Grieving her father's sudden death, Lady Ada Whitworth's childhood stutter resurfaces. She seeks solace in her charcoal sketches secretly published in London's Thames & Times newspaper. Her brother's sharp tongue and quick temper shame Lady Ada into complete silence but not before she overhears his traitorous plot to kill the queen at the upcoming International Ball.
Mute and heartbroken, Lady Ada's private pain is mistaken for arrogance, earning the ire of society. The Duke of Girard is tasked with sniffing out the elusive French spy called Tailor while an anonymous artist pokes fun at the duke's failed pursuit, taunting him every step of the way. With the upcoming International Ball just weeks away, the Duke will stop at nothing to bring stability back to his beloved Britain-including finding the artist behind the sketches. When Lady Ada's accused brother disappears, she becomes the target of the Duke's wrath, assuming her silence is from guilt, not grief. |
Lady Ada's quiet service softens the Duke, his mind often turning to thoughts of her. But can he earn Lady Ada's trust in time to save the queen?
Paperback & ebook, 234 Pages
July 29, 2021 by Carpe Vitam Press
Over the last couple of years I've really gotten into fairytale retellings, I went through a kick as a teen but there weren't as many options back then as there are now, and from medieval to fantasy I've read them. Then I discovered Clarissa Kae and her Victorian Retellings series with its blend of historical romance, suspense, and wonderful Gothic overtones. I was totally hooked.
Cinders Like Glass is the second book in the series and is every bit as good as its predecessor! Right away Clarissa Kae had me immersed in the political intrigue of Victorian London. And Cinders Like Glass has A LOT of intrigue! This book picks up the search for the mysterious villain 'Le Tailleur' where the first Victorian Retellings left off. The stakes are even higher as the hunt heats up and I was kept flipping my ereader's digital pages nearly as fast as I could. In fact, I read this book almost in one sitting.
Lady Ada and the Dark Duke, where to start? They both have their faults and I liked them because of it. She sometimes came of as a bit naive, despite where she's come from, and he is overbearing and frequently judgmental. One thing I will note here is that there is some use of mildly stronger language.
If you enjoy fairytale retellings and Gothic style fiction I definitely recommend Clarissa Kae's very entertaining Victorian Retellings series. As with the first book, Cinders Like Glass is recognizable for the fairytale it is based on but also comes across as fresh and new and different. Now I have to wait...and wait...and wait for the next one to release. Can you tell I'm just a touch impatient?
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Cinders Like Glass by Clarissa Kae a 4.5 Bark rating.
Clarissa Kae is a preeminent voice whose professional career began as a freelance editor in 2007. She's the former president of her local California Writers Club after spending several years as the Critique Director.
Since her first novel, she's explored different writing genres and created a loyal group of fans who eagerly await her upcoming release. With numerous awards to her name, Clarissa continues to honor the role of storyteller. Aside from the writing community, she and her daughters founded Kind Girls Make Strong Women to help undervalued nonprofit organizations—from reuniting children with families to giving Junior Olympic athletes their shot at success. |
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