A Heroine Named Sally

My Review of Esther Hatch's New Book

One of my favorite ever books is A Proper Scandal, by Esther Hatch. It's a Victorian romance with as many swoon-worthy moments as laugh-out-loud scenes. She always astounds me with her ability to write humor and romance paired so beautifully together. And then she takes me by surprise, every book, when she delivers a gut-wrenching scene that makes me cry and wonder who on earth she'll get the characters together again.

Her new Victorian Romance delivers the same witty banter and humorous scenes as those that came before, and I am absolutely thrilled that I snagged an advance copy to read. Because, y'know, I'm Esther's friend now and I get perks!!! 

One of the most unlooked for perks of being friends with other authors - though I have teased many of them about this - is that sometimes they do something truly amazing. Like name a heroine Sally.

I have always loved my name. But as a Sally born in the eighties, I never met anyone my age with my name. Instead, I often heard people say, "Oh, my great-aunt is named that!" 

Then I got into reading romances. Historical Westerns. Regency novels. Victorian. And you know who had the name SALLY?! Maiden aunts and maids. 

In Esther's beautiful romance, Sally Duncan is the heroine. (I may have teared up more than once due to that fact alone.) But I would love this book even if her name was anything else. This story has heart, laughter, a dark moment, swoony scenes, and a hero you dearly want to root for. 

Manor For Sale, Baron Included, is about a woman who wants a house and not the man who sold it to her, while he wants the home back, and is thrilled at the idea of getting it by wooing the woman who bought it. Of course, along the way, they fall in love.
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This is a five star read. I was up until 3 AM trying to get to the end to see how Esther made it all work out. I won't spoil it for you - but I slept quite well after I finished reading.

​Make sure you grab your copy and prepare for a late-night read, too! Link below.