Wayward Window

Juliana is a complex and troubled character. Troubled people often can be devastating compelling, and Juliana is. The idea of the fine upstanding male character and the bad girl also works very well for me, turning the romance genre on it's head for a change. Instead of the rake/outlaw, we have the man trying to stay on the straight and noble path, but hopelessly drawn to a woman who is, and isn't, all she seems. This is a beautiful novel with gorgeously drawn characters.

I picked up this book in the paperback rack at the library, and I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much. After all, it *is* a Harlequin, how well-written could it be? Well, I think I checked the publisher three times because I was so overwhelmed by this book. I simply couldn't believe this was a Harlequin book! The quality of writing was so good, the characterizations in this book were so excellently done, and the dialogue so perfect - well, this book sure is a keeper for me, and I am now checking Nicola Cornick's backlist for as many books as I can find. Ms. Cornick sure does know how to get you interested in the story! The beginning of this story was one of the most daring opening chapters I have ever seen - in Harlequin. But what made this book so especially memorable was that this author has managed to come up with an original plot - I have read so many Regencies but I have never read this particular plot before. In this story, it is the heroine who is the rake (is there such a thing as a female rake?) who is reformed by a "straight" man - who loves her. This pretty much sums up the plot, but this is a plot with a *lot* of potential - and Nicola Cornick plays it up to the very hilt. This book was also very well written, one of the most nicely written books I have ever read - which is why I was so surprised it was a Harlequin. Everything about this book was very well done, and I especially loved the way Lady Juliana knew how to speak - she knows how to give it, straight from the shoulder, but at the same time she is always a lady! I think this is what impressed me the most - there is a lot to be said for an intelligent heroine who can stick up for herself, and be rude and polite at the same time. I have to admit - it's an art, and I enjoyed every minute of it! This was extremely well done. It was well written, the plot was solid without any holes, and the story itself was interesting, this was a book that is "finished". Recommended for any Regency reader who enjoys high quality writing and a somewhat different plot twist.

An enjoyable premise for a novel - the unashamedly 'bad ton' Juliana whom all mamma's warn their daughters away from, is drinking away her sorrows with the sort of reckless abandon usually seen in regency rogues, but highly unusual to be female! This is the sort of character who is usually cast as the villian of the piece turning up to ruin the life and love of our dear charitable and pure heroines... Well, Juliana is viewed as such at the start of the book by other characters but proves slowly that she is not as black as she is painted. As the siblings of the hero fall in love with her(and they do) so do we, and so are we convinced that she is worth more than her rakehell name. In fact she is quite infamous, but all is slowly revealed and her truly tender heart shines, amongst all her bad pranks. Anyone who has ever drunk too much at office parties or made a spectacle of themselves out at the bar or even been grossly rude whenever in the mood (etc etc I could go on but I'm sure you get the picture)...will cringe for her in this story, and be very satisfied when it is all overlooked in the end, by everyone who counts.

Lady Juliana Myfleet loved to shock London society. She gambled, she had dubious friends, and her reputation was nearly beyond repair. So when she presented herself nearly naked at a bachelor party and found herself staring into the eyes of a stranger, Juliana was surprised that she actually felt embarrassed by her actions. Upon examining herself further, she began to realize the reasons for her shocking behavior. She rebelled against her father, who never loved her; love, which had left her heart-broken; her mother, who had deserted her family and never looked back; and society in general, with its snobbish attitudes. And all because of the look of a stranger... Martin Davencourt was no stranger to Lady Juliana, but she didn't remember that. They had met while in their teens. Martin had been drawn to her beauty then, but he was even more drawn to the shocking widow now. For although everyone else saw a woman with loose morals and hideous behavior, he saw the innocent, vulnerable girl she had once been. He fought his attraction for her viciously, but he was still drawn to this incredible woman. Could stuffy Martin, an aspiring politician, and shocking Lady Juliana truly make a match? The book opened up with a heartbreaking scene from Juliana's childhood, and that scene gave much insight into Juliana's character. I felt an immediate bonding with Juliana's character, and therefore never saw truly her as the wicked, scandalous widow. Juliana had never been secure in love, for her father loved her not, her mother had deserted her, her first husband had died, and her second husband had left her and died in a prison stabbing. With so much heartbreak in her life, it was no wonder Juliana reacted so. Martin was an interesting character, as well. Although he was a bit stuffy at first, he did have an overwhelming attraction to Juliana. Once he saw past her scandalous facade, he saw who she really was and wanted to protect her from herself. Their love story was entirely credible, and I felt that this was something that could have almost really happened, once upon a time. The characters seemed so real. I initially thought the ending was going to be hokey and a horrible ending to the book, but I really did feel at the end that the ending was brilliant. It was poetic justice to the extreme, and brought a real sense of finality to the book. For those who enjoyed the character of Juliana, she also appeared in two of Nicola Cornick's previous books: The Earl's Prize and The Chaperone Bride. Altogether, this book was a wonderful read, and I see myself reading it again in the future.

I've read two other Nicola Cornick's and frankly, I've been bored. I picked this up fully expecting the same. I WAS WRONG. Nicola Cornick can write! The heroine is believable & the hero is too...These are strong characters in an excellent plot. I don't really know why the ugly twist was thrown in toward the ending (won't give it away) but it does bring resolution to the heroine's feelings regarding her mother. I would have liked the heroine to tell off her father at the end (he was the one who rejected & hurt her emotionally all of her life), but the heroine's restraint toward him was indicitive of the time period. At least her father supported the heroine at the end. Oh, and the love story is completely believable; very tender & sweet.