Review + Blog Tour: “Beauty Among Ruins” by J’nell Ciesielski

Beauty Among Ruins is the first novel I’ve read by J’nell Ciesielski, and I am very impressed! I want to go back and read her backlist now 😉

Join me today in celebrating her upcoming novel release with a blog tour and a chance to win a paperback copy in a giveaway at the bottom of this post!

Publication Date: January 12, 2021
Thomas Nelson
Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Scottish

In Ciesielski’s latest sweeping romance, an American heiress finds herself in Scotland amid the fallout of the Great War, and a wounded Scottish laird comes face-to-face with his past and a woman he never could have expected.

American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.

Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.

Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

‘A Scottish lord and an American socialite discover love during WWI in this gorgeous historical romance from Ciesielski (The Socialite)…The undercurrent of mystery and Ciesielski’s unflinching approach to the harsh realities of wartime only enhance the love story. Readers are sure to be impressed.’ –Publishers Weekly

Available for Pre-Order

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

With a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J’nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. Winner of the Romance Through the Ages Award and the Maggie Award, she is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle.

Learn more at www.jnellciesielski.com. You can also find J’nell on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Review

Beauty Among Ruins is an exquisite romance set against the perils of war and loss. With deep themes of sacrifice and longing, J’nell Ciesielski’s style transports the reader to the idyllic Scottish Lowlands and stirs a longing for tradition.

Through Alec and Lily’s eyes, the struggles of recovering WWI soldiers are spotlighted with the noble sacrifices nurses and homeowners offered to house the convalescing men. A mystery with more than one suspected character, combined with a plot to smear the laird’s name and weigh on his guilt, all deftly intertwines with the day to day work of providing physical and mental care. I was happy to see Lily’s steadfastness and growth through circumstances she did not initially choose.

The romance in this story is one of my new favorites! With subtle hints of beauty and the beast vibes, Alec’s initial brooding and distance disguise a poetic heart that answers Lily’s in a beautiful way. They are wonderful compliments to each other. And when he speaks Gaelic to her, BE STILL MY HEART.

With a full cast of characters that lend a sense of place and family camaraderie to the story, Beauty Among Ruins is a historical drama not to be missed by fans of Scottish settings, WWI homefront stories, or poignant romance.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.