Stevie‘s review of The Smile of the Stranger (Paget Family Saga, Book 1) by Joan Aiken
Historical Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 06 Sep 16
Before spotting this book, I was mostly aware of Joan Aiken for her children’s books, notably The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. I’m always happy to sample new genres from familiar authors, even if in my experience with the result hasn’t always been satisfactory. My interest is especially piqued by books that are the first in a series, not entirely straying from the aspects I already enjoy in existing favourites. So a jump from children’s historical fiction to historical romance seemed well worth investigating.
Juliana Paget has grown up around the great cities of Europe, travelling with her historical biographer father and, latterly, acting as his scribe and secretary as his health begins to fail. After hearing of Juliana’s chance encounter with an older English lady while out shopping, her father insists that they must move on again, even though he’s reached a critical point in his book on Charles I. So they pack up their library and other possessions and set off toward England, leaving Italy and unknown dangers behind to face very obvious dangers in Revolutionary France.
The ever-resourceful Juliana soon finds herself rescuing a fellow traveller, Herr Welcker – a Dutchman, also on his way to England – and in return he transports Juliana and her father across the English Channel in his hot air balloon – more regularly used to smuggle art treasures for the Prince Regent. More stories need hot air balloons, especially when the inhabitants include two crotchety men and one plucky heroine. On arrival in England, Juliana soon finds herself in the household of her grandfather, another crotchety man, who greatly disapproves of his son’s writing, no matter how popular his books are in England and abroad.
Juliana is dispatched to London for the Season, in order for her to find a suitable husband, but none of the men she meets at first live up to her ideal man: Charles I. She does, however, meet a number of villains, whose ranks include some of her own relatives, and slowly discovers the nature of the danger her father is so worried about. I quickly guessed the true identities of both the English woman from Italy and the suitor that Juliana most keenly believes to be the man she is destined to marry; however, that did nothing to spoil my enjoyment of the book as a whole, especially the appearance of real historical figures and events
My one criticism is that the ending felt a little rushed, but there are two more books in this series, so hopefully the loose ends will be tied up in one or other of those. All in all a good introduction to the characters and their setting; I look forward to learning more about them in future books.
Grade: B
Summary:
The Paget family’s adventures begin in this Gothic Regency period romance reissue from legendary author Joan Aiken
When danger forces expatriate English gentlewoman Juliana Paget to flee her home in Italy, she embarks on a journey full of thrilling adventure. Nothing could have prepared her for outwitting a French mob, crossing the Channel in a hot air balloon, or fending off the advances of the fascinating Count Welcker.
Arriving in London just in time for her very first Season, Juliana is going to find all her ideals challenged and the truth of her heart finally revealed.
No excerpt available.
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