The Anonymous Amanuensis

Rating:
Summary: A Fun Regency Romp with an Identity Crisis!
Review: A totally fun read with endearing characters... the plot has already been summarized by other reviewers here, so I'll only add that the characters are very well drawn, the writing excellent, and the dialogue snappy! Evelyn's ambition and predicament are fully believable and the machinations she goes through to play her male self keep you turning the pages. Don't miss experiencing this book!

Rating:
Summary: Timeless Tales review
Review: By TT reviewer Chere Gruver

Evelyn Dixon is definitely not happy with her life. Since the death of her father, she has been living with her aunt and uncle in Yorkshire, and they treat her like the lowliest servant. All they do is berate her and tell her that she does barely enough to pay for the food they feed her. Fortunately, Eve's uncle, Chas, is currently visiting. He is on leave from the war right now. Eve begs him to write her a letter of recommendation. Eve has decided that she can no longer live this way and needs to try her hand in London. She really wants a job as a secretary. Chas tries to talk her out of it, even tries to get her to find a job with a school. Eve doesn't feel that she is well suited for that type of work, but she worked as a secretary for both her grandfather and her uncle. Chas finally gives in and writes the letter. So, with the small inheritance that Eve has managed to save, she goes to London.

In London, she finds a room at a boardinghouse. She goes to register at seven different agencies, but they all tell her that she will never be able to get a job as an amanuensis, that these jobs are always held by men. At the last agency she tries, Eve meets Tom. Tom is currently holding a position as a secretary, but wishes to go into politics. Tom and Eve become good friends. Tom tells Eve about a position, but states that the man will not have women in his house. Eve hatches the brilliant scheme of masquerading as a man in order to get this job. She has Tom purchase clothing for her.

By some quirk of fate, she fools James Quinton well enough to land the job. Of course, her uncle, Chas, is one of Mr. Quinton's best friends and his recommendation scored her some major points. Eve is given Wednesday afternoons and Sundays off and a room in Mr. Quinton's house. Eve spends most of her time off with Tom. She loves the freedom that posing as a man gives her. She is free to travel the docks in her capacity as secretary to Mr. Quinton, which she would never be able to do as a woman. She meets one of Mr. Quinton's employees, Mr. Mosely, on the docks and the two of them become good friends. Tom keeps telling Eve that he does not like her posing as a man and no good will come of it.

Eve loves her job and is very good at it. Mr. Quinton has already told her that she is the best secretary that he has ever had. Eve finds herself developing a tendre for Mr. Quinton.

How long will Eve be able to keep pretending to be a man before she is found out? What will happen between her and her boss, Mr. Quinton? What will Chas do when he finds out what Eve has done?

This book did definitely get into some heavy issues. There were a lot of women subjugation issues involved here. Just the fact that as a woman, Eve would not be able to walk on the docks unaccompanied, but as a man, she can. It is kind of a sad reflection on the times that women could not even be employed as secretaries, but had to be shopkeepers, companions, governesses or school teachers if they were high born. They had no choice in their occupations. There definitely weren't that many opportunities out there for women then and this book did definitely show that.

This is a delightful Regency romance. I truly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to all lovers of Regency romance. Ms. Glad has definitely written a good, entertaining book. This is a bit of change from most Regencies. There is no mystery involved in this book. I found this to be a delightful change of pace. The book is very well written. The characters are real and believable. Eve is a very strong woman as James is a very strong man. The secondary characters were all delightful as well.

Rating:
Summary: Good read!
Review: Evelyn Dixon was secretary to Sir Wilfred Hadley, her uncle's father, for five years (until he died). Eve was the poor relation, forced to live with mean and spoiled Charlotte and Alfred. Eve convinced her uncle, Major Charles "Chas" Hadley, to write her a letter of recommendation for employment as a secretary. With it, she left for London. Once there, she became friends with Thomas "Tom" Patterson. ...Eve found out quickly that no one would hire a female as a secretary. Tom heard of a position with Mr. James Quinton who engaged in the spice and silk trades. ...Desperate, Eve had Tom purchase her some male clothing and teach her how to walk, talk, and act like a man. Once done, she applied for... the position!

Quinton had reason not to trust females. Even his mother was a bad example of the female gender. Prudence was the only female he cared for. His new secretary, Mr. Dixon, was extremely intelligent and well suited for his position, yet something did not feel quite right.

* Now here is a well written Regency Romance! I found it to be a wonderful diversion on a rainy day. The secondary characters are as well developed as the main. The main plot, as well as, the sub-plots kept me riveted. I had to know what was going to happen next. Recommended reading!... *