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Opere di Marjorie Farrell

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Miss Judith Ware's background was reasonably good, being the granddaughter of a baronet, but had fallen on hard times since the death of her father, a vicar, three years before the story opens. Her circumstances improved, however, once her brother completed his studies at Cambridge, set up house for them, and embarked on a career as an up-and-coming barrister. Judith was now able to leave the employ of a family where, among other duties, she had been a reader to an elderly blind woman, and join her brother.

Simon, the Duke of Sutton, lost his vision during the fighting at Waterloo. He had never considered himself proud, though fortune had seemed to smile on him. He was powerful, wealthy, handsome, intelligent, kind, well-liked, and had come through the wars unscathed until the very end. The loss of his vision was a bitter pill, and he had sunk into an uncharacteristic depression, which had his friends deeply concerned but powerless to help. Until, that is, Simon grew so isolated and desperate that he agreed to hire a man to come read to him twice a week.

Miss Ware had taken to studying the advertisements in hopes of finding a way to supplement her brother's small income. When she saw the ad for a reader to read for a blind nobleman she seized the opportunity immediately. With a little help from a mutual friend behind the scenes, Lord Simon hired Judith on trial.

Though we never get the impression that Lord Simon is weak, to the contrary, Judith is in charge from beginning to end. She is forthright, intelligent, caring, loyal, and wise. She falls in love with Lord Simon long before he is aware of the same feelings for her. --But then his energies are exhausted with adjusting to life without sight.

This novel tells the story of how Judith's wise and loving handling of Sutton gives him the impetus to rebuild his life, and of a slow-building attachment between two deserving, ideally-suited protagonists .
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Segnalato
rsstick | 1 altra recensione | Sep 24, 2009 |
Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibility provides a reference point for the way in which the protagonist, Anne Heriot, and her companion, Sarah Wheeler, approach matrimony and affairs of the heart. It isn't that Anne, a very wealthy independent textile heiress, is heartless or cold, but she refuses to be ruled by her emotions. It is time for her to marry, and in accordance with her late-father's wishes, she intends to marry into the peerage. With care she winnows drunkards, gamblers, and rakes from her list of prospects and comes up with three men who meet her requirements. She sets out over the course of the Little Season, and the Season to make her final choice.

All three of her prospects are good men who have a great need for Anne's money, but as the story develops we learn that only one of the suitors is heart-whole. Though Anne chooses first with her head, she doesn't ignore her heart. She finally makes her choice, and the dynamics between her and her new fiance are beautifully drawn.

The early days of Anne's betrothal to Jack Beldon, Viscount Aldborough (along with what has come before) ensures that their marriage will be a satisfying partnership of minds and hearts.

In a secondary plot, Sarah Wheeler gives us the Marianne Dashwood , or sensibility, approach to finding romantic fulfilment. Sarah is the granddaughter of a Viscount--much good it has done her! She is in her 30s and without financial resources. She has been close to Anne for years, first as her governess and later as a companion. She is far above Anne, a Cit, on the social scale, as Anne is above her financially. Sarah finds herself approaching a crossroads. When Anne marries, Sarah will be looking for a new position. She has dismissed matrimony as a possibility as she has neither money, nor connections. She forms an attachment to an unlikely and unsuitable man, allowing her heart to rule her head as Marianne Dashwood did before her. Happily, with far less heartache.

This sequel to Red, Red Rose centers on a textile heiress, Anne Heriot, and the former Captain Jack Belden, Viscount Aldborough. Thinking back over this well-drawn, well-executed story, I was struck by the positive impact that Anne Heriot had on her world and the people she encountered. Sometimes her actions were lavish, and other times they were rather small, but she went through life making it better for those whose lives she touched, from the "blind" veteran she saves from beggary, to the magnificent deed she does for one of her former suitors, what she does (and plans to do) for the textile workers at one of her mills, she is making the world a better place. --And she found the right man to work alongside her to carry on the work.
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Segnalato
rsstick | Sep 23, 2009 |
This novel is rich and much more than a romance. The male protagonist is Valentine Aston, the love child of an earl and a farmer's daughter. This central fact of Aston's life has colored his entire life, and was made worse by a lack of candor from his mother who died unexpectedly when he was eight years old.

The relationship between Alston and his legitimate half-brother is foundational to the story, but the most important secondary relationship is that of Alston and his father. Their relationship is fraught with misunderstanding, distance, poor decisions (in retrospect), and regret, but is ultimately resolved in a satisfying, believable way.

The romance between Alston and Elspeth Gordon, daughter of a career officer and his drum-following wife, seems realistic and true. As important as their bond is however, the other relationships are just as rich. For example we see how two love matches turned out: the parents of Elspeth Gordon, and the parents of Val Alston.

Bad things do occur in this novel (it is after all set in a time and place of war), but gentle hints are dropped to prepare us when they are about to be visited on the characters.

I loved this delightfully unusual book, and will undoubtedly read it again. It is rich, has a fidelity to time and place, protagonists who feel genuine, a beautiful and affirming love story, and still manages to explore several interpersonal truths in a way that gives one thought.

I am eager to find more works by this author.
… (altro)
½
 
Segnalato
rsstick | Sep 16, 2009 |

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Statistiche

Opere
16
Utenti
373
Popolarità
#64,664
Voto
½ 3.4
Recensioni
8
ISBN
27
Preferito da
1

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