Another author returns from the dark side.
http://www.julieannelong.com/
After a short absent to the dark side - contemporary romance - Julie Anne Long burst back
into the historical landscape with her new series, Palace of Rogues. The first book in the series is Lady Derring Takes a Lover. I believe, as with the Pennyroyal Green series, Ms. Long is well on her way to creating another absorbing series. I’m excited. I love the way she builds her worlds. This world seems to revolve around a brothel which has been converted to a boardinghouse. Probably some of the buildings close to the boardinghouse, and possibly the tavern beside it will also become part of this series. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series, which will be coming out in October of 2019. Antici-pation!I will admit when I began reading Lady Derring Takes a Lover I struggled for a few chapters, but I keep reading. Then a strange thing happened. I looked at the clock and discovered it was 3:00am and I was still reading. Loss of sleep made for a most interesting work day. But it was worth it, because somewhere along the way I became immersed in the story of Delilah, Tristan, Angelique, and the rest of the well-rounded characters. There was a lot going on in this story, and while it is categorized as a romance, it is the unique supporting characters who glue the book together.
We begin the book with the newly widowed Delilah Swanpoole, Countess of Derring. She has just found out that she has no money, no home, no furniture, and no food. Oh sure, she still has her maid, Dot, but that’s only because no one else wants Dot. Dot’s a bit of a klutz, but a loyal klutz. Anyway, Delilah is in the middle of berating her husband’s solicitor when another woman barges into the office. Turns out her husband also had a mistress, and the mistress has also been left without funds. Well, needless to say, Delilah is a bit flummoxed. She’s broke, she has a klutzy maid, and her husband had a mistress. But, let’s look at the bright side – there is an old derelict house along the waterfront of London which her husband won in a card game. That house is now alllll hers – free and clear. Even if it’s in a rather seedy section of London. She packs up Dot and heads out to inspect the place. They end up in a run-down tavern beside the shabby house. Guess who else is at the tavern drowning her sorrows? The mistress – Angelique Breedlove. What a day this has turned out to be for Delilah. Delilah approaches Angelique, sits down with her and starts asking questions.
After a few drinks, which give them some courage, Delilah, Angelique, and Dot trudge over and investigate the dusty, empty house. While the women shuffle through the dust, dirt, and spider webs, Delilah’s idealism takes over. A light bulb goes off! She has a brilliant idea! A boarding house for congenial travelers. While not completely sold on the idea to begin with, the other two women are soon drawn into the plan by Delilah’s enthusiasm. They form a partnership. This partnership eventually becomes a friendship. This friendship is one of the extraordinary bits of writing in this book. The chemistry between Delilah and Angelique is pretty amazing. It’s realistically drawn; they form a sisterhood. Yes, yes, a sisterhood! I can hear some of you groaning. But at no time does Ms. Long climb upon her soapbox and beat us over our heads about female friendship. The chemistry between Delilah and Angelique is all about true friendship/sisterhood. Do they have differences of opinion? Yes. Do they argue? Yes. Do they hurt each other? Yes. But they also support, respect, and are there for each other when the time comes. Ms. Long does a great job of writing Delilah's and Angelique's characters.
While Delilah is more idealistic, Angelique is more pragmatic. Delilah is the more innocent of the two. She names the boardinghouse The Grand Palace of the Thames. Unbeknownst to her, at one time the house was a brothel named Palace of the Rogues. But Delilah has dreams. She wants the house to be more than just a boardinghouse. She wants her paying guest to “experience an oasis of comfort and safety.” She dreams of her guests becoming a family of sorts, and associating with each other. Which is why she creates a number of rules and regulations that require they spend four nights together dining and sitting by the fireplace. Everyone must be in at 11pm, and there must be no hanky-panky. She and Angelique start to interview people who wish to stay at their boarding house, and soon they have quite a collection of unique individuals staying at the house.
Unique characters. Frances. Frances doesn’t actually live at the boarding house. She is the owner of the tavern next door. I might be wrong, but because of the way she’s written in this story, I suspect she will show up again in future books. Frances spends her time at her tavern reading. The paying boarders include the mysterious Mr. E, who we never see, but who rents the best suite. There is Mr. Delacorte, a loud, gaseous, medicinal herb salesman. He is also mighty proud of his most popular medicine - ground up horns and testicles. Also, a young Andrew Farrady who mistakes the house for a brothel and requests one of the old brothel’s outstanding positions - the “Vicar’s Hobby.” After Delilah and Angelique correct an embarrassed Mr. Farrady, he stammers out his dilemma. He has run away from home. His parents want him to marry his childhood friend Lucinda and he doesn’t want to. He eventually seeks refuge in The Grand Palace of the Thames. Later, in a very funny scene, Lucinda Bevin-Clark also shows up. She’s also running away. There is also the strange, shy Gardner sisters – Margaret and Jane. Margaret’s shy and eats a lot. Jane whispers. Helga the cook and Gordon the cat round up this group. Oh, don’t forget the hero, Captain Tristan Hardy.
Yes, there is a hero. He’s a detective/spy/undercover worker for the Prince. He and his lovesick sidekick, Lieutenant Massey, are searching for the murderous Blue Rock gang. One of the things the Blue Rock gang has done is smuggle cigars. They have also murdered a family in the process. Now Tristan has traced those cigars back to Delilah’s husband. Hardy is a ruthless, cold man. He always gets his man, no matter what. He doesn’t care who gets in his way or what their motivations are. Bottom line for Hardy – the law is the law, no matter what. He has quite a struggle with his beliefs when he starts to fall in love with Delilah. He knows that he is going to end up hurting her. It’s all quite angst-filled.
There is so much in this book. There is a surprise villain, which you may not see coming. There is great dialogue, witty banter, a hero trying to read past the page six of Robinson Crusoe, and some laugh out loud moments. But, it’s not all laughs. There are poignant moments, angst which is conquered moments, and all kinds of friendships formed. There are a hundred delightful little moments entwined among the big moments. There are two bruised women trying to make their own way in a male dominated the world. Oh yes, there is also an exceptional sensual, steamy first kiss – what a doozy.
Did I have any quibbles? Just a few. The beginning was rather dry and I struggled with it. But once the lodgers started to show up I was captivated by this story. There was also an occasional wrong word (editor must have missed) and a couple of times the author repeated herself. But, these didn’t distract me, or lessen my enjoyment of this story. This is a wonderful tale, and I’m hoping the rest of the series brings me as much joy as this one did. Lady Derring Takes a Lover was a real pleasure to read. I just might reread it again - soon. In case you didn’t guess, this is a recommendation.
Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality: Warm/Hot
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