The Viscount's Vow

By: Julie Coulter Bellon

Narrated by: Jessica Elisa Boyd

A man changed by war. The woman who loves him. And a secret that could tear them apart.

Edward Rutledge, the newly minted Viscount Carlisle, has come back from war a changed man. The echo of the battlefield and the death of his best friend, Marcus, haunt him to the point that he decides to break his betrothal to Charlotte - the only woman he’s ever loved. When he’s summoned home to Hartwell Manor, he comes face-to-face with her. Slowly, her strength and love make him see that he might be able to reclaim what he thought was lost. But when word reaches him that Marcus might not have died in Spain and yet lives, Edward will do anything to bring his friend home. As the mystery deepens, however, Edward is drawn into an intrigue that forces him to confront the demons that have plagued him since he returned to England. Will he have to sacrifice everything he’s built with Charlotte in order to keep her safe?

©2020 Julie Coulter Bellon (P)2021 Julie Coulter Bellon

Childhood Sweethearts

I enjoyed getting to know Edward and Charlotte and to see Christian and Alice. This story doesn't have the same kind of espionage/suspense that The Marquess Meets His Match did, but it did have a mystery to search out. I loved the childhood sweethearts romance, and I appreciated the acknowledgement that a man could come home from war looking whole on the outside and be wounded on the inside.

The narrator, Jessica Elisa Boyd, was great!

4 1/2 stars

Romance

If you are looking for a clean, easy reading book in romance that has some tension but is relatively easily resolved, this could be the book for you. I will say however, that nothing would have been resolved, at least not happily, if it weren't for Charlotte's tenacity.


Potential triggers: PTSD, alcohol abuse
Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: brief, mild
*I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook and voluntarily chose to review it.

Great story

I really enjoyed this story of redemption and love. Where dreams can still come true even while working through some of those parts of life that seem unworthy of your “best life”.

Learning to forgive yourself

I read The Marquess Meets His Match last year and really liked it, so when I had the opportunity to listen to this one I took it. Edward Rutledge is back from the war, and in addition to dealing with nightmares and the trauma from the war, he has to deal with all the responsibilty that comes with being the new Viscount Carlisle. Feeling damaged and unworthy of his bethrothed's love, he calls off his engagement to Charlotte without much explanation.

I thought the author did a wonderful job with Edward's character as a veteran of the war. He suffered from what we now call PTSD and I think Julie Coulter Bellon handled that well. I like that Edward receives support from other former soldiers. I can't imagine what those men went through back then as they probably didn't have any type of counseling available to them.

I thought Charlotte was a great character. She didn't want to call off their bethrothal--she still loves Edward, and although she doesn't know what's wrong, she wants to help him. I really enjoyed the trip to save his friend Marcus, as I'm always up for a little suspense. I thought that showed what a wonderful friend Edward was to Marcus.

I thought the narrator was fantastic--she does a lot of Regency audiobooks for authors I read often.

Okay

The story seemed a bit rushed and the plot points not developed enough. It was a cute story though.

A beautiful story of survival after horror of war!

Edward may have survived the war but the man that went away is not the same as the one who came home. Charlotte has waited over 2 years for her fiance to come home from the war but the changes in him are obvious. Should she take the chance on him? When her brother gives her devastating news her life is even more confusing. This story is a wonderful historical romance that shows us how war can change men and the women that love them. It is also a very touching romance.

I received a free download of this book from the publisher to listen to on Audible. This review is my own honest opinion.

Nice, clean story with a bit of mystery

It’s a fairly linear, one-dimensional plot and simple story. This single-tone, play-by-play account, without much nuance, is of one man’s return home and progress toward recovery. It's a decent enough listen to relax by while you do something else to while away a couple of evenings. A few moments and scenes stood out as particularly interesting and rewarding. If you like easy healing and redemption stories, this will be perfect. I prefer stories with layers and depth but also upbeat narration and tone, deftly handled, even when they include difficult topics. However, I really appreciate clean stories of this era, so I'll look for more from this author in the future in this genre.

Wonderful

This was a lovely sweet regency about redemption and understanding. I love when authors deal with some of the mental health struggles that were happening even then. Great story.

Lovely Second Chance Romance

Not only is Edward haunted by the events of the war, but he's also got the added pressure of being the new viscount. These demands cause him to break Charlotte's heart, as he feels he doesn't deserve happiness. Bellon does a great job in not only describing Edward's feelings, but in also bringing his demons to life in a way that isn't too heavy, yet causes the listener to connect with him. I loved the narrator and thought her portrayal of the characters was brilliant.

These characters are quite delightful! I love how Charlotte is kind and supportive, especially in the face of a dangerous situation, while Edward is strong, yet vulnerable. I do feel that his about-face happened a tad too quickly, but all in all, it was for the best and added to the story line.

As much as I love fluff, I really enjoyed having some meat to the story. The mystery and resulting matters added an entertaining element and drew me in. It was fun watching the story unfold, the mystery get discovered, and the romance blossom.

Content: mild romance; very mild violence

What a wonderful story

I loved this book, it was so clean but also romantic at the same time. It was well written and I can’t wait to read more books from this author.