Challenge #15
Read a book that has a “W” word for Winter
A Love So Wild Author: Deborah Chester Regency Romance 282 pages
3.5 stars
My Amazon Review:
Old School High Drama Regency Romance....,
Charming, high-spirited Mary Clampton - jailed in Newgate Prison on false charges - had no idea why the mysterious Lord Menton chose her for his scheme. But a marriage of convenience and lessons in how to become a lady at ease in the dazzling world of London society seemed to be a small price to pay for her release from prison.
Soon Mary discovered that the stakes were much higher than she supposed. Caught in a web of international intrigue, she found Menton's price to be very high indeed. But by then she had fallen in love ....
My Review:
Deborah Chester, who is now a well known Science Fiction and Fantasy writer, started her career in Regency Romance. A Love So Wild was her first published novel, way back in 1979. A Love So Wild is very good for a first novel-with an unusual premise, of a genteel but poverty stricken woman, jailed falsely in Newgate, but given a sort of reprieve by carrying on a false courtship and marriage with her rescuer, Lord Menton.
The story is very much written in the old school Regency format-very high drama, intrigue, hysterics, misunderstandings, secrets, duels and the like. The heroine, is overall good but a bit too flighty. Her constant fear and hysterics did grate on the nerves. The hero, in true old school mold, is dark, brooding, arrogant, and condescending. Menton, who is a horses rear for most of the story, his moodiness makes Mr. Darcy look like an optimist. Though both the hero and heroine do mature and learn from their mistakes, I just wish it was sooner rather than later in this longer (282 page) Regency.
The villains are "ultra bad", the matrons are dragons and the mothers are true tabbies. Almost no passion, in the modern Historical Romance sense, but still romantic in it's own old fashioned way. The publisher gets points for the glorious cover illustration as well.
It may be too "bodice ripper" for more modern readers, but if you're looking for a bit of nostalgic, emotional fun then check out A Love So Wild.
3.5 stars.
Readers Of Romance Winter Challenge-join here.
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