Audiobook10 hours
Daniel's True Desire
Written by Grace Burrowes
Narrated by James Langton
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
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About this audiobook
An Honorable Life
Daniel Banks is a man of the cloth whose vocation is the last comfort he has left-and even his churchman's collar is beginning to feel like a noose. At the urging of family, Daniel attempts to start his life over as vicar in the sleepy Kentish town of Haddondale, family seat to the earls of Bellefonte.
Challenged by Passion
Resigned to spinsterhood, Lady Kirsten Haddonfield welcomes the new vicar to stay at her family's home while his is under renovation. Suddenly the handsome visitor has Kirsten rethinking her ideas about love and marriage, but a dreadful secret from Daniel's past may cast a shadow too long for either of them to overcome.
Contains mature themes.
Daniel Banks is a man of the cloth whose vocation is the last comfort he has left-and even his churchman's collar is beginning to feel like a noose. At the urging of family, Daniel attempts to start his life over as vicar in the sleepy Kentish town of Haddondale, family seat to the earls of Bellefonte.
Challenged by Passion
Resigned to spinsterhood, Lady Kirsten Haddonfield welcomes the new vicar to stay at her family's home while his is under renovation. Suddenly the handsome visitor has Kirsten rethinking her ideas about love and marriage, but a dreadful secret from Daniel's past may cast a shadow too long for either of them to overcome.
Contains mature themes.
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Reviews for Daniel's True Desire
Rating: 4.093220362711865 out of 5 stars
4/5
59 ratings10 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Another wonderful 'Grace Burrowes' historical romance!!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It was good, but it didn't have the zing I usually get from Burrowes. Daniel and Kirsten were sweet together, but the set-up had so much potential for building exquisite tension, and it just didn't.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I liked this just okay, the scheming of (multiple) other characters seemed a bit more complex than it needed to be. But overall it just didn't make that much of an impression.
If you have strong feelings about infertility you might want to read this spoiler- BOTH main characters believe they're infertile, but then conceive *almost immediately*. It's not even some sort of 'miracle baby' though, because the story jumps forward in time at the end of the book and apparently they have a brood of *five* biological children. If you're dealing with *actual* infertility in real life, this may cheer you, or enrage you! lol, so just a heads up. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Terrific story of family, friendship, and love. Though much of Daniel's backstory played out in another book, there is enough detail given that I didn't feel lost at all, only determined to find and read that other book (David: Lord of Honor). Daniel is a man of the cloth who has suffered some serious blows recently. His wife of ten years has deserted him after betraying his family badly, the nephew he has raised as his son for the last five years has been returned to Daniel's sister, and even his vocation doesn't bring him the joy it used to. To escape the memories and start his life over, Daniel takes a new post as the vicar in Haddondale. The first person he met there was Lady Kirsten, sister to the earl.Kirsten had the reputation of being prickly, grouchy, and blunt to the point of rudeness. She had several Seasons in London, which she hated, and two broken engagements. The family was due to depart again for her younger sister's turn, and Kirsten was dreading it. Della's circumstances were complicated, and Kirsten didn't look forward to dealing with the gossips over that or her own past trials. She would prefer to stay in the country and embrace her future as a spinster.I loved the development of the relationship between Daniel and Kirsten. There was a connection between them from the moment they met. I enjoyed Kirsten's take-charge manner when she encountered him, lost and nearly frozen. She was also quite dazzled by him, something she hadn't felt for any other man. He also fascinated her, from his easy faith to his ability to tame little boys. There was one other thing she felt around him, and that was happy. Daniel was equally fascinated by Kirsten. He appreciated her intelligence, her forthrightness, and her willingness to help with his students. There were sparks between them, but Daniel is married, and he won't cross that line. I ached for them both because it was clear that they were perfect for each other.As a relationship wasn't possible, Daniel and Kirsten settled into friendship instead. I loved seeing them work together on everything from his students to parish matters. There were heartwarming scenes of them sharing the troubles of their pasts, with an instinctive understanding of the effects it had on who they were. I loved seeing Daniel intervene on Kirsten's behalf when she couldn't face going to London. At the same time, Kirsten did her best to show Daniel that his wife's actions were not his fault. When word came that Daniel was free, I loved how it seemed that their happiness was a done deal. Their joy in each other and the prospect of a happy future simply glowed. But trouble wasn't done with Daniel yet, and it looked like his happiness would be snatched away. I wondered how the dilemma would be solved without Daniel losing everything that made his life worth living. I loved seeing the help and support that he received from his friends and family. I did not see that particular solution to the problem coming, and Daniel's confrontation with his nemesis was brilliantly executed.A large part of the story dealt with one of a vicar's collateral duties. Most vicar's earned extra income by tutoring young boys to prepare them to go off to school. Daniel had a lot of experience with teaching thanks to having had the care of his son/nephew. His relationship with young Danny was a close and loving one, and I ached for Daniel when they were separated. When various families asked Daniel to take on the education of their sons, it was one way to ease his heartache. Young Danny's heartache and confusion over his changed circumstances were devastating to both him and Daniel, and it warmed my heart to see Daniel and Fairly arrived at a solution. Add Danny to the other five boys that Daniel ended up having "live in," and there was never a dull moment in the vicarage. Seeing Daniel and Kirsten turn those "rotten" (i.e., High-spirited) boys into kind and loving young gentlemen was a delightful experience. There were fun times, such as the plague of frogs, and heartwarming times, such as Daniel receiving romance advice from those same little boys. There was also a deeply emotional scene with young Matthias and his despair over his "stupidness." And in the end, when Daniel wrestled with his vocational future, it was the boys who came up with the perfect solution.The epilogue was fantastic, especially seeing the influence that Daniel and Kirsten had on those around them. I thoroughly enjoyed Patrick's arrival and his first interactions with Daniel and Kirsten. It was a good indicator of what was to come, and I loved how it worked out.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Grace Burrowes continues her True Gentleman series with yet another story of love, faith and internal conflict.
I devour every book this author puts forth and as I immersed myself in Daniel’s story, I honestly couldn’t see the “forest” from the trees. The plot was complex and I just couldn’t see it ever resolving in our couple’s favor. Leave it to Madam Author to lead me by the nose to a very satisfactory conclusion and one that I never saw coming my way!
As much as I loved this couple, I found the story just a tad slower than usual, yet it still had a certain flare and many fun moments, especially those with the “scholars”!
For all of you that love complex plots and characters, with plenty of humor, some heartache and sweet and tender romance, you’ll have to read this story. However, to understand this story better, I suggest you read ‘David: Lord of Honor’ [Lonely Lords book 9] first for the simple reason of getting to meet Daniel Banks and his back story. I loved both stories very much and because I read David’s story, I understood Daniel’s story better because of the glimpses into his background and what drives him.
If you’re a fan of this author, you’ll have to read this one, but if you’ve never read Grace’s awesome stories, I’d not start with this one but with ‘The Heir’.
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Overall a good read. Daniel and Kirsten are well-developed, layered and complex characters. The reader is skillfully brought up to date on the as-always estimable Haddonfield family. I agree that DTD definitely seems like an homage to Louisa May Alcott in its gentle and inspiring treatment of school-boys. A few quibbles: Plot slowed down a bit in the middle by the seemingly un-fixable conflict. The author's heavy use of contractions in the writing felt jarring and inauthentic to the times. Plus I am not sure how realistic it is to find a neighbor squire named Blumenthal in Regency England.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I've been disappointed with the last few books I've read of Ms. Burrowes. They were still good reads, but the stories seemed a little tired. However, Daniel's story is exactly why I love her writing so much. Daniel is the new vicar in Haddonfield. He has an estranged wife left behind and a 'son' who he misses very much. Lady Kristin Haddonfield is the sister of the current Earl, who has been jilted twice and has decided to be the spinster aunt to her many nieces and nephews.They fall in love, but Daniel is still married. There are other issues, but I don't want to give too much away. The book reminded me a little of Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott because one of the vicar's duties is to teach the neighborhood boys. Daniel is a sweet man and a wonderful teacher. Kristin who can be a little caustic actually loves children and enthusiastically jumps in to help with the 'rotten' boys. I loved this part of the story especially. Each boy is engaging, frogs, toads, and all. Now I'm waiting anxiously for the next book in this series, but I heartily recommend Daniel's True Desire.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Daniel's True Desire by Grace Burrowes is a 2015 Sourcebooks Casablanca publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It's always a pleasure to pick up a novel by Grace Burrowes. This one, however, was really, really, really good. ( I know, I say that every time, but I really mean it, every time) As the story starts off we are introduced to Daniel, a Vicar, on his way to his new post. Upon arrival, he meets the most refreshing of ladies, Lady Kirsten Haddonfield. The two immediately forge a bond, each carrying burdens the other can relate to, but the trouble is, Daniel is married. Now, I know what you are thinking. An extramarital affair is scandalous under normal circumstances, but a Vicar? Well, as it turns out, Daniel's wife is not all she presents herself to be, and they have been estranged for nearly a year. Still, the emotional affair between Kirsten and Daniel pushes the envelope just a little, and I felt Grace was taking a bit a risk with this scenario, but she does tread lightly, even if some actions by the characters may have raised a few eyebrows. I loved getting a glimpse of the characters we have read about previously, the side story involving Daniel's ward, and the sweet romance that develops between Kirsten and Daniel, which leads them to uncover a ruthless and greedy scandal and gives them both a fresh path in life, as well as the fruition of dreams they never thought would come true. This story is very well written, with the author delicately handling some prickly situations, although I did wonder if maybe the couple should have handled the situation in a more traditional way. Still, the sensual details are not gone into in explicit detail, and this is fitting, I think, for this particular story. There are some tense moments and some surprising twist along the way, which kept me very involved in the story, and the deeper I delved into it the better it got. Everything you have come to expect from this author is here- humor, wit, sharp dialogue, emotional story lines, true love, and of course a wonderful and sweet happy ever after… so what's not to like? 5 stars
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Perfectly splendid!*Ten stars* for this latest True Gentleman episode. What a pleasure this latest of Grace Burrowes' novel is--fascinating, intelligent and complex. 'True Desire' is a gem! Daniel Banks is all that one could wish for. A gorgeous man, inside and out--good, true and desirable. He's been well and truly deceived by his wife who has taken herself out of his life. She is a murky, vain, grasping, self-centred woman, whose actions reflect this. Being separated is not the best recommendation for a country vicar, hence his move to Haddondale and a living under the aegis of the Earl of Bellefonte. Daniel is empathetic and honourable. He is a far cry from many of the vicars we come across in novels. This is a man who understands people out of the depths of his own humanness. Lady Kirsten Haddondale recognizes this about him.Kirsten has been protected by her family. They understand some of her challenges, not all. They do however want to support her in her various pursuits and interests. The new vicar becomes one such interestDaniel seems to see right into her heart. He understands who she is.How I loved Daniel's straightforwardness, his integrity. His dealings with his loveable 'rotten' boys are simple, well thought out and deceptively intuitive. Notes of sunshine surround this story, despite the tension--it enlivens the soul and tackles the vagaries of life with zest.A NetGalley ARC
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Burrowes's Regency-era romances follow families, their friends, and connections, building a rich web of relationships. This is the second of her subseries about Nicholas, Earl of Haddonfield's sisters.Lady Kirsten Haddenfield is proud, honest, outspoken, and resigned to being alone after two failed engagements. When Rev. Daniel Banks arrives to take up the post as vicar of Haddonfield, Kirsten immediately finds him compatible. Not to mention gorgeous and apparently unattached. And he reciprocates. But Daniel is not unmarried, merely estranged from the wife who betrayed him, his sister, the child they were raising, and their marriage vows. When word comes that Mrs. Banks has died, Daniel and Kirsten allow themselves to fall in love. But there's a complication. A big one, maybe too big to be overcome.Family, friends, and a legion of "rotten" boys conspire to bring about the happy ending.Burrowes has written another winner.