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Dark Inheritance: Fallen Empire
The once glittering ballrooms of Regency England now lay desolate. A plague has ravaged the countryside. The government has fallen. What vestiges of order remained have been consumed by the endless funeral pyres.Grayson, once the Baron of Harwich, sought only to protect his people. Rescuing a half-dead woman was not among his plans. But something about her pulled at him. Perhaps it was her beauty, still evident beneath the pallor of loss. Perhaps it was the recently fired rifle at her side. Or maybe he simply tired of death. All he knew was that the plague had taken too much already. He couldn’t let it take her as well.Lady Juliette Adair had been ready to die with her brother. She didn't expect to be shown mercy in a world that had no room for mercy. When Grayson saved her, she questioned his motives but soon found herself intrigued by him, drawn to him.Societal rules were a thing of the past, dead along with the ton. Juliette had no manner by which to measure her growing closeness to Grayson any longer. But when she discovers he may not be the man she thought she knew more is at stake than just her heart. The secrets she carries could make a king or destroy one.
- GenresRomanceHistorical
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2012
136 people want to read
About the author
K. Reed
13 books10 followersRomance author with a twist.
Too many post-apocalyptic stories, movies, and what-ifs crowded her head, and K Reed decided to do something about it. So she plotted one out, decided an historical post-apocalyptic romance was the way to go, and wrote that one instead.
A lover of all things historical, of strong heroes with equally strong heroines, and of sexy pirates, she's going to explore the dystopian world of plague-ridden 1804 and the gritty criminal element of Victorian England.
Luckily she has an understanding family, supportive friends, and a day job that offers her the flexibility she needs to plot, plan, and write. Sure, one day she'd like to travel the country in search of fantastic storylines and great locale pictures, but for now she'll stick to the east coast and the internet.
@kreedauthor
www.kreedauthor.com
www.kreedauthor.wordpress.com
kreedauthor@yahoo.com
Too many post-apocalyptic stories, movies, and what-ifs crowded her head, and K Reed decided to do something about it. So she plotted one out, decided an historical post-apocalyptic romance was the way to go, and wrote that one instead.
A lover of all things historical, of strong heroes with equally strong heroines, and of sexy pirates, she's going to explore the dystopian world of plague-ridden 1804 and the gritty criminal element of Victorian England.
Luckily she has an understanding family, supportive friends, and a day job that offers her the flexibility she needs to plot, plan, and write. Sure, one day she'd like to travel the country in search of fantastic storylines and great locale pictures, but for now she'll stick to the east coast and the internet.
@kreedauthor
www.kreedauthor.com
www.kreedauthor.wordpress.com
kreedauthor@yahoo.com
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 31, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Dark Inheritance: Fallen Empire by K. Reed
Book One of the Fallen Empire series
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Ecopy provided by the author
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
(Old review; original review posted HERE on June 28, 2012)
Summary:
The once glittering ballrooms of Regency England now lay desolate. A plague has ravaged the countryside. The government has fallen. What vestiges of order remained have been consumed by the endless funeral pyres.
Grayson, once the Baron of Harwich, sought only to protect his people. Rescuing a half-dead woman was not among his plans. But something about her pulled at him. Perhaps it was her beauty, still evident beneath the pallor of loss. Perhaps it was the recently fired rifle at her side. Or maybe he simply tired of death. All he knew was that the plague had taken too much already. He couldn't let it take her as well.
Lady Juliette Adair had been ready to die with her brother. She didn't expect to be shown mercy in a world that had no room for mercy. When Grayson saved her she questioned his motives but soon found herself intrigued by him, drawn to him.
Societal rules were a thing of the past, dead along with the ton. Juliette had no manner by which to measure her growing closeness to Grayson any longer. But when she discovers he may not be the man she thought she knew more is at stake than just her heart. The secrets she carries could make a king or destroy one.
What I Liked:
There are so many amazing things about this book. When I finished, in record time I might add, I almost cried. This book was extraordinary! I'll start with the characters. Grayson was easily a man that I could love. He is loyal to his people, protective of his people, and a strong leader, almost iron-fisted. Throughout the book, we see a cold side of Grayson, the side that cares only about the survival of the village of which he is in charge. We see Grayson laying down punishments, whether it is lashings or banishment or physical labor, if only to keep the order established. Then we see the side of him with Juliette, a softer, gentler side that surprises even his captain and best friend Wesley. We know that he is keeping secrets from Juliette, and we know exactly what those secrets are, but we also know why he is doing what he is doing. Everything he does has good reason, and honor.
Throughout the book Juliette continually sticks with a view of him, even when she suspects that he is keeping secrets, and that is that Grayson is a good, honorable man. And Juliette herself is a unique character. For a Regency-era woman, she is, as Wesley describes her, headstrong. She has an inquisitiveness that I loved seeing throughout the book, and a clever mind that never let her down. She has a good head when it came to politics and political maneuverings. Juliette managed to discover what Grayson was hiding without raising too many suspicions about her behavior. She is intelligent, hardworking, and she makes her own opinions and decisions.
I liked that Ms. Reed made this book in third person, and yet that readers could see the story from different perspectives. I liked being able to experience a scene through Juliette's eyes, and then read the Grayson's reaction in the next. The romance in this book was very well written. I like the continuous chemistry between Grayson and Juliette. You can see that both characters care about each other, want each other, but don't quite trust each other throughout the book. We get to see the slow building of trust from both characters, and the slow building of feelings towards each other. This was not a story of instant love. Again, these two characters wanted each other, but they didn't just fall in love and immediately trust each other. This book showed the progression of trust and love.
Politics was a huge part of this book. While most readers might think that this book is going to be completely carried by the romance in the book, it was not. I love reading about politics and blindsiding and false moves. Grayson's decisions and exchanges with Lord Witham were crucial in the plot of the story. I liked that I wasn't just reading about a love story. The politics of this book made it much smarter and more interesting to read.
There is so much more that I loved about this book. The setting is definitely worth mentioning. Ms. Reed does a fantastic job projecting the post-apocalyptic, plague-ridden England into this book. Her use of imagery is spellbinding. There are some descriptions that left me shaking my head in fascination. The supporting characters, such as Diana, Wesley, and Lord Witham, were well written characters. They certainly added depth and dimension to the story. Again, there is so much more I could write, but I don't want to give away too much or bore anyone. But I will say, I loved the ending.
What I Did Not Like:
There were a few minor spelling and grammatical errors here and there. For example, "crock" instead of "crook". It's not a huge deal, but I am very picky about spelling and grammar. There are intimate scenes in this book, and while I do not mind them in a book (especially a romance book of course), some of the intimate scenes were a little repetitive. I liked seeing the sparks fly between Grayson and Juliette, but the intimate scenes could have been written better in some instances. Also, while I loved Juliette, I wish she could've just asked Grayson from the beginning, about her suspicions. I liked that she justified herself by saying that she wanted evidence, but she could have just asked. But nevertheless, I think I'm glad she did look for evidence on her own, because those actions support who she is.
Would I Recommend It:
YES! I could go on and on about how much I liked this book. This book is appropriate for very mature young adult readers and adults.
Rating:
5 stars. What a great start to this series, Ms. Reed! I'll be eagerly waiting for the next installments!
Dark Inheritance: Fallen Empire by K. Reed
Book One of the Fallen Empire series
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Ecopy provided by the author
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
(Old review; original review posted HERE on June 28, 2012)
Summary:
The once glittering ballrooms of Regency England now lay desolate. A plague has ravaged the countryside. The government has fallen. What vestiges of order remained have been consumed by the endless funeral pyres.
Grayson, once the Baron of Harwich, sought only to protect his people. Rescuing a half-dead woman was not among his plans. But something about her pulled at him. Perhaps it was her beauty, still evident beneath the pallor of loss. Perhaps it was the recently fired rifle at her side. Or maybe he simply tired of death. All he knew was that the plague had taken too much already. He couldn't let it take her as well.
Lady Juliette Adair had been ready to die with her brother. She didn't expect to be shown mercy in a world that had no room for mercy. When Grayson saved her she questioned his motives but soon found herself intrigued by him, drawn to him.
Societal rules were a thing of the past, dead along with the ton. Juliette had no manner by which to measure her growing closeness to Grayson any longer. But when she discovers he may not be the man she thought she knew more is at stake than just her heart. The secrets she carries could make a king or destroy one.
What I Liked:
There are so many amazing things about this book. When I finished, in record time I might add, I almost cried. This book was extraordinary! I'll start with the characters. Grayson was easily a man that I could love. He is loyal to his people, protective of his people, and a strong leader, almost iron-fisted. Throughout the book, we see a cold side of Grayson, the side that cares only about the survival of the village of which he is in charge. We see Grayson laying down punishments, whether it is lashings or banishment or physical labor, if only to keep the order established. Then we see the side of him with Juliette, a softer, gentler side that surprises even his captain and best friend Wesley. We know that he is keeping secrets from Juliette, and we know exactly what those secrets are, but we also know why he is doing what he is doing. Everything he does has good reason, and honor.
Throughout the book Juliette continually sticks with a view of him, even when she suspects that he is keeping secrets, and that is that Grayson is a good, honorable man. And Juliette herself is a unique character. For a Regency-era woman, she is, as Wesley describes her, headstrong. She has an inquisitiveness that I loved seeing throughout the book, and a clever mind that never let her down. She has a good head when it came to politics and political maneuverings. Juliette managed to discover what Grayson was hiding without raising too many suspicions about her behavior. She is intelligent, hardworking, and she makes her own opinions and decisions.
I liked that Ms. Reed made this book in third person, and yet that readers could see the story from different perspectives. I liked being able to experience a scene through Juliette's eyes, and then read the Grayson's reaction in the next. The romance in this book was very well written. I like the continuous chemistry between Grayson and Juliette. You can see that both characters care about each other, want each other, but don't quite trust each other throughout the book. We get to see the slow building of trust from both characters, and the slow building of feelings towards each other. This was not a story of instant love. Again, these two characters wanted each other, but they didn't just fall in love and immediately trust each other. This book showed the progression of trust and love.
Politics was a huge part of this book. While most readers might think that this book is going to be completely carried by the romance in the book, it was not. I love reading about politics and blindsiding and false moves. Grayson's decisions and exchanges with Lord Witham were crucial in the plot of the story. I liked that I wasn't just reading about a love story. The politics of this book made it much smarter and more interesting to read.
There is so much more that I loved about this book. The setting is definitely worth mentioning. Ms. Reed does a fantastic job projecting the post-apocalyptic, plague-ridden England into this book. Her use of imagery is spellbinding. There are some descriptions that left me shaking my head in fascination. The supporting characters, such as Diana, Wesley, and Lord Witham, were well written characters. They certainly added depth and dimension to the story. Again, there is so much more I could write, but I don't want to give away too much or bore anyone. But I will say, I loved the ending.
What I Did Not Like:
There were a few minor spelling and grammatical errors here and there. For example, "crock" instead of "crook". It's not a huge deal, but I am very picky about spelling and grammar. There are intimate scenes in this book, and while I do not mind them in a book (especially a romance book of course), some of the intimate scenes were a little repetitive. I liked seeing the sparks fly between Grayson and Juliette, but the intimate scenes could have been written better in some instances. Also, while I loved Juliette, I wish she could've just asked Grayson from the beginning, about her suspicions. I liked that she justified herself by saying that she wanted evidence, but she could have just asked. But nevertheless, I think I'm glad she did look for evidence on her own, because those actions support who she is.
Would I Recommend It:
YES! I could go on and on about how much I liked this book. This book is appropriate for very mature young adult readers and adults.
Rating:
5 stars. What a great start to this series, Ms. Reed! I'll be eagerly waiting for the next installments!
May 30, 2012
Originally published at Reading Reality
Two flavors that taste surprisingly good together: the manners of the Regency period, dipped into the darkness that comes after the complete collapse of civilization that results from an utterly devastating plague. In other words, what happens to the upper crust of the ton in a dystopian world?
Unlike Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, K. Reed's Dark Inheritance: Fallen Empire is not playing for laughs. Someone has unleashed a plague on England, and the population has been reduced to a mere remnant of itself. Only the strong survive.
There are no zombies, no vampires, no ghouls. Well, not in the classic horror sense. There are only men and women who have survived a deadly disease that seems to have struck down eight or nine out of ten. Civilization has collapsed. Whole towns have ceased to exist. It's as if the Black Death struck full force in 1804 instead of the 1400's.
The English blame Napoleon. If the same thing happened in France, the French probably blame the English.
But Grayson Merrick, Baron of Harwich, doesn't have time to worry about who the French think caused the plague. He's much too busy holding his own lands. He kept his coastal fief of Harwich together, and relatively safe, when most of the lands around him descended into chaos. It's required iron discipline, and a will of adamant, but two years later, he's carved a safe zone for his people and is bringing more villages under his protection each month.
Relative safety means that he has time to worry about the future, the future of England. Rumor says that the Royals are all fled, or dead. That the government is gone. He heard one fairly credible rumor that some of the governmment officials were still alive in London, and he mounted a expedition to check it out. He found London a burned out wreck, and no government left. Almost no one left alive except the rats.
The heart of the Empire is dust and ashes.
As he returns to Harwich Grayson decided to take his foraging party, (for that is what they are, it is not possible to go out into the countryside without searching for supplies) to the house of his former commander.
His commander has died of the plague. Everyone in that house has died of the plague. Except for one beautiful woman. Who has survived, and like all survivors, is probably immune. But she is weak and will slow them down returning to Harwich.
Grayson has always told his men not to take survivors. They can't save everyone. They don't have enough supplies. This is a brutal necessity in a world gone mad. But he wants this woman. She is the only thing, the only person, he has asked for, for himself, in the time since the plague, since he began saving everyone else.
His men make space in the carriage they are using to haul supplies, and they bring her back to Harwich.
Her name is Juliette, Lady Adair. They should have met in a ballroom. He should have been able to respectfully pay his addresses, before the world went mad.
That world is gone.
Instead, he installs her in his rooms, because they are the only place good enough for her. There are no proprieties any longer.
And the first thing she sees when she wakes up is Grayson whipping a man for being falling down drunk on sentry duty, and allowing bandits into the safe zone. The man chose the whipping, because it was a preferred punishment to being exiled. Exile is death in this terrible world.
And Juliette understands. Only the strong survive. She is one of the strong ones. She is a member of the British Government. The question is, whether or not she can trust Grayson with her secret.
And whether he can trust her with his.
Escape Rating A-: This is an a darkly fascinating alternate history. The reader does not know how the plague came about, because the characters don't know. The world has gone mad. How do the strong survive? Who do you trust? Life still goes on, but what changes?
The description of this story was a post-apocalyptic Regency romance, and it kind of is, but more in an alternate history sense. Everyone remembers the mannered culture of the ton, but the sane people know it's over.
There is a love story, and the lovers, Grayson and Juliette, both think about what things would have been like, if, but recognize that the world has shattered. They regret what they've lost, but mostly the people and how much easier life was. They are pragmatic. Very. And while it's expected in the hero, it's also excellent to have in a Regency heroine. A simpering miss would be dead. Literally.
Regarding the spying and skullduggery against the French, it's absolutely fascinating that even with the plague, the enmity between France and England is eternal.
Two flavors that taste surprisingly good together: the manners of the Regency period, dipped into the darkness that comes after the complete collapse of civilization that results from an utterly devastating plague. In other words, what happens to the upper crust of the ton in a dystopian world?
Unlike Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, K. Reed's Dark Inheritance: Fallen Empire is not playing for laughs. Someone has unleashed a plague on England, and the population has been reduced to a mere remnant of itself. Only the strong survive.
There are no zombies, no vampires, no ghouls. Well, not in the classic horror sense. There are only men and women who have survived a deadly disease that seems to have struck down eight or nine out of ten. Civilization has collapsed. Whole towns have ceased to exist. It's as if the Black Death struck full force in 1804 instead of the 1400's.
The English blame Napoleon. If the same thing happened in France, the French probably blame the English.
But Grayson Merrick, Baron of Harwich, doesn't have time to worry about who the French think caused the plague. He's much too busy holding his own lands. He kept his coastal fief of Harwich together, and relatively safe, when most of the lands around him descended into chaos. It's required iron discipline, and a will of adamant, but two years later, he's carved a safe zone for his people and is bringing more villages under his protection each month.
Relative safety means that he has time to worry about the future, the future of England. Rumor says that the Royals are all fled, or dead. That the government is gone. He heard one fairly credible rumor that some of the governmment officials were still alive in London, and he mounted a expedition to check it out. He found London a burned out wreck, and no government left. Almost no one left alive except the rats.
The heart of the Empire is dust and ashes.
As he returns to Harwich Grayson decided to take his foraging party, (for that is what they are, it is not possible to go out into the countryside without searching for supplies) to the house of his former commander.
His commander has died of the plague. Everyone in that house has died of the plague. Except for one beautiful woman. Who has survived, and like all survivors, is probably immune. But she is weak and will slow them down returning to Harwich.
Grayson has always told his men not to take survivors. They can't save everyone. They don't have enough supplies. This is a brutal necessity in a world gone mad. But he wants this woman. She is the only thing, the only person, he has asked for, for himself, in the time since the plague, since he began saving everyone else.
His men make space in the carriage they are using to haul supplies, and they bring her back to Harwich.
Her name is Juliette, Lady Adair. They should have met in a ballroom. He should have been able to respectfully pay his addresses, before the world went mad.
That world is gone.
Instead, he installs her in his rooms, because they are the only place good enough for her. There are no proprieties any longer.
And the first thing she sees when she wakes up is Grayson whipping a man for being falling down drunk on sentry duty, and allowing bandits into the safe zone. The man chose the whipping, because it was a preferred punishment to being exiled. Exile is death in this terrible world.
And Juliette understands. Only the strong survive. She is one of the strong ones. She is a member of the British Government. The question is, whether or not she can trust Grayson with her secret.
And whether he can trust her with his.
Escape Rating A-: This is an a darkly fascinating alternate history. The reader does not know how the plague came about, because the characters don't know. The world has gone mad. How do the strong survive? Who do you trust? Life still goes on, but what changes?
The description of this story was a post-apocalyptic Regency romance, and it kind of is, but more in an alternate history sense. Everyone remembers the mannered culture of the ton, but the sane people know it's over.
There is a love story, and the lovers, Grayson and Juliette, both think about what things would have been like, if, but recognize that the world has shattered. They regret what they've lost, but mostly the people and how much easier life was. They are pragmatic. Very. And while it's expected in the hero, it's also excellent to have in a Regency heroine. A simpering miss would be dead. Literally.
Regarding the spying and skullduggery against the French, it's absolutely fascinating that even with the plague, the enmity between France and England is eternal.
June 5, 2012
K. Reed has brought a new spin to the historical genre in this unique mash-up of the Regency period amidst the havoc brought by a plague bringing this part of the world to its knees. There's a dystopian feel to this world that leaves a constant feeling of tension and paranoia to the story and its characters. The usual image of Regency England with its romance and glittering balls is completely shattered with the death and lawlessness this story conveys and I applaud the author for daring to be different.
Even though many preconceived notions are shattered by this story, there's still some things you can count on. First and foremost is a to die for hero who goes above and beyond to keep those he cares about safe. Grayson's created a safe zone amidst the chaos that has befallen the country and to continue to keep things safe he's forced into keeping company with those he detests. He's soon caught up in a dangerous game that gets deadlier by the minute and puts the one woman he's come to love in danger. That woman is Juliette, who knows more than she's telling and is more knowledgeable about the military than your average female. She's a strong heroine, but something about her irritated me at times. She seemed a bit holier than thou, not fully realizing that sometimes you have to do unspeakable deeds for the common good. Her swift and violent condemnation of Grayson over beliefs she has about him made me angry with her and made her seem ungrateful. I still admire her strength and the joy and support she brought to Grayson though and could put aside these flashes of annoyance. The romance between these two progressed in a believable and very sexy way. Their sexual interludes started out slowly but full of sexual tension and built rapidly to numerous steamy encounters throughout the second half of the book.
The overall feel of this book shows us a bleak world on the verge of exploding into chaos. Along with the admirable main characters whose love brings a bright spot to the darkness, there's many likable secondary characters whose stories deserve to be told. As this story doesn't have a definitive ending, I look forward to K. Reed bringing us more from this uniquely thought provoking world.
Even though many preconceived notions are shattered by this story, there's still some things you can count on. First and foremost is a to die for hero who goes above and beyond to keep those he cares about safe. Grayson's created a safe zone amidst the chaos that has befallen the country and to continue to keep things safe he's forced into keeping company with those he detests. He's soon caught up in a dangerous game that gets deadlier by the minute and puts the one woman he's come to love in danger. That woman is Juliette, who knows more than she's telling and is more knowledgeable about the military than your average female. She's a strong heroine, but something about her irritated me at times. She seemed a bit holier than thou, not fully realizing that sometimes you have to do unspeakable deeds for the common good. Her swift and violent condemnation of Grayson over beliefs she has about him made me angry with her and made her seem ungrateful. I still admire her strength and the joy and support she brought to Grayson though and could put aside these flashes of annoyance. The romance between these two progressed in a believable and very sexy way. Their sexual interludes started out slowly but full of sexual tension and built rapidly to numerous steamy encounters throughout the second half of the book.
The overall feel of this book shows us a bleak world on the verge of exploding into chaos. Along with the admirable main characters whose love brings a bright spot to the darkness, there's many likable secondary characters whose stories deserve to be told. As this story doesn't have a definitive ending, I look forward to K. Reed bringing us more from this uniquely thought provoking world.
June 19, 2012
I chose to read this book because it’s a Regency Dystopian story, something very different from what I’ve seen to date when it comes to historical romances. This is a straight historical with no paranormal elements in sight.
The setting is London 1804. The combination of plague and civil disorder has taken its toll on the people. Those who are still alive struggle to survive with food shortages and finding somewhere safe to live. The glamorous houses and balls of the past are no longer, the plague being a great leveller. The author has taken the English v French war and given her own neat twist and this forms part of the plot. The setting is like another character in this story, bleak and dangerous, and I really liked this aspect of the story.
Grayson Merrick, Baron of Harwich finds Lady Juliette Adair, the sole survivor of the plague at Colonel Bulger’s estate. From the first, he is taken with her, and when she survives, he takes a special interest in her. Grayson is strong and determined to keep the people on his Harwich estate alive. He’ll do anything to ensure his people are safe, yet Juliette is something he wants for himself. I liked Grayson a lot. He’s an honorable man. Although he feels a little guilty at first for taking Juliette into his bed, he comes to rely on her for solace. She is the only thing in his life that’s good and pure, a big contrast to the horror and desperation in the outside world. He falls in love with Juliette and thinks of her as his helpmate.
On the other hand, I didn’t feel as much sympathy for Juliette. She irritated me with her distrust, and I wanted her to just go to Grayson with her suspicions. I cheered when she finally behaved in the manner I thought she should. Toward the end of the story she redeemed herself in my eyes.
There were times when I felt the plot dragged a little, but the story ended with a bang and a satisfactory conclusion. This is the first book in the series, and it will be interesting to see where the author takes her characters in future.
So, would I recommend this story? Yes, if you want an original setting and something a little different you’ll probably like this story. I rate it somewhere between 3 – 4 stars. A good read.
The setting is London 1804. The combination of plague and civil disorder has taken its toll on the people. Those who are still alive struggle to survive with food shortages and finding somewhere safe to live. The glamorous houses and balls of the past are no longer, the plague being a great leveller. The author has taken the English v French war and given her own neat twist and this forms part of the plot. The setting is like another character in this story, bleak and dangerous, and I really liked this aspect of the story.
Grayson Merrick, Baron of Harwich finds Lady Juliette Adair, the sole survivor of the plague at Colonel Bulger’s estate. From the first, he is taken with her, and when she survives, he takes a special interest in her. Grayson is strong and determined to keep the people on his Harwich estate alive. He’ll do anything to ensure his people are safe, yet Juliette is something he wants for himself. I liked Grayson a lot. He’s an honorable man. Although he feels a little guilty at first for taking Juliette into his bed, he comes to rely on her for solace. She is the only thing in his life that’s good and pure, a big contrast to the horror and desperation in the outside world. He falls in love with Juliette and thinks of her as his helpmate.
On the other hand, I didn’t feel as much sympathy for Juliette. She irritated me with her distrust, and I wanted her to just go to Grayson with her suspicions. I cheered when she finally behaved in the manner I thought she should. Toward the end of the story she redeemed herself in my eyes.
There were times when I felt the plot dragged a little, but the story ended with a bang and a satisfactory conclusion. This is the first book in the series, and it will be interesting to see where the author takes her characters in future.
So, would I recommend this story? Yes, if you want an original setting and something a little different you’ll probably like this story. I rate it somewhere between 3 – 4 stars. A good read.
March 14, 2013
SERENA'S REVIEW
I chose to read this book because I liked the idea of a dystopian Regency England. Lots of Regency stories out there, so we feel the era more than most, and we understand the way the world works even though it's over two hundred years ago! So, a novel like this is really rather refreshing.
A plague has decimated the population, leaving only the strongest to survive and the weak and simpering Regency misses, who are the heroines of most tales of this sort, would be done and dusted. The Empire has literally fallen and all that was once proud and stalwart, has simply fluttered away with a plague that leaves no survivors in the form of zombies etc.
It is here, in the chaos, that we meet our heroines. Baron of Harwich, Grayson Merrick and Juliette, Lady Adair. Grayson is a protector and surrounds himself with survivors - he's a worthy and fair leader, even in situations where no living being would want to have to make the decisions he does! But, it's survival of the fittest and when he meets Juliette, whom he should abandon, he can't. Through the toils and tribulations they find one another and while this story isn't the most romantic of tales, it is there. But the plot is so well balanced and so descriptive that the love angle isn't the centre of attention- there's plenty going on and it's difficult to get bored!
I really liked this book. Definitely worth four out of five stars. Probably even 4.5 stars! My only pet peeve was... The first word after Chapter One, is Fall. Fall? Fall? In Regency England? I don't think so! Autumn, yes. But not Fall. These Americanisms do litter the story and it's really off putting. Jerks me out of the period and back into today, which I didn't really appreciate. I guess it's a tiny thing, but it really irritated. What's the point in describing the period, even decimated as the ton is, when that jerks you right out of it? But... Apart from that, the story is tight, the plot detailed but not too much to confound and the narrative was clear and precise. All-round, a great novel. Worth buying. :)
I chose to read this book because I liked the idea of a dystopian Regency England. Lots of Regency stories out there, so we feel the era more than most, and we understand the way the world works even though it's over two hundred years ago! So, a novel like this is really rather refreshing.
A plague has decimated the population, leaving only the strongest to survive and the weak and simpering Regency misses, who are the heroines of most tales of this sort, would be done and dusted. The Empire has literally fallen and all that was once proud and stalwart, has simply fluttered away with a plague that leaves no survivors in the form of zombies etc.
It is here, in the chaos, that we meet our heroines. Baron of Harwich, Grayson Merrick and Juliette, Lady Adair. Grayson is a protector and surrounds himself with survivors - he's a worthy and fair leader, even in situations where no living being would want to have to make the decisions he does! But, it's survival of the fittest and when he meets Juliette, whom he should abandon, he can't. Through the toils and tribulations they find one another and while this story isn't the most romantic of tales, it is there. But the plot is so well balanced and so descriptive that the love angle isn't the centre of attention- there's plenty going on and it's difficult to get bored!
I really liked this book. Definitely worth four out of five stars. Probably even 4.5 stars! My only pet peeve was... The first word after Chapter One, is Fall. Fall? Fall? In Regency England? I don't think so! Autumn, yes. But not Fall. These Americanisms do litter the story and it's really off putting. Jerks me out of the period and back into today, which I didn't really appreciate. I guess it's a tiny thing, but it really irritated. What's the point in describing the period, even decimated as the ton is, when that jerks you right out of it? But... Apart from that, the story is tight, the plot detailed but not too much to confound and the narrative was clear and precise. All-round, a great novel. Worth buying. :)
August 12, 2012
The first thing to say about this book is WOW! The author has portrayed a plague that ravished England in the 1800′s. This is during the Regency period. Of course this is one of the few time periods that I love to read romance books from. So I just had to read this to see how the author accomplished this plague.
As stated above WOW! I truly loved this book. it was simply amazing. There are two main characters with a couple of villains thrown in. The two main characters Grayson & Lady Juliette are the perfect pair. Not only do they find love in this ravished torn land they find peace and acceptance with each other. They find a way to over look the bad and to look toward the future to make a life for themselves, the people who they are responsible for and for the children they will have.
This book starts out with Grayson in London looking for a secret hideout where the king, queen and important members of the upper ton is suppose to be. Grayson finally comes to the conclusion that there is no hideout and it was just a rumor.
Grayson makes his way to an old friend. This old friend was his mentor while he was in the Army. The sad part is that Grayson never finds his mentor. What he does find makes him wonder what he is actually doing.
While I truly loved this book and you will see when I post the carrots below. I honestly cannot write this review with out writing spoilers. A review with spoilers is not a good review and then it spoils it for the people that will read the book.
As stated above WOW! I truly loved this book. it was simply amazing. There are two main characters with a couple of villains thrown in. The two main characters Grayson & Lady Juliette are the perfect pair. Not only do they find love in this ravished torn land they find peace and acceptance with each other. They find a way to over look the bad and to look toward the future to make a life for themselves, the people who they are responsible for and for the children they will have.
This book starts out with Grayson in London looking for a secret hideout where the king, queen and important members of the upper ton is suppose to be. Grayson finally comes to the conclusion that there is no hideout and it was just a rumor.
Grayson makes his way to an old friend. This old friend was his mentor while he was in the Army. The sad part is that Grayson never finds his mentor. What he does find makes him wonder what he is actually doing.
While I truly loved this book and you will see when I post the carrots below. I honestly cannot write this review with out writing spoilers. A review with spoilers is not a good review and then it spoils it for the people that will read the book.
March 19, 2015
Very interesting setting.
England regency just after a plague hit. And the fallout from this. The collapse of society and its leaders.
I would have liked a bit more world outside the estate that most of the book was centered on.
I only got a taste of the french and Napoleons desire to take over England.
I really hope there will be more books as I am very intrigued by the premise here.
A real opportunity for gentleman to show what they made of and if their honor survives such conditions.
I guess I just wanted some more info on the treason and the french/english situation. Who is in charge, where is everyone else, how many are left, etc.
Lots of story still to tell here. Would make a great series.
England regency just after a plague hit. And the fallout from this. The collapse of society and its leaders.
I would have liked a bit more world outside the estate that most of the book was centered on.
I only got a taste of the french and Napoleons desire to take over England.
I really hope there will be more books as I am very intrigued by the premise here.
A real opportunity for gentleman to show what they made of and if their honor survives such conditions.
I guess I just wanted some more info on the treason and the french/english situation. Who is in charge, where is everyone else, how many are left, etc.
Lots of story still to tell here. Would make a great series.
July 18, 2012
I loved the premise! Regency England is decimated by the plague and the government has disintegrated. Pockets of feudal authority remain, but they are few and far between.
Ms. Reed had a great idea and executed it very well. I particularly liked her creative treatment of Regency Romance tropes.
I thought the romance was overshadowed by the worldbuilding, but I’m a big fan of worldbuilding so that was fine.
I really enjoyed how Ms. Reed wove Regency details and tropes into the story. The remnants of aristocratic privilege including the attention to protocol and self-presentation were believably addressed in the book.
This was a fun read. I recommend it for fans of the Regency romance and post-apocalyptic genres. The mix is quite compelling.
Ms. Reed had a great idea and executed it very well. I particularly liked her creative treatment of Regency Romance tropes.
I thought the romance was overshadowed by the worldbuilding, but I’m a big fan of worldbuilding so that was fine.
I really enjoyed how Ms. Reed wove Regency details and tropes into the story. The remnants of aristocratic privilege including the attention to protocol and self-presentation were believably addressed in the book.
This was a fun read. I recommend it for fans of the Regency romance and post-apocalyptic genres. The mix is quite compelling.
July 27, 2012
Interesting and unusual. I was annoyed at the big misunderstanding and almost stopped slogging through the book. Maybe I just didn't really like the H/h? There is more than one time that the heroine notices something right away that the other female character hasn't noticed for weeks (and which the other female lead pooh-poohs as unimportant). That didn't really fit the situation and seemed a little Mary-Sue. I will wait for a cheap copy or a library book for the next in the series, but I will try again.
July 26, 2012
Dystopian Historical Romance Novel, or so its classified. I was excited when I saw this, all my favorites rolled into one novel. However, I think the "end of the world" situation should have been evolved better. I would have liked more action and more about the world outside of the estate. Overall, an okay read... enjoyable enough but could of had so much more!
December 8, 2015
don't know how I came across this book, maybe I was intrigued by the idea that some have called it a dystopian historical fiction? As far as I got, it was just a boring historical account of the aftermath of a case of the plague in England of 1804. Snore....
August 15, 2012
Fascinating premise for a romance -- plague-ridden Regency England.
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