An awkward young woman. A haunted young man. A forbidden instrument. Can the love of music bring them together . . . or will it tear them apart? Bath, England---1810 At twenty-eight, Alethea Sutherton is past her prime for courtship; but social mores have never been her forté. She might be a lady, but she is first and foremost a musician. In Regency England, however, the violin is considered an inappropriate instrument for a lady. Ostracized by society for her passion, Alethea practices in secret and waits for her chance to flee to the Continent, where she can play without scandal. But when a thief’s interest in her violin endangers her and her family, Alethea is determined to discover the enigmatic origins of her instrument . . . with the help of the dark, brooding Lord Dommick. Scarred by war, Dommick finds solace only in playing his violin. He is persuaded to help Alethea, and discovers an entirely new yearning in his soul. Alethea finds her reluctant heart drawn to Dommick in the sweetest of duets . . . just as the thief’s desperation builds to a tragic crescendo . . .
MY REVIEW-Wow! Just wow! I delved into this book expecting a somewhat dry novel about music and women who aren't allowed to play, etc but I got soo much more! Camille Elliot(also known as Camy Tang) pens a beautiful novel that pulled me into the pages. I read this in two days but I had such a hard time putting it down for anything.
The main female character is Alethea. She has had a hard life and the men in it have been pretty much jerks. No respect for females and they expect the women to bow to their wishes. She is also one of the few women in this time period who plays the violin. Not respectable for ladies at all, but she has fallen in love with the music. Dommick Bayard is the hero. He is a troubled man who went to war and came back a changed person. But his reputation is now ruined since people call him mad.
I absolutely enjoyed the characters in this novel. Not only the main ones but the secondary people who thoroughly add realism to the book. The whole quartet is just really wonderful. The author shows how straight-minded and narrow thinking people were back then. The gossip of the females who think if someone is different than they are not normal.
There is also a good deal of mystery surrounding the violin that Alethea plays. I went back and forth on who I thought the bad guy was but it is kept a secret quite well. Played out very well. I like how Camille paints pictures. The thrilling music played, the emotions, etc. I am just hoping that we get more in this series, maybe about Raven and Ian?? Loved it!!
**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**
1 comment:
Thanks for your honest review! It sounds like a great book! It's interesting to read about the treatment of women in times past. So unbelievable! I also love realistic characters. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
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