Barbara Metzger (1944–2023)

Considering fox hunting to be inhumane Jacelyn Trevaine managed to interfere at every hunt and Squire George Bottwick couldn’t take it anymore. When Jacey wasn’t repentant enough after her latest effort the Squire jailed her dog, Penelope, for being a public nuisance. Jacey was outraged and with the squire throwing the gauntlet Jacey planned to get the upper hand. She knew the Squire’s nephew, Lord Arthur Ponsonby, was arriving at the estate that evening, so she planned to take him show more hostage and demand her dog be released as the ransom. Wearing a groom’s outgrown clothes, she waylaid a man and horse on the road and her plan was on track. Then everything went wrong. Or was it right?

Once again Ms. Metzger had me excitedly turning the pages. With well-developed characters and a delicious plot filled with humor I didn’t want to put the story down until it had reached its conclusion. Barbara Metzger’s books are a guilty pleasure I so look forward to reading.

*Book source ~ Many thanks to Untreed Reads for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page on my blog. show less

Cristabel Swann is a well-bred, but penniless orphan teaching music at Miss Meadows school for young ladies when she receives a letter informing her that her uncle and only remaining relative has died leaving behind an estate. When the black-hearted bitch, I mean, Headmistress says that Cristabel can’t possibly be spared to go to London, she resigns her position, packs up her meager possessions and takes off into the great unknown. Except, when she arrives at her uncle’s town home, she show more finds a strange man in residence and her life takes a completely different turn than the one she expected.

Smooth-flowing, great plot, well-rounded characters and often funny. I had a wonderful time reading about Cristabel and her new job. The lengths people went to keep her in the dark made for great entertainment. As for the Captain, I liked him very much. I especially enjoyed the way he ran his new house like he was still the Captain of a ship. LOL

This was certainly not a boring book. I can’t wait to read more by Barbara Metzger.

*The publisher provided a copy of this book to me for review. Please see disclaimer page on my blog. show less

Generally I am not drawn to paranormal or time travel romances. I have recently discovered Barbara Metzger, however, so I read the first couple of pages of this unusual book while standing in the stacks at my library. I was hooked.

Our hero begins the story as "Ar," a grim reaper who has resided for 500 years in a place resembling Purgatory. He has plotted and planned for a chance to become human again for several hundred years. His chance finally comes when he wagers with satan and wins six show more months as a man. If he finds a particular hourglass (highly unlikely) he may be able to remain in human form, otherwise he will move to hell. Ar is willing to risk all for his dream. He is determined to fill his short time on earth doing good works in order to atone for his past sins.

His sojourn begins in the aftermath of Waterloo where he meets Genie, a desperate, fragile, pregnant, newly-widowed woman. From the start they are partners in good works, led by Ar, now Ardsley. We get to watch as he moves from chivalous knight of the Crusades with supernatural powers to a man capable of love and commitment in 1815. At the same time, Genie grows from a woman who has never known sincere love and has learned to distrust everyone to a warm woman able to accept and give love and trust.

This unusual book sparkles with flashes of humor, and the dance that Genie and Ardsley do as they embrace not only their partnership in making their world a better place for others, but in finding their home in each other's hearts. show less

4/19 - 4/20

Pretty dull (Metzger is always character-driven and more interested in delicate flirtation than rambunctious sexytimes -- unlikely traits for a romance novelist) -- but oh so charming.

And she is always on the side of the downtrodden -- women, prostitutes, the poor. In one scene the hero is entreated to help the whores out of a shitty situation (at best, a nasty bit of coercion -- maybe outright sex-slavery). Give them gold if you like, but a better solution is to change the things show more that make them powerless! put yourself in between the wolves and the lambs! change the laws! change your friends!

Fuck, yeah! Social change! And the "change your friends" part -- well, it just touches my little black heart to see open reminder that you -- we -- us -- and the people we care about -- we are contributing to the problems. We are the problems.

Like that joke about the angry commuter, railing at heavy traffic from the driver's seat: YOU ARE THE TRAFFIC.

And god is revealed to be a woman (or genderless) in a throwaway line.
Adorable. show less