Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2010)
Once again Linore Rose Burkard has penned an enchanting Regency that draws in readers with a variety of content and a style that mirrors the original authors of that era. The details are impeccably realistic and believable yet there are still enough twists to keep readers guessing till the end. Sure the ending is a typical happily ever after and you can see the ending coming early on however the path to that ending is far from predictable. Burkard ushers readers once more into the world of the Mornays and Forsythes as Ariana’s younger sister, Beatrice is visiting along with their mother and The Paragon’s Aunt Royleforst. Beatrice has matured by several years since Ariana and Phillip’s wedding and her first visit to London at 12years old. However in some ways she is still immature as well. Her designs for marriage include a fortune and elegant home(s) that would require a substantial financial nest egg or income. She has however forgotten the importance of fit and character that many of the “ton” would never aspire to much less claim. As she encounters both a man who supposedly has what she desires in terms of wealth and belongings or could provide it and an older yet more desirable man in terms of faith, character, and personality it takes some time for her to realize that maybe the man she offered herself to in a childish fit of impulse would be a better choice than the one who is her wonderful ideal of a proper match. Will Mr O’Brien and Beatrice consummate her childish offer eventually or will Tristan Barton spirit away her naievete before the new curate proves his fitness and declares his suit? The Forsythes and Mornays soon discover that the societal norms are not what is truly important despite what others may think or say. Deeper, more ethereal values earn a much higher estimation especially after Ariana’s very existence is threatened by exposure to a highly contagious influenza epidemic that has touched a tenant of their country holding and nearly infects others of her circle of family and acquaintances. Be sure to acquire not only The Country House Courtship but the earlier two novels, Before The Season Ends and The House in Grosvenor Square to follow the entire story of Ariana and Philiip as well as their families. While the backstory in these earlier books is not explicitly necessary to following the story in Burkard’s third Regency, it still reads much smoother if you are familiar with the earlier portions of the story in those first two books.
(ISBN#9780736927994, 300pp, $13.99)
Codicil:
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