A Speaking Likeness

by Sheila Bishop

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• ISBN: B000GGZWTM
• Release Date: January 1976
• Publisher: Fawcett Books
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

a different but well written Regency......

young widow Diana Pentland is in dire staits after her husband's death. An unexpected vision of a young, and very pregnant lady of quality, changes the course of Diana's like in this unusual Regency romance. As another reviewer stated, this is much more a novel than a romance. That being said, the nonexistent romance does not take away from the mature, well written and intriguing nature of this book. The heroine in particular, is such a breath of fresh air-older, wiser, filled with good sense and judgement-so unlike most Regency romance heroines. If the story would have had more romance, this would be a five star book. It's still well worth the time for a vintage regency fan looking for something more realistic than balls and bumblebroths. 4 stars.

a different but well written Regency.....

young widow Diana Pentland is in dire staits after her husband's death. An unexpected vision of a young, and very pregnant lady of quality, changes the course of Diana's like in this unusual Regency romance. As another reviewer stated, this is much more a novel than a romance. That being said, the nonexistent romance does not take away from the mature, well written and intriguing nature of this book. The heroine in particular, is such a breath of fresh air-older, wiser, filled with good sense and judgement-so unlike most Regency romance heroines. If the story would have had more romance, this would be a five star book. It's still well worth the time for a vintage regency fan looking for something more realistic than balls and bumblebroths. 4 stars.

A Favorite and a Classic

I'm so happy to have found this book again, as it was a keeper that I mislaid. Diana Pentland is a widow in desperate straits when the agent of an unknown benefactor provides a means of earning a comfortable living. She is hired to raise an infant as her own, along with her daughter, provided that she does not travel without the consent of her employer. All is well until she takes a trip before her employer's warning reaches her. Her destination is one that reveals the identity of her mysterious employer, with whom she shares a deepening attraction, and the shocking circumstances behind the birth of the child she has come to love as her own. The murky secrets that lurk behind the scenes of quiet country life soon crystallize into a shattering revelation that could destroy two families. Sheila Bishop excels at themes of innocent or unsuspecting heroines becoming unwittingly enmeshed in the scandals of a great family. Her novel A Well-Matched Pair is another great read with a similar theme. These universal familial themes, with a few differences of degree, could place these characters in the 18th century or the 21st. But the strictures placed upon 18th-century society, especially women, make the story especially poignant.

Enjoyable

This story kept me turning pages. My chief criticism is that the romance took a backseat to the plot: who is Elizabeth, and who fathered her baby? This has been a tragedy for Elizabeth, and will cause more pain in the family circle, and it tends to take over the story. However, it an is interesting enough question to keep you involved, and Mr. Wood, the hero, plays an important role.Sheila Bishop does know how to keep her readers engaged and in suspense. She also knows how to write intelligent characters. Diana and Mr. Wood are likeable (Diana perhaps a little more so than Mr. Wood, who is a little hard on his own son), and the secondary characters are mostly people you can imagine yourself knowing.As in many of her books, adultery and its consequences play a role. One problem was that I felt one character's understandable anger was given short shrift (it seemed included primarily to give Diana a reason to feel superior), and some conflicts were resolved too quickly. Other than that, a fairly satisfactory afternoon's escape.

An English Georgian Romance (similar to a Regency)

Diana Pentland, a young widow, has an unwed girl's baby left with her. A mysterious benefactor provides funds to bring up the child provided certain conditions are met. Rather a fun tale and quite one of my favourites.