Naomi and the Purloined Journal: A feel-good Regency Romance (The Wild Marchmonts Book 1)

Extremely well written. Beautiful characters, good storyline & lovely romance. Not to forget, very funny. Can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Here’s what you need to know about Alicia Cameron. She writes light-hearted, witty, laugh-out-loud funny books. But underneath the lightheartedness, she points out serious issues sometimes of the Regency Period, or some that belong to any era. In the Sisters of Castle Fortune series, we get to realise just difficult life was for women who were regarded as the possessions of their male relatives.In Naomi and the Purloined Journal, the underlying issues are dysfunctional family relationships, making assumptions of people by who people appear to be as opposed to who they really are and ignoring wrong behaviour even when it is played out in public.That said this book ‘Naomi’ is a very enjoyable and full of absolutely wonderful characters. The two central characters are very sweet. There is a little twist in the story that may surprise you. It certainly did me.

I never leave reviews, even though I love this author- but for this book, I had to! It’s a complete triumph. Initially I found it difficult to keep all the characters straight in my head, in spite of the excellent character list at the beginning of the book- flipping back to check it isn’t so easy on kindle!The constrast between the Shiny Marchmonts and the Wild Marchmonts is skilfully portrayed by the author. Every character is distinct and memorable, with good depth. My favourite has to be Berthe, the precocious and insightful eight year old. Her brutal honesty reminds me of my own daughter. I also loved Eleanor and am currently wishing she was real and could give me some parenting advice!I honestly can’t recommend this book enough. I’m going back for a second reading!

This slightly unusual regency romance is set in the family estate of Tremaine Towers rather than in London. The journal of the title is cleverly used to give the reader a more layered view of events as they unfold. The characters are entertaining and as in all Alicia Cameron's novels there are no jarring anachronisms to spoil the enjoyment. There are a number of intriguing loose ends that hold promise for the next books in the series. I read it twice - once quickly to know what happens and the second time more slowly to relish the journey and to pick up on telling details I missed the first time. I look forward to the rest of the series!

Really enjoyed this story and look forward to any others. The author a descriptions of the families was great, and not silly characters.

I loved the complexity of this tale as two branches of the same family are suddenly mashed together by a matriarch who holds the purse strings. At first there were so many characters to absorb but each of them had such different characters, I found them easy to remember. The hero of the stiff and starchy family inadvertently and then purposefully, reads the diary of Naomi, one of the daughters of the hippy style family. They do eventually get together but along the way there are rivalries and misunderstandings to sort out. This is the first of a family saga and I look forward in anticipation of all the stories yet to be revealed. I enjoyed the use of the diary to explore Naomi's growing love for Elliott. For me it filled in what might otherwise be gaps, in a very entertaining story.

I enjoyed the story and the characters, it has some promise as the first in a new series of stories. However, the ending seems badly edited and the chronology in the last few chapters doesn't flow, which was disappointing. I also found the basic premise of Naomi leaving her journal in the library where it could be read somewhat unlikely and the story arc of the inheritance of the title historically questionable. Overall, an enjoyable book if you don't think too much about the details and if you can untangle the last few chapters.

A diary, a wild family and disapproving relatives. A wonderful tale of love, different families and the thawing of uptight extended family. How can love blossom when you come from very different families? Read and find out! Brilliantly witty and dynamic, a true page turner!

This was fantastic all the way through.The shiny royals and the wild ones. It was funny and outrageous and an absolutely wonderful story.Rating: G - absolutely cleanWell written with great dialog.Kept me intrigued the whole time! Had a hard time putting it down.I read some reviews that didn't like the Hero, but frankly he felt real to me and very honorable. He had morals, and in Regency England although marrying a Heiress was the done thing, it wasn't viewed in a positive way. It was still viewed very much as the man's job to care for his family. That's why men that were poor but trying to snag an heiress were viewed as fortune hunters in a worse light than when woman were in the same situation. It was OK & expected for the women to look for a rich husband. So I loved the Hero, he wasn't perfect, and frankly, in his situation I can totally see why he kept reading the journal. She did leave it in his sanctuary!

What a joy to read! This had me grinning and laughing out loud.The two branches of the Marchmont family could not be more different: cold, stiff and condescending are the 'royal' Marchmonts, warm and affectionate the 'wild' Marchmonts.Some of the best scenes star 8-year-old Berthe, who does not hesitate to comment on what she sees, think "from the mouth of babes."Eliot, the Black Sheep, who is the most pragmatic of the 'royal' Marchmonts, has a secret delight in reading the latest entries in the Purloined Journal, which help him better understand the mysterious and wild Marchmonts and appreciate Naomi's sharp wit.Now to wait for the next installment. I'm very curious to see where this series will lead.

A perfect combination of wit, clever construction, fascinating believable characters, and intelligent writing. An absolute delight and highly recommended. Brava!

Another wonderful book by Ms. Cameron! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Naomi's story. The romance was incredibly believable, and I loved meeting all the new characters. What a delightful family! I do enjoy getting to eavesdrop as people grow into more full versions of themselves, and this is something that Ms. Cameron writes authentically. I cannot wait to read more books in this series! As usual, a lovely and clean romance.

Another winner from Alicia Cameron. I just know I am going to love reading all about the Wild Marchmonts, especially if this book is any indication. A beautifully engaging family with loads of money and ties to the nobility, comes to live with the side of the family that are good ton but shockingly loose with the little money they have. The Wild Marchmonts won't be dismissed easily. This book was a lovely start and it was charming and funny. I can't wait for more.