Review: Seven Letters From Paris by Samantha Verant

Title: Seven Letters From Paris
Author: Samantha Verant
Publisher: 3rd November 2014 by Random House Australia 
ISBN: 9780857984647

Pages: 304 pages

How We Read It: eARC

Genre: memoir, non-fiction, travel, relationships, cultural-France
Our Rating: 2.5 cups 

Synopsis:

In the best romantic tradition of ALMOST FRENCH, a woman falls madly in love with a Frenchman in Paris. But it takes her twenty years to find him again …

Samantha’s life is falling apart - she's lost her job, her marriage is on the rocks and she's walking dogs to keep the wolf from the door.

But when she stumbles across seven passionate love letters from the handsome Frenchman she fell head over heels for in Paris when she was 19, she can't help but wonder, what if?

Surely it wouldn’t hurt to try to find explain why she never wrote back. Closure is a good thing, after all.

One very carefully worded, very belated email apology later, it’s clear that sometimes love does give you a second chance.

Jetting off to France to reconnect with a man you knew for just one madly romantic day is crazy - but it’s the kind of crazy Samantha’s been waiting for her whole life.

Truth may be stranger than fiction but sometimes it's better than your wildest dreams.

Our Thoughts:

“Nineteen eighty-nine. Twenty years ago. Paris.  And just like that … we reveled in our past, reliving each moment by glorious moment in a wild romp down memory lane.”

Memoirs often make interesting reading and this one appealed especially so, as the prospect of getting a second chance at love, a second lease on life, would make for an entertaining story. Add to that a window into the lives of two seemingly down-to-earth people, for many it would be a journey, a path they too may have travelled. Although a real connection with the characters is difficult due to the style of writing, it still made for a very easy read.

The memoir is written in an easy going, friendly conversational tone, and true romantics will love how it unfolds. It’s a lovely lighthearted story that will restore your faith in love and life – second chances do exist and it’s never too late to change course and go after your dreams.

“By searching my past, I figured, maybe I could figure out my future …. If there was ever a time to change everything in my life it was now.”

An engaging aspect of this book is the dual genre of both romantic tale and travel book. The detail provided of French locations and cuisine is very appealing for any Francophile and serves as a bit of a ‘virtual vacation’ as you follow along with Sam’s experiences.

As the title of the book suggests, a highlight is the seven initial letters sent from Jean-Luc – definitely French and definitely swoon-worthy! And these letters are cleverly interspersed throughout the book – touching, sweet, and 100% romantic.

“If life was the sum of the choices I’d made, I was just going to have to make better decisions. Starting now.”

Seven Letters from Paris is a light read that will restore your faith and inspire you to:

“Now put this book down and live and love your life to its fullest – without fear, without anger, and without regret.”

Our Rating:

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Lizzy & Jane by Katherine Reay

Title: Lizzy & Jane
Author: Katherine Reay
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson (October 28 2014)
ISBN: 9781401689735

Pages: 352 pages

How We Read It: eARC

Genre: contemporary fiction, chick lit, food and drink
Our Rating: 2 cups 

Synopsis:

Lizzy and Jane never saw eye to eye. But when illness brings them together, they discover they may be more like Austen’s famous sisters after all.

Lizzy was only a teenager when her mother died of cancer. Shortly after, Lizzy fled from her home, her family, and her cherished nickname. After working tirelessly to hone her gift of creating magic in the kitchen, Elizabeth has climbed the culinary ladder to become the head chef of her own New York restaurant, Feast. But as her magic begins to elude her, Paul, Feast’s financial backer, brings in someone to share her responsibilities and her kitchen. So Elizabeth flees again.

In a desperate attempt to reconnect with her gift, Elizabeth returns home. But her plans are derailed when she learns that her estranged sister, Jane, is battling cancer. Elizabeth surprises everyone—including herself—when she decides to stay in Seattle and work to prepare healthy, sustaining meals for Jane as she undergoes chemotherapy. She also meets Nick and his winsome son, Matt, who, like Elizabeth, are trying to heal from the wounds of the past.

As she tends to Jane's needs, Elizabeth's powers begin to return to her, along with the family she left behind so long ago. Then Paul tries to entice her back to New York, and she is faced with a hard decision: stay and become Lizzy to her sister’s Jane, or return to New York and the life she worked so hard to create?

Our Thoughts:

“She was my Mom’s favorite, absolute favorite, to the point of naming her daughters after Austen’s most famous sisters.”

From the very title itself, this tale began with a Jane Austen reference we couldn't pass up. Lizzy and Jane is a story about two sisters who had a falling out when their mother died from cancer. When Lizzy, a New York restaurateur, takes a break to visit her sister Jane, who is undergoing chemotherapy, she thinks she’s there to escape her own stresses and recapture the ‘zing’ that is missing from her cooking, whilst building a bridge with her sister. Instead, she discovers what’s really missing from her life.

“I want to love what I’m doing. I want to not feel heavy all the time. I want to laugh like I used to – to be that kid in the picture…. I want to be whole. I want to be thankful.”

Cancer is a real struggle for all those involved. In today’s day and age, there would be few who have not been touched by it in some way – either personally or through a family member or a friend - which makes this book resonant and poignant on that level.

“I understand. I’ve been on both sides – afraid of where I am and where I’m going to finally feeling comfortable with the journey.”

This book is full of culinary descriptions and literary food references. We had never really considered how food is used in literature that much, but this idea is explored throughout the novel, as Lizzy takes inspiration from several classics for her new creations in the kitchen. In many respects, this story reads like a literary ‘Feast’ (name of the restaurant) for the senses. If you like food and the thought behind its inception, this will prove an intriguing component of the read. 

“It’s never about the food – it’s about what the food becomes, in the hand of the giver and the recipient.”

However, we struggled with the melancholy that permeated this read. The struggles, the misunderstandings – fights with harsh words, painful medical situations, recurrent family discord, insincere communications – not easy reading at times. The story is written solely from Lizzy’s perspective, which significantly limits your appreciation and connection with other characters on a deeper level.

Overall the author attempts to provide a reflection of real life and a message of forgiveness and second chances, reconciliation and realisation of what is truly important in life.

“It was about love and our definition of it, our striving for it. And it was about how that love gets accepted, returned, or rejected.”

Our Rating:

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher (thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing us with an e-ARC) and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Nightingale by Fiona McIntosh

Title: Nightingale
Author: Fiona McIntosh
Publisher: October 21st 2014 by Penguin Australia
ISBN: 9781921901966
Pages: 357 pages 
How We Read It: ARC ebook
Genre: historical fiction, war, romance
Our Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis: 
Amidst the carnage of Gallipoli, British nurse Claire Nightingale meets Australian Light Horseman Jamie Wren. Despite all odds, they fall deeply in love. Their flame burns bright and carries them through their darkest hours, even when war tears them apart.

Jamie's chance meeting with Turkish soldier Açar Shahin on the blood-stained battlefield forges an unforgettable bond between the men. It also leaves a precious clue to Jamie's whereabouts for Claire to follow.

Come peacetime, Claire's desperate search to find Jamie takes her all the way to Istanbul, and deep into the heart of Açar's family, where she attracts the unexpected attention of a charismatic and brooding scholar.

In the name of forgiveness, cultures come together, enemies embrace and forbidden passions ignite – but by the breathtaking conclusion, who will be left standing to capture Nurse Nightingale's heart?

 A heart-soaring novel of heartbreak and heroism, love and longing by a powerhouse Australian storyteller.

Our thoughts:

“You already love him; it happens. Accept love comes out of nowhere for the majority of us. And the best love is unexpected, while the least successful in love are those who plan it or force it. This young man has flown into your heart and made a nest.”

From the harrowing trenches of Gallipoli to the bustling cities of Cairo, London, and even post-war Istanbul, this novel will take you on an emotional journey of war, love, faith, heartbreak and hope. Yes, this is a romantic tale, the classic love triangle, but for us, the real attraction to Fiona McIntosh’s tale is in the descriptive diversity.

From the shores of Gallipoli in World War I and the hellish circumstances that soldiers faced there, McIntosh captures everything, from the chaos and camaraderie to the heroism and tragedy, that will leave you drained yet riveted. We found her writing to be so vivid at times that a real authenticity flowed through her words and we were transported effortlessly to another place and time.

This story serves as a great reminder of the brave work done by the nurses and doctors who worked tirelessly to save and care for the wounded in horrific conditions. At the heart of this novel is the firsthand account of – in this instance – the women, primarily nursing staff – who worked in difficult and unsanitary conditions for ridiculous amounts of time, under the sorrow of so much carnage. One could not help but feel their fears and frustrations, yet unquestionable dedication.

This novel illuminates not only the horror of war but also the human side, and the truce declared to clear No Man's Land of the dead, which allowed a relationship to be struck between the harmonica-playing Jamie and the kaval-playing Açar, provided a moment to surely pull at one’s heartstrings.

Another highlight of the novel was Claire’s trip to Istanbul – once again McIntosh’s descriptions of the post-war Turkish city were vivid, intriguing and culturally captivating.

There is an array of secondary characters that bring a quintessential quality to the story as well. Jamie’s friend Spud at Gallipoli and the heart breaking tale of Açar, who provided the focal motivation in all that would transpire, felt real, the descriptions ‘too’ real as the horrors hit home.

Ultimately this is a well-researched historical fiction novel by an author we will surely read some more from. We were totally absorbed in this compelling story, finding it difficult to put down and eager to pick up when time once more permitted. We have no hesitation in recommending this novel.

"Leave some room for oddities because life, I have found, is rarely neat. Drink your tea. It has magical properties to make every shock feel less dramatic.”

Our Rating:

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Pierced Heart by Lynn Shepherd

Title: The Pierced Heart
Author: Lynn Shepherd
Publisher:  Delacorte Press (October 21 2014)
ISBN: 9780345545435

Pages: 256 pages

How We Read It: eARC

Genre: historical fiction, mystery, horror
Our Rating: 2 cups 

Synopsis:
The shadow of Bram Stoker’s Dracula looms large over the darkest mystery yet faced by Victorian detective Charles Maddox—as the acclaimed author of The Solitary House and A Fatal Likeness once again pays homage to a literary classic, in a chilling tale of superstition, dangerous science, and shocking secrets.
 
When an Austrian nobleman offers a substantial donation to the University of Oxford, Charles Maddox is called on to investigate the generous benefactor. It is a decidedly mundane task for the increasingly renowned criminal investigator, but Maddox welcomes the chance to trade London’s teeming streets for the comforts of a castle in the Viennese countryside. Comfort, however, is in short supply once Maddox steps onto foreign soil — and into the company of the mysterious Baron Von Reisenberg.
 
A man of impeccable breeding, the Baron is nonetheless the subject of frightened whispers and macabre legends among his countrymen. Though Maddox isn’t one to entertain supernatural beliefs, the dank halls and foreboding shadows of the castle begin to haunt his sleep with nightmares. But in the light of day the veteran detective can find no evidence of the sinister — until a series of disturbing incidents prove him gravely mistaken, and thrust Maddox into a harrowing quest to expose whatever evil lurks behind the locked doors of the Baron’s secretive domain. After a terrifying encounter nearly costs him his sanity, Maddox is forced to return home mentally defeated — and still pursued by the horror he’s unearthed.
 
London is on the verge of widespread panic, thanks to a string of gruesome murders committed by an elusive predator branded the Vampire. But there’s little doubt in Maddox’s mind who is responsible. And whether his enemy proves merely mortal — or something more — Maddox must finally end the monstrous affair . . . before more innocent blood is spilled.

Our Thoughts:

“It is a rare and precious gift that you possess, and yet there are some…in this supposedly civilized little English town, who would condemn it as witchcraft, or shun it as the delirium of the insane.” 

This is the fourth novel by Lynn Shepherd featuring Charles Maddox – we read the first but found in this one we really did not get to know him very well. The plot is twisted, with sinister characters, brutal murders, supernatural mystery, and historical elements referencing Dracula.

Being a relatively short book one would think it a quick read, but in some places it was rather drawn out and required an effort to persevere. The beginning was gripping and set the scene for a cliché horror story.  However, a substantial part of this tale was more difficult to read. Although suitably dark and atmospheric, it was a struggle to get through, and we wished the earlier brisk pace could have been maintained throughout the whole of the novel.

The style in which this book is written made it difficult to enjoy. It is fairly inaccessible, challenging in its viewpoint; it kept us from connecting to the characters or the plot. The interchanging chapters from Charles and Lucy’s points of view are not necessarily smooth in their transitions. Those featuring Charles are related in a third person omniscient style of narration, which, although effective in conveying supplemental information, kept us from feeling much investment in him. In fact, Charles comes across as a somewhat unlikable ‘hero’. Perhaps those who have read all three previous novels will have more of his back-story to draw upon and find him more relatable, but in this single volume he is not the most appealing character. In contrast, Lucy’s story is told in first person via her journal entries, which did allow us to feel more empathy towards her and her plight. However, time jumps, both backwards and forwards, between the various sections had us struggling to accurately follow the timeline of events.

This book gives a scientific spin to the traditional vampire tale, and there are some astute insights regarding the blurred lines between actual science, the supernatural, and mere superstition:

“We are all seeking an explanation for what we observe, whether from superstition or from science. Indeed, have not some of our greatest advances stemmed from precisely such a procedure, even – or most especially – when the forces at work are invisible to the eye?”

The ending is confusing to say the least, seemingly coming a bit out of nowhere, and while not a complete cliffhanger, it definitely leaves one major loose end dangling - a starting point for the next book in the series, perhaps?

The Pierced Heart should appeal to fans of gothic stories, particularly Dracula, as this tale combines familiar themes and characters from that classic work, stories of gothic superstition and elements of scientific discovery. It will be interesting to see what literary classic Shepherd chooses as inspiration for the fifth installment of this series.

 “The detective has become the detected, and in the most unsettling manner.”

Our Rating:

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: First Impressions by Charlie Lovett

Title: First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austen
Author: Charlie Lovett
Publisher:  Viking Adult (October 16 2014)
ISBN: 9780525427247

Pages: 320 pages

How We Read It: eARC

Genre: historical fiction, mystery, romance
Our Rating: 2 cups

Synopsis:

A thrilling literary mystery costarring Jane Austen from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookman’s Tale.

Charlie Lovett first delighted readers with his New York Times bestselling debut, The Bookman’s Tale. Now, Lovett weaves another brilliantly imagined mystery, this time featuring one of English literature’s most popular and beloved authors: Jane Austen.

Book lover and Austen enthusiast Sophie Collingwood has recently taken a job at an antiquarian bookshop in London when two different customers request a copy of the same obscure book: the second edition of Little Book of Allegories by Richard Mansfield. Their queries draw Sophie into a mystery that will cast doubt on the true authorship of Pride and Prejudice—and ultimately threaten Sophie’s life.

In a dual narrative that alternates between Sophie’s quest to uncover the truth—while choosing between two suitors—and a young Jane Austen’s touching friendship with the aging cleric Richard Mansfield, Lovett weaves a romantic, suspenseful, and utterly compelling novel about love in all its forms and the joys of a life lived in books.

Our Thoughts:

 

“What really gets me is these Austen fan girls. Running around pretending the sun rises and sets with some chick who wrote soap operas two hundred years ago.”

We love Jane Austen and are always open to books based on her novels. However, this book just did not make the cut.  Of course the prospect of uncovering a long-lost first draft of a Jane Austen manuscript is intriguing to any Austen fan, and even the idea of exploring possible influences on her work has such great potential. Unfortunately, we don’t feel that potential was realized effectively in this book.

Although the implication that Austen could have been a plagiarist is unsettling in itself, we found even more troublesome the premise that her work could have been so heavily prompted and directed by the 80-year-old Mansfield. Their friendship and like-minded appreciation of literature is believable, but the level of influence he is suggested to have had over every aspect of her writing simply is not. We feel this idea could have worked if employed a bit more subtly, but too much is attributed to Mansfield here.  It feels overdone, in our opinion, and makes it seem that without Mansfield’s guidance Austen’s writing would not have amounted to much. (He is an entirely fictional character, by the way, which the author explains in his note at the end of the book.)

The modern day protagonist, Sophie, is a bit of a frustrating character. While likeable enough, she is quite inconsistent – exceptionally smart and insightful one minute but thoroughly dim-witted the next. The 'love triangle' never really worked for us, and when Sophie ignores her better judgement and gut instincts merely on the basis of good sex, we found ourselves rolling our eyes and had to exercise considerable restraint to keep from screaming at the pages! 

We did, however, enjoy the humor of the opening chapters:

 “I don't like Dickens.”

“How can you not like Dickens?”

 “All that poverty. It depresses me. At least Austen's heroines end up in nice big houses.”

But when Eric disappears, for the majority of the book, so too does the humor walk out the door and ridiculousness walk in.

Sophie’s interactions with her beloved Uncle Bertram are quite touching though, and there are many aspects of their discussions that are sure to resonate with bibliophiles. We particularly appreciated the descriptions of how book-lovers feel about books: 

“A good book is like a good friend. It will stay with you for the rest of your life. When you first get to know it, it will give you excitement and adventure, and years later it will provide you with comfort and familiarity.” 

The Jane Austen sections were less engaging even though all their actions and dialogue appear to be accurate for the period.

This was a quick read, and despite any frustrations, the mystery did hold our interest enough to follow it through to its conclusion, but the ending wraps up a little too quickly and neatly, and includes some pretty improbable events.

By comparison, we found the historical intrigue and controversy of Lovett’s first novel, The Bookman's Tale, to be far more engaging, and the emotional struggles of its protagonist more authentic and compelling. His second historical literary mystery just was not our cup of tea. Overall it could be stated that it was a pleasant tale but lacking in so many ways as to make it somewhat bland and superficial at times.

Our Rating:

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher provided through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Ruth's Journey: The Story of Mammy from Gone with the Wind

Title: Ruth's Journey: The Story of Mammy from Gone With The Wind
Author: Donald McCaig

Publisher:  October 14th 2014 by Atria Books 

ISBN: 1451643551 (ISBN13: 9781451643558)

Pages:  416 pages

How We Read It: ARC ebook

Genre: historical fiction, military history

Our Rating: 2 ½ cups

Synopsis:

Authorized by the Margaret Mitchell Estate, here is the first-ever prequel to one of the most beloved and bestselling novels of all time, Gone with the Wind. The critically acclaimed author of Rhett Butler’s People magnificently recounts the life of Mammy, one of literature’s greatest supporting characters, from her days as a slave girl to the outbreak of the Civil War.

“Her story began with a miracle.” On the Caribbean island of Saint Domingue, an island consumed by the flames of revolution, a senseless attack leaves only one survivor—an infant girl. She falls into the hands of two French émigrés, Henri and Solange Fournier, who take the beautiful child they call Ruth to the bustling American city of Savannah.

What follows is the sweeping tale of Ruth’s life as shaped by her strong-willed mistress and other larger-than-life personalities she encounters in the South: Jehu Glen, a free black man with whom Ruth falls madly in love; the shabbily genteel family that first hires Ruth as Mammy; Solange’s daughter Ellen and the rough Irishman, Gerald O’Hara, whom Ellen chooses to marry; the Butler family of Charleston and their shocking connection to Mammy Ruth; and finally Scarlett O’Hara—the irrepressible Southern belle Mammy raises from birth. As we witness the difficult coming of age felt by three generations of women, gifted storyteller Donald McCaig reveals a portrait of Mammy that is both nuanced and poignant, at once a proud woman and a captive, and a strict disciplinarian who has never experienced freedom herself. But despite the cruelties of a world that has decreed her a slave, Mammy endures, a rock in the river of time. She loves with a ferocity that would astonish those around her if they knew it. And she holds tight even to those who have been lost in the ravages of her days.

Set against the backdrop of the South from the 1820s until the dawn of the Civil War, here is a remarkable story of fortitude, heartbreak, and indomitable will—and a tale that will forever illuminate your reading of Margaret Mitchell’s unforgettable classic, Gone with the Wind.

Our thoughts:

We were so excited to receive this book to read but, for us, it was somewhat disappointing that it read more like a non-fiction book – a detailed historical analysis - that left a lot to be desired for these readers longing to escape back to Tara. As a consequence of this, there was little expression of feeling from the characters, which made it hard to feel investment in their fates.

Rich in history (more non-fiction than fiction), events such as President Jefferson and the embargo on American goods, or the inclusion of direct quotations from the ‘South Carolina Legislature December 20, 1820, are well executed but at times tedious. The problem, of course, with this is that sometimes Ruth’s story becomes an aside, e.g. the whole detail and saga regarding the horse racing and ‘Red Stick’. There is no denying that this is a very well researched book, but unfortunately it is rather convoluted and does not get interesting until Mammy gets to Tara with the O’Haras (the book ends where 'Gone With The Wind' starts – the day of the barbeque). For all of this, we cannot take anything away from the writing and research, which is outstanding.

The first half of the book was very slow, wordy and – sad to say - boring. Frustratingly it did not seem like ‘Ruth's Journey’ at all! At the beginning it was not told from her perspective. We learned a lot about Solange (the story is really about her and Ellen. “Who is Solange?” She is Scarlett’s grandmother) and her three husbands, her children, and other various white plantation owners of the era. Yes, it was at times interesting to be a witness to Scarlett's grandparents, but it just got to be too much to be honest.

Another reason the story is difficult to follow is because a large portion of the novel is written in pre-Civil War black vernacular. On the one hand, it is great that it comes directly from Mammy's viewpoint; however, honestly, it is difficult to understand at times.

We also found the writing to be disjointed in parts, at one stage the timeline doing a major jump, and with so many characters that makes it exceedingly difficult to keep up with the storyline. Undeniably, it was chunky and chops around a bit, requiring real concentration to stay on track. We also had issues with how closely it attempted to replicate 'Gone With The Wind' in many places. For example: Solange being the ‘favoured, spirited daughter’ – it was easy to see Scarlett in her grandmother. Also, Solange “imagined brave men fighting over her was romantic” (decidedly Scarlett) or the multiple marriages that would become common in the family and finally, the way the family was snubbed at times (much like Scarlett and Rhett were).

Despite all this, you will love Mammy Ruth and feel sorry for her (there is a lot of sadness in this tale), and ​you will love learning about ​her strength, love and loyalty for the people she cared for that ​kept her going on through all of that sadness. Overall, it was her calling to be the wise and devoted carer of these families– the Robillard and O’Hara families – that would see her witness days of joy and days of incredible sadness.

For devoted ‘Gone With The Wind’ fans, you will still pick this book up in spite of any shortcomings – any excuse to spend ‘some’ time with much loved characters and locations. For as Mammy states:

“I ask myself, why I loves her? Why I want know everything she up to? ….. She ain’t like most folks!.....Miss Katie (Scarlett) am who she am! She like sun goin’ down and moon comin’ up. Ain’t nothing you can do ‘bout it but be glad.”

Our Rating:

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn

Title: Silent on the Moor (Lady Julia Grey #3)
& Midsummer Night (Lady Julia Grey #3.5)
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Publisher: March 1 2009 by Mira
ISBN: 1426829396 (ISBN13: 9781426829390)
Pages: 558 pages (3.5 novella 50 pages)
How We Read It: Amazon kindle ebook
Genre: historical fiction, romance, mystery
Our Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis: 
Despite his admonitions to stay away, Lady Julia arrives in Yorkshire to find Brisbane as remote and maddeningly attractive as ever. Cloistered together, they share the moldering house with the proud but impoverished remnants of an ancient family: the sort that keeps their bloodline pure and their secrets close. Lady Allenby and her daughters, dependent upon Brisbane and devastated by their fall in society, seem adrift on the moor winds, powerless to change their fortunes. But poison does not discriminate between classes.... 
 
A mystery unfolds from the rotten heart of Grimsgrave, one Lady Julia may have to solve alone, as Brisbane appears inextricably tangled in its heinous twists and turns. But blood will out, and before spring touches the craggy northern landscape, Lady Julia will have uncovered a Gypsy witch, a dark rider and a long-buried legacy of malevolence and evil. 

Our thoughts:

Deanna Raybourn provides a third installment in the wonderful story of Lady Julia Grey. Silent on the Moor is another interesting, mysterious, romantic tale. Julia risks traveling to the far reaches of Yorkshire to find what has become of the troubled Nicolas Brisbane. Julia is a woman not of her time (l9th century) and goes about breaking society's rules. She is intelligent, fallible, rich and loves a good mystery. Brisbane is the brooding hero, and set on the Yorkshire Moors, images of Heathcliff quickly come to mind.

Julia finds Nicholas in trouble and dealing with his past as this tale reveals more of his story, which we thought was great. The author continues to build solid characters that are not only multifaceted but exhibit real emotions, allowing you to become a part of not only the history of the time but also the growing connections that exist between them.

At the heart of each of book has been the growing relationship between Julia and Brisbane. This installment will not fail to deliver:

“I sagged against him in relief, and his arm came around to catch me close to him. I could feel the beat of his heart under my ear and it was the pulse of all the world to me”.

How will it all resolve itself? If you haven't read the first two books in the series, you'll want to do so as you become absorbed in the lives of these fascinating characters.

“I was the daughter of an earl…born to privilege and wealth most people could not even hope to imagine. And in that moment, I would have happily traded places with a little maid who had everything I did not”.

The novella - Midsummer Night - is short and well-paced tale of Brisbane and Julia’s wedding - inclusive of all the wonderful, colourful characters and historical details that we know and love from this series. We fully appreciate and approve of novellas in this series as it fills in the life gaps of the larger stories with incidentals that were not included in earlier books.  Fans will want to know about their wedding, and with all of the hilarious and eccentric March family involved in the day, the short story is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Our Rating: