Lady Victoria Aston has everything she could want: an older sister happily wed, the future of her family estate secure, and ample opportunity to while her time away in the fields around her home.
But now Vicky must marry—or find herself and her family destitute. Armed only with the wisdom she has gained from her beloved novels by Jane Austen, she enters society’s treacherous season.
Sadly, Miss Austen has little to say about Vicky’s exact circumstances: whether the roguish Mr. Carmichael is indeed a scoundrel, if her former best friend, Tom Sherborne, is out for her dowry or for her heart, or even how to fend off the attentions of the foppish Mr. Silby, he of the unfortunate fashion sensibility.
Most unfortunately of all, Vicky’s books are silent on the topic of the mysterious accidents cropping up around her…ones that could prevent her from surviving until her wedding day.
I haven't read a decent Historical Fiction book in quite a while - I swear it's one of those genres I never ask for but I'm always happy when I find one.
Dangerous Alliance was what I might describe as an 'endearing' book in that it won't sit alongside the best historical YA books I've ever read, but it offered up enough entertainment to keep me reading. Don't get me wrong, there was issues with characters and pacing, but at no point did I want to give up.
I am always a sucker for a childhood friend who comes back into the picture to sweep the heroine off her feet. Tom was that for me, and I was rooting for him from the start. Sure, Carmichael was rakish enough to be attractive and he did have bits of chemistry with Vicky, but he didn't have the connection that I found with Tom... plus I have read enough Jane Austen to know that he simply wasn't going to be a nice guy. he had his redemption arc but it was just too little too late.
Vicky was a decent enough character. Her voice did seem a bit young and immature, and she was reckless and didn't seem to be able to make her mind up about the smallest thing, but she didn't annoy me so much that I simply couldn't read her.
I had issues a little with the plots and pacing. At some points I found it a little difficult to follow all of the plot threads and I did think that some of them were redundant to the final plot and could have been ironed out. The writing seemed too much like Cohen was trying to write authentic Georgian and it seemed forced. Don't get me wrong, I get that it may have been necessary but some of it rang out 'fanfiction' for me so I did struggle to get past that at points.
Overall, Dangerous Alliance was an entertaining enough read. It's not one I would read again and I certainly won't remember it too far down the line.
Book released 3rd December 2019 by Harper Teen
Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review
No comments
Tell me your thoughts on the post, the book, the world. I like volcanoes, feel free to tell me about volcanoes.