Tenderly Betrayed is my first book by Hannah Linder but it won’t be my last. The first thing that struck me is how neautifully Linder writes. The words flow and dance like a work of art. I was instantly transported.

Jericho Easton is a champion prizefighter. As the story unfolds we learn he moves from place to place to fight, while scouring the crowds that gather to watch, for the man who murdered his father. Iris Gregory hides her heartbreak behind a willing smile, and when Jericho unwittingly rescues her and her father and comes to stay on their farm, she believes her searing loneliness is passing. Until the unthinkable happens. And that’s all I’m saying. Go get the book.

This is a masterclass in quiet, gripping, storytelling. The characters burrowed into my heart, and my mind whirled trying to figure out how the pieces fit. The research is evident and the setting described so well I could picture myself in my bonnet strolling doen teh street or attending the fair.

I don’t often find new authors that grip my quite so firmly on book one and will now be diving into Hannah Linder’s back catalogue. If you enjoy historcal romance, then this is a no brainer.

I received a copy of Tenderly Betrayed from the publisher via NetGalley. The views are my own.