Miss Catherine Everleigh has spent most of her life at her father’s side, learning to appraise antiques and become the natural successor to his auction house. Her brother got to go away to school, Catherine was tutored at home by a governess. Her father’s will stated that she would have equal controlling share in the Everleigh Auction Rooms with her brother, but only once she’s married. Now she knows her brother is embezzling funds to support his political ambitions. He keeps introducing her to what […]
A historical romance with antiques appraisals
Lily Monroe is trying to make a better life for herself, working hard to acheive the dreams her dead sister had for them about becoming a respectable gentlewoman and rising above their poor backgrounds in London’s East End. She now calls herself Lilah Marshall and is one of the hostesses at Everleigh’s Auction House, making a decent living. Unfortunately, her uncle needs her to do him one last favour, involving the use of some of her thieving skills to acquire some documents. Lilah’s dirty deed […]
A Romance in Which People Solve Their Own Problems
I’ve been reluctant to try and review romances because I rarely have much to say about them, even if I enjoy them, and Mrs. Julien is much better at not having much to say than I am. However, I have something to say about Meredith Duran’s Bound By Your Touch. It’s kind of a spoiler so if you don’t want to know, stop reading. Oh my godtopus! Both protagonists solve their own problems! Do you have any idea how rare that is in romance? It’s […]
Another Historical Romance, But with Bonus Points for the Liberty of London Mention
“He had made jokes for himself, expecting no one else to catch them, and indeed no one else had.” (103) Yep. While as well-written as all of Duran’s Victorian romances, Written on Your Skin never really captured my interest and wasn’t my cup of tea, although it did have some great moments. To find out if it might be your cup of tea, please read on. Phin is a spy working for Her Majesty’s government in Hong Kong. Poisoned at a party, he finds help […]
Another Historical Romance, But with None of the Kink Implied by the Title
This book is great. You should read it. Details below. Featuring a delicious rake who needs to get his act together and a bright spinster who needs to set herself free, Meredith Duran’s Bound by Your Touch is a Victorian romance with an Egyptology maguffin and themes of disentangling oneself from unhealthy relationships and a thinking person’s feminism which emphasizes the importance of giving women responsibility for their choices as a component of true equality. All of this is supported by clever writing, appealing leads, […]
Another Historical R–oad Trip!
Amanda Thomas was stood up at her wedding. Now, having gone to her fiance’s hotel to find out what the hell happened, she encounters a man who says her beloved is an imposter. Everyone agrees with him, bowing and scraping in a way that strongly suggests he may very well be the real Viscount Ripton. Here we are just one chapter into the Victorian romance Your Wicked Heart and our heroine is alone, penniless, unemployed, confused, jilted, stranded, and still wearing her very uncomfortable wedding […]