The Autumn Bride

Starred review from December 24, 2012
Gracie (His Captive Lady) charms and entices with this launch of the Regency-era Chance Sisters series. Orphaned governess Abigail Chantry receives the astonishing news that her younger sister, Jane, has been abducted and is captive in a brothel. Abby rescues Jane with the assistance of housemaid Daisy and fellow captive Damaris; the four bond together but struggle to make ends meet. Desperate, Abby breaks into a house—and meets ailing, charming Lady Beatrice Davenham, who has nothing worth stealing but could use some company. She takes in the four “Chance” sisters as her purported nieces, but the deception falters upon the return from overseas of her handsome nephew, Max. Abby’s warmth and caring nature shine from the first moment, and Max’s dedication to his family and friends make him worthy of her love. Layers of secrets and deft characterization make for a deep, rich story that will leave readers starry-eyed.

Narrator Alison Larkin's diverse English accents set the mood for this warm story of love, friendship, and class in English society. Four young women who are on the verge of destitution and are hiding from a sinister brothel owner discover an elderly woman who is being neglected by her servants. Posing as the woman's nieces, they move into her house to take care of her, but their charade is threatened when Max, Lady Beatrice's nephew, returns from India. Larkin's modulated voice conveys the growing kinship between the women while her Cockney accent and changes in intonation highlight the characters' different social statuses. Larkin's low tones serve to illuminate Max's suspicion and the constant danger from the villains who are tracking the girls. M.F. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine