Book Review: Yvonne Goes to York by M.C. Beaton

How do you decide which books to add to your TBR pile? Is it the name of the author, the subject, the title or the cover?

I added this Regency romance to my pile not because of the author, though I have read and enjoyed other Regency romances by M.C. Beaton/Marion Chesney; nor was it the cover that swayed me; nor  the title – well, not all of it anyway. I’ll let you work it out.

Perhaps if your name is Emily (Goes to Exeter), Belinda (Goes to Bath),  Beatrice (Goes to Brighton), Deborah (Goes to Dover), or Penelope (Goes to Portsmouth) you may be tempted to pick up one of the other romances in The Travelling Matchmaker series.

The six books in the series were re-released a few years ago with new cover art, which reflects the whimsical nature of these stories.

From the back cover:

No coach journey is ever dull with Miss Hannah Pym on board, and this one proves to be no exception. Miss Pym meets the young and beautiful Miss Yvonne Grenier, who is fleeing the Terror in France.

Yvonne becomes frightened when a dangerous enemy also boards the stage to York, but luckily Miss Pym is on hand to propose a plan which will save Yvonne – and throw her into the arms of the wealthy and unattached Marquis of Ware!

This is an entertaining Regency romance with a delightful cast of characters: a dashing hero, a loyal servant, French spies, a damsel or two in distress, match-making mothers and a host of others.

Even though the outcome is predictable, the narrative rattles on at such a fast pace that it doesn’t matter. This is a light-hearted, quick read perfect for those times when a more serious novel  holds no appeal.

2014 Australian Women Writers Challenge

I regret that I have only recently found this challenge, but what a wonderful way to promote Australian women writers.

The challenge runs from January 1st to December 31st, 2014, so there is still plenty of time to read and review books.

There are four levels of participation and, as I've come to the challenge with only four months to go,  my goal is  STELLA: read 4 – review at least 3. With so many great authors to choose from, the hardest part of the challenge will be deciding which four.

I should also mention that you don't have to read and review, you can read only. More information about the challenge and how to sign up can be found here.
 

Book Review: The Fort by Bernard Cornwell

Synopsis

While the major fighting of the war moves to the south in the summer of 1779, a British force of fewer than a thousand Scottish infantry, backed by three sloops-of-war, sails to the desolate and fog-bound coast of New England. Establishing a garrison and naval base at Penobscot Bay, in the eastern province of Massachusetts that would become Maine, the Scots, the only British troops between Canada and New York, harry rebel privateers and give shelter to American loyalists.

In response, Massachusetts sends a fleet of more than forty vessels and some one thousand infantrymen to captivate, kill or destroy the foreign invaders. Second in command is Peleg Wadsworth, a veteran of the battles at Lexington and Long Island, once aide to General Washington, and a man who sees clearly what must be done to expel the invaders.

But ineptitude and irresolution lead to a mortifying defeat and have stunning repercussions for two men on opposite sides: an untested eighteen-year-old Scottish lieutenant named John Moore, who will begin an illustrious military career; and a Boston silversmith and patriot named Paul Revere, who will face court-martial for disobedience and cowardice.

Grounded firmly in history, inimitably told in Cornwell's thrilling narrative style, The Fort is the extraordinary novel of this fascinating clash between a superpower and a nation in the making.

My Thoughts

My introduction to the writing of Bernard Cornwell was through his very successful  Sharpe series of  novels and so I expected The Fort to be a good read.

Set during the American Revolutionary Wars, The Fort is based on the true story of the 1779 Penobscot Expedition. This expedition was organised to oust the British Army from Fort George, on the Majabigwaduce Peninsula, Penobscott Bay, in present day Maine, and to prevent the establishment of a British colony there.

The expedition was under the command of Commodore Dudley Saltonstall, Adjutant General Peleg Wadsworth, Brigadier General Solomon Lovell and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Revere.  Bernard Cornwell’s research revealed that Saltonstall and Lovell, the naval and land force commanders respectively, continually disagreed; Revere was a law unto himself and Wadsworth, the only one of the four to emerge from this disaster with his reputation intact.

The British were greatly out numbered, but the reluctance of Commodore Saltonstall to commit his ships to taking the harbour, gave the British time to strengthen the defences of the fort and send for aid. Time and again, an opportunity for the Americans to launch a successful land attack was thwarted by disagreement. Eventually British reinforcements arrived forcing a retreat up the Penobscott River.

Peleg Wadsworth was certainly the hero of the expedition and of this novel. The opening chapter, with its heart-warming images of Peleg Wadsworth practising army drills with the help of his children, endeared the man to me. Throughout the novel he is the calming influence on those around him and unlike the other commanders does not engage in petty rivalries.  Wadsworth took charge of organising the retreat up the Penobscott River, ensuring that as many men as possible got away in the ensuing chaos.

Paul Revere did not fare well in this narration and I was surprised that he was not quite the hero I imagined him to be.  Bernard Cornwell himself pointed out that most of us are familiar with the Paul Revere from the poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a descendent of Peleg Wadsworth. In The Fort he is depicted as  incompetent and a coward.

General Francis McLean was in command of the British and one of his subalterns was none other than John Moore, later to become Sir John Moore, hero of the Peninsular Wars, who lost his life at the Battle of Corunna, Spain, in 1809

The ending is ironic in that Saltonstall’s obsession with keeping his ships safe resulted in most of the American fleet  being destroyed: the ships were either captured by the Royal Navy or burned by the Americans themselves as they retreated up the Penobscott River.

The Fort is another fine historical novel by Bernard Cornwell. Readers interested in this era will certainly enjoy it and those after a good adventure story will also find satisfaction here.

Searching for a Good Read?

If you’re searching for something to read, visit the Historical Writers’ Association web site http://www.thehwa.co.uk/

They have a timeline which allows you to browse books by period from the Ancient World through to the 20th century. If you click on the Members tab a list of authors is revealed with links to their biographies and websites.

I pleasantly whiled away a Saturday afternoon here and as a result added more books to my reading wish list.

The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton by Elizabeth Speller Book Review

I was disappointed with this novel. The first part was slow and I kept asking myself when will the mystery of Kitty Easton’s disappearance begin. I persevered to the end, but did not find this novel as engaging as Speller’s previous one <i>The Return of Captain John Emmett</i>.

I was certainly looking forward to meeting Laurence Bartram again, but I didn’t warm to the other characters and by the end of the novel I had lost interest in what had befallen Kitty Easton.

Book Review: Keane's Company by Iain Gale

This novel is the first in a new series featuring Captain James Keane, Exploring Officer. It is set in Spain and Portugal during the Peninsular Wars.

Expecting to be cashiered for disobeying Wellington’s orders and fighting a duel in which a fellow officer is killed, Lieutenant Keane finds himself raised to the rank of Captain and commanded to put together a band of men with the necessary skills for intelligence gathering. Keane recruits his men from amongst the regiments and from military gaols, and endeavours to form this disparate group into an elite company.

Keane is a liar, womanizer and card cheat, but a good soldier, and lucky. Under his leadership his company is able to infiltrate Spanish and Portuguese guerrilla groups, play an important role in the battle for Oporto and recover French silver with ease.

Not only does Keane have to defend himself against the enemy, but also the enmity of Captain John Blackwood, the best friend of the officer he killed and  brother of Kitty Blackwood, the woman he has set his heart on.

Good descriptions of the battle scenes and enough action to keep the reader’s interest even if Keane’s ability to win the day is too good to be true. Captain Keane’s adventures continue in KEANE’S CHALLENGE.

An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer

This is my old copy of this book. It cost me 90 cents back in 1968/69 and, if I remember correctly, was purchased from our local newsagent. Many of my Georgette Heyer novels were purchased there on a Saturday or after school  and I can remember my excitement when a new novel appeared on the shelves or my great disappointment  when I came away empty handed.

 An interesting snippet about this book is that it was on a suggested reading list for Sandhurst Military Academy due to Georgette Heyer’s brilliant description of the Battle of Waterloo. I wonder how many officer cadets read it?

My reason for mentioning this novel is that I want to add a new copy to my bookshelf because I’m taken with its cover. 

Yes, I'm going to re-read it in the near future

Book Review: Softly Grow the Poppies by Audrey Howard

Fans of Audrey Howard, of which I’m one, will find this an excellent read. Set during World War I, it is the story of two brothers, their call to duty and the women they love.

SOFTLY GROW THE POPPIES touches on many aspects of life at this time. Men eagerly donning uniforms and thinking war is an adventure.  Soldiers on leave reluctantly returning to the war front knowing what awaits them. Women taking up the cause as ambulance drivers and nurses. On the home front, old men, boys and women left to carry on and support the war effort as best they can and finally, the plight of the returned soldier and the Spanish Flu pandemic.

Against this grim backdrop, love blossoms, is lost and found, and ultimately triumphs. As in all true love stories, there are misunderstandings, doubts and regrets. 

Alice Weatherly, an only child and heiress, disobeys her domineering father and goes to the railway station to say good-bye to her sweetheart, Charlie Summers. Charlie, a cavalry captain and younger son of a baronet, is about to embark for the war in France. Accompanying Alice is the independently wealthy and unconventional Rose Beechworth, whose property adjoins the Summers and Weatherly estates. Also at the station to bid his brother farewell is Harry Summers, the heir to Summer Place. 

Rose and Harry deny their attraction to each other at first. Harry must set his affairs in order before he, too, departs for France. Love is not a priority. Alice's and Charlie’s romance is all the more sweeter being a forbidden love.

When Charlie is posted as missing, feared dead, Alice becomes an ambulance driver and goes to France in search of him. She returns from France a changed person and when Charlie, suffering from memory loss, is eventually found and returned to Summer Place, their relationship also changes.

The graphic description of the carnage on the battlefield contrasts with the idyllic country scenes of two great houses and the lives of the people attached to them. Conversion of Summer Place, one of the houses, into a hospital brings the war to their doorstep and they see for themselves the tragic consequences – death, horrendous injuries and men broken in both mind and spirit. 

Although abrupt, the ending puts everything into place neatly. The villain is exposed, a family is re-united and the future looks bright. A true Audrey Howard ending.

More Adventures in Redcoats

Surfing the internet has once again uncovered two more authors writing in the historical military fiction genre, IAIN GALE and ADRIAN GOLDSWORTHY
 

"FOUR DAYS IN JUNE" was the debut novel by Iain Gale released in 2006.  It covers the four days of the Battle of Waterloo from the view points of five  military figures, Wellington, Napoleon, Marshal Ney, General De Lancey, Colonel MacDonnell and General Ziethen, a Prussian officer.

This novel was followed by the adventures of Jack Steel set during the Spanish Wars of Succession. There are three books in the series so far.

 

His latest novel is KEANE'S COMPANY released this year and is set during the Peninsular Wars (1808).  James Keane, an officer in the 27th Foot, and his band of hand-picked men, are sent on an intelligence gathering mission behind enemy lines.

Iain Gale also writes military fiction set during World War II and has written a number of non-fiction books on a variety of subjects.

"TRUE SOLDIER GENTLEMAN" is the first in a series of novels by Adrian Goldsworthy set during the Napoleonic Wars. Four books, out of a possible twelve, are currently available. The titles are all taken from songs popular at the time and another little gem, especially for fans of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Wickham is amongst the officers of the 106th Regiment of Foot.

 

Adrian Goldsworthy is also an ancient historian who has written several non-fiction books about the Roman Empire.

Book Review: The Dashing Captain Daniel Rawson

Captain Daniel Rawson is the main character in a series of novels by Edward Marston set during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701 to 1714). 

The Battle of Blenheim and the Duke of Marlborough’s residence, Blenheim Palace, I knew of, but I was unfamiliar with other events in this war in Europe, during the reign of Queen Anne.

I have just finished reading the first three of the five available: “SOLDIER OF FORTUNE”, “DRUMS OF WAR” and “FIRE AND SWORD”. These three novels cover the  war years to 1708 and the Battle of Oudenarde.

Edward Marston, while telling a good tale, provides background and reasons for this war through the opinions of his characters. The battle scenes are descriptive and the story moves forward at all times and is never bogged down in the detail.

Captain Daniel Rawson is all that a hero should be – clever, loyal, courageous, handsome and a favourite of the ladies. His exploits as an intelligence gatherer behind enemy lines are daring and his plans ingenious. 

Humour is provided by the dour Sergeant Henry Wellbeck and the unusual relationship he shares with the Captain.  Wellbeck seems to hate everyone and everything, especially army life. His gruff exterior, however, does not hide the camaraderie and respect he has for Daniel Rawson.

I’m looking forward to more of the Captain’s adventures in the next two novels in the series “UNDER SIEGE” and “A VERY MURDERING BATTLE”.

Matthew Hawkwood - A Regency James Bond

James McGee writes crime novels set in Regency London during the Napoleonic Wars  featuring Matthew Hawkwood, an ex-soldier, who is now a Bow Street Runner and described as "a Regency James Bond".

The series commences with “RATCATCHER”, also released under the title “HAWKWOOD”, followed by “RESURRECTIONIST”, “RAPSCALLION” and “REBELLION’. 

 “THE BLOODING”, which takes Hawkwood to America, is due for release in 2014.

Another series for my reading wish list …..

Book Review: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

"THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN" has all the right elements to be a good read  - a lost child, a devastating revelation, an unsuitable marriage, an old manor, a sinister uncle, a wicked aunt, a sick cousin, a poor orphan, an abandoned cottage, a walled garden. And it was. Once we got into the story proper -  what lead up to the events of 1913.

I did have difficulty with some aspects of the story:

I was angry at Nell's adopted father for revealing where Nell had come from at her party and thought this was very cruel, especially when his wife was against it. He caused Nell's estrangement from her family, an outcome he hadn't foreseen, as he was only interested in salving his guilty conscience. 

Nell's reaction of keeping "her family" at arms' length was understandable, but the  treatment of her daughter was not. In similar circumstances wouldn't you make an effort to ensure your child felt wanted?

I did not find Nell or Leslie endearing. Cassandra fared a little better. Too much time was spent developing their relationship at the start, but once we set off on the trail of Eliza Makepeace the story gained momentum.

Frances Hodgson Burnett's presence at  Rose's party distracted me as I began to make comparisons between "The Secret Garden" and "The Forgotten Garden". Totally different stories, I know, but it did have that effect.

Finally, why did Eliza and Nathaniel agree to the plan devised by Rose's mother so readily?   I think a little more inner turmoil would have been warranted. Sorry, you'll have to read the novel to find out what that plan was.

Despite these minor hurdles, I was eager to discover what had prevented "the Authoress" returning to the ship and did enjoy this story. I will certainly read more of Kate Morton's novels.