Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

On By BarbaraIn Audiobook, Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, World War I Era (1914-1920)5 Comments

Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs, #1)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Maisie Dobbs #1
Publication Date: 7/1/03 (Audio Version)
Period: WWI England
Narrator: Rita Barrington

I came into this series by reading book sixteen, The Consequences of Fear, and wanted to know more about how Maisie Dobbs became who she is. My solution to that was to read this first book in the series and then decide if I wanted to read all of the others. After reading this really sad, heartbreaking book, I read all of the book blurbs on the remainder of the books in the series and I came to the conclusion that Maisie Dobbs had the darkest, saddest life of anyone I’ve ever read. So, I’m going to skip all of those earlier books and perhaps try number eighteen when it comes out. Maybe that one will be less dark and sad.

I think, for me, this book might have suffered from having the writing be too good. Yes, I know – how can that be? I suppose it really can’t, but what I mean is – the research is so thorough and the writing so well done that you feel as if you are right there in the middle of the battlefield, or that you can actually see that terribly disfigured soldier as he tries to deal with his return to a society who really doesn’t want to see him. It just makes you feel it all – and the ending – it is one of the saddest things I’ve read.

The narrator, Rita Barrington, did a nice enough job, but it didn’t come out as a smooth steady flow of words as you’d picture a conversation. It sounded more like she was reading – which, of course, she was, but I didn’t want to hear it that way. As far as a distinct voice for each character goes – they all sounded like iterations of the narrator’s natural voice. If a character spoke without identifying themselves, I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish which character it was.

The mystery in this book has to do with deaths at a ‘farm’ where returning soldiers with terrible facial disfigurement go to live so they can avoid the stares among the public. However, the mystery doesn’t take up a large portion of the book. It is a good mystery, but still, the largest portion of the book is the set-up for the series. We are introduced to Maisie’s background, family, and friends as well as showing her war experiences.

This book broke my heart and made me very sad. I actually wish I had stopped reading well before the end – maybe just after the mystery was solved – because I honestly didn’t want to see the rest. Was it realistic? Probably. Was it something I wanted to read or know? Absolutely not.

So, I would never read this book a second time, but I am glad I now know Maisie’s background. If you don’t mind gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, grossly sad books, you’ll probably enjoy the read more than I did. Still, it is well written.

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Mr. Dale and The Divorcée by Sophie Barnes

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Mr. Dale and The Divorcée (The Brazen Beauties, #1)Barbara’s rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Series: The Brazen Beauties
Publication Date: 11/23/21
Period: Regency London – 1818
Number of Pages: 342

I love it when I learn something new while reading a historical romance – especially something about the Regency period. Everything I had ever read on the subject led me to believe there was no way for either partner to marry anyone again, so when I saw the whole premise of this book was a Regency couple obtaining a divorce and then marrying others, I scoffed at the idea. However, the author’s explanations seemed so valid I just had to do more research and I found there really was a way to get the divorce and the participants marry others. That doesn’t make the idea of the divorce any more plausible given how very few were ever granted or how prohibitively expensive they were, but depending on which ‘type’ of divorce they got, the participants could marry others. Here is a link to an article on the subject – and it lists references: Click Here For Article. Just in case you are interested. 😊

Wilhelmina and George grew up together and were best friends – as were their fathers. They were there for each other when the ship both of their fathers were sailing on sank and everyone on board was lost. They were always there for each other – and that is how they ended up married. While they did love each other – as friends – they were never in love with each other. However, when Wilhelmina desperately needed saving, George and she married. That was twenty years ago and they have had a comfortable, amenable, celibate marriage for all that time. They are still best friends. But now, George needs saving, and Wilhelmina is willing to do anything she can, endure anything she has to, in order to give George the life he deserves. So, they hatch a plot to brand Wilhelmina as a fallen, scandalous woman in order for George to pursue a divorce.

Widower, Mr. James Dale, is a highly successful barrister from a very well-placed family. He and his two friends (who will be featured in the next books) are attending a ball when James is introduced to the most alluring, beautiful woman (Wilhelmina) he has ever laid eyes on. He is intrigued – and very interested – until he learns she is married. Then, SCANDAL! Wilhelmina’s husband loudly accuses her of adultery and publicly shames her. James is shocked. How could she have seemed to be such a wonderful person and yet be cuckolding her husband – regularly. She’s just like his wife, Clara, had been – scandalous and wicked.

After two years, Wilhelmina and George are divorced. She is the scandal of England and people spit at her and cross the street rather than walk near her. Getting the cut direct is the least she must endure. James attended all of the court sessions and came to loath the woman. The stories that were told of her painted a very sordid picture indeed. Just imagine James’s visceral reaction when he learns his son wants to marry Wilhelmina’s daughter.

I never came to be truly invested in the characters and I’m not sure why. I liked them and I wanted to see them get to their HEA, but I just wasn’t totally enamored with them. Frankly, I liked the younger couple much better than the older couple – mostly because they seemed much more sensible. I’m sure I was supposed to like and admire George, but I didn’t.

I am glad to have read the book, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had I not been so ensnared with the ‘facts’ of the divorce. I should have just stopped reading at that point and done the research, and then I would have probably have enjoyed the rest of the read more.

I’m looking forward to the second book in the series, Mr. Grier and The Governess featuring Olivia Poole (who we didn’t meet in this book) and Grayson Grier, whom we met because he is a friend of Jack’s.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.