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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Admittedly, I am a fan of “all things Jane”- Jane Austen, Jane Eyre and yes ,even Jane Erstwhile from Austenland. And so to see another wonderful “Regency era” novel called Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot, arrive on the scene , well let’s just say it very much pleases my Austen-like sensibilities.
We meet 28 year old Alethea Sutherton, our heroine and a virtual spinster in this time frame, as she is unmarried and absolutely not wishing to be, which of course makes her an unconventional character from the get-go. Instead Alethea’s dreams are to be a master at the violin and move to Italy where she might study under true masters without ridicule. The violin of course was not seen as an instrument fit for women to play as it was considered unladylike, because an elbow might be seen and that in Regency England is a bit scandalous. Enter in Lord Dommick and his quartet who is down one player due to the war, , also a violin player and of the opinion that women should not be playing the violin…until he actually hears Alethea play. And even, Lord Dommick or “Bay” as his friends call him can see the depth of her talent. One element that adds to her playing is the unique and beautiful sound of her violin. It turns out that there is a mystery surrounding this violin as someone wants to steal it and works very hard to do so. As this puts Alethea and her family in harms way, Bay steps in to help protect her and a relationship starts to form.
There are many aspects to this story that I really enjoyed, obviously the conflict of the two main characters and the things they have to do to overcome to even begin a relationship. Bay is a man that is working so hard to hide secrets as he struggles with some post traumatic stress from his time in the war and fights to keep control in all situations. Because of times where he couldn’t, a former fiancé dubbed him the “Mad Baron” and he has been fighting that stigma and trying to do everything he could to right his family’s standing in society especially for his sister’s sake so that she would have a chance to marry well. Alethea on the other hand has all but given up caring what those around her think of her and only wants to escape to Italy where she can pursue her musical dreams. And so Bay ,who thinks he will never marry because of his secrets and Alethea .who has no idea of ever marrying and is only biding her time until she can leave for Italy , somewhow make an unlikely couple.
I thought this story was very well executed and had all the elements that I love in a good Regency novel plus a little bit more. In the Regency novels that I have enjoyed, it usually centers around a strong female character who is making the best of her situation which is usually not an optimal one for her based on the time frame and the fact that she is a woman. But through her strength of character, she is able to pull through. We definitely see that in the character of Alethea . Besides Alethea, Camille Elliot manages to give us other really interesting characters with some good depth to them, witty dialogue, and a lot of excitement and mystery surrounding the violin thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed how both characters seemed to really help and compliment each other just by being who they were. And so I would recommend this one to those “fans of all things Jane” like myself. It was a lovely read!
I was given a complimentary copy of this novel by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
5 stars
We meet 28 year old Alethea Sutherton, our heroine and a virtual spinster in this time frame, as she is unmarried and absolutely not wishing to be, which of course makes her an unconventional character from the get-go. Instead Alethea’s dreams are to be a master at the violin and move to Italy where she might study under true masters without ridicule. The violin of course was not seen as an instrument fit for women to play as it was considered unladylike, because an elbow might be seen and that in Regency England is a bit scandalous. Enter in Lord Dommick and his quartet who is down one player due to the war, , also a violin player and of the opinion that women should not be playing the violin…until he actually hears Alethea play. And even, Lord Dommick or “Bay” as his friends call him can see the depth of her talent. One element that adds to her playing is the unique and beautiful sound of her violin. It turns out that there is a mystery surrounding this violin as someone wants to steal it and works very hard to do so. As this puts Alethea and her family in harms way, Bay steps in to help protect her and a relationship starts to form.
There are many aspects to this story that I really enjoyed, obviously the conflict of the two main characters and the things they have to do to overcome to even begin a relationship. Bay is a man that is working so hard to hide secrets as he struggles with some post traumatic stress from his time in the war and fights to keep control in all situations. Because of times where he couldn’t, a former fiancé dubbed him the “Mad Baron” and he has been fighting that stigma and trying to do everything he could to right his family’s standing in society especially for his sister’s sake so that she would have a chance to marry well. Alethea on the other hand has all but given up caring what those around her think of her and only wants to escape to Italy where she can pursue her musical dreams. And so Bay ,who thinks he will never marry because of his secrets and Alethea .who has no idea of ever marrying and is only biding her time until she can leave for Italy , somewhow make an unlikely couple.
I thought this story was very well executed and had all the elements that I love in a good Regency novel plus a little bit more. In the Regency novels that I have enjoyed, it usually centers around a strong female character who is making the best of her situation which is usually not an optimal one for her based on the time frame and the fact that she is a woman. But through her strength of character, she is able to pull through. We definitely see that in the character of Alethea . Besides Alethea, Camille Elliot manages to give us other really interesting characters with some good depth to them, witty dialogue, and a lot of excitement and mystery surrounding the violin thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed how both characters seemed to really help and compliment each other just by being who they were. And so I would recommend this one to those “fans of all things Jane” like myself. It was a lovely read!
I was given a complimentary copy of this novel by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
5 stars
Absolutely loved. The characters were awesome and the plot was amazing. Looking forward to more.
I almost gave up on this book. But as I read I developed an affection for Alethea's character. She stayed true to herself and had the courage to defend herself. It's something that's admirable.
Lord Dommick is recovering from his time at war. He is suffering from what we now call PTSD. This is something that has brought shame to his family, and Dommick is working to restore the family name.
The mystery part of the story involves Alethea's violin. Someone is trying to steal it. Each attempt to secure the violin becomes more brazen. Alethea and Dommick, together with their family and friends, attempt to discover the clues to violin's origin and learn why someone would go to such lengths to steal it.
If you enjoy Christian fiction, and regency era stories, you may enjoy this book as well.
Lord Dommick is recovering from his time at war. He is suffering from what we now call PTSD. This is something that has brought shame to his family, and Dommick is working to restore the family name.
The mystery part of the story involves Alethea's violin. Someone is trying to steal it. Each attempt to secure the violin becomes more brazen. Alethea and Dommick, together with their family and friends, attempt to discover the clues to violin's origin and learn why someone would go to such lengths to steal it.
If you enjoy Christian fiction, and regency era stories, you may enjoy this book as well.
Honestly, the extra star is completely due to the magical music aspect of this book (more like a 3-star).
This whole book had a spectacular premise, but it seemed to fall a bit short at times. The characters felt a bit underdeveloped, but were still lovable and real.
I loved Alethea and Dominick, and would have loved more interaction between the two as well as more of a background (again, more development).
A fun, clean regency read!
This whole book had a spectacular premise, but it seemed to fall a bit short at times. The characters felt a bit underdeveloped, but were still lovable and real.
I loved Alethea and Dominick, and would have loved more interaction between the two as well as more of a background (again, more development).
A fun, clean regency read!
3.5stars
Very gentle, calm, and clean regency read. The last 25% or so had too much of the Christian theme for me but quality writing. If looking for a clean regency and don't mind preaching this would probably be a 5star read for you.
Very gentle, calm, and clean regency read. The last 25% or so had too much of the Christian theme for me but quality writing. If looking for a clean regency and don't mind preaching this would probably be a 5star read for you.
I enjoyed this first novel by Camille Elliot. This is a clean Christian romance set in Regency England. The story revolves around Althea, a young woman who is looked down on by society because she enjoys playing the violin. The violin is considered unfeminine. She is also very independent. She is 28 years old and doesn't plan to marry. When her cruel brother dies and her cousin inherits the estate, she is forced to stay with an aunt in Bath. Her violin which was a gift from a close friend who passed away becomes the source of mystery and intrigue when attempts are made to steal the violin. Althea must depend on a handsome old acquaintance to help her unravel the mystery.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved this Christian Regency story -- a strong heroine, a bit of a mystery, and music! I especially loved the music aspect of the story -- I never realized it was considered inappropriate for women to play the violin during this time period. Wonderful!
I so enjoyed this book! I can only hope the next book comes out soon.