Valentines & Road to Ruin

Rating:
Summary: This Book was a Delight!
Review: Barbara Metzger is always a treat! Her stories are fun and full of wit, not to mention lovable (and believable) characters. If you haven't read her yet, may I suggest "The Diamond Key". It was my first B. Metzger and turned me into an instant fan!

This was my first by Ms. Porter but most definitely not my last. She writes in the style of Ms. Putney, only with more attention to detail of the period. "The Road to Ruin" was very well written with a beginning that draws the reader instantly into the story, characters that you immediately fall in love with, dialogue that is very well written, and secondary characters that you definitely want to know more about. The "Misunderstanding" was a bit drawn out, but I found it very difficult to put this book down and once it was over, I missed it. A true test of an excellently written book and an exceptional author!

Rating:
Summary: A mixed bag
Review: In "Bald Lies," the first Metzger story in this compilation, Audrinna Rowe wants to save her beautiful cousin from a terrible fate. To do so, Audrinna needs to find a husband for her cousin--and she sets her sights on Lord Blanford. But Lord Blanford has other plans... This was my favorite story of the 3, and it was the sweetest. Lord Blanford's struggle with baldness was a charming focal point of the story, and you just had to love his hairpiece. I give it 4 stars.

In "Last Valentine," faux widow Martine finds herself getting a Valentine every day of the week. She just KNOWS they're coming from her ex-lover, the man who abandoned her several years ago. But... was she right to assume they are coming from him? ...This story was odd. It was an interesting concept, but it was just too short. The characters were silly. The whole story seemed kind of pointless, actually. I wish Ms. Metzger would have elaborated more on a good idea. 2 stars for this one.

"In Love and Tenderness", newlywed Senta has just made a muck of her wedding night with Lord Maitland. But it's not her fault. She was frightened by a ghost, who, unfortunately, has lost his memory! Now Senta and Lord Maitland must reunite, and the "ghost" is there to help them. Also, Lord Maitland must solve the mystery of his brother's death. This is the longest story of the 3--it's more like a novella. By far, the ghost is the star of the story. It's not hard to figure out the identity of the ghost... but when you do, it's a riot! I liked this story, but it would have been even better had there been more of the ghost, less of the "mystery", and more interaction between Senta and Lord Maitland. I give it 3 stars.

This compilation also includes a reissue by Margaret Evans Porter. I read "Road to Ruin" over a year ago, so I don't feel confident enough to review it at length. The book is about a man fleeing from a duel. On the road, he meets a pretty young lady--and they take part in a scandalous arrangement. "Road to Ruin" is a much darker counterpart to the light-hearted Metzger stories, which makes me wonder why they were tacked together. If I recall, Porter's novel was good, but slow.

Overall, it's an interesting assortment--definitely worth looking into.