A discussion with my mother about living with another person led to her commenting on a book she had read where the heroine and hero, involved in a romantic relationship, chose to live in connected townhouses rather than actually “together.” After much contemplating, she finally remembered the name of a character and Google provided us with the C.A. Belmond’s first of two books. When I got to the end I discovered these were not the books my mother was thinking off–she is now trying to remember again what those books might have been.
However, the moment I started reading A Rather Lovely Inheritance
I put these in a similar category of “delightful romp” as the Pink Carnation books–a fun and happy mystery romp where the heroine is the “Everywoman” and her dashing beau is exactly who any girl would want as her partner. I enjoyed the inclusion of real history into a completely fictional work–various objet d’art are fictional and vague enough to make reference to great artists and time periods.
You can’t help but find imagination picturing yourself floating on a yacht in the Medditeranian or curled up in the library of your delicious London flat. There were moments when I felt my mouth watering at the descriptions of food. While many of these details do not necessarily move the story along, they do help the reader understand the fine details of the characters–their thoughts, desires, and motivations.
These aren’t mysteries where you can easily pick out “whodunnit”–the big reveals are enjoyable as you share the excitement of unveiling the truth with the characters. There are no good guys or bad guys–everyone is flawed with good and bad qualities that lead to the decisions which have given us our tale.
Perhaps I share the gene of pragmatic romanticism with our heroine and that is why I loved every minute of reading the books only to be crushed when they were done with no continuation. Luckily, both books definitively end, but with such obvious cliff hangers that all clues point to the eventuality of a third book.
Related posts:
- A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander Last year my mother passed along the first two books...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
As much as I dislike seeing my favorite books butchered by Hollywood – it seems this year is one for finding a number of fluffy books that I would enjoy seeing on the silver screen – this one being a Bond-esque madcap of fun with a modern Gregory Peck and Katherine Hepburn.
I hate it when mystieries spring something on you during the reveal. If you can’t go back and find the clues its a stupid mystery and didn’t work.
Agghh, I’ll never remember the books – I was convinced it was this series. I agree with your review, I thought the books were excellent and found myself wishing there was a continuation. I very rarely read books twice, but I will definitely re-read these. Glad you enjoyed them!! (Are you SURE they didn’t have separate but joined houses???!!!)