Karla Darcy

Lady Judith is leaving England to visit her father in colonial America, sent with the task of finding out where the loyalties of Nate Bellingham lie by Nate's grandmother.

Caught up in the intrigues of the struggles after the war of Independence, Nate affects the mannerisms of a "fop" to set people off his purpose. Will he return to assume his English title? Or will he remain in America?

A mysterious rider champions America's independence from England, newly gained and difficult to maintain. Judith must decide where her loyalties lie, with her mother country, or with the home of her father.

I have to admit that when I took this book in exchange for an honest review, I thought I was getting a historical romance. It is that, but it is heavy on the history and light on the romance. There were places I found the historical aspects almost intrusive to the story, and that will account for my not liking it as well as I might have. It is also written in an omniscent point of view, which I have to say I'm not a fan of. I will say that Ms. Darcy's descriptions are vivid and her characters charming. I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Darcy's novelette, the Five Kisses, but this book is in stark contrast to that (which is set in England). I suppose that also accounts for some of my disappointment in the story that, again, wasn't what I expected.

The story moves along at a good pace, and as advertised, if you are a fan of Downton Abbey, you'll likely enjoy this romp through colonial America. For me, I have a "divided heart."… (lisätietoja)

Once again, Ms. Darcy delivers a fun romp through the Regency era. When Endurance "Amity" Fraser's parents died, she was appointed a guardian, who also died. His 21-year-old son was then assigned the task, but at 21, Max had no interest in playing nursemaid to a 10-year-old klutz. He assigns a solicitor to see to her well-being and upon Amity's 21st birthday, it is determined that she should "come out," after living her life alone but for servants and governesses. Amity has learned to adapt, and under the tutelage of her governess, she has grown into a self-assured young lady, although without a family around her, she is also a bit more free spirited. As she enters Max's home to begin the process of placing her on the marriage market, she throws his sense of order into upheaval.

The story is well written, light-hearted and a fun read. I would recommend it. The only thing holding me back from five stars is the number of typos that I continue to trip over in Ms. Darcy's novels.… (lisätietoja)

Blaine Meriweather is in a precarious position. When her father and stepmother are killed, her inheritance is tied up waiting for her younger brother to reach majority. So how are they supposed to live until then? She makes a bold move to become an actress, a profession only one step above prostitution, and determines to maintain high moral fiber along the way.

Lord Farrington is enamored of the enigmatic “La Solitaire,” an actress beautiful and talented, but unlike the others in her field, she remains aloof, out of reach, protected. He is determined to meet the enchanting actress, and yet she rebuffs him at every opportunity. He’s not the only one who is infatuated with her . . .

Blaine must play the role of a lifetime to keep the allowance flowing to her family when her aunt dies. Can she fool the men who compete for her into believing she’s an old woman?

I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The twists and turns take you on a well thought-out journey. A few things to keep in mind – Miss Darcy uses period English. That means while she has diligently endeavored to use the proper terms for the time period, some of them may strike you as somewhat odd and or confusing. One example is referring to a team of horses as cattle. Once you figure out the answer key, however, it isn’t difficult to follow along. She also has a tendency to info dump. Neither one of these presented a major issue for me – the story redeems itself, but it may cause slow going for some readers. I’ve read several of her stories, and I keep coming back for more. This story has everything you’d want in a regency romance, and Blaine’s single-mindedness makes for a very strong character. It’s a departure from your standard impoverished woman turns governess with its own set of obstacles to deal with that I found very refreshing.… (lisätietoja)