himself.

With every moment he shares with the tenderhearted Gertrude, Edwin’s anger softens into admiration . . . and more. Is it possible that the woman he loathed may be the only person who can heal his broken soul?

My Thoughts:

Gertrude Killoran and Lord Edwin are thrust upon each other when Edwin exercises his right as father and takes back his kidnapped son, Stephan.  Unknown until recently, the Killorans thought they were rescuing Stephan from the streets of London, Stephan was kidnapped by Mac Diggory, Gertrude’s villainous father (now dead, thank goodness!).  The death of his wife and disappearance of his son has taken their toll on Lord Edwin, now nicknamed The Mad Marquess. Stephan is like a little brother to the Killoran’s most especially to Gertrude as she taught and took care of him, so she’s not willing to let the Mad Marquess take him without her supervision so she pushes her way in and won’t let him bully her out. 

Both Gertrude struggle with assumptions and misconceptions, each not trusting the other until they spend time together under the same roof.  A mutual respect forms as they begin to understand the trials they’ve each had to bear thanks to Gertrude’s horrible father.  There was always an attraction between them, albeit begrudgingly at first, so as they get to know each other they fall a little more in love every day. The slow turn from enemies into friends and then into more was a lovely, and at times sensuous journey!

This is my first experience reading Christi Caldwell’s writing, but it won’t be my last.  She made Gertrude and Edwin come alive through her writing.  Their feelings of mistrust, hurt, pain, joy, and love came across loud and clear, and I pleased they found each other!  They both deserved a HEA after all they went through!

4 Suns

You Might Be a Bluestocking If... with Author Christi Caldwell

In my newest novel, The Bluestocking, Gertrude, the eldest Killoran sister, has spent a lifetime being underestimated—especially by her own family. She may seem as vulnerable as a kitten, but given the chance she can be as fierce as a tiger. Her adopted brother Stephen has just been snatched back by his true father, and she’ll be damned if she relinquishes the boy to the man reviled throughout London as the Mad Marquess.

Still haunted by a deadly tragedy that left him publicly despised, Lord Edwin holds only hatred for the Killorans—the people he believes kidnapped his son. And not one of them will ever see the boy again. But when Gertrude forces her way into the household and stubbornly insists that she remain as Stephen’s governess, Edwin believes he may have found someone madder than himself. 

With every moment he shares with the tenderhearted Gertrude, Edwin’s anger softens into admiration . . . and more. It is possible that the woman he loathed may be the only person who can heal his broken soul?

Gertrude was such a wonderful character to write. She’s the eldest of her siblings and firmly on the shelf. She’s incredibly diverse in her strengths and in her interests and in the knowledge she possesses: it’s a knowledge that really is all-encompassing, spanning furniture-making to the care of animals to skills for surviving on the streets. In addition, she’s been responsible for educating the children in her family’s care, and what I found so fascinating is that she knows the value of education and what she’s been providing has been so important, and yet so many have failed to appreciate the power of her contributions.  

In honor of Gertrude, an intelligent, interesting, and ultimately irresistible heroine, I have written a short game of "You Might Be A Bluestocking If..." so you can test yourself to see what you have in common with Gertrude. 

• You might be a bluestocking if...you have more than one cat.

• You might be a bluestocking if...your hands are permanently ink stained from your writing.

• You might be a bluestocking if...you have an in-depth knowledge of ancient furniture design.

• You might be a bluestocking if…you prefer lectures to balls.

• You might be a bluestocking if…you would rather have a book in your hands than needlework.

About the author:

USA Today bestselling, RITA-nominated author Christi Caldwell blames authors Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught for luring her into the world of historical romance. When Christi was at the University of Connecticut, she began writing her own tales of love. She believes that the most perfect heroes and heroines have imperfections, and she rather enjoys torturing her couples before crafting them a well-deserved happily ever after.

The author of the Wicked Wallflowers series, which includes The Governess, The Hellion, and The Vixen, Christi lives in southern Connecticut, where she spends her time writing, chasing after her son, and taking care of her twin princesses-in-training. Fans who want to keep up with the latest news and information can sign up for Christi’s newsletter at www.ChristiCaldwell.com or follow her on Facebook (AuthorChristiCaldwell) or Twitter (@ChristiCaldwell).

 Connect with the author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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