The Caretaker's Daughter

by Gabrielle Goldsby

Amidst the backdrop of a nineteenth century English country estate, two women struggle to find love--and the truth that could either bind them together or tear them apart. Despite the barriers of class and sensibility, Lady Bronte and her groundskeeper Addison find first friendship and then something far deeper on the sweeping estates of Markby. Classic Romance at its most breathtaking.

Genres: Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, LGBT, Historical, Romance, Historical Fiction, Queer

228 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2003

About the author

Gabrielle Goldsby is the author of several novels including Forward Magazine finalist, Remember Tomorrow, the Lambda Literary Award winning Wall of Silence, and The Caretaker’s Daughter, recipient of the Alice B. Lavender Certificate. A Northern California transplant, Gabrielle currently resides in Portland, Oregon. When not writing, she enjoys reading, camping, hiking, and lifting the heaviest things she can get her hands on.

Reviews

[Heather Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've decided to give myself persmission to DNF (did not finish) books if they don't grab me in the first couple chapters (or first couple stories for a collection). With that as preface, you can guess that The Caretaker's Daughter ended up falling in that category. So why didn't it grab me? This is a f/f Regency-era romance featuring the abused wife of a disabled gentleman ("gentleman" as a class label, not a personality description) and a woman who works on her husband's estate (hoping no one notices that the father whose duties she took over has actually died quite some time ago). The first elements that made me realize the book was going to be a tough sell were the cartoonish villainy of the husband (plus the unfortunate trope that physical disability makes you bitter and abusive), plus the fact that both women have been assigned surnames as their given names: Brontë(!) and Addison. I'm not going to apologize for the fact that improbable naming in a historic setting grates on me.

The book could have risen above those flaws and held my attention if the writing were better. Unfortunately it relies heavily on info-dumps and shifts point of view too abruptly on a regular basis. There's also slut-shaming of a secondary female character (apparently for no other reason than that she isn't the love interest but wants to be so). Maybe the book gets better after the first two chapters, but I'm afraid I'm not going to stick around to find out.

The e-book also features italicization of random half-sentences but that's the publisher's fault, not the author's, since it's clearly a formatting glitch not an intentional technique.

[Julieta Steyr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Calificar a esta novela como histórica es sobrevalorarla. Técnicamente, una novela histórica tiene ingredientes del momento en el que se narra, detalla ciertas cuestiones, así que cuando el autor desconoce ciertos aspectos debe investigar. Este libro lo único que tiene de histórico es la fecha en la que fija ciertos sucesos (1870 y algo comienza) y la parte de la histeria femenina y sus tratamientos, hoy en día tomada como algo ridículo de aquella época. No existen descripciones de cómo se iluminaban como tampoco de muebles, ni de costumbres típicas, ni de nada que se le parezca salvo por los carruajes y el señorío Markby.
Las escenas de sexo han sido cuestionadas por no ser comunes pero, he aquí la gran diferencia con todos los demás libros que he criticado, Bronte está total y absolutamente enamorada de Addison y viceversa. Se hagan daño o no, están enamoradas, y si piensan que una relación es todo color de rosas pueden seguir leyendo autoras que hablan de perritos o cercas blancas. Destacable es que el romance no es común e incluye adulterio, no es la típica historia en ese punto en particular sino una historia de casamiento arreglado carente de amor a la que se suma un amor prohibido que no fue explotado en todo su potencial.
Existe también (no, no son pistas falsas) desacuerdos argumentales mientras era escrito: el malo será este pero después no, tal hace tal cosa por esto y después no. Esa indecisión está injustificada por no tener una idea total del mundo que creó.
Otra cosa detestable son los puntos en los que la autora pretendía hacer hincapié como parte de la historia y olvidó: el registro del doctor Thatcher; Perry, la perra de Addison, recostándose en medio del granero; la carta que Addison carga constantemente en su pecho dirigida a su tía que después desaparece; la declaración que el sheriff pensaba hacer firmar a Addison; el por qué Cook continua trabajando en esa casa; el por qué John ordena colocar el retrato de su madre en la habitación matrimonial; Addison cuestionando a Bronte sobre llamarla “milady”; la estatura de Addison que es remarcada en la ciudad y la forma en la que atrapa las monedas en el aire. En resumen, son demasiados cabos sueltos y eso sucede cuando el autor no relee ni se molesta en editar aunque sea un poquito su propia novela.
Dentro de la caracterización de los personajes existe el típico argumento norteamericano de películas infantiles, el malo al final realizará una extensa confesión en la que las partes quedarán sorprendidas (siempre está el bueno de la historia y el malo parloteando durante horas) de las revelaciones que no son tales. Claro, porque nosotros ya sabíamos eso que iba a decir de antemano. Y ni así se explica el cambio rotundo de personalidad de John Baptiste. Y no olvidemos que medio libro nos recalcó que Addison tiene un secreto que al final resulta absolutamente predecible.
Al final, nos quedamos con una historia planeada para continuar pero que nunca continuó, con un argumento que era interesante pero que no supo ser explotado en todo su potencial. Muy norteamericano también eso de “si vende, hago otro”.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even though I don't generally enjoy romance novels, I still read them because I am a book-thirsty lesbian and sometimes they fit my mood. Or at least I think they will until I'm halfway through and feeling unsatisfied and then remember why I don't pick up romance novels. (Specifically lesbian ones. Of course I'm never in the mood for straight romance novels. That probably went without saying, but just making sure.)

I thought I might enjoy the historical setting of this, and I did... for a while. But I was QUITE perturbed by the non-consensual touching that marred one of my favourite tropes: BED-SHARING. Even if she wasn't proud of it, and confessed it later, I still am like..... did that have to happen, really? My disenchantment probably would've happened regardless, but that certainly accelerated it. Also the side story with the mother was ridiculous, even if historically accurate. I kept waiting for the confiscated vibrator to make an appearance in one of the love scenes, but it didn't?!

[Sharon Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

I thoroughly enjoyed this timepiece fiction, and the main characters kept me intrigued. I would love to see a sequel some day.

[A.W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brontë marries Lord John Baptiste not for love, but rather for convenience. Soon after they're married, Lord John Baptiste almost gets killed. Brontë takes over caring for the estate in which she notices something odd with it. She meets Addison, the caretaker's daughter, befriends her and eventually it turns into something more.

The Caretaker's Daughter is a lovely romance with a hint of mystery. I enjoyed the main characters' journey throughout the book. My favourite supporting character was Cook and didn't much care about the rest. There were times I felt that the story seemed to drag on a bit but it was an overall nice story.

Review is also posted here: http://wp.me/p4Pp9O-1t

[Sarah Mauch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth reading at all!!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read by Gabrielle Goldsby and I can say with certainty that it won't be my last. Great read that I enjoyed.

[Dide · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my very first lesbian novel with an old romance theme....I loved it ever since and I have continually picked it again and again