Title: Honourable Lies
Author: Fran Connor
Publisher: Liot Literary
Copyright: June 28, 2016
ISBN: 978-1533678744
ASIN: B01HQL2JVS
Format: E-Book, 268 Pages
Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Summary
Romance and Adventure in Victorian Times
An orphan transcends poverty and immerses herself in High Society where she falls in love with a wealthy young man. Her newfound bliss is shattered when sinister figures from her past resurface and the malevolent father of her lover drives a wedge between them.
Uneducated in the darker side of the aristocracy she adapts the lessons learned in the gutter to overcome her new adversaries using her resilience and cunning in the hope of winning back the love of her man.
This once timid orphan must change if her chance of happiness is not be thwarted by her enemies. They have wealth and connections; she has the courage of a woman on a mission. But then she begins to wonder if she does want to win him back.
Review
Fran Connor’s Honourable Lies is a story, filled with unexpected twists and turns, that centers on an orphan named Victoria. Victoria has had anything but an easy life, growing up in a filthy orphanage that is run by a horrible man named Tweedale and policed by heartless women. One night she is called into Mr. Tweedale’s office where she is introduced to a man named Woodward who presents her with an opportunity to be a governess in Australia. Deep down she suspects that there is something sinister about the dubious Woodward and his ‘opportunity.’ She is told that they will be leaving immediately. Stating that she needs to use the bathroom, Victoria takes the opportunity to escape from her captors. Armed with her crude-looking dagger and a small amount of money, she slips quickly into the night.
After escaping the clutches of Tweedale and Woodward, Victoria has her fair share of unpleasant adventures. She is accosted by brigands, sexually assaulted by a corpulent man, and hired as a governess only to be thrown out shortly thereafter. One day, Victoria is walking through the woods where she witnesses two foreigners who are placing items beneath the train tracks. Soon realizing what is happening, she calls out to the approaching train and causes it to stop immediately. It is this act that changes Victoria’s life forever. She inadvertently saves the life of Queen Victoria and is awarded a place of great honor.
From the beginning of the book to the end, I found Honourable Lies to be a fascinating read. The description of each scene was rich and the characterization was enjoyable. Above all, Victoria, a rather interesting character, was easy to relate to and had a strong, enduring nature. The flow of the story was fairly steady with its slow moments that I just slogged through. The plot was fairly well-developed and it kept me hooked when the climax reached its crescendo. The tone and atmosphere of this particular book was one of mystery. In general it was a pleasant read and is the sort of book I would curl up with on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
I received a complimentary copy of Honourable Lies by Fran Connor in exchange for an honest review.
