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The Locket and the Flintlock
Will the masked outlaw who stole Lucia’s locket also claim her heart?
When Miss Lucia Foxe is robbed by a band of shadowy highwaymen, she does not realize this frightening event will change her life forever. Her brave quest to retrieve her stolen locket brings her into close contact with the thieves and their dashing and fearless masked leader, Len Hawkins. But there is more to Len than meets the eye. Beneath the robber’s mask lies a woman who, in her heart, is not really so very different from Lucia.
As their unlikely love grows against the backdrop of the poverty and violent protest of Regency England, Lucia learns how much more there is to the world than her upbringing has taught her. Len flirts with death every day, and eventually, an attempt at exacting revenge on her cruel father threatens to snatch her from Lucia’s arms.
Will Len survive her encounter with death and avoid the retribution of the agents of justice? And can respectable gentlewoman Lucia love Len enough to sacrifice everything she knows?
When Miss Lucia Foxe is robbed by a band of shadowy highwaymen, she does not realize this frightening event will change her life forever. Her brave quest to retrieve her stolen locket brings her into close contact with the thieves and their dashing and fearless masked leader, Len Hawkins. But there is more to Len than meets the eye. Beneath the robber’s mask lies a woman who, in her heart, is not really so very different from Lucia.
As their unlikely love grows against the backdrop of the poverty and violent protest of Regency England, Lucia learns how much more there is to the world than her upbringing has taught her. Len flirts with death every day, and eventually, an attempt at exacting revenge on her cruel father threatens to snatch her from Lucia’s arms.
Will Len survive her encounter with death and avoid the retribution of the agents of justice? And can respectable gentlewoman Lucia love Len enough to sacrifice everything she knows?
264 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2012
12 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca S. Buck
7 books14 followersBorn in Nottingham, England, Rebecca’s life has taken a few twists and turns, including a spell working as a private tutor in eastern Slovenia, but now she is back in her homeland again and working in the education sector of the museum and heritage industry. She returned to England in 2010, around the time her first novel was published. Her second novel, Ghosts of Winter, was shortlisted for a Lambda Literary Award. History is her passion and she has several historical works currently in progress.
Rebecca lives just outside of Nottingham, with her partner.
Rebecca lives just outside of Nottingham, with her partner.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 3, 2017
The Locket and the Flintlock has a solid historic romance concept: the carriage bearing Lucia Foxe, her father, and her sister is accosted on the road by a gang of highwaymen and they are robbed of their valuables, including the locket that Lucia’s dead mother left to her and which she loudly protests the loss of. (This is, by the way, lesbian highwaywoman romance standard plot point A.) Alternating points of view between Lucia and the leader of the highwaymen, Len Hawkins, leave us in no doubt of the gender of the latter and that she will be the love interest. A reference to the poetry of Byron and to Lucia’s brother being off in the Peninsular Wars appear to narrow the setting down solidly to ca. 1812-14 or so. The Foxes are members of the rural gentry and Lucia is starting to age out of expectations for an advantageous marriage. The set-up is perfect for her to be swept off her feet by a dashing highwaywoman with a heart of gold whose philanthropic interests extend to supporting the anti-industrial actions of the Luddites.
Unfortunately the core of the story is obscured by the prose style, including overly detailed descriptions of the setting, and the characters repetitiously examining their every emotion, regret, second thought, and aspiration. Beyond that, the writing is solidly workmanlike, other than a tendency for the characters to explain their actions to the reader rather than to experience them.
There are serious plausibility issues with the plot and setting. All the major characters are given to impulsive actions that should long since have proven fatal (especially to highwaymen). Two examples will suffice. Scant days after robbing the Foxes’ carriage, the highwaymen just happen to ride past Foxe Hall at a close enough distance that Lucia is able to recognize their faces (at night, in the dark) from her bedroom window. And having done so, Lucia sneaks out of the manor in the middle of the night, evidently in her nightgown (though with a cloak), and rides her horse bareback after the highwaymen to demand the return of her locket.
Plot holes and world-building holes abound, with the geography of the neighborhood being conveniently elastic depending on whether locations need to be nearby or completely unfamiliar. The author has done her research on many aspects of the historic setting (in particular the Luddite movement) but the presentation of the economics and logistics of early 19th century rural English society left me scratching my head. (There is a startling lack of servants at crucial points, and somehow the household and stable chores of maintaining a robbers’ hideaway don’t involve anyone actually doing domestic labor.)
That said, if you're forgiving regarding plausibility in your historic setting, and you’re willing to overlook the protagonists' suicidal impulsivity in exchange for lots of angsty self-examination and a few hot sex scenes, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy this book.
Unfortunately the core of the story is obscured by the prose style, including overly detailed descriptions of the setting, and the characters repetitiously examining their every emotion, regret, second thought, and aspiration. Beyond that, the writing is solidly workmanlike, other than a tendency for the characters to explain their actions to the reader rather than to experience them.
There are serious plausibility issues with the plot and setting. All the major characters are given to impulsive actions that should long since have proven fatal (especially to highwaymen). Two examples will suffice. Scant days after robbing the Foxes’ carriage, the highwaymen just happen to ride past Foxe Hall at a close enough distance that Lucia is able to recognize their faces (at night, in the dark) from her bedroom window. And having done so, Lucia sneaks out of the manor in the middle of the night, evidently in her nightgown (though with a cloak), and rides her horse bareback after the highwaymen to demand the return of her locket.
Plot holes and world-building holes abound, with the geography of the neighborhood being conveniently elastic depending on whether locations need to be nearby or completely unfamiliar. The author has done her research on many aspects of the historic setting (in particular the Luddite movement) but the presentation of the economics and logistics of early 19th century rural English society left me scratching my head. (There is a startling lack of servants at crucial points, and somehow the household and stable chores of maintaining a robbers’ hideaway don’t involve anyone actually doing domestic labor.)
That said, if you're forgiving regarding plausibility in your historic setting, and you’re willing to overlook the protagonists' suicidal impulsivity in exchange for lots of angsty self-examination and a few hot sex scenes, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy this book.
January 13, 2013
A friend of mine put it down at chapter 6 but I truly liked this book. I loved the language and the characters and the history.
June 22, 2019
3.5 star rating
Historical fiction is a genre i am often biased for. I chose this book easily because of that bias.
The characters were well illustrated as well as the plot. I believe my only criticism were the observable lengthy dialogues and narration which sometimes led me to disinterest.
Other than that, the book filled my romantic hunger
Historical fiction is a genre i am often biased for. I chose this book easily because of that bias.
The characters were well illustrated as well as the plot. I believe my only criticism were the observable lengthy dialogues and narration which sometimes led me to disinterest.
Other than that, the book filled my romantic hunger
May 4, 2020
As highwayman romances go, I think this one dwells a little much on Feelings when there are adventures afoot. But there were certainly adventures too, and Len and Lucia's relationship was nicely developed. They're different people but have some similarities at heart--a discontent with societal expectations, a longing for adventure and freedom, and of course a liking for beautiful and unconventional women ;)
On a side note I quite like Julian. A good side character. Also, the only time I've seen Luddites written about as... not bad? Somewhat understandable/relatable? Unique historical fiction!
On a side note I quite like Julian. A good side character. Also, the only time I've seen Luddites written about as... not bad? Somewhat understandable/relatable? Unique historical fiction!
June 16, 2019
Historical romance. I enjoy learning and reading about different periods of time. Great concept with a believable plot.
April 29, 2012
It's certainly well-written enough and the history of the frame-breakers is interesting, but for some reason, I just found the book...boring. I read the whole thing hoping for some excitement that never quite happened. It steered clear of most of the cliches, but also embraced a few. Lucia and Len's voices intertwined back and forth, often mid-paragraph, which was confusing, and sometimes I lost track of who the story was focused on because they were not well-developed as completely distinct characters. I wanted to like it more, but I didn't love it or hate it and I know I won't read it again.
March 28, 2021
This book wasn’t a bad idea for a romance, but it was so horribly executed! My first complaint is the clear mistakes in cohesion of small things. After Lucia gets let go after confronting Len, she makes fun of Len’s name when she gets home. But then the second time she sees her she asks for her name. Which makes no sense because we already know that Lucia knows her name. The second issue i have is how quickly Lucia changes character. She has a HUGE issue with robbery and the highway men’s way of life, but then when she and Len sleep together she “has no shame”???? Acting on homosexual tendency’s were not accepted at all when this took place, and the lack of conflict within Lucia just felt lazy on the authors part. It was a good trashy romance, but don’t expect anything amazing
November 3, 2022
I adore everything about this novel! The time and place it was set, the plot, the characters, etc. It was everything I hoped it would be.
The theme of morality created inner obstacles and feelings of hopelessness for the characters. However, the opposite was also true when later, morality was flirted with and drove them forward.
An argument quickly forming into a first kiss -- R. S. Buck knows what she's doing!
Highly recommend, such a phenomenal world to escape into. If I could step into Len or Lucia's character and live out my/their life, I would do it in a heartbeat.
The theme of morality created inner obstacles and feelings of hopelessness for the characters. However, the opposite was also true when later, morality was flirted with and drove them forward.
An argument quickly forming into a first kiss -- R. S. Buck knows what she's doing!
Highly recommend, such a phenomenal world to escape into. If I could step into Len or Lucia's character and live out my/their life, I would do it in a heartbeat.
July 3, 2022
⭐4.7
I'm always soft for a nice old tale of a cross-dressing woman of the olden days. Throw in some mild action, and a nice lesbian love story.
Len and Lucia were made for each other, or, er, written for each other.
The way that the two complimented one another was wonderful. Julian was a sweetheart and an incredible friend for Len.
I loved how the whole story started for a locket and at the near end, it was just a side character lol.
Overall, it was a great read, and I enjoyed it a lot.
I'm always soft for a nice old tale of a cross-dressing woman of the olden days. Throw in some mild action, and a nice lesbian love story.
Len and Lucia were made for each other, or, er, written for each other.
The way that the two complimented one another was wonderful. Julian was a sweetheart and an incredible friend for Len.
I loved how the whole story started for a locket and at the near end, it was just a side character lol.
Overall, it was a great read, and I enjoyed it a lot.
December 20, 2018
Hmmm. Not bad but certainly nothing to get excited about, which is unfortunate as I’d rather hoped to get excited. The author clearly did her research and yet there are glaring inaccuracies of the not-so-common sense variety. Needed more of something.
October 15, 2016
Highly entertaining and well done!!!!
June 16, 2016
This was excellent! Just really well put-together. The conflicts made sense, there was intense chemistry between the leads, the historical texture was superb (I learned some things about the Luddites?!), and the prose was solid. Also, as they say repeatedly in the episode, this is the one that most closely fit the stereotypical model of a capital-R, capital-N ~Romance Novel:~ Regency England, elaborate costuming, dashing robbers, the whole shebang.
September 9, 2020
This came recommended as a first foray into lesbian historical romance. I am so happy I read this book. I've read a lot of hetero historical romance and finding this gem of a book was like a stroke of luck. You'll love the characters and the slow build up. The story is multi-faceted and rich. I absolutely recommend.
November 23, 2012
While I enjoyed the two main characters, I felt the story (namely the plot) could have been less predictable. With that said I still enjoyed reading it, and might even read it a second time, but I just wish there had been more to it.
January 22, 2015
Very atmospheric and gripping. You can feel like you are hiding in the dark, damp woodland with them.
July 16, 2016
Love Love Love Historical Romance between women...
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews