Weekly Reader: The Heiress of Epsom: Her Lady's Heart by Hedley J. Huntt; Cute, Charming Character Driven Regency Era Romance

 Weekly Reader: The Heiress of Epsom: Her Lady's Heart by Hedley J. Huntt; Cute, Charming Character Driven Regency Era Romance

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: For the first romance books of this month, I am reviewing a pair of Regency era Historical Romances. What is it about this era that inspires the romantic side of authors and Readers? Sure there are many romances set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Quite a few Westerns and some books set during the World Wars sprinkle with more than enough love stories. But the Regency Era, between 1811-1820, in England tops the list of historical romance fiction time periods and these won't be the only two that I am reviewing this month either. 

The most obvious reason is that the authors and Readers are fans of the works from that period, particularly Jane Austen, so they want to pay tribute to one of their favorite authors. Another reason could be because of the period itself with the elegant styles and architectures, the social customs and manners. There is a quaint elegance that people want to study and escape into. 

With that elegance and fine manners, there was also a contradiction. This was a contradiction in which many rebelled against convention and embraced passion and emotion. This wasn't just the era of the cultured politeness of Jane Austen. This was also the era of the Romantic poets like William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Blake, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, and the "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" Lord Byron. The time of the Rake, those lady's men who could challenge the norm and arouse the interest of the young swooning ladies and the ladies who mocked and satirized those conventions in Gothic novels and comedies of manners.

It is the convention vs. passion that many authors seem to find so irresistible and like to put in their works. 

That is what is intrinsic in the first two Regency era Romances, the side of convention: young people being forced into situations that they would rather not be in, like arranged marriages vs. their romantic passionate feelings for the right person. In a sense, they tell the same story of young people from wealthy and titled families falling in love with someone considered unsuitable and fighting off family pressure to marry someone more acceptable. However, authors Hedley J. Huntt and Hazel Linwood choose different ways to tell them and in their differences show their writing advantages.

Huntt's version of the Regency Era, The Heiress of Epsom: Her Lady's Heart, is strong on character with a slight plot. Very little goes on story wise, but we are given two charming lovers that are so likeable and packed with brilliant traits that I like the journey that they are on.

The first of the lovers is Lady Caroline Cartoghan, the only daughter of Zachary Cartoghan, the Marquess of Epsom. As is the role of many young women of the time, her only job is to marry up to give her family more prominence. The only thing higher than a Marquess is a Duke and that's one step closer to Royalty. In fact, her parents are practically salivating over the fact that Finley Rashford, Duke of Kirkeby, will be arriving soon to appraise his potential bride. She is more interested in Oliver Russell, the local potstal worker. Oliver Russell, a man with no title.

Or rather Oliver had a title. He was once a Viscont of Barj, and his father an Earl, but that was before his alcoholic and compulsive gambling father lost the family wealth, home, and title. Who help engineered his downfall? Why none other than the Marquess of Epsom, Caroline's father. Once he gets to know Caroline, Oliver sees a potential pathway to romance.

Caroline and Oliver are a winning pair both in their time together and separate. They both question the societal rules. Even though Caroline considers her maid, Vivian, a friend and confidant, she despairs that she doesn't know her as a person or her life outside of working for the Cartoghan Family.

Caroline is a woman who while loves her parents is starting to question her role in this snobbish society. Her older brother, Jack, can romance many, drink himself silly, and do whatever he wants. But if she steps one toe out of line, it is a cause for scandal. She questions the double standard.

The only place that she can feel welcome is the local bookstore. There she reads French Literature, sensational novels, and works that are forbidden, and is free to express herself in ways that are more open.

That is what attracts Oliver to her and vice versa. They are both characters who question the norm. Oliver shares a similar passion for literature, particularly poetry, which he often quotes to swooning maidens like a pop singer quoting their lyrics to adoring fans. He is clearly a charming flirt, but that's not all to him.

Unlike Caroline, Oliver is able to cross class lines. In fact, now that he is outside of his former class, he sees how foolish those people are. That is probably why, even though he tried before like funding a failed expedition, he shows no current interest in regaining his fortune or title. In fact, his best friend is bookseller, John Ruppert, who gives him books and good solid advice. He has an inner circle that includes various people of different social classes from Lady Ryssa, a rich dowager looking for a handsome young wealthy man to marry to Marvy, a poor young boy who delivers messages between the lovers and who Oliver and John treat like a kid brother.

Since Caroline's parents forbid Oliver from calling on the house, the two maintains their relationship via correspondence, hitting each other exactly where their hearts lie: through writing. For example Oliver writes to Caroline, "My heart yearns for you, for an eternity with you, or at least a second in passing." It's the letter writing that one would expect between lovers from that period. They express such emotional heartfelt words through writing that societal constraints deprive them from revealing with their voices.

This is a book that not a lot happen. But when it does, it happens in quick spurts followed by many chapters and pages of contemplation and indecision. Most of the actions are motivated by Caroline and Oliver's behavior and mannerisms. In one chapter, Caroline asks Finley some provocative questions that show that intellectually, she runs circles around this guy.

Another chapter features Oliver and Caroline engaging in a kiss that is seen by Finley and Jack, both of whom are not happy. Oliver and Caroline kiss to express the physical passion which they can no longer deny and only share through letters.

The final third of the book is too delicious to reveal but hinges on Caroline feeling smothered by her family's expectations and desperation to do anything to end their control over her. It also hinges on Oliver's love for her and concerns about gaining back what he lost.

The Heiress of Epsom is a fine tribute to an era that continues to fascinates both Readers and Authors. Caroline and Oliver make for a charming lovely pair to welcome Romantics into that time.