Today's historical fiction takes us to Victorian England and Bath. Published by Aria on September 10th, A Widow's Vow is the first in a new saga series by Rachel Brimble.
From grieving widow...
1851. After her merchant husband saved her from a life of
prostitution, Louisa Hill was briefly happy as a housewife in Bristol. But then
a constable arrives at her door. Her husband has been found hanged in a Bath
hotel room, a note and a key to a property in Bath the only things she has left
of him. And now the debt collectors will come calling.
To a new life as a madam.
Forced to leave everything she knows behind, Louisa finds
more painful betrayals waiting for her in the house in Bath. Left with no means
of income, Louisa knows she has nothing to turn to but her old way of life. But
this time, she'll do it on her own terms – by turning her home into a brothel
for upper class gentleman. And she's determined to spare the girls she saves
from the street the horrors she endured in the past.
Enlisting the help of Jacob Jackson, a quiet but feared
boxer, to watch over the house, Louisa is about to embark on a life she never
envisaged. Can she find the courage to forge this new path?
A Widow's Vow is the first in a gripping and gritty new
Victorian saga series from Rachel Brimble. You won't be able to put it down.
My Thoughts
Plunged into Victorian Bath, you get to see a section of society which is not often featured. An underclass of prostitutes and shady characters co-exist alongside the prosperous middle classes and at times, on the surface, are indistinguishable from the respectable citizens. This is the first in a trilogy and you are introduced to three women who are all surviving despite everything. A Widow's Vow centres on Louisa and Jacob who both have huge trust issues, following difficult childhoods.
Because of her past life, Louisa is determined to retain her independence and to set up a brothel which she will run in the interests of its staff. The three women, Louisa, Nancy and Octavia form a tight household, a surrogate family even and I am sure that future books will shed more light on their backgrounds. This is an enjoyable historical novel which has a strong sense of time and place and which poses some interesting questions about the place of women in society, their right to establish their own lives as individuals, rather than as goods 'owned' by men.
In short: Sharply drawn characters and a great sense of the period.
About the Author
Rachel lives with her husband and their two daughters in a
small town near Bath, England. She is the author of over 20 published novels
including the Pennington’s department store series (Aria Fiction) and the
Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin).
Her next project is a Victorian trilogy set in a Bath
brothel which she recently signed with Aria Fiction. The series will feature
three heroines determined to change their lives and those of other women. The
first book. A Widow’s Vow is due for release in September and available for
Amazon preorder now.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and
has thousands of social media followers all over the world.
To sign up for her newsletter (a guaranteed giveaway every
month!), click here.
Thanks to Rachel Brimble and Aria for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
Be sure to check out the rest of the tour!
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