The Unexpected Sister

Lord Thomas Dashley had been a major when he was captured by the French. To bide time for himself to heal and escape, Thomas gave false information. However, the information ended up meaning the death of his closest friend and fellow officer, Peter Wendham. When Thomas returned to England he went to Peter's home to explain what had happened to Peter's sister, Miss Melisande Wendham. Melisande was most all Peter ever spoke of when referring to his home. Thomas had heard so much of her that he had formed a mental image of Melisande and was half way in love with her. Lord Thomas was determined to make amends to Melisande for his part in Peter's death and then to wed her. Peter had never mentioned another sister, Miss Caroline Norcrest. Yet while Melisande condemned Thomas, Caroline did not. Caroline instinctively knew Thomas was innocent in Peter's death and she became determined to solve the mystery surrounding it. ***** Most Regency Romances get four stars from me. However, this one was exceptional in the subtle nuances that the author gave throughout the story, as well as, the wonderful plot and sub-plots the book contained. Rarely have I read such a wondrous piece of work. (Sandra Heath is another such author that springs to mind.) Glenda Garland spins a tapestry of greed and romance that will keep her readers enthralled until the last page has been turned. HIGHLY recommended reading! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I jsut finished reading this book in one evening, and it is a "keeper" for me. It is an nice combination of mystery and romance. The heroine, Caroline, is a warm and loyal person, and the hero, Thomas, is a brave and honorable one. They make you want to root for them and for their happiness. Their behavior is very believable, and the romance moves along nicely, although the mystery does command a lot of the attention. It is hard to say much about this book without giving away too much of the mystery, but I can say that the mystery involves the relationship between Thomas, Lord Dashly, and Caroline's deceased brother, Peter, and their adventures in wartime Spain. The author has researched things very thoroughly, and skillfully weaves the war-time events into the fabric of the present story.I can't say that I "liked" Caroline's sister, Melisande, to whom Thomas feels obligated to offer marriage, but she was a complex, interesting character. There are some other, very likable characters in the book, including a former Sergeant-Major and his wife, and Caroline's friends. They added a lot to the book. I think some readers might feel that the romance took second place to the mystery, and maybe it does, in parts, but there is enough simmering attraction between the hero and heroine to drive the story along. They both are attracted to each other, but out of loyaltly to Melisande, and for other reasons, try to deny the attraction. This is a good regency, that seems to have been well-researched. For example, I have read much about "Lord Elgin's Marbles" in other regencies--this book explains how and why they were acquired and came to be in England. The dialogues and the descriptive narratives are well-written, and make it a satisfying, "filling" read in the way that only a good regency can accomplish, in my mind. I find that when I read some modern romances, I find myself feeling like I am snacking, rather than eating a good meal--asking, where is the good dialogue, where is the descriptive prose? This book has both of my requirements for a good read, plus it was a touching romance. Hope to see more from this author!