Category: Romantic Fiction

  • REVIEW of Shadows in Bronze, by Lindsey Davis

    In Shadows in Bronze, the second book of the Marcus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis, Marcus goes undercover to find out more about the conspirators whom he thwarted in the previous novel. As they explore the towns of the Italian countryside, Marcus and his nephew Larius become door-to-door salesmen, offering lead pipes at a…

  • REVIEW of The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, by Lauren Willig

    “Sync’ me! If it isn’t that demmed, elusive pimpernel!” The Scarlet Pimpernel has always been a favorite of mine, the book, the musical, and both the movie versions–starring Leslie Howard (1934) and Anthony Andrews (1982). Perusing several historical fiction blogs, I was intrigued to learn that Lauren Willig has created a whole spin-off series from…

  • REVIEW of The Shadowy Horses, by Susanna Kearsley

    At the beginning of this month, Historical Tapestry celebrated Susanna Kearsley week with reviews, interviews, and discussions–all about an author I had never heard of before. I was intrigued. All five of Historical Tapestry’s contributors seemed to agree that Susanna Kearsley was tops. It was a high recommendation–I had to investigate further. The Kearsley novel…

  • REVIEW of The Jewel of St. Petersburg, by Kate Furnivall

    In the years leading up to the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks agitate for change causing unrest throughout all of Russia. Valentina Ivanovna, a young Russian noblewoman, experiences their violence when a bomb blows up her father’s study permanently injuring her younger sister Katya. Consumed by an unwarranted guilt for this event, Valentina determines to devote…

  • REVIEW of Devil Water, by Anya Seton

    My favorite historical fiction blog, Historical Tapestry, featured books by Anya Seton last month. Since I greatly enjoyed Seton’s book Katherine several months ago, I decided to join in the wild rumpus and read another of her books. Devil Water is set during the Jacobite Rebellion of the early eighteenth century. In case your historical…

  • REVIEW of False Colours, by Georgette Heyer

    My third and final post for today described another delicious novel by Georgette Heyer named False Colours. I’ve been on quite the Heyer kick lately, and I’m thinking about ordering more of her books from the library for summer reading. When Christopher (Kit) Fancot returns to England unexpectedly from Vienna, he finds that his twin…

  • REVIEW of The Swan Thieves, by Elizabeth Kostova

    Most of the books I purchase are by authors who died a century ago, and I rarely have the desire to leaf through a contemporary bestseller. But when it comes to Elizabeth Kostova, my chronological snobbery goes out the window. She is a contemporary author who is well worth the read. I first encountered Kostova…

  • REVIEW of Regency Buck, by Georgette Heyer

    Once upon a time, back when I was in college, a friend recommended that I read Georgette Heyer’s novels. I picked up my first one, The Grand Sophy, and devoured it. Then I was on to Fredrica and Cotillion and Bath Tangle. My enjoyment of Heyer’s books left me feeling a little guilty at first.…