Pages: 333 (ARC)
Publisher: Puffin/Penguin
Release Date: 1st July 2010
Romance. Deception. Destiny.
A brand-new historical fiction series to captivate Philippa Gregory fans and leave teenage girls swooning…
England, 1582
Ellie - Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime - is in possession of a worthless title and a feisty spirit that captivates the elite of the Queen’s court, and none more so than the handsome new Earl of Dorset…
William Lacey has inherited his father’s title and his financial ruin. Now the earl must seek a wealthy heiress and restore his family’s fortune.
Will’s head has been turned by the gorgeous Ellie, yet their union can never be. Will is destined to marry a lady worthy of his status, so the only question is - which one…?
Historical fiction is a little hit and miss with me, but The Other Countess was definitely a hit. I loved it!
One of the reasons that I agreed to review this book was to try and fill the hole that the ending of Anna Godbersen’s The Luxe series left. And, boy did it! The mix of a historical setting, a lovable heroine and fabulous romance swept me up and carried me back to 1582. This is without a doubt a novel for the romantics (i.e. Me) with Ellie and Will’s doomed love and Will himself with his family loyalty and chivalrous acts. Sigh. But they were also intellectually matched and shared brilliantly witty banter.
Eve Edwards clearly did her research before beginning this novel. The Other Countess is packed with intricate details of life in Elizabethan England. The outfits for men and woman of all status’ were beautifully described, the rigid customs were observed and the religious instability of the country at this time made a large contribution to the story. All the threats to the Queen from the Spanish and Catholics were also a part of Ellie’s story.
Though I loved The Other Countess, it was also agony to read. All of the characters fell in love with the wrong person who were highly unlikely to be as a couple in society at this time. Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting a satisfying ending, or a happy one. But telling you whether I was satisfied with the ending or not would give far too much away…
I loved The Other Countess and I can’t wait for book two, The Queen's Lady. I have a feeling that this is going to be a favourite series of mine.
For my 2010 Debut Author Challenge, 2010 100+ Reading Challenge
Sophie
totally agree with the fave series, i loved this book and can not wait for the second
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you liked this one - I did too :)
ReplyDeleteLovely review Sophie, it's great to hear how much you enjoyed it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading me - I hope you enjoy the second one, The Queen's Lady, as much (out early 2011). You can win a signed copy of The Other Countess at http://eve-edwards.co.uk/aa66205a4f/a9def7611e.html All you need do is tell me your 3 favourite Elizabethans. I also have a booktrailer on the site (largely consisting of my research photos) which you might find interesting (apologies for lack of Hollywood budget!).
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit iffy when it comes to historical fiction too, but I might just give this one a try (if I ever get around to it!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review. :)
How cool! You have a comment from Eve! So awesome Sophie. I loved this books too. It sort of swept me away with its will they, won't they. Can't wait for book 2. I may have to enter that comp!
ReplyDeleteLove this enthusiastic review! I really liked this one. I think I'll be a major fan of the series too.
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds so good - looking forward to reading it. Hopefully soon! Thanks for the review:)
ReplyDeleteLove historical fiction and this sound like a worthwhile read. Great review.
ReplyDeleteI've just read and reviewed this too, I loved it and agree...I can't wait for more from this series!
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