The Gentleman in the Ash Tree

Allen Abbey Romances, Book 1

By: Rosanne E. Lortz

Narrated by: Maria Nicola Johnson

When Eloise Blackburn finds a strange gentleman perched in the leafy branches of an ash tree, she has strong suspicions he is not who he says he is. After all, the neighboring Allen family has never mentioned a cousin named Crispin from the West Indies. And what's this he's saying about a missing inheritance and a secret passageway in Allen Abbey?

Despite Eloise's misgivings, her family finds Crispin Allen's story entirely plausible, and she is soon thrust into an adventure with a cheeky stranger who seems intent on winning more from her than just her help in his quest....

This clean romance Regency novella is 35,000 words.

©2023 Rosanne E. Lortz (P)2024 Rosanne E. Lortz

Sweet old fashioned story

The story brings you to the days of wealth, status, and chivalry. i truley enjoyed the competition between the cousins as well as the mystery between them. I recommend it!

Great series!

The first of a terrific series and the first I read of a fabulous author. I think I have read all of her books. That are all made even better by awesome narrator- Maria Nicola Johnson.

This Novel Came Alive!

I am a sucker for a good Regency romance and the Allen Abbey Romance series begins with Then Gentleman in the Ash Tree. I loved how this story started. Anytime I read a Regency romance where someone is acting outside of societal norms and gets caught in the act is always so entertaining to me. Too many characters during the Regency era are such stuff shirts that moments like these are a refreshing reminder that these people were human. This is also what first endeared me to Eloise. Her character was easy to love, and from the moment she meets fun-loving Crispin I knew this was going to be an instant favorite.

Honestly, this is one of the most entertaining Regency romances that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Not only did I read the novel, but I also listened to the audiobook, which added so much to the narrative, in my opinion. I adored the narrator’s voice as it was so incredibly soothing to listen to and the fact that it is paired with such an entertaining story heightened the experience, truly making the novel come alive.

This is an incredible start to what I’m sure is going to be an amazing series.

Delightful Country Romance

I’ve read this satisfying romance twice, but truly enjoyed the talented narration of this audiobook even more (especially after realizing I could increase the speaker’s speed to 1.2). What a range of convincing voices! I love stories about inheritances, and the addition of a secret passageway- well, all the better. The only improvement I would make is to replace 4 or 5 mentions of the hero’s “nut brown hair” with a different adjective. Otherwise, a PERFECT tale! Can’t wait to enjoy the rest of this wonderful series on Audible.

A wonderful start to the series

An enjoyable listen from this author! As the first book in the series, it’s off to a fantastic start. The characters were interesting and likable—especially the little sister, who was an absolute scene-stealer and so much fun every time she appeared. There were also several other characters who added charm and personality to the story, and I really hope they make an appearance in future books. The narration was solid throughout and brought the story to life in all the right ways. I’m all in and excited to hear more from both this author and narrator.