Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress by Elizabeth Boyle
First line: ”Philippa, Viscountess Gossett, followed her escort through the crowded docks of London toward the HMS Regina, where the most recently christened ship in the fleet was about to gain a new captain.”
Elizabeth Boyle is one of the most fun historical reads on the market today. “Memoirs” is the next in her series of two sisters and a cousin. This is the cousin from the previous two…twenty years forward. She’s already been married, widowed, raised her children. In most Historicals you will find the heroine in her late teens or early twenty’s and, in most cases, a virgin.
The interesting thing in this story, if you’ve followed her previous works, is that you know most of the characters from the stories before. We’ve seen the hero and the heroine meet, felt many of their trial and tribulations thus far.
In the previous book, Confessions of a Little Black Gown (see prior reviews on this website), our heroine does, indeed, marry someone other than the hero. That love appeared to be lost. But, Ms. Boyle, thank goodness, gives us a good heart wrenching story, with humor to boost.
We know that she is pregnant in the previous story, but there is another twist that took me by surprise. Pleasantly, so. One I will not disclose at this time.
Our hero, a Pirate (or privateer in this case), has had a difficult time in the twenty years that have “sailed” by. His black heart almost pulls you under, but somehow manages to come floating back to the top. You will find that you’ve held your breath during those twenty years.
For: Readers who want the emotional roller coaster this one seems destined to hand out. - Kathy Wheeler
