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Redway Acres #2
Redway Acres: Maria
Set in 1800s England...
Maria Wyndham is the younger and more vivacious, twin stepdaughter of the late Lieutenant Mark Wyndham.
After their mother's death, she and her sister, Harriet, move to Eastease in Lincolnshire, and become wards of the lieutenant’s friend, Alexander Harker, and his cousin, Nathaniel Ackley.
Just in time for ball for the twins’ sixteenth Birthday, a friend of their stepfather and guardians, Robert Davenport, arrives to lavish them with gifts and to dance.
Family and friendship bonds are pushed to the limit, as Maria's story plays out. She finds her strength of will to survive and pursue the happiness of true love.
Maria’s silliness and love of life, often hide her intelligence and loyalty, in this story of sisters, and a girl, too soon pushed into the world of a woman.
Maria Wyndham is the younger and more vivacious, twin stepdaughter of the late Lieutenant Mark Wyndham.
After their mother's death, she and her sister, Harriet, move to Eastease in Lincolnshire, and become wards of the lieutenant’s friend, Alexander Harker, and his cousin, Nathaniel Ackley.
Just in time for ball for the twins’ sixteenth Birthday, a friend of their stepfather and guardians, Robert Davenport, arrives to lavish them with gifts and to dance.
Family and friendship bonds are pushed to the limit, as Maria's story plays out. She finds her strength of will to survive and pursue the happiness of true love.
Maria’s silliness and love of life, often hide her intelligence and loyalty, in this story of sisters, and a girl, too soon pushed into the world of a woman.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2016
15 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 15, 2020
One thing I love about series is getting to follow the characters you’ve fallen in love with from book to book. In this second installment of the Redway Acres historical family saga series, we’re back with some of our favorite characters from book one “Helena” including Captain Nathaniel Ackley (who seriously, is like the biggest cinnamon roll closeted softie of the series), who is one of the caretakers of twins Maria and Harriet, who had the misfortune of losing both their parents at a young age, and having their stepfather choked with grief over their mother’s death (the opening chapters are quite riveting) to the point he could not continue raising them. And so now they are the wards of two well-meaning and wonderful gentlemen.
But of course, trying times come for everyone, and when Maria is lavished with the attentions of a man who may not have good intentions at heart, her family will have to come together to protect her. I loved all the new characters we were introduced to, here, and I confessed I found myself peeking ahead in the series rather hoping to see who else was going to get a “book” and happy to see several of my favorites would be coming up!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
But of course, trying times come for everyone, and when Maria is lavished with the attentions of a man who may not have good intentions at heart, her family will have to come together to protect her. I loved all the new characters we were introduced to, here, and I confessed I found myself peeking ahead in the series rather hoping to see who else was going to get a “book” and happy to see several of my favorites would be coming up!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
July 2, 2018
This Review contains spoilers that are (hopefully) contained within their proper tags.
Read the review on The Anxious Princess blog here
Trigger Warning: This review contains references to sexual assault and may be disturbing to some readers.
Redway Acres: Book Two - Maria was written by Trish Butler and published 16 July 2016.
"Set in 1800s England, Maria Wyndham is the younger and more vivacious, twin stepdaughter of the late Lieutenant Mark Wyndham.
After their mother's death, she and her sister, Harriet, move to Eastease in Lincolnshire, and become wards of the lieutenant’s friend, Alexander Harker, and his cousin, Nathaniel Ackley.
Just in time for ball for the twins’ sixteenth Birthday, a friend of their stepfather and guardians, Robert Davenport, arrives to lavish them with gifts and to dance.
Family and friendship bonds are pushed to the limit, as Maria's story plays out. She finds her strength of will to survive and pursue the happiness of true love.
Maria’s silliness and love of life, often hide her intelligence and loyalty, in this story of sisters, and a girl, too soon pushed into the world of a woman."*
I was provided a complementary copy of Maria to review. It in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion/review of the book.
It was both a pleasure and an honour to dive back into the world of Redway Acres. The entire crew is back and kind of better. Of course, because this is a novel (and series) filled to the brim with drama, the smooth sailing doesn't last very long.
In all honesty, I underestimated Butler.
The twists (yes, there are multiple) in this novel were sublime. There's no way to convey my thoughts without actually saying the twist:
Yes, there is a twist here, which made for a very confusing scene.
If you were wondering what prompted me to explain the entire situation to you, it's because of my above statement: I underestimated Butler.
Trish.
Butler.
Went.
There.
After Nathanial merely losing his leg in the first novel when it seemed like he was close to losing his life, I formed a (very wrong) assumption that Butler was not an author willing to kill off the characters she had crafted. Each character was painstakingly built up in the first two novels, and it would be a pretty terrible thing if one of them were to die.
And they did.
I'm amazed, really. the twist was so unexpected that I put the book down and walked away. The tragedy was simply shocking. There are some people in this world who rarely see a stroke of good luck in their lives, and is a perfect representation of that. To see a character so nuanced and so completely forlorn is disheartening. Books are not reality, but Redway Acres as a series mirrors life in such a way that you can't help but hurt for the characters as if they were human. There is no other way to put it.
Keeping on that dark track, Maria faces darker demons than it's predecessor. Redway Acres is no stranger to sexual assault and rape. Keeping on that theme, statutory rape is a prominent issue featured in Maria. At first, I was unsure of the portrayal. It seemed glamorized, with fine food, freshly picked wildflowers, and promises of the future. So I was skeptical. But, ever the voice of reason, Helena steps in to tell that she was taken advantage of, all while relaying her own past. It was a bright spot in the novel, and the attention brought to such a serious issue was handled with grace and the utmost seriousness. I'm so, so grateful for the portrayal. The book was elevated because of it.
Sexuality is also addressed in Maria. As the novel is set in the 1800s, anything or anyone that deviated from the straight and narrow (with an emphasis on the 'straight'), it could be very easy to allow homophobia to run rampant. Butler has taken the best of the 1800s and injected modern opinions into it without them ever feeling out of place or preachy.
Also, Butler knows how to write a sex scene. That's all.
Unfortunately, there are minor technical issues in Maria that need to be addressed, such as:
His staff had, done a superb job. (47)
"I need that one two, please." (185)
She had collapse upon arrival. (263)
Or even and early death. (268)
At one point, the Harriet and Maria names do get switched up incorrectly. It makes sense, considering the whole situation is twister for the mind, but it does need to be addressed. (227, 259)
Also, at one point the Colonel was referred to as a "colonial" which had me laughing much harder than I care to admit. Even thinking about it now has me giggling.
And while I'm on the topic of the colonial Colonel, I never thought I'd be able to get enough of him and Helena. However, I was wrong. The couple is incredible, and I'll always have a soft spot for them, but the book is called Maria for a reason. At times, the Helena and Nathanial show seemed to overshadow the simple beauty of the rest of the story.
In fact, while I was a total champion of the romance in Helena, the main relationship in Maria didn't have me convinced. Mr Brooks, the local preacher, is too stuffy to enjoy. He is completely uncomfortable with any part of the female body, and his juvenile reactions to certain situations was just generally strange. Nathanial goes so far as to give Brooks "the talk", which caused secondhand embarrassment all around. While I suppose it could have been construed by some as cute and endearing, I just found it to be mortifyingly awkward. Going from a more-than-competent Nathanial (who's talent is shown multiple times in this book) to a bumbling Brooks was a tough transition.
There was also a little romance between two of the older patrons of the Redway Acres/Eastease family. I'm not opposed to more romance, but this one was rushed and felt totally out of place. I never had any interest in Dom and Mrs Hubbard as characters, so seeing them together and falling in love (extremely quickly, I'll add) just never felt genuine. Also, Dom's colloquialisms made his dialogue a bit of a chore to read. I found myself waiting for the scenes to end. It's kind of like getting an ad in the middle of your Youtube video. You understand why it's there, but you really hope the 'skip' button pops up.
Finally, to wrap up my "cons" on a more trivial note, Hopwood and Woodhead are two last names used frequently in the story, and it's very confusing to differentiate.
I'm not someone who typically finds the second book of a series better than the first, but Maria proved me wrong on many different accounts. I can't wait to crack open the third book, and I also never want to open it so I'll always have more of Redway Acres to read. This is a series that always has me coming back for more.
4 stars out of 5.
*Blurb by Goodreads
Read the review on The Anxious Princess blog here
Trigger Warning: This review contains references to sexual assault and may be disturbing to some readers.
Redway Acres: Book Two - Maria was written by Trish Butler and published 16 July 2016.
"Set in 1800s England, Maria Wyndham is the younger and more vivacious, twin stepdaughter of the late Lieutenant Mark Wyndham.
After their mother's death, she and her sister, Harriet, move to Eastease in Lincolnshire, and become wards of the lieutenant’s friend, Alexander Harker, and his cousin, Nathaniel Ackley.
Just in time for ball for the twins’ sixteenth Birthday, a friend of their stepfather and guardians, Robert Davenport, arrives to lavish them with gifts and to dance.
Family and friendship bonds are pushed to the limit, as Maria's story plays out. She finds her strength of will to survive and pursue the happiness of true love.
Maria’s silliness and love of life, often hide her intelligence and loyalty, in this story of sisters, and a girl, too soon pushed into the world of a woman."*
I was provided a complementary copy of Maria to review. It in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion/review of the book.
It was both a pleasure and an honour to dive back into the world of Redway Acres. The entire crew is back and kind of better. Of course, because this is a novel (and series) filled to the brim with drama, the smooth sailing doesn't last very long.
In all honesty, I underestimated Butler.
The twists (yes, there are multiple) in this novel were sublime. There's no way to convey my thoughts without actually saying the twist:
Yes, there is a twist here, which made for a very confusing scene.
If you were wondering what prompted me to explain the entire situation to you, it's because of my above statement: I underestimated Butler.
Trish.
Butler.
Went.
There.
After Nathanial merely losing his leg in the first novel when it seemed like he was close to losing his life, I formed a (very wrong) assumption that Butler was not an author willing to kill off the characters she had crafted. Each character was painstakingly built up in the first two novels, and it would be a pretty terrible thing if one of them were to die.
And they did.
I'm amazed, really. the twist was so unexpected that I put the book down and walked away. The tragedy was simply shocking. There are some people in this world who rarely see a stroke of good luck in their lives, and is a perfect representation of that. To see a character so nuanced and so completely forlorn is disheartening. Books are not reality, but Redway Acres as a series mirrors life in such a way that you can't help but hurt for the characters as if they were human. There is no other way to put it.
Keeping on that dark track, Maria faces darker demons than it's predecessor. Redway Acres is no stranger to sexual assault and rape. Keeping on that theme, statutory rape is a prominent issue featured in Maria. At first, I was unsure of the portrayal. It seemed glamorized, with fine food, freshly picked wildflowers, and promises of the future. So I was skeptical. But, ever the voice of reason, Helena steps in to tell that she was taken advantage of, all while relaying her own past. It was a bright spot in the novel, and the attention brought to such a serious issue was handled with grace and the utmost seriousness. I'm so, so grateful for the portrayal. The book was elevated because of it.
Sexuality is also addressed in Maria. As the novel is set in the 1800s, anything or anyone that deviated from the straight and narrow (with an emphasis on the 'straight'), it could be very easy to allow homophobia to run rampant. Butler has taken the best of the 1800s and injected modern opinions into it without them ever feeling out of place or preachy.
Also, Butler knows how to write a sex scene. That's all.
Unfortunately, there are minor technical issues in Maria that need to be addressed, such as:
His staff had, done a superb job. (47)
"I need that one two, please." (185)
She had collapse upon arrival. (263)
Or even and early death. (268)
At one point, the Harriet and Maria names do get switched up incorrectly. It makes sense, considering the whole situation is twister for the mind, but it does need to be addressed. (227, 259)
Also, at one point the Colonel was referred to as a "colonial" which had me laughing much harder than I care to admit. Even thinking about it now has me giggling.
And while I'm on the topic of the colonial Colonel, I never thought I'd be able to get enough of him and Helena. However, I was wrong. The couple is incredible, and I'll always have a soft spot for them, but the book is called Maria for a reason. At times, the Helena and Nathanial show seemed to overshadow the simple beauty of the rest of the story.
In fact, while I was a total champion of the romance in Helena, the main relationship in Maria didn't have me convinced. Mr Brooks, the local preacher, is too stuffy to enjoy. He is completely uncomfortable with any part of the female body, and his juvenile reactions to certain situations was just generally strange. Nathanial goes so far as to give Brooks "the talk", which caused secondhand embarrassment all around. While I suppose it could have been construed by some as cute and endearing, I just found it to be mortifyingly awkward. Going from a more-than-competent Nathanial (who's talent is shown multiple times in this book) to a bumbling Brooks was a tough transition.
There was also a little romance between two of the older patrons of the Redway Acres/Eastease family. I'm not opposed to more romance, but this one was rushed and felt totally out of place. I never had any interest in Dom and Mrs Hubbard as characters, so seeing them together and falling in love (extremely quickly, I'll add) just never felt genuine. Also, Dom's colloquialisms made his dialogue a bit of a chore to read. I found myself waiting for the scenes to end. It's kind of like getting an ad in the middle of your Youtube video. You understand why it's there, but you really hope the 'skip' button pops up.
Finally, to wrap up my "cons" on a more trivial note, Hopwood and Woodhead are two last names used frequently in the story, and it's very confusing to differentiate.
I'm not someone who typically finds the second book of a series better than the first, but Maria proved me wrong on many different accounts. I can't wait to crack open the third book, and I also never want to open it so I'll always have more of Redway Acres to read. This is a series that always has me coming back for more.
4 stars out of 5.
*Blurb by Goodreads
March 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this one. I love that the characters from Helena play an integral part in the story of Maria as well, and should continue through the remainder of the books as well. I thought it was very apropos that I read this one in particular around International Women’s Day, though I had no notion of the significance at the time. A powerful read. I am looking forward to Martha next.
February 24, 2019
Book 2 of the Redway Acres series is titled Redway Acres: Maria and, as you might have guessed, highlights more of Maria’s life at Eastease and beyond. You will, however, still get to check in and catch up with some of our favorite characters and horses from book 1 like Helena, Ackley and Harriet to name a few.
This second book really pulled on my heartstrings and I have therefore awarded it five stars. What happened to give it five stars, you ask? I’m not sure I can do that justice without revealing some key turning points of the book so I highly recommend you head over to Amazon and/or Kindle Unlimited to check it out yourself.
As you may recall, Harriet has a twin named Maria. The book first moves back in time to capture the twins’ younger years, primarily around their 16th birthday. There is a grand ball in honor of their birthday and the event ultimately leads to a marriage. Harker and Ackley are shocked to say the least.
The marriage isn’t the only shocking thing. There are several characters who show their true characters in both a negative and positive manner. For example, Mr. Brooks ends up realizing his love for a woman even after he had met with many families and their daughters with no success. Helena and Ackley have a few bumps in their marriage. And to top it off, there are some events that will shock you to your core.
The twists and turns of this book easily captured my attention and made me feel even more deeply invested in the characters. While there are again some topics and situations that may be triggering for some readers, I wish more people would read these books. I firmly believe it is important even in this day and age that we talk about things that have happened to us, and that others outside the situation know how to react and discuss respectfully. I also find the reactions and discussions to be empowering which is incredibly important.
Again, I’d like to thank Trish Butler for providing me with a copy of Redway Acres: Maria. I’ve voluntarily read this book and the review expresses my own personal opinion.
This second book really pulled on my heartstrings and I have therefore awarded it five stars. What happened to give it five stars, you ask? I’m not sure I can do that justice without revealing some key turning points of the book so I highly recommend you head over to Amazon and/or Kindle Unlimited to check it out yourself.
As you may recall, Harriet has a twin named Maria. The book first moves back in time to capture the twins’ younger years, primarily around their 16th birthday. There is a grand ball in honor of their birthday and the event ultimately leads to a marriage. Harker and Ackley are shocked to say the least.
The marriage isn’t the only shocking thing. There are several characters who show their true characters in both a negative and positive manner. For example, Mr. Brooks ends up realizing his love for a woman even after he had met with many families and their daughters with no success. Helena and Ackley have a few bumps in their marriage. And to top it off, there are some events that will shock you to your core.
The twists and turns of this book easily captured my attention and made me feel even more deeply invested in the characters. While there are again some topics and situations that may be triggering for some readers, I wish more people would read these books. I firmly believe it is important even in this day and age that we talk about things that have happened to us, and that others outside the situation know how to react and discuss respectfully. I also find the reactions and discussions to be empowering which is incredibly important.
Again, I’d like to thank Trish Butler for providing me with a copy of Redway Acres: Maria. I’ve voluntarily read this book and the review expresses my own personal opinion.
February 28, 2018
I wish I had read book 1 of this series before reading book 2. If I had, I’m sure I would have been less confused as to who was who and where they all fit into this story. Don’t get me wrong – this is a well-written book about people in neighboring communities in rural England in the early 1800’s. The problem is communities have lots of people – many of whom were obviously introduced in book 1 and continued on in book 2. It simply would have helped me if I had read book 1 first.
The author, Trish Butler, does a very good job depicting life in rural England and she develops each of her characters extremely well.
Trish will have no problem naming future books with so many prominent characters living in and around Redway Acres. How about Book 4 – Nathaniel, or Book 5 - Alexander?
I certainly recommend “Redway Acres” Book 2 – Maria. However, I suggest reading book 1 first.
B. Duane Whitlow
The author, Trish Butler, does a very good job depicting life in rural England and she develops each of her characters extremely well.
Trish will have no problem naming future books with so many prominent characters living in and around Redway Acres. How about Book 4 – Nathaniel, or Book 5 - Alexander?
I certainly recommend “Redway Acres” Book 2 – Maria. However, I suggest reading book 1 first.
B. Duane Whitlow
February 11, 2021
After finishing Trish butler’s first book in her Redway Acres Series - Helena, I dove right into Book #2 - Maria. I fell just as hard into this piece of the saga as the first.
This time the author focuses on Maria, identical twin sister of Harriet, both of whom we met in book #1. In this book we learn a little more of how they came to be at Eastease. We see them come of age, the celebrations that come with it, the feelings that emerge with their entrance into maturity and the consequence of choices made. The author does an amazing job of seducing us into a maze that we don’t even know we are in - until we find ourselves at the exit and shaking our heads!
Once again we are drawn into the era with descriptions and vernacular of the time that shows an enormous amount of research by the author. This allows us to be totally immersed into the lives of the characters we have met before and the ones introduced here as this saga moves forward.
On to Book #3 - Martha!
This time the author focuses on Maria, identical twin sister of Harriet, both of whom we met in book #1. In this book we learn a little more of how they came to be at Eastease. We see them come of age, the celebrations that come with it, the feelings that emerge with their entrance into maturity and the consequence of choices made. The author does an amazing job of seducing us into a maze that we don’t even know we are in - until we find ourselves at the exit and shaking our heads!
Once again we are drawn into the era with descriptions and vernacular of the time that shows an enormous amount of research by the author. This allows us to be totally immersed into the lives of the characters we have met before and the ones introduced here as this saga moves forward.
On to Book #3 - Martha!
January 10, 2018
Trish Butler is a master in the art of surprise
Where to start? Book to in the Redway Acres series will leave you aghast. While previously stated for the first book in the series that she took many surprising liberties given the time period in which in the boom was set she has certainly one uped herself and left me with a squeel of OH, WAIT ! WHOA! I too my hat to the author for repeatedly being able to develop and execute an unpredictable storyline.
I thourghly encourage you to give this book series a chance if you delight in unorthodox romances set in the early 1800s. You will not be disappointed!
Where to start? Book to in the Redway Acres series will leave you aghast. While previously stated for the first book in the series that she took many surprising liberties given the time period in which in the boom was set she has certainly one uped herself and left me with a squeel of OH, WAIT ! WHOA! I too my hat to the author for repeatedly being able to develop and execute an unpredictable storyline.
I thourghly encourage you to give this book series a chance if you delight in unorthodox romances set in the early 1800s. You will not be disappointed!
August 29, 2020
I won this book from an author giveaway. I really enjoyed the story. It’s amazing to me when I can get lost in a book and when I come up for air, lots of time has passed. Trish Butler has an amazing talent for writing! This story has many characters in it with lots of twists that I did not see coming. Set in the 1800s in England. Maria is an identical twin to her sister Harriet. They have much fun together and some heartache. Read this book!
September 26, 2020
I love this series so far. Book 1 blew me out of the water. Book 2 has down the same. The twists and turns of this book, left me with mouth hanging open a couple times. Seeing as I am a twin mom of girls - and this book is about twins (girls) - I felt closer to it and enjoyed it thoroughly. I could see my 2 being a lot like Harriet and Maria as they get older. Can’t wait to go read book 3 and the others!
July 20, 2022
What a great story! I do not want to give anything away but this story has great surprises!
March 5, 2018
Reading book 2 in a series can be quite a confusing experience sometimes when you have never “met” the various characters before and their descriptions and relevance to both books 1 and 2 may escape the reader. This was the case initially for me when I started reading “Maria” and Mr Eldridge lay dying in his bed. I thought who was he and why was he dying? Gradually, as the story unfolded, the answer to the first question became apparent but I never found out what had been the cause of his death. It is often through such puzzling thoughts that one can decide whether a book in a series is a stand-alone novel or not. Generally I felt that most of the plot of this book could be read and enjoyed in its own right and that is to compliment Ms Butler for her writing skills. Sights, sounds and smells from the 19th century exuded from the pages. Her character development was excellent and most of the time I knew which of the very many protagonists was appearing “front of stage” for my attention. However, I felt that there were too many characters fighting for the main role with their own back story often pushing Maria into the wings or back stage. This became quite confusing for me when a lot of, possibly unneeded, detail about minor characters was also included.
My own favourite characters were Helena and Nathaniel, particularly in his ability to perform various admirable, often quite “acrobatic”, encounters on one leg! The plot has plenty of intriguing twist and turns throughout and I was left in shock towards the end of the book with a couple of events - but no spoiler here! So, in conclusion this Austen-like tale but with its various racy descriptions taken from the historical romance, bodice ripping genre is gripping in parts, but is too long. This is particularly so for myself as I cannot claim to enjoy any of the many other examples of the genre out there on the market. No doubt there is an obvious legion of such fans who will return again and again for more enjoyment from the Redway Acres series. Another issue, quite apart from the length of the novel that must soon be addressed is a large number of editing and punctuation errors, in order to transform it from good to excellent overall.
My own favourite characters were Helena and Nathaniel, particularly in his ability to perform various admirable, often quite “acrobatic”, encounters on one leg! The plot has plenty of intriguing twist and turns throughout and I was left in shock towards the end of the book with a couple of events - but no spoiler here! So, in conclusion this Austen-like tale but with its various racy descriptions taken from the historical romance, bodice ripping genre is gripping in parts, but is too long. This is particularly so for myself as I cannot claim to enjoy any of the many other examples of the genre out there on the market. No doubt there is an obvious legion of such fans who will return again and again for more enjoyment from the Redway Acres series. Another issue, quite apart from the length of the novel that must soon be addressed is a large number of editing and punctuation errors, in order to transform it from good to excellent overall.
August 8, 2017
My second Trish Butler book- how nice to revisit characters from book 1 ( Helena) and get to know new characters.This book has a plot twist or two that will surprise you! I had to reread one of them when I realized what was happening. I found this book to be an engaging read. It is one of those books where you say " just one more chapter...."
March 27, 2018
This second book is just as good and entertaining as the first, if not more. It pulled a lot of emotions from me: happiness and sadness, humor, and a sense of hope. In some instances, I was confused with some characters, and there was one sub-plot that I definitely didn't see coming...wow!
The wonderful characters really brought the multi-faceted story to life.
4.5 stars!
The wonderful characters really brought the multi-faceted story to life.
4.5 stars!
June 11, 2020
My second book.
I thoroughly enjoyed writing this one, given the twists and turns.
I hope you enjoy it, too.
Don't forget to review, but mark it with spoilers! if you give anything away.
Remember to shelve and recommend to friends.
Thanks.
I thoroughly enjoyed writing this one, given the twists and turns.
I hope you enjoy it, too.
Don't forget to review, but mark it with spoilers! if you give anything away.
Remember to shelve and recommend to friends.
Thanks.
February 9, 2021
Good evening my fellow Book Dragons. This evening’s Whimsical Wednesday Gem is quite lovely, for it is not one but two. A set of perfect twin stones. Beautiful blue as sapphires. trial by fire and set in gold they are the creation of Dragon Feeder and Gem Maker Trish Butler. Yes, that is a name you have heard before. This is the second book in the Redway Acres Series. Each Gem can be read by itself, but they are set to also be read in order to give a chronological account of mythical Redway. We are once again in that era of the Napoleonic Wars, but this time the story brings us a set of twins. Maria and Harriett, perfect identical twins. Their father dies on the day of their birth and so their lives will be entwined with that of Colonel Ackley and his lovely wife Helena. Remember the last review and hopefully you have had a chance to purchase Book 1 and are now familiar with all the lovely characters there in.
On their 16th birthday the twins are giving a grand birthday party where they meet several of their guardians’ friends. One of these is Mr. Robert Davenport. Is he the sweet and kind gentleman he seems or only a Wolf in Sheep’s clothing? Will the girls find happiness or ruin? To tell more would be spoiling and you all now I do not spoil a good story, let alone a grand one such as this. Instead, I would like to tell you a bit about Ms. Butler’s writing style as regards her characters.
Trish Butler has a writing style far from the “bodice rippers” I have so come to dread. I realize there is a market for them and bless those who find them to their liking. We all have our loves and tastes, I just lost my taste for those after I met my soul mate and never looked back. Ms. Butler’s characters are three dimensional. The women are strong. You will find no milquetoast here. These women take responsibility for their foibles, their mistakes and they overcome them. They are given good secondary and tertiary characters to play off of. They are also passionate creatures. They are not duped into sex. And that is something else I appreciate about her books.
Her intimate scenes are tasteful and fitting. They are not vulgar nor coarse. They are titillating and they are not on every other page. She allows her characters multiple scenes of romance, teasing, building up, it’s not splayed across the page as an after thought, you know ..”Oh, I need to put some sex in here because my editor said so”.
Her males are the same. If a man is going to be a bad man, he is going to be a very bad man. He is not going to be a sniveling punk. He is going to be the sort of bad man that men of this period would have definitely taken umbrage with and done something about. They are men one can hear another man call a blackguard, a rake, a knave – and it fits! Her heroes are not hulking behemoths who do nothing but wield swords and pick up women, carrying them off to the boudoir and rip their bodices. These are men of valor, caring and bravery. When they take a woman, she wants to be taken. Her mend are kind when warranted and they too have weaknesses and make mistakes. They are not perfect.
I think that is what I love best about her books. No one is perfect. No one does no wrong and when the wrong is found out, it is confessed and dealt with. These characters are real. Truly do yourself a favor and try one and then all four. The Redway Acres Series is one I personally would love to see picked up and developed by those lovely folks at Masterpiece.
And here I am going to repeat what I said in my last review because it bears repeating: I loved this book for several reasons. One, Ms. Butler is English and knows her element here. This is not your average romantic bodice ripper. These characters are realistic. The settings, clothing, transportation, battles, weapons, medical care and diseases are all spot on. Two, she pulls no punches, her type writer is not a bakery nor does it come with an early warning system to help the “trigger” bunch. Life in the 1800’s was hard no matter what class you were born into. Life in general was unpleasant at the best of times, medicine was just beginning to make nominal discoveries, women died in childbirth, spousal abuse wasn’t talked about, the brutalities of war were extremely brutal given that if a soldier survived the battlefield he could very well die of gangrene or some other infection. Three, intimate scenes are tastefully done ( a bit much for old fashioned me) but still tasteful. I do appreciate a classy romance. These scenes are done as love scenes between adults and no one sticks their head in the sand about the fact that sex is part of married life. Her writing makes me think somewhere along the line Charlotte Bronte and Phillippa Gregory are long lost cousins.
If you are looking for romance to warm up your Valentine’s Day, this is definitely the book for you! Until tomorrow, I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
On their 16th birthday the twins are giving a grand birthday party where they meet several of their guardians’ friends. One of these is Mr. Robert Davenport. Is he the sweet and kind gentleman he seems or only a Wolf in Sheep’s clothing? Will the girls find happiness or ruin? To tell more would be spoiling and you all now I do not spoil a good story, let alone a grand one such as this. Instead, I would like to tell you a bit about Ms. Butler’s writing style as regards her characters.
Trish Butler has a writing style far from the “bodice rippers” I have so come to dread. I realize there is a market for them and bless those who find them to their liking. We all have our loves and tastes, I just lost my taste for those after I met my soul mate and never looked back. Ms. Butler’s characters are three dimensional. The women are strong. You will find no milquetoast here. These women take responsibility for their foibles, their mistakes and they overcome them. They are given good secondary and tertiary characters to play off of. They are also passionate creatures. They are not duped into sex. And that is something else I appreciate about her books.
Her intimate scenes are tasteful and fitting. They are not vulgar nor coarse. They are titillating and they are not on every other page. She allows her characters multiple scenes of romance, teasing, building up, it’s not splayed across the page as an after thought, you know ..”Oh, I need to put some sex in here because my editor said so”.
Her males are the same. If a man is going to be a bad man, he is going to be a very bad man. He is not going to be a sniveling punk. He is going to be the sort of bad man that men of this period would have definitely taken umbrage with and done something about. They are men one can hear another man call a blackguard, a rake, a knave – and it fits! Her heroes are not hulking behemoths who do nothing but wield swords and pick up women, carrying them off to the boudoir and rip their bodices. These are men of valor, caring and bravery. When they take a woman, she wants to be taken. Her mend are kind when warranted and they too have weaknesses and make mistakes. They are not perfect.
I think that is what I love best about her books. No one is perfect. No one does no wrong and when the wrong is found out, it is confessed and dealt with. These characters are real. Truly do yourself a favor and try one and then all four. The Redway Acres Series is one I personally would love to see picked up and developed by those lovely folks at Masterpiece.
And here I am going to repeat what I said in my last review because it bears repeating: I loved this book for several reasons. One, Ms. Butler is English and knows her element here. This is not your average romantic bodice ripper. These characters are realistic. The settings, clothing, transportation, battles, weapons, medical care and diseases are all spot on. Two, she pulls no punches, her type writer is not a bakery nor does it come with an early warning system to help the “trigger” bunch. Life in the 1800’s was hard no matter what class you were born into. Life in general was unpleasant at the best of times, medicine was just beginning to make nominal discoveries, women died in childbirth, spousal abuse wasn’t talked about, the brutalities of war were extremely brutal given that if a soldier survived the battlefield he could very well die of gangrene or some other infection. Three, intimate scenes are tastefully done ( a bit much for old fashioned me) but still tasteful. I do appreciate a classy romance. These scenes are done as love scenes between adults and no one sticks their head in the sand about the fact that sex is part of married life. Her writing makes me think somewhere along the line Charlotte Bronte and Phillippa Gregory are long lost cousins.
If you are looking for romance to warm up your Valentine’s Day, this is definitely the book for you! Until tomorrow, I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2023
disappointed
The explicit sexual content is not uplifting, encouraging, healthy, nor necessary. Such content makes a good author a poor author. The series was good enough to make me want to continue, but book 2 has turned me off to the series and the author. Smut is pornography and harmful to readers.
The explicit sexual content is not uplifting, encouraging, healthy, nor necessary. Such content makes a good author a poor author. The series was good enough to make me want to continue, but book 2 has turned me off to the series and the author. Smut is pornography and harmful to readers.
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