Review: An Untitled Lady
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 9, 2014
Regency era romance is a difficult genre for me to get into. I don't avoid it, but it isn't something I'm naturally drawn to. I mean no offense, but traditional story lines lean toward the fluffy end of the spectrum and personally, I like books I can sink my teeth into.So why did I take a chance on Nicky Penttila's An Untitled Lady? Well, to be honest I nearly passed on the book, but something in the jacket description caught my eye. There was an obvious romantic aspect, but the vague references to social conflict sparked genuine interest and I couldn't help wondering how Penttila would bring both elements together in a single narrative. Curiosity piqued, I dived in.Without getting into the plot, I loved how Penttila balanced the narrative by playing the weightier material off the lighter subject matter. The back and forth created nice contrast, but it also ensured the reader would never feel overwhelmed by content, something I appreciated as there is a lot of story within these pages.Penttila's cast was also very enjoyable. Universally dynamic, Penttila's characters are multilayered and fallible - they make mistakes, wrestle with indecision, feel love, pain, fear, pride and jealousy. It is pretty easy to discern the role each character plays in the greater story, but each feels authentically original and realistic.Long story short, I enjoyed this piece far more than I thought I would. A wonderfully unique narrative, An Untitled Lady is a perfect blend of complex emotional turmoil and convoluted political drama.