Of Noble Family

April 6, 2015
Kowalâs tense conclusion to her highly praised Glamourist Histories magical Regency series (following Valour and Vanity) sees happily married Sir David and Lady Jane Vincent caught up in the intrigues of Sir Davidâs manipulative family. When they receive a letter indicating that Sir Davidâs father and eldest brother have died, the Vincents are askedto retrieve a new will from the family estates on Antigua. While en route, they discover Jane is pregnant and so must conclude their business quickly if she is to deliver in England. All is not as advertised when they arrive, and in addition to contending with the oppressive heat and trying to halt the vicious and inhumane management of the family slaves by the odious and presumptuous Mr. Pridmore, the Vincents find themselves once again maneuvering against the machinations of relatives. This is a twisty, emotionally loaded conclusion to a delightful series. Agent: Jennifer Jackson, Donald Maass Agency.

April 15, 2015

Jane and David Vincent, Glamourists to the Prince Regent of England, look forward to returning home after their adventures in Venice (Valour and Vanity), but instead they're asked to go to Antigua to deal with the estate of David's recently deceased father. Owing to the abusive nature of the father-son relationship, any duty involving David's paterfamilias would be painful, but it is made doubly so when the couple arrive in the Caribbean only to realize that the man is still very much alive and just as determined to bend David to his will. VERDICT A tropical setting on a slave plantation adds interest to the world Kowal has made in which magic called Glamour is real and manipulated by those with special skills. Jane and David should be enjoying the happiest time in their marriage when they discover she is pregnant, but they must endure the fraught situation with Vincent's father and the many troubles they find on his estate. Through it all, Kowal paints a lovely picture of a couple who truly complement and support each other, capping off a terrific series.

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