Linda McLaughlin Reviews

Added May 3, 2004

Lady Elinor's Escape

Author: Linda McLaughlin
Publisher: Amber Quill Press
Available At: www.amberquill.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Romance: Historical
Format: Trade Paperback and Ebook download in PDF/HTML/LIT
Price: $13.50 paperback, $6.00 ebook
ISBN: 1-59279-856-X paperback, 1-59279-198-0 ebook
Author Email/Website: www.occrwa.com/lindamclaughlin/
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo

Stephen Chaplin's life is full of women. As a young boy, he cared for stray animals, and now, as a London barrister, he champions the cause of those who need legal assistance. Because of a shattering event in his life, his heart is touched by any woman in need, especially one who has been the victim of abuse. When he met "Mrs. Brown", his protective instincts surrounded her, although his analytical mind told him to proceed with caution.

Lady Elinor Ashworth, a.k.a. "Mrs. Brown", escaped to London after her Aunt Sarah threatened her life. Early on her journey, she met Stephen Chaplin, who became a type of guardian angel to her. Although Elinor was afraid to divulge her true identity, her innocent heart revealed the love and passion she felt for Stephen Yet, there didn't seem to be a future for them. Had Elinor escaped an abusive life only to find frustration and disappointment?

A charming story from start to finish, this book takes readers to London and shows them the contrasting lifestyles that existed during the 1800's. Although Elinor was a lady of breeding and culture, she was forced to flee to the middle-class section of the city, and thus exposed herself and the reader to people who had to work hard to make ends meet. Interestingly, Elinor took a position as a seamstress, and through this job the reader gets a closer look at the fashions of this time period.

An added bonus to the story was learning a bit about the legal system through Stephen's profession. The laws were harsh and Elinor gets a glimpse of this on a personal level.

The reader gets a delightful tour of London when Elinor and Stephen take their outings. Hampton Court Palace and the dome at St. Paul's were vividly described. With an obvious knowledge of this time period, the author uses clothing, dialogue and setting to add realistic touches to the story. The current political situation is also alluded to, and the characters' actions are believable because they are based on life as it was.

Lady Elinor's Escape captures the reader's interest with a lively story, filled with mystery, danger and of course, true love.

Return to top of page.

This page was last updated on January 1, 2008

This page and all its contents are Copyright© 2002-2008 In the Library Reviews and the individual reviewers. Except where noted, all graphics are Copyright© Eos Development and are used with permission. All book covers are Copyright© their respective publishers and are used with permission. The In the Library Reviews logo is Copyright© 2002 by In the Library Reviews/Sharyn McGinty. Site maintained by In the Library Reviews.