The Constant Nymph – Margaret Kennedy

A novel about a circle of bohemian adults and children in the months following the death of their father and mentor, a brilliant but little-known English composer. 1924.

Minerva – Marion Chesney

A Regency historical novel about a vicar’s daughter who is sent off to London to make her debut, with specific instructions to make a wealthy match and thereby help her debt-ridden family. 1982. 

 

Blake’s Reach – Catherine Gaskin

A Regency historical novel about a young woman who sets out to restore her family’s crumbling coastal estate, and in the process must throw her lot in with smugglers. 1958. 

Favours (A Five Year Sentence) – Bernice Rubens

A novel about a woman who intends to literally end her life after retiring, but instead finds herself locked into an obligation of pleasure fulfillment. 1978. 

The Web of Days – Edna Lee

A gothic historical novel about a Yankee governess who goes to work on a decaying plantation during the early Reconstruction period. 1947. Continue reading →

The Heir: A Love Story – Vita Sackville-West

A novella about a man who, upon inheriting an estate from a distant relative, decides he should sell the place, but as the date of the auction approaches he finds himself reluctant to let it go. 1922. Continue reading →