Vanessa Riley

Elegant writing, witty interaction, strong lead characters who've endured much!

Wow! I just loved this Regency romance! Sterling storyline, with mysterious and humorous twists. Scenes with Busick Strathmore, the Duke of Repington relating with baby Lionel were a joy with real endearing moments. In fact, for me, those scenes almost stole the show.
Widowed West Indian heiress Patience Jordan's ducal husband has committed suicide, her newborn son Lionel has been whisked away by her husband's show more guardian, the odious Markham, and Markham had Patience committed to Bedlam. With the help of a secret organization, The Widow's Grace, Patience escapes. The Widow's Grace is a 'secret society of avengers, women of all sizes, all shape,' looking to help mistreated women.
We first meet Patience when she's disguised herself as a footman and stolen back into Hamlin Hall just to see her darling baby boy. Unfortunately, at that very moment Busick Strathmore, her husband's cousin, the Duke of Repington, and Lionel's real guardian arrives at the Hall. Patience has to think quickly, and not loose her nerve to survive this moment without exposure. Patience and Busick's first meeting is so farcical as to be heartily funny. I loved it. This was my other 'almost stole the show' moment.
A bit of trickery played by Lady Shrewsbury, leader of the Widow's Grace, and Patience is inserted back into the Hall as the wet nurse and nanny for Lionel.
Busick is wonderful. He brings his own troopers, mostly injured and disabled men from Napoleonic battles, to assist him in keeping Lionel and the property safe. He falls in love with young Lionel and plans the baby's regime with military finesse, expecting baby and the nanny/wet nurse to fall in line. That's his second mistake! So? The next might just be his growing attachment to the nanny!
Bubbling underneath the storyline are issues relating to this historical period. Through the medium of story Riley is 'showcasing a sliver of the diversity of the Regency, the treatment of the disabled, and the power structure afforded women.' The Widow's Grace society shines a light on these issues for us as readers, and just maybe a few characters in the series become more enlightened as time goes by.
As Riley's explains in her very informative author's note, the series is
'about women taking control of their destinies and the men who love and support them, and how united they make their worlds better by partnering in grace and joy.'

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley show less

My goodness. The series put me through so much that I'm rather speechless by now. But I enjoyed every winding, pulsing minute along the way to this fitting ending--an imperfect and glorious ending to a tale of suspense and searching, doubt and faith, darkness and light, anguish and love.

Its minor flaws aside, the series is such a must-read for fans of Regency ChristFic. I look forward to reading this author again.

She's still battling the terror of a hazy past incident that haunts her. Yet, Amora Norton is determined to help her barrister husband, Barrington, uncover the truth concerning a string of horrendous crimes. Doing so may or may not help bring the Nortons' marriage back from the brink of disaster in Unveiling Love, a Regency suspense tale by author Vanessa Riley.

Here I am, plunging through this tale a good deal faster than I expected to. Can't really help it, since Episode II left me on the show more edge of my seat (figuratively, as I was actually on my feet), and Episode III here had me engrossed from the get-go.

Yes, this is why I had to download the complete series at once, as I wouldn't be able to stand the virtual cliffhanging sensation this story would surely leave me with if I had to sit waiting for a following episode.

Really, though, I'm as anxious as Amora and Barrington are to get to the bottom of the troubling mystery that's left several victims in its wake. And I appreciate how Amora is consciously pushing back against victimhood.

She and Barrington still frustrate me--Barrington jumping to drastic conclusions at lightning speed, and Amora resisting him in various ways when it's as plain as day how they really feel about each other, how well they fit together. But, hey, their marital missteps play into the need for a true "unveiling."

I could say more, but I'm ready to just get on with the unveiling, now... show less

Sweeping family saga that covers sixty years in the life of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas (aka Miss Doll or Dolly). Born in 1756, she is a no-nonsense strong woman who works her way up from slavery to business owner. She starts a housekeeping business on several Caribbean islands. Her home base is Roseau, Dominica. We meet her various men, many of whom desert her after she bears them one or more children. She is fiercely loyal to her family.

Dorothy Kirwan Thomas was a real person, and Vanessa Riley show more has done a wonderful job of bringing her to life as a complex personality with many strengths and weaknesses. She overcomes a variety of obstacles such as illiteracy, racial issues, postpartum depression, sexual abuse, and patriarchal laws. It feels a bit lengthy (600 pages), especially toward the end. This book would make a fabulous mini-series. show less