Title:
The Beggarmaid
Author:
Lesley-Anne McLeod
Published By:
Awe-Struck
Ebooks
ISBN:
1-58749-420-5
Release Date:
Coming Soon
Format:
Electronic
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Iphigenia Brierley, Genia to her friends, is at her wits end and down on her luck. Having no choice but to earn a living she has started designing her own clothes and making a spectacle of herself in the town. As a young maiden in poverty, she knew when to face the town with an upper chin or run as a coward. Unlike the other young misses she is facing everybody, with her work and getting by each day with what little dignity she has left. Her father, mostly intoxicated with high spirits has let her fend for herself and let everybody go because of his debts. Losing her mother at a young age, made Genia miss her come out and her opportunity to catch a husband. This time around it seems the man is trying to catch her. Though the mysterious man fancies her, she must deny whatever love there can be, because of the reputation she has come by.
The Marquis of Wessington, or Dominic as his sister calls him, is smitten. Truth be known, he is entranced by the young woman who not only has befriended his sister, but also sparked his attention, after months abroad. Looking at her you can see a woman of the town, but in his eyes, she is something more than another girl on her debut. Though she has not had one, Wessington tries to catch her attention, but is afraid of the feelings she might reciprocate to him. After having his heart broken twice, it is not something he wants to go through again, and deep down he knows Genia could do that to his heart. She brings a light into his dark world, where only his sister is his focus and nothing else. Though they both get along, they deny their feelings and stay together for the sister's sake. The question is, do their hearts love one another because of their efforts to make the sister's melancholy mood disappear or because the heart knows when there is real love that will be treasured forever. Will they be able to stand one another to see whether love can grow?
Ms. McLeod's latest historical romance in truth is what you would call a couple's denial of love. Genia denies having any deep emotions towards Wessington but can't fight the attraction there is between them. Wessington is afraid to love again after having his heart broken. These two have so much to get through that it boggles this reviewer's mind how Ms. McLeod was able to create a story so precise and stay in the same baseline as the real story. Genia is afraid that because she is not one of the young chits and because she's without a dowry that she might be leading Wessington to a love that is not there. Together, with the help of Lady Dora, Wessington's sister, they find out that it is not how a person acts, looks, or how much money they have but what's inside their personality that brings love into their lives. Together they must reach down inside themselves to find that emotion that seemed lost to them. The only thing that disappointed this reviewer was that it dragged on about the London scene, and did not focus that much on their romance. A great book to read for its precise scenes and descriptive interactions, but most of all, the way the author has brought two adamant people to learn about love.
Reviewed by: Melinda
