3.75⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

What a little gem. A sweet, romantic tale strongly intertwined with the legend of Robin Hood, with just enough mystery and adventure to keep it fun. I think the FMCs personal background could have been fleshed out a little more…I don’t think I got to know her as well as I would normally like, but I loved her as a character. The MMC is a total sweetheart disguised as an outlaw and I’m here for it.

It was cute, lost interest for a few chapters. The ending was good though! A nice wrap up

I have been patiently waiting (and sometimes not so patiently waiting) for this book to release. Julie Daines's books are must-reads for me and I was so excited for this to come out. I was not disappointed. This book has everything. Intrigue, banter, romance, and humor. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I laughed and smiled at Mary. She is so funny, and oh so brave. I loved her journey. Mary had nicknames for those people she lived with or encountered. I thought she was lovely. Robert was also wonderful. Each character was a joy to read. Anne especially. I was also pleased with how some other relationships in Mary's life unfolded. I loved the Shakespeare that came from Robert's theater mother. (She was also very enduring.) My favorite things were the wonderful descriptions of Sherwood Forest. I have always loved Robin Hood stories and it was lovely to have a book that referenced him.

A mysterious regency Robin Hood story.

Mary Grace was found in the slums of Calcutta, rescued by a British woman and raised in her home. Now they return to England where she's met with animosity by most of the village. Her beauty captivates Robert Markham and they begin a tenous friendship that involves a lot of meandering through Sherwood Forest, where danger, secrets, and dreams abound. Markham endeavors to bring justice to the one who murdered his friend, but tangled in his own secrecy he harms their relationship and his attempts to solve the mystery.

It seems everyone is wearing a mask and hiding from who they really are.

Recommend this for regency readers and those who enjoy Robin Hood retellings!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Julie Daines has long been a favorite author. The unique, memorable characters and storylines she creates really pull you in and Meriden Park is no different. It’s a fresh new twist on the familiar Robin Hood story, set in Regency times. From the first, I was drawn into the action and romance and found it hard to put down.

When Mary Grace journeys to Nottingham, England with Mrs. Welling, she encounters the same prejudices she left in India. The exception is the handsome man in the marketplace who offers her a bun in exchange for a kiss. Later in the evening, walking through Sherwood Forest, she witnesses a horrible crime and finds the same handsome young man near the scene. Is he involved somehow?

Robert Markham loves all things Robin Hood. He spends his evenings traipsing through Sherwood Forest complete with bow and arrows, trying to right wrongs. When he finds the young woman he offered a bun and kiss on the cheek to running through the forest, he tries to help her escape, but his defective heart prevents him from running very far. Mary helps him during his time of distress and the experience creates a bond between them. Each subsequent interaction brings them ever closer together. But when Robert’s quest for justice gets him in trouble, will she trust in his character and help him find the truth or will they be parted forever?

I loved Mary & Robert! Both had obstacles in their life to overcome. While Robert’s physical heart may have been defective, his kindness and capacity to love others was almost perfect. He sees beyond what others see and selflessly helps where he can. Mary loves the moonlight because in it, she can hide. No one can tell her skin color and she doesn’t feel like she has to keep her head down. I loved the moment she truly learns to accept herself. I loved the way she literally counts her blessings each night and the stories she tells of India. I also enjoyed her witty banter with Robert and quick mind. Her dreams added a fun element to the story as well.

There are several interesting side characters and I enjoyed the way the author took the seemingly unsavory characters and made them redeemable. The diversity of the characters added to the richness of the story, especially having a hero with a heart defect. My daughter has a congenital heart defect and it’s empowering to have such a great character with a similar struggle.

The nods to Robin Hood, multiple intriguing plots, engaging characters, suspenseful action, and heartfelt romance will definitely keep you turning those pages. Highly recommend to Regency romance, historical romance, and Robin Hood fans everywhere! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

Sweet story paying homage to Robin Hood. I was pleasantly surprised by how well developed the characters were and by a couple of unexpected turns in the plot.

Meriden Park by Julie Daines is a Regency Era story inspired by the legend of Robin Hood.

I really enjoyed this story! There are a lot of nods to the Robin Hood story, but I wouldn’t necessarily call this a retelling. The main characters know the story of Robin Hood and Robin and Marian are almost like spirit guides for Robert and Mary.

Both Robert and Mary have tragic histories and came from situations that London society would not consider respectable. But they were both fortunate to find people who saved them from their impoverished situations and raised them to be a lady and a gentleman. I love how their histories help them be compassionate toward families who are impoverished and motivate them to help however they can.

I enjoyed the little bit of mystery and adventure as Robert works to find enough evidence to bring the local villain to justice and as Mary gradually uncovers the situation Robert has become tangled in. I especially enjoyed the trial at the end. I loved how all the side characters that seemed unimportant banded together to stand up for what was right and good and true. I think it shows to some degree the how Robert and Mary have had a positive influence on the community.

Lastly I loved the sweet relationship that develops between Robert and Mary. Their connection started fairly quickly and grew very naturally. I love that Robert was never bothered by Mary’s heritage and Mary was never bothered by Robert’s tendency to wander the woods dressed like Robin Hood. Neither was bothered by their quirky family members and unique situations. They just saw each other for who they were and came to love each other for it. I love how they continually took turns saving each other. Their relationships just felt sweet and well matched throughout the whole book!

Overall this was a fun and unique story! I loved that it had lots of ties to Robin Hood but is still a unique story. It’s very different from most Regency stories, but still very enjoyable. The characters have difficult histories, but at the end of the day, they really are just like everyone else, they’re just trying to find happiness and stability in life.