Lord Blackwell's Promise

Larkhall Letters, Book 5

By: Ashtyn Newbold

Narrated by: Christine Rendel

Until death do they part . . .

Margaret Lovell tries her best to love everyone. But when it comes to Lord Blackwell, she doesn't care to succeed. After the young Earl of Blackwell accused her father of cheating and tricked him out of his fortune, she has despised him for causing their disgrace and lack of security. So when she learns that Lord Blackwell is on his deathbed, she cannot help but feel a lack of sympathy. With her family's financial situation worsening, she doesn't have time to think of anything else, especially the man who caused it.

Peter Trafford, Earl of Blackwell, has never had reason to evaluate his life before now. But with certain death looming before him, he is awakened to a sense of his guilt. When struck with this strange desperation to repair his misdeeds, he writes a letter to Margaret Lovell, the daughter of the man whose reputation he singlehandedly destroyed. In the letter, he offers to marry her. He offers Margaret and her family a life of wealth and comfort—and promises that he will die shortly after their wedding.

But promises, fickle as they are, have a way of breaking.

©2022 Ashtyn Newbold (P)2023 Tantor

Love this Larkhall series! Beautifully written and narrated

Each book in this series is a standalone, but together it’s a great saga when you listen to them all. I love Christine Rendel’s engrossing narration and how effectively she distinguishes between all the characters. Again, couldn’t put it down.

Better and better

When I concluded book 4 in the series and saw that Lord Blackwell had his own story with Margaret, I immediately purchased it. Such fun. I am so drawn in to this series and Ashtyn’s fun sense of humor and wit. but it is the poem in the middle of it that really causes her literary brilliance to shine.

Redemption and Love

I enjoyed how all of the main characters in “Lord Blackwell’s Promise” are seeking their own redemption in one form or another. Each one has a soul-crushing cross to bear and is looking for peace and grace for a different reason. The story is at various times funny, sad, and a bit suspenseful, but ultimately it is heart-warming. Highly recommended book in the series!

Another great story

Another great story in this series with 2 good leading characters. Sweet, clean, and funny.

A beautiful redemption story

This is a great book. It’s a redemption story woven into a regency romance. Though quite somber at times, it also has some light and funny scenes that put a huge grin on my face.

A wicked man at death’s door comes to realize he has done nothing of merit in his entire 27 years of life. Even his family can find nothing redeeming in him, and he finally starts to feel a shred of remorse. There is one especially wicked deed that haunts him, how he stole the fortune of a good man, ruined his reputation, and left him and his family completely destitute. In a final desperate attempt to ease his conscience, he offers to marry the daughter of the man, promising to die shortly after and leave her a titled and wealthy widow.

The characters and romance are well done, and the story is engaging throughout. I felt the final relationship tension at the end was a bit unnecessary, but it didn’t last excessively long.

I highly recommend this series!

Content:
There’s no foul language, violence, or sex. The romance is limited to lightly descriptive kissing. Despite some references to church earlier in the book, there isn’t really a message of faith or God.

Trigger warning - A significant portion of this story deals with terminal sickness and death. There is a physically and emotionally abusive father, seen in flashbacks.