Satyr's Son

Roxton Family Saga #5

by Lucinda Brant

Lucinda Brant brings the Georgian era to life as no one else can! —Cynthia Wright, New York Times bestselling author


Roxton Family Saga Book 5: Henri-Antoine and Lisa’s Happily Ever After


London, 1786. Lord Henri-Antoine has returned from the Grand Tour to a life of privilege and excess. A vast inheritance allows him every indulgence, free from responsibility. Yet, Henri-Antoine maintains a well-ordered existence, going to great lengths to conceal an affliction few understand and many fear.
Miss Lisa Crisp is a penniless orphan who relies on the charity of relatives to keep her from the poorhouse. Intelligent and unflappable, Lisa will not allow poverty to define her. She leads a useful life working among the sick poor.
Under startling circumstances, Henri-Antoine and Lisa meet. There is instant attraction. When they find themselves attending the same wedding in the country, Henri-Antoine offers Lisa a scandalous proposition, one she should refuse but yearns to accept. Following her heart could ruin them both.


A standalone romantic adventure set against the backdrop of Treat, ancestral home of the dukes of Roxton. SATYR’S SON will delight fans of the series with cameos by many beloved characters, while new readers will discover the myriad pleasures and glittering aristocratic world of the Roxton family through the fresh eyes of newcomer Lisa Crisp. SATYR’S SON is a Cinderella story with a heartwarming Happily Ever After.


“A great plot, fast-paced and intricately woven with surprises. The setting has great historical references, well-imagined and written with mastery. The glowing moments of tenderness were the best part of this novel for me and I loved the crisp and powerful writing. This one is a masterpiece, a delightful read in its genre.” —Divine Zape, 5 STARS Readers’ Favorite advance review


“Just when you couldn’t imagine Lucinda Brant upstaging her previous, wondrous tales that star the Roxton family and friends, out comes SATYR'S SON, one of the best Cinderella stories ever. All books in this series easily stand alone but for those fortunate to read all the Roxton tales it will be like a homecoming of sorts. Reading and reviewing SATYR'S SON, was an absolute joy. Any fan of historical romance just has to read this book. Totally addictive and marvelous.” —SWurman, 5 STAR REVIEWER TOP PICK Night Owl Reviews advance review


Character-driven romantic adventure
Non explicit (mild sensuality)
Story length 144,000 words (not including bonus material)


The Roxton Family comes to life in audiobook, featuring the irresistible "smooth as melted chocolate" voice of award-winning, RADA-trained British actor Alex Wyndham


Connecting Books
Many readers enjoy Lucinda Brant's books as part of a wider series since her characters inhabit the same meticulously-researched 18th Century world with people and events cross-referenced throughout. Should you wish to read each series in chronological order, here is the


Roxton Family Saga
1740s NOBLE SATYR (Renard and Antonia)
1760s MIDNIGHT MARRIAGE (Julian and Deb)
1770s AUTUMN DUCHESS (Antonia and Jonathon)
1770s DAIR DEVIL (Dair and Rory)
1770s PROUD MARY (Mary and Christopher)
1780s SATYR’S SON (Henri-Antoine and Lisa)
ETERNALLY Roxton Letters Volume One
FOREVER Roxton Letters Volume Two—In progress


Salt Hendon Series
1763 SALT BRIDE (Magnus and Jane)
1767 SALT REDUX (Antony and Caroline)
SALT HENDON COLLECTION — boxed set with bonus novella SALT ANGEL


Alec Halsey Mysteries
Spring 1763 DEADLY ENGAGEMENT (Country house murder and mayhem)
Autumn 1763 DEADLY AFFAIR (A poisoned vicar and the mysterious Miranda)
Winter 1763 DEADLY PERIL (Bloody intrigue abroad)
Summer 1764 DEADLY KIN (Evil lurks in Edinburgh) In progress

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Georgian, Fiction

454 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2017

About the author

Hello! I'm a history geek who loves the 18th Century!
I write about families, creating worlds that are full of history, heart, and Happily Ever Afters. When I'm not in my writing cave in the 1700s I live in the middle of a koala reserve, so the neighbors are cute and cuddly and sleep all day!
I write because I must, and I write from the heart, and only what I love to read.
My books have been on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, and Audible bestseller lists, and have won numerous awards. All are available as audiobooks narrated by British actors Alex Wyndham, Mary Jane Wells and Matthew Lloyd Davies, and voice talent Marian Hussey. My books are also available in translation— French, German, Italian, and Japanese languages. I love to hear from my readers.

Reviews

[Lady Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Satyr's Son, Lucinda Brant has created a worthy conclusion to the Roxton Family Saga . This Cinderella-inspired love story features Henri-Antoine Hesham – the younger son of the late fifth Duke of Roxton and his beloved duchess Antonia – who meets his match in lowly but proud Lisa Crisp. Knowing this to be the last of the series, I joyfully savored this book, as I have its four full-length predecessors. The dramatis personae are numerous, however, so I shall try to sketch them out in this review. The new reader may also choose to refer to the family tree appearing at the beginning of the book.

In Noble Satyr, Henri-Antoine's parents meet and fall deeply in love, with the duke forsaking his debauched life to experience the unexpected joys of marriage and fatherhood with his much younger wife. Antonia and her “Monseigneur” have thirty wonderful years together, until he dies, and Antonia is inconsolable, almost to the point of madness. In Autumn Duchess however she finds love again with Jonathan Strang Leven, a nabob who inherits a Scottish dukedom from a distant relative. To her and everyone else's surprise, she gives birth to a daughter, Elsie, now a precocious young miss at age eight.

In Midnight Marriage Julian, their elder son, is forced by his father to marry the very young Deborah Cavendish and immediately sent on an eight-year grand tour with his tutor, Martin. Thanks to the gods of Romancelandia, Julian and Deb meet again as adults and fall in love. Now, Julian is the sixth Duke of Roxton, and he and his duchess have seven lively children who are the apple of their grandmother's eye.

Dair Devil and Proud Mary focus on the Fitzstuart/Cavendish clan, Antonia's cousins. Alasdair Cavendish returned from fighting in the American colonies to become a dashing rogue, but he is brought to heel by his love for retiring spinster Rory Talbot. They are now the Earl and Countess of Strathsay. Dair's sister Lady Mary is the heroine of Proud Mary. In the earlier books, Mary was unhappily married to Sir Gerald Cavendish, a self-centered social climber who tried to exploit his connections to the Roxtons. Upon his death, Lady Mary and their daughter Theodora were left virtually destitute, with the estate entailed upon the teen-aged heir Jack. Their neighbor, country squire Christopher Bryce, is Theodora's guardian, and acting upon the wishes of Sir Gerald he refuses to allow “Teddy” (as she prefers to be called) to mingle with her Roxton relatives. True love wins out however when the socially inferior squire with the scandalous past finally declares his love for Lady Mary and is surprised to find himself welcomed into the extended Roxton tribe.

Whew. Got all that? As Satyr's Son opens, all of these characters, and more, are planning to gather at Treat, the Roxton estate, for the wedding of Teddy Cavendish to her distant cousin Jack, now Sir John Cavendish, MP. As it happens, the groom has been Henri-Antoine's closest friend since their school days. In the earlier books, Jack and Teddy seemed destined for one another, and now it is coming to pass.

But before the wedding festivities begin, we must become acquainted with Lisa Crisp, the orphaned nineteen-year-old woman who lives with Dr. and Mrs. Warner and assisted in Dr. Warner's dispensary. Although Lisa is Mrs. Warner's cousin, she is treated as something less than a member of the family yet more than a lowly servant. Mrs. Warner is self-absorbed and indolent, while the doctor is kindly but engrossed by his medical practice. Neither of them gave much thought to Lisa.
Henri-Antoine is busy in London leading a dissolute life in the manner of his late father when a drinking bout at a friend's home causes him to fall into a seizure. He has suffered from the “falling sickness” (epilepsy) since birth, but his condition is hidden from all except his close family and his pal Jack.

By happenstance, Lisa is in the house when this incident occurs, and her medical knowledge allows her to discretely assist Henri-Antoine until the seizure passes. Afterward, he visits the dispensary to thank Lisa and is astonished to see that she toils among the poorest and sickest people in London. When he learns that Lisa helps the doctor's illiterate patients by writing letters to their families, he buys Lisa a beautiful rosewood writing box with mother-of-pearl inlay. (A short visit to the authors Pinterest page reveals a picture of such a box, along with other wonderful illustrations.)

Henri-Antoine is intrigued by Lisa, but the two never expect to see one another again. Imagine Lisa's surprise and delight then when she receives an invitation to the wedding from her best schoolfriend Teddy. It turns out that Lisa's aunt was Antonia's personal maid for many years, and her close friend, and Antonia had arranged for Lisa to attend an exclusive girls' school. After rumors of Lisa's scandalous behavior got her expelled from school, she and Teddy lost touch with one another, but once again fairy-godmother Antonia finds Lisa and insists that she be allowed to attend the wedding.

The romance between Henri-Antoine and Lisa blooms as they spend time together at Treat. To describe what happens there would be spoilerish, but suffice it to say that Henri-Antoine behaves badly at times, and he is a rather difficult hero to like. Some readers have disapproved of him so much that they graded the book downward, but overall I found his behavior understandable, if not admirable. And where Henri-Antoine is sometimes cynical and thoughtless, Lisa is kind and gentle and brings lightness into his life.

For this reader, the pleasure of catching up with all of the Roxton family nine years after the events in Proud Mary more than made up for some less pleasant parts. Although the earlier books in this series are excellent, one need not have read them in order to enjoy this one. Because Lisa is the newcomer to this world, we see the extended Roxton family through Lisa's eyes and hear their backstories through her ears.

Brant gives her readers her usual perfect mixture of history, romance, and family, setting much of the book in the glittering environs of Treat (think Bleinham Palace). So, time-travel back to 1786 and revel in the setting, the characters, and the story.

Finally, full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from Lucinda Brant for review purposes, and I probably should disclose that I am flattered to be one of the three people mentioned in her dedication.

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is final book in Ms Brant’s outstanding Roxton Family Saga and, although all the other books in the series are fabulous, there is just something special about this one that captured my heart and I totally fell in love with Henri-Antoine and Lisa’s story.

Lord Henri-Antoine (Harry) Hesham is the second son of the late Renard, fifth Duke of Roxton, and his much younger, beloved wife Antonia. Handsome, arrogantly self-assured and rich, Harry can have any woman he fancies, and his licentious behaviour with actresses and other men’s mistresses suggest that he is following in the footsteps of his late father whose scandalous exploits, before marrying Antonia, were legendary. However, Harry has suffered from the ‘falling sickness’ (epilepsy) since birth, something which is a closely guarded secret known only to his immediate family and his best friend Sir John (Jack) Cavendish. At the age of 25, Harry still suffers seizures, although they are less frequent, and he has tried to convince his family that he is cured. To maintain this deception, he employs a group of loyal and trusted servants – “the lads” – to look after him in the event of a seizure and ensure that he is safe and well away from public view. Although Harry professes not to be the marrying kind, Jack genuinely believes that he will one day find his soul mate.

“I believe there is someone out there for you, and that she will be the great love of your life because that is what you need, Harry. And it is what you deserve. And because you are a romantic I know that when you fall in love you’ll well and truly fall, as if off a cliff. And when that happens, don’t fight it; embrace it.”

Since being orphaned at the age of nine, Lisa Crisp has lived with Dr Warner, an eminent physician, and his wife, Minette, Lisa’s cousin, but is largely ignored.

To the Warners, Lisa was simply there, like a piece of furniture, or a scullery maid, and thus rarely thought of at all.

Intelligent and capable, Lisa assists in Dr Warner’s dispensary, which provides services for the sickly poor, giving aid and comfort to the patients and writing letters for those who can read but not write. She has earned a reputation for being trustworthy and calm in a crisis. Lisa’s ability to remain cool in an emergency plays an important part in her unconventional, first meeting with Harry. Lisa knows from experience that he is having a seizure and, although Harry is a total stranger, she cares for him ensuring that no-one sees him in such a vulnerable state until help arrives in the form of “the lads”.

Having heard what happened from Jack, Harry is intrigued by the young woman who remained so calm and capable and totally unfazed by his condition and wants to see her himself. Lisa is surprised when he arrives at Dr Warner’s to thank her in person and a definite spark of mutual attraction flares between them. When Harry returns to present Lisa with a beautiful writing box as a ‘token’ of his gratitude for all she did for him, the discovery that they are both attending a friend’s wedding has them both wondering if they might be attending the same wedding. In fact, Lisa’s aunt had been chief lady in waiting to Harry’s mother, Antonia, who had sponsored Lisa ‘s attendance at Blacklands, an exclusive boarding school. Whilst there, Lisa developed a close friendship with Miss Theodora Charlotte (Teddy) Cavendish but, when Lisa was expelled from school for scandalous behaviour, the two girls lost touch with each other. Lisa is therefore surprised but thrilled to receive an invitation to Teddy’s wedding to Sir John Cavendish.

Their romance blossoms against the background of Teddy and Jack’s wedding celebrations, but can a duke’s son and a penniless orphan, with ink-stained fingers, have a fairy tale happy ending?

I think Harry is the most complex of all the heroes in this series. At face value, it would be easy to dislike him because, at times, his behaviour is reprehensible, but dig deeper and beneath that arrogant, overbearing veneer, there is a vulnerable man beset by fears and insecurities. In the poignant scene where he talks to Lisa about his father, there is a sense of the deep loving bond between father and son and how devastated the twelve-year-old Harry felt when he died. He has never fully recovered from that loss and, when he thinks that he is losing Lisa, it is anger, frustration and fear that makes him lash out and say cruel and hurtful things to the two people he loves the most. It also makes him feel insecure about himself.

…if he’d not had position and wealth, what was he, and how wanted would he be?

Harry has the added burden that he knows the falling sickness carries a great social stigma, not only for the sufferers but their families too, and has always been determined that his family would not be subjected to scandal and ridicule.

Like Lisa, I discovered that Harry is kind, generous, caring and loving. With the large inheritance he received from his father, he set up the Fournier Foundation to fund dispensaries providing free medical help for the poor, medical research and scholarships for students from poor backgrounds who showed great potential. I like how loyal and generous he is to Jack and truly wants to see him happy.

Lisa’s calmness and capability are definite advantages when dealing with Harry and I like her confidence and directness which he finds so disconcerting. She actually has the nerve to rebuke him at one point:

She had rebuked him, then dismissed him as a lackey. A girl in a plain gown and scuffed shoes, whose fingers were ink stained, thenails short, the skin rough from work, and whose family were possibly one step up from the gutter, had dared to reproach him, the son of a duke, the brother of the most powerful duke in the kingdom.

and later shocks him by kissing him first!

She also sees the real man behind the arrogant mask and comes to understand him in a way that others have failed to, and I like how she realises the significance of his walking stick. I can understand her willingness to become his mistress because she loves him deeply and if this is the only way she can be with him, then so be it. I also admire her unselfish reasons for not accepting Harry’s proposal of marriage. She does not want to bring scandal to his family or drive a wedge between him and his brother, Julian.

As with all Ms. Brant’s books, the romance is beautifully written; sweet, tender, romantic and sensual, without being overtly explicit. I particularly love the scene in the Neptune’s Grotto where Harry and Lisa finally consummate their love which reflects all these qualities. Although he would never admit it in a hundred years, Harry is a romantic at heart and I love the notes he leaves in the secret compartments of Lisa’s writing box.

I loved Teddy in Proud Mary and was hoping she would get her Happy Ever After with Jack. They are a delightful couple and Jack’s calm affability is the perfect foil for Teddy’s exuberant nature.

The rest of the extended Roxton family play an important role in the story especially...

- Antonia, the matriarch of the family, always wise and loving, but still able to reduce her 40 year-old-son to a whining four-year-old!

- the female members of the family who show genuine warmth and kindness to Lisa, something that had been sadly lacking in her life.

- Antonia’s husband Jonathon who is always a tower of strength and there when Lisa needs him the most and offering some sound advice.

- Elsie, Antonia and Jonathan’s adorable daughter, who strikes up a friendship with Lisa and whose interactions with her brother Harry, reveal how much he loves his little sister.

I admire Michel Gillet, Harry’s major domo, for realising that Lisa has a rare inner beauty and is willing to risk the formidable Duke of Roxton’s wrath by telling him so. I also like Dr Warner who shows how much he cares for Lisa and appreciates all the work she has done for him.

How I Imagine Harry


How I Imagine Lisa


I am sad to say goodbye to all these wonderful characters whose stories I have loved so much but I hope that perhaps, one day, Ms. Brant might decide to revisit them.

MY VERDICT: A wonderful ending to this superb series. HIGHLY RECOMMMENDED.


Roxton Family Saga (click on the link for more details):

https://www.goodreads.com/series/7104...



**I received a complimentary copy from the author for the purposes of an honest review. **



This review was first posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:

https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, we reach the end of Lucinda Brant's sumptuous Georgian, Roxton family saga. Or do we? I can't believe Ms. Brant will find it easy to let go of the very real and loveable Roxton family she has created and I'm sure I speak for other fans when I say I hope she doesn't - at least not yet. This is a family with secrets still to reveal and we need to know them. For instance, what events in Renard Hesham's early life shaped him into the man we first meet in Noble Satyr? Almost forty years of his life are still unaccounted for and, as usual, Ms. Brant has dropped subtle hints that there is more to him than she has yet told us. However, for the purposes of this review, with Satyr’s Son,the series has come full circle from where it began as Ms. Brant tells Lord Henri-Antoine (Harry) Hesham's story, the younger of Renard and Antonia's two sons.

On first acquaintance, Lord Henri-Antoine Hesham is shown in a bad light - blatantly and unapologetically bedding his friend's mistress and ringleader of a group of badly behaving, aristocratic friends. However, a little later, it becomes clear that, in reality, he is actually a kind and generous young man whose outward demeanour hides a deep-seated vulnerability. Harry has suffered from debilitating falling sickness (epilepsy) since birth and, as a result, has deliberately adopted an aloofness, preferring to hold himself apart from most people, even his family up to a point. This demeanour is a coping mechanism, albeit one that does him no favours with his peers. But, early in the story, amidst Harry's excesses, the author gives us a glimpse into his true character - for why would he go to the trouble of attending an auction to purchase shells for his beloved little sister, Elsie, if he were as uncaring as he prefers people to believe him?

It is during one of his fits that he 'meets' the absolute antithesis of himself. Lisa Crisp is a poor, hardworking girl with no connections to the nobility, other than as a niece by marriage to Lord Henri-Antoine's mother's ex lady’s maid. Lisa lives on the charity of the family and has done so since she was orphaned as a child. She just happens to be in the right place at the right time when Harry literally falls at her feet during an epileptic seizure. As an assistant in her uncle's dispensary for the sick poor, Lisa is used to coping with all kinds of ailments, including falling sickness, and deals with the situation in her normal practical, no nonsense manner - calmly and gently soothing Harry, wiping his face and stroking his hair during the worst of his struggles. Harry only has the haziest of recollections after he recovers but does recall seeing the image of a Botticelli Angel just before he blacks out. This image is confirmed by his best friend Jack (Sir John) Cavendish, who was also there, and leaves Harry intrigued and determined to find and thank his 'Angel'. His minders, or 'lads' as they are known, protect him from prying eyes when he is at his most vulnerable and it is virtually unknown for anyone to witness an attack let alone actually witness one and not be repulsed by it. I was, by this time, loving the direction this story was taking, because I don't ever remember coming across such a scenario before and one where the author, who has quite obviously done her homework, deals with the implications of it in such a sensitive and caring manner.

It doesn't take Harry long to track Lisa down to her uncle's dispensary and it just so happens that he knows of Dr Warner, an eminent physician, anatomist and the husband of Lisa's cousin. The doctor has radical ideas well ahead of his time with regard to sickness/illness and the treatment of it, but also believes that to further the advancement of medical science, the future training of bright young men to become physicians is vital. As most of these young men do not have wealth or connections, Dr Warner has applied for the funds to enable their training which he hopes will come from rich sponsors. Harry is one such sponsor - a philanthropist with a genuine interest in furthering medical science for both rich and poor, notwithstanding his own apparently incurable disease. This interest and generosity is yet another dimension to Harry's character that his critics are unaware of and it has long been his practice to anonymously invest large amounts of his own money through the Fournier Foundation (Harry's brain child) to aid such projects that Dr Warner needs support and funding for.

It became clear to his parents early in Harry's life that his affliction could not be ignored and was unlikely to go away and must therefore be dealt with. His father, Renard Hesham, fifth Duke of Roxton, a very forward-thinking man, sets the wheels in motion for Harry to be able to do something worthwhile with his life. In his young days, Roxton was considered an unredeemable rake but marriage to Antonia had changed his habits for ever. Despite his rakish past, he was a highly intelligent man and having finally found the love of his life in middle age, he had settled down to become a loving husband and father. His wife and children became his life and he spent much of the first twelve years of his younger son's life caring for and observing him during and in the aftermath of his traumatic seizures. Renard came to see and understand the similar character traits that he and Harry shared and took the momentous step of bequeathing his beloved son a fortune. The size of this fortune far exceeded the amount considered to be the norm for a younger son, but Roxton obviously trusted his son would use it wisely - after all, was he not his son? IThis fortune, along with his extraordinary good looks, further sets Harry apart from his peers; it enables him to live independently and cope with his illness without detection, but it also has the unfortunate effect of causing envy among his peers, which only served to accentuate his outwardly arrogant aloofness.

Since the age of nine, Sir John Cavendish has been Harry's one true friend and the only person outside his family who truly knows Sir Henri-Antoine Hesham and appreciates and accepts the frustrations which cause his friend to lash out at the people he cares for, himself included. Jack is to marry Teddy, his first cousin, and the daughter of Proud Mary (book 4 in the Roxton Family Saga). Jack worries about leaving his friend, as he must on his marriage to his childhood sweetheart and wishes fervently for him to 'fall off a cliff in love' as Jack is convinced will happen to his friend one day. Much of the ongoing story takes place at Treat, ancestral home of the Roxton family, where the family wedding is to take place. Teddy is as delightful a young woman as she was a child (I adored her characterisation in Proud Mary). She has no airs and graces and is excited that her best friend from her school days, Lisa Crisp, has been found - at Teddy's request - by her cousin, Antonia, Duchess of Kinross and dowager Duchess of Roxton and a wedding invitation issued.

Despite her lowly birth, Lisa soon has most people at Treat eating out of her hand, with her natural sweetness of nature and unaffected beauty. Harry too is smitten and has been since their first meeting, and I loved how Ms. Brant develops the love story between them, plausibly knocking down the social barriers in the process. From their first conscious meeting (after Harry tracks her down), it is obvious that they are meant to be together but how to bring these two polar opposites together. He is his own worst enemy because, in the way of someone like Harry who is not as sure of himself as he appears but needs to hide his lack of self-confidence, he constantly strikes out at the people he loves the most, albeit usually with the finest of motives.

Harry wants Lisa very much but believes he is not worthy of her love and must save her from wanting someone like him. Harry is a complex character who hasn't gone down well with some readers/reviewers. Personally, I loved him and can see why someone such as Lisa would have been captivated by him. Imagine living with an affliction such as his in the time this story is set. He is saved from an asylum only because of his wealth, position and powerful family and must live his life with the constant fear of humiliation and scandal, not only for himself but for his family as well, should his affliction become public. Despite his looks and wealth, how could he not be vulnerable and unsure of his self? And yet, he takes an active interest and anonymously donates to causes which aid the sick poor. No, Harry is a rather gorgeous, if flawed young man, and Lisa's evident love for him, her complete disregard for his illness and her refusal to be pushed away for her own good is heart-warming. Her pure and unselfish love becomes even more evident towards the end of the story in a couple of beautiful and moving scenes in which Antonia, Julian and Harry are involved. One scene in particular is reminiscent of one in which Deb was involved in . In fact, there are a couple of instances where Ms. Brant gives a *nod* to scenes in which Harry behaves in much the same way as his father did. However, I fear that only true lovers and followers of Ms. Brant's exquisite work will realise the author's intentions.

As usual, Ms. Brant's attention to detail and in-depth research into the life and times of the Georgian period is second to none and I always come away from reading one of her books more knowledgeable. In Satyr's Son, my ahhh moment came when the author tells us of the origins of London's world famous Natural History Museum. I shall return on my next visit with fresh eyes to look for evidence of the family who once lived there.

How many ways can I say that Alex Wyndham is my favourite narrator? That his name on an audio book will always hook me? It becomes more and more difficult after the many reviews I've written for books he has narrated, or performed, would be a fairer adjective. As usual, he has outdone himself and has even 'found' a new voice that exactly matches the description of the character I heard in my head when I read the print version of Satyr's Son. Lord Henri-Antoine is said to have a voice 'like hot chocolate' and I couldn't agree more as Alex Wyndham rises to the challenge of proving it. Then, I've always thought that this man has a voice I could easily drown in - like melted chocolate or maybe even black velvet. He is multi-talented with oodles of artistic jeux de vie and it is very easy to forget that he is handling a multi character cast of male and female characters. But before I stop waxing lyrical, I must mention one of my favourite characters of this series - Jonathon, Duke of Kinross. Thanks to Ms. Brant's wonderful characterisation and Alex Wyndham's portrayal of him, I DID forget that he's actually just a character from the author's clever and fertile imagination. He is 6'4"of gorgeousness, issuing words of wisdom in the special voice this performer keeps just for him, and which somehow encompasses his ebullient bigness and inherent kindness and always gives me goose bumps!

MY VERDICT: A wonderful end to a wonderful series? Although as I said, hopefully not the end. From NOBLE SATYR TO SATYR’S SON…which is my favourite of the series? I can't say because whichever book I'm reading or listening to at the time tends to be my favourite. However, SATYR’S SON is definitely a Stellar 5 stars for me.

[Mela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hoped for more of this story.

The idea was promising. What reader wasn't rooting for Henri-Antoine since the second/third part of the series? And Lisa was a wonderful heroine.

This time, the author balanced better the whole background story of Roxon's family than in Proud Mary. Although, it still could have been trimmed here and there.

There was a splendor, and the feeling of the era which I think is the strongest point of Lucinda Brant's book.

Yet, I missed the drama and intrigue from the first parts of the series. It looks like with each next novel there was more recounting previous parts than creating new twists, etc.

The love story had potential (really big), but the writer choose to make it love and lust at the first sight, which could have been better managed too.

I also don't understand why in each book (except in Midnight Marriage) a main couple had sex before marriage. I am not against it (far from it), yet the stories took place in the XVIII century and I am sure it happened many times then, but not almost with each couple.

I think Lucinda Brant needed a break from Roxton Family Saga (which she took). She feels the era, so she should concentrate on the period, but perhaps a completely standalone book are a better solution for her.

[5 stars for an idea, for some sections I would give only 3 stars, ultimately, I had 4-stars-enjoyment]

[Misfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet Cinderella type of story, and I very much enjoyed seeing Henri-Antoine, the younger brother of the H in Midnight Marriage, get a happy ending at last. Things seemed to meander a wee bit too much in the middle when everyone got to the country (dropping a star for that), but a satisfying finish. Except that I'd have preferred a bit more in the epilogue, those nasty cousins of hers deserved a better comeuppance than they got.

[Mari Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Satyr’s Son, the two most vibrant and visible children of the entire series, Teddy and Jack, find their happy-ever-after. (A match I predicted a few books ago, if anyone is counting). Teddy, daughter of Lady Mary Cavendish (Proud Mary), and Jack, brother of Deb, Duchess of Roxton (Midnight Marriage), each only had secondary or tertiary billing in past books, but nevertheless stole the scenes in their much-younger years.

However, they are not the central HEA, even though most of this book plays out at their wedding. (As such, I put forth the notion that Teddy and Jack were, in fact, robbed of their own book. I am hopeful these two will appear in the Roxton Family Letters, Volume Two, and would urge Brant to fill in the outlines of their story in a future bonus novella or short.)

Now, as to the actual hero and heroine of Satyr’s Son: Henri-Antoine (Harry), second son of Monseigneur, the former Duke of Roxton (Noble Satyr)—the great love of matriarch Antonia’s life—and brother to Julian, the current duke, is thumped in the head sideways by love of another commoner (following Sir Christopher Bryce from Proud Mary), Miss Lisa Crisp, bosom friend of Teddy, niece to Antonia’s former lady’s maid, and beneficiary of the Duchess of Kinross’s quiet patronage.

The two main characters meet in the throes of the hero’s deepest vulnerability, and she manages to help him mask it from the rest of the world, which sets the stage for as many displays of ducal emotional armor as we ever saw with his father. Harry has been able to manage ill health his entire life with the help and support of enormous wealth, a loving, if intrusive, family, and the innate dignity instilled by Monsiegneur. His noble upset is handled with a different sort of grace than Monseigneur (and Antonia) always displayed, but grace nonetheless. His core fragility, however, is the perfect complement to his heroine’s core competencies.

Also complementary are their plans for each other—at first. As she is not of noble blood, he sees her as a mistress, and she agrees; how else will she spend time with a nobleman she is falling in love with, when he will surely have to marry in his own class? But Teddy, Jack, Antonia, and the rest of the family will not have it. As his father did before him, he comes to what is left of his senses after Cupid’s assault, but requiring a similar sort of brick to the head as Monseigneur did when Antonia captivated him. Harry is not his father—he is more serious (by necessity), less frivolous, more intellectual, more goal-driven.

But he is similar enough. The haughtiness, the charm, the gloriously handsome physique, the seemingly blithe pursuit of pleasure, force a look backward: if the son invokes the “ducal defense” to cover up his great vulnerability, what then, was the father’s weakness? And in what ways did his heroine help him overcome it? Perhaps Monseigneur himself will be revealed in the next volume of the Roxton Letters.

As this has been billed as the last book in the Roxton Family Saga (barring the forthcoming epistolary Volume Two of the Roxton Letters), we can now bring some things full circle. Overall, from Noble Satyr to Satyr’s Son, she expertly weaves two genres into a comfortable whole: historical romance, of course, of the most glorious and sweeping sort; but also the traditional historical family saga, leading three generations through trials and tribulations equal to their great wealth and privilege.

[Eileen Dandashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Two analogies used in the storytelling are appropriate to mention here. One is about the making of a cake. I won’t spoil how it’s used in the story, but I think it appropriate to use in the success of a novel.

Every novel has various components in its creation. There is ‘flour’, ‘sugar’, some type of ‘oil or shortening’, ‘eggs’, etc. The final cake, once baked, can be so-so, or better than that. It may be exceptionally fluffy and moist. It may have unusual ingredients separating it from other cakes. The final baked masterpiece is a perfect blend and amount of each ingredient when baked with the perfect amount of heat. These are the cakes you can’t wait to eat over and over, savoring its uniqueness, allowing the consumer to experience more than a cake!

So it is with author Lucinda Brant’s ‘cakes’. Her writing is entrancing, descriptions with such vivid detail I can reach out and touch. The plot is never tiresome, paced in perfect harmony with richly textured characters.

Lord Henri Antoine is challenged on many fronts with personality traits making him a very complex person. He is very much like his father in both looks and character making him even more precious to his mother. The Satyr, his father, acted much like Henri Antoine, but found his heart when he met his duchess to-be.

Lisa is guileless, honest and direct in her speech. An attribute which draws Lord Henri, along with her beauty and character. He doesn’t understand what motivates Lisa’s decisions, but when he does, it is a pivotal moment in their relationship.

I loved how this saga keeps many of the same characters always adding new and interesting ones. The saga is five books, but I can see much more to come. I want to know if Henri Antoine has children, how Elsie, age eight, grows up within her overprotective family, and what success comes of the project Lord Henri and Lisa pursue.

Now, to my other analogy, so appropriate to Alex Wyndham’s narration voice. In the story, a friend of Lisa’s, Becky, a young woman of simple means, hears Lord Henri Antoine’s voice and immediately likens it to the smooth pleasure of drinking chocolate. I concur with Becky! Wyndham animates the story with his utter flexibility depicting each character, whether the suave and controlling Lord Henri, the animated and emotional Jack, or the duke-like arrogance of Julian, Henri’s older brother. All is in harmony with what the author wants the reader to experience. A perfect cake, indeed!

[Lady Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of the audiobook.

Alex Wyndham -- sublime, as usual.

Click here for my five star review of the book.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: Roxton Family Saga Book #5 (Audiobook)
Publication Date: 12/6/17

Alex Wyndham’s voice is like liquid chocolate oozing down your throat – smooth, lush, decadently appealing and sensual. His portrayal of the different characters is flawlessly done and it makes you feel as if you are eavesdropping on the lives and conversations of everyone in the book. He flows flawlessly from character to character, accent to accent and gender to gender. You feel the emotions of each character.

This book was so good that I didn’t want it to end – but all of Lucinda Brandt’s books are that way for me. I kept wanting to pause the playback of the book because I wanted to prolong the enjoyment and at the same time I wanted to speed up the playback because I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. So, this is quite a wrap-up for the Roxton series and I will miss these old friends.

Lord Henri-Antoine (Henry) Hesham is the second son of the fifth Duke of Roxton and brother to the sixth. He is rich beyond belief and has been coddled and spoiled all of his life. Not only does he have the looks and temperament of his father, he has the same reputation for debauchery as well. He goes from bed to bed – even going so far as to ‘share’ the mistress of one of his friends. He’s also very, very private because he has an illness that is much misunderstood and maligned during that time. Beneath all of that debauchery hides the heart of a romantic who is sweet, generous, caring and loving. It is so much fun to watch Lisa as she peels the layers back to reveal the real man who lies beneath the façade.

Lisa Crisp was orphaned at age nine and became dependent on relatives who didn’t want her (the Warners). She wasn’t exactly abused, she was just ignored – she was like the furniture, just there. She was given the opportunity to attend a boarding school for young ladies where she befriends ‘Teddy’, a member of the Cavendish/Roxton family. They were best friends until Lisa was sent down in disgrace. She lost touch with Teddy until, out of the blue, she receives an invitation to attend Teddy’s wedding and it is made plain to Lisa’s relatives that it is unacceptable for Lisa to refuse the invitation.

Lisa is calm, intelligent, trustworthy and beloved by the patients, the ‘poor sick’, at Dr. Warner’s clinic. She even volunteers as an amanuensis for those ‘poor sick’ enabling them to send letters home. Her work at the clinic enabled her to recognize that Henry was having a seizure when she first saw him. She secured and treated him while protecting his privacy – all without having any idea who he was. She actually goes through a fair portion of the book without knowing who he is. Because of his dress, speech, and mannerisms, she knows he is of the aristocracy, but doesn’t have a name to go with it.

Henry’s best friend is getting married – to Teddy – so he and Lisa find themselves at the same two-week wedding get-together. Lisa and Henry find themselves more and more attracted to each other. It is fun to watch Henry open up and blossom and Lisa come to realize that she is a worthy individual. Then, throw in a couple of shrewish ‘friends’ from school and another ‘friend’ bent on revenge and you find a lot of wrenches in the works. Can Lisa and Henry overcome the obstacles thrown in their way? Will Henry’s family accept a union between them? You’ll just have to read this lovely book to find out.


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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

[LadyAileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il figlio del Satiro è il quinto volume della serie Historical Romance Roxton, chiamata così dal nome della famiglia a cui appartengono i protagonisti. I volumi potrebbero essere letti singolarmente (ogni libro ha per protagonista una coppia diversa) ma è consigliabile leggerli nel loro ordine di pubblicazione perché spesso si fa riferimento a eventi accaduti in altri volumi.
In questo volume conosceremo Lord Henri-Antoine (figlio del duca di Roxton, protagonista del libro Nobile Satiro) e Lisa, un’orfana che lavora in un dispensario.
Ammetto che è passato un po’ di tempo da quando ho letto qualcosa di quest’autrice e mi dispiace perché sa davvero come creare delle belle atmosfere. È un’autrice che fa un lavoro magistrale per quanto riguarda la ricostruzione storica e lo fa senza mai appesantire la lettura.
La storia ha un buon ritmo (nonostante sia un libro corposo) ed è ben costruita, bella caratterizzazione dei personaggi, livello di sensualità moderato e affronta anche tematiche interessanti.
Le vicende sono raccontate attraverso il punto di vista (in terza persona) di vari personaggi ma quello predominante è quello della protagonista femminile.
La coppia del volume in questione è formata da: Lord Henri-Antoine un uomo prepotente, arrogante e intransigente ma anche amorevole, compassionevole, generoso e leale. Soffre di epilessia e tutto il denaro che ha ricevuto in eredità lo usa per aiutare chi è meno fortunato. Lisa un’orfana che dipende dalla carità di alcuni parenti ma è anche molto intelligente, altruista, dolce, leale e non teme il giudizio della società.
Come accennavo all’inizio appaiono molti personaggi secondari imparentati tra loro e se non avete letto gli altri libri, inizialmente si fa un po’ fatica a raccapezzarsi (se a qualcuno interessa l’autrice ha creato un albero genealogico). Resta comunque un romanzo godibile anche senza aver letto gli altri volumi.
Se state cercando una rivisitazione di Cenerentola ben scritta, questo è il libro che fa per voi.

[Marguerite Kaye]

I'm afraid this one simply didn't work for me. I've read a couple of the other books in the series and really enjoyed them, particularly Autumn Duchess, so I was expecting good things. I really admire the author's courage in presenting a romantic hero on-stage at the opening as she does, in the middle of an epileptic fit, and I think she did it extremely effectively. She concentrates on his angst, his shame at his 'affliction', the pride that makes him hide it from his mother, and by doing so presents us with a fascinating, emotionally tangled-up hero - and one who could easily be highly dislikeable too, with his arrogance and sense of entitlement.

My problem with this book, and the reason I didn't finish it, wasn't either the hero or the heroine, but everything else. There was way too much Roxton family for my liking. There was way too much 'ambiance' and history, not woven as Ms Brant usually does, into the story, but presented almost as padding. And though I liked the hero and heroine as individuals, I must say that I wasn't too convinced by their romantic chemistry.

So I was disappointed. But I have enjoyed a good few others of Lucinda Brant's books, I'm putting this down as the one that got away, and I'll definitely be going back for more.

[OLT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am full of admiration for Brant's Georgian world building and her good, although somewhat wordy, writing. But I have never liked many of the members of the Roxton dynasty, with the exception of some such as Dair and Rory, Christopher Bryce, and Antonia's second husband, the Duke of Ross, and maybe a couple others. I'm sure this is in keeping with the times, but most of the characters are too cliquey and high in the instep, wallowing in their wealth, aristocracy and snobbishness, with sporadic acts of condescension and kindness to the less fortunate lower classes so that readers can see how truly "good" they are.

Antonia, Duchess of Roxton and of Ross, is a big favorite for most readers. I only ever liked her a little in her own story, Autumn Duchess, but mostly resent the way Brant tries to manipulate readers into feeling that she is wonderful and admirable, a queenly fairy goddess of a woman. And don't get me started on Antonia's eldest, the present Duke of Roxton. What a pompous, inflexible arse he is. I didn't even like him in his very own story.

Now we have Henri-Antoine's story. Harry is Antonia's youngest son. He has suffered from epilepsy his whole life, which may or may not excuse him for being the prize horse's behind he now is at 25 years of age. Rich, arrogant, with feelings of entitlement, resentful of and frightened by his illness, he's not even very pleasant at times to his own friends. He spends an inordinate amount of time making sure he is sartorially elegant and, when out of those lovely clothes, enjoying the use of his impressively large "fine fellow", which he at times refers to in the third person. But he's a wonderful, loving, caring person, not to worry, because that's what several characters in the book say, and because, with his own money, he has set up a foundation to support doctors and anatomists and the care of the sick poor.

Speaking of the "sick poor" brings us to heroine Lisa Crisp. She's a poor orphan living a Cinderella existence in the household of her unkind, snotty cousin and that cousin's husband, a medical doctor-anatomist with a clinic for the sick poor. Lisa works at the clinic every day, helping the doctor in his work and also writing letters for those folks who want to communicate with their loved ones but cannot write. Lisa is a lovely girl, put upon by mean relatives, not even allowed to eat meals with the family, wearing horrid clothes, she still manages to keep her sense of worth and an admirable attitude about life.

But Cinder Lisa will have her day at the ball when she is invited to the wedding of her best friend Teddy, whom she has not seen for some years but who hasn't forgotten her. Teddy is, of course, part of the Roxton family. Lisa is connected to the Roxton family by being related to the duchess's former lady-in-waiting and by having been sponsored by Antonia to go to the same school as Teddy.

More mean girls (and boys) are to be found at the wedding, I'm sorry to say, and lots of roadblocks on the way to the HEA, but we'll get there. It was a slow, detailed, almost laborious trip for me. Brant is really wordily descriptive about every little detail of life, but you can't go skipping and skimming because many of the details are quite interesting and, in addition, you don't want to miss the lovely personal interactions that show up from time to time.

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings

on this one. First let me say that while I would categorize this book as being on the steamy side, and one I probably should have set down due to the crudity of the men in the first few chapters, there is no blatant sex. That would have been a definite deal breaker for me.
I did enjoy the story. But I found a few things to be irritating. First, the author's tendency to give too much information about too many things. I skipped paragraphs that didn't seem relevant to the story at all. Give me my fiction straight. I hate chasing rabbits.
Second, too many chapters ended wth something along the lines of, "little did they know..."
Third, was it necessary to use quite so many words that required the use of a dictionary, or foreign language without the benefit of translation?
That said, Brant did keep me turning the pages.

[Gogol · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. For many reasons mainly boredom, but also, the inconsistent writing, and the fact that the writer simply doesn’t give a damn about historical context. Case in point, an engaged man in 18th century London would never concern himself about paint colour, wall paper and so on. I am tempted to go find the page and make an exact quote. This review is for my personally information in the future so that I wouldn’t make the mistake of choosing any book by this person again.

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Satyr's Son IS A "CLEAN ROMANCE NOVEL" for those readers who do not like to read sex and lovemaking scene's this is the book for you!!

The story is set in the Georgian Era and Lucinda Brant is a master storyteller. I felt like I was there in every scene and in every conversation with the many lovely and delightful characters of this story.

I love Lisa the heroine, she has had a tough life but refuses to give into to despair. Her relatives are horrible to her. But one faithful day she helps one of the most powerful and riches peers in the land Henri Antoine. Son of a Duke and brother of the current Duke. Henri Antoine/Harry's mother is a 2 times Duchess, she had a Duchy in her own right. The Roxton's are the wealthiest and powerful family outside of the King and Royal Family in the land.

There is little romance in the story between Henri and Lisa and they do become sexually involved until near the end of the story. It is mentioned After the Fact that they have made love. But the story is still just delightful to read. It does drag a bit at times and I wish that the H/H had more time together in the story. Other than that this is a exceptional story very well written. Great Characters overall. I couldn't put it down!!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh yes, he is definitely his father's son ("Noble Satyr"). Lucinda Brant was the author who first introduced me to Georgian historical romances and, IMHO, no one does them better. The entire Roxton Family series is a treat and this latest addition is no exception. This book will be going with the rest of the series on my "re-read" shelf. Outstanding.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely ending to this amazing saga

Henry-Antoine was a favorite of mine since the previous books and he did not disappoint. Lisa is also a sweet and determined heroine that keeps her feet on the ground.
I love how arrogant and aloof he is on the outside while sweet and lovely within.
Great book! Missing the Roxtons already.

[Kiesha ~ Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd · Rating 5 out of 5]

*DREAMY Sigh*

[Karen Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

The hero is a despicable worm and the heroin is a virgin slut. The hero asked her to be his mistress because she is not good enough to marry and she readily agrees. Then when he thinks that she has accepted a better offer from a friend for her poor situation he gets livid and goes out of control and demeans her, which leads to kios. I stop reading because I was scared to find out what would happen next. I have to like my hero and heroin in order to enjoy a good romance novel.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

A romantic addition to the “Roxton Family Saga” this fifth story can be read as a stand-alone but is better read in order to avoid spoilers.

Read full review in the 2018 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Mary Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because I have loved this series but I just couldn't I found it silly and all over the place very disappointed

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Peggy Jo Wipf for Readers’ Favorite

The fifth book in Lucinda Brant’s Roxton Family Sage, Satyr’s Son, is actually about the second son of the Noble Satyr. This Georgian historical romance makes a full circle as the son is now the replica of his sire many years early. With Lord Henri-Antoine as the second son and fourth inline as a Duke, he has the freedom to marry as he wishes. Sadly, he chooses to live a life as the Satyr, a lustful and drunken Greek god. To most people Henri-Antoine, often called Harry, flaunts his wealth and power through his extravagant clothes and multiple servants that surround him. Miss Lisa Crisp quickly sees through his façade and accepts the affliction he has managed to hide for years.

Personally, I find Lucinda Brant a very skilled writer, mastering the language and making this a very charming love story. Satyr’s Son isn’t about perfect people, in a perfect setting, falling in love. It is about discretion and loyalty among friends and family members. Henri-Antoine felt he had to live as a Satyr because he couldn’t trust a woman in his upper class with his secret. Lucinda Brant also writes about love and sacrifice; making the characters come alive as they forgo their own happiness for the benefit of the other. Alex Wyndham is the cherry on this sweet novel, bringing each character alive as he narrates Satyr’s Son. His skill as an actor is evident as he changes his voice for each person and adds drama when the scenes get intense. They are definitely an excellent combination of written and spoken script.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author. It was bizarre.

The prose felt choppy in places but flowed well in others. The book, from beginning to end, felt weighed down with tons and tons of overexplaining and over-describing. The author created likable main characters, then had them behave so heinously disrespectful at a family wedding, both to their own reputations and to the sensibilities of the hosting family, that I was embarrassed for them. The attachment between Lisa and Harry was lovely and genuine and yet Harry was cruelly, deliberately, and inexplicably abusive (for no reason other than as an obvious plot device) and Lisa rejected him without explaining (for no reason other than as an obvious plot device).

At least the behavior of drunken young men was accurately portrayed. So there’s that.

[Teresa Blattner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much clothes descriptions!

Though I appreciate the lots of research about that time periods clothes, I felt there could have been more story and less history lesson. Ended up feeling bored and very easy to set aside.

[Scarlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a must read? A novel you have to finish after you read the first page? When you read you never hit a dull patch? You found it! Satyr's Son satisfies from start to finish. Then you go back and read the good parts again. I really enjoyed the humanity of Lisa and Henri-Antoine. Normally I get tired of long series. Not so with the Roxton series! Each book can be a stand alone, but I encourage you to meet the whole family!

[BonnieL · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had it been a novella, it might have been a better book. But this was padded with too much text, too much angst about what people were thinking (or not thinking), the dialogue was puerile and trite and I didn't find anything to admire in a "hero" who demanded the right to have sex with the mistress of a so-called friend and who frequented a bordello where everyone was nude and allowed entry only because of the size of their endowments. Equally, the heroine was a doormat - but a saintly one, who was loved by almost all who knew her (except for her Cinderella-like relatives and former schoolmates) and who bore all her trials and tribulations with resignation and gentleness. Humbug!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What am I supposed to do now???? How is my life to continue without the Roxton's?

[PR · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both of the main characters are mature in thinking for their age. As mentioned, a Cinderella story, with virtue (not exactly morality) rewarded for the female.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve missed a couple of stories but it doesn’t really matter.
This outing is the turn of Henri-Antoine, youngest of the satyr’s sons and now an adult, but still struggling with the ‘falling sickness’ of his childhood. It gets worse when he is stressed or overextending himself so after a drink and women filled trip to the continent, he knows he’s about to have a fit. But he can’t get out of the room fast enough. When he does, he runs into a young woman and falls at her feet.
Lucky for him, she is Miss Lisa Crisp. She works as an assistant at a medical clinic and she recognises his symptoms and looks after him until his specially trained servants can help. Being the son of a Duke, appearances matter. There is still a lot of stigma attached to the fits; people even think they are contagious, or a sign of madness.
Lisa was just there to return a book her seamstress ended up with by accident, but she’s made a huge first impression on him.
By the time he recovers, and goes to thank her personally, as his father would have insisted upon, he finds her as attractive as he had imagined.
They pretty much fall in love at once, but she is a pauper, reliant upon the begrudging charity of family. Her only ace in the hole is a distant interest and largess of a senior member of the Roxton family. This was enough to get her well educated but she left the school under a cloud. She’s nineteen, under age, and has no chaperone or guardian, and no family.
Her school friend, Teddy, is marrying Jack and she’s been looking for her old friend. Lisa’s cousins have kept the letters from her so she calls in the combined weight of several Duchesses to get her friend to her wedding.
Lisa shows up with third-hand gowns and her seamstress companion - sworn not to bring shame on her benefactors. So kissing Henri-Antoine under an oak tree is definitely out; as would be accepting an offer to be his mistress.
But as if she could hope for more?
***
Lisa is hugely competent. The doctor she assists knows her value and talks to her about his ideas. Unbeknown to her, he has taken on board some of her theories. This is a time when she could not have been a doctor herself, even if she had the money to go to medical school, but she speaks French and Italian, and it is her good heart that impresses people.
Honestly, I found her just TOO good.
She was expelled rather than admit she met a young man from another school at the bun shop. They were friends, but other malicious girls told lies about them. This lost her Teddy, as well as any respect from her benefactors. She works for no pay. Eats alone. And writes letters for the illiterate. But it’s better than the poor house. She knows this from experience.
She’s just so nice.
But she is also impulsive and outspoken. Not traits that society prefers in young women.
Fortunately for her, the Roxton family are not like others.
Henri-Antoine hides his disability behind a veneer of control and resorts to a caustic tongue to drive people away. He is the spitting image of his father and has followed his rakish example as well. Right down to the rumours about appendage size and the extravagant dress.
And like all the men in the family, when they fall in love… that’s it. Stick a fork in them; they’re done.
Julian and Deb by now have eight children, so a huge weight is removed from his shoulders as he gets pushed further down the inheritance tables. He’s relieved by this and notes he’s had less fits after the birth of each of his brother’s heirs.
I also felt that Lisa being infertile might be a good thing for him as well. No fear that their child will have epilepsy. But it wasn’t mentioned.
4 stars

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, was so close to being a 4, and could have been a 5! but first a few good things: as always, Brant's writing is stunning, full of incredible detail and with a style all her own. again, i usually do not read chaste romance but Brant's feels mature and high stakes while not putting anything explicit on page. the setting amongst so many beloved characters is so fun and makes you feel like youre also a part of it. the letter between monseigneur and ha was very very touching. ok here are the bad things: i was not convinced that lisa has a personality or purpose. she is a fundamentally impoverished and disenfranchised young woman with no close family and absolutely no one in her corner (other than the duchess, but we'll get back to that). yet she seems to have no sense of the world she lives and just how far she has to fall from her albeit unpleasant circumstances. here's the thing about cinderella stories: it doesn't work if cinderella can just say fuck you and do whatever she wants, and just as importantly it doesn't work if cinderella WANTS to do that. and yes lisa works in the clinic and scribes for the poor, but the moment she meets henri-antoinne she behaves in a completely unbelievable manner. a woman in this situation would realize she is only a few days from starvation if she gets turned out of the house she lives in. likewise, the very people she risks offending could ensure she was never employed again a day in her life. i actually didn't totally mind the mistress angle even though it usually drives me crazy (because we know the H will just change his mind by the end), if anything it was just sort of a waste of time and not the source of the main conflict. same with her infertility-this could have been the entire source of the conflict but was basically resolved on one page (im not sure i mind that, but at that point why include it). if im not making sense what im saying is it just felt completely out of the character we were getting to know that lisa, who had ALREADY been gravely punished for kissing another man on the cheek, would a) spend time alone with ha, b) use informal language with him and generally break social rules, c) make out with him, d) SKINNY DIP WITH HIM, and then--ok here's almost the end of my rant-- e) FUCK OFF FROM HER BEST FRIENDS WEDDING TO FUCK HIM FOR LIKE 48 HOURS!!! if i were teddy i would never forgive her!!! it just doesnt square. ok and lastly the word giggle appears at least 34 times according to my kindle and that is too many.