Stevie‘s review of Lady Emily’s Exotic Journey (Victorian Adventures, Book 2) by Lillian Marek
Historical Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 04 Aug 15
I enjoyed the first book in this series and was greatly looking forward to more Victorian adventuring with heroines who aren’t afraid to defy the conventions of their times and explore the wider world beyond the safety of their drawing rooms. This time we got to reacquaint ourselves with two young ladies from the first book, as well as the parents of that story’s heroine, as they all travelled even further afield than previously in search of historical treasures.
Now that her sister is happily married, Lady Emily Tremaine is keen to have adventures of her own, as does her new friend and sister-in-law, Lady Julia de Vaux, who has different though equally valid reasons for wishing to leave London society behind. The young women travel to Constantinople with Emily’s parents, ostensibly on a trip for her father to establish whether a planned new railway is feasible but really so her mother can investigate various ruins and antiquities. Their initial reception is disappointing; their hosts are keen to keep their home as English as possible, and none of the men seem to take the women seriously, but soon they move on again, accompanied by a pair of intriguing young men.
Lucien appears to be a French adventurer with few connections back home, while his friend David is the son of an English gentleman and a local woman. Lucien knows a French archaeologist in need of financial support, while David is well-equipped to liaise with the locals on behalf of Emily’s father. Before long, romances are starting to develop between Emily and Lucien and between David and Julia. However, Lucien is not quite the person he claims to be, since his parents were of much higher birth than his appearance and behaviour suggest, while David and Julia worry that their respective parentage – David’s mixed race and Julia’s uncertainty about the identity of her real father – might prevent their relationship ever developing further.
Of the two couples, I much preferred David and Julia, who managed to dispense with their issues quite sensibly, while Lucien’s fecklessness understandably worried both Emily and, perhaps more importantly, her parents. I’d have liked to see more emphasis put on how Lucien resolves his issues with the various branches of his family and less on the other obstacles thrown in their way. I’d also have liked to see more of David and Julia’s wedding and the time they spend with David’s mother’s family – although that could be the plot for a whole other book.
Overall, I enjoyed this adventure and would love to see the series continue, but am a little concerned about who the heroine of the next novel might be, if not Lady Julia.
Grade: B
Summary:
From sensible, sheltered girl
Safe in the embrace of her loving family, Lady EmilyTremaine longs to feel more intensely alive. Surely the magic and mystery of Assyria and the fabled ruins of Nineveh will bring about the transformation she seeks.To the woman his heart desires
Scarred by his past and estranged from his noble grandfather, French adventurer Lucien Chambertin desires neither a home nor the chains of emotional attachment. He seeks only to explore the far reaches of the world. But he did not know the world contained the likes of Lady Emily-whose curiosity and sense of wonder match his own.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
