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Redway Acres: Grace
How can a woman, with a legacy usually inherited by a man, fulfil her obligations when only taught to be a ‘Lady’?
Lady Grace Bainbridge watches helplessly as Bainbridge Hall falls into disrepair after a rift cut her off from family aid. Attending a cousin’s wedding gives her hope of mending bridges, but the advice received is that she must marry.
Uncertain of her fate, Grace’s wish to remain at Bainbridge and her mother’s shocking behaviour further limit her choice of a husband.
Complicating matters is Dowager Baroness Beatrice’s return to society with her husband. Grace emboldens his sister, Olivia, to stand up to Beatrice, the consequences of which spark questions about a shooting accident some years prior.
As the costs of Beatrice’s revenge play out, Grace begins to doubt her reliance upon her friend’s advice. Meanwhile, her newfound empathy for another’s plight jeopardises Grace’s financial reprieve.
Redway Acres suggested reading order
Redway Acres – Helena, Maria, Martha, Harriet, Amelia, Emmalee, Grace, A Redway Companion – Charlie
Lady Grace Bainbridge watches helplessly as Bainbridge Hall falls into disrepair after a rift cut her off from family aid. Attending a cousin’s wedding gives her hope of mending bridges, but the advice received is that she must marry.
Uncertain of her fate, Grace’s wish to remain at Bainbridge and her mother’s shocking behaviour further limit her choice of a husband.
Complicating matters is Dowager Baroness Beatrice’s return to society with her husband. Grace emboldens his sister, Olivia, to stand up to Beatrice, the consequences of which spark questions about a shooting accident some years prior.
As the costs of Beatrice’s revenge play out, Grace begins to doubt her reliance upon her friend’s advice. Meanwhile, her newfound empathy for another’s plight jeopardises Grace’s financial reprieve.
Redway Acres suggested reading order
Redway Acres – Helena, Maria, Martha, Harriet, Amelia, Emmalee, Grace, A Redway Companion – Charlie
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 26, 2024
This is a story of the trials and challenges of women living during the early 1800s and their families' tangled relationships. The characters - primarily Lady Grace, Olivia, and Lady Agnes - work to learn who they really are and what they want from their lives as they struggle with society’s strict expectations for behavior, especially for women.
The story moves along at a gentle pace, with many social visits and accompanying dramas. It wonderfully explores the makings of friendships and love, and also taking responsibility for one's actions. I particularly liked how it didn't judge anyone for their lifestyle choices - whether with society's expectations or against – but only for how they treated others.
A few times, the narrative jumped a little in time then backtracked to the skipped part, which was a bit confusing and made the flow choppy in those sections. The many characters were sometimes hard to keep straight, but the included family trees did help some with that.
Overall, this is an engaging historical fiction tale, an entertaining read, with many interesting characters to follow and root for, or against.
(I read this book through Kindle Unlimited.)
The story moves along at a gentle pace, with many social visits and accompanying dramas. It wonderfully explores the makings of friendships and love, and also taking responsibility for one's actions. I particularly liked how it didn't judge anyone for their lifestyle choices - whether with society's expectations or against – but only for how they treated others.
A few times, the narrative jumped a little in time then backtracked to the skipped part, which was a bit confusing and made the flow choppy in those sections. The many characters were sometimes hard to keep straight, but the included family trees did help some with that.
Overall, this is an engaging historical fiction tale, an entertaining read, with many interesting characters to follow and root for, or against.
(I read this book through Kindle Unlimited.)
December 1, 2024
This book posed major problems for me. I got to the end of chapter 3 and still had no clue what the book was about. The information was there, yes, and I didn't care because the characters weren't believable, seemed shallow, there was no conflict, no tension, way too much narration and exposition, ... I caught myself several times skimming to find dialogue or something equally interesting.
There was a Downton Abbey/Upstairs, Downstairs vibe but it didn't come off at all for me, which is a pity as I love period pieces and am an avid Anglophile (okay, primarily an Albaphile).
This book may be some readers cup of tea and good for them, and it wasn't mine. The authorial voice, craft, and technique got in the way of the story.
There was a Downton Abbey/Upstairs, Downstairs vibe but it didn't come off at all for me, which is a pity as I love period pieces and am an avid Anglophile (okay, primarily an Albaphile).
This book may be some readers cup of tea and good for them, and it wasn't mine. The authorial voice, craft, and technique got in the way of the story.
November 28, 2024
Reading Grace was like visiting old friends at Redway Acres and catching up on their lives!
Grace manages to endear herself to the reader in spite of herself and her beliefs. To say I was totally surprised at the twists and turns this story took, including the ending, would be a great understatement!
Well written with strong women characters!
Loved it!
Grace manages to endear herself to the reader in spite of herself and her beliefs. To say I was totally surprised at the twists and turns this story took, including the ending, would be a great understatement!
Well written with strong women characters!
Loved it!
November 16, 2024
This is a story of the struggles young women faced during the regency era when their lives were tightly controlled from the get-go, and the difficulties they faced, especially if a girl was gifted, smart, or different from other girls. What was a young woman to do, perhaps, if she was LGBTQ+? Such people were not accepted at the time, and a young woman's duty and expected main goal in life was to find a husband. Olivia faces a plethora of struggles and fears, and added to that, she starts to realize something about herself that sets her apart from most other people. Is she going to be able to make it in the world? And what will other people do to her if they know?
There were a few spots where the transitions seemed a little quick, but otherwise, the book was well-researched, and the characters believable.
There were a few spots where the transitions seemed a little quick, but otherwise, the book was well-researched, and the characters believable.
February 2, 2025
Review
I was absolutely buried in characters from the get go—it made the start a slog to get through. Although these can be read independently, reading near the virtual end of the series made this jam packed with characters and me with little reference. Furthermore, it was multiple characters I had a hard time liking. That being said the story did get going, and there were parts that really captured my attention, kept me turning pages to find out what happened next. Particularly Olivia's story. There were times when you'd think the story would wrap up nicely but then it would take another turn. As is life. Though there was one storyline that I did not buy going that way at all. I enjoyed the romance between the two female leads, even if took virtually forever to get there and most of the story they spent apart. The ending was okay, with my favorite character being Olivia from start to end. Grace was okay.
Rating
3.5 Stars (rounded down)
A slew of characters that gave way to a charming LBGTQ+ relationship.
I was absolutely buried in characters from the get go—it made the start a slog to get through. Although these can be read independently, reading near the virtual end of the series made this jam packed with characters and me with little reference. Furthermore, it was multiple characters I had a hard time liking. That being said the story did get going, and there were parts that really captured my attention, kept me turning pages to find out what happened next. Particularly Olivia's story. There were times when you'd think the story would wrap up nicely but then it would take another turn. As is life. Though there was one storyline that I did not buy going that way at all. I enjoyed the romance between the two female leads, even if took virtually forever to get there and most of the story they spent apart. The ending was okay, with my favorite character being Olivia from start to end. Grace was okay.
Rating
3.5 Stars (rounded down)
A slew of characters that gave way to a charming LBGTQ+ relationship.
October 30, 2024
Grace was always going to be a difficult book to write. After all the grief she had caused our favourite characters, how could I endear her to you? Also, having written about a gay male couple, I wanted to look at the lesbian community in Regency Britain—as usual, women had fewer choices than men.
My solution came in the unlikely form of Baroness Beatrice of Aelford. How better to make a character seem nicer than to compare her to a much worse one? I had the last piece of the puzzle with Olivia Woodhead appearing on the scene with her family.
I hope you enjoy Grace’s story. It was four years in the making due to my personal life upheavals and changing Redway Acres to my preferred pen name, Trish Henry Green.
My solution came in the unlikely form of Baroness Beatrice of Aelford. How better to make a character seem nicer than to compare her to a much worse one? I had the last piece of the puzzle with Olivia Woodhead appearing on the scene with her family.
I hope you enjoy Grace’s story. It was four years in the making due to my personal life upheavals and changing Redway Acres to my preferred pen name, Trish Henry Green.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews