Julia Quinn: Everything and The Moon

Once upon a time a young couple fell in love at first sight (even Julia admits this is a challenge!) but was separated by two overweening fathers and some bad timing.

Years later, they meet again.  She is in reduced circumstances, shlepping some awful brats around as a governess.  And meanwhile he is saturated in sin and out for revenge.  Its one of those classic he said she said romance plots where they really just need to communicate more effectively…but alas, that would reduce 300 pages to 100.

Then, after a brief spell when she has been sacked he finally finds her working at a dressmaker’s shop.

And she is happy, independent, and not in the least desirious of hitching up.

This is where the plot gets a little hinky for me.  I don’t want to spoiler too much, so I will just say that some will find the hero’s behavior romantic while I found it creepy…and a good start to a future of abuse.

Yes, I know, I am very sensitive to these things…and not all of you will agree.  But this book just didn’t sparkle in the usual Quinn way.

Its not a dud, just not going back on the re-read shelf.

As Quinn says in her author’s note preface, maybe its just that love at first sight is a little unbelievable to those of us who rather like to think of love as a endearing emotion born out of friendship and respect.

Which Austen gal are you?

That was a close one.  I was quickly becoming scared I might be a bit too Marianne!

Take the Quiz here!

Regency Science and Invention: Illustrations of Madness

John Haslam, Bethlem’s resident apothecary, undertook the enormous task of cataloguing an unknown condition, paranoid schizophrenia.  Determined not to allow the release of James Tilly Matthews, a London tea broker who suffered delusions of the political variety, in 1810 Haslam detailed verbatim accounts of Matthew’s hallucinations and beliefs and became the first to conduct a full length study of one patient within the literature.

Despite the groundbreaking work, Matthews was viewed by others as sane and himself kept notes on Haslam which eventually led to reform of patient treatment at Bethlem and ultimately Haslam’s dismissal in 1815.

Although Haslam was relieved from duty, his work perserved within the body of medical literature.  This was just one of the many breakthroughs in distinguishing mental illness and disability as the Regency gave way to the more medical obsessed Victorian era.  As industrialization rapidly was changing the socio-economic landscape of countries like Great Britain, it is notable that Matthew’s Air Loom “machine” was one of the first documented mind controlling devices now familiar to students of paranoid schizophrenia (surveillance through fillings, implats, UFOS, etc).  Combined with relatively new innovations in chemistry was the influence of popular interest in mesmerism.

Here is a passage from Haslam’s book available online

“The third person is Sir Archy, who is about 55 years of age, wears a drab coloured coat, and, according to the old fashion, his breeches button between the legs.  Some of the gang assert that Sir Archy is a women dressed in men’s apparel; and whenever Mr. Matthews has endeavoured, by enquiry, to ascertain this act, Sir Archy has answered in a manner so quaint and indelicate that I cannot venture to communicate his reply.  He is considered as the common liar of the gang; a low minded blackguard, always cracking obscene jokes and throwing out gibes and sarcasms….His mode of communicating with Mr. M  is principally by “brain sayings”.”

Above is the “Air Loom” or the pneumatic device Matthews believed the “gang” to operate to the detriment of many senses, not the least of the olfactory sense

Suzanne Enoch: London’s Perfect Scoundrel

Mmm…and he is.

Here is the back cover teaser: “The ton gossips call him Saint but Michael Halboro, Marquis of St. Aubyn, has well earned his reputation as the most notorious cad in London.  Evelyn Ruddick knows she should avoid him at all costs  but the strikingly beautiful young lady wants to aid the orphans of the Heart of Hope, and Saint heads the charitable institutions board of trustees.  Evie is determined to teach the charming, arrogant scoundrel a lesson in compassion, but winning his support won’t be so easy  especially since Saints touch is setting her desire aflame, making Evie yearn to submit to his passionate instruction . . .”

Her family is suffocating, her friends are funny yet cautious, and in general Evelyn feels that her world needs a bit of spice.  The perfect flavor?  A dash of good works.

But these good works come with a cost.  For some bizarre reason (well to her mind, anyway) the very naughty Lord St. Aubyn has fixed his firm gaze on her.  He seems to delight in either insulting her or teasing her mercilessly.

I really enjoyed this fun Regency romp, that had just enough of a plot to keep me interested while the real unfolding of relationship and passion took place.  The only down side was that the book ended too abruptly for me–just having really gotten into the characters I wanted more!

Our heroine goes through a real character arc-gasp, I know!–and so does our hero.  Its that rare story development that helps the pace and allievates the need for crazy plot twists, over the top villians, or way too much sexy time.  I think there is also an honesty that Enoch displays with her characters that is also rare and difficult to do–our characters become so lovable to ourselves its hard to be objective and give them some flaws.  Yet true to life, these are imperfect protagonists.

I am definitely going to be scoping the shelves for more Enoch, this book (among others I have read) has definitely won me over.  Maybe not as flash as Kleypas, James, or Quinn, but a diamond in the rough (and of the first water!) nonetheless.

Julia London: The Book of Scandal

The title of this book sounds sooooo good.  In fact, I had an instant vision of what might be contained within the pages…heck, I should write that one down!

Unfortunately, fantasies are usually much more elaborate and well orchestrated than reality.

Its not just that the book really isn’t about a scandalous book.  And not just that I have a prejudice against books that dabble too much in “court life.”

This book is just boring.

You think it might have promise: separating after the death of their son the “Libertine Lindsey” and his wife can’t stand to look at each other.  So she joins court and he whoops it up in the country.

Political machinations force them to reunite.  Avoiding spoilers, let’s just say we might alternatively title this book “A Reluctant Wife.”  You can guess at the pieces that follow: conflict, building suspense, climax, resolution.  There is even an added villian for good measure.  But the threads that she started to weave were not finished and therefore unravel quickly.

Although it has all the ingredients for a good historical romance,  London skated too close to the surface on this one.

Elizabeth Hoyt: To Desire a Devil

So here is one of those unhappy occasions when I stumble on to a book and discover its the final one in a series.  Drat!

But perhaps it is happy afterall.  Because that means by the time I acquire all the others in the series (in this case three), I will need a refresher on the final chapter.  Hooray!

Of course, there are drawbacks.  Some of what is contained in these pages makes little (or less) sense to me than it might’ve had I read the series in sequence.  That means, I spent some time trying to guess things from context rather than whizzing away at reading.

For instance, the hero’s story was really confusing and hard to get in to.  Without launching into a spoiler, let’s just say a lot of flashbacks don’t help the pace of the novel (note to self and other writers: flashbacks stink!).

The next issue is that we are supposed to believe this otherwise sassy and smart lady is in love with a portrait.  Huh?  Although I desperately wanted to like the formulaic plucky heroine, there was a chemistry there missing from me and I kept thinking “this chick-a-dee has a screw loose if she is seriously in love with a portrait!”  I mean, one thing if she crushes on him like so many of us gals do on actors etc (hello, flavor of the month!), but her obsessive ramblings start to sound a bit freaky deaky stalker like.

Definitely a disappointment based on past readings of Hoyt’s.  Yet, still not enough of a letdown not to check out the other books in the series and, after completing that task, revisting To Desire a Devil.

There’s always hope, right?

Oh Patient Reader! Eloisa James: A Duke of Her Own

Yes, the holidays have descended in their typical frenzied fashion…leaving me little time to pen my thoughts (or type, I should say).

I did finally snag a few hours to watch The Duchess, which was very pretty to look at…and I am a sucker for Rafe.

I also have loaded up on books from the Better Than Chocolate Book sale, so soon to be back posting like crazy.

As far as writing–well, nothing too new on the horizon, although I am compiling a whole heck of a lot of information for a top secret project.

 

I have just finished my second read on Eloisa James’ recent release in the Desperate Duchess series, A Duke of Her Own.  I was eager to read it, despite the last disappointment (see This Duchess of Mine review), because Villiers is just my kind of hero–surly, dark, and Darcy-esque.

And huzzah! Eloisa is back on track with A Duke of Her Own!

Villiers is stuck deciding between two of the only Duke’s daughters on the mart, one who inflames his passions and the other who appears to be a perfect fit–for his nursery full of natural children!  Eleanor is everything I have ever loved in an Eloisa heroine (or Julia Quinn heroine, for that matter)…plain spoken, full of humor, and not fussed about being a little mussed.

In pure Eloisa style, the strength here is in the sharp and sparkling dialogue between characters.  I love Eleanor’s sister, who is shamelessly airheaded, and her mother who is the perfect  long-suffering mama.  The love scenes are fantastic–so hot!–and Villiers is positively delicious.

I also like how she throws in some real historical issues to add depth and breadth to the book.

Definitely give this one a read…I am sure you will love it as well!

 

Celeste Bradley: Fallen

I have now been a fan of Celeste Bradley for about a year, so was pleasantly surprised when I picked up her debut novel Fallen at the office bookshare.

Here is the back synopsis: When Izzy went to bed, she never expected to awaken to disgrace. Of course, it felt wonderful…warm hands on her flesh, rough stubbled skin on her cheek. It all seemed some wonderfully wicked dream. But that hardly mattered to the ton. To them she was ruined, for Lord Eppingham Julian Blackworth had been discovered in her bed and she’d claimed him as her own.

She had not wanted to trap the handsome rake into wedlock. Though she might want to fall forever into his golden-brown eyes, marriage to any man was not something she sought. It had been something in his touch, his kiss. Something that had called out to her to protect Julian from his own ruination by placing herself in the way. If to save this man meant to be fallen, so be it. And in saving him, she just might save herself.

I love the way our hero and heroine fall in love, I love the rake Julian’s slow reformation…heck, I just love this book!  It is entertaining without relying too heavily on plot twists and turns, and her banter sparkles.  I love that Izzy, our heroine, actually welcomes the freedoms that come with ruination and I love her Pollyanna ability to see the good humor in things.  She is frank and sassy, and it is her inner beauty that truly sparkles through.

Julian is also a well rounded character with none of the caricature-esqueness other rakes take on.  He feels as really as Izzy, and he is ultimately loveable, especially as he falls in love.

Although the ending was maybe a bit disappointing (I won’t spoil it, however), it was at least different.

For a debut novel, I think it is an outstanding example of Bradley’s talent.

Regency (H)Not Spots: London Docklands

In honor of the recent read No Place for a Lady, I thought it was high time I add a little bit of the seedier side of Regency London for your pleasure.

The Docklands was the name eventually (circa 1970s) given to the stretch of docks along the East and South East of London and the River Thames.  Commercial expansion in the Georgian era gave us the following docks: West India (opened 1802), followed by the London (1805), the East India (also 1805), the Surrey (1807), St Katharine (1828) and the West India South (1829).

Most dock sections had specialities: textiles, rubber, grain, etc.  Within each dock section you had a division based on the type of dock: wet docks where ships could drop anchor and unload; dry docks for smaller ships in need of repair; and dockyards for ship building.  On land, warehouses, moors, piers and jetties organized systems of efficiency for the rapidly expanding British Empire export and import.

Naturally, the docks were teeming with workers–lightermen (for carrying cargo between ships and “lighter” barges for distribution), crewmen, shipbuilders, and a whole other crew of “dockers” or day laborers who met at pubs in the early morning ready for casual work (“You can imagine for a moment from 1,500 to 2,000 men crowded together, the front men forced up against the chain: the back men are climbing over the heads of those in front, and the contractor behind the chain is picking out the men, generally his own favourites.   The Times, 29 August 1889.)

This also spanned a subsidiary workforce of laundresses, pubs, marine stores, lodging houses, brothels, dolly-shops (unlicensed pawnbrokers), and instrument makers.

The dock lands were marshy, and consisted for the most part of wharves connected to basins that could be locked from the river and help control the level of water.

For more information visit this wonderful site: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/Learning/Learningonline/Trade_1750_1900.htm

NEW AUTHOR Katherine Greyle: No Place for a Lady

Perhaps it is my love of Charles Dickens and the gritty underbelly of my home away from home London around the industrial revolution, but the word rookery immediately caught my eye when perusing a new stash of freebie books at my favorite worktime hangout.  Or perhaps it was simply the ever present hunt for the next new author of my heart.

Here is a little blurb from Greyle’s website about the book:

Fanny Delarive is no lady, and so she’s allowed to go everywhere: the dockside lair of notorious criminals, the glittering ballrooms of the haut ton, even the dark, secret places of Marcus Kane, Lord Chadwick’s bedroom.  Well, perhaps not allowed there, but certainly welcome as Fantine and Marcus scramble through debris and diamonds, hidey-holes and hideaways in search for the mysterious criminal Teggie.

In No Place for a Lady, Greyle tops her previous efforts with a fast-paced historical complete with side-splitting humor.  Her trademark dialogue is in beautiful form with witty comebacks and tender endearments, right before the plot picks you up and tosses you off in another direction.

No wonder the Madcap award for romantic comedy put her right alongside Teresa Medeiros and Betina Krahn!

Says Greyle, “I try not to push for humor, but let it come from the characters themselves.  That’s why I created Fanny and Marcus as complete opposites.  Fanny Delarive is a dockside criminal…perhaps.  Marcus is the stiffest of the haut ton…maybe.  When the two are forced to work together, humor is a natural result.  And so are the romantic sparks as they’re chased by killers through the London underbelly, a society ball, and of course, his lordship’s chamber.”

This was a change of pace and fun–if the characters weren’t expertly drawn…at least the plot was imaginative.  And I truly love the villain characters, even if the ending was a bit anti-climatic.  This is almost the opposite experience of my other recent foray into new author territory with the Anna Campbell misogyny undercurrents–here is a heroine who we can sink our teeth into and cheer for her bravery and desire to remain true to herself in the face of poverty and constant conflict.

I recommend this book for adventuresses of the hist-ro variety who like finding new authors and sampling the murky waters of historical London–for once we get a taste of the dockside rather than the ballroomside!