Today's historical fiction takes us to Victorian England and Bath. Published by Aria, Trouble for the Leading Lady is the second in a new saga series by Rachel Brimble. You can read my review of the first in the series, A Widow's Vow, here
Bath, 1852.
As a girl, Nancy Bloom would go to Bath's Theatre Royal, sit
on the hard wooden benches and stare in awe at the actresses playing men as
much as the women dressed in finery. She longed to be a part of it all and when
a man promised her parents he could find a role for Nancy in the theatre, they
believed him.
His lie and betrayal led to her ruin.
Francis Carlyle is a theatre manager, an ambitious man
always looking for the next big thing to take the country by storm. A self-made
man, Francis has finally shed the skin of his painful past and is now rich,
successful and in need of a new female star. Never in a million years did he
think he'd find her standing on a table in one of Bath's bawdiest pubs.
Nancy vowed never to trust a man again. Francis will do
anything to make her his star. As they engage in a battle of wits and wills,
can either survive with their hearts intact?
The second in Rachel Brimble's thrilling new Victorian saga
series, Trouble for the Leading Lady will whisk you away to the riotous,
thriving underbelly of Victorian Bath.
My Thoughts
Although I am sure that this can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading its predecessor, to really get a handle on the relationship between Nancy, Louisa and Octavia and how they have come to be running a high- class brothel in Bath. Having said this, I did thoroughly enjoy visiting them again and finding out more about Nancy's past. Nancy and Francis are the focus of this book and both have vulnerabilities caused through their traumatic childhoods. They have tried to cover over the scars of what happened to them, but at different points in the story, they have to face up to how they feel. The face they present to the world is a cover for how they feel inside.
You certainly get a feel for Victorian Bath and the class system which existed. Francis is a self- made man and independence is important to all the characters. Inequalities in society and above all, the terrible conditions which were present in the Workhouse are shown. Most shocking is the blind eye turned by most people to the plight of its inmates who endured shocking conditions and who seemed to lack hope. This is an enjoyable read with plenty of historical details and some intriguing characters.
In short: Well written historical fiction
About the Author
Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the
author of over 20 published novels including the Shop Girl series (Aria
Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin).
In 2019 she signed a new three book contract with Aria Fiction
for a Victorian trilogy set in a Bath brothel. The first book, A Widow’s Vow
was released in September 2020 followed by book 2 Trouble For The Leading Lady
in March 2021 – it is expected that the final instalment will be released in
the Autumn 2021.
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
Be sure to check out the rest of the tour!
Thank you for such a lovely review! 😊
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