Silver Orphan, a social novel by Martine Lacombe

Occasionally (and hard to believe, I know) a book that makes me think does cross my desk. When that happens, I'm reminded that books not only provide a means of escapism from every day trials and tribulations, but can and should educate, prod and poke at one's conscience as well.  Silver Orphan, by Martine Lacombe is one of those books.

Silver Orphan is two stories. First, it's the story of Frank Moretti, an immigrant's son and now an elderly man living in Florida on his own with no family and seemingly no friends. The second story is Brooke Blakes'. She's a pharmaceutical rep who at first seems to have no social conscience at all. Self-absorbed and in it for the money and little else, Brooke is not looking to get involved, but she and Frank meet when she sees Frank hitchhiking on a Florida street. What happens in the course of the next eight months changes both of their lives.

While the story starts with Frank's death (not much of a spoiler here, you'll read about it on the very first page), Ms. Lacombe uses flashbacks to tell Frank's life story. Interspersed with those flashbacks, she allows us to see how Brooke and Frank's friendship begins to develop. We also follow Brooke's metamorphosis from what she was to someone who begins to care for people other than herself. We then follow her lone odyssey; an attempt to unravel the rest of Frank's story to find his next of kin.

While I thought her change of heart and willingness to get involved abrupt at times and possibly a bit too optimistic for reality, it serves its purpose. And that purpose is to bring attention to the problem of the elderly in this country, especially those without family support systems in place to help them meet basic life needs . Ms. Lacombe makes a strong argument in the Afterword, from which I garnered this: Unless we as a society undergo a figurative change like Brooke's, the large aging population in this country will experience an end of life scenario similar to Frank's. It's a point eloquently made even before we get to that Afterword.

Silver Orphan contains other lessons as well. Among them are a brief description of  how Big Pharma's reps work to get doctors to push certain drugs, and  a lesson, too, on the internment of Italian-Americans during WWII, something I did not know about. There are also two  surprising twists at the end, both of which serve exceptionally well in wrapping up our protagonists' stories.

Silver Orphan is a well-written, fast moving novel of social importance. Before we even realize what has happened, we've learned a lesson in a subject that's extremely difficult for us to face.  But we must all be more attuned to it no matter how painful the subject matter is if there are to be real changes in the treatment and caring of the elderly in this society. Silver Orphan is truly the spoonful of sugar that makes that particular medicine go down.

Before I Go To Sleep, by S.J. Watson

Memory is a fickle thing. As I get older, I find that I can remember the smallest, most trivial things from my past, but I can't remember where I've left my keys. Imagine if you woke up each morning, forgetting even those trivial things from the past, in fact, forgetting your past entirely. This is the premise of S.J. Watson's thriller, Before I Go To Sleep.

Christine Lucas wakes up in a room she doesn't remember, with a man she does not know. She goes into the bathroom and sees a face twenty years older than it should be, in a mirror surrounded by pictures of herself and the man in the bed. That man patiently explains to her that he is her husband, that they've been married for twenty two years, and that she's had an accident and has lost her memory. And this happens every single morning of her life.  When a cell phone rings in her bag, and a man calling himself Dr. Nash tells her to look for her journal hidden away in her closet, the following few weeks become a game of To Tell The Truth. She oscillates between trusting and then questioning the intentions of the man she is living with, knowing he is intentionally lying to her.  Not knowing which way to turn, and having to re-read her hidden journal to unravel her life story every single day when she wakes up, she begins to catch glimpses of the life she wants back, no matter what the cost.

The author keeps us in the dark the same way Christine is. We unravel her story by reading her journal entries, and as the story progresses, we don't know whom to trust either. As a story telling device, it's a very effective, and I was thankful I was reading on a Kindle so I couldn't read the ending first. The characters we think we know, we really don't, and just like Christine, as she wakes up every morning, we turn the page not knowing where the story came from nor where it's going. If you like a good thriller and psychological drama wrapped up in one, then this is it. I usually don't read this genre, but it was recommended to me, so I'm passing it along. Excellent book, a quick page turner that will keep you guessing pretty much to the end.

The Frog Prince, by Elle Lothlorien

My favorite type of escapist reading is a long, contemporary novel,  well-written and filled with laughable moments. Imagine my surprise when a free Kindle offering turned out to be just that. Elle Lothlorien has written a gem of a story, with bits and pieces taken from fairy tales and woven into a totally unbelievable but quite enchanting premise.

Leigh Fromm is an intelligent, well educated young woman who happens to work as a sex researcher. Her job thankfully, is really not the main focus of the story, but does allow for some humorous moments.  Ms. Lothlorien leaves that focus to the male protagonist, Roman Lorraine, also known as the "almost" King of Austria. Roman was born and raised in the United States, as part of the exiled royal family of Austria. Never thinking that his title would mean anything beyond some privileges in some higher circles, he makes a life for himself by building treehouses (and donating the profits to charity) and ballroom dancing.

He meets Leigh at her Great Aunt's funeral in Denver, Colorado, and they start on a lovely courtship. Leigh is a beautiful woman, but she constantly reminds us that she feels socially awkward, with a propensity for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. The first person narrative endears us to her, as she constantly wonders what Roman, tall, blue-eyed, rich and gorgeous, sees in her. She is by turns hysterically funny and unusually wise. Leigh's character, as written, is really what makes this book hum.

Halfway through their slow and steady courtship, the impossible happens. Leigh is thrust into the role of every girl's wildest dream, and Roman becomes the one thing he never thought he would be.  Their lives are turned upside down, and outside forces work to keep them apart.  Leigh and Roman try to find a way to live their own personal fairytale, with heart-melting results.

I admit, I am a sucker for a good love story, and this is one good love story. While totally implausible (or is it, really?) the author lets us imagine what it would be like to be live the life that very few people actually get to live. With more than a few laugh out loud moments, she makes it quite entertaining too. I highly recommend!

Deep Blue Sea, by Angela Francis

What a wonderful way to get back into the swing of reviewing with an amazing Regency romance!  Between new jobs, graduate school, and a toddler, my time to read what I want has been limited.  I hope to remedy this in the new year!

Now, enough of that.  Let's talk about Captain Thorne!  Deep Blue Sea is the story of Ian Thorne, captain of the Milton, a privateer guarding the seas, and Elinor Grey, a Regency miss who traveled to France with her parents to free her brother from a French prison.  Captain Thorne is instantly mesmerized by the lovely Miss Grey, but is turned off by her pert opinions and almost judgmental attitude towards privateering (pirating, in her eyes).  Their journey from France to Portsmouth is riddled with disagreements, and Captain Thorne's displeasure at Miss Grey making friends with members of his crew.  Once in Portsmouth, they Grey's are delayed by the illness of Mrs. Grey, which is heartbreaking in its finality.  Elinor, as strong as she is, has a difficult time hiding her emotions and working through her feelings for the brooding sea captain that infuriates and enchants her at the same time.  A series of grievous incidents, deaths, and a dash across the channel to free her brother lead to many, many misunderstandings, kidnapping by a real pirate, marriage ceremony on said pirate ship, and accusations of slave trading.

Captain Thorne is a very complex hero, one who is almost annoyingly self-depreciating (you will find yourself pulling your hair out over the dear Captain), handsome, devastatingly sexy, and kind at the same time.  Ian has lived a hard life of watching his father lose everything they own, and works tirelessly to restore his family's prestige.  His work with Mr. Hurst and the Milton is the path back to giving his mother and sister they life they deserve.  Ian is frustrating in his inability to actually hold a conversation with Elinor without it turning into a disagreement over something.  Elinor is not entirely without fault either.  She is a heroine who is strong, but exhibits immaturity at times when she disagrees with something that is obviously for her own safety.  Elinor is a wonderful character in that we watch her grow from a young lady who thinks she knows how the world should be, into a woman who is intelligent and strong, and uses her wealth to free Ian and his men.

Sometimes secondary characters are boring, annoying, or just plain in the way, but not in Deep Blue Sea.  The Grey's and Agnes, the maid. are very much a part of the story, as is Arthur, Elinor's brother and reason for the trip to France.  The crew of the Milton, the servants of the Hurst house, and the Thorne family all make up a wonderful cast of characters that adds much depth to the already amazing plot.  The best secondary character, however, is Doctor James Douglas.  I have it on good authority that his very own novel is underway, but until then, allow me to say that the devilishly handsome doctor has his own demons to fight.  His gentle care of Mrs Gray, his friendship to Ian, and his issues with dealing with the death aboard the Milton make him such a complex character that you want to know more of.

Deep Blue Sea is a wonderfully refreshing take on the typical Regency romance novel.  There are adult themes and darkness, and at times painful historical accuracy regarding the slave trade, but they are delightfully balanced with the heroic Captain Thorne, the willful and beautiful Miss Grey, and the dashing doctor.  A definite read for any Regency romance lover!

Miranda's Mount, by Phillipa Ashley

On the coast of Cornwall, St. Merryn's Mount stands as a family sentinel and a metaphor. When the tide is out, the home of the ancient St. Merryn family is connected to both the mainland and the people who live there. But when the
tide is in, the Mount stands apart, isolated and surrounded by currents and eddies that flow with the Atlantic Ocean's rhythms. Thus is the metaphor for Miranda's Mount, the story of Miranda Marshall, property manager of this heritage spot, and Jago St. Merryn, present Lord of the manor.  These two damaged souls are both, like the Mount, connected to this piece of land and each other, yet isolated by past circumstances neither one of them could control. 

When Miranda first meets Jago, he is in the armory, holding an ancient cutlass and looking for all the world like a pirate from a story book. According to Miranda, he looked like someone who had "seen and done and probably smoked or inhaled a lot of stuff." He also looks like "how D'Artagnan might have looked if Levis had been invented." Jago is the Earl of St. Merryn, returned home after ten years abroad. And while the staff is hoping he has decided to take on the responsibility of his heritage, Miranda soon finds out the truth. He is selling St.Merryn's Mount to a large leisure company, and getting out. His reasons at this point are unclear.  What is clear to Miranda is that at the very least, Jago is the enemy. At the most, she is already falling for him. And with her own damaged family background and what she knows about Jago's plans for the Mount, she must confront her past and her future and try to determine if the sale presents an opportunity for her to finally let go of her own safety net and move on with her life; a dilemma that becomes more complicated as despite his plans, she and Jago become closer. 

Miranda's Mount is so much more than a simple romantic, contemporary love story.

Ms. Ashley delves into both Jago and Miranda's pasts with obvious relish. There are reasons why these two cannot be together, why Jago feels it necessary to sell the Mount, and why Miranda is so afraid to move on.  With this heavy psychological load, you would think this novel would veer toward the dark and depressing. Nothing is further than the truth. There is humor and wit threaded throughout, a technique that allows for laughter despite the somewhat dark obstacles these two face.  There is one scene in particular that involves a rowboat, an incoming tide, some rocks, alcohol, and a very sexy Earl that will leave the reader laughing out loud. It's a talent that Ms. Ashley has that lightens up the mood of her novels and makes her characters so real to her readers. Speaking of all her characters, there are some wonderful secondary characters in this novel as well. There's Theo, a "pillar of the community and a serial hero," a man who has a definite problem with the St. Merryn family, and is a rival for Miranda's affections. There's  Ronnie, head of security at the Mount, Karen the local bartender and various other additions to this colorful cast of Cornish characters.

There's even a scene that Richard Armitage fans may relate to involving a baby
stroller and a body of water that most likely ended a bit less dramatically for
Richard than it did for the little boy living it in this story. But even this scene serves a purpose. Ms.Ashley is very adept at using every opportunity to get her story across

When Jago's feelings for Miranda get too strong, he confesses to her why he is
selling and why he will only break her heart. But as doubts on his chosen course beset him, Miranda reveals her family history, and she herself realizes why Jago's decision is so important to him and she stops fighting it. It's beginning to look a bit like a Gift of the Magi moment for these two with one exception. In the end, they both get what they really want without giving up what they already have.

I've read every one of Phillipa Ashley's novels and I have to say, this one is my favorite. Everything about it is pitch perfect and from beginning to end, the characters, the setting and the story itself ring true. Written with wit, feeling, intelligence and a good deal of the "hot" factor, Miranda's Mount is a must-read.

The Unseen, by Katherine Webb

Downton Abbey has revived interest in the early 20th century, that time before the fabric of life in England was ripped apart by two world wars.  I usually don't read novels set in this time period, though I'm not sure why, but I'm glad I picked up Katherine Webb's latest endeavor.

The Unseen is the story of more than one main character, and more than one time period. Set a century apart, the two stories converge with one dead World War I soldier, found well preserved in the muck of Ypres.  Leah, a journalist, is called upon by her ex-boyfriend, Ryan, who works to identify war dead, to uncover the identity of this soldier, so next of kin can finally notified and the body returned home. What Leah finds 100 years after the fact is enough for her to get over her humiliation at the hands of her former boyfriend, write a book and find a new love of her own in Mark Canning, great-grandson of one of the main protaganists of the story.

If this sounds complicated, it's really not. What it really is, is a mystery.

Cat Morley is imprisoned in 1911, for the crime of being an "active duty suffragette." Caught with a rock intended for a milliner's window during a protest, she is sentenced to prison. Upon her release, she is sent to Cold Ash Holt, and the Rectory, to work as a housemaid and regain her strength. She meets Albert Canning, her new employer and the vicar of the parish, and his wife Hester.   Life is hard here, but good. She meets a man she falls in love with, and she also meets Robin Durrant, a self-proclaimed theosophist, who arrives when Albert claims he's seen fairies in the nearby water meadows.

The undercurrents in the household are strong. Things are not what they seem between the newly married vicar and his wife, and Robin throws the household into turmoil with his arrival and his hold over the vicar. When pictures are taken of a "elemental," or a fairy, in other words, things come to a dramatic conclusion for the Rectory's occupants.

Using two time periods works very well here. Leah meets a descendent of the Cannings, and together in 2011, they work toward solving the mystery of what happened in 1911. Once done, the identity of that soldier becomes clear, and the story ends happily for Leah. In that, we are reminded that 100 years before, the same cannot be said for the inhabitants of the Rectory.

The novel is extremely well-written, the characters fleshed out just enough for you to guess the truth about them, and there are many truths to ferret out. I love a novel that makes you think for yourself, and this is one of them. I highly recommend it.

Overseas, by Beatriz Williams

Until I started reading Diana Gabaldon and Susanna Kearsley, time travel, as a plot device, never really did it for me. But now that I'm open to the concept, I'm finding that there are authors who use it and use it well. After reading Overseas, I think I've found one more author to add to that list.

Kate Wilson, neophyte investment banker, meets Julian Laurence, a billionaire hedge fund owner, when he visits her bank. As Kate passes Julian on her way out of a meeting, he instantly feels the connection between them. Kate takes a little longer to come around, but once with Julian, she realizes that "something" is there, and that something grows into a love so powerful and all encompassing, neither one of them can deny that there is more to it than meets the eye. There's also something old world about Julian, besides his Britishness, that attracts Kate. Confused at first by Julian's tendency to pull back from her, Kate is determined to find out his secrets. Aided by a simple history book, Kate discovers that Julian is more than what he seems, and while completely far-fetched, his story seems to this reader,  completely logical. And this is where the novel really takes off.

When I first started to read, I had the feeling that this story actually started out as Twilight fanfic, in the Fifty Shades vein. Julian Laurence is the same alpha-male type as Christian Grey and Edward Cullen. For all I know, it may very well be true. However, once I really got into it, that comparison faded away, and as engrossed in the story and plot device as I was, unlike with Fifty Shades, I didn't give those similarities another thought. By the way, while I am on the subject, make no mistake, this is not erotica. Love scenes are hinted at but we are spared the details which only adds to the romanticism of the novel. Sometimes less is indeed more.

Ms. Williams alternates eras to tell her story. In two different time periods and locales, (France in 1916 during WW I and then Manhattan during the financial crisis of 2008) it is first Kate who leads Julian, and then it is Julian who leads Kate. As the story progresses, this circle starts to close until the reader doesn't quite know where things begin and where they end. I found myself trying to guess exactly where in that circle the lovers' story would resolve; a page turning exercise if there ever was one.

Ms. Williams literally imbues Julian with a poet's heart that is just too lovely to resist. Kate is the more cynical being, and after awhile she actually started to annoy me.  I wanted her to let Julian take care of her, to take what he was offering without the constant questioning and battling. I was in love with Julian myself early on, so I couldn't quite see her problem. The author makes us feel his magnetism and romantic nature, and in the present-day chapters in the last half of the novel,  we begin to suspect what Kate cannot yet see. I can tell you that when the pieces of the story started to fit together for me, the book was impossible to put down. 

With a dose of suspense and betrayal thrown in for good measure, Beatriz William's debut novel combines the simple moral code of a time gone by with the complexity of modern day issues, all set against a beautiful love story. I highly, highly recommend it.