Love's Legacy by Natalie Kleinman

 

"To herself the young Miss Worthington had long acknowledged that marriage, that most traditional of all occupations for a young woman, would be the most expedient. Two things, though, stood as a bar to this being a resolution. Firstly, she had to find a man willing to marry her, other than the major, of course, and secondly she had no ambition to enter the state of matrimony without love".

This quote, very Austenesque in style, gives us a glimpse of a conundrum facing young Patience Worthington, the heroine of Love's Legacy by Natalie Kleinman. 

It's an enchanting love story, mixed with beautiful Regency settings, both in the countryside and in Bath, with wonderful characters.

Patience has just lost her father, a countryside reverend. She's left with no home and very little money.  "With the passing of Reverend Nicholas Worthington went also the last vestige of her security. At twenty-two years old Patience was alone, with only a small bequest from her father to support herself".

Upon her father's death, Patience finds a letter addressed to her, from her late mother who died several years earlier. This letter reveals some of the family secrets, and the hint to the big scandal, which made her family reject her.

On his deathbed, the Reverend asked his daughter to seek support at her estranged uncle's household. The two brothers had a falling out many years ago. In the letter the Reverend begs his older brother, the Viscount, to put aside their differences and take Patience into his household, the vast Worthington Place. As it happens, her uncle has died as well, and the current viscount is her cousin Gideon. 

On hearing of her plight, Gideon offers Patience to stay at one of his properties on the Worthington estate.

 Mary Petersham, her former governess, now a trusted companion, accompanies Patience. They are very fond of each other. Mary, more mature and sage than Patience, thinks this is the perfect place for them both. They are secure and well-provided, the little cottage is cosy and charming.

However, Patience (who doesn't quite live up to her name) is less tolerant of her current situation. Having discovered, that her late mother and the Viscountess have parted in hostile circumstances years ago, she doesn't feel comfortable, staying on sufferance from her relatives. "The son didn't want her. He was only doing what he saw as his duty. Her aunt refused even to meet her. No, the sooner she could contrive a way to leave, the better".

Sparks fly among them. Hester, the Viscountess, is still holding the old grudges, which puts Gideon in an awkward position. And Patience is a mulish headstrong and obstinate character.

She is too proud to accept Gideon's charity, and finds an opportunity to leave Worthington Place and stay with her mother's relatives in Bath. She is "determined to carve out a life for herself on her own terms".

While in Bath, Patience becomes an instant success among the local society. Gideon visits Bath often enough, for them to become friends. They seem to enjoy each other's company, and have a lot of things in common, yet the misunderstandings threaten their blossoming relationship. He is over-protective, and she is wilful. 

When their growing bond stretches to the point of splintering due to the dark secrets and the shadows of the past, will Patience and Gideon be able to let the bygones be bygones and open their hearts to each other?

Love's Legacy is a delightful Regency romance story, which will appeal to the fans of Jane Austen, Mary Balogh and Georgette Hayer. Vivid and evocative, Love's legacy is utterly enchanting, entertaining and romantic. 

My favourite character is Mary. She is a talented amateur artist who blossoms into the true professional. Art becomes more than her hobby. She doesn't need a man in her life to find her true self. She is loyal, caring, gentle and wise. The book celebrates female friendship and companionship. 

Life in the Regency Bath is evoked with an attentive eye for historical detail. The scenes at the Pump Room ("There is no better place to observe life than the Pump Room...") and observations of the Society will transport you back in time. The dynamics of the households will keep you captivated, while the romance is slowly building up, and is delicately drawn.

This is the third book by Natalie Kleinman that I've read, and it's my favourite yet.

You can see my previous reviews of Natalie's books here:

The Ghost of Glendale (review)

and The Ghost of Glendale (book excerpt)

When Only Pride Remains

This book review is part of the blog tour for Love's Legacy. Many thanks to Natalie Kleinman for my e-copy of the book!

About the Author:

Natalie's passion for reading became a compulsion when she attended a ten-week course in creative writing some sixteen or so years ago, She takes delight in creating short stories of which more than forty have been published, but it was her lifelong love of Regency romance that led her to turn from contemporary romantic fiction to try her hand at her favourite genre.

Raised on a diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, she is never happier than when immersed in an age of etiquette and manners, fashion and intrigue, all combined into a romping good tale.

She lives on the London/Kent border, close to the capital's plethora of museums and galleries which she uses for research as well as pleasure. A perfect day though is when she heads out of town to enjoy lunch by a pub on the river, any river, in company of her husband and friends.

Natalie is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, the Society of Authoors and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.

You can find out more about Natalie on Twitter @NatKleinman, Facebook/NatalieKleinmanAuthor and on her website nataliekleinman.com

Social Media Links –

 https://nataliekleinman.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NatalieKleinmanAuthor/

https://twitter.com/NatKleinman

https://www.instagram.com/nataliekleinman6279

The Ghost of Glendale by Natalie Kleinman #BlogTour

 

On a long winter night, what do you choose to read - an enchanting historical romance, or maybe a good old ghost story? What if both genres are combined in the same book? 

The Ghost of Glendale by Natalie Kleinman is a modern romantic take on the classic genre. This is a charming historical romance, with a paranormal twist.

Can Phoebe and Duncan bring peace to a tortured soul…?

Having never been in love, twenty-four-year-old Phoebe Marcham has no interest in marriage. Fiercely independent, she spends her days helping to manage Glendale, her ancestral home — a centuries-old estate full of long-buried secrets.

While out riding, Phoebe crosses paths with Duncan Armstrong, a charming wanderer who has just returned from the Continent. Finding that they share a penchant for mystery, Phoebe shares the biggest enigma that haunts Glendale: the tortured ghost of her ancestor, Simon Marcham, who took a secret sadness to his grave.

Convinced that Simon’s soul will never be at rest until they uncover his secret, Phoebe and Duncan set about unravelling the riddles that he left behind. As they delve deeper, a story of heartbreak and intrigue soon starts to emerge.

Faced with the darkness of the past, Phoebe is determined to make the most of the future. And as she and Duncan grow closer, she soon begins to wonder 

whether she has at last met her fate…

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Are you intrigued?

Now you have a chance to read an Excerpt from the book:

Phoebe gasped as she entered the gallery, for in spite of the intense heat outside it felt icy cold. She looked at Duncan and it was evident from his expression that he was experiencing the same sensation, one heavy dark brow raised in question.

“I have been here many times, but never before have I felt his presence so strongly,” said Phoebe.

“It would seem your ancestor is trying to tell us something.”

“You believe that?”

“There are many unexplained things in this world, and to dismiss them out of hand would be foolish. Come,” Duncan said, taking her hand, “let us walk the length of the room and see if anything happens.”

Phoebe chose to disregard the effect his touch had upon her and would indeed have been reluctant to withdraw her hand from his. The iciness dissipated a little but returned with full force as they came abreast of a statue said to be of Simon Marcham and his lost love. The couple were entwined in what was all too obviously a loving embrace. Phoebe found she was gripping Duncan’s hand rather tightly.

“Allow me to introduce you to my great-great … I know not how many greats … grandfather.”

“The family ghost?”

“The very same.”

“Perhaps now might be the time for you to tell me his story, but let us first adjourn to another room.”

Phoebe was happy to do so. She had never before felt uncomfortable with Simon’s ghost, but today’s experience had taken on a whole new dimension. Though she felt no fear, she was certainly shaken. And she didn’t think it right to talk about her ancestor in front of him. Whatever am I saying? she thought, but she realised that she had always been convinced there was some truth in the story she was about to relate to Duncan, blasé though she might seem to be.

She and Duncan were soon settled in her mother’s drawing room. It had an airiness about it, the mahogany doors a good deal lighter than the oak to be found in much of the rest of the house. The fretwork motif of the doors was replicated around four hand-painted panels that adorned the walls. It was an altogether feminine room, and even after all these years Phoebe could still feel her mother’s presence there. Her father could no longer bring himself to enter as it reminded him too acutely of his loss, but for Phoebe it was a sanctuary.

“There was no way Simon and his love would be allowed to marry,” she explained to her companion. “There was conflict between their families, and they were torn apart. It was Simon who found her lying under a tree in the home wood, or so the story goes. He was inconsolable and for many years became reclusive. Eventually, realising it was his duty to continue the family name, he married without love and produced an heir. Lucky he did, or I would not be standing before you today!” Phoebe smiled faintly, trying to lighten the tone. Duncan, though, was still looking serious.

“Poor man. No wonder it is so cold in there. His soul is not at rest.”

“And it is said it never will be until his secret is discovered.”

“What secret is that?”

“That’s the trouble. Nobody knows.”

“Then we must make it our business to find out, for he is in torment.”

Phoebe could only be amazed that this huge bulk of a man held so sensitive a spirit. Most would have ridiculed such a suggestion, and so she told him.

“I have handled many pieces of antiquity. Some are cold to the touch and some, even though carved from stone, have a warmth when one’s hand is laid upon them. I did not touch Simon’s statue today. I wanted first to hear his story. Forgive me for being presumptuous, but do you hold any records that might give us a clue?”

“There are a few accounts: people’s experiences of encountering Simon in the gallery, records of the date he withdrew from the world and again when he emerged from seclusion.”

“I would see them, if I may.”

Phoebe, recognising his genuine desire to help, told him she would fetch them immediately. It seemed that Phoebe’s mother, Emily, had also been intrigued by the tale and had insisted during her lifetime that she had several times encountered Simon’s ghost. She’d gathered what information she could, and it was now stored in a chest within a flat-fronted mahogany sideboard that stood beneath their ancestor’s portrait. Phoebe had just placed the chest on the table between them and was about to lift the lid when the sound of horses was heard through the open window. “Oh no, it is my aunt! Isn’t it just like her to come at this moment!”

About the Author:

Natalie's passion for reading became a compulsion when she attended a ten-week course in creative writing some sixteen or so years ago, She takes delight in creating short stories of which more than forty have been published, but it was her lifelong love of Regency romance that led her to turn from contemporary romantic fiction to try her hand at her favourite genre.

Raised on a diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, she is never happier than when immersed in an age of etiquette and manners, fashion and intrigue, all combined into a romping good tale.

She lives on the London/Kent border, close to the capital's plethora of museums and galleries which she uses for research as well as pleasure. A perfect day though is when she heads out of town to enjoy lunch by a pub on the river, any river, in company of her husband and friends.

Natalie is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, the Society of Authoors and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.

You can find out more about Natalie on Twitter @NatKleinman, Facebook/NatalieKleinmanAuthor and on her website nataliekleinman.com

When Only Pride Remains by Natalie Kleinman #BlogTour

 

"Only pride stopped her from breaking down. Pride and anger towards her closest friend. It seemed Jack didn't suspect her father's suicide... She would not burden Jack with the knowledge, she could not be so cruel, but neither could she forget he had been unwittingly instrumental in her father's death. This man who she looked up to as a brother, the man she had considered near perfect, had flaws after all".

When Only Pride Remains by Natalie Kleiman is an utterly charming Regency romance, so evocative of time and place.

When Major Angus Fairham returns home from the Napoleonic wars, his daughter Prudence is happy to have him back at Fairham Manor. Major has neglected his estate, spending more time away from home than at the manor. The estate needs means and organisational skills to reach its full potential. 

Captain Jack Staveley is a longtime friend to both Angus and his daughter. Having inherited a sizeable fortune from his grandfather, he is estranged from his father and older brother. Angus is a father figure to him.

Jack enjoys visiting the Fairhams, and is very fond of Prudence. They are good friends, and have few secrets from each other. 

Pru asks Jack to talk to her father about his gambling habits, which are a great concern, "you must know our circumstances almost as well as we do, that with my father's predilection for gaming, the funds available to use are irregular to say the least". Angus is addicted to gammbling, for him it's more than the game alone.

Jack promises to help to try to curb her father's tendency to play above his means. 

One evening, when both men have had too much to drink, Angus challenges Jack to a game of cards, staking his manor house, and loses everything. Jack is too inebriated to think straight, and promises himself to return the promissory note the next morning. Only the next morning the tragedy strikes. Angus takes his own life, thinking his daughter would go along far better without him.

Jack is not aware of how the Major died, and believes it was an accident. Pru doesn't disabuse his notions.

Pru's future is quite secure, as she has her late mother's legacy. However, her childhood home is lost on the turn of a card. Jack tries to restore the manor to Prudence, but her pride is in the way of accepting it back. She decides to stay with her aunt's family at Bath and distance herself from her old friend.

"At four and twenty years old she remained single, and her aunt had all but given up hope of a match for her". While enjoying her aunt's company and everything Bath has to offer, she also finds it lacking in stimulation and hopes to build her own future elsewhere, on her own terms. She wants to set up an establishment of her own

Jack accepts the fact that he's now the owner of the Fairham Manor. "A man of action, he had realised since that he needed a purpose in life if he was to find happiness. That purposes, he had decided, would be to restore Fairham to its former glory and in that way pay homage to the major. But would it be enough?" 

As time passes, Pru's anger subsides, and she begins to take interest in the restoration and re-organisation plans of the manor. Jack is building a small hospital on the grounds of the estate which will provide refuge for wounded and disabled soldiers. For some of them, their physical and mental pain will always be part of their lives, but rehabilitation is a possibility for many. 

The title of the book is very fitting, though it's not just about pride, but also about forgiveness. How do you forgive someone whose foolish actions have caused the death of your parent? 

Will Pru be able to put aside her pride and forgive Jack? Will the worthy cause re-unite the old friends and allow them to reveal their true feelings for each other?

When Only Pride Remains is an elegantly woven tale, that both entertains and educates. The plotline, dedicated to the rehabilitation of the soldiers who are left on their own to live with their physical and mental wounds is thoughtful and meaningful. And the love story provides a much-needed dose of escapism.

While reading more on the subject of rehabilitation of the soldiers in the Regency/Victorian times, I've come across a fascinating paper called Disability in time and place by Simon Jarrett. If you find this topic interesting, I recommend reading this paper.

This post is part of the blog tour for When Only Pride Remains.

Many thanks to Natalie Kleinman and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Link  - 

https://amzn.to/3w0s60Y

Author Bio

 

Natalie’s passion for reading became a compulsion to write when she attended a ten-week course in creative writing some sixteen or so years ago. She takes delight in creating short stories of which more than forty have been published, but it was her lifelong love of Regency romance that led her to turn from contemporary romantic fiction to try her hand at her favourite genre. 

Raised on a diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, she is never happier than when immersed in an age of etiquette and manners, fashion and intrigue, all combined into a romping good tale. She lives on the London/Kent border, close to the capital’s plethora of museums and galleries which she uses for research as well as pleasure. A perfect day though is when she heads out of town to enjoy lunch by a pub on the river, any river, in company with her husband and friends.

Natalie is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, the Society of Authors and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.

 

Social Media Links –

 https://nataliekleinman.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NatalieKleinmanAuthor/

https://twitter.com/NatKleinman

https://www.instagram.com/nataliekleinman6279

Jane Austen's Best Friend by Zoe Wheddon

 

"First and foremost, for many people it is non-negotiable that a best friend be dependable, reliable, always there when you need them and someone you can count on to never let you down (well, almost never). This sentiment comes closely coupled with a sense of loyalty to one another; a best friend will stand by you and have your back".

Janeites of the world, rejoice! There's a captivating new book, which gives us a fascinating glimpse into the world of Jane Austen. 

Jane Austen's Best Friend: The Life and Influence of Martha Lloyd by Zoe Wheddon is a charming, engrossing story told by a gifted author.

This is the story of Martha Lloyd, a close friend of Jane. "Other than Cassandra no one knew Jane Austen as well as Marta Lloyd. She was a companion to Jane, a confidante and a supporter. Martha knew Jane's secrets, including perhaps her greatest secret of all - her writing".

Their close friendship started in childhood, and continued for the rest of their lives. Discovering Martha's life and a special bond with Jane, helps us understand Austen's personality better.

Zoe Wheddon muses on what makes a friend a best friend. Looking for evidence in Jane and Martha's personal histories, letters, family documents and memorabilia, she uncovers a friendship "that was truly special and unique". According to the author, best of all about female BFF is they are soul sisters.

The book offers a unique insight into Jane and Martha's "shared interests, including the hits and misses of their romantic love lives, their passion for shopping and fashion, their connection to their community and the female biography of the period, their family histories, their lucky breaks, their epic fails and their girly chats".

The Regency romance is going through a renaissance stage at the moment. While Jane Austen's Best Friend is not a fictional account, it opens a window into the Austen's world. I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter Fashion Fun. Both Martha and Jane were very much concerened with all things fashion. They regulalry relied on each other for shopping, for swapping patterns and ideas, and even clothes.

"Jane had her finger on the fashion pulse and noticed even the slightest changes in trends... The winds of fashion change were foremost in her young mind". 

Getting dressed up and heading on out to a ball was one of the great joys which both friends shared. They planned their outfits in meticulous detail. Jane "really enjoyed dancing and Martha was so good at it that she was proud to be seen with her, knowing that she would keep her card of dances full for the entirety of the evening".

Their attachment to each other is shown as growing with each passing year. Each chapter covers a shared interest among the friends. There are little things that make the friendship even more special, like Martha preparing the ink for Jane's work.

Zoe Wheddon's enthusiasm for her subject is obvious. She is clearly very fond of both friends, and sometimes her style of writing is over-effusive. We all have different sense of humour, and what the author finds hilarious in Austen's teasing of her friend, I found slightly mean and ungenerous. 

Lovers of Jane Austen will relish this uplifting insight into her life, close circle and times, her works and society in which she lived. A delightful treat for all Austen fans!

Purchase Links 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Austens-Best-Friend-Influence/dp/1526763818/

https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Austens-Best-Friend-Influence/dp/1526763818/

https://www.waterstones.com/book/jane-austens-best-friend/zoe-wheddon/9781526763815

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Jane-Austens-Best-Friend-Hardback/p/18769

 

Author Bio – 'A native of Jane Austen's beloved county of Hampshire, Zoe Wheddon, lives in a village on the outskirts of the touwn that she and her husband Matt grew up in, with three grown up children and a cat called Leia.

 

She co-presents the popular podcast What Would Jane Do and writes articles and book reviews on matters relating to friendship, self-compassion and personal development on her blog. When not researching or writing her next book, Zoe can be found in the classroom teaching Spanish and French or singing ABBA songs loudly in her kitchen.'

 

Social Media Links –  Twitter: @ZoeWheddon

Facebook: Zoe Wheddon Author page.

Instagram: @Zoe_Wheddon

Website- www.zoewheddon.co.uk

This post is part of the blog tour.

Many thanks to Zoe Wheddon and Rachel's Random Resources for the PDF of the book!