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Daughters of England #5
Lament for a Lost Lover
The Restoration brings many exiles home - among them Arabella Tolworthy, who comes to Eversleigh Court as a widow with a young son. Her arrival surprises her husband's cousin Carleton, who had believed himself to be the heir. This is the 8th novel in the family saga "Daughters of England".
365 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
45 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Philippa Carr
99 books247 followersEleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow, Anna Percival and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 19, 2023
Fantastic! Loved the characters. They are not all cookie cutters. SO different from most books in this genre that are just the same-old same-old. I wish this author was still alive!
September 6, 2016
After the previous book in the series, which I thought was great and rated five stars, this follow-up left me disappointed.
“Lament for a Lost Lover” does not have the strong plot or appealing narrator compared to any of the previous Carr novels. Several themes and their outcome are obvious to the reader more or less immediately, yet the narrating heroine is clueless. When certain realisations hit her, she alone is shocked, as the reader saw it coming long ago.
Another aspect that doesn’t appeal to me is the amount of time dedicated to plays/theatrical performances. This is like fiction within fiction and it fails to engage me. I’ve read a few books in which the theatre takes up a significant place in the story and I’ve always found this tiresome.
There are also several instances where the heroine is recalling her dreams – dreams as in, “Last night I dreamt that …”, which I find irritating.
As always with this author there’s a notable amount of repetition throughout the tale. Sometimes she gets away with it in her books but not in a story that lacks depth like this one.
Whether writing as Carr, Plaidy, or Holt, this author is talented at building suspense but invariably resolves the final confrontation – or confrontations in general – much too soon and far too easily. She’s notorious for doing this as Victoria Holt and she goes further with the final “live or die” scene in this book. I won’t mention what the situation is in this review, but will state that instead of milking the heroine’s dire peril for all it’s worth, after pages and pages of build-up, she resolves the matter in a few lines, resulting in a huge anti-climax.
It’s not a bad book by any means, but it has a “going-through-the-motions” feel. Little advantage is taken from two of the most pivotal events in English history, namely the plague of 1665 and the following year’s Great Fire of London.
Carr/Plaidy/Holt was a very prolific writer and is a favourite of mine, but among the quality stories there are a number of mediocre efforts and the occasional dud. I feel that had she spent more time revising existing books rather than rushing on to create new ones she would've produced many more works worthy of four and five star ratings. Better to pen 70 wonderful novels than 100 ranging up and down the scale.
In short, “Lament for a Lost Lover” is a run-of-the-mill novel by an author capable of much greater things.
“Lament for a Lost Lover” does not have the strong plot or appealing narrator compared to any of the previous Carr novels. Several themes and their outcome are obvious to the reader more or less immediately, yet the narrating heroine is clueless. When certain realisations hit her, she alone is shocked, as the reader saw it coming long ago.
Another aspect that doesn’t appeal to me is the amount of time dedicated to plays/theatrical performances. This is like fiction within fiction and it fails to engage me. I’ve read a few books in which the theatre takes up a significant place in the story and I’ve always found this tiresome.
There are also several instances where the heroine is recalling her dreams – dreams as in, “Last night I dreamt that …”, which I find irritating.
As always with this author there’s a notable amount of repetition throughout the tale. Sometimes she gets away with it in her books but not in a story that lacks depth like this one.
Whether writing as Carr, Plaidy, or Holt, this author is talented at building suspense but invariably resolves the final confrontation – or confrontations in general – much too soon and far too easily. She’s notorious for doing this as Victoria Holt and she goes further with the final “live or die” scene in this book. I won’t mention what the situation is in this review, but will state that instead of milking the heroine’s dire peril for all it’s worth, after pages and pages of build-up, she resolves the matter in a few lines, resulting in a huge anti-climax.
It’s not a bad book by any means, but it has a “going-through-the-motions” feel. Little advantage is taken from two of the most pivotal events in English history, namely the plague of 1665 and the following year’s Great Fire of London.
Carr/Plaidy/Holt was a very prolific writer and is a favourite of mine, but among the quality stories there are a number of mediocre efforts and the occasional dud. I feel that had she spent more time revising existing books rather than rushing on to create new ones she would've produced many more works worthy of four and five star ratings. Better to pen 70 wonderful novels than 100 ranging up and down the scale.
In short, “Lament for a Lost Lover” is a run-of-the-mill novel by an author capable of much greater things.
October 21, 2018
This book follows Arabella Eversleigh, but what I love is the entrance of Harriet Main. She is in the next few books and I adore her!!!
This is the start of my favorite books in the whole series. Arabella meets Edwin in sort of an arrangement from the families that they fall in love and marry. It does happen. Edwin is a pleasing husband, who indulges Arabella and is very present...until he is not. What we don't know for now is that yes he is involved in bringing the King back to England but he is also spending time with Harriet. We will grow to hate and love Harriet over the next few books. She is someone who will not leave our hearts easily.
This is the start of my favorite books in the whole series. Arabella meets Edwin in sort of an arrangement from the families that they fall in love and marry. It does happen. Edwin is a pleasing husband, who indulges Arabella and is very present...until he is not. What we don't know for now is that yes he is involved in bringing the King back to England but he is also spending time with Harriet. We will grow to hate and love Harriet over the next few books. She is someone who will not leave our hearts easily.
July 14, 2016
My favorite of the Daughters of England series. Introducing Harriet Main who continues on joyously for a couple more books. I have read this book 3 times. Full of great historical information on the restoration and as it touches the lives of those in the book. A great balance between those in past books and those introduced in this book. Great reading that makes you hungry to read the next book!
January 8, 2013
This is a love story set in the 1600s in England, with an English royalty background. One of the things I like about Philippa Carr's books is that the main character of one book is always somehow connected to the main character in another book. I think Philippa Carr is great with characters, intrigue, and mystique. That is why I decided to reread these.
August 11, 2022
It is wild that both the Great Plague AND the Great Fire happen off-page. If you're interested in those, I highly suggest reading The Fever and the Flame.
April 13, 2014
Part of a series of mother to daughter generations stories telling the history of England from Henry VIII to WW II. Fabulous to read them all in order. Each one is a gem; each is surprising and well written.
reflects the era well.
reflects the era well.
June 22, 2011
book 5 in the philippa carr series
November 1, 2014
Still enjoying the series....
February 26, 2024
won this book off of www.listia.com 9 days ago. cant wait to read it
Read
February 29, 2016Arabella and her siblings are exiles living in France when she encounters an actress who becomes part of the family and wreaks havoc in many ways.
May 11, 2019
4 star read. This was a charming little romp of a historical fiction book and I quite enjoyed it. Our valiant but oh so naive heroine, Arabella is living in France in genteel poverty during the reign of Cromwell and the Puritans in England. Her father is a staunch support of King Charles II, who is in exile in France. Her parents travel with the King's court so Arabella and her siblings are alone with the servants. Along comes a beautiful actress Harriet Main, who wiggles her way into the family and becomes the younger children's governess. Arabella is blind to what kind of woman Harriet really is and that continues for most of the book as Harriet behaves in an amoral fashion and sleeps her way into relationships with wealthy men. And Arabella's naivety could put her at great risk when Harriet wants something that belongs to Arabella and her son and will do anything to get her way. An engrossing read.
November 10, 2025
Continuing the "Daughters of England" series, Carr devotes this volume to the Restoration of Charles II of England and Arabella, the daughter of Bersaba from the previous novel. Against the customary backdrops of the Restoration theatre, the plague, and the Great Fire of London, Arabella moves from innocent seventeen year-old to wife, mother and to the center of family danger. Carr's practiced hand moves the action along. If she mixes elements already employed by her Victoria Holt novels, they have a familiar comfort and an effortless deployment.
September 10, 2025
So glad this book has finally ended...
I read it all the way through to the end though I did not enjoy it. Repetitive, boring, A long slogging read. Wanted to see what happened in the end in spite if the bad writing.Would not recommend to anyone.
So amateurish and unsatisfying. The end left all up to the imagination... No resolution or summing up or completion...just a real slog.
I read it all the way through to the end though I did not enjoy it. Repetitive, boring, A long slogging read. Wanted to see what happened in the end in spite if the bad writing.Would not recommend to anyone.
So amateurish and unsatisfying. The end left all up to the imagination... No resolution or summing up or completion...just a real slog.
February 26, 2019
Arabella Tollworthy marries for love. After her husband is murdered, she lives for many years pining for her lost love. Eventually she realizes she must move on with a new love.
February 8, 2024
Un poco predecible
September 30, 2019
A love story set in the household of a British noble in mid 17th century; infidelity, murder, intrigues, interwoven with historical events of the time
March 10, 2017
Arabella marries Edwin at 18 .She befriends an accomplished actress /adventuress Harriet.Together they travel to England of 1659, just at the start of the reign of Charles II .They pretend to be Puritans,
only Arabella makes a mistake,Edwin is shot and she is back in France, a widow.
Then both she and Harriet are pregnant.Their sons are born two weeks apart.Then Harriet leaves her son,Leigh,with Arabella and disappears.
Arabella takes both boys to her husband's ancestral home.There she becomes the country mouse,raising children and not going out .Her sister-in-law Charlotte helps her to raise the boys.
Edwin's cousin Carleton didn't go into exile with the Royal family.He married Barbary, a Puritan -a marriage in name only.He was a spy for the king.Carleton is attracted to Arabella,but isn't free.
The story takes place during several years,showing many historical events (Charles II's return to London, bubonic plague, the great fire of 1666, Nell Gwynne ).And Harriet pops up in the story here and there.
only Arabella makes a mistake,Edwin is shot and she is back in France, a widow.
Then both she and Harriet are pregnant.Their sons are born two weeks apart.Then Harriet leaves her son,Leigh,with Arabella and disappears.
Arabella takes both boys to her husband's ancestral home.There she becomes the country mouse,raising children and not going out .Her sister-in-law Charlotte helps her to raise the boys.
Edwin's cousin Carleton didn't go into exile with the Royal family.He married Barbary, a Puritan -a marriage in name only.He was a spy for the king.Carleton is attracted to Arabella,but isn't free.
The story takes place during several years,showing many historical events (Charles II's return to London, bubonic plague, the great fire of 1666, Nell Gwynne ).And Harriet pops up in the story here and there.
March 11, 2021
I would actually give this one a shade under 4 stars. After all the drama of the preceding four books, this one was a little bit of a letdown for me. It moved at a slower pace. Arabella was a weaker character than her mother and other ancestors highlighted in the previous books. I felt like she let certain people just walk over her and at times I wanted to scream. This is also the book that introduces Harriet Main, who readers may or may not enjoy having a lot of focus on. I didn't mind as much as some as she is an engaging character, but at times I do get tired of her and the things she gets away with. In real life, I would despise her, but she makes things interesting and adds the flair that Arabella sometimes lacks.
Folks who are reading this for the first time and are not especially invested in the series may well start to get tired of it at this point. There are some good books ahead, but you will also see that some plot points are starting to get re-used.
Overall, I did really enjoy it, just not as much as the previous books.
Folks who are reading this for the first time and are not especially invested in the series may well start to get tired of it at this point. There are some good books ahead, but you will also see that some plot points are starting to get re-used.
Overall, I did really enjoy it, just not as much as the previous books.
February 20, 2015
Enjoying a quick summary of the history of England through brain-candy drama.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews