Book Review: "Dancing on the Wind" by M.C. Beaton

Dancing on the Wind by Sarah Chester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Moll Flanders, only not depressing. Would make an awesome Masterpiece Theater series. Whomever designed the cover for this (audio) edition should be fired, since this is a late 18th century setting and the cover illustration is over a hundred years off, fashion wise. Sympathetic but quirky protagonist, detailed look at several levels of 18th century English society, and believable characters all around. There are several points in this meaty story that a lesser novel would have saved for the action-packed climax at the end, but this one just keeps the drama coming. A few bewildering moments where the author seems confused about what various items of clothing are called, the worst of which are references to petticoats. A petticoat is tied at the waist and supports one's skirt(s). It does not have sleeves(?!). The framework cage that supports late 18th century skirts is a farthingale or panniers, not a "hoop", and it most certainly is not sewn into a petticoat...that I know of. Minor quibbles, but the first time I've run into these particular errors. At any rate, I love M.C. Beaton's writing and was pleasantly surprised to run across in the "available now" section on my library's website. Not sure why this is included in a "Regency" series, since the setting pre-dates that period by at least a decade and should probably be called "Georgian".

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"Darling Beast", by Elizabeth Hoyt

Don't judge this one by its cover!

Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not a big romance reader, but I enjoy the occasional indulgence of one the same way I do the occasional rich, chocolaty dessert. Well, if it's it's good, anyway. If it doesn't grab me then I'm not shy about quitting a few chapters or pages in. I had the opportunity to pick up a copy of "Darling Beast", a charming historical romance, directly from the author this past weekend at the 2015 Emerald City Writers Conference. Ms. Hoyt is a hoot, and we spent a few happy moments commiserating about costuming in historical TV and film.

Having now read the book, it's obvious that she has put in the time doing research on the material and social culture of 1740s England, where the novel is set. All the historical research in the world won't help if the story is clunky or boring, however. I'm pleased to say that in this case the research is coupled with likable, interesting characters, an intriguing setting, and a bit of mystery to solve.

Oh, and there's just enough steaminess to keep a person warm on a cool Fall evening. Maybe enough that at a few points it felt like TMI time, but then I'm happy with "less is more". That said, although there are some HBO-worthy moments of passion, I never felt uncomfortable enough to skim and "get on with the story". Perhaps it was the grounded presentation of the lead characters, warts and all, with attendant touches of humor, that kept me engrossed even in their most private moments. Whatever the reason, I ended up binge reading the 321 pages, winding it up around 0300 and wondering where the time had gone.

This never happens to me with a romance. Well, hardly ever. Not only that, but I'm excited to get my hands on the next one in the series, and not just because it features a former Captain of Dragoons from this novel whom I found just as intriguing as this one's male lead. (clunky sentence penalty)

Anyway: If I chose to I could probably find something to nitpick about, but it would be infinitesimally minor. I think this is worth anybody's time. I'd love to see this as a film, as the setting(s) would lend themselves to a lush cinematic treatment, and the characters are varied and unique. Two thumbs up!

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"The Banishment", by M.C. Beaton

The Banishment by Marion Chesney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hunting around for an audio book on my library's web site, I stumbled upon this little gem. A big fan of Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series, I thought I'd give it a go. What a treasure! Beaton may have out-Regency'd Georgette Heyer. I would like to have been a bit more deeply "inside the head" of any of the POV characters, but this is a minor complaint. This would make a charming feature film to rival anything made from Austen's work in the last few decades. Thank goodness Beaton cranked out piles of historical romances before she made it big with MacBeth. I'm looking forward to exploring them all.

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