Larken (Graceling Hall Book 1)

Although the plot was interesting, so many facts didn't add up. Why was Larken a destitute orphan when her parents were well to do. Someone should have been an advocate for her. Brandon was unbelievably rude and changes quickly. I guess the writing lacked depth. The author used a word that was not even a word until the 1960's in England. Found myself skimming as it was so predictable at the end.

I really enjoyed this historical romance. The author writes in just enough twists and to keep the reader interested without becoming frustrating. Love scenes are kept behind closed doors and the author portrays the growing passion with only kisses. A refreshing change for this reader.

But not because I was intrigued, more because I had to get through it or I wouldn't be able to move on with my life. Nice fluffy story with elements of mystery, murder, and mayhem. Has a little bit of everything, which is really what made this a 2 star read. I got the book for free, but I have definitely read other free books with more substance and more interesting characters and storyline than this.

I enjoyed the setting and clean quality of the book. A couple of downsides - the heroine seems to change from an innocent, naive young girl to an accomplished flirt overnight. While both were likable characters, the sudden change seemed unlikely. Also, the book contained too many twists, instead of fully developing one or two of those plot lines. Overall, a nice enjoyable read!

The story starts out well with Larsen keeping her spunky attitude despite horrible treatment from her foster parents. And Mr. King wasn’t one of those brooding heroes that takes forever to see his good fortune. However there were two very big coincidences that were over the top.

The beginning seemed a little rushed. I wish the story of them getting to know one another and grow to like each other could have lasted a little longer. Everything g seemed to work out like a fairy tale. Just too easy.

Didn't notice that this story was geared toward older teens and based on the ratings I gave it a try because it sounded interesting. Couldn't finish it because the repetitiveness and lack of depth of story and characters got too tedious. I kind of quit liking Larken and her whining about being deformed and unattractive. She also had a lot to say about Brandon being cold and uncaring when he was that just one time and shortly thereafter discovers an attraction to his wife becomes caring, generous and kind of thoughtful. Younger readers would probably enjoy this story though I would think they'd expect better detail in their reading material too.

Clean and good ideas but had a hard time staying with it. I felt as if the story was rushed. In one page, Larkin made a fast friend her first night at the orphanage, stayed there for three months, and was adopted out. I prefer more details that enrich the story.
Also, about the last 1/3 of the book attention is given to other parts of the story and not on developing the relationship between Larken and Brandon. Brandon had decided to woo his wife but apparently forgot to stay with it. He does 1 or 2 romantic things and then I guess because Larken was kidnapped and he saved her, they automatically fell in love. There were some good ideas for a story, but not enough depth to pull it through.

I usually enjoy books by this author, but this one read like a melodrama after awhile. Brandon assumes his ward is his brother's child, but no, wait,the boy isn't his nephew but his brother. At that point I just threw up my hands in disbelief. A real disappointment.

Definitely a different story but there was something lost in the telling of it. Everything happened too quickly and was wrapped up in a neat little package. The beautiful flowers on the cover gave it extra points.

I get a lot of free and cheap books. In my experience they are hit and miss and by this point I'm not even sure I pay attention to the titles anymore. I just read because reading is healthy (we're supposed to be reading often) I just love stories and books.

I loved the idea of this story; a tragic yet beautiful orphan finds love after years of abuse from cold, swindling, foster parents. A man who lost everyone he ever loved has a chance for joy again... There were so many opportunities for exciting plot twists to unfold, but the book read more like an outline than a novel. Every chapter felt like a summary of events instead of a full story. It was all wrapped up a little to succinctly. I basically wish there was more to it.

I usually like Ms. Rogers sweet romance books and I've read almost all of them through KU. However, I didn't really connect with this novel. The characters were still fun, though they seemed to have less depth than normal. The romance pacing was off to me, which made it not terribly believable. Also, I feel a little duped in that Larkin is supposedly "physically scarred" from the train accident, but in reality only has a few faint lines on her lower back. I was hoping that scarring would make for a different kind of heroine, one whose main value wasn't her looks, but several characters comment on how beautiful she is, so that was a bust.

My main complaint, however, is the overuse of deus ex machina. I know that this author likes to tie everything up neatly, but there were way too many coincidental happenings for one book. I don't want to spoil in case you still plan to read it, but I counted at least 4 unlikely coincidences, which is 3 too many for a single novel. All in all, it was a quick read, but it doesn't inspire me to read the next in this series, and I don't plan to read this novel again.

I liked this book. It was a mixture of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast in theme. The heroine was charming ad intelligent. Although the hero at first displayed some bad behavior, he redeemed himself fairly early on. The characters, including the secondary ones, were well-developed for a novella, and the writing and dialogue in general was professional and polished. I thought the pacing was fine, but then I am partial to novellas of about this length. I get impatient with too much detail, too many complications and too many plot diversions. This didn't happen in this book and I didn't skim at all, as I often do. This was a very good story, with no padding and a satisfying ending.

This story interested me and I was fairly dialed in until about mid way and then the story began to get a bit too predictable. Everything was just coming up roses right and left without any real angst or challenges. Then at about the 75% point, the story picked up again temporarily. The challenges faced by the primary characters toward the end of the book just seemed as though the author had absolutely run out of steam. From that point on, the storyline lost its flavor for me.

Very Clean Romance Novel

Clean and good ideas but had a hard time staying with it. I felt as if the story was rushed. In one page, Larkin made a fast friend her first night at the orphanage, stayed there for three months, and was adopted out. I prefer more details that enrich the story.
Also, about the last 1/3 of the book attention is given to other parts of the story and not on developing the relationship between Larken and Brandon. Brandon had decided to woo his wife but apparently forgot to stay with it. He does 1 or 2 romantic things and then I guess because Larken was kidnapped and he saved her, they automatically fell in love. There were some good ideas for a story, but not enough depth to pull it through.

I usually enjoy books by this author, but this one read like a melodrama after awhile. Brandon assumes his ward is his brother's child, but no, wait,the boy isn't his nephew but his brother. At that point I just threw up my hands in disbelief. A real disappointment.

Definitely a different story but there was something lost in the telling of it. Everything happened too quickly and was wrapped up in a neat little package. The beautiful flowers on the cover gave it extra points.

I get a lot of free and cheap books. In my experience they are hit and miss and by this point I'm not even sure I pay attention to the titles anymore. I just read because reading is healthy (we're supposed to be reading often) I just love stories and books.

I loved the idea of this story; a tragic yet beautiful orphan finds love after years of abuse from cold, swindling, foster parents. A man who lost everyone he ever loved has a chance for joy again... There were so many opportunities for exciting plot twists to unfold, but the book read more like an outline than a novel. Every chapter felt like a summary of events instead of a full story. It was all wrapped up a little to succinctly. I basically wish there was more to it.

I usually like Ms. Rogers sweet romance books and I've read almost all of them through KU. However, I didn't really connect with this novel. The characters were still fun, though they seemed to have less depth than normal. The romance pacing was off to me, which made it not terribly believable. Also, I feel a little duped in that Larkin is supposedly "physically scarred" from the train accident, but in reality only has a few faint lines on her lower back. I was hoping that scarring would make for a different kind of heroine, one whose main value wasn't her looks, but several characters comment on how beautiful she is, so that was a bust.

My main complaint, however, is the overuse of deus ex machina. I know that this author likes to tie everything up neatly, but there were way too many coincidental happenings for one book. I don't want to spoil in case you still plan to read it, but I counted at least 4 unlikely coincidences, which is 3 too many for a single novel. All in all, it was a quick read, but it doesn't inspire me to read the next in this series, and I don't plan to read this novel again.

I liked this book. It was a mixture of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast in theme. The heroine was charming ad intelligent. Although the hero at first displayed some bad behavior, he redeemed himself fairly early on. The characters, including the secondary ones, were well-developed for a novella, and the writing and dialogue in general was professional and polished. I thought the pacing was fine, but then I am partial to novellas of about this length. I get impatient with too much detail, too many complications and too many plot diversions. This didn't happen in this book and I didn't skim at all, as I often do. This was a very good story, with no padding and a satisfying ending.

This story interested me and I was fairly dialed in until about mid way and then the story began to get a bit too predictable. Everything was just coming up roses right and left without any real angst or challenges. Then at about the 75% point, the story picked up again temporarily. The challenges faced by the primary characters toward the end of the book just seemed as though the author had absolutely run out of steam. From that point on, the storyline lost its flavor for me.

Very Clean Romance Novel

This was a story started in tragedy. It's about a girl who becomes a woman under very difficult circumstances in a time when girls did what they were told and marriages are arranged. Larken, despite so many disappointments and loneliness, stays true to herself and doesn't compromise on making the best out of everything. With a little ingenuity and imagination she helps a boy and a man who need her. Well worth reading.

This book is about Miss Larkin Burke. She was orphaned by a horrible train accident when she was a young girl. She was sent to a couple who treated her like a servant and took everything they could from her. So the story begins. I loved this book, especially when Larkin went to Graceling Hall to live. I highly recommend it.

Fabulous book. I really enjoyed this book. I like Suzanne 's style of writing. Great characters with great back ground stories. I hooked from the beginning of the story until the end. I recommend this book. I'm going to great the next book in this series.

A wonderful story of life, disaster, and survival. There are so many ways that one can deal with what life throws our way. This story touched on many possibilities for how one can handle adversity. A refreshing story of survival, and the ultimate victory! Love is Grand!

I started reading Larken on Halloween night, after the trick-or-treaters had gone back to their homes and I turned the front porch lights out.
Four hours later, at 1:30 am, I finished it.
What a wonderful story! This is not a paranormal or fantasy, it's a beautiful historical romance, and S. G. is just as skilled at this as she is at writing fantasy. There was that sense of whimsy I've found in her other books, but added to this were enough twists and turns to satisfy a mystery lover and enough angst and resolution to wet the tissues of a romance lover. I am a fan for life.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had never heard of this author before but I liked the cover. I was delightfully surprised by my enjoyment of the book. I appreciated there were no heavy steamy scenes yet there was a good dose of attraction between The characters. I really loved watching the hero in the story unfold and become so swoon worthy, I liked the dash or suspense which wasn't too scary (I'm a suspense wimp). Just an enjoyable book all around and I will be looking to read more from this author, I did knock off a star primarily because there are editing and misspelling issues throughout.

What a refreshing book to read, complete with some twists and turns, romance and love, but mostly a lesson in respect and chivalry. I would recommend this lovely read to any teenage and adult woman who wants to be carried back in time when when romance was in the air and love just around the corner.

Great story. I especially like how the book has several different stories going on. They build on each other and add extra depth to the book. The plot was well thought out as well. I had trouble putting the book down.

This was. a throughly enjoyable romp with tension and mystery and. excitement. It does not have bad language, explicit sex or gratuitous violence, and would be enjoyed by young girls as well as mature readers. Larken is a well rounded character with appealing traits. Her prince
charming changes character rather quickly, but it is a short book.

I loved this book! A sweet chase, surprises and sweet romance! This author is new to me and I am delighted to say I am a very happy new fan!! Will dedicate atelier be looking for more books by this author...I loved it!!

Larken was a very sensible young lady she rolled with the punches and made the best of the situations she found herself in . I really enjoyed this story would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romances

I've just recently discovered Suzanne G. Rogers and am thoroughly enjoying reading through her books. Larken & Brandon's story was a pleasure to read. Looking forward to reading Theo's story next!

I’ve read this book in an afternoon.
The storyline is predictable and the characters are one-dimensional.
Larken is a beautiful and sympathetic girl. She lost her parents in a train accident when she was fifteen and from that moment she lost everything. She spent the last five years with a fosters family.
Her foster mother is a very ugly woman but we don’t understand exactly why. Because Larken is beautiful? Because she comes from a high society family? The author doesn’t spent words to clarify this aspect.
Often I have the impression that the storyline jump far in the future without explication.
Mr Brandon King at the beginning is quite rude and impolite, then, in a blink of an eye, he becomes a perfect lover, determined to conquer the heart of Larken.
Not to mention of Myles and his true father!!!
In any case the romance is well-written and if you are looking for an easy book this will be perfect.
At the end, Larken is a sweet and romantic novella. A relaxing reading with no particular twists and turns.
To read with a huge cup of chocolate, near the fireplace in a rainy day, I can assure you’d see the rainbow.

This was a lovely distraction. The characters were not overly developed, but this is not an epic saga either-- I rather enjoyed Ms.Rogers writing style, and the pace of the book kept the story light even when touching on heavy topics.

I really wanted to like it but I find that I don't.....not very much. I was quite put out by the dialogue. It sounded very American. And the way miles converse with his surroundings, does not sound like he is a 5 year old young boy. I'm not convinced. The story is alright, there are some twists and turns. And I liked how the two main characters slowly built trust and love for each other gradually. But the sparks and fireworks wasn't there.

I've read many of S.G. Rogers's stories, and by far this is one of her best. Sweet, check. Sympathetic heroine, check. Mysterious hero, check. A bit of Jane Eyre-like in plot at first, which I loved, and then a very nice twist midway with "Lord Apollo" to deepen the stakes. Not only was there intrigue and a romantic ending, but there's sequels planned! Awesome! Can't wait to read those.

I wish the book would have been longer and that there was more detail. I feel things went to fast in the book. I lobe a book that has great detail and leaves me on the edge of my seat. This book lacked that a little bit.

When I first started reading Larken I didn't think I was going to like this story but it picked up quickly and gained my interest. While it was a quick read it was a good story. I am now going to read book 2.

Larken is a sweet Victorian romance by Suzanne G. Rogers. It's a story about a girl who lost her parents in a train crash. Larken was the only survivor. She has nightmares and physical scars to remind her of that terrible event.

When Larken comes of age, she is given little choice about her future. Her foster parents send her off by train to marry a complete stranger. He needs a wife to look after his ward, a young boy. Larken is a brave and creative soul who helps bring the young boy out of his shell. Will she be able to help her husband in-name-only come out of his?

Posted on Amanda's Books and More

A very good read. This author reminds me of the big name authors that I have read through the years and I have read a lot. Reading is the same as breathing for me-I must! But I can be critical of an author as well and put a book down if it too descriptive or slow reading. I did not have any problems reading this book. When a good book captivates me I stop "reading" and start absorbing the material and the world around me disappears. It's been awhile since I read a book like that and this one did it for me. I would recommend this book again and again.

A fine story of heartbreak, sadness and loss. The true character of a person shines thru in adversity. Both Brandon and Larkin rise above their loss and take steps to live life again. Thank you for an extremely satisfying story, Danny Scott.

I've come to enjoy stories told by Suzanne G Rogers. She has a way of making you feel as if you are right there watching the tale unfold. This story is about a young lady who was in a train wreck that killed both of her parents, then sent to an orphanage.

I would highly recommend this book. It is clean, it has wonderful surprises in the plot, it shows how love can bring change, and it feels like a quick read. I look forward to reading more in this series.

The miracle orphan was truly a young lady with a big heart. Because of the tragic train accident she was so very afraid of train rides. But she invented friends and stories to occupy her thoughts, even though she was fourteen. Larkin was an angel to all who met her

Fabulous book. I really enjoyed this book. I like Suzanne 's style of writing. Great characters with great back ground stories. I hooked from the beginning of the story until the end. I recommend this book. I'm going to great the next book in this series.