Manchester, 1850
Isabelle
Rackham knows she will not marry for love. Though arranged marriages
have fallen out of fashion, hers has been settled for some time.
Alexander Osgood is handsome, well-known, and wealthy, but he is distant
and aloof, spending much of his time at his textile mill.
Moreover,
Northern England is nothing like Isabelle's home in the Lake Country,
and her marriage is far from the fairy tale she expected. Conversations
with Alexander are awkward, when they happen at all, and Isabelle
struggles with loneliness.
Sensing his wife's unhappiness,
Alexander brings Isabelle to his country estate. During their time
together, the couple begins to build a friendship, opening up to each
other about the details of their lives. But when a tragic accident
leaves Alexander unable to walk, their fledgling relationship is tested.
Isabelle
is determined to see to her husband's recovery, and in caring for him,
she discovers within herself an untapped well of strength and courage.
In learning to rely on each other, the couple has an opportunity to
forge a love connection that they both have longed for but never dreamed
could be.
MY REVIEW: Set in Victorian-Era England, "Isabelle and Alexander" is a slow-build romantic tale in which a couple who are only slightly acquainted marry for practical purposes and begin a journey together that will take them through experiences that they never envisioned. Author Rebecca Anderson allows her heroine Isabelle Rackham to tell the entire story in a first-person narrative, and it begins on her wedding day. As was expected, sons and daughters of prosperous families were to marry into other prosperous families, and thus Isabelle found herself being wed to the very handsome Alexander Osgood. Her father, whose company provided the coal for Mr. Osgood's textile mill, was most pleased at the marital match made for his daughter. Isabelle's mother had given her advice--and other marital wisdom--on how to be the proper wife of a successful businessman. However, her marriage is not at all what she expected--her husband is unfailingly aloof, has little to say, and shows no personal interest in her. Life in the city near his business is a far cry from her upbringing in the country. A measure of warmth and friendship comes from the Kenworthys, the family of Osgood Mils ' business manager. Mr. and Mrs. Kenworthy welcome Isabelle to visit at their home, and there she meets Glory, their daughter. While Glory appears grown, she is "mentally disadvantaged", and will forever be child-like in nature. She and Isabelle strike up a friendship, and Isabelle promises to teach her how to play the pianoforte. Unexpectedly. Alexander declares himself tired of the city, and he advises Isabelle that they will visit his home in the country. It is on this journey that they start to get to know each other a little more, and a friendship begins. As the two of them grow as individuals, so does their relationship begin to bloom and grow. They will face great challenges, and tragic incidents will leave them both physically changed---is there now a love between them strong enough to overcome all ? "Isabelle and Alexander" is an unusual love story that will reward readers who follow through to its end.
Book Copy Gratis Shadow Mountain Publishing
Reviews
"Isabelle must use her quiet spunk, busy mind, and compassionate spirit to woo her husband in a wholly new way. Anderson's debut is a lovely northern England Victorian romance about confronting the seemingly impossible and the power of empathy. Anderson also addresses the time period’s treatment of physical and intellectual disabilities. Most of all, she beautifully depicts love in its many forms beyond romance, such as compassion, patience, and vulnerability; and her characters illustrate the ways that these expressions of love carry us through even the darkest hours. Isabelle’s loving and persevering fervor and devotion will resonate with any caregiver’s heart." --Booklist
Join the virtual blog tour of ISABELLE AND ALEXANDER (Proper Romance Victorian), Rebecca Anderson’s highly acclaimed historical romance novel, May 3–16, 2021. Over forty popular blogs specializing in historical fiction, inspirational fiction, and Victorian romance will join in the celebration of its release with spotlights, exclusive excerpts, and reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in Manchester, England.
May 03 Lu Reviews Books (Review)
May 03 Timeless Novels (Review)
May 03 Our Book Confessions (Review)
May 04 Literary Time Out (Review)
May 04 My Bookish Bliss (Review)
May 04 The Book Diva's Reads (Excerpt)
May 05 Heidi Reads (Review)
May 05 Laura's Reviews (Review)
May 05 Wishful Endings (Review)
May 05 Gwendalyn's Reviews (Review)
May 06 Margie's Must Reads (Review)
May 06 Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen (Excerpt)
May 06 Relz Reviewz (Review)
May 07 Randi Loves 2 Read (Spotlight)
May 07 The Reading Frenzy (Review)
May 07 Nurse Bookie (Review)
May 08 The Christian Fiction Girl (Review)
May 08 The Bibliophile Files (Review)
May 09 Reading with Emily (Review)
May 09 Fire and Ice (Spotlight)
May 10 My Jane Austen Book Club (Excerpt)
May 10 The Caffeinated Bibliophile (Review)
May 10 Booked Solid with Virginia C (Review)
May 10 From Pemberley to Milton (Spotlight)
May 11 Greenish Bookshelf (Review)
May 11 Captivated Reading (Review)
May 11 The Green Mockingbird (Review)
May 12 For Where Your Treasure Is (Excerpt)
May 12 Bookworm Lisa (Review)
May 13 Books, Teacups & Reviews (Spotlight)
May 13 Library of Clean Reads (Review)
May 13 Robin Loves Reading (Review)
May 13 So Little Time (Excerpt)
May 14 Eli's Novel Reviews (Review)
May 14 The Lit Bitch (Review)
May 14 The Bluestocking (Review)
May 15 Reading Is My Superpower (Review)
May 15 Christian Chick's Thoughts (Review)
May 15 A Darn Good Read (Review)
May 16 The Silver Petticoat Review (Excerpt)
Rebecca Anderson is the nom de plume of contemporary romance novelist Becca Wilhite.
Becca Wilhite, author of Bright Blue Miracle and My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions, is a happy wife, and a mom to four above-average kids. High school English teacher by day, writer by night (or very early morning), she loves hiking, Broadway shows, food, books, and movies. You can find her online at beccawilhite.com.
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Shadow Mountain is a general trade publisher of fiction and non-fiction. We’re the publisher of the New York Times bestselling series Fablehaven and the sequel series Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull. We’re also known for our Proper Romance™ line of sweet romances. Non-fiction titles include cookbooks from popular bloggers Six Sisters’ Stuff as well as the New York Times bestselling history book 7 Tipping Points that Saved the World. Finally, our bestselling fiction titles include Jason F. Wright’s Christmas Jars—soon to be a major motion picture, and the award-winning The Rent Collector by Camron Wright.
We cultivate stories worth telling, questions worth exploring, and beauty worth sharing to improve the lives of families, children, and our society.
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