Review: One for Austen, Heyer and Downton Abbey Fans
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 6, 2013
First of all--ignore the cover! It does not serve the story well.Really well-written and edited, this short fiction/novella tells the story of a country lass and her debauched, somewhat cynical London cousin and their falling in love. At the start, they are unimpressed with each with the other. Theresa is an independent-minded young woman who has turned her intellectual efforts to estate management rather than preening and flirting with the men. Consequentially, she lacks the social graces of her peers. Conversely, Damian has spent his young adulthood on completely frivolous activities like drinking, gambling and having a good time at social events.Unfortunately for them, it would suit Theresa's dying father, and practical inheritance matters, if the two would marry. (Think Matthew and Mary in Downton Abbey, but set during the Regency period.) While they find each other physically attractive, their personal values and outlooks on life create a huge divide between the young couple. The story takes us from the divide to the union. Ellis does a good job, in this short format, of convincing us that Theresa and Damian's love relationship is natural and inevitable. Highly recommended.