Bride of Dreams

by Jane Aiken Hodge

Set in Sussex in 1791, young Amanda Cartaret attends her first ever ball and dreams of a proposal from a childhood friend. But her hopes are dashed when she is forced to marry an elderly fop - until her life is later saved by the childhood friend, and their lives are changed forever.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

288 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

Jane Aiken Hodge was born in the USA, brought up in the UK and read English at Oxford. She received a master's degree from Radcliffe College, Harvard University.

Before her books became her living she worked as a civil servant, journalist, publishers' reader and a reviewer.

She has written lives of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer as well as a book about women in the Regency period, PASSION AND PRINCIPLE. But her main output has been over twenty historical novels set in the eighteenth century, including POLONAISE, THE LOST GARDEN, and SAVANNAH PURCHASE, the beloved third volume of a trilogy set during and after the American War of Independence. More recently she has written novels for Severn House Publishers.

She enjoys the borderland between mystery and novel, is pleased to be classed as a feminist writer, and is glad that there is neither a glass ceiling nor a retiring age in the writers' world. She was the daughter of Conrad Aiken and sister of Joan Aiken.

Reviews

[Alisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about one girl's many bad decisions.
Though I found it quick to read through, it disappointed me at several turns.

The heroine, Amanda, is in love with the boy she grew up with, John Purvis. At her first ball, he gallantly looks after her and keeps her from falling into the clutches of her much older suitor, the despicable Lord Meynel. Amanda and John reach an understanding that as soon as he can make his fortune in the Navy, they will marry. Unfortunately, Amanda's mother, as well as Lord Meynel, have other plans, and Amanda ends up married to Lord Meynel. Her life is crashing into a great big pit of despair...partly because she's young and naive and too easily controlled, but still...it sets the story up for much darker themes than I had anticipated. Coercive/abusive marital conditions, adultery, illegitimacy, and so forth. It was a surprising change of mood from the only other book I have read by this author, and it took me aback.

The plot takes place partly in England and partly in Italy, during the years of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. Indeed, those events and the details surrounding them take up a little too much room on the page for my liking. I respect the author's intent to add true history and notable people to the narrative, but it felt a bit heavy-handed in this case.

I will read and hope to enjoy some of Jane Aiken Hodge's other works, but for me, this one was a miss.

I received a digital advance copy of a new edition of this via NetGalley.

[Sumiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been quite some time since I've read a Jane Aiken Hodge novel. One of the things that really struck me is how little was said to thoroughly outline the horror of the main character's situation and yet, I felt it just the same. It clearly illustrates the lack of agency even women from a privileged background had in that era (late 18th century Europe.).

I have also read fewer (possibly no other) novels set during the Napoleonic Wars with a female main character that weren't set in England. It was interesting to see Naples during this period. I enjoyed it and loved the taste of the next novel at the end. (I immediately requested that book via interlibrary loan.)

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating story that took place mainly in England and Naples. Amanda Carteret was a young girl easily manipulated by her mother and suitor. Lord Meyner seemed to be a man without any care or morals and John Purvis seemed self serving. There were a number of interesting secondary characters and a good amount of time was spent in and around Naples. The political activities were quite dominant at times, perhaps a little too much. Overall, a most engaging read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Neapolitan theatre of the French Revolution and France's war with England was the setting for this book and was interesting for one because I really don't know much about that period of history -- certainly not from a European perspective. Europe must have been just as nervous as they were 140 years later during WWII.

This book is a shade darker than the other romances which I appreciated. The heroine was flawed, but learned from her experiences while the author managed to keep her still true to her character. Hodge does a great job of leaving a great deal to the imagination when it came to the sordid abusive rape scenes.

I definitely recommend this as one of her best works.

BTW, the title is tongue in cheek.

Also, I hate the cover -- completely misleading and demeaning.

[Ane Margaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed emotions about this book. In general, it's not bad however I wouldn't classify it as a laid back and easy read. I love learning about history and I think that was what this book offered the most. Throughout the text we learned about the time period in great detail via the social settings, interactions and country conflict. It helped put into perspective/connect the dots of what was happening there and in other parts of the world during that time.
Amanda is a very simple and uncomplicated character. I didn't find an affinity for her or a dislike for her -- she simply existed. I could easily say that if she weren't the main character of the story, she would be easily forgettable. Other characters like Lady Hamilton stood out far more for her personality and the action surrounding her were unique to her.
Going into this book, I had an idea/expectation of how it would end. That expectation, however, was never realized. I have two feelings on this. The first is that I suppose it was nice for it to not have been obvious on how it would end. But I think I also felt disappointment that the opening story line of love lost was not completed. .When it home as what was happening very, very close to the end -- I was annoyed. I really couldn't believe this was happening. And it turned me off to Amanda and John as characters. After everything they went through, to end up there was really rather disappointing.
I commend the author for what I must assume is extensive research into the time period and incorporating those aspects into her story.

I received this ARC copy, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review

[Rosanne Lortz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amanda Carteret hopes to marry her childhood friend John Purvis, but when the evil Lord Meynel contrives to send John away into the navy, the naive seventeen-year-old is entrapped into marrying Lord Meynel himself. What follows is the saga of Amanda's life as she endures the abuse of a sadistic elderly husband, grows to womanhood as one of the richest women in England, and travels to Naples as an English expatriate, there to witness firsthand the horrors of the Napoleonic wars and the exploits of Lord Admiral Nelson and his brave officers. Throughout it all, she never forgets John Purvis, but when he finally seems within her reach, it begs the question: was John Purvis--the real John Purvis in all his stodgy, middle-class glory--actually worth pining over all those years?

I selected this book with the intent of learning more about Admiral Nelson who is one of the historical characters around whom the action hinges. The relationship between him and Emma Hamilton and the reaction it provoked in Neapolitan society was interesting. Amanda herself was a very passive heroine without much intelligence. Her chief virtue seemed to be her sweet nature, and it was a little befuddling how she managed to attract the heroic swain who falls at her feet at the end of the book. All in all, the historical information contained in the book managed to bog down an already weak storyline. The unusual setting of Naples, however, still had its charms, and I felt like I learned a good deal from this book. 

[Candy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story extended over some years, you see her life as it folds out. She is seventeen, innocent and her mother is greedy. She sells her daughter to Lord Meynel, he is cruel and wants her. She is dreaming of John Purvis her best friend and heart throb. He has to go to sea to earn money for them, so they can marry. Her husband makes her go to Naples, an English enclave. Here she meets the English Ambassador and his wife, Lady Hamilton.. The revolution of France comes about. Then Bonaparte becomes a menace..
I thought the descriptions were great. The characters were inviting and you could see the growth and changing attitudes of those characters especially Amanda and John. So much is going on, I have no idea how the author can keep all the facts straight. She has a well written, smooth moving and epic tale..

I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[MAB LongBeach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction with a hint of romance, set in the early 1790s in England and Naples.

17-year-old Amanda is crushed when her childhood love John ships out to India the day after pledging his love. Beset by money problems, she bows to pressure and marries the aging, sadistic Lord Meynel. Soon thereafter, he whisks his young bride away to Naples, where they set up housekeeping. War with France has begun, and Naples is full of intrigue. When John Purvis reappears as an officer on one of Nelson's ships, Amanda is sure that he has come back for her. But nothing is as simple as it appears.

First published in 1996, and now available as an ebook, this is worth reading. But it is not a genre romance.

[Cindy L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of her best

Not one of her best. This book the heroine pushed the boundaries Of not being intelligent. Even taking into account the time period.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favourite of Jane Aiken Hodge's novels which is a shame as the period, locations such as Naples and public figures (Sir William Hamilton, Nelson, King and Queen of Naples) are all well researched and interesting.

This is one of her novels which has Emma Hamilton in the role of a friend to our heroine (there is another where she pops up while at Uppark too.)

Sadly Amanda's terrible marriage is played out in technicolour and her further poor encounters with men make it a little unsavoury. She doesn't even seem to have much of a choice by the end even though we're meant to believe she has finally found someone worthy.

I thought reading it a second time it may improve on me but I don't think I'll read it again.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't believe I've never read this one! Similar in parts to Shadow of a Lady.

[Marya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too long, somehow.

[Kenzie Mills · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book. it was too.... dull. Not finishing this completely was a good decision, could barely make it to half way.