Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Gossip figures prominently in three of the four Regency-era novellas included in this collection, which is, unfortunately, as shallow as a Hollywood rumor rag. James incorporates the theme she used most successfully in "A Proper Englishwoman," employing a number of gossipy letters as a prelude to a bold, if unlikely, tale of seduction. Far less inventive are London's "The Vicar's Widow" and Navin's "Miss Jenny Alt's First Kiss." The former is a predictable tale of two lovers and the jealous debutante who will do anything, even spread nasty rumors about a virtuous widow, to pull them apart, and the latter is an equally familiar romance between a bookish beauty with an undeserved reputation and a handsome lord. Lee's "Clearly a Couple" stands out both for its exemplary writing and its unique heroine, though the story has very little to do with gossip. Its premise is also far too meaty for such a short story, so it inevitably falls prey to the same flaw as the others-the protagonists' love comes too swiftly and unbelievably. All in all, this lackluster collection is a pale representation of these authors' works and isn't likely to stir up much chatter in the romance community. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
With one's reputation and social position being of primary importance in upper-crust Regency society, gossip can cause all sorts of problems for its subjects. In James's "A Proper Englishwoman," a chance comment from our Shakespeare-quoting, philandering hero causes his fiancée to take matrimonial matters into her own hands. A clergyman's widow rediscovers a man out of her past in Julia London's "The Vicar's Widow," while a ruined heroine returns to England after five years in a sultan's seraglio and finds love against all odds in Rebecca Hagan Lee's "Clearly a Couple." Finally, a shy heroine blossoms in Jacqueline Navin's "Jenny Alt's First Kiss." Stirring, sensual, and witty, this diverse anthology will appeal to Regency and historical fans alike. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
