Review by Booklist Review
Best known for her long-running Pink Carnation series, Willig has been venturing outside of the Napoleonic era for her stand-alone offerings. Her latest is set in 1920s England, where respectable governess Rachel Woodley has been dealt a double blow when her mother dies and she discovers her father, whom she'd long thought dead, is living in London with a wife and two grown children. Rachel grew up believing her father was a botanist, but the pages of a society magazine reveal that he's actually an earl with a large estate. With the help of a handsome, droll gossip columnist, Simon Montfort, Rachel reinvents herself as a socialite and works her way into the social circle of her sister, Lady Olivia. As much as she wants revenge on her father, Rachel can't help but sympathize with her repressed sister, even when she's rocked by the discovery that Simon and Olivia were once engaged. Vibrant and thrilling, Willig's third stand-alone should garner an audience beyond fans of the Pink Carnation series.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Rachel Woodley's world is shaken by the death of her mother and the discovery that the father she's believed long dead is actually alive-and a titled aristocrat. She confronts the only person who could explain her parents' situation and then runs out angrily before he has a chance to tell her the truth. Instead, she changes her name, borrows a flat and fashionable clothes, inveigles her way into London society, banters cleverly through literary allusions, and, finally, comes face to face with her father. If Willig had reduced 27-year-old Rachel's age by ten years, it would be easier to be drawn into the plot. As it is, listeners may be annoyed with Rachel's immature behavior and decisions. The dialog is self-consciously sprinkled with 1920s slang and Shakespearean references, Rachel's father apparently having inspired her love of the bard before her fifth birthday. Nicola Barber's slightly breathy speech illustrates Rachel's bewilderment. Her expert pacing and pitch bring melodramatic Rachel to life. Other characters, too, are well portrayed. Verdict An optional purchase where 1920s-set books are popular. ["This stand-alone will appeal equally to longtime Willig fans and readers looking for character-driven, historical fiction with a light touch of romance": LJ 6/15/15 review of the St. Martin's hc.]-Juleigh Muirhead Clark, Colonial Williamsburg Fdn. Lib., VA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
