Reviews
Author Lynne Connolly has another fabulous hit in her
latest historical romance, Vanessa with breath holding suspense and intrigue
permeating every page.
Ms. Connolly’s books just get better and better. While billed as
a historical romance of the regency period, Vanessa, is much much more.
Readers are taken inside the politics of the Congress in Vienna, the bid
to recapture Napoleon and will find themselves caught up in the intrigues
of the time. Betrayal by trusted friends works to tear apart loved ones.
The battle between loyalty to country and cause are well presented.
Vanessa is perhaps the strongest female character Ms. Connolly has written
yet.
Ms. Connolly offers a different perspective on a lead male character with
Christopher. He is the first to declare his feelings and his vulnerability
in his feelings for Vanessa is endearing. If such a man existed in real
life there would most definitely be a call to clone him.
Vanessa is another of Lynne Connolly’s do not miss novels. As with
Noblesse Oblige, fans of Regencies will love the book. For those either
not familiar with or fans of Regencies, while Vanessa takes place in that
time period, it is so much more. A highly suspenseful love story filled
with intrigue and a keeper for this reviewer.
Gina, © Love Romances
"In bedroom or political salon, Lynne Connolly includes
uncommon details of the period to great effect, forwarding her plot while
intensifying the reality of this world. All of the figures of the day
are here, from mad King George to Lord Castlereigh and the Duke of Wellington.
The people, events and customs Connolly writes of are all regular features
in Regency novels, yet she illuminates them in a singular way."
Reviewed by Cindy Harrison for Romantic Times magazine,
4 stars
"To get right to the point,
Vanessa is a beautifully written romance that brilliantly displays the
intricacies of courtship and love in the regency period... What's wonderful
about Vanessa are the characters. (Well, and the romance, of course!)
They're very well developed and bring a sense of reality to the story
- it's what one imagines English people to be during the Regency period."
Reviewed by Veronica for A Romance
Review 5 roses
"Ms. Connolly brings history
to life for her readers by telling the story through interesting, realistic
people at a pivotal moment. VANESSA includes romance, adventure, a rich
plot and excellent character development. I readily recommend it for readers
of both traditional Regency and longer historical romances."
Reviewed by Jane Bowers for Romance
Reviews Today
|
Excerpt from Vanessa
Slowly,
inexorably, he led her out the crowded Pump Room, away from the excitements
of the rich at play. She nodded to one of her erstwhile admirers, a Mr.
Taylor, on the way out, and remembered why she'd refused his flattering
offer of marriage last season. He wasn't an idiot, as she had described
him to George a moment ago, but any temptation to accept him had been
killed by her vivid imagination. The thought of his short, chubby figure
dressed in a nightshirt, holding a candelabrum by her bedside, his pale
blue pop-eyes gazing at her in lascivious delectation killed her acceptance
stone dead.
Vanessa stole a glance at Lord Vesey and tried to imagine
him in the same situation. She felt sure he wouldn't gloat, as she was
sure Mr. Taylor would have done, but he might stare at her in that deep,
thoughtful way of his. His tall, well-muscled figure was certainly more
attractive than Mr. Taylor's. She found it hard to go any further with
that thought when her breath caught in her throat. She hurriedly pushed
it away from her. She felt the strong muscles of his arm under the fine
cloth of his well-cut coat. She deliberately stopped herself thinking
about what was underneath. She was determined to do this, for George more
than for herself. If Vesey were going abroad and she were his wife, she'd
go too, and then she'd be closer to her brother. The only son of Mrs.
Marriott, George was the hope of the house, and besides that, she loved
him dearly.
Once out in the open, Lord Vesey led her away from the
crowds. They walked at a comfortable pace, and exchanged small talk until
they approached a pleasant house not far from the Pump Room, set in a
small side street; one of many in a long line of fashionable residences.
His lordship produced a key and they went in.
A footman, surprised to see his master home at this time
of day, stood up from his seat on one of the hard hall chairs. He took
Lord Vesey's coat, hat and gloves. Then he accepted Vanessa's hat, gloves,
and the thin shawl that was all she had in the way of protection against
the sharp wind coming in from the hills that day. Vanessa repressed an
urge to rub her hands against her chilled arms. She knew the goose pimples
stood up on them.
"Is the fire lit in the drawing room?" his lordship
asked, and Vanessa wondered if he'd noticed her discomfort. He hadn't
seemed to.
"Yes my lord, but Ecarte is in there."
Vanessa lifted an eyebrow in silent query.
"My chef," explained his lordship with a wry
grin. "He cooks divinely but his tantrums are devilish."
"The small front parlour is warm and empty, my lord,"
the footman said helpfully.
Lord Vesey gave his servant a small, courteous nod. "Thank
you."
He led Vanessa into the room at the front of the house.
It was quiet here. Vanessa heard the hooves of the occasional horse when
it passed by the house, and the crackle of the welcome fire, but nothing
else. The room was filled with the kind of furniture that at once proclaimed
it as a hired house, one of the many procured for a few weeks in the season
when Bath became fashionable, though Brighton had long since overtaken
it as the place to go. Good quality, not the best, and with no particular
style, no personal preference. Of course, his lordship might take no interest
in his surroundings, might be one of those men who never noticed, much
as her father had been, but for some reason she couldn't define, she doubted
it.
The silence fell heavier while she marshalled her words.
"My lord," she said suddenly, "Your offer -- the other
day --"
"I remember it," he said evenly. He stood a
few steps away from her and watched her steadily, no expression in his
dark eyes. He wasn't making this any easier.
Vanessa swallowed. "I have thought about it, and...
and if you please, I would like to accept." There, It was done! Not
the most elegant acceptance, she knew she'd rushed the last few words,
but she'd done it.
Unhurriedly he came forward, took her hand and kissed
it softly. She shivered, and wondered why, since physically she felt a
lot warmer, thanks to the fire.
"Thank you," he said. "You make me the
happiest of men."
Vanessa stared at him wonderingly. Did he know why she'd
changed her mind? Did he think she had more than an ordinary regard for
him? She didn't know. She knew she liked him; even his sternest mien was
a welcome change to some of the vacuous young men who'd approached her
in recent years. She knew she could stick to the bargain she made with
him. It was one of her reasons for choosing him. She also knew that if
he gave his word to her, he would keep it. His reputation was for straight
dealing, and if he promised something, it inevitably came to pass. He
didn't make too many promises.
He was going abroad, and so was her beloved George. Would
Vesey take her? She didn't yet know what kind of wife Vesey was looking
for; the complacent type who had babies and lived in the country, or a
partner for his diplomatic activities. She hoped for the latter, but either
would be better than what she had now.
Vanessa loved George so much, and the action she was about
to take both removed the financial burden from her brother's shoulders,
and gave Vanessa a valid excuse to follow him. If his lordship wanted
a diplomatic wife. Somewhere deep inside she felt it was wrong, to marry
a man for the financial security he brought to her, but this was the way
her society operated, and she only followed its dictates. If Society didn't
want her to do that, she thought savagely, they should have given women
more security of their own. She hated herself at that moment, and then
she studied Lord Vesey, and pushed her venal thoughts aside. Perhaps there
was something else. At least she liked him, although she didn't know him
very well.
"Can it be soon?" she said.
"As soon as you wish," he replied, and at last
moved to her, and drew her to him.
|
