Courted by Time by Bree Cariad

Courted by Time by Bree Cariad

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Ms. Cariad just seems to be getting better and better as this series progresses. I enjoyed the first three books in the series and considered them all 4-star reads. The second set of three books were better and I considered them all 5-star reads as they were each re-readable books for me for various reasons. That said, I found Courted by Time to be even more enjoyable than its predecessors. Part of my enjoyment was in seeing how Deeka’s father Barrett had become such an integral part of the Straynar household and provided DeLynn and her siblings paternal support without “taking over” as the entire family’s Head of Household. But most of my enjoyment came from watching DeLynn blossom and come into her own over the course of the book.

As we have learned from previous books in the series, once a girl in Hyacinth turns 19 and has not entered into a courting, she considers her chances of being courted to be pretty much nonexistent. When DeLynn’s expected courting request failed to materialize in Courted by a Knight, we got a chance to see firsthand how hard it was for a girl and her friends to balance being happy for a friend who is being courted with being supportive of one who is not – and yet these girls often manage to do it and remain close friends. The friendship that DeLynn has with Deeka proves to be invaluable as Deeka’s plans to attend the local community college despite her marriage to Curtis encourages DeLynn to pursue her own education. As her friendship with Deeka has put her under the watchful eye of Barrett for years, he is very supportive of her request to enroll in college for the upcoming term and not only goes to bat for her with her mother, he also helps her with choosing courses, providing transportation on days that carpooling is not an option, and encouraging her to meet her goals.

Because of this, Ms. Cariad is able to take the series outside of Hyacinth and give readers the opportunity to see how a girl raised in a Domestic Discipline oriented community fares in a world that does not understand it. That DeLynn is naturally shy makes the transition a bit tougher socially, but she is there to learn and takes pride in her classes and studies hard. Yet when she meets Zachary, the school’s chaplain, she finds herself interested in a man and curious as to whether or not a relationship with someone who does not prescribe to DD would work. But being pathologically shy makes this a non-issue and DeLynn relegates her interactions with Zachary to school-based activities. As someone who preferred studying to partying in college, I sympathized with DeLynn’s situation and was thankful when Mother Nature took charge of the situation and gave Zachary the chance to come to her rescue (even if that situation was scary as heck at the time).

If you have read any of the books in the series (or are a romance reader in general), that Courted by Time ends happily is not a spoiler. But it’s the journey to DeLynn’s happy ending that made the book for me. I loved watching DeLynn come into her own. While she will likely always be shy, she found an inner strength and confidence she did not possess prior to this book and one I’m not sure she would have found had she not gone to college – or at least not to the same level. I appreciated that Zachary had already been attracted to the DD lifestyle and had made his decision to move to Hyacinth before meeting DeLynn; this meant that while DeLynn may have hastened his entrance into DD, it was not the sole cause of it. The relationship that DeLynn developed with Barrett was beautiful to see because he provided her the paternal guidance she had been missing since her father’s death and only implemented DD when she needed it and at her request. I found that scene particularly emotional for reasons I won’t go into because it was pivotal to the story in so many ways. The author added another layer to the book with Chrissa’s story – one I’m torn between wanting to read and not wanting to read – and as much as I hated that DeLynn felt the sting of Chrissa’s selfishness early in the book, I liked how she was able to take the situation and forge something positive out of it. And I really, really, really, really, really liked what her friendship with Jonah may foreshadow about the future of the series. Courted by Time is an excellent addition to the In Hyacinth series and is now my favorite of them. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Courted by Time (In Hyacinth #7) by Bree Cariad blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Courted by a Knight by Bree Cariad

Courted by a Knight by Bree Cariad

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Courted by a Knight was a delightful addition to the In Hyacinth series. I found the opening scene absolutely hilarious. I cannot imagine who was more mortified – Deeka or Cami. The situation became even funnier when Deeka confessed what happened to her father, who was laughing so hard he nearly lost his breath, only to find out that the phone call from Jerod was not about that and her confession earned her a punishment for trespassing. Not only was the entire situation comical (because I wasn’t the one being spanked), but it made for a nice introduction to Deeka as we learned that she obviously wasn’t a gossip (otherwise she wouldn’t have alerted Jerod and Cami to her presence), she was honest by owning up to her actions to her father and the Kinsleys, and she was a hard worker because not only did she assist Jerod with the task he assigned her as her way of making up for trespassing, but she continued to help him after her penance was paid.

It is because of this introduction that I was looking forward to the commencement of Deeka’s courting experience. Sadly, her prospects weren’t that great and her excitement for her courting year was beginning to wane. Fortunately for Deeka, one of her father’s friends was checking out the area as a potential place to move to and he proved to be a very entertaining and engaging dinner guest – despite his witnessing her mortifying interaction with Wally. Between the values her father instilled in her and her summer work experience, the fact that Curtis was in a wheelchair part of the time did not phase Deeka one bit. She was far more interested in Curtis’s writing and life experiences as he shared the steps he took to research some of his books. Her acceptance of Curtis’s condition just endeared Deeka to me that much more. As Curtis joined them for dinner regularly, Deeka began to develop feelings for him and surprisingly she shared that with her father – I think I was just as disheartened as Deeka at her father’s explanation that Curtis might not be an appropriate suitor because he wasn’t sure if Curtis was even aware of the Domestic Discipline lifestyle. It was because of this that I was not surprised at the conversation that Deeka walked up to between her father and Curtis. I completely understood where her father was coming from and applauded him for putting his daughter’s long-term happiness ahead of her short-term happiness and his friendship. I also liked how he called Curtis out for underestimating Deeka in regards to his disability. But what I really loved was that Deeka risked punishment (for eavesdropping) and made sure her feelings were heard – it was her future happiness on the line after all. Not surprisingly, Curtis does what he must so that he can court Deeka and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop, especially once they hit the punishment phase of courting.

While we did get to catch up with some of the couples from the previous books in the series, Ms. Cariad also introduced us to a slew of new characters, some of which I hope to see featured in their own book. We also got another extremely unlikeable character as well – Wally. As for Wally, I cannot even go there – think the male version of Marjorie and remove the threat of punishment because his behavior towards Deeka is beyond disrespectful, not only of her but also of the courting system, so it’s hard to believe that his father has taken him in hand as he should. Okay I guess I did go there, but once you read the book you’ll realize that I barely went there because that kid made me want to throttle him … repeatedly. I absolutely adored Courted by a Knight and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series – hopefully it will be one of Deeka’s friends so I’ll get to check in on Deeka and Curtis.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Courted by a Knight (In Hyacinth #6) by Bree Cariad blog post Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Courted by Experience by Bree Cariad

Courted by Experience by Bree Cariad

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I’ve gotta get it out of the way right up front – I was surprised by how judgmental Celie’s grandmother was considering that she was part of the Domestic Discipline lifestyle that Hyacinth was founded on. I totally get her wanting the best for her granddaughter, but to summarily dismiss a man as a potential suitor just because he was a widower and had a child just rubbed me the wrong way. Granted, it gave Celie the opportunity to prove her mettle when it came to following her own path to happiness rather than her grandmother’s when the opportunity to do so arose, which is ultimately what elevated Courted by Experience to a 5-star read for me. But that doesn’t mean I had to like her grandmother’s negativity before she took the time to get to know Marcus and his daughter Vanna.

Celie has returned to Hyacinth to spend the year with her grandparents and to enter the courting system now that she is 18 – a fact she has kept from her mother, who was so opposed to the Domestic Discipline lifestyle that she took Celie and left Hyacinth when her husband died in a car accident over a decade ago. Celie’s childhood memories of Hyacinth and her father, as well as her research into Domestic Discipline have left her longing for her very own suitor and head of household. Unfortunately, the first several dinners are a bust despite her grandmother’s preference for the potential suitors. Fortunately for Celie, her grandfather listens to the things she says and accepts a dinner request from Marcus; he also has no problem taking her grandmother in hand when she lets her best intentions run amok.

I loved watching Celie get to know Marcus and Vanna, appreciating rather accepting that they were a package deal. Because Courted by Experience is an In Hyacinth book and the courting system is designed to lead to a marriage between the two parties, I don’t think it’s really a spoiler to say how much I loved Marcus’s proposal to Celie at the end, especially the exchange between Celie and Vanna that was so freaking sweet that I teared up. Ms. Cariad has given fans another great addition to the series and I’m looking forward to reading Courted by a Knight later this week.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Courted by Experience (In Hyacinth #5) by Bree Cariad blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Courted by Understanding by Bree Cariad

Courted by Understanding by Bree Cariad

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I do believe that Courted by Understanding may be my favorite of the In Hyacinth series to-date. As much as I love the perfect hero and heroine, I also adore those that feel like real people and Dora and Gaelic are perfect examples of people I would befriend. With her short stature, plus-size figure, and the complete lack of interest by the courting males of Hyacinth, Dora has relegated herself to spinsterhood at the ripe old age of 20. While I hated that Dora felt this way about her future, I loved that she threw herself wholeheartedly into working with Chris at the Inn, which gave us a chance to see how their sibling-style relationship has continued to develop since Courted by Trouble. Actually, because Dora works with Chris and because Chris and Stephanie still live with Dora, fans of the series get to catch up with both of them.

Despite how bleak Dora’s love life appears, she loves her job and the chance to meet new people on a near daily basis, the most interesting of late being Xan’s cousin, Gaelic. I thought it was so cute when Dora decided that she must have a thing for Covington men based on her reaction to Gaelic. Because it’s always easier to see attraction not directed at yourself, I was quite excited to see that Gaelic seemed to be taken by Dora and while their initial interaction was briefer than expected, I knew I only had to bide my time for his return and it proved to be well worth the wait. The group ski trip was not only fun to watch play out, but also rather insightful. I loved that Xan proved himself to be even more observant than we already knew him to be and that he pointed out the negativity associated with the age expectations of the courting system despite it having worked out well for him and Kathy. That the ski trip served as the unofficial beginning of Gaelic’s courtship of Dora just made it that much sweeter.

As much as I loved the way that Gaelic used his time while traveling for business to get to know Dora via their lengthy phone conversations and how the gifts he sent to her that showed she was never too far from his thoughts, my absolute favorite part of the book was when Gaelic walked in on Marjorie harassing Dora. As laidback as Gaelic had been to that point, I think that scene proved that he could be just as intense and commanding as his cousin Xan. Marjorie got a serious lesson in karma that I think may actually stick this time (hehehe). Yes, there are so many wonderful scenes in the book, but the adolescent fat girl in me loved that the mean girl got her comeuppance. Courted by Understanding is the first book in the series that left me wishing that the series wasn’t quite so sweet because I really wanted to see the heat that Gaelic promised to bring to the bedroom with his slippering technique. This is also one couple that I would love to see get a follow-up book as I think it would be a blast to see Dora Out of Hyacinth. Courted by Understanding was an absolute gem of a read that I have added to my reread list. As always, I’m already looking forward to Ms. Cariad’s next installment in the In Hyacinth series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Courted by Understanding (In Hyacinth #4) by Bree Cariad blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Courted by Fall by Bree Cariad

Courted by Fall by Bree Cariad

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Courted by Fall is the second book in the In Hyacinth series and brings us Cami’s story. If you read book one – which I strongly recommend that you do first so that you understand the courting system of Hyacinth – then you are already familiar with some of her story as she is Alexander’s younger sister. Cami befriended the newly arrived Kathy and helped her understand some of Hyacinth’s courting system as she herself was excited about her upcoming eighteenth birthday so that her longtime friend and crush, Damian, would be able to finally court her as he promised he would do. But when Damian shows up for a dinner at Kathy’s during Courted by Discipline, we realize that he may not intend to follow through with his promise.

In the opening of Courted by Fall we find Cami seeing off Xander and Kathy as they are moving to Nashville so that Kathy can attend college. While Cami is happy for her brother and best friend, she is also sad because she will miss them and because Damian did indeed break his promise and left town in a scandalous fashion. In her grief and determined to deal with her problems on her own, she engages in behaviors that are self-destructive and ends up in the hospital where she briefly meets Jerod Kinsley. After her hospitalization, Cami is forced to reevaluate her life and what she wants out of it. As events unfold we learn that Cami is not the only one getting a second chance because she just may be Jerod’s second chance for happiness.

While I still find the courting system odd (as in, not something I would ever participate in), I really enjoyed Courted by Fall. Because book one had already introduced Hyacinth’s courting system, this book focused more on Cami herself and what she endured when her life was turned upside down and what she experienced while she got back on track, including her relationship with Jerod. I loved the way in which Cami’s family united around and for her and helped her find her way. Their support went a long way in giving her the confidence she needed to start her own consulting business – and I gotta say that I loved how the men in her life had no problem admitting to their lack of fashion sense. Typically I prefer sex in my romances, but Ms. Cariad writes the In Hyacinth series in such a way that I don’t need it. These novellas are sweet romances that make for a nice break in my reading schedule and I am already looking forward to reading Courted by Trouble.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Courted by Fall by Bree Cariad blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Courted by Trouble by Bree Cariad

Courted by Trouble by Bree Cariad

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Despite growing up in Hyacinth, Stephanie was not raised in a household that practiced Domestic Discipline. What she was raised in was a household with a father who turned to alcohol after his wife was killed in a car accident and who became physically abusive toward Stephanie any time she ‘messed up.’ When he decides he’s done taking care of her and kicks her out by dumping her on the side of the road after a particularly bad beating, Stephanie is fortunate that her friend Cami’s father finds her, takes her to the hospital, and proceeds to help her get her life headed in the right direction – even if that path takes her away from Hyacinth for a while. Once she returns to Hyacinth, Mr. Covington’s continued help enables her to start over but the emotional abuse she received from her father has taken a huge toll on her, leaving her feeling unworthy of love and happiness and with no interest in courting… until she meets Chris.

Perhaps it’s because neither Stephanie nor Chris were raised in DD households, but there is less emphasis on DD in this installment of the In Hyacinth series than in the previous books. This is not to say that it is absent from the book, but rather that it plays a much smaller role in Stephanie’s story. As such, there seems to be even more of an emphasis on Stephanie coming to terms with the smack downs that life has dealt her – some of which she never saw coming. I really liked that during the course of Stephanie’s journey of self-discovery she learned a very important lesson – that the family you choose can support you in ways you never expected and that they are just as important, and sometimes more so, than family bound by blood. As much as I came to like Chris and how much he supported Stephanie emotionally, I REALLY liked that the town council turned down his initial courting request. Stephanie may not have been raised in a DD household, but she was raised in Hyacinth and to allow someone who was not committed to the courting system she was raised within could have be very detrimental to her progress – it also served to show her how much the town cared for her well-being. Courted by Trouble is an excellent addition to the In Hyacinth series and I’m looking forward to the next book – which I really hope for it to be Dora’s story.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Courted by Trouble by Bree Cariad blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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