Author and Reader Guide to The Horse in historical novels

Reviewed by Francine:

Heather King’s Volume 1 - THE HORSE – An Historical Author’s & Reader’s Guide is an invaluable simple and perfect reference book for the uninitiated, absolute novice, to horses and their requirements. From dreams of every little girl wanting her first pony, to the realms of haute ecole (High School Equestrian Training of the 17th-18th century - better known today as dressage) in which the reader will learn of breed heritage to colour ranges, from feed to housing and healthcare, from saddles to harness and equipage, and much more in between. No historical author can be excused for misrepresenting horses at their finest when transitioning from gait to gait, nor can the finer aspects of equestrianism be ignored when books of this nature are on offer to guide authors through the mire of common horse jargon etc. This is a quick reference guide for readers and authors and well worth keeping to hand!

Bear in mind this is not a book about horses in harness, the schooling of carriage horses, and carriages. Apparently Ms King's Volume 2, will be a reference manual to that secondary aspect so essential in historical novels. I dare say it will include correct equipage, correct terminology, etc. Indeed, the pitfalls of driving four-in-hand aside are numerous, and yet, many gentlemen engaged in that very skill and every bit as well as their coachmen.  And oh the joy of driving a curricle, single, double, or in tandem, to dog carts, to traps, and governess carts, not to mention high-top Regency phaetons (death traps) so oft favoured by ladies! But I digress in a sport in which I trained horses to ride 'n' drive, and indulged in other equestrian pursuits so relevant within historical novels. Love 'em or hate 'em, horses were prized animals, and only fools mistreated them.     

Amazon

Mature Romance!

Reviewed by Francine

The Duke’s Regret is a rather poignant mature tale of a man and wife from an arranged marriage, in which neither has done more than exact the requisite duty in provision of an heir and a spare. Other children from the marriage became merely a matter of marital circumstance in the duke’s eyes, whereas his wife, Flora, has devoted her earlier years to the children.  Although Gracechurch and stoicism have walked hand in hand through life in which duty to his title and estate has been uppermost, much the same can be said of his wife Flora, who wed a young man to whom she knew little of and knows little of still: despite their eldest son is due to leave Harrow and de-camp to the dreaming spires of the Oxford colleges.

Gracechurch is all but a stranger to Flora and the children, until that is, one brief encounter with a man grieving the loss of a much loved son. Thus regrets aplenty arise as Gracechurch ponders his earlier bitter resentment of an arranged marriage. Whilst he is willing to attempt heartfelt reconciliation, uncertainty a successful outcome can ever be achieved prevails. Flora too faces the reality attraction to one’s husband was not enough to win his heart at the outset, therefore can she dare risk letting slip her guard against heartbreak and all that befell her beforehand for a second time? All in all, this is a lovely story of a mature couple who discover each other in a new adult light. Nonetheless, the road to contentment is little short of an emotional minefield as equal measure of guilt prevails in who was to blame in matters of withheld affections. A highly recommended read for fans of mature friendship and romance!

Amazon

Regency!

Reviewed by Charlotte. See her blog @ Charlotte

The Book’s Premise:

Did you love the wit and elevated dialogue of Pride and Prejudice, yet always wish you got to see Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have it off? Set in England in the early 1800's, with hoydens, lords and rakes, this is the witty and sexy regency romance you have been waiting for...

London-hating dreamer, Lydia Norwood, has failed spectacularly as a débutante. Now an encoretante whose family has lost a fortune, Lydia discovers that the beau monde is hard on a nouveau riche social climber, particularly one who is no longer riche and only wants to climb trees. Lydia must stave off the effrontery of rogue lords and conniving competitors long enough to make a good match, or else incur society's scorn by earning her own money. Falling for the unattainable Lord Aldley is a distraction she cannot afford. But they share such an enchanted history, how can her heart resist?

The tragically virtuous Earl of Aldley is tired of ambitious families hurling debutantes at his head, but cannot hide in France forever. He returns to London to seek out the mysterious tree-climbing girl who once saved him from a scheming chit, and finds more than he bargained for. Abductions, seductions, trickery and injury all endanger Lydia, but Lord Aldley's heart is imperiled beyond rescue. He has only just found her; will he lose her forever to his enemy, his best friend, or his own dangerous mistake?

My Review:

First off the premise and title reveal almost all the major plot points including one or two plot spoilers. Though why Jane Austen’s wit and elevated dialogue in Pride and Prejudice gets a mention I know not after reading Three Abductions and An Earl.

Apart from the revealing premise the story started well with a little intrigue, and it progressed at a steady pace with amusing asides and character introductions. Though it slowed a great deal and required a good many chapters until the scenes were set for envy, conflict, and disreputable intrigue. Even so, the way Earl Aldley and Lydia Norwood hedged around each other with words and secret thoughts was mildly amusing to begin with. All the while the sub-characters Tilly and Rutherford (for this reader at any rate), more than edged ahead of the hero and heroine and they did thank God carry the plot forward after the first abduction took place. Here Rutherford took the lead role as the wounded hero and Lydia had every reason to be grateful to him.

Things then turned silly when Lydia revealed bluestocking dreams of going into trade, which became an ancillary thread amidst a lengthy period of comings and goings and spiteful rumours and female rivalry escalated. Funnier still Aldley who at the start is a well travelled aristocrat turned into a lovesick whimpering puppy panting and wagging his tail every time he gets close to Lydia, and then abduction two happens and the end result is a carriage accident.

Poor bedridden Lydia is then confused while the earl resides in limbo land not knowing if he can have a place in her life, and to the sidelines Rutherford and Tilly making out in the sick room brought me to tears because believe me the second half of the book is as funny as the premise promises even though it takes a long time to plough the farce and reap the sinful harvest of lustful hopes and dreams.

Reviewer aside:

At 20 plus Kindle pages per chapter it’s a long slow read with 58 chapters in all. While the first half of the book has a good literary edge with formal permutations relevant to on dit [they say] and pen rép [error] — the second half falls away to a more relaxed style and strangely less formality all told.