Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

Lady Charlotte’s First Love by Anna Bradley

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837)Leave a comment

Lady Charlotte's First Love (The Sutherland Sisters, #2)Lady Charlotte’s First Love by Anna Bradley

Barbara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Sutherland Sisters #2
Publication Date: 10/3/17

What an emotionally wrenching ride to reach a Happily Ever After! Toward the end of the first book in the series, Lady Eleanor’s Seventh Suitor, you got an inkling of the issues that permeate this book. There are multiple issues but you could discern them from the first book’s story. This book deals with the aftermath and reactions of each of the main characters. You really do need to read the first book in order to gain a full appreciation for and understanding of this story. I liked these characters in the first book but somehow couldn’t come to like or be invested in them in this one. They are broken individuals and remain that way through the majority of the book – well, maybe the whole book except for perhaps the epilogue. There is a lot of melodrama.

Recap from the first book: Charlotte Sutherland was madly, deeply, passionately in love with Julian West. They had an intimate relationship until she overheard something that made her believe that he had pursued her only because it made things easier for his cousin Cam to pursue her sister. That is true, to a point. Julian did start pursuing her for that reason, but he came to love her as much as she loved him. When she announces her engagement to another man, Julian heads off to war.

A year later Julian returns from the war, except he isn’t the same Julian who left. That Julian was joyous, happy, humorous and loved life. This Julius is hard and joyless. This Julius is Captain West.

Charlotte is leading a frenetic life in London. She is courting scandal at every turn and each thing she does is more outrageous than the last. She hates to be alone. As you read the book, you’ll find out the reasons for this.

There is a new character introduced in this book and I really liked him. His name is Devon and he is an Earl. He knew all of Charlotte’s secrets and pains and helped her deal with them – he also wanted to marry her. He will be the hero in the next book and that one looks like it will be a good one. Maybe not quite so dark and angsty.

I find this review a bit hard to write without including spoilers – which I won’t do. I have a number of concerns and questions around the book and the plot and the characters, but they all hinge on those spoilers as well. The bottom line is that I liked both of these characters in the first book and was disappointed in them in this book. I did enjoy the story but don’t pick it up looking for a lighthearted, happy read because you won’t find it here.

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

About the Author:  Anna Bradley has been an avid reader, writer and book junkie since childhood, when she pilfered her first romance novel and stole away to her bedroom to devour it.

Before she became a writer she worked with a rare books library featuring works by British women writers from the 1600’s through the Regency period. Here she indulged in her love of stories, fondled smooth, leather-bound volumes to her heart’s content and dreamed of becoming a writer.

She writes steamy historical romance (think garters, fops and riding crops). She lives with her husband and two children in Portland, OR, where people are delightfully weird and love to read.

 

This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, World War I Era (1914-1920)2 Comments

Note: If you happen to be looking at reviews on Amazon, you’ll notice that you are seeing ‘Verified Purchase’ reviews. You have to take a couple of additional steps to see ALL of the reviews – and those reviews are definitely worth seeing, so I hope you’ll go deeper to see them all.
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This Side of Murder (Verity Kent, #1)This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Verity Kent #1
Publication Date: 9//26/17

This book is the quintessential mystery. It is interesting, exciting, gripping, and filled with interesting characters. The descriptions of the emotional turmoil of World War I and its aftermath on the soldiers and civilian are so strong that you feel every emotion – just as if you were there. This author’s descriptions of the heroine’s grief over the death of her husband make you feel as if it were your loss, your pain. I just can’t say enough good things about the quality of writing and the depth of the emotions in this story. I almost didn’t request it because it is for a later time period than I usually enjoy, but since I love Huber’s Lady Darby series, I thought I’d give this one a try. I am so very glad I did!

Be sure you have a clear schedule before you start reading because you won’t be able to put it down once you start reading!

Verity married at 18 just as her husband was to go off to war. They never had that time of living together that made the deep memories – the kind where you miss his toothbrush being beside yours or his razor on the sink. Their brief time together was during his short leaves when he came home from the front. They were hurried and intense – and not nearly long enough. Then, a German soldier’s bullet took his life. Verity’s grief was so intense, so painful that she tried to drown it in alcohol and frenetic, frenzied activities such as dancing.

Sidney had been dead for fifteen very long, very difficult months when she received an invitation to a house party to celebrate the engagement of one of Sidney’s life-long friends. She declines the invitation until she receives a letter that says the sender has information about Sidney being a traitor. While she knows that Sidney had been very troubled on his last few trips home, she couldn’t believe he would be a traitor – but she had to know for sure. So, she accepted the invitation and headed to the house party on a private island with about a dozen other people. Each person had ties to Sidney or his service regiment and she had to figure out who sent the letter and find out what they know.

On the way to the ferry to take her to the island, she runs into (almost literally) Max Westfield, the Earl of Ryde. She feels an attraction to him that she hasn’t felt in over fifteen months. But, can she trust him? Is he the one who sent the letter? As she comes to know him better, she really wants to trust him, but he and his family are in a position that he could have easily been the traitor. As the party continues, the attraction grows.

Something about the party and the assembled guests doesn’t feel right to Verity. Then, the first death occurs. Jimmy Tufton was a cynic who had lost an arm in the war – and it was said that he deliberately tried to get himself killed. When he was found hanging, many thought he had committed suicide, but Verity and Max were pretty sure that wasn’t the case. Then, later the second death occurs – and that one definitely isn’t a suicide because there is a very plainly visible bullet wound in his chest. Charlie Montague was a very young man who seemed shell-shocked – and riddled with guilt. Who would be next?

There is a massive storm raging and the telephone wires have been cut, so there is no way to contact the outside world nor to escape. They are trapped on an island with at least one murderer.

Then, after the storm abates a little, the host, Walter Ponsonby is stung by several bees and he’s very, very allergic to the stings. Yes, it was also deliberate. Since everyone knew of the allergy, the unusual method didn’t bring them any closer to discovering the guilty party.

There are many twists, turns, and surprises throughout the book – and the ending is a big surprise. I had half of it figured out, but not the rest! I wish I could tell you more, but I don’t want to spoil the read for you.

I highly recommend this book and this author!

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”