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A review by plottrysts
An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler by Vanessa Riley
3.0
This sequel to A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby follows Jemina St. Maur, introduced as a woman who had been confined to Bedlam against her will after a shipwreck left her with amnesia. This book pairs her with Daniel Thackeray, the Black barrister who freed her (and many other women) from her confinement who is now newly elevated to Earl.
We found ourselves wanting to like the book more than we actually liked it. The story seems like it would be compelling, but the relationship is slow-moving and Daniel keeps several important facts from Jemina until almost the very end. Added to that, this novel continues the unusual narrative structure from the first entry in the series - Daniel's chapters are told in a 3rd person limited narration, while Jemina's are in the first person. Unfortunately we never connected with either protagonist, despite the interesting plot and diverse cast of characters.
We do appreciate the diversity that this series adds to the plethora of historical romance, with characters of color playing an important role, as well as the limitations they face when pursuing their chosen professions. It also highlights the subordinate role that women were forced to play; even independently wealthy widows (who, according to HR tropes, have the most freedom of women at the time) could be exploited by their late husbands' families. We only wish that these parts of the novel were matched with equally-interesting characters and plots.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
We found ourselves wanting to like the book more than we actually liked it. The story seems like it would be compelling, but the relationship is slow-moving and Daniel keeps several important facts from Jemina until almost the very end. Added to that, this novel continues the unusual narrative structure from the first entry in the series - Daniel's chapters are told in a 3rd person limited narration, while Jemina's are in the first person. Unfortunately we never connected with either protagonist, despite the interesting plot and diverse cast of characters.
We do appreciate the diversity that this series adds to the plethora of historical romance, with characters of color playing an important role, as well as the limitations they face when pursuing their chosen professions. It also highlights the subordinate role that women were forced to play; even independently wealthy widows (who, according to HR tropes, have the most freedom of women at the time) could be exploited by their late husbands' families. We only wish that these parts of the novel were matched with equally-interesting characters and plots.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.