"A Lady in Disguise" by Sandra Byrd - a Gothic suspense

In this Gothic suspense, Gillian Young, a seamstress and costumer for Drury Lane, is disturbed when, shortly following her father's funeral, word comes out that he was corrupt policeman. Not wanting to believe the allegations that even his friends on the force are convinced of, she begins investigating his death on her own. However, each step she takes seems to bring more threats and danger to not only herself, but the girls she has hired as apprentice seamstresses. Who can she trust? A dashing viscount, who may have ulterior motives regarding her property, or an old friend on the force, whose father appears to be a threat himself?

I generally consider myself fairly well educated in history and period detail, but I learned a surprising amount about Victorian England in this book, from missions, to children's theatre, to Victorian era human trafficking. It's all woven together in a delightfully menacing plot.

Gillian is a strong heroine. Having done costuming and taken in commissions myself, I really enjoyed that she is not only a seamstress, but an independent business woman, not dependent on anyone (save occasional employers). Thanks to her profession (and, to a degree, her heritage) she is able to travel some between classes, though she herself is rooted in the middle class. I can't imagine the devastation as it feels like the world is conspiring to take everything away from her, yet she remains strong and compassionate throughout.

I enjoyed the allusions to classic literature and fairy tales; it was a fun change to see Little Women take a prominent place in the story. Over all, it was an enjoyable suspense.

Thank you Howard Books and NetGalley for providing a free e-book. No review, positive or otherwise, was required, and all opinions are my own.

Daughters of Hampshire
1. Mist of Midnight
2. Bride of a Distant Isle
3. A Lady in Disguise

"Can't Help Falling" by Kara Isaac - a fun story with a Narnia theme

"A funny, heartfelt romance about how an antique shop, a wardrobe, and a mysterious tea cup bring two C.S. Lewis fans together in a snowy and picturesque Oxford, England . . ."

Emilia Mason abandons her career in tabloid journalism after a story results in tragedy, and she burns her bridges behind her to travel to Oxford in hopes of reviving a dying charitable organization, both to start anew and to atone for her part in the tragedy. Peter Carlisle was headed for the Olympics in rowing before a shoulder injury knocked him out, and now he's desperate to get back to the top, even if it means ruining his shoulder for good. Helping with his cousin's charity throws him together with Emilia and sparks instantly fly, especially with their shared love of Narnia. But can their relationship overcome the ugly secret Emilia hides?

Lots of humor and references to The Chronicles of Narnia await those who pick up this romance, but there's pain and remorse to get through before the end. The author strikes an excellent balance between humor and drama, and there is a poignant spiritual thread as well.

Being as I've read the Chronicles of Narnia, I can't say for sure how much a difference knowledge of the series makes for understanding this book--it certainly increased my appreciation level. The important references are explained, and often with a clever punch for the plot (especially the Lucy vs Susan thing)*, but there are a lot of less-important-to-the-plot references that aren't explained in detail. I was pleased that the author references to the whole series, not just The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Though it is a minor part of the book, I enjoyed the continuation of Allie and Jackson's story from Close to You - it's no surprise that they're still working through issues, but it's good to see more closure on their story. And it fits in nicely with Emilia's tale! I'm hoping Kat gets her own story soon.

Thank you Howard Books and NetGalley for providing an e-book to review; I was not required to make the review positive, and all opinions are my own.

*I have to add, the book makes me annoyed with CS Lewis all over again, because I liked Susan in the Chronicles of Narnia, and I agree with Peter's assessment of her before his enlightenment - "Susan was great too. She had the magic horn and was an awesome archer. She was brave and resilient." So what if she has an important symbolic role to play in the final book--nothing will ever make me happy with Lewis for ruining her character in The Last Battle.

Related novels:
1. Close to You
2. Can't Help Falling

Kara Isaac's "Close to You" - a fun novel with a Tolkien theme

Allison Shire, a disgraced scholar, is hiding from the world as a tour guide of the Lord of the Rings movie sets in New Zealand. After so many tours she's seen it all--from Tolkien purists to utter frauds. And Jackson Gregory, an annoying addition to her latest tour, is definitely a fraud. Jackson hit rock bottom when his girlfriend took his company secrets to his biggest rival, and now he's tagging along with his rich, eccentric great-uncle, pretending to be a Lord of the Rings fan in hopes that it will win him an investment in his business. But to do that he has to keep Allison from exposing him, and he does not make a brilliant first impression. However, as he and Allison are continually thrown together throughout the tour, they both begin to see things a little differently. Can they overcome their pasts to take a chance at love?

Like so many readers, I was drawn to the book by the Tolkien theme, and I had to laugh at the people portrayed on the tour. Some obnoxious, some hilarious, they were definitely in the fanatic category. I enjoy Tolkien, but there were bits of trivia I hadn't known, and it brought out all the great controversies between the books and movies.

While Lord of the Rings plays a strong role in the story, ultimately it's about two broken people finding their way to healing and love, with a lot of humor and explosive scenes along the way--sometimes both at the same time. Boy, can they make fireworks! The romance happened very quickly--the tour is barely there weeks, after all--but it was still fun. All in all, it was a highly entertaining read with a good deal of heart.

1. Close to You
2. Can't Help Falling