Review: From a Distance by Tamera Alexander

From a Distance (Timber Ridge Reflections #1)
By: Tamera Alexander
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0389-3

About the book:

What happens when the realization of a dream isn’t what you imagined…and the secret you’ve spent a lifetime guarding is finally laid bare?

Determined to become one of the country’s premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he’ll do anything to protect his land, and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He’s a man of his word, but repaying that debt could bring secrets from his past to light.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth’s lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met…from a distance.

Review:

Elizabeth Westbrook’s dream of becoming a newpaper photographer whose work is accepted under her own name (instead of a male pen name), is put to the test when she travels to the untamed Colorado Territory. Her assignment is to take pictures of the area’s majestic countryside and surreptitiously investigate the feasibility of investors back east developing the area around the town of Timber Ridge into a resort property. Elizabeth is a strong, prickly character whose occasionally abrasive manner can be a little hard to take. However, Alexander does an excellent job of balancing Elizabeth’s drive to succeed with her fears and insecurities. Her brash manner is extremely realistic compensation for a lifetime of hurt and struggle. In a society that held certain limited expectations for the role of women, Elizabeth bucks convention on multiple fronts.

Daniel Ranslett, who served as a Confederate sharpshooter in the war, immediately clashes with Elizabeth. He doesn’t understand her drive and she doesn’t understand his enigmatic manner and reluctance to serve as her guide. However, his loner status masks pain of a different sort – the mental and emotional toll of combat. Daniel is a wonderful hero – though he’s a wounded, gentle spirit he possesses a core of unwavering moral strength and character. He’s the perfect foil for Elizabeth, who has some tough lessons to learn about truth and honor while in turn he must learn about brokenness and trust.

From a Distance is a beautifully crafted, thoroughly absorbing novel full of richly drawn, unforgettable characters. There’s a dash of mystery, but the real strength of the novel is the journey Elizabeth and Daniel undergo towards surrender. Elizabeth and Daniel are two of the most well-drawn, imperfect characters I’ve ever run across – you know characters are “real” when you alternately want to shake them when you’re frustrated, empathize with their hurts, and cheer at their triumphs. As a native of Tennessee and an amateur Civil War history buff, I loved how Alexander wove together snippets of Tennessee and Civil War history into her Colorado frontier-set story. While the action of the novel takes place ten years after the end of the Civil War, Alexander does a beautiful job of showing the heartbreaking, far-reaching cost of that conflict on its survivors. I also enjoyed learning about photographic processes in the 1800’s – it’s eye-opening to read about the processes and Elizabeth’s job struggles in an era when cameras (and women in the workforce) are taken for granted. This is a novel about choices – how one chooses to overcome tragedy, health problems, trust issues – and God’s sovereignty and care over even the most minute details of one’s life. When the dreams they cling to are stripped away, Daniel and Elizabeth’s story shows how in vulnerability and brokenness God pours out blessings and strength and dreams much greater and more rewarding than one’s human frailty can possibly imagine.

***

I originally reviewed From a Distance way back in September 2008. I'm finally (FINALLY!!) diving into book two of the trilogy, so I thought now was a good time to add this review to the blog.

Downton Abbey, Part Two

Downton Abbey continued this past Sunday with Part Two of its four-week run on Masterpiece Classic, and my suspicions that this is one of "those" shows that keeps getting better and better as time goes on has been happily confirmed. I'm going to try my best to confine my review of Part Two to one post, but I'm not making any promises. :) If you're new to the blog, or want to revisit my thoughts on Part One of Downton, here are the links: The Crawleys, The Servants. Now that I've had about three hours to familiarize myself with the world of Downton Abbey and the many, many "upstairs" and "downstairs" residents that call the estate home, I feel like I have a much better grasp on the characters and multiple, interwoven plotlines. Here's the summary of Part Two from the PBS website:

As Matthew and Isobel, the newly-arrived Crawleys settle into life in the village, Isobel offers her experience with modern medical techniques at the hospital, to the considerable consternation of Violet. Both Matthew and Mary bristle at the prospect of being matched to one another; still, Matthew indulges Mary's clever barbs even as a suitor in the form of Evelyn Napier is invited for a foxhunt, accompanied by the handsome attaché at the Turkish Embassy, Kemal Pamuk.

Downstairs, secrets reflect the ambitions, shames and desperate hopes of the servants, as housemaid Gwen tries to hide the contents of a heavy box set atop the wardrobe in her room; Carson abandons his customary dignity as he skittishly raids the pantry; and Bates refuses to share the source of his debilitating pain to his co-workers. Their concern and camaraderie markedly contrast the festering discontent of Thomas and O'Brien.

A sinister stranger barges into the house, demanding to speak to Lord Grantham, and an attractive stranger captivates Mary before setting into motion a chain of events that put the fate of Downton Abbey on even less stable ground.

Lady Sybil

I was quite happy to see many of the characters who I felt were barely introduced in Part One given more fleshed out storylines and personalities in this installment of the series. We're introduced to the secret hopes of Gwen (Rose Leslie) the housemaid, when Anna (Joanne Froggatt), the head housemaid discovers her secret. Gwen wants to be a secretary! It's fascinating to see just how radical of an idea this was in 1913 - virtually unheard of in many social circles, yet if a woman succeeded in training herself and secured a suitable position, she could achieve a level of independence unknown of scant years before. Time and technology has changed much. :) Not only do I a greatly admire Gwen's bravery in reaching for such a bold dream, but the support she receives from Anna further seals my good opinion of that housemaid's character. We are also finally treated to some insight into youngest Crawley daughter Sybil's (Jessica Brown-Findlay) character. When she discovers Gwen's aspirations she resolves to do all she can to help the housemaid realize her dream - clearly Sybil has the makings of a social and political activist.

Mentioning Anna brings me the opportunity to discuss what is fast becoming one of my favorite relationships on the show - the friendship (hopefully more? hopefully SOON? *g*) that develops between Anna and Bates (Brendan Coyle), the valet. When Bates and Anna find themselves alone in the servants quarters, and Bates teases her by saying "alone at last" - people, I kid you not, I melted. Brendan Coyle is just adorable. Of course, for every halting step forward in their relationship - such as "bonding" over the hilarious discovery that Carson (Jim Carter), the butler, had is secret life as a stage performer revealed in front of the Earl. While Carson was mortified at being embarrassed before lower staff members, the fact that Anna and Bates handled the news with discretion earns them, especially Bates, some much-needed grace from the butler's perspective. Bates's attempts to treat his limp on the sly with a painful-looking metal brace also reveal the sympathetic side of housekeeper Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan), who I absolutely love now thanks to the kindness and understanding she shows him. The excrutiating brace reminded me of old-school scholiosis treatments - I have scholiosis and was treated with a brace for a time as a child, and believe you me as inconvenient and uncomfortable as my brace was, I am convinced it was nothing to the types of devices used to treat back curvatures even a mere fifty years ago. I desperately hope that Bates's reticence to share about his past (seriously, I'm dying to know the man's secrets!), and admit to vulnerability doesn't keep him and Anna apart forever...I would be crushed.

Matthew (Dan Stevens), the new heir, and his mother Isobel (Penelope Wilton) have begun to settle into life at Downton in earnest. Since Isobel was married to a doctor and trained as a nurse, she very naturally takes an interest in the local hospital where Violet (Maggie Smith), the dowager countess, serves as patroness. Isobel has some rather progressive ideas - she advocates the latest medical treatments and wants equal care for all patients, no matter what their social standing. And while these ideas may not seem all that radical today, in a world like Downton Abbey's that thrives on tradition and male dominance in areas like the medical profession, Isobel's push for improvements sets her at odds with Violet. I practically cheered when Isobel's suggested treatment for dropsy (I had no idea how awful that affliction is!) succeeded in saving the life of a poor farmer. Watching Isobel "butt heads" with Violet is going to be a lot of fun as this show progresses, and I'm really growing to love her character - Wilton has infused her with just the right balance of "modern" sensibilities and old-fashioned class. And watching Violet fume at having to share management of the hospital with Isobel was hilarious - Part Two continued the grand tradition set forth in Part One of giving Maggie Smith some of the show's funniest lines and seeing her steal scenes whenever she appears on-screen.

Kemal Pamuk

Isobel's son, Matthew, has been obstinately determined that his new status as heir will not change his character, and much to the chagrin of the Crawley family he has retained his "working class" sensibilities. My absolute favorite scenes with Matthew so far occur in this episode. Robert (Hugh Bonneville), the Earl, begins to take on the role mentor and seeing the estate through Robert's eyes begins to slowly but surely change Matthew's perspective on his cousins' lifestyle. When Robert gently suggests that Matthew's contempt of needing a valet has personally wounded the servant, the implication that he's been guilty of exhibiting his own class prejudices is staggering. The scene that shortly follows when Matthew asks his valet, Molesely (Lionel Guyett) for help and input nearly brought tears to my eyes. That moment of kindness and understanding was so sweet! If Matthew can balance his middle-class upbringing with some grace and understanding of the traditions that have formed Downton Abbey, he could turn out to be an heir to be reckoned with, worthy of respect.

Lady Edith

Of course Matthew is still getting no where with Mary (Michelle Dockery), who bristles at the mere suggestion that she should marry such a commoner to secure her inheritance. In Part Two we begin to see that Matthew is attracted to Mary, but of course loathe to admit it (shades of Pride and Prejudice, anyone?). Since Mary makes no secret of her disapproval of the new heir, her overlooked middle sister Edith (Laura Carmichael) begins to look on him favorably as a marriage prospect for herself. I really felt so bad for her when their afternoon of church visiting backfires with Matthew's mentions of Mary and the suggestion they bring his mother along on a future outing. Edith is so tightly wound, so resentful of her position as an "overlooked" younger daughter that I half expect her to do something quite rash before this miniseries ends.

Mary is still a difficult character to like, but if there is one thing this episode drives home it's the fact that her proud manner is a mask for extraordinary amounts of childish pride, naivete, and uncertainty. She remains hopeful that her prospects will improve with the arrival of Viscount Evelyn Napier (Brendan Patricks) for a foxhunt (which was a lot of fun to watch come to life on-screen). Unfortunately for the handsome Napier, he brings along a friend - Kemal Pamuk (Theo James), an attache to the Turkish embassy (and the first hint of the worldwide political climate that will result in World War I). Pamuk makes quick work of acting on Mary's oh-so-obvious attraction to his dark good looks, and seduces her with the 1913 version of one of the oldest lines in the book ("You'll still be virtuous for your husband"). Mary, being a total ninny, falls for it, and her stupidity has an unexpected (and if I'm being honest here, I thought frankly hilarious) result - Pamuk has a heart attack and dies in her bed. In order to save her reputation, she has to get Anna and her mother Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) assistance in hauling him back to his room. I never, ever expected the show to have the man responsible for Mary's ruination drop dead in such a spectacular fashion, and I confess the sight of her long-suffering and PROPER mother hauling a corpse around Downton was so unexpected it cracked me up. Yes, I realize this probably says something awful, like I occasionally exhibit a disturbingly macabre sense of humor, but at least I'm owning to it.

Viscount Evelyn Napier

I feel so, so bad for poor Napier when he realizes that Mary has absolutely no romantic interest in him, even after Pamuk's death (I think trauma has something to do with the latter, though!). I really liked the painfully honest conversation he has with Cora, about his hopes for a marriage based on love. The man is a class act all the way and I really hope we get to see his character again. It will also be interesting to see the impact Mary's shocking indiscretion has on her relationship with her mother. I suspect that the full ramifications of her actions with Pamuk have yet to be felt.

Part Two of Downton Abbey succeeds on a grand scale, adding layers of rich characterization and raising the stakes for each member of the Crawley family and their servants. It is truly fascinating to witness how intricately entwined the lives and fortunes of the wealthy owners of Downton Abbey are with the servants who depend upon Downton for their livelihood. Unforunately for the Crawleys, Mary's dalliance with the Turk was not the secret she hoped - and like all hidden secrets and sins, the truth is sure to out and the impact will doubtless be felt by many more than just Mary (there's a lesson there, no?).

To anyone who may still be making their mind up about whether or not to watch Downton Abbey - I will say that this series pushes the envelope a bit more than many may be accustomed to in period drama. It definitely does not shy away from all aspects of life, the good and the bad. From my perspective, the show does not "cross the line" and become too explicit for my tastes (i.e., it cuts away from Mary's seduction scene), but I recognize that it may be too close to the line for others. I know that viewing tastes and preferences are varied among the readers of my lil' ol' blog, and I do try to recognize and be sensitive to that in my reviews.

What captivates me about Downton Abbey isn't just the smart script and gorgeous sets and costumes, but the raw authenticity of the characters. The characters' mistakes and actions - whether or not I agree with them, ultimately - have thus far, anyway, provided me with both entertainment to feed my period-drama loving heart and food for thought about the best and worse that humans are capable of. I'm looking forward to seeing where this wild ride takes the Crawleys and their servants next. :)

• Click to read Charity's EXCELLENT post "Life at Downton"
• Click to read Laurel Ann's thoughts on Part Two at Austenprose

Angel Harp by Michael Phillips

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Angel Harp FaithWords (January 26, 2011) by Michael Phillips
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Phillips has been writing in the Christian marketplace for 30 years. All told, he has written, co-written, and edited some 110 books. Phillips and his wife live in the U.S., and make their second home in Scotland.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Widowed at 34, amateur harpist Marie "Angel" Buchan realizes at 40 that her life and dreams are slowly slipping away. A summer in Scotland turns out to offer far more than she ever imagined! Not only does the music of her harp capture the fancy of the small coastal village she visits, she is unexpectedly drawn into a love triangle involving the local curate and the local duke.

The boyhood friends have been estranged as adults because of their mutual love of another woman (now dead) some years before. History seems destined to repeat itself, with Marie in the thick of it. Her involvement in the lives of the two men, as well as in the community, leads to a range of exciting relationships and lands Marie in the center of the mystery of a long-unsolved local murder. Eventually she must make her decision: with whom will she cast the lot of her future?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Angel Harp, go HERE

Review: The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer

The Reluctant Widow
By: Georgette Heyer
Publisher: Sourcebooks
ISBN: 978-1-4022-1351-9

About the book:

A fateful mistake...

When Elinor Rochdale boards the wrong coach, she ends up not at her prospective employer's home but at the estate of Eustace Cheviot, a dissipated and ruined young man on the verge of death.

A momentous decision...

His cousin, Mr. Ned Carlyon, persuades Elinor to marry Eustace as a simple business arrrangement. By morning, Elinor is a rich widow, but finds herself embroiled with an international spy ring, housebreakers, uninvited guests, and murder. And Mr. Carlyon won't let her leave...

Review:

Elinor Rochdale is a gentlewoman of reduced circumstances, forced to seek a position as governess following her father’s scandalous death. Resigned to a life of drudgery caring for the children of others, she is quite put out of countenance when the chance mistake of entering the wrong carriage sets her life upon an entirely different – and most unorthodox – path. Lord Carlyon has advertised for a bride for his cousin, a dissolute youth, in order to publicly absolve him of possessing any designs on his feckless cousin’s property. For if his cousin’s bride in name only inherits, Carlyon stands to finally rid himself of the baseless rumors that swirl around him regarding his supposed designs on his worthless relative’s assets. Elinor recoils at the thought of involving herself in such a ridiculous scheme, but when one of Carlyon’s brothers arrives with the news that he was provoked into a brawl with the cousin in question and has, as a result, dealt him a death blow, Elinor finds herself quite at the mercy of Carlyon’s extraordinary powers of persuasiveness. By the next morning she finds herself a propertied widow, having inherited her husband’s estate, including debts, a dilapidated home, his questionable acquaintances, and involvement in an espionage plot, all factors that would send a lesser woman into spasms. But despite her abhorrence of her circumstances and new associations, Elinor is too feisty to be so easily cowed, and finds herself Carlyon’s reluctant compatriot in untangling the wretched affairs of her husband of less than twelve hours.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve read a Heyer Regency (shockingly unforgivable, I know!), but happily time and The Reluctant Widow prove that Heyer has never yet failed to charm, entertain, and delight me. From the start of Elinor’s misadventures with Lord Carlyon to their gloriously romantic finish, The Reluctant Widow is packed with the sharp, intelligent wit and laugh-out-loud humor that I’ve come to expect from Heyer’s novels. Heyer never shies away from placing her characters in the most outlandish, ridiculous scrapes imaginable, to the point that accidental death among cousins is viewed as an almost commonplace occurrence! Elinor is perhaps my favorite type of Heyer heroine. At the age of 26 she’s considered “on the shelf,” but her lack of prospects has in no way dimmed her outspokenness or zest for life. This is a woman who knows her own mind, and while in a weak moment may have been coerced into a marriage of convenience, that does not mean she will allow herself to be easily led in all situations! And Carlyon is everything a Heyer hero should be – handsome, strong-willed, intelligent, and perhaps most importantly of all, not cowed by a lively woman’s wit. The repartee between Carlyon and Elinor is priceless – indeed, the dialogue throughout the novel positively sparkles, begging to be read aloud so each clever turn of phrase or understated sarcastic remark can be fully appreciated.

The Reluctant Widow is so much more than a boy-meets-girl story – the romantic element is subtly woven throughout the plot, but simmering with potency if you’ve the eyes to look for it. The mystery Heyer weaves throughout the story is wildly entertaining – like Elinor, the reader is never quite sure who can be trusted, or what to make of the extraordinary characters and trying circumstances she encounters when thrust into the midst of her husband’s contemptible and traitorous attempt at dabbling in espionage. The supporting cast numbers among the most entertaining I can recall in a Heyer Regency. I absolutely adored Carlyon’s brothers – Nicky, the wild reckless one, and John, whose attempts at propriety mask a nature that can be every bit as outlandish as his brother’s. The Reluctant Widow is vintage Heyer, sharply plotted and replete with her unmistakable wit, unforgettable characters, and a romance between two seemingly disparate individuals that’s so fiery the sparks fly from the page. If you love Austen’s wit and Regency heroes make you swoon, Heyer is an author not to be missed.

***

This review is my first entry in the Georgette Heyer Reading Challenge for the year and my second entry in the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

2011 Baker Street Reading Challenge

Ahem. I know, you're thinking "what on earth is Ruth doing signing up for yet another reading challenge?" Well, back in 2009 when I first started this blog, I signed up for the inaugural Baker Street Reading Challenge and only posted two reviews. I am looking on this as an opportunity to further my Sherlock-related reading goals through a challenge that's lay dormant for far too long.

Here's the challenge info from the blog, hosted by Ruth of Bookish Ruth:

Welcome to the Baker Street Challenge, an annual reading challenge for one of the most iconic and enigmatic literary figures, Sherlock Holmes. Join us as we celebrate Doyle's original stories as well as the rich world of new adventures his works have inspired.

The Rules

1. Choose a goal from the reading tier below and add your name to the sign up page.

2. The challenge will run from January 1 to December 31, 2011. You can sign up for the challenge at any time before December 31, 2011.

3. You do not have to choose your books in advance. You may change your reading list at any point in the challenge.

4. Overlapping with other challenges is fine.

5. Audio books and eBooks are allowed.

6. Feel free to post reviews or general thoughts about your reading to the Baker Street Challenge blog. Please e-mail me at bookishruth [at] gmail [dot] com to be added as a contributor.

Reading Tier

• Three Pipe Problem: 3 books
• The Sign of Four: 4 books
• Five Orange Pips: 5 books
• Seven Percent Solution: 7 books

Book Guidelines & Suggestions

The Canon: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Valley of Fear) and 56 short stories (compiled in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, His Last Bow and The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes).

Pastiches: Sherlock Holmes stories by authors other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, such as The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer, The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King, The Montana Chronicles by John S. Fitzpatrick, The Sherlockian by Graham Moore, etc.

Non-Fiction: Books about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or the Holmes phenomenon.

Other Doyle Works: Books such as The Lost World, The Coming of the Fairies, The Maracot Deep, and non-Holmes short stories do count for this challenge.

Since 2011 has already begun, please note that any books read between the start of the year to January 17, 2011 that qualify for the challenge will count toward your total if you wish to count them.

Ready to sign up for the challenge? Head over to the Sign Up page.

***

I'm signing up for this challenge at a conservative level - four books, or "The Sign of Four." If I really blow through all of my reading challenges this year, I may be able to add some bonus selections to this list.

• A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King
• A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King
• The Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer
• The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer

Here are links to the reviews of my entries in this challenge in 2009:

• The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
• The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

With Series 2 of Sherlock to look forward to this fall as well as a new Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes film over the holidays, 2011 is a great year to revisit Sherlock and the work the icon has inspired!

Review: The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer

The Quiet Gentleman
By: Georgette Heyer
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 0373836848

About the book:

An unwelcome return…

When Gervase Frant returns home unscathed from the wars to claim his title as the new Earl of Stanyon, he senses his stepmother’s resentment and his half brother’s open disdain. Now he must establish himself as the new head of the house…and ignore his family’s rising hostility.

Then Gervase’s eye is caught by a lovely young woman – the same woman already much in favor with his half brother. Now the brothers are rivals as they bid for the lady’s affections. But as Gervase struggles to maintain a gentlemanly balance, he begins to find himself the victim of repeatedly cruel accidents. Soon it becomes increasingly clear that someone wants the new Earl of Stanyon dead…

Review:

Georgette Heyer novels should be printed with a warning. I have to be careful when reading her novels in public. This is because they inevitably cause a goofy smile to be pasted on my face, and I’ll start giggling loudly at random times for no apparent reason to the poor, unsuspecting public around me. The Quiet Gentleman is no exception to this rule. Absolutely nothing beats a Heyer Regency romance for the sheer enjoyment factor and witty, intelligent humor. She truly is the closest thing to reading Jane Austen – and is generally more hilarious. The Quiet Gentleman is the perfect combination of mystery and romance. The whodunit aspect of the novel is so carefully plotted that the revelation of the guilty party is an eyebrow-raising surprise. And with the romance, Heyer once again succeeds in bringing together two seemingly irreconcilable individuals who turn out to be, of course, perfect for each other. To all you fellow Austen lovers out there – if you’ve never read a Heyer, and my enthusiasm still hasn’t convinced you to pick one up, read The Quiet Gentleman for the pure novelty factor that the hero can be named Gervase Frant and still be incredibly hot. Unbelievable, but trust me, it’s true. *wink*

***

I originally reviewed The Quiet Gentleman back in September 2006 on my old blog. Since this review has never made it to my new blogging home, I thought it was high time I re-posted it here, especially since I am participating in the Georgette Heyer Reading Challenge this year. I did not re-read this novel for the challenge, it's simply the only Heyer novel I've formally reviewed to date (shockingly unforgivable, I know!).

If you're friends with me on Goodreads you may have noticed that I'm currently about halfway through my first selection for the Heyer Reading Challenge - The Reluctant Widow - and it is every bit as delightful and hilarious as every other Heyer Regency that I've ever read. The woman was a genius! Review coming soon!

My mass market edition of The Quiet Gentleman is sadly out of print, but Sourcebooks is re-releasing the novel later this year with a gorgeous new cover (just in case you're interested!). :)

Primeval 4.2

So, I realize this review is horribly late since episode three airs tonight, but what can I say? I was seriously distracted by Downton Abbey blogging this week. :) Episode two of this season of Primeval opens with a flashback to five years ago, when a random woman found a creepy lizard-like creature ransacking her living room and flushed it down the toilet. If you can ignore the logisitics of that actually working (that lizard was HUGE - seriously what are toilets like in the UK? LOL), it is nice to see the show address what happened to creatures who came through anomalies before the creation of the ARC. Flash-forward to the present, and we find Connor (Andrew Lee Potts) and Abby (Hannah Spearitt) being debriefed by Matt (Ciarán McMenamin) following their return after a year-long absence through an anomaly. The standout performances in this episode easily belong to Connor and Lester (Ben Miller). The ever-prickly Lester continually goes to bat for Connor and Abby - of course, he only compliments them when they aren't around. One has to maintain one's imagine, no? *wink* Besides revealing that yes, he does indeed have a heart, it's fun to watch Lester cope with Philip Burton (Alexander Siddig), the billionaire investor who funds 50% of the ARC's operations. Philip doesn't seem to really have a point, other than to undermine and annoy Lester. Hopefully the showrunners have a master plan for his character, otherwise I fear he is destined to simply clutter up the team.

This episode was a great venue for showcasing Connor's personal journey since the show began. Dismissed from the team thanks to the new "army experience" rule, and with no immediate prospects in sight, Connor decides to do a little creature sleuthing on his own. He runs across an old friend from his college days - Duncan, played by James Bradshaw. Duncan was part of Connor's gang of college friends - all conspiracy loving geeks. The group was torn apart when Connor joined the ARC team, and one of their number was killed by poisonous dodos (seriously, it was creepier than it sounds) in episode four of Series One. Duncan has really regressed, I guess you could say, while Connor has managed to mature (most of the time, haha)thanks to the faith Professor Cutter placed in him early in the show. This episode was a reminder that it easily could have gone the other way for Connor. Duncan and Connor's scenes were also a lot of fun, especially at the end of the episode when Duncan congratulates Connor on "making it" by dating Abby - Connor's geeked-out response, and then his quick reversal when he returns to join Abby in the car is hilarious to watch, and very well played by Potts.

I was only annoyed by Jess (Ruth Kearney) approximately 50% of the time she was on-screen this time around. She seems to be a genuinely nice person, in spite of the slightly creepy way she keeps talking about "knowing" everyone since she's read their files (over and over and over again in the case of Becker, methinks!). What I would like to know is what the heck is the pay scale at the ARC? Because Jess's apartment is RIDICULOUSLY nice. Not to mention ridiculously furinished - you couldn't help but notice that she has four rotary phones, lined up to spell out her name. Is that some stupid trend I'm not aware of? LOL! However, her crushing on Becker (Ben Mansfield) is still painfully awkward. But I LOVE the fact that he's not giving an inch - and the scene at the end where he remembers to bring her chocolate was kinda cute.

I was pretty pleased with the creature/chase portion of the show. As far as the world of the show goes, having the Kaprosuchus terrorizing a homeless community living near its lair felt like a pretty believable set-up. However, Jess's insessant online stalking of Matt when he leaves the ARC to follow Connor and Abby to the creature site really annoyed me after about sixty seconds. I just feel like there has to be a better way to prove her worth to the team than her penchant for nosiness...but maybe that's the route the showrunners are taking, so who knows?! *sigh* Which brings me to Matt...what kind of team leading idiot goes into the field with no weapon? I really want to like Matt's character, since I do like McMenamin, but he's so stiff on-screen it's hard to really get a feel for the character. I will be shocked if Matt doesn't get eaten by a creature before the end of this season - with his continued meetings with Gideon (Anton Lesser), and hazy motivations, I'm guessing he's doomed.

I really liked the chase through the container yard at the docks. That was a nicely creepy, tense set up, since with the containers stacked high, and everything looking the same, it would be quite frightening to be tracking down a rogue dinosaur in such a constricted area. It was also fantastic to see Connor prove himself in the field. We all knew they *had* to let him back on the team, but nonetheless it was fun to see him prove his mettle. And the final scene, where he confronts Lester demanding his job back, not knowing things have already been decided in his favor - that, my friends, was one of my favorite moments in the entire series. Lester's deadpan delivery of "well, you're back on the team" and Connor taking full credit for it and high-fiving Becker was absolutely HILARIOUS. Andrew Lee Potts had me laughing so hard, so many times in this episode - he really is the heart of the show now, and deservedly so in my opinion.

Looking forward to tonight's episode, which promised the arrival of humans through an anomaly (I doubt it's Helen reincarnated, but you never know with this show). Here's hoping that the show finds a point for Philip and Gideon soon, and that maybe, maybe Matt loosens up a bit.

Review: The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

*2010 INSPY Award Nominee for Historical Fiction*

The Silent Governess

By: Julie Klassen

Publisher: Bethany House

ISBN: 978-0-7642-0707-5

About the book:

Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.

But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything - his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.

He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, were he can make certain she does not spread what she has heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.

Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.

Review:

Aspiring schoolmistress Olivia Keene’s quiet life is cruelly disrupted when she saves her mother from a vicious attack and in the aftermath is forced to flee, believing herself guilty of a heinous crime. Alone and frightened, with only the vague hope of securing a position thanks to her mother’s recommendation, Olivia stumbles onto Brightwell Court. An unfortunate misunderstanding and a brutal attack leave Olivia at the mercy of the heir of the manor, Lord Bradley. For Olivia has overheard a desperate family secret, and in order to secure his future Edward sees no other option than to keep the beautiful stranger who holds his future in her hands a virtual prisoner in his home. Though her “prison” is a gilded one, Olivia longs for her freedom, even while the desperate circumstances that forced her flight from home weigh heavy on her heart. But the residents of Brightwell Court begin to wend their way into Olivia’s heart – Edward’s young cousins, starved for a mother’s love, provide Olivia with the opportunity to step into the role of governess. And Edward’s pride and fear, which had made Olivia an unwilling resident of Brightwell, prove to mask the kind heart of a gentleman. But secrets cannot remain hidden forever, and Olivia’s reticence to admit her past and Edward’s desperate attempts to hide the secret of his birth threaten to destroy any hope of happiness for the unlikely pair. Seemingly thrown together by chance, Olivia and Edward must each discover that only grace can cover the secrets they are so desperate to keep unspoken, or they may lose their chance at a future brighter than they’d ever dreamed.

I found the exploration of a governess’s lot in life to be absolutely fascinating. Each chapter opens with a quote that eloquently speaks to the theme found within the subsequent pages, many of them newspaper clippings or snippets from 19th century texts describing the duties and perception of governesses by their employers. Olivia’s position as governess at Brightwell Court is a heart-rending example of the cost and sacrifice devoting one’s life to the children of others. Outside the family yet intimately connected with it through the children, and forbidden from socializing with household servants, the lot of women like Olivia was a lonely one, wholly dependent upon the whims of their employers. While Olivia struggles with the enforced solitude, her status in the household gives her the unique position to observe the secrets and relationship dynamics at work in Edward’s home, and her intelligence and empathy make her an asset to the family and an enemy to be eliminated to their foes. In addition to Olivia, Klassen peoples her world with a host of well-drawn characters, from the Edward’s father, Lord Brightwell, who has an unexpected tie to Olivia’s mother that could chang her her future forever, to the crotchety gamekeeper Croome, whose gruff manner hides secrets capable of rocking the carefully ordered world of Brightwell Court to the core. With The Silent Governess, Julie Klassen has created a world for the reader to lose oneself in, filled to the brim with well-drawn, beautifully flawed characters who are so real, so authentic they leap from her descriptive prose fully formed in the mind's eye.

Klassen’s third novel was like a love letter to my Regency-loving heart. The Silent Governess possesses the intricacy of Austen mixed with the passionate romance and secrets of Jane Eyre, a potent combination that results in an unforgettable novel. The story is saturated with an atmosphere of historical authenticity and compelling secrets that will keep you turning pages well into the night. The touch of mystery and the beautifully restrained romance that Klassen develops between Olivia and Edward will steal your breath away. The simmering combination of secrets and passions that lie buried within The Silent Governess result in a compelling, lushly romantic historical that I’d happily name as a worthy heir to the novels that inspired it, such as Jane Eyre. The faith element is deftly woven throughout the novel, never overpowering the story, and feels completely authentic to the time period. I loved Klassen’s exploration of the cost of secrets, and the freedom found in relinquishing one’s fears and plans to the God capable of redeeming all one’s regrets. Though this was my first Klassen novel it most certainly will not be my last. With its heady combination of mystery and romance amid the vibrantly recreated world of 19th-century England, The Silent Governess is a story to savor, romantic escapism at its finest.