A Gentlewoman Scholar by (Timeless Victorian Collection #6) by Sarah M. Eden, Michele Paige Holmes, & Nancy Campbell Allen

 

Book Summary:

Three women scholars. Three lives changed. And a dash of romance.

Blessing in Disguise by Sarah M. Eden
1858, Dublin
Fred Fitzsimmons will soon graduate Trinity College. With only a few weeks, he must continue safeguarding the enormous secret he’s been keeping throughout his time in Dublin: that he is actually Winnifred, a woman in disguise. The medical degree she is a breath away from claiming would allow her to save her beloved village. But having her secret revealed would land her in jail. So when Liam Rafferty, a fellow student with a reputation for unravelling even the most complicated of mysteries, grows suspicious of “Fred,” more lives than merely hers hang in the balance.

An Unexpected Education by Michele Paige Holmes
Nineteen-year-old Esther Sessions has survived the slums of Liverpool, and her abusive home, by holding onto a promise she made to her dying mother long ago--to keep reading. When a factory explosion frees her from her oppressive life and provides an opportunity to attend Bedford Women's College in London, Esther determines to succeed at school, knowing her education will ensure a future in which she might provide for herself and never be dependent upon any man. From the first moments of her arrival, Professor John Lind begins challenging her beliefs about everything from classical literature to algebra to--men. His kindness is something she has never encountered in a man before, and the generosity of his heart might just reach through the barriers surrounding Esther's.

Good Heir Hunting by Nancy Campbell Allen
Ellie Perkins has achieved her dream of establishing her own Kindergarten school to serve the needs of Liverpool's orphans. As a woman who has graduated from college and pursued a career, she has faced opposition and contention from all sides. Her first year is a success, however, and as she begins the second, she is caught by surprise when her newest hire marries and moves away, leaving a class of orphans without a teacher. Solicitor Graham Lucas, meanwhile, appears on her school doorstep, having narrowed a search for his employer's heir to one of the students in the now teacher-less class. Ellie sees a temporary fix to her problem that will benefit both her and the handsome solicitor. Graham will substitute the kindergarten class, while Ellie searches for a replacement. Unbeknownst to them all, however, is the lurking presence of a jealous relative who covets the young heir's position, and who will stop at nothing to take his place. Also at risk is Ellie's heart and hard-won career. Can she truly take a chance on a handsome substitute teacher bent on winning her love?

My Review:

This Victorian collection of women scholars was so fun to read! Each story was different yet had the theme of an educated woman. Blessing in Disguise by Eden was super fun with Fred/Winnie in disguise as a boy in order to become educated as a doctor. Her story pulled me in and I really felt for her unique situation. An Unexpected Education by Michele Paige Holmes was an emotional journey of hardship and abuse. I cried along with Esther, felt her pain and her joy all while she tried to find her footing. Holmes wrote a stunning and emotional story that is imprinted on my mind. Good Heir Hunting by Nancy Campbell Allen was an unexpected love story I didn't quite see coming. Graham was so sweet and such a good sport when he was thrown into unchartered waters. Ellie was so poised and graceful under any circumstance and I loved her fortitude. This collection was easy to read and perfect for shorter stories when I didn't have a ton of time to read! I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own. Happy Reading!!!  You can pick up your own copy via Amazon.