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K. Lyn Smith lives in Birmingham, Alabama, where she writes sweet historical romance about ordinary people finding extraordinary love. Her debut novel, The Astronomer’s Obsession, was a finalist for the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, while many of her other titles have been shortlisted for awards such as the American Writing Award, the Carolyn Reader’s Choice Award, the HOLT Medallion and the Maggie Award.
When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her with family, traveling and watching period dramas. And space documentaries. Weird, right?
Reviewed by K T Bowes for Readers' Favorite
Beneath a Brighton Sun by K. Lyn Smith follows the antagonistic relationship between Eloise Corbyn and Archer Vale. She is the granddaughter of an earl, while he is scarred by his father’s criminal background and neglect. Eloise has lived a charmed life in a loving home, encouraged in her geological endeavors, but hindered by her female lack of status. Archer was raised in an orphanage and was reliant on the kindness of Eloise’s generous father to rise above his poor beginnings. Their relationship begins with childish enmity fueled by an inane rivalry, and their encounters are marked by antagonism and one-upmanship. But when Eloise’s father asks that Archer escort his daughter to an annual fossil hunting party near Brighton, he does not know that his protégé has the power to destroy Eloise’s dreams and her heart.
Jane Austen’s social niceties meet the emotional intensity of Emily Brontë in Beneath a Brighton Sun by K. Lyn Smith. This beautiful Victorian-era romance has the necessary elements for a delightful read. I tore through it when I should have been doing other things, desperate to witness the happy-ever-after, and I wasn’t disappointed. The main characters are wonderfully drawn, both stepping around a theme of acceptance. Archer seeks to escape his ignominious past with financial success, while Eloise desires professional acknowledgement of her geological expertise. Both hide behind masks, her writing under a pseudonym and he operating under a false name. The strength and determination of Eloise’s character is a nod to the quiet feminist revolution happening beneath polite society in 1850s England. This novel is thoughtful, exciting, and a beautifully crafted, perfect love story.
