SCANDALOUS ENDEAVORS
(Ladies and Scoundrels – Book One)
Author: Amanda Marie
Type of Book: eBook
Length: 136 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: December 12, 2014
Publisher: Three Worlds Press http://www.threeworldsproductionsllc.com
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
London 1842
Amelia’s mother died a few years prior to 1842 in a riding accident when she was thrown from her horse when it was spooked by a snake.
Recently her father fell ill and after a valiant fight, he succumbed to his illness, leaving Amelia an orphan at the age of 19.
“Amelia wondered if everyone watched and waited for her to shatter into a million pieces like delicate china. Maybe that is what people in her position did; perhaps something was amiss with her. If so, she could not help it. She simply felt numb, like she had disappeared into a hellish oblivion. Her world spun out of control, with nary a semblance of what it used to be. She had become completely lost and abandoned. The only thing she knew with certainty was that her life had changed forever.”
Uncle Lewis is Amelia’s Mama’s youngest brother and her only surviving relative. The problem is that Uncle Lewis is a successful plantation owner in America. “If only she were one-and-twenty. Then Amelia would have control over her own inheritance and be able to make her own decisions. As things stood now, Uncle Lewis had been appointed her guardian. Papa placed the estate and family fortune in trust until she either married or reached majority.”
Amelia’s Uncle Lewis insists on taking Amelia to America to live. This devastates her. She has no desire to leave her beloved London townhouse or her country estate. But the law states that she has no say in the matter.
Amelia decides that they only way to avoid being forced to spend the next two years in America is to find an English husband. She convinces her Uncle to give her four weeks to accomplish her goal and sets out to find a suitable marriage partner.
But, as they say, the best laid plans never come to fruition in the way a person expects. This certainly holds true for Amelia.
Amanda Marie has a descriptive writing style that makes this book a joy to read. For example: “She woke to bright sunshine pouring through her open drapes like lemonade from a pitcher.” This talent is also evident when she is describing people. Instead of saying that the maid had blue eyes, she refers to them as “…cornflower eyes.”
The author has obviously meticulously researched this book as it is full of historical tidbits such as the desire for young women to accentuate their tiny waists by wearing tight corsets. She mentions Amelia’s pride in her 19 inch waist. She also refers to a mirror as a “looking glass” and mentions the custom of covering mirrors with black cloth while in mourning and the custom of mourners to wear a “weeping veil.”
This book also highlights how much society has changed in the past 150 years. In 1842 women had very few rights. This is highlighted by the fact that Amelia has to do whatever her guardian says unless she marries or turns twenty-one. If Amelia were to marry, she would then be at the mercy of her husband’s whims.
I enjoyed this book and I came to like and respect the character of Amelia. She is not the typical whiny, helpless woman that most books set in this time period portray. Amelia is strong-willed, intelligent and determined.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amanda Marie lives along the Lake Huron shore line in northern Michigan with her husband and two kids. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts Degree with a concentration in literature and has a long standing love affair with sugary junk food.
Visit her on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/AuthorAmandaMariel
Visit her blog at https://musingsbymandy.wordpress.com/
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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