I've been away for over a month from the blog, and although I've been still reading, I've run into a bit of a writer's block, and also because my attention has been zapped by a knitting project which involves a lot of lace. I'm also operating under a deadline, and this project must be completed by the end of September. I've been freaking out a bit, because for the first two and a half weeks of this project, I had been ripping out the same series of rows, over and over again. However, because of this, I've learned to distinguish between different stitches that are required for this knitting pattern, and I've finally passed the halfway mark to the completion of this object. Lace no longer seems as scary, but I still consider myself a newbie when it comes to knitting this stuff. We won't even talk about crocheting lace yet.
In the meantime, I finally feel up to resuming the blog now that I know that I'll likely be able to finish this particular item by the end of September.
So...(ahem), here is my review of A Lady of Esteem.
This novella, by Kristi Ann Hunter, was released, free, on Amazon on July 7th, earlier this summer. It is the story about Miss Amelia Stalwood, who had been raised by the servants of her neglectful guardian, and Anthony Pendleton, the Marquis of Raebourne, a former rogue who is trying to live out what it means to be a new creation in Christ. They meet when Amelia accidentally falls into his arms after she tumbles off a ladder while dusting in the library of Lord Raebourne's home.
Lord Raebourne knows that Amelia is not one of his servants because of the craftsmanship of her clothing, but she won't reveal her name. He only finds out her first name when a maid comes to warn Amelia to make her escape before the cook (a person to be feared in Lord Raebourne's household) finds out that she has been doing the dusting on behalf of her friend, Emma, who is a real servant in this house, but who is too ill to attend to her duties. Amelia makes her escape in a timely manner, but not without tossing her dusty rag onto the marquis' head.
Needless to say, the marquis is intrigued with Amelia and wishes to find out who she is. However, they do not travel in the same circles; Anthony's position in society sets him in highly exalted company, and Amelia's guardian has conveniently forgotten about her existence since sending her to London away from his estate. She has only the company of her governess and of servants in her guardian's household, and the friends of those servants who work in other houses.
However, through the intervention of those servants (or by the intervention of the Lord...I haven't quite figured this out yet), Anthony is finally introduced to Amelia at the home of the Hawthornes. The Hawthornes are a family comprised of the Duke of Riverton and his siblings. They are Anthony's friends, who introduced him to a believing faith. Their servants, Raebourne's servants, and Amelia's guardian's servants are friends of Amelia. These cheeky workers and the duke's sister, Lady Miranda, conspire to throw Raebourne and Amelia together. Raebourne goes along for the ride until the death of Amelia's guardian leaves her as the ward of the Duke of Riverton. He has difficulty in believing that he would be the best choice as a prospective suitor for Amelia because of his roguish past. Anthony decides to step aside so that she can benefit from the elevated company that she will now be exposed to. Will Anthony ever accept the truth that he really is a new creation in Christ; that the old is gone, and that the new has come? Will he and Amelia get together?
I really liked this novella. It was interesting to see whether Anthony works through his doubts about his worthiness, and whether he comes to accept that there is no condemnation for himself and for those who are in Christ Jesus, regardless of their pasts.
The story also introduces the Hawthorne family, which is composed of Griffith, the Duke of Riverton, Lady Miranda, Lord Trent, and Lady Georgina. A Noble Masquerade, which is Miranda's story, will be released in September later this year. There is a three chapter excerpt for the upcoming novel included at the end of A Lady of Esteem. I will admit that what I read from it has captured my interest, and I'll be looking out for this book when it comes out next month.
