Adventure. Romance. Suspense.
Julia Wychwood has led the life of an invalid for as long as she can remember. Her parents, obsessed with tonics and bedrest and bloodletting, refuse to let her live a normal life, and whenever her social anxiety causes her to seek solitude and a good book, she must then contend with the unsavory remedies of the family doctor….
This set of three Victorian novellas were loosely connected by their seasonal setting and the fact that they are romances, but other than that, they felt very distinct in atmosphere and theme….
Napoleon has escaped his island prison, and England’s best spies have been sent to Brussels to gather intelligence as the continent sits on the brink of battle. Mary Bennet, in company with Lady Trafford and Mr. Withrow, are called upon to investigate the death of one of the Duke of Wellington’s officers. As the threat of Napoleon’s offensive advances ever closer, they must determine whether gambling debts, old rivalries, or French intrigue is at play in the murder….
Sophia Holloway is fast becoming a favorite author. This charming story makes you root for Lord Henfield all the way through, bemoaning his false steps and cheering his moments of manly brilliance….
This six-book Regency series follows the story of the Hapgood family as several country misses find love amidst unconventional circumstances. With elegant prose and clever dialogue reminiscent of Georgette Heyer, each book is a delight to read. Billed as “traditional Regency romances,” the books contain more realism than many modern-day Regency pastiches, painting the lives of a genteel family of four girls (similar to Jane Austen’s Bennet family) who must find husbands with small marriage portions and their father’s estate entailed to the nearest male relative. Most of the titles do not contain a real “villain,” but the exigencies of fortune and circumstance conspire to throw monumental obstacles in the way of each couple before they can reach their happily-ever-after….
Miss Ellen Young was tired of being called beautiful.
As she gazed into the gilt-framed mirror, wrinkling her pert nose, pursing her rosebud lips, and narrowing her lake-blue eyes, she scowled at her reflection. Perhaps if she held this facial expression for an hour, a wrinkle would result. Or perhaps if the rain would stop for an afternoon, she could traipse through gardens and earn a few freckles…
When the Knightleys of Donwell Abbey decide to hold a house party with the Darcys, the Wentworths, the Brandons, and the Bertrams, they’re not expecting an uninvited guest of Mr. Wickham’s ilk to come knocking on the door. Ever since his scandal of seducing Lydia Bennet, Wickham has been up to one scheme after another, and his latest scheme involves a speculation that’s swindled half of these good people out of their money…
Each of these novellas was simple and sweet. Those who enjoy animals and the country life will find this collection a nice change of pace from the London ballroom…
When Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra go to Cheltenham to take the waters, they find that not all is as it seems in the little spa town. As the gray, cold summer rolls over England, an eccentric preacher predicts the end of the world, a trio of young ladies conceal their past, a debonair Captain pays his addresses, and an abandoned husband comes looking for a wife he does not seem to want….
Evelyn Maltravers has come to London aware that she can only afford to have one season and that she needs to make the most of it. While she would easily be outshone in the ballroom, her best asset is her horsewomanship (pretend that that’s a word). To accentuate her equestrian skills, she needs a riding habit with style and panache. She needs a riding habit to die for. She needs a riding habit made by London’s most up-and-coming tailor, Ahmad Malik….
Rosanne E. Lortz 