Book Review
A Valentine Secret
by Emily Murdoch
Wishing you all Hello all the way from Karachi to all fellow bloggers, hoping you guys enjoying this blog tour, this is is my first blog for the readers club.
Its a mere humble try to pen down the book review about the regency novella " A Valentine Secret" by Emily Murdoch which is a Regency Romance. The novella revolves around the love story of Jonathan Brodie, the only son of the Baron Sir Roger Brodie and Penelope the adopted girl who was raised by the local florists Mr and Mrs Baldwins. The novella was set in the village of Maplebridge. A Valentine Secret is surely a treat for all Romance genre lovers.
"The course of true love never did run smooth…" ( A Midsummer Night's dream, William Shakespeare)
The plot of the novel was running smooth initially but then later hurdles appeared and the climax that occurred in chapter 9 and 10. Well the last chapter has the resolution as the ending. Ending is a fairy tale one with union of hero and heroine. If we imagine an alternative ending that won't be then what Jonathan and Penelope's love deserves.
The basic theme on which the whole story is based is of Valentine on which the title of the novella too is based on. The spirit of Valentine runs through out the novella and it started right from the beginning o in Chapter 1 when Jonathan first puts his eyes on Penelope, it was love at first sight as if the arrow of Cupid is scouted and then the Valentine letter which actually saved Jonathan.
" I will be your Valentine every day of our lives"
Apart from the basic themes of love and Valentine, Emily also pointed the social issues prevailing in the Regency period one of the most prominent is the strict class difference and the class conscious society of Maplebridge which was very much evident from Mr Roger Brodie 's disapproval for Baldwins and of people's reaction when they see Penelope and Jonathan together in the ball.
Another aspect I find interesting in the novella is the resemblance of traits of Austen's novels. Yes the novella reminds me very much of my favorite novelist of Regency era Jane Austen. The novella is same like Jane Austen's fairy tale happy endings kind of, where all ends well and usually in form a marriage. Its love themed and class conscious society too ressembles with what Austen used to portray in her novels. Even the close knitted society of Maplebridge reminds one like the society of Hartfield in Emma. The portrayal of the character of Jonathan is similar like that of Austen's hero flawless and all good. Even the character of Penelope is also depicted as that of a strong girl like that of Elizabeth or Emma.
"I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control" (Emma, Jane Austen)
In short, the reading experience of the novella A Valentine Secret is a pleasurable one, the story is calm one it depicts calmness the same which Jane Austen's novel " Emma" was, yes that novel depicts calmness it is pure from the choas of an Urban life. It will be loved by all Romance genre fans. I really like the setting of Maplebridge in which the novella is set and the regency era, seemed well researched and flawless. Well done! more power to you Emily !
Wishing all Happy readings and happy blogging :)
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Rameeza Nasim
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