First the wrap-up. Essie Summers is not for everyone but the things that set her apart are, for me, excellent. Early Harlequin had a masculinity problem, confusing awesome manliness for testosterone-fueled temper tantrums. Essie has plenty of heroes who get flaming mad but it's never a prime character trait. They are intrinsically decent traditionalists with a great work ethic, gentle tolerance towards old people and children and a nice sense of humor. That they don't engage in yucky sexual double standards is also a bonus. Essie heroes are 'saving themselves'. Right on.
Another thing I love is how hard everybody works in the world of Essie. Much though I adore La Neels it's shopping and eating an awful lot. For Essie, work is not stigmatized as an undesirable end.
In one of my recently acquisitions (thank you paperbackswap.com!), Goblin Hill, some characters are discussing the death of an author. "He's a loss to the world. In the main, these days, you either get very tame books, which we can't stand, or books that are morbid and depressing and...what is the word I want Chassie?" "Ugly, I should think...Your father's books are strong meat, yet never distasteful..."
That is Essie to a tee.
The House of Gre
gor's Brae For those Bettys who like Cassandra By Chance, here's another go at the blind hero. As a young journalist, Gregor MacGreor (!) contributed to young Jenny getting adopted and moving to New Zealand. Now back in Scotland and raising her parents' other children she meets him again. How dismaying that he's crabby and aloof and blind. He also can't remember her. This one has a lovely villainess and Gregor doesn't regain his sight (of course he does!)...until after the wedding.South Island Stowaway Best title ever, right?! When Julia 'stows-away' in her brother's car so that he'll have to accept her help as his housekeeper, she is flummoxed to be making such a long trip...to the South Island! Adam didn't mean to take on a hitch-hiker but when his fiancee' finds her (cramped horribly
from crouching so long on the floor of the back seat and needing to pee desperately) all heck breaks loose. Engagements are broken, heroines are awash in guilt and it doesn't take long for the hero to become awfully philosophical about being dumped. I love this one.Summer in December Also one of my favorites. Joanna has been brought up to be decorative and attentive to her employer/foster-mother, a famous television star. When she strikes out on her own to discover her roots, she becomes hopelessly stranded in a remote sheep station with a bachelor and three kids. What rotten luck, our hero thinks, but at least she'll be able to help us cook. Um...about that. She wasn't brought up to be domestic at all. Watching her learn is all the fun.
One of my other all time favorites: Beyond the Foothills. It's chock full of references to Anne of Green Gables, ginger headed and red haired people, similar sounding surnames, one emergency "popping the thumb back into the socket" and kids cooking!
ReplyDeleteI lent my copy of The Smoke and The Fire to my sister--that's also one of my favorite's. I just love that she proposes to him in the end and hopes their freckle-faced, redheads with chipped knees grow up to push Mr. Ex-Fiancee's kids into the frog pond.
ReplyDeleteThough I don't have my own copy yet, I also love No Roses in June.
Can we talk about the cover art for Summer in December? While I love the story, the artwork makes it look like the hero is about 14 years old.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, the cove of Summer in December puts me in the mind of Natalie Wood and Tab Hunter. I thought the picture of Marilla on the cover of Beyond the Foothills (another of my favortesO reminded me of Meg Ryan. We had a lot of fun on one of hte Essie sites putting actors and actresses into the covers. Yes, we know we're a bit obsessive...but we sure had fun and some lively discussions! And you can be sure I'll have more to say about these wonderful review when I get a bit caught up from being away!
ReplyDeleteA lovely wrap up, Kiera, both about Essie and early Harlequins. There are a couple of really unlovable testosterone laden early Essie heroines, Cranky Craig (House of the Shining Tides), and Grim Grant (Nurse Abroad), we all wondered why the girl ever fell in love!
ReplyDeleteI really like all the selections reviewed. Essie did have a thing for missing or unknown fathers, Goblin Hill is a good example. SouthIS is a funny read, a bit heavy on real and imagined history, but a good hearted heroine with a penchant for trying to fix up what doesn't need fixing!
House on Gregors Bay isn't a group favorite, but we do like a lot about it, the opposite setting, the lovely villainess, and of course the beautiful setting.
Summer in December is a favorite because for onec, although the heroine has a wonderful work ethic, she is not the household paragon most of Essie's heroines are. It really is fun to watch her make mistakes, learn, grow and fall in love.
Nice work Bettys!!