Chasing the Other Tisdale by Jessica Jefferson- Review Tour + Giveaway

Chasing the Other Tisdale

by Jessica Jefferson

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BLURB:

She’s the other sister…

Overshadowed by the beauty of her older sister, Lillian is better known as the other Tisdale; unremarkable and unsure how she will ever deliver on the promise of her family's name.

He’s a rake in need of reforming…

Will Colton leads a frivolous existence, embracing notoriety instead of managing his family’s fortune. Determined to forget his financial burden and his father’s growing resentment, he maintains a lifestyle dedicated to pleasure and self-indulgence. When Will is invited to the Tisdale estate for an extended holiday, he never expects to become friends with the forgettable Lillian. But when a family secret comes to light, he must choose between leaving London and protecting the honor of one woman or staying and risking the reputation of another.

Upon his return, Will finds the girl he left behind has come out of the shadows and into her own. Lillian’s finally the center of attention, and not all of it good. With his own reputation in tatters, can a reformed rake lure her out of the hands of London's bachelors and back into his own arms? Can he escape his past and reclaim her heart, or has he lost her forever?

 

 

 

EXCERPT:

 

When Lillian Tisdale dreamt of that magical moment when she would fall in love, she never imagined that it would be so sudden, so complete, or so…

Literal.

Lilly, as she was more commonly known, sat cradled in between a large branch and the massive trunk of the hundred year old willow tree near the pond at Brightly, her family’s ancestral estate. She set her sketch book and charcoal pencil down on the branch and took a moment to appreciate the scenery before her. Brightly was noted for its lush gardens and rolling green hills, and she found it impossible to imagine any other property in England being as lovely.

This was her favorite tree, had been for years, and one of the only places she could disappear to when she felt the need for a respite from her three sisters and older brother. She relished the quiet of her hiding place, the silence disturbed only by the soft wind skimming the pond, the rustling of the leaves in the oak groves, and the occasional coo of a nesting bird.

“You naughty minx!”

Lilly startled, the unexpected sound of a man’s voice coming from out of nowhere. She steadied herself against the branch in front of her, knocking her sketchbook onto the ground in the process. She sighed, doubting the book would survive the fall intact. She’d spent the last of her pin money on that sketchbook and wouldn’t be able to afford a new one for at least a month. Her parents, for all their wealth, were sticklers when it came to their children’s allowances.

“You’re a wicked, wicked man, Mr. Colton!”

This time, the voice was distinctly female and the name she mentioned sounded familiar...

MY REVIEW:

 

 

Chasing the Other Tisdale by Jessica Jefferson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chasing the Other Tisdale by Jessica Jefferson is a 2015 Soul Mate Publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this ugly duckling type story set during the regency period. Lillian has stood in the shadow of her three other sisters who are all considered beauties. Lillian, however is the “funny one”. She isn't tall, had a outbreak of acne, and perhaps she is a little plump. But, she longs for something more than just being “the other sister ”. She wants to be desired and experience true love and passion.

When Lillian meets Will Colton, a good friend to her brother, Thomas, in the most awkward, painful, and embarrassing way possible, the two strike up an unlikely friendship. But, Lillian believes Will only sees her as a friend, and her feelings go much deeper. Still, the two continue to write one another on a regular basis. These letters mean the world to Lillian, but they also mean a lot to Will, who still doesn't understand what category his feelings for Lillian falls into.

However, when he has a chance to step up and defend her, he fails utterly and he pays an incredibly high price for his cowardice. Losing Lillian is only the beginning of his troubles though, as his relationship with his father grows more strained and they all suffer through an incredible period of loss. But, through it all, Will grows as a person and becomes more and more like Thomas, the man who has made the biggest impression on him in his life and given him an example to follow. Can Will prove to Lillian he really does love her and will be there for her forever this time?

I absolutely loved Will and Lillian. Both of them were so funny and charming. The author does a great job of adding humor in just the right places, and I needed that especially when the book takes a sudden unexpected turn that left me gasping for air. The character growth for both these characters is huge, but they seem to grow in opposite directions for a time. Lillian has experienced too much pain and heartbreak and begins to turn a little cynical. Will on the other hand grows up emotionally and makes big personal sacrifices in order to do the honorable thing, which is a far cry from the type of man Will was when the story began.
For a book that is only a little over two hundred pages in length, the story packs a lot of depth and emotion into a small space. The romance between Lillian and Will has an epic quality to it, since it is spread out over a period of time. The author also impressed me by staying true to the period in language and customs. This is not a fluff regency period romance by any means. I admired Will for loving Lillian before she transformed into a beautiful woman, how he saw the qualities she possessed as more important than mere outer beauty. It also explored the issues faces by Lillian's sister who was most sought after, but only for outer beauty and not for the person she was underneath. We do get a little glimpse of her depth toward the end of the book and I hope we get to read about all of Lillian's sisters in the future.
This is a well balanced historical romance and loved it from start to finish. Very well done!

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jessica Jefferson makes her home in northern Indiana, or as she likes to think of it—almost Chicago. She is heavily inspired by classic sweeping, historical romance novels, but aims to take those key emotional elements and inject a fresh blend of quick dialogue and comedy. She invites you to visit her at jessicajefferson.com and read more of her random romance musings.

Links and social media:

http://www.JessicaJefferson.com and http://www.embracingromance.com

Like me at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Jefferson/545243542195152

Follow me at https://twitter.com/authorJessicaJ/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7376474.Jessica_Jefferson

Amazon Author Page- http://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Jefferson/e/B00GI20W2K

Chasing the Other Tisdale, Compromising Miss Tisdale and Taming Miss Tisdale from Soul Mate Publishing, available now on Amazon!