Stevie‘s review of The Duchess and the Dreamer (Rosebrook, Book 1) by Jenny Frame
Contemporary Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 12 May 20
There are a whole range of things I like about Jenny Frame’s aristocratic heroines: they have plausible histories to account for them holding titles in their own right; they’re in touch with reality and not necessarily super-rich, certainly not through inheritance; and they find themselves paired with perfectly contrasting co-heroines. All these are certainly true of the lead in the first book of this latest series.
Clementine Fitzroy is a descendant of one of Charles II’s mistresses, whose children, like so many others. were given a title by their father. This title, thanks to the canny mistress, was bestowed on both male and female heirs, and so Clementine is a duchess by birth rather than by marriage. Unfortunately, the fancy title doesn’t come with a big estate due to her grandmother’s poor financial judgement, and Clementine now lives close to her family’s old home, watching over the house, lands and villagers while worrying whether the next new owners of the estate will revive its fortunes or drag it down further.
Unlike Clementine, successful business leader Evan Fox is a great fan of Isadora Fitzroy, Clementine’s grandmother, and has dreamed of reviving Isodora’s planned model for the estate since childhood. When the estate comes up for sale again, Evan is able to buy it, and sets about winning over the locals to her cause. Clementine, naturally, is one of the most suspicious residents, and is dismayed to see some of the neighbours she has known her entire life being won over by Evan’s enthusiasm and quirky demeanour.
As with Frame’s previous books in the genre, the background characters are a total delight and all very deserving of stories of their own. I particularly like the elderly twins who revelled in receiving new mobility scooters and set off on adventures around the area. Clementine and Evan are excellently depicted, and I love the butch:femme dynamic they have going on, as well as their individual abilities to stick to their principles but also to compromise with each other when necessary.
While I sometimes find subplots that revolve around a parent with dementia difficult to read for personal reasons, the one in this book is handled with great sensitivity and I am very impressed at how it is resolved. The family dynamics around Evan and the background characters are also beautifully depicted, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these evolve through the series.
An excellent start to this new series, and I’m greatly looking forward to the next installment.
Grade: A
Summary:
Clementine Fitzroy, Duchess of Rosebrook, doesn’t trust dreamers. After her grandmother and famous social reformer blew the family fortune on her dream of creating a new kind of community, the family land was sold off and their coffers drained. Clementine grew up watching her mother struggle and now lives in the small gatehouse behind her former family home.
Evan Fox has a dream that could change the world and save the planet. As CEO of her family toy company, she creates fuel for the imagination. When the Rosebrook estate comes up for sale, Evan jumps at the chance to make her vision of a utopian eco community come to life.
Clementine is wary of the good-looking newcomer, but Evan is determined to win over the beautiful duchess and prove that sometimes dreams really do come true.
Read an excerpt.
