Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Berkley (2015), 400 pages
Description
"One final cry. God almighty, help us! and suddenly her world shifted violently, until a blinding collision scattered her mind and shook her bones. Then, the pain. The freezing water. And as all sensation drifted away, a hand reached for hers, before all faded to darkness. Now she has awakened as though from some strange, suffocating dream in a warm and welcoming room she has never seen before, and tended to by kind, unfamiliar faces. But not all has been swept away. She recalls fragments of the accident. She remembers a baby. And a ring on her finger reminds her of a lie. But most of all, there is a secret. And in this house of strangers, she can trust no one but herself"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member Samonie
Sometimes you want a light, frothy snack of a book. Something that won't bog you down with intricate plots, detailed descriptions of food, furnishing and dress. Sometimes you want to read an epic ... and sometimes you don't.
This book is perfect for those days you want a quick little read. Lady
I mean no offense to the author, and I'm not trying to bash the book in any way. It's competently-written and easy-to-read, but it's a surface-deep book. The villains are properly two-dimensional, the good characters are properly saintly, and the heroine has little enough personality that she becomes a serviceable blank slate for the reader to immerse themselves into.
However, even with those recommendations, this book left me unsatisfied. Rather than serving as historical fiction this felt more like historical fantasy. I never felt like we were in Regency England. The language was bland, and felt very modern for all that it avoided any modern slang. And while the author described clothing and rooms and manners, no one behaved in a realistic fashion.
** Spoilers **
The fact that Lady Maybe had an illegitimate child caused as much scandal as if she'd worn the wrong shoes. The fact that she impersonated a member of the peerage was shrugged off after a token trial that carried no emotional weight and took up less than half a chapter. And we were told that our heroine and Sir John were in love in such a perfunctory manner that I had to read the paragraph twice to make sure I'd read it correctly.
** /Spoiler **
All in all this book failed for me. Blandly inoffensive, it missed the Regency England sense of language and manners so completely that it became a fantasy novel rather than fiction. There was no romance in this book, just the author telling us two people were in love because she was unable to write them as two people who were.
I do not recommend it.
*I received a free copy of this book as a member of the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review.
This book is perfect for those days you want a quick little read. Lady
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Maybe's author made no secret of her love for and admiration of Jane Eyre. And that's what this book is: A diet cola fan-fic of Jane Eyre.I mean no offense to the author, and I'm not trying to bash the book in any way. It's competently-written and easy-to-read, but it's a surface-deep book. The villains are properly two-dimensional, the good characters are properly saintly, and the heroine has little enough personality that she becomes a serviceable blank slate for the reader to immerse themselves into.
However, even with those recommendations, this book left me unsatisfied. Rather than serving as historical fiction this felt more like historical fantasy. I never felt like we were in Regency England. The language was bland, and felt very modern for all that it avoided any modern slang. And while the author described clothing and rooms and manners, no one behaved in a realistic fashion.
** Spoilers **
The fact that Lady Maybe had an illegitimate child caused as much scandal as if she'd worn the wrong shoes. The fact that she impersonated a member of the peerage was shrugged off after a token trial that carried no emotional weight and took up less than half a chapter. And we were told that our heroine and Sir John were in love in such a perfunctory manner that I had to read the paragraph twice to make sure I'd read it correctly.
** /Spoiler **
All in all this book failed for me. Blandly inoffensive, it missed the Regency England sense of language and manners so completely that it became a fantasy novel rather than fiction. There was no romance in this book, just the author telling us two people were in love because she was unable to write them as two people who were.
I do not recommend it.
*I received a free copy of this book as a member of the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: Lady Maybe
Author: Julie Klassen
Pages: 400
Year: 2015
Publisher: Berkley Books
Hannah Rogers is desperate to get her son back. She was forced to live in a home for unwed mothers and after giving birth, her son was basically held hostage until she could afford to pay for his care. The landlord,
Negatives: Please be aware that the publisher for this book is not Bethany House, who has previously published some of this author’s books. This is not a Christian publisher and that is evident in some of the content of the story. The intimate scenes are more descriptive than in her other novels and add nothing to the storyline. The infidelity of characters in the book is just too much. There are a few brief references to God by Hannah, but not like in the author’s other stories where faith is more evident in the main characters.
Positives: The description of this time period seemed spot on to me, and it is a period I enjoy reading about. I liked the writing style of the author. I also liked the one character who did speak of God the most, the housekeeper, Mrs. Turrill. She speaks of God’s ability to forgive any sin; there is no sin that is so great that He cannot forgive. She also shows the love of God to Hannah and Becky. She tells them that God loves them and that they are valuable in His sight. The author’s next book will be published by Bethany House, so I am hoping there will be more of a faith focus.
My rating is 3 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Author: Julie Klassen
Pages: 400
Year: 2015
Publisher: Berkley Books
Hannah Rogers is desperate to get her son back. She was forced to live in a home for unwed mothers and after giving birth, her son was basically held hostage until she could afford to pay for his care. The landlord,
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however, keeps raising the rates. Hannah is forced to go back to the Mayfield home and ask for her job back to earn the necessary money to retrieve her son. While on a journey to the country with the Mayfields, they are in a carriage accident. While recovering from injuries, mistakes are made entrapping Hannah. She knows she is doing wrong, but how else can she get her son back? While contemplating that situation, she is also trying to sort out her feelings for two men. She might set one free only to discover the other man holds no love for her.Negatives: Please be aware that the publisher for this book is not Bethany House, who has previously published some of this author’s books. This is not a Christian publisher and that is evident in some of the content of the story. The intimate scenes are more descriptive than in her other novels and add nothing to the storyline. The infidelity of characters in the book is just too much. There are a few brief references to God by Hannah, but not like in the author’s other stories where faith is more evident in the main characters.
Positives: The description of this time period seemed spot on to me, and it is a period I enjoy reading about. I liked the writing style of the author. I also liked the one character who did speak of God the most, the housekeeper, Mrs. Turrill. She speaks of God’s ability to forgive any sin; there is no sin that is so great that He cannot forgive. She also shows the love of God to Hannah and Becky. She tells them that God loves them and that they are valuable in His sight. The author’s next book will be published by Bethany House, so I am hoping there will be more of a faith focus.
My rating is 3 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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LibraryThing member TheQuietReader
After awakening from a carriage accident, a young woman is confused when she is called Lady Mayfield. When her memory returns, she makes a decision and then must endure the consequences.
From the start, I guessed the identity of the young woman. The reader is not left in suspense for long. The
The book is clean, although there is a scene where two characters get into bed together. This is written in a discreet manner and is not graphic. Though I did not like it, I don't think it very offensive.
Every few chapters -it varies-, we have the viewpoint of Lord Mayfield's solicitor, which adds an interesting layer to the story.
This Regency tale is entertaining and one I could recommend to fans of the era.
From the start, I guessed the identity of the young woman. The reader is not left in suspense for long. The
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majority of the novel focuses on her past, which she is anxious to keep quiet for obvious reasons. Her conflicting feelings are understandable, and the consequences that she bravely faces.The book is clean, although there is a scene where two characters get into bed together. This is written in a discreet manner and is not graphic. Though I did not like it, I don't think it very offensive.
Every few chapters -it varies-, we have the viewpoint of Lord Mayfield's solicitor, which adds an interesting layer to the story.
This Regency tale is entertaining and one I could recommend to fans of the era.
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LibraryThing member wrightja2000
I like Klassen's books because they are clean romances that are usually more complex than just boy meets girl and love at first sight. This one wasn't clean enough for me and one scene was too descriptive for me. The "happy" ending had a feeling of "the ends justify the means" which I heartily
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disagree with, in this case that infidelity is ok if everyone ends up with the "right" person. Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
Starts off with a somewhat ludicrous plotline, if you're looking at it from the outside, but there's some fine bits of sleight of hand writing, some great character development, some unexpected reveals that work really well for this story. I enjoyed it hugely, for all that it's not as humorous as
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most of my favorite regency-ish romances -- the details are excellent, the suspense is well played, and the characters make you want to cheer them on. Show Less
LibraryThing member classyhomemaker
I did enjoy this one, although the end wrapped up a little too conveniently. Still, I think it's her best researched one so far and closest to what I've found in my own research about the customs and practices of the time. I really want to recreate her bonnet!
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2015
Physical description
400 p.; 7.97 inches
ISBN
0425282074 / 9780425282076