Review: Absolutely Charming!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 13, 2012
This Regency short features a determined heroine who, after the deaths of her parents two years previously, is forced to live by her wits alone so that she can remain on the fringes of good society. Her hope is to meet a gentleman who will overlook her lack of dowry and love her for herself, yet she is compelled to keep on the move from one houseparty to the next in order to have a roof over her head, food in her stomach, and to keep the other guests from realizing she is so very poor and, thus, shun her altogether. After an unforseen yet humorous encounter with the inebriated young lordling, the enterprising you lady realizes that her hostess is willing to endow her with a parting gift and a method of travel to her next destination if she leaves without a fuss. A scheme is born to create a little disturbance at each houseparty hereafter, pawn the gifts received for moeny, and build a little nest egg over time. The scheme works extremely well until the lady encounters the young lordling from her past and a baron who is on to her schemes and bent on retribution.Ventre a Terre is a sweet tale told with warmth and humor. I was most appreciative of the inventive circumstances utilized by Ms. Sheridan in her writing and the wonderful characterization that produced such a spunky heroine. I will certainly be looking for more tales from this author because her writing shines and her cunning mind seems well able to create stories that add a little something that makes them fresh and exciting.