Left on a Doorstep is a work of historical romance fiction by author Beatrice Crew. On the day of her twenty-first birthday ball, Victoria discovers she’s not the natural-born daughter of the wealthy parents who loved her, raising her to be the fine lady she is. Victoria has devoted her young life to helping other women caught in the web of unwanted pregnancies, in an era (the late nineteenth century) when unwed mothers were taboo. But now there’s a ruthless man out to take revenge on Victoria for interfering with his baby-selling enterprise, and there’s a stranger in her home claiming to be her distant cousin with a message. Her birth father, after all these years, wants to meet Victoria and explain why she was left on a doorstep as a baby. Was Victoria always a target for those wishing to kill her? And why?

Beatrice Crew’s novel Left on a Doorstep is a compelling nineteenth-century, late Victorian era romance and mystery. The novel opens with a poem, written by the author, that gives an eloquent sense of place to the drama that will reveal itself later down the line. The plot unravels as protagonist Victoria is forced to redefine her life, past and present, through dramatic intertwining and unexpected complications which include serious death threats. The characters are well-developed and dialogue is used effectively to carry the story along. The engaging descriptive narrative is well-orchestrated, giving the reader a solid sense of time and place. The author knows the late Victorian era well and this is evident in her storytelling talents. There is a building tension as the mystery thickens and the romance evolves, making for an enormously enjoyable read.

Reading Left on a Doorstep by Beatrice H. Crew was like watching those romantic movies set in the 1800s, or for younger generations than mine, current popular series like Bridgerton. The protagonist, Victoria, embodies femininity and loveliness in the traditional sense of 19th-century women: she is emotional and caring, weeps readily, and is looking for that handsome husband who will father her children. When Allistair enters her life, both she and the readers know Victoria has found him (be still our trembling hearts), but what Allistair reveals to Victoria and how she handles it shows that she is also feisty and intelligent; just what readers of historical romance want their heroines to be.

The story that follows their meeting is more than a beautiful rendering of blossoming love. Someone is threatening Victoria’s happiness, even her life. The question is not just who but why. Does it have anything to do with the recent revelation that Victoria was adopted? Is it connected to Victoria’s possibly deranged grandmother, the one who tried to throw her off a cliff when she was a baby? Just who is lurking in the shadows of Victoria and Allistair’s burgeoning love? Beatrice H. Crew has crafted a delightful read in Left on a Doorstep. From its catchy title to the historically appropriate settings, clothing, pastimes, foods, mannerisms, terms of endearment, characters, and dialogue, this novel will please ardent historical romance fans. It is a well-executed blend of mystery and romance that can even win over non-romance readers like me. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Left on a Doorstep by Beatrice H. Crew begins with Victoria Montgomery risking her life for a girl living in the slums of London: a girl who wishes for a different life for herself and her unborn child. This single act of kindness threatens Victoria's life and those she loves. Finding out on her twenty-first birthday that she was adopted, Victoria chooses to meet her biological father, far from the dangers that followed her to their country home. The secret behind her being abandoned on a doorstep is hard for Victoria to understand until she discovers the deceit and lies in the dark, hidden history of her family. Will danger follow her to the island of her biological family? She wonders if her heart is in danger of being broken as well.

I found Left on a Doorstep to be a maze of intricate events. Beatrice H. Crew spins a web of suspense that blends murder, mystery, and family issues into one unpredictable piece of entertainment. The transition of Victoria learning that she was adopted was carefully penned, and the author handled the meeting with her biological family with a touch of uncertainty and anger. The real enemy was meticulously implanted, with few clues as to their real identity until the end. The attraction between Victoria and Allistair gets steamy when danger lurks closer, and she wonders who she can trust. Overall, I enjoyed the storyline and found the ending a surprise. The author reveals little acts of kindness can make just as large wave a of events as leaving a child on a doorstep for her safety.

Left on a Doorstep by Beatrice H. Crew is an intriguing historical romance novel set in England in 1896. Victoria Montgomery is the daughter of Lord and Lady Montgomery. She has taken it upon herself to help young unwed mothers escape the brutality of their situations and for their babies to have a better chance in life, a charity she is very passionate about. On her 21st birthday, Victoria discovers that she was one of those babies who was given up and left on a doorstep. Luckily for Victoria, she was raised by two people who loved her dearly, and she became their daughter. On the eve of her birthday, her parents tell her that a man named Allistair DuPree has come to ask her to return to DuPree Island with him. Her biological father is dying and wants to see his daughter, to tell her the truth about her family and why the Montgomerys raised her. Strange occurrences begin, and it becomes apparent that Victoria needs to leave London or she could be killed by the father of one of the girls she has helped. What answers will she find on DuPree Island? Who is her birth father, and why was she never told about this until now? So many questions plague Victoria, but she is driven by fear and craves knowledge that may help her settle in her life.

Beatrice H. Crew has written a highly captivating novel set in nineteenth-century London. Left on a Doorstep is a must-read for everyone who enjoys a historical romance story. You will enjoy how Victoria learns about her mother, the curse around her grandmother, why her father, wanted her to come home. But that is not all. During her time on DuPree Island, Victoria believes herself to be safe from the threats from London, and this is not so. She and her companion, Emma, are almost thrown over a cliff, Victoria is attacked and choked, the things in her private room are rummaged through, and items go missing which nobody can explain. The best part of her time on the island is spent with Allistair, her protector, friend, and soon-to-be husband if she survives all the attacks. Crew does an exceptional job of keeping the reader glued to the book: it wasn't easy to put down. While reading, I envisioned the costuming, the island, the parties, and the final year-end ball on Swan and DuPree Island. Bravo, Beatrice H. Crew. You have written a novel that readers will enjoy for years to come. I look forward to your future work.