Georgian Romance Revolt
A romantic satire by Lucinda Elliot
Elaine Long is trapped in the body of the heroine in a warped cyber version of an historical romance. Something has gone drastically wrong, with the characters talking and acting outside the script, and her coachman is exactly like one of the author’s Golden and Reckless hero types.
Worse, the disgraced earl turned highwayman anti-hero – one of the author\’s Dark, Mean and Moody hero types, has stolen the heroine’s betrothal ring, which just happens to be Elaine’s escape device.
Elaine, once eager to escape from everyday life and being taken for granted by her part-time boyfriend into this cyber version of her favourite author\’s fictional world, isn’t even confident that this story can guarantee a happy ending, even if she does have three or four hero types in it with her…
A darkly comic, fast moving spoof on the tropes of historical romance from four times BRAG medallion winner Lucinda Elliot.
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Excerpt
“Angel or not, she is certainly too good for a low dog such as you.” Again, the fog across Elaine’s memory cleared for long enough for her to recall this piece of the book as Erl Lawless leapt from somewhere to join them ‘in one lithe bound’.
His rival would-be molester scowled. “I will fight you for this female.”
“I must take exception to that,” Elaine again succeeded in speaking. “I have a mind of my own.” The Aurelia part was startled at her own sudden useless defiance of impossibly domineering males.
Both robber chiefs stared, seemingly as shocked almost as if the horse had ventured an opinion. Brigand Bright exclaimed, “Silence, woman! It is your place to slake the lust of the victor—who will be me –and to bring me my hot chocolate at cock crow.”
Erl Lawless sneered, “Hot chocolate, you unmanly cur? You should numb your conscience with a good swig of strong wine by way of a start to the day, as do I and all self-respecting outlaws. Yet after all, you do not have a conscience. My charmer, you will agree a creature effete enough to slurp hot chocolate is only worthy of a beating with the flat of my sword.”
Elaine was shocked into forgetting he was not real and had assaulted her besides. “You will damage your stomach by drinking before breakfast.”
Erl Lawless ignored this, while Brigand Bright reddened beneath the dirt. “I scorn a conscience, and there is nothing of the woman about me. You dare to insult me before this fine wanton? This sneaking coward, my chickadee, cannot fight. He is only man enough to shoot enemies in the back when discovered cheating at cards.”
Erl Lawless paled, ‘his eyes lighting with cold menace’. That was another sentence that came back to Elaine. He ground out, “You shall pay dear for mouthing those lies. Have at you, cowardly whoreson!”
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Review
I enjoy a good satire. This one definitely had some fantastic elements. Poking fun at bodice rippers is often a good time, and it was interesting to see the criticisms about bodice rippers put into a fictional setting.
That said, I didn’t get into this as much as I hoped to or thought I would. It may be that I haven’t read enough historical romance to get much of the humor. It may also be how the POV was handled. There are layers of awareness for more than one character at a time, which threw me a bit. It was a fascinating writing style to observe, but it also left me confused in places. I wasn’t always sure whose thoughts were whose. The female lead is sometimes referred to simply as “the heroine,” which left me to wonder if that was the heroine of Georgian Romance Revolt or the heroine of the story within the story.
There were some really cool reveals later in the book (no spoilers). This wound up going in a direction I wasn’t expecting. I recommend this for lovers of historical romance who obviously don’t mind some satire.
About Lucinda Elliot
Lucinda Elliot, four times winner of the BRAG medallion for outstanding self published fiction, was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. When she was growing up, her family lived in various large, isolated old houses in various parts of the UK as they used to renovate such places in the days before it became fashionable. She lived for many years in London and now lives in Mid Wales with her family. She loves a laugh above anything.
Find her online:
–blog
–Amazon Author Page
–Goodreads
Giveaway
Lucinda Elliot will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a great read, thanks for sharing it with us.
Thank you so much for your perceptive review.
And thank you, James, for your encouraging comment.
You're welcome! 🙂
Welcome. 🙂
Sounds like a good book.
Sounds like a very good book.