Blood and Roses

Rating:
Summary: The Vampire in Rural English Society
Review: This book is not set in the Regency period, it's set in 1867, in a small English town where society is limited to a few wealthy and/or well bred families. Therefore, when a young, unmarried baronet takes up residence on his family estate it naturally causes a great stir among the mamas of eligible young ladies.

Meanwhile, girls working in the local mill are falling ill at an alarming rate. Their condition is diagnosed by the local doctor as chlorosis or "green sickness." They become weak and tired and eventually can no longer work. A second doctor, William Praisegood, comes down from London to investigate this peculiar outbreak and the mill owner cooperates, seeing a way to find out what is troubling his employees without paying a penny.

Sounds like the start of a bad vampire film, doesn't it? But it's not. It's the beginning of an entertaining book with a bit of romance and more than a bit of black humor. It's a combination mystery novel (not a really impressive mystery)and comedy of manners. The Portlands, a wealthy manufacturer's family have two daughters, the stunning Guenevere and the practical and intelligent Elaine. There is also an impoverished orphaned niece, Violet Webb, who resides with them. Violet, who has a scientific bent, finds herself drawn into Dr. Praisegood's efforts at tracking down the cause of the disease afflicting the mill workers.

When Sir Geoffrey arrives Mrs. Portland immediately begins to make plans to marry Guenevere into the aristocracy despite the Baronet's rumored ill health. Guenevere thinks this is a fine plan. Elaine and Violet, on the other hand. try to curb their mother's and sister's worse excesses.

I recommend this book highly for those who enjoy a good social comedy and a vampire story together. It's very well researched and true to period.

Rating:
Summary: The Vampire in Rural English Society
Review: This book is not set in the Regency period, it's set in 1867, in a small English town where society is limited to a few wealthy and/or well bred families. Therefore, when a young, unmarried baronet takes up residence on his family estate it naturally causes a great stir among the mamas of eligible young ladies.

Meanwhile, girls working in the local mill are falling ill at an alarming rate. Their condition is diagnosed by the local doctor as chlorosis or "green sickness." They become weak and tired and eventually can no longer work. A second doctor, William Praisegood, comes down from London to investigate this peculiar outbreak and the mill owner cooperates, seeing a way to find out what is troubling his employees without paying a penny.

Sounds like the start of a bad vampire film, doesn't it? But it's not. It's the beginning of an entertaining book with a bit of romance and more than a bit of black humor. It's a combination mystery novel (not a really impressive mystery)and comedy of manners. The Portlands, a wealthy manufacturer's family have two daughters, the stunning Guenevere and the practical and intelligent Elaine. There is also an impoverished orphaned niece, Violet Webb, who resides with them. Violet, who has a scientific bent, finds herself drawn into Dr. Praisegood's efforts at tracking down the cause of the disease afflicting the mill workers.

When Sir Geoffrey arrives Mrs. Portland immediately begins to make plans to marry Guenevere into the aristocracy despite the Baronet's rumored ill health. Guenevere thinks this is a fine plan. Elaine and Violet, on the other hand. try to curb their mother's and sister's worse excesses.

I recommend this book highly for those who enjoy a good social comedy and a vampire story together. It's very well researched and true to period.

Rating:
Summary: A rousing vampire story and regency romance combined!
Review: This is a great story. Full of independent-minded women straining against the patriarchal values of regency-era society, and wonderful, intelligent, and somewhat special (ahem) men. The writing is texturally superb, and the characters witty. The ending will definitely surprise you, but if you read it a second time, the clues are there. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good (but not too gory) vampire tale, those who like supernatural romance stories, or people who, like me, find most regencies that romanticize 'the ton' obnoxious (this one is amusingly scathing of that society). All in all, this is a fun book! Also, there is no sex (explicit or otherwise), making this a 'gentle' romance.