Having enjoyed Jane Dunn's debut historical fiction, The Marriage Season, I am delighted to feature An Unsuitable Heiress which was published by Boldwood Books on May 22nd.
Do you realise, Corinna, just how hard it is for a young
woman of irregular birth, without family, fortune or friends in the world?
Marriage is the only way to get any chance of a life.’
Following the death of her mother, Corinna Ormesby has lived
a quiet life in the countryside with her cantankerous Cousin Agnes. Her
father's identity has been a tantalising mystery, but now at nineteen Corinna
knows that finding him may be her only way to avoid marriage to the odious Mr
Beech.
Deciding to head to London, Corinna dons a male disguise.
Travelling alone as a young woman risks scandal and danger, but when,
masquerading as a youth, she is befriended by three dashing blades, handsome
and capable Alick Wolfe, dandy Ferdinand Shilton and the incorrigible Lord
Purfoy, Corinna now has access to the male-only world of Regency England. And
when she meets Alick's turbulent brother Darius, a betrayal of trust leads to
deadly combat which only one of the brothers may survive.
From gambling in gentleman’s clubs to meeting the courtesans
of Covent Garden, Corinna’s country naivety soon falls away. But when she finds
her father at last, learns the truth about her parentage and discovers her
fortunes transformed, she must quickly decide how to reveal her true identity,
while hoping that one young man in particular can see her for the beauty and
Lady she really is.
My Thoughts
How lovely to be back in the Regency period for another historical romance by Jane Dunn. In 1815, The Battle of Waterloo has concluded and the effects of the war have had a profound impact on many families. Others have benefitted from it, such as Darius, who steps up to become the legitimate heir of Lord Ramsbury. A complete contrast to his younger brother, Alick, his pride and vanity make him fairly unlikeable. Parallel to the lives of the Regency aristocrats, we also have a story based around Corinna Ormesby who proves herself to be ingenious, independent and determined. As the lives of these characters collide, you get to see how life was for the upper classes and in particular, the men.
The plight of women is shown in stark relief to the freedoms which the men enjoy. In order to solve a mystery around her parentage, Corinna sets out to leave the path to an unhappy marriage which has been set for her and to travel incognito as a male. She risks her reputation and future marriage prospects to do so. This is a pacy romance with some entertaining characters and equally entertaining animals! I enjoyed seeing how Corinna set out to follow her ambitions and yet always kept her kind heart and generous spirit intact.
In short: Friendships are forged in Regency London
About the Author
Jane Dunn is an historian and biographer and the author of
seven acclaimed biographies, including Daphne du Maurier and her Sisters and
the Sunday Times and NYT bestseller, Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals,
Queens. She comes to Boldwood with her first fiction outing – a trilogy of
novels set in the Regency period, the first of which is to be published in January 2023. She lives
in Berkshire with her husband, the linguist Nicholas Ostler.
You can follow Jane here: Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub
Book links
Thanks to Jane Dunn, Boldwood Books and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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