Title: The Lady's Maid
Publisher: Arrow
Publish Date: July 12, 2012
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley & the publisher for TLC Book Tours
Book Blurb: In the quiet of a warm summer’s evening, two young mothers are forced to give up their babies. Whilst Kate grows up knowing only poverty and servitude, Josie’s world is one of privilege and luxury.
Despite the differences in their circumstances, Kate and Josie have been friends since childhood. But their past binds them together in ways they must never know. Until a chance meeting forces Kate and Josie to confront the truth of that night nearly twenty years before – a truth that turns both worlds upside down and threatens to destroy their friendship forever…
Review: I've heard a lot of good things about Dilly Court so I was really excited to give this book a try. This is one of those books that I love and I hate at the same time. I love it because it has a real upstairs, downstairs feel, with the two girls of different stations that are good friends. I also like Dilly's writing style, she's a sweet romance writer and as much as I love a hot spicy romance now and then, I like the sweeter stories when they are period novels.
Both girls haven't a clue that they were both illegitimate ...one is the daughter of the gentry and the other is the daughter of a gypsy, both children were given away shortly after their birth.
I had a hard time with Josie and Kate's friendship. Josie was just plain unlikable. It was hard to believe Kate would put up with her with the way she treated her. She did things that were stupid and downright mean.
These girls were supposed to be bosom buds, regardless of class, and all I could see was the wealthy girl caring only for herself. The story reminded me a little of the Summerset Abbey series, only it is set in Victorian England.
Then there was Josie's weird relationship with Harry. Her parents wanted the match, but she didn't...and then did..and then didn't. I felt sorry for the guy, especially when he obviously had feelings for someone else.
Kate was a bit wishy washy. She let Josie walk all over her and it always landed her in trouble, especially after her father remarried. She was too nice, yet she was also strong and spunky. If it weren't for her, Josie would have landed in a lot more trouble over the years, especially during their trip to London. I also loved how she took care of Boy. (I wish he would have played a bigger part in the story, he was such a great character)
She had an offer to marry the older Squire, who had wanted her to take care of his unruly daughters. I actually felt sorry for Edmund, who reminded me of Strallan from Downton Abbey. There were many times I wished she would have just married him to get away from Josie and her family, especially after her parentage is revealed.
I could really see this book turned into a tv drama. There was so much going on...so much evil doings by relatives and friends. All tied up with a happily ever after.
The circumstances of both girls births came a little late in the story, so the climax felt a bit rushed and the direction of the story a little predictable.
I wanted to love this story, but Josie really spoiled it for me. She was too nasty and undeserving of Kate's friendship.
I ended up liking the novel...and Dilly Court's writing style enough that I want to check out her other books, but I wasn't wowed by this story the way I really wanted to be.
Rating: 3 flowers
Book Blurb: In the quiet of a warm summer’s evening, two young mothers are forced to give up their babies. Whilst Kate grows up knowing only poverty and servitude, Josie’s world is one of privilege and luxury.
Despite the differences in their circumstances, Kate and Josie have been friends since childhood. But their past binds them together in ways they must never know. Until a chance meeting forces Kate and Josie to confront the truth of that night nearly twenty years before – a truth that turns both worlds upside down and threatens to destroy their friendship forever…
Review: I've heard a lot of good things about Dilly Court so I was really excited to give this book a try. This is one of those books that I love and I hate at the same time. I love it because it has a real upstairs, downstairs feel, with the two girls of different stations that are good friends. I also like Dilly's writing style, she's a sweet romance writer and as much as I love a hot spicy romance now and then, I like the sweeter stories when they are period novels.
Both girls haven't a clue that they were both illegitimate ...one is the daughter of the gentry and the other is the daughter of a gypsy, both children were given away shortly after their birth.
I had a hard time with Josie and Kate's friendship. Josie was just plain unlikable. It was hard to believe Kate would put up with her with the way she treated her. She did things that were stupid and downright mean.
These girls were supposed to be bosom buds, regardless of class, and all I could see was the wealthy girl caring only for herself. The story reminded me a little of the Summerset Abbey series, only it is set in Victorian England.
Then there was Josie's weird relationship with Harry. Her parents wanted the match, but she didn't...and then did..and then didn't. I felt sorry for the guy, especially when he obviously had feelings for someone else.
Kate was a bit wishy washy. She let Josie walk all over her and it always landed her in trouble, especially after her father remarried. She was too nice, yet she was also strong and spunky. If it weren't for her, Josie would have landed in a lot more trouble over the years, especially during their trip to London. I also loved how she took care of Boy. (I wish he would have played a bigger part in the story, he was such a great character)
She had an offer to marry the older Squire, who had wanted her to take care of his unruly daughters. I actually felt sorry for Edmund, who reminded me of Strallan from Downton Abbey. There were many times I wished she would have just married him to get away from Josie and her family, especially after her parentage is revealed.
I could really see this book turned into a tv drama. There was so much going on...so much evil doings by relatives and friends. All tied up with a happily ever after.
The circumstances of both girls births came a little late in the story, so the climax felt a bit rushed and the direction of the story a little predictable.
I wanted to love this story, but Josie really spoiled it for me. She was too nasty and undeserving of Kate's friendship.
I ended up liking the novel...and Dilly Court's writing style enough that I want to check out her other books, but I wasn't wowed by this story the way I really wanted to be.
Rating: 3 flowers
Dilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. Dilly is a Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author in the UK, where she has sold over a million books to date. Her books have this year been released for the first time as ebooks in the United States. Print and e-editions are available in Canada and Australia.
