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Emmeline Truelove #1
A Most Extraordinary Pursuit
Known for “charming, original characters, a large dose of humor, and a plot that’s fantastic fun,”(New York Times beststelling author Jennifer Ashley) Juliana Gray presents an extraordinary novel of an uncommon pursuit...
As the personal secretary of the recently departed Duke of Olympia—and a woman of good character—Miss Emmeline Rose Truelove never expected to be steaming through the Mediterranean on a luxuriously appointed yacht under the watchful and jovial eye of one Lord Silverton. But here they are, as improper as it is, on a quest to find the duke’s heir, whereabouts unknown.
An expert on anachronisms, the adventurous Maximilian Haywood was last seen at an archaeological dig on the island of Crete. And when Truelove and Silverton disembark, they are met with incidents of a violent nature: a ransacked flat, a murdered government employee, an assassination attempt. And as they steam from port to port on Max’s trail, dodging danger at every turn, Truelove will discover the folly of her misconceptions—about the whims of the heart, the desires of men, and the nature of time itself...
As the personal secretary of the recently departed Duke of Olympia—and a woman of good character—Miss Emmeline Rose Truelove never expected to be steaming through the Mediterranean on a luxuriously appointed yacht under the watchful and jovial eye of one Lord Silverton. But here they are, as improper as it is, on a quest to find the duke’s heir, whereabouts unknown.
An expert on anachronisms, the adventurous Maximilian Haywood was last seen at an archaeological dig on the island of Crete. And when Truelove and Silverton disembark, they are met with incidents of a violent nature: a ransacked flat, a murdered government employee, an assassination attempt. And as they steam from port to port on Max’s trail, dodging danger at every turn, Truelove will discover the folly of her misconceptions—about the whims of the heart, the desires of men, and the nature of time itself...
430 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
August 16, 2017
4,5 Stars
This was a most enjoyable Edwardian escapade and so much more. And all tied together by a superb and sophisticated writing smoothly propelling you along the pages like a summer breeze.
A quirky potpourri of diverse genres accompanying the reader from London to Crete, there's mystery, adventure, suspense, mythology, some paranormal undertones and an interesting collision of past, present and future to provide enough intriguing material for the following books.
Miss Emmaline Truelove, our narrating voice, prim, proper and resourceful secretary on a mission, and Lord Silverton, smooth-talking bachelor and polished mystery man, strike an instant connection, and if romance often takes the backseat in this first instalment, their attraction and growing mutual respect shine all the same. They spar, they team, they flirt while they are surely preparing for more sleuthing in the next globe-trotting romp.
This was a most enjoyable Edwardian escapade and so much more. And all tied together by a superb and sophisticated writing smoothly propelling you along the pages like a summer breeze.
A quirky potpourri of diverse genres accompanying the reader from London to Crete, there's mystery, adventure, suspense, mythology, some paranormal undertones and an interesting collision of past, present and future to provide enough intriguing material for the following books.
Miss Emmaline Truelove, our narrating voice, prim, proper and resourceful secretary on a mission, and Lord Silverton, smooth-talking bachelor and polished mystery man, strike an instant connection, and if romance often takes the backseat in this first instalment, their attraction and growing mutual respect shine all the same. They spar, they team, they flirt while they are surely preparing for more sleuthing in the next globe-trotting romp.
January 6, 2018
This book kind of defies convention, it's historical mystery, splash of romance, paranormal, and time travel. It is also, most definitely, a starter book; we get an introduction to characters and the arc here but you will be left with more questions than answers.
This is labeled as #1 in the series, although there is .5, which I was wishing I had read because for the first 20% of this, I felt hopelessly lost. However, I'm not sure there are elements from the .5 book that would help clue you in for this one. If anyone who has read .5 could give an answer if reading the first would help here, would appreciate the comments.
The paranormal factor (if curious what this is ) really threw me for a loop, it is never fully explained and felt pretty awkward at times.
I want to say this is more historical mystery and travel with occasional leanings toward attraction, connection, and romance but there is no ending HEA. The story is told in first person from our heroine and she is not a forthcoming narrator about her feelings or past. Our hero is the affable with a sense of hidden depths mystery man that we never fully get to know.
The time travel element is hinted at in the prologue and then you kind of forget about it until towards the end where the beginning arc for it is started.
Look, you will definitely end up with more questions than answers and a sort of HFN(I'm not ever sure I can call it that) as this is more starter book, you'll have to read the next in the series to get answers (hopefully! I haven't read the next yet).
The writing is pretty engaging but I didn't feel the closest to the characters as I said, first person and not forthcoming. I am going to read the next in the series though because the historical mystery (myths and time travel!) has captured my attention.
This is labeled as #1 in the series, although there is .5, which I was wishing I had read because for the first 20% of this, I felt hopelessly lost. However, I'm not sure there are elements from the .5 book that would help clue you in for this one. If anyone who has read .5 could give an answer if reading the first would help here, would appreciate the comments.
The paranormal factor (if curious what this is ) really threw me for a loop, it is never fully explained and felt pretty awkward at times.
I want to say this is more historical mystery and travel with occasional leanings toward attraction, connection, and romance but there is no ending HEA. The story is told in first person from our heroine and she is not a forthcoming narrator about her feelings or past. Our hero is the affable with a sense of hidden depths mystery man that we never fully get to know.
The time travel element is hinted at in the prologue and then you kind of forget about it until towards the end where the beginning arc for it is started.
Look, you will definitely end up with more questions than answers and a sort of HFN(I'm not ever sure I can call it that) as this is more starter book, you'll have to read the next in the series to get answers (hopefully! I haven't read the next yet).
The writing is pretty engaging but I didn't feel the closest to the characters as I said, first person and not forthcoming. I am going to read the next in the series though because the historical mystery (myths and time travel!) has captured my attention.
November 30, 2016
My review for A Most Extraordinary Pursuit by Juliana Gray will be posted here at a later date. Stay tuned.
May 15, 2019
I'm torn because half me keeps saying, 'It was fine, fine. Just let it go with two stars. Or at most a star and a half. It cannot help you not liking it.'
But the more I think about it, the more irritated I feel. It should have been more than fine. All the technical plot points are there to make an exciting, fun adventure story along the lines of my favorite historical mysteries. Yet it falls quite short.
It is formally fine, but emotionally dead.
The problems are twofold: annoying characters and unclear plotting.
Emmeline Trueblood has a stick so far up her butt I am surprised she can even move. She's a sourpuss who demonstrates all of two reactions at any given moment: seasickness or judgment. Now, these are not things I would normally call a character out on. I like judgmental, cranky characters. But she seriously walks around acting like someone peed in her cheerios and I just never understood why.
Oh, we get the technical answers. Mommy-issues. Daddy-issues. Possibly lover issues. She's got the soul of a poet but keeps it firmly in place in case she finds herself tempted to crack a smile. It is all technically there and yet somehow never meshed well enough for me to feel like she made sense as a character.
She is joined on her journey to the Mediterranean to find the lost heir by the sort of person one meets so regularly in fiction and so rarely in real life: the irresistible man.
No, but seriously. That is basically his entire character right there. Lord Silverton loves women. Women love Lord Silverton.
Huzzah.
There are other random characters that play technically well crafted roles and yet do little else to endear themselves to the reader. (For example, the scholar whose blatant and non-stop sexism highlights Lord Silverton's more...egalitarian attitude.)
Despite extreme predictability, the romance delivers quite poorly. The couple lacks any chemistry and their interactions usually left me irritated or cringing.
Thus the characters.
The plot itself spends about 3/4ths on travel and the last 4th on...on action? I mean, it is all so random. There is apparently enough space to expound on Miss Trueblood's seasickness and Lord Silverton's womanizing, but not enough to give full explanations. Or really, any explanation. I suspect the author intends these open ended questions to lead the reader straight to the sequel, but I cannot imagine putting myself through another book like this.
The writing timeline frustrated me. Sometimes it felt like an 'after-the-fact' story told my Miss Trueblood. Sometimes it felt like an in-the-moment sort of thing. It just left me asking 'are we in her memories? Her journal? Her subconsciousness?' There are too many other things going on for this problem to be okay.
Mainly because...
So...if you didn't gather it by now, I found this one a disappointment. Could have been more. Should have been less. I basically finished only because I wanted to write this review. (I mean, when was the last time it took me 3 days to read anything?)
But the more I think about it, the more irritated I feel. It should have been more than fine. All the technical plot points are there to make an exciting, fun adventure story along the lines of my favorite historical mysteries. Yet it falls quite short.
It is formally fine, but emotionally dead.
The problems are twofold: annoying characters and unclear plotting.
Emmeline Trueblood has a stick so far up her butt I am surprised she can even move. She's a sourpuss who demonstrates all of two reactions at any given moment: seasickness or judgment. Now, these are not things I would normally call a character out on. I like judgmental, cranky characters. But she seriously walks around acting like someone peed in her cheerios and I just never understood why.
Oh, we get the technical answers. Mommy-issues. Daddy-issues. Possibly lover issues. She's got the soul of a poet but keeps it firmly in place in case she finds herself tempted to crack a smile. It is all technically there and yet somehow never meshed well enough for me to feel like she made sense as a character.
She is joined on her journey to the Mediterranean to find the lost heir by the sort of person one meets so regularly in fiction and so rarely in real life: the irresistible man.
No, but seriously. That is basically his entire character right there. Lord Silverton loves women. Women love Lord Silverton.
Huzzah.
There are other random characters that play technically well crafted roles and yet do little else to endear themselves to the reader. (For example, the scholar whose blatant and non-stop sexism highlights Lord Silverton's more...egalitarian attitude.)
Despite extreme predictability, the romance delivers quite poorly. The couple lacks any chemistry and their interactions usually left me irritated or cringing.
Thus the characters.
The plot itself spends about 3/4ths on travel and the last 4th on...on action? I mean, it is all so random. There is apparently enough space to expound on Miss Trueblood's seasickness and Lord Silverton's womanizing, but not enough to give full explanations. Or really, any explanation. I suspect the author intends these open ended questions to lead the reader straight to the sequel, but I cannot imagine putting myself through another book like this.
The writing timeline frustrated me. Sometimes it felt like an 'after-the-fact' story told my Miss Trueblood. Sometimes it felt like an in-the-moment sort of thing. It just left me asking 'are we in her memories? Her journal? Her subconsciousness?' There are too many other things going on for this problem to be okay.
Mainly because...
So...if you didn't gather it by now, I found this one a disappointment. Could have been more. Should have been less. I basically finished only because I wanted to write this review. (I mean, when was the last time it took me 3 days to read anything?)
October 27, 2016
The duke has died and his heir is missing. Emmeline is sent on an urgent mission to track him down and avoid disaster. And accompanying her is Lord Silverton who I guess is a cad and a bounder, though with assassins on their trail he might just be the perfect man for the job.
If you've read Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor or any of the many Tintin graphic novels you'll have a reasonably good idea of what to expect in this book. It's not for everyone but I loved it. It really was good fun.
If you've read Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor or any of the many Tintin graphic novels you'll have a reasonably good idea of what to expect in this book. It's not for everyone but I loved it. It really was good fun.
November 28, 2017
Well. That was all a bit odd.
Like no other Juliana Gray book, this was a mixture of road story, sorta-love story (but not), time-travelling and high fantasy of a type I haven't come across since Andrew Lang's opium-dream of a book The World's Desire. All crossed with a dash of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit.
Much to my surprise (since the prequel - The Duke of Olympia Meets His Match was one of my top books of 2016), I didn't enjoy this. Partly that's down to the bizarre combination of genres but mainly it's because I felt no connection to any of the characters. (Apart from Queen Victoria, who amused us.)
Emmeline Truelove kept her emotions under such strict control () that it's difficult to empathise with her. I don't mean we don't know at all what she's feeling - there are *some* passages of introspection and oblique clues to her emotions. There's a very touching observation at one point that betrays her affections - I saw Silverton first, whether because his furious golden head stood out from the rest, or because I could not help seeing him, any more than you can help seeing your own coat hanging on a peg in a crowded cloakroom. But on the whole she is so very stoic and buttoned up it's difficult to like her, even if I appreciate some of her dry asides.
We see Lord Silverton only through her. Of course, JG drops some clues about what he might be feeling - they're sparsely scattered, though, so quite apart from the fact we don't get his POV, he too remains an enigma.
Mainly though, this is a book in which too much happens. An arrival, a new character, a mystery, some clues, more travel, a kidnapping, a rescue..... This isn't, I think, a book about people or relationships. It's about happenings, and the characters tag along for the ride.
This is the first in the series, and there's enough of JG's style here to make me look out and read the second when it's published. But I think we're in a red card situation here.
PS - 5 stars for the cover.
Like no other Juliana Gray book, this was a mixture of road story, sorta-love story (but not), time-travelling and high fantasy of a type I haven't come across since Andrew Lang's opium-dream of a book The World's Desire. All crossed with a dash of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit.
Much to my surprise (since the prequel - The Duke of Olympia Meets His Match was one of my top books of 2016), I didn't enjoy this. Partly that's down to the bizarre combination of genres but mainly it's because I felt no connection to any of the characters. (Apart from Queen Victoria, who amused us.)
Emmeline Truelove kept her emotions under such strict control () that it's difficult to empathise with her. I don't mean we don't know at all what she's feeling - there are *some* passages of introspection and oblique clues to her emotions. There's a very touching observation at one point that betrays her affections - I saw Silverton first, whether because his furious golden head stood out from the rest, or because I could not help seeing him, any more than you can help seeing your own coat hanging on a peg in a crowded cloakroom. But on the whole she is so very stoic and buttoned up it's difficult to like her, even if I appreciate some of her dry asides.
We see Lord Silverton only through her. Of course, JG drops some clues about what he might be feeling - they're sparsely scattered, though, so quite apart from the fact we don't get his POV, he too remains an enigma.
Mainly though, this is a book in which too much happens. An arrival, a new character, a mystery, some clues, more travel, a kidnapping, a rescue..... This isn't, I think, a book about people or relationships. It's about happenings, and the characters tag along for the ride.
This is the first in the series, and there's enough of JG's style here to make me look out and read the second when it's published. But I think we're in a red card situation here.
PS - 5 stars for the cover.
January 31, 2017
So, I somehow managed to really enjoy this, while simultaneously feeling like the balance was somehow off.
To start, this book was not the book I thought it was going to be. I think I thought it was going to be more of a cozy mystery set on a yacht. The cover sends off some serious cozy mystery vibes. And the description is all kinds of misleading. Except that it's also very accurate. Basically, this is a really weird book in reality. It's a big mishmash of historical romance, mystery/adventure story, with a soupcon of the supernatural (and an extraordinarily random one at that). I am not opposed to any or all of those elements on their own, or in combination with each other, but somehow they don't come together quite right in the end.
I get that it's the beginning of a series, so the author doesn't want to give too much away in the first book, but I felt like a little bit more needed to be defined earlier. Some of the stuff that is hinted at is kinda, sorta revealed in the end, but right up until the end, you're not even sure if there are going to be any supernatural elements. The main character is visited by the ghost of Queen Victoria in the first chapter, but the reader doesn't know if this predilection to talk to ghosts is genuine supernatural, or just something she sort of imagines when she's working things out in her head (and the voice of her subconscious somehow manifests itself as the Queen??? IDK. It occurred to me as a possibility). . Along with the weird mix of supernatural and not, it also feels very modern while simultaneously feeling very historical (appropriate in a novel featuring a character who's an expert in anachronisms).
I can't explain my reaction. I actually really liked all of the characters. The main character works for me. She feels like a product of her time, and I definitely get the impression of someone who feels deeply, but is too afraid to let herself feel, because she doesn't quite trust anyone, or herself. I kind of like it. I'm even totally sold on what I expect will be the central romance (even though maybe I shouldn't be). Perhaps I am just susceptible to a certain kind of charm.
To sum up, I thought this was not entirely well done, a bit weird, and it didn't quite work, but I totally want to read the next one.
Also, I know this author is Beatriz Williams, who I have been meaning to read for a while. If I decide to do so, is there an order I should read her books in? Because reading summaries I get the impression that they are simultaneously stand-alones, but also sort of series...
2017 Reading Challenge -
To start, this book was not the book I thought it was going to be. I think I thought it was going to be more of a cozy mystery set on a yacht. The cover sends off some serious cozy mystery vibes. And the description is all kinds of misleading. Except that it's also very accurate. Basically, this is a really weird book in reality. It's a big mishmash of historical romance, mystery/adventure story, with a soupcon of the supernatural (and an extraordinarily random one at that). I am not opposed to any or all of those elements on their own, or in combination with each other, but somehow they don't come together quite right in the end.
I get that it's the beginning of a series, so the author doesn't want to give too much away in the first book, but I felt like a little bit more needed to be defined earlier. Some of the stuff that is hinted at is kinda, sorta revealed in the end, but right up until the end, you're not even sure if there are going to be any supernatural elements. The main character is visited by the ghost of Queen Victoria in the first chapter, but the reader doesn't know if this predilection to talk to ghosts is genuine supernatural, or just something she sort of imagines when she's working things out in her head (and the voice of her subconscious somehow manifests itself as the Queen??? IDK. It occurred to me as a possibility). . Along with the weird mix of supernatural and not, it also feels very modern while simultaneously feeling very historical (appropriate in a novel featuring a character who's an expert in anachronisms).
I can't explain my reaction. I actually really liked all of the characters. The main character works for me. She feels like a product of her time, and I definitely get the impression of someone who feels deeply, but is too afraid to let herself feel, because she doesn't quite trust anyone, or herself. I kind of like it. I'm even totally sold on what I expect will be the central romance (even though maybe I shouldn't be). Perhaps I am just susceptible to a certain kind of charm.
To sum up, I thought this was not entirely well done, a bit weird, and it didn't quite work, but I totally want to read the next one.
Also, I know this author is Beatriz Williams, who I have been meaning to read for a while. If I decide to do so, is there an order I should read her books in? Because reading summaries I get the impression that they are simultaneously stand-alones, but also sort of series...
2017 Reading Challenge -
May 21, 2016
3.5/5 stars. *Contains mild spoilers*
I received an ARC e-book of A Most Extraordinary Pursuit by Juliana Gray through Penguin Random House’s First To Read. I’m really excited that I got a chance to read this book prior to its release in October 2016. Before receiving this book, I had never heard of Juliana Gray. Little did I know, Juliana Gray is a pseudonym for New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams, the author of Along the Infinite Sea, Tiny Little Thing, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, A Hundred Summers and Overseas. I love historical fiction and stories that are set in a different time period, so I was looking forward to this read. I was not let down by the quirky storyline, the greek mythology tie-ins, action or the romance. I thought it was quite a playful story that really had excellent intentions. Not to mention, the writing is exquisite, the wording and usage of words throughout the story are captivating. The only thing that disappointed me was the joining of all of these elements, it’s not that they didn’t or couldn’t go together, it was just a little confusing at times. I see where they did come together but I really had to put the puzzle pieces together. But other than that, this is a fun, quirky, story that I really did enjoy reading. There were so many elements of this story that were eloquent and beautiful. The scenes looking back in time to Miss Truelove with her Mother and Father were well done. As well as her conversations with the deceased queen. I especially enjoyed the romantic tension between Lord Silverton and Miss Emmeline Rose Truelove.
My favorite passage from this book is towards the end of the story..and it struck me as such a well-done piece:
“But I was a year older and a century wiser, and I gave my farewell firmly, though his dark and hooded eyes, for a single instant, seemed to hold their old magic. And I remember feeling, as I took a cab home to the Duke of Olympia’s house in Belgrave Square, that this was how all love affairs should end. That one should never regain what was lost, because it no longer existed. Like a pair of rocks reshaped by the passage of time and tide, you no longer fit together the way you once had..” (pg. 398-399)
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book and I want to thank Penguin Random House’s First to Read program for providing that opportunity and to Beatriz Williams (Juliana Gray) for writing this story.
xo,
Rach
I received an ARC e-book of A Most Extraordinary Pursuit by Juliana Gray through Penguin Random House’s First To Read. I’m really excited that I got a chance to read this book prior to its release in October 2016. Before receiving this book, I had never heard of Juliana Gray. Little did I know, Juliana Gray is a pseudonym for New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams, the author of Along the Infinite Sea, Tiny Little Thing, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, A Hundred Summers and Overseas. I love historical fiction and stories that are set in a different time period, so I was looking forward to this read. I was not let down by the quirky storyline, the greek mythology tie-ins, action or the romance. I thought it was quite a playful story that really had excellent intentions. Not to mention, the writing is exquisite, the wording and usage of words throughout the story are captivating. The only thing that disappointed me was the joining of all of these elements, it’s not that they didn’t or couldn’t go together, it was just a little confusing at times. I see where they did come together but I really had to put the puzzle pieces together. But other than that, this is a fun, quirky, story that I really did enjoy reading. There were so many elements of this story that were eloquent and beautiful. The scenes looking back in time to Miss Truelove with her Mother and Father were well done. As well as her conversations with the deceased queen. I especially enjoyed the romantic tension between Lord Silverton and Miss Emmeline Rose Truelove.
My favorite passage from this book is towards the end of the story..and it struck me as such a well-done piece:
“But I was a year older and a century wiser, and I gave my farewell firmly, though his dark and hooded eyes, for a single instant, seemed to hold their old magic. And I remember feeling, as I took a cab home to the Duke of Olympia’s house in Belgrave Square, that this was how all love affairs should end. That one should never regain what was lost, because it no longer existed. Like a pair of rocks reshaped by the passage of time and tide, you no longer fit together the way you once had..” (pg. 398-399)
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book and I want to thank Penguin Random House’s First to Read program for providing that opportunity and to Beatriz Williams (Juliana Gray) for writing this story.
xo,
Rach
December 18, 2016
I've given this a B at AAR.
Having previously enjoyed Juliana Gray’s historical romances, I was intrigued when I learned she would be venturing into the sub-genre of historical mysteries with her latest series. It is connected to her Princess in Hiding books by virtue of the fact that the plot of A Most Extraordinary Pursuit revolves around the search for the new Duke of Olympia and that the son of the Duke of Ashland (How to Tame Your Duke), Freddie, Lord Silverton, is one of the protagonists. I was expecting an historical mystery – but when, in the first chapter, the heroine, Miss Emmeline Truelove, has a conversation with the late Queen Victoria, I realised I was going to have to adjust my expectations somewhat.
It’s 1906, and the imposing, silver-haired, Machiavellian colossus that was the Duke of Olympia is dead at the age of eighty-six, having expired while quietly fishing for trout. (Or so it seems.) His heir is his grandnephew, Maximillian Haywood who spends most of his time on archaeological expeditions outside England, but who is now expected to return to assume his responsibilities and title. The trouble is that nobody has heard from Max for some months; his last communication arrived shortly before Christmas nearly three months earlier, and he is not where he is supposed to be (at a dig at Knossos on the Greek island of Crete).
Miss Emmeline Truelove acted as the duke’s personal secretary for the past six years, having taken over that position after the death her father (actually, her step-father) who had previously fulfilled that role. She is practical, efficient and utterly no-nonsense, performing her role admirably – notwithstanding her tendency to see dead people.
Her late majesty has warned Miss Truelove that the dowager duchess is going to ask her to perform a certain task which she, Emmeline, must under no circumstances accept. But when the dowager’s request turns out to be that she track down the new duke and bring him home, Truelove doesn’t see how she can possibly refuse – although she knows a moment’s hesitation when she learns she will be accompanied by the unspeakably gorgeous Marquess of Silverton, who, at first glance, seems to have barely two braincells to rub together.
But the duchess has everything planned out, and within the hour, Truelove finds herself, Silverton at her side, being driven to Southampton where they will board the duke’s yacht for their journey to Crete.
Stopping off in Athens, the pair pay a visit to Max’s flat near the Acropolis. There is no trace of Max, but the place has clearly been ransacked; and this, together with the mysterious death of a government official with whom Max was associated, followed by an attack on them at their hotel, convinces Truelove and Silverton that there is more to Max’s disappearance than meets the eye. Silverton insists they return to the yacht and make for Crete and the archaeological site of Knossos, where they hope to make contact with Max’s assistant. While there, they stay at a villa on the site where Silverton proceeds to charm the attractive young housekeeper into giving them some useful information, much to Truelove’s chagrin. She has already worked out that Silverton is far from the buffoon he pretends to be, but realising he uses his charm and obvious physical attractions to seduce information out of women doesn’t sit at all well with her. Not that she’s jealous. No. Not at all.
The story shifts from Crete to Naxos (and as a side note, I have to say that I liked this aspect of the story, as it brought back memories of my own island-hopping holidays!) as Silverton and Truelove continue to follow Max’s trail while trying to stay at least one step ahead of whoever is following them. I can’t say much more without going into spoiler territory; suffice to say that when they do eventually catch up with Max, it leads to a momentous and fantastical discovery that I assume is going to be addressed in future books in the series.
I said at the beginning of this review that I had to adjust my expectations somewhat after the first couple of chapters, because A Most Unexpected Pursuit is not exactly the ‘straight’ historical mystery both the cover and the book blurb suggest. Not only does Truelove have conversations with the late Queen Victoria, she has them with her late step-father as well; strange artefacts, time-travel and mythological beings all make an appearance (kudos to Ms. Gray for the Downton Abbey reference!) and although the principal storyline – the discovery of Max’s whereabouts – is concluded here, the book throws up more questions than it answers. While I accept that is normal for the first book in a series that will feature ongoing plotlines, I would have liked answers to perhaps one or two more questions in this one.
There are romantic elements to the story, but they’re not the main focus. There’s a nice frisson of attraction between Truelove and Silverton which definitely has the potential to turn into something more down the line, but there’s not so much as an HFN in sight by the end of this book. They work well as a team, however and play to each other’s strengths; and while Truelove is perhaps a bit overly prim and proper, I liked them both as individuals and as a working couple. Silverton is smart, funny and protective, and although we get the odd glimpse of a darker side to him, it’s fleeting, and for the most part, he’s the perfect gentleman spy – hiding the fact that he’s a clever strategist and lethal killer behind a foppish, Bertie Wooster-ish exterior. Truelove is straightforward and supremely capable, forever quashing Silverton’s attempts to flirt with her in the attempt to deny that she’s well and truly smitten. Her exchanges with her late majesty are quite funny at times – but we’re not told whether these are hallucinations or something else, which made it a bit difficult to get a good handle on her as a character.
I did enjoy reading A Most Extraordinary Pursuit and it has certainly whetted my appetite for future stories, but I can’t deny that I was almost as much in the dark about some aspects of it at the end of the book as I was at the beginning! It’s fun, quirky and perhaps a bit silly, but it’s beautifully written and Truelove’s narrative voice is rather unique; somewhat starchy but dryly humorous and insightful. I was most definitely entertained and will be reading the next book, but I’d just remind anyone thinking about picking this one up that it’s not your conventional historical mystery. Once you’ve accepted that, however, enjoy the banter, embrace the quirkiness, picture the lovely locations and go with the flow!
Having previously enjoyed Juliana Gray’s historical romances, I was intrigued when I learned she would be venturing into the sub-genre of historical mysteries with her latest series. It is connected to her Princess in Hiding books by virtue of the fact that the plot of A Most Extraordinary Pursuit revolves around the search for the new Duke of Olympia and that the son of the Duke of Ashland (How to Tame Your Duke), Freddie, Lord Silverton, is one of the protagonists. I was expecting an historical mystery – but when, in the first chapter, the heroine, Miss Emmeline Truelove, has a conversation with the late Queen Victoria, I realised I was going to have to adjust my expectations somewhat.
It’s 1906, and the imposing, silver-haired, Machiavellian colossus that was the Duke of Olympia is dead at the age of eighty-six, having expired while quietly fishing for trout. (Or so it seems.) His heir is his grandnephew, Maximillian Haywood who spends most of his time on archaeological expeditions outside England, but who is now expected to return to assume his responsibilities and title. The trouble is that nobody has heard from Max for some months; his last communication arrived shortly before Christmas nearly three months earlier, and he is not where he is supposed to be (at a dig at Knossos on the Greek island of Crete).
Miss Emmeline Truelove acted as the duke’s personal secretary for the past six years, having taken over that position after the death her father (actually, her step-father) who had previously fulfilled that role. She is practical, efficient and utterly no-nonsense, performing her role admirably – notwithstanding her tendency to see dead people.
Her late majesty has warned Miss Truelove that the dowager duchess is going to ask her to perform a certain task which she, Emmeline, must under no circumstances accept. But when the dowager’s request turns out to be that she track down the new duke and bring him home, Truelove doesn’t see how she can possibly refuse – although she knows a moment’s hesitation when she learns she will be accompanied by the unspeakably gorgeous Marquess of Silverton, who, at first glance, seems to have barely two braincells to rub together.
But the duchess has everything planned out, and within the hour, Truelove finds herself, Silverton at her side, being driven to Southampton where they will board the duke’s yacht for their journey to Crete.
Stopping off in Athens, the pair pay a visit to Max’s flat near the Acropolis. There is no trace of Max, but the place has clearly been ransacked; and this, together with the mysterious death of a government official with whom Max was associated, followed by an attack on them at their hotel, convinces Truelove and Silverton that there is more to Max’s disappearance than meets the eye. Silverton insists they return to the yacht and make for Crete and the archaeological site of Knossos, where they hope to make contact with Max’s assistant. While there, they stay at a villa on the site where Silverton proceeds to charm the attractive young housekeeper into giving them some useful information, much to Truelove’s chagrin. She has already worked out that Silverton is far from the buffoon he pretends to be, but realising he uses his charm and obvious physical attractions to seduce information out of women doesn’t sit at all well with her. Not that she’s jealous. No. Not at all.
The story shifts from Crete to Naxos (and as a side note, I have to say that I liked this aspect of the story, as it brought back memories of my own island-hopping holidays!) as Silverton and Truelove continue to follow Max’s trail while trying to stay at least one step ahead of whoever is following them. I can’t say much more without going into spoiler territory; suffice to say that when they do eventually catch up with Max, it leads to a momentous and fantastical discovery that I assume is going to be addressed in future books in the series.
I said at the beginning of this review that I had to adjust my expectations somewhat after the first couple of chapters, because A Most Unexpected Pursuit is not exactly the ‘straight’ historical mystery both the cover and the book blurb suggest. Not only does Truelove have conversations with the late Queen Victoria, she has them with her late step-father as well; strange artefacts, time-travel and mythological beings all make an appearance (kudos to Ms. Gray for the Downton Abbey reference!) and although the principal storyline – the discovery of Max’s whereabouts – is concluded here, the book throws up more questions than it answers. While I accept that is normal for the first book in a series that will feature ongoing plotlines, I would have liked answers to perhaps one or two more questions in this one.
There are romantic elements to the story, but they’re not the main focus. There’s a nice frisson of attraction between Truelove and Silverton which definitely has the potential to turn into something more down the line, but there’s not so much as an HFN in sight by the end of this book. They work well as a team, however and play to each other’s strengths; and while Truelove is perhaps a bit overly prim and proper, I liked them both as individuals and as a working couple. Silverton is smart, funny and protective, and although we get the odd glimpse of a darker side to him, it’s fleeting, and for the most part, he’s the perfect gentleman spy – hiding the fact that he’s a clever strategist and lethal killer behind a foppish, Bertie Wooster-ish exterior. Truelove is straightforward and supremely capable, forever quashing Silverton’s attempts to flirt with her in the attempt to deny that she’s well and truly smitten. Her exchanges with her late majesty are quite funny at times – but we’re not told whether these are hallucinations or something else, which made it a bit difficult to get a good handle on her as a character.
I did enjoy reading A Most Extraordinary Pursuit and it has certainly whetted my appetite for future stories, but I can’t deny that I was almost as much in the dark about some aspects of it at the end of the book as I was at the beginning! It’s fun, quirky and perhaps a bit silly, but it’s beautifully written and Truelove’s narrative voice is rather unique; somewhat starchy but dryly humorous and insightful. I was most definitely entertained and will be reading the next book, but I’d just remind anyone thinking about picking this one up that it’s not your conventional historical mystery. Once you’ve accepted that, however, enjoy the banter, embrace the quirkiness, picture the lovely locations and go with the flow!
October 9, 2016
This was a book that couldn't decide what it wanted to be. It was billed as sort of a historical murder mystery. Ok, fine. Then it added ghosts that talk to the main character. Ok, so it's a supernatural historical murder mystery, but are the ghosts real? Is the main character just hallucinating? That was never explained-it just happened. Then add an thoroughly unlikable main character who is stuffy British in all the WRONG senses of the phrase and who refuses to learn better no matter what. Then add a promiscuous male love interest who sleeps with people during the book? I won't even get into the end which beggars all belief. Oh, and don't forget that it starts out as modern robbers stealing this story frame...which was never referred to again. (As an aside, my personal opinion on frames is that there is no conceivable reason for them existing. If your story can't stand alone, then maybe it should be re-written.)
Generally speaking, if I don't have something nice to say, I don't write reviews, but the more I read, the madder I got. I kind of wish I had my weekend back to read something else...
Generally speaking, if I don't have something nice to say, I don't write reviews, but the more I read, the madder I got. I kind of wish I had my weekend back to read something else...
January 11, 2018
Quirky, unpredictable, and totally enjoyable read with lots of witty repartee! It defies normal classifications and has tons of surprises.
April 21, 2017
Meh, I lost interest around page 161.
I think it was the time-travel bit that finally tipped me out of the book.
I think it was the time-travel bit that finally tipped me out of the book.
December 4, 2016
This a weird book. I've read the Williams books, so I know that the author isn't opposed to some supernatural elements (neither am I), but this combined them in a super weird way. I'm not sure it was bad, but it left me sort of unable to connect to the book and it felt like I was reading it forever, because I never really wanted to be reading it at all.
It took me a very long time to warm up to the heroine of the novel, and I'm still not completely convinced that I did. I don't need to like a primary character, necessarily, but it certainly makes the process easier. And I'm 1000% not sold on what seems to be the central romance for the series (there's always hope it won't be), because if that is supposed to be central, I'm really not down with the hero sleeping with other people and then reacting badly when he learns that the heroine has a past.
We'll see if I read the next one. I just don't know if I'll remember to or not by the time it is released next fall.
It took me a very long time to warm up to the heroine of the novel, and I'm still not completely convinced that I did. I don't need to like a primary character, necessarily, but it certainly makes the process easier. And I'm 1000% not sold on what seems to be the central romance for the series (there's always hope it won't be), because if that is supposed to be central, I'm really not down with the hero sleeping with other people and then reacting badly when he learns that the heroine has a past.
We'll see if I read the next one. I just don't know if I'll remember to or not by the time it is released next fall.
October 2, 2016
I snagged this one because I saw a review for the prequel at Anna's Herding Cats Burning Soup blog. I didn't realize until after I really looked at it closely that the spotlight shifted to a new main character, but that was just fine with me. I do love an intrepid lady on a mission away from all she knows accompanied by a dashing heroic sort.
After closing the book on the last page, I was left somewhat bewildered about this one. A Most Extraordinary Pursuit had a cunning mystery, colorful characters, exciting moments, and just that little extra something special that makes a book sparkle. Now that said, I have a few reservations, too. And, my ultimate decision whether I loved this story is rather dependent on what will follow. There wasn't a cliffhanger, but there is definitely quite a bit left wide-open. More on that in a bit.
The story opens with the Duke of Olympia's personal secretary, Miss Emmeline Truelove overseeing his funeral and then called aside to hear of a 'mission' from the now Dowager Duchess. The duke's heir is missing it seems and someone must find him and let him know his new situation before less than desirable people and situations happen with the dukedom.
Miss Truelove is hesitant, particularly when she gets a look at her erstwhile partner, Lord Silverton who doesn't impress her as capable. But she wants to do her duty so off she goes to locate archeologist and amateur scholar, Maximilian Haywood where he was last reportedly seen, Crete.
On arrival, Silverton and Truelove realize that Haywood might have encountered foul play as they are in danger from unknown attackers trying to prevent them from finding the new duke. Miss Truelove is well out of her depth though she tries to push forward and assert her natural intelligence and confidence while she also learns there is more to her partner than meets the eye.
As they follow Haywood's trail, the situation get more dire and the plucky Miss Truelove and her cohort must endure much to reach success. They do indeed face an extraordinary adventure.
Alright, in the beginning Emmeline Truelove who is the heroine and narrates this story in the first person stands out as an eccentric, buttoned-up yet strong-willed woman. And it is that strong-willed button-uppedness that both engaged and repelled me.
While I appreciated her eccentricities, I was none too fond of her 'my way is not just the highway, but the only way' attitude and how she looked down on others whose life rules didn't match her own. She got herself and others into situations because she insisted on her way and didn't trust the intelligence and experience of others. But, as her history is revealed, I started to understand why she is the way she is. I started to feel pity for a woman who is brilliant in so many ways, but closed off from the deeper more satisfying things in life. Silverton tries to loosen her up and get her to really live and he succeeds somewhat. He even recognizes her worth and cares for her, but his own flaws (or shall I say methods in getting the job done) cause a rift that Miss Truelove will not accept. This thing with Truelove and Silverton was left unresolved and I hope it carries into the next book.
What I think really threw me for the biggest loop was that there is a hinky element to this story. Miss Truelove is visited by the 'ghosts' of Queen Victoria and her father. I am dubious whether they are real or she is hallucinating. The story never clears this up. I found it distracting at best and could have done without it as they kept popping in for their Jimminy Cricket moments. This is one of the things that if addressed in the next book then I might have more toleration for it.
I also found the other secret bit of hinkiness that is revealed in the story and left barely touched on another potential disappointment if it never ends up getting explained so again, I must wait until the next book to get the full picture maybe.
So, these things make it hard for me to say yay or nay about this book. There is no big cliffhanger, but it is still wide open in a way that left me less than satisfied. I suppose on one level there is a few resolutions. Engaging, strong beginning, but stay tuned... seems to be my take on it all.
I would recommend it for those who love their impertinent, eccentric lady adventuresses in a historical setting.
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
After closing the book on the last page, I was left somewhat bewildered about this one. A Most Extraordinary Pursuit had a cunning mystery, colorful characters, exciting moments, and just that little extra something special that makes a book sparkle. Now that said, I have a few reservations, too. And, my ultimate decision whether I loved this story is rather dependent on what will follow. There wasn't a cliffhanger, but there is definitely quite a bit left wide-open. More on that in a bit.
The story opens with the Duke of Olympia's personal secretary, Miss Emmeline Truelove overseeing his funeral and then called aside to hear of a 'mission' from the now Dowager Duchess. The duke's heir is missing it seems and someone must find him and let him know his new situation before less than desirable people and situations happen with the dukedom.
Miss Truelove is hesitant, particularly when she gets a look at her erstwhile partner, Lord Silverton who doesn't impress her as capable. But she wants to do her duty so off she goes to locate archeologist and amateur scholar, Maximilian Haywood where he was last reportedly seen, Crete.
On arrival, Silverton and Truelove realize that Haywood might have encountered foul play as they are in danger from unknown attackers trying to prevent them from finding the new duke. Miss Truelove is well out of her depth though she tries to push forward and assert her natural intelligence and confidence while she also learns there is more to her partner than meets the eye.
As they follow Haywood's trail, the situation get more dire and the plucky Miss Truelove and her cohort must endure much to reach success. They do indeed face an extraordinary adventure.
Alright, in the beginning Emmeline Truelove who is the heroine and narrates this story in the first person stands out as an eccentric, buttoned-up yet strong-willed woman. And it is that strong-willed button-uppedness that both engaged and repelled me.
While I appreciated her eccentricities, I was none too fond of her 'my way is not just the highway, but the only way' attitude and how she looked down on others whose life rules didn't match her own. She got herself and others into situations because she insisted on her way and didn't trust the intelligence and experience of others. But, as her history is revealed, I started to understand why she is the way she is. I started to feel pity for a woman who is brilliant in so many ways, but closed off from the deeper more satisfying things in life. Silverton tries to loosen her up and get her to really live and he succeeds somewhat. He even recognizes her worth and cares for her, but his own flaws (or shall I say methods in getting the job done) cause a rift that Miss Truelove will not accept. This thing with Truelove and Silverton was left unresolved and I hope it carries into the next book.
What I think really threw me for the biggest loop was that there is a hinky element to this story. Miss Truelove is visited by the 'ghosts' of Queen Victoria and her father. I am dubious whether they are real or she is hallucinating. The story never clears this up. I found it distracting at best and could have done without it as they kept popping in for their Jimminy Cricket moments. This is one of the things that if addressed in the next book then I might have more toleration for it.
I also found the other secret bit of hinkiness that is revealed in the story and left barely touched on another potential disappointment if it never ends up getting explained so again, I must wait until the next book to get the full picture maybe.
So, these things make it hard for me to say yay or nay about this book. There is no big cliffhanger, but it is still wide open in a way that left me less than satisfied. I suppose on one level there is a few resolutions. Engaging, strong beginning, but stay tuned... seems to be my take on it all.
I would recommend it for those who love their impertinent, eccentric lady adventuresses in a historical setting.
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2016
Captivating story, loved the characters and the ancient Greek mythology in the story line. Cannot wait for the next book!
Read
November 5, 2018Emmeline Truelove was the personal secretary to the late Duke of Olympia. She is instructed by the Duchess of Olympia to find Olympia's heir, Max Haywood, who has not been heard from in several months. Accompanying Emmeline is Lord Silverton who is to be her chaperone and fellow investigator. Off they go on their quest. Emmeline is a strong and highly proper young woman. Although not quite ready for what lies ahead, she rises to the occasion. Lord Silverton doesn't initially impress Emmeline as capable and believes him to be an "amiable idiot". However, as their adventures progress, Silverton's genuine caring for her and his interesting skill set begins to come out. An unconventional mystery with time travel, paranormal, mythology, and a little romance thrown in. I recommend embracing this fun, quirky story and enjoy several surprises along the way. – Jacque C.
September 16, 2016
I am a fan of author, Beatriz William and her historical war time period stories. I was intrigued to check out this new book by Juliana Gray. The pseudonym for Beatriz William. I thought this book was a charming book. Lord Silverton was full of wit. He sure kept the journey fun. Plus, I like that he called Emmeline by her last name Truelove. It was endearing. For the time period I found Truelove to be strong and daring. Silverton and Truelove were cute together. This is fine and I actually would not have had a problem if I had been more focused on the story as a whole. Every once in a while I would find myself actually comprehending and intrigued by the story but for the most part I was half interested. The ending does seem to lead that this will not be the last time that we will see Truelove and Silverton. This book may not have been a favorite of mine but I would read another one by Juliana Gray.
December 25, 2016
Decided to try this library book as I like historical fiction and time travel. Not sure it would've been worth buying, but glad I listened to it. I did skip the one-minute sections at the beginning of each chapter set in ancient Greece, not feeling I missed a lot.
If you're dead set against any sort of "romance" aspects, you might hesitate on this one, although it's no bodice-ripper. If anything, Truelove's a bit of a prig, making up for her mother's "loose" reputation. Her dashing aristocratic companion is, indeed, interested in her; she's quite leery of him after finding him in flagrante with a Greek woman, though Silverton points out it was a mutual attraction, not a "conquest" of his.
During the course of the story, her dead father appears to her once or twice. More often, the apparition involved is none other than Queen Victoria! Me, I liked Ole Vickie's persona quite a bit, though others have found that aspect A Bit Too Much.
I'll admit I found the time travel aspect frustrating as it isn't explained at all, folks from the past and future (real, living people not specters) just "appear" in the story. I suppose we're to take it that the details will come as part of a series. Otherwise, overall I found the book funny, with very good narration.
If you're dead set against any sort of "romance" aspects, you might hesitate on this one, although it's no bodice-ripper. If anything, Truelove's a bit of a prig, making up for her mother's "loose" reputation. Her dashing aristocratic companion is, indeed, interested in her; she's quite leery of him after finding him in flagrante with a Greek woman, though Silverton points out it was a mutual attraction, not a "conquest" of his.
During the course of the story, her dead father appears to her once or twice. More often, the apparition involved is none other than Queen Victoria! Me, I liked Ole Vickie's persona quite a bit, though others have found that aspect A Bit Too Much.
I'll admit I found the time travel aspect frustrating as it isn't explained at all, folks from the past and future (real, living people not specters) just "appear" in the story. I suppose we're to take it that the details will come as part of a series. Otherwise, overall I found the book funny, with very good narration.
did-not-finish
February 2, 2017Nope nope nope nope ALL the nope. Contemporary prologue with "dude/bro" dialogue? Nope. Main character sees hallucinations that have information the main character herself doesn't have? Nope. Hints of anachronistic historical artifacts? Nope/yawn.
August 9, 2017
I was really looking forward to this book after reading the prequel about the Duke of Olympia, which I rated a 5. However, this novel was a disappointment in several ways. The author used a technique of having the main character, Emmeline Truelove, frequently conversing with her dead father and the dead Queen Victoria, which I found a distraction from the story. I could almost understand using the father to provide a look into Emmeline's backstory, but Queen Victoria made no sense. Also, Juliana Gray took a great amount of time to develop her main characters, with flashbacks that often interrupted the mystery. So much so that I found myself losing interest in what was to happen. This was extremely upsetting since she developed the characters in The Duke of Olympia Meets His Match very completely in a little over 100 pages, creating interesting, likable characters. In this, the first book of a series and over 400 pages, I was left not feeling satisfied with Emmeline and wondering if I wanted to read the next book. I will have to make that decision later. In the meantime, I will try another book by this author, written under her real name, as Juliana Gray is a pen name.
January 14, 2019
Unfortunately, this wasn't what I was expecting and only sort of enjoyed it. There were some parts that were really great, but most of it I felt was slow and didn't really particularly like the characters. Too bad, because this is one of my favorite authors (Beatriz Williams).
September 20, 2017
About three chapters into A STRANGE SCOTTISH SHORE, I knew that I needed to read the first book in this series.
For one, I thought it would help me figure out some of the little nuances in the book that I was missing, as well as the backstory for many of the characters and their relationships.
So confession….I put down A STRANGE SCOTTISH SHORE about five chapters in and started reading this one instead. I just felt like there were so many little things that I was missing and I felt like I was cheating myself by skipping the first book.
I am glad I decided to read this one before going on to the second book, this one helped fill in the gaps on a lot of different issues I had with the second book. For one, the relationship between Lord Silverton and Truelove. I love them together, they have a chemistry that is undeniable and charming mixed with a little humor. I love the arrogant yet roguish air of Lord Silverton. He is cocky but knows his mind and that he has met his match in Emmeline Truelove.
Truelove has sassy, intelligence, and a quirky streak. She is a no-holds-bar king of lady and Silverton (as well as the readers) will find a charming heroine in Emmeline Truelove. However she can be stubborn to a fault which I found frustrating as a reader. She was so sure that Lord Silverton couldn’t truly be in love with her nor could he ever change his ways. I don’t know that I ever bought into the idea of him being an unchangeable rake to the degree that Truelove thought he was, but I’m willing to buy in to it at least a little.
I don’t know that Gray laid enough ground work for us to believe he was unchangeable in the way that Truelove felt he was and on the other side of that coin, I don’t know that she did enough to justify why Truelove fought off his intentions so vehemently. She was so sure that he couldn’t love her–and honestly I wasn’t sure that he loved her or if he was infatuated with her–but yet at the same time, there was nothing indicating that he was being anything other than honest. So basically by the end I fell in with the Truelove camp and questioned just how much truth was in Lord Silverton’s feelings.
One thing I wished that Gray had done was build up the time travel piece a little more. Clearly there were other characters in the story from the future and characters from the past moving through the story but it wasn’t really discussed, only hinted at. Which obviously suggests more explanation in future books but still I felt like I needed a little more.
I think I could have done without the ghosts that Truelove sees on the whole and settled for a real life friend instead. I didn’t think the ghosts added anything to the story. If anything I found myself confused as to their overall purpose. I also didn’t care for the excerpts from The Book of Time before each chapter. I failed to grasp their importance in the narrative and found myself skipping over them only to discover that they played a larger role in the story.
Though this book had some flaws and kinks, on the whole, I liked it. I am glad I decided to set aside the second book so that I could read this one first. The second book made so much more sense after reading this one and in my opinion the second book is much better but this book is the necessary book for foundation purposes.
See my full review here
For one, I thought it would help me figure out some of the little nuances in the book that I was missing, as well as the backstory for many of the characters and their relationships.
So confession….I put down A STRANGE SCOTTISH SHORE about five chapters in and started reading this one instead. I just felt like there were so many little things that I was missing and I felt like I was cheating myself by skipping the first book.
I am glad I decided to read this one before going on to the second book, this one helped fill in the gaps on a lot of different issues I had with the second book. For one, the relationship between Lord Silverton and Truelove. I love them together, they have a chemistry that is undeniable and charming mixed with a little humor. I love the arrogant yet roguish air of Lord Silverton. He is cocky but knows his mind and that he has met his match in Emmeline Truelove.
Truelove has sassy, intelligence, and a quirky streak. She is a no-holds-bar king of lady and Silverton (as well as the readers) will find a charming heroine in Emmeline Truelove. However she can be stubborn to a fault which I found frustrating as a reader. She was so sure that Lord Silverton couldn’t truly be in love with her nor could he ever change his ways. I don’t know that I ever bought into the idea of him being an unchangeable rake to the degree that Truelove thought he was, but I’m willing to buy in to it at least a little.
I don’t know that Gray laid enough ground work for us to believe he was unchangeable in the way that Truelove felt he was and on the other side of that coin, I don’t know that she did enough to justify why Truelove fought off his intentions so vehemently. She was so sure that he couldn’t love her–and honestly I wasn’t sure that he loved her or if he was infatuated with her–but yet at the same time, there was nothing indicating that he was being anything other than honest. So basically by the end I fell in with the Truelove camp and questioned just how much truth was in Lord Silverton’s feelings.
One thing I wished that Gray had done was build up the time travel piece a little more. Clearly there were other characters in the story from the future and characters from the past moving through the story but it wasn’t really discussed, only hinted at. Which obviously suggests more explanation in future books but still I felt like I needed a little more.
I think I could have done without the ghosts that Truelove sees on the whole and settled for a real life friend instead. I didn’t think the ghosts added anything to the story. If anything I found myself confused as to their overall purpose. I also didn’t care for the excerpts from The Book of Time before each chapter. I failed to grasp their importance in the narrative and found myself skipping over them only to discover that they played a larger role in the story.
Though this book had some flaws and kinks, on the whole, I liked it. I am glad I decided to set aside the second book so that I could read this one first. The second book made so much more sense after reading this one and in my opinion the second book is much better but this book is the necessary book for foundation purposes.
See my full review here
January 17, 2018
One shouldn’t judge a book by its cover…
I picked this up thinking it would be a historical mystery with a touch of romance. Therefore, I was confused when the opening scene was set in present day and read almost like an action thriller novel. Then, just as I was grasping that the book was including time travel of some sort, the ghost of Queen Victoria started talking to our heroine, adding a paranormal element, and I began to wonder if there was any genre A Most Extraordinary Pursuit wasn’t going to fall under.
In 1906 Emmeline Truelove works as the Duke of Olympia’s secretary. When he suddenly passes away, his widow sends Miss Truelove off to Crete to try and find his successor and the new duke, Max Hayward, who has recently gone missing. The Duchess sends along Lord Silverton, a dashing cad who turns out to be handy in a tight spot, to escort Emmeline.
This is where we get the mystery and adventure. Miss Truelove and Silverton follow Max’s trail, dodging bullets and blades along the way. It’s all quite enjoyable and fun.
The romance isn’t exactly how I imagined. I assume we are supposed to all cheer on Silverton and Miss Truelove’s pairing but there is something about him that makes me hesitate. In fact, for quite a while in the book I was hoping that when we met Max, he’d be Emmeline’s knight in shining armour and she could kick Silverton to the kerb.
As if the inclusion of the scifi element wasn't complicated enough, Gray adds in an awful lot of flashbacks/backstory for Emmeline. All told in her first person point of view, probably each chapter has a 1906 scene followed by her sharing a scene from her childhood or past. It did get a little distracting at times.
Each chapter also starts with a second adventure/romantic story in the form of a Greek myth which is apparently an excerpt from the new duke’s ‘book’. This Book of Time (as it is called) is supposedly written in the main book’s future by the duke. Though confusing, I hated not this idea but the actual storyline and characters of that book/myth. I would have much preferred it wasn’t included at all and only read it with the hope of solving the time travel riddle. I did not solve the time travel riddle.
Gray is very good at adding cliffhangers. Each chapter ends on one nicely. However, I did expect the end of the book to have some sort of conclusion and was, therefore, disappointed when all we got was a couple of twists straight out of left field. The ambiguous ending left me with an unsatisfied feeling.
So, will I read part two? Yes, I think I will. Because despite all the confusing aspects of this novel, its identity crisis and my general disinterest with the male lead, I still developed some sort of fondness for it. I do want to know what becomes of Emmeline.
3 and ½ out of 5
I picked this up thinking it would be a historical mystery with a touch of romance. Therefore, I was confused when the opening scene was set in present day and read almost like an action thriller novel. Then, just as I was grasping that the book was including time travel of some sort, the ghost of Queen Victoria started talking to our heroine, adding a paranormal element, and I began to wonder if there was any genre A Most Extraordinary Pursuit wasn’t going to fall under.
In 1906 Emmeline Truelove works as the Duke of Olympia’s secretary. When he suddenly passes away, his widow sends Miss Truelove off to Crete to try and find his successor and the new duke, Max Hayward, who has recently gone missing. The Duchess sends along Lord Silverton, a dashing cad who turns out to be handy in a tight spot, to escort Emmeline.
This is where we get the mystery and adventure. Miss Truelove and Silverton follow Max’s trail, dodging bullets and blades along the way. It’s all quite enjoyable and fun.
The romance isn’t exactly how I imagined. I assume we are supposed to all cheer on Silverton and Miss Truelove’s pairing but there is something about him that makes me hesitate. In fact, for quite a while in the book I was hoping that when we met Max, he’d be Emmeline’s knight in shining armour and she could kick Silverton to the kerb.
As if the inclusion of the scifi element wasn't complicated enough, Gray adds in an awful lot of flashbacks/backstory for Emmeline. All told in her first person point of view, probably each chapter has a 1906 scene followed by her sharing a scene from her childhood or past. It did get a little distracting at times.
Each chapter also starts with a second adventure/romantic story in the form of a Greek myth which is apparently an excerpt from the new duke’s ‘book’. This Book of Time (as it is called) is supposedly written in the main book’s future by the duke. Though confusing, I hated not this idea but the actual storyline and characters of that book/myth. I would have much preferred it wasn’t included at all and only read it with the hope of solving the time travel riddle. I did not solve the time travel riddle.
Gray is very good at adding cliffhangers. Each chapter ends on one nicely. However, I did expect the end of the book to have some sort of conclusion and was, therefore, disappointed when all we got was a couple of twists straight out of left field. The ambiguous ending left me with an unsatisfied feeling.
So, will I read part two? Yes, I think I will. Because despite all the confusing aspects of this novel, its identity crisis and my general disinterest with the male lead, I still developed some sort of fondness for it. I do want to know what becomes of Emmeline.
3 and ½ out of 5
October 3, 2016
Emmeline Truelove is in the unusual position, for an Edwardian woman, of being the Duke of Olympia's personal secretary. She's held the post for six years, since the death of her father, who previously held it. The Duke of Olympia is newly dead, his heir is somewhere in the Mediterranean, and the alternative to great-nephew Maximilian Haywood is his younger brother, a dissolute spendthrift.
Haywood has to be found.
The Dowager Duchess asks Miss Truelove to make a trip to Greece to find the heir. She's sending the Marquess of Silverton with her, on the grounds that this seemingly frivolous young man has skills she'll need.
Reluctantly, and over the objections of what seems to be Queen Victoria's ghost, she agrees.
Despite the sometimes steampunk feel of the story, they travel in the Duke's steamship, Isolde, not an airship. Airships are blessedly absent in this story. Over the course of the trip we learn that Truelove thinks of herself as a very conventional, respectable young woman, and also that Silverton is perhaps not wrong in suspecting that there's something more to her than that. We also learn that her own family history has some oddness about it. But that's nothing compared to what she and Silverton find when they start digging into the apparent disappearance of Mr. Haywood, the new Duke of Olympia. The packet the duchess gave her includes pictures of a fresco in which one of the figures appears to be hold a Brownie camera--completely impossible, of course, in a fresco three thousand years old.
Things get stranger and stranger as they arrive at the last site that Haywood worked, meet some of the people that had been around him, and start to follow in his tracks.
And who the heck is Desma, and why does she speak such an odd, unfamiliar Greek dialect?
What the heck is going on here?
After a brief bump at the beginning, which nevertheless proved to be relevant later, I just couldn't stop reading this. Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Haywood has to be found.
The Dowager Duchess asks Miss Truelove to make a trip to Greece to find the heir. She's sending the Marquess of Silverton with her, on the grounds that this seemingly frivolous young man has skills she'll need.
Reluctantly, and over the objections of what seems to be Queen Victoria's ghost, she agrees.
Despite the sometimes steampunk feel of the story, they travel in the Duke's steamship, Isolde, not an airship. Airships are blessedly absent in this story. Over the course of the trip we learn that Truelove thinks of herself as a very conventional, respectable young woman, and also that Silverton is perhaps not wrong in suspecting that there's something more to her than that. We also learn that her own family history has some oddness about it. But that's nothing compared to what she and Silverton find when they start digging into the apparent disappearance of Mr. Haywood, the new Duke of Olympia. The packet the duchess gave her includes pictures of a fresco in which one of the figures appears to be hold a Brownie camera--completely impossible, of course, in a fresco three thousand years old.
Things get stranger and stranger as they arrive at the last site that Haywood worked, meet some of the people that had been around him, and start to follow in his tracks.
And who the heck is Desma, and why does she speak such an odd, unfamiliar Greek dialect?
What the heck is going on here?
After a brief bump at the beginning, which nevertheless proved to be relevant later, I just couldn't stop reading this. Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
October 20, 2016
3.5 stars. In "A Most Extraordinary Pursuit" is the story of Emma Truelove. She is a very traditional woman who is interested in maintaining her appearance as a fine, upstanding woman. After the Duke of Olympia dies, his secretary Emma is forced to go to Greece in order to find his heir. Lord Silverton, a guy who doesn't seem to take himself too seriously and seems to think that there may be something more to Emma hiding under her prim and proper exterior. Emma seems to think that he might just be a bother on this journey but understands that a woman must be accompanied wherever she goes!
This is a new historical fiction by Juliana Gray, a new pen name for well-known histfic writer Beatriz Williams. I have read a lot of Williams' books and really enjoyed them. I was anxious to see what this book was like. This book has more mysteries than Williams' other books. Haywood, the heir to Olympia, has disappeared without a trace. Emma and Silverton discover many clues that they have to put together in order to figure out where he might have gone.
The writing of the book was good. The relationship between Emma and Silverton took me a little while to get into. It seems sort of contrived at the beginning. Emma is playing coy and being prim and proper. Silverton is pushing her to be more real with him. Eventually this hit a good pace for me but it was a little touch and go in the beginning.
There are a lot of interesting elements that made this book a lot of fun. First off, there was the setting. This book is set in Greece, a place that I don't get to visit often enough. I loved the detail that the author added. I also liked that the author added elements like the ghost of Queen Victoria (as feisty as she ever was) makes an appearance in the book. This book is the first in a new series according to Goodreads and will engage fans of series such as the Maisie Dobbs books (you can see the fanbase they are going for with the cover that seemed eerily familiar).
This is a new historical fiction by Juliana Gray, a new pen name for well-known histfic writer Beatriz Williams. I have read a lot of Williams' books and really enjoyed them. I was anxious to see what this book was like. This book has more mysteries than Williams' other books. Haywood, the heir to Olympia, has disappeared without a trace. Emma and Silverton discover many clues that they have to put together in order to figure out where he might have gone.
The writing of the book was good. The relationship between Emma and Silverton took me a little while to get into. It seems sort of contrived at the beginning. Emma is playing coy and being prim and proper. Silverton is pushing her to be more real with him. Eventually this hit a good pace for me but it was a little touch and go in the beginning.
There are a lot of interesting elements that made this book a lot of fun. First off, there was the setting. This book is set in Greece, a place that I don't get to visit often enough. I loved the detail that the author added. I also liked that the author added elements like the ghost of Queen Victoria (as feisty as she ever was) makes an appearance in the book. This book is the first in a new series according to Goodreads and will engage fans of series such as the Maisie Dobbs books (you can see the fanbase they are going for with the cover that seemed eerily familiar).
June 9, 2016
Originally posted on mythoughtsonthebook.wordpress.com
What fun! I thoroughly enjoyed A Most Extraordinary Pursuit. It is not a book I would normally choose, as it's a little romantic and that's not generally my cup of tea, but I am so glad that I won an advance copy through the First to Read program.
Emmeline Truelove is a complicated character who is assertive in a time when women mostly aren't, romantic but trying not to be, and a little crazy as she hallucinates visions of her father and The Queen who give her advice and chastisement as they are needed. I admit that I was frustrated with her at times, but I also sympathized with her struggles.
Ms. Truelove goes on a pursuit to find Maxamilian Haywood who has inherited the title of his recently deceased uncle, but no one has heard from Max in the last two months. Enter Silverton, "the most cheerfully promiscuous reprobate in England", who accompanies her on this journey to track down the new Duke and bring him home. Silverton is charming and handsome to a fault, the kind of guy you want to hate but you really just can't. It's not possible. He's too likeable. Lustable....Lovable? You know the type.
The story seems predictable and easy to begin with, and the twist and turns may not be for everyone, but I didn't want to put this book down. It was surprising and exciting. It caught my attention from the beginning and didn't let it go. I say give An Extraordinary Pursuit a chance to take you on a surprising journey through love, mystery and ancient Greek mythology.
What fun! I thoroughly enjoyed A Most Extraordinary Pursuit. It is not a book I would normally choose, as it's a little romantic and that's not generally my cup of tea, but I am so glad that I won an advance copy through the First to Read program.
Emmeline Truelove is a complicated character who is assertive in a time when women mostly aren't, romantic but trying not to be, and a little crazy as she hallucinates visions of her father and The Queen who give her advice and chastisement as they are needed. I admit that I was frustrated with her at times, but I also sympathized with her struggles.
Ms. Truelove goes on a pursuit to find Maxamilian Haywood who has inherited the title of his recently deceased uncle, but no one has heard from Max in the last two months. Enter Silverton, "the most cheerfully promiscuous reprobate in England", who accompanies her on this journey to track down the new Duke and bring him home. Silverton is charming and handsome to a fault, the kind of guy you want to hate but you really just can't. It's not possible. He's too likeable. Lustable....Lovable? You know the type.
The story seems predictable and easy to begin with, and the twist and turns may not be for everyone, but I didn't want to put this book down. It was surprising and exciting. It caught my attention from the beginning and didn't let it go. I say give An Extraordinary Pursuit a chance to take you on a surprising journey through love, mystery and ancient Greek mythology.
September 13, 2016
A remarkable novel written in a style which allows it to shift in time but also allows the reader to stay abreast of the plot. The two main characters are both strong willed and capable of achieving their goals. Lord Silverton easily brought to mind a very early 007 with his suave debonair attitude and manner. Miss Truelove cast forth a character which I can only describe as an Emma Peel in the making. I look forward to my next encounter with this daring duo of partners.
I have given this book a four star rating and would recommend it to anyone seeking a mystery with different plot from the normal fare.
I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.
October 14, 2016
I thought this was pretty wonderful, but I love a good cocktail mystery, adventure, witty banter and romance. To make it even better, Emmeline Truelove is a prickly, brave, fearful woman who unwillingly chats with the Queen of England's ghost and her own dead father when they drop in to tell her what they think of her choices.
May 24, 2016
review to come
did-not-finish
October 12, 2017You know, at times I think I liked this book (I LOVED Silverton! he was a riot) but at other times I felt a bit lost. I don't know if I was reading too fast or what, but I would read a scene which would refer to something a few pages previous, and I totally did not recall reading that. It also didn't help that I was dozing while reading the beginning of the book. (But that was probably my fault, not the author's - I hadn't been sleeping well the past couple of nights.) I would have loved it if it was explained why/how/whatever Emmaline was seeing ghosts... more specifically, the "ghosts" (??) of her father and of Queen Victoria (did the Queen mean something to her??).
I'm really disappointed as I was looking forward to reading the sequel, as it apparently takes place in Scotland. With the exception of Overseas, a book I absolutely adored, I haven't been thrilled about any of the Beatriz Williams (Juliana Gray) books that I've read. There's been times when I've started but not finished. Not sure why this author (I'm sure she's a perfectly nice woman) just doesn't click with me...
I'm really disappointed as I was looking forward to reading the sequel, as it apparently takes place in Scotland. With the exception of Overseas, a book I absolutely adored, I haven't been thrilled about any of the Beatriz Williams (Juliana Gray) books that I've read. There's been times when I've started but not finished. Not sure why this author (I'm sure she's a perfectly nice woman) just doesn't click with me...
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