Louisa Elliott - Hardcover

First cousins Louisa and Edward Elliott have shared a childhood circumscribed by the secret of their illegitimacy, a stigma in late 19th-century British society. As an adult, Louisa falls in love with Robert Duncannon, an Irish military officer. Passion overcomes reason, and she becomes his mistress, knowing she can never marry him because he has a wife who is mentally ill. After bearing his children Louisa becomes overwhelmed by her sense of guilt. Only Edward's devotion sustains her, and eventually she acknowledges her love for him. Despite its length, the book remains focused on the three central characters. Some subplots and supporting characters are not completely realized. Yet, Roberts creates a memorable woman in a well-written romance that relies more on moral conflicts than bedroom scenes to sustain reader interest. Expect demand; this first novel is being very heavily promoted, and should prove popular. BOMC featured alternate.
- Kathy Piehl, Mankato State Univ., Minn.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

"This is a savory, intricately wrought tale of a tangled romantic triangle in repressed Victorian England. . . . Though the plot sometimes creaks and slows," wrote PW , "the novel is carried by Roberts's evocative imagery, which immerses the reader in both the splendor and poverty of the gaslit, cobblestoned Victorian era."
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.