I have anticipated reading A Beauty So Rare for some time. Having read all but one of Tamera Alexander’s titles, I knew it was going to be fantastic. She is gifted at painting a picture with words, so much so that I can’t remember turning the pages.

In A Beauty So Rare, we meet Eleanor Braddock who is sensible, plain, and determined. Her life has not been easy as she has known loss and the terrible feeling of being alone. Eleanor is put in the position of making a difficult decision regarding her father’s health. She finds herself at the mercy of her wealthy Aunt Adelicia of Nashville. Her first day on her Aunt’s Belmont Estate, Eleanor encounters Marcus whom she believes to be the under gardener.  However, Marcus becomes so much more to Eleanor.  Throughout the story, Tamera Alexander gently weaves together not only a love story, but a tale of two people ending up exactly where they belong, doing precisely what God intended them to do.

I love the meatiness of this book. Like my Southern Aunt’s Apple Stack Cake, A Beauty So Rare is delicately layered for maximum enjoyment. There are many story lines, but they are all essential to the plot. Up until the final chapters, I wasn’t sure how the story would end.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves romantic historical fiction with substance.

I was given a complimentary copy of A Beauty So Rare from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.