Catherine: The Cousins of Pemberley - Blog Tour

Author:Linda O'Byrne 

Publisher: SpellBound Books 

Publishing Date: 7th March 2022

Many Thanks to ZooLoos Book Tour and the publishing team for my digital copy and a spot on the tour

Blurb 

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗲.  

𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 - 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Catherine Collins, a very ordinary young woman -  plain, quiet, often over-looked but possessing a reputation for having great common-sense.  

Or so her distant cousin Elizabeth Darcy believes and recommends her as governess for little Matilda Courtney.  

Catherine travels to Northumberland, full of good intentions to do her best and be a credit to the family.  

𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 - 𝙍𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙮𝙥𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙀𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.

My Thoughts

A romantic historical fiction book that was wonderfully put together. This is actually book two in the series, book 1 is called Cassandra. 

The story actually open with Cassandra and Richards engagement and wedding planning and the many interruptions up that point. It did throw me off a bit as I couldn't figure out the link with them all but as the pages continued it was like puzzle pieces coming together. 

After the death of her mother, Catherines father  remarries to Kitty and have Harriet. However there is a discrepancy in the love given from her step mother to her and her step sister. She is treated like a maid and it greatly saddens Catherine with no real intervention from her father Mr Collins. 

Catherine and the and the family decide to attend a wedding at Pemeberly and Elizabeth notices the block between Catherine and her family so she decided to intervene. An opportunity arrises to work for a Mr Richard and become a governess to his daughter Matilda. 

Matilda has stopped talking or speaking to anyone since the death of her mother. I guess this the bond they both share as the can account for similar feelings and emotions. Catherine is brilliant with Matilda, and I adored their relationship and bond. The more time Catherine is spending with Richard and Matilda the more she is comfortable and feels at home. Emotions soon start changing and Catherine realises she not has romantic feelings for her boss who is soon to remarry. Richard has been opening time with Abigail who comes to stay over so she get to know Matilda but Abigail has 0 interest. we also meet Countess Honoria who is Richard aunt, and a formidable character. As they both settle in to this new routine they come across obstacles but sooner or later Catherine and Richard have to comes to terms and acknowledge their love for each other with consequences. 

I don't want to give too much away but If you like Pride and Prejudice and Bridgerton then this book is for you! It is a great female lead and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, I cannot wait to see what the next instalment  of  Miriam is going to be like.