Victorian Books

Love it! Not your average fairies and butterflies journal. It reminds me of a child's book. The quality is very nice. Highly recommend! Fast shipping too!

I use this journal for work. I write down what things I need to get done daily or weekly and I put them in a category - Pleasure or Displeasure
2 displeasure jobs then 1 pleasure job. A pleasure could be surfing the web for products related to my job. Me likely the cover too.

My word but it's about time somebody produced a journal to properly stoke the fires of curiousity. Who wants a boring old journal covered in soft-focus puppies or some mass-produced print of a picture you once saw in a museum? Live on the edge! Give fellow train passengers something to talk about and tut tut over, when they see you writing in this. Makes anything you write instantly more interesting, unblocks drains, and gives you a whiter smile too!

i love the feel of the pages and the weight of the book itself...i'm very picky that way...i found this to be the perfect blank journal to get down all my thoughts...thank you eEvil Ink!!!!

I love the color and design... It's one of the hip-est blank books i've ever owned!
Everyone should have one.

True to the topic, it transports you right there. Historical and old, but still current.

Written about a South African farm. this book depicts the story of a family and how they interact throughout the book. The most striking dynamic in the book is the relationships of the women in it. It portrays female existence in a realistic light even for today. The story has a lot of character to it, and I would recommend it highly for teachers who want to teach about feminism.

Although I had to read this book for a college class, I would read it again in a second, I feel that I can only gain more and more from this book through rereadings. Its plot is at times disjointed to the style of the author and the message she is attempting to convey, so for those who are looking for a strongly Dickensian or "feel good" read, this is most likely not the book for you right now. But for me, from an analytical and heartfelt standpoint, the subtlety of the book and its beauty and its truth made me tear up a little bit. I'm currently writing a paper on Waldo and his artistic and personal growth throughout the novel, so maybe I'm a little biased, but although Lyndall is an incredibly interesting and advanced character, I think Waldo is often glossed over as merely suffering from a religious crisis of faith, and, being a man, not deserving of attention in this novel of the "New Woman". But Waldo ultimately reaches a place of amazing peace and understanding, and the lives of Waldo and Lyndall intertwined together is truly beautiful.

I thought this book was one of the best books Ive ever read it describes how people feel and view the world from inside themselves but can never express this externally or even realise they are thinking these things themselves.

For me It depicts how inadequate we all are men and women, when it comes to Love, and expressing it and sharing it. it flumoxes us all, Its too big for us, "the chickens had more sense"....pass the worms please.

"Story of an African Farm" is a difficult work to describe. It must be read several times, and carefully pondered before all of its secrets are unlocked.

Ostensibly, the book revolves around the lives of three children (and, later, adults) who live in the Karroo plains of South Africa. The main focus, however, is on two of the characters - Waldo, the earnest and deeply curious son of the German farmkeeper, and Lyndall, the beautiful, outspoken and rebellious orphan who suffers all her life for her ideals.

The book itself is semi-autobiographical. Waldo represents Schreiner's journey from fanatical, childlike faith to bitter skepticism, who reaches a watershed of sorts when he hisses to Lyndall 'There is no God - none!'. Lyndall, on the other hand, embodies Schreiner's frustation with her station as a woman - barred from the upper echelons of society, and her inability to find a mate who is both her intellectual match and willing to accept her as an equal. "I want to love", she whispers to the grave of Waldo's father, "I want something great and pure to lift me to itself."

There are many other themes that flesh out the subtext of this extraordinary book - the tragedy of solitude, that ultimately, all humans are alone in the cosmos. "Dear eyes", the dying Lyndall whispers to her mirror, "they will never part us."

Readers who expect a narrative will be dissapointed. What narrative there is serves only to undersore the book's many themes. Often, the flow of the story is out of sequence, or devoid of context, and deliberately so. Roughly, the book is divided into three sections - the first introduces us to the characters as children, and reveals their innermost thoughts. The second, and shortest section is entitled "Times and Seasons". It is somewhat of a summary of what has gone before, dealing mostly with Waldo's journey from Christian fanaticism to dispairing atheism, and foreshadows some of what is to come. The third, and longest section, covers the lives of the characters as adults, and is by far the most powerful, and moving piece of the book.

The reader who is looking for mindless action is advised to pick up the latest Tom Clancy novel, or whatever passes for literature these days. Those who are willing to put aside all preconceived notions, and have their cherished beliefs challenged are invited to read this book. The search for truth is endless. But this book is a perfect place to begin.

TO LOVE & TO CHERISH is artistic, analytic, and adult. Simply put it is the story of two people SLOWLY falling in love. It is beautifully written and very complex.

Anne Verlaine fascinated the Reverend Christian Morrell. As a minister, he could sense the soul-sinking desperation in her life - a life gone out of control. As a man of God, he studied her - a prelude to his spiritual guidance. As a man . . . as a man . . . he loved her. It was unjust; it was sinful! She was married - wed to his boyhood friend. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife." Confused and desperate, he prayed. Bewildered and forlorn, he mediated! Yet nothing changed . . . he loved her.

And then her husband died! Now she was available and lonely. She was a vision of solitary grief. Was this the work of evil? Was this the devil at play? It was wicked! Reverend Christian Morrell, loved a woman whose husband had been a friend - his best friend. His sinful feelings were dishonorable and improper. They were wrong. The temptation, the desire, the need - were wrong! And still . . . he loved her.

Anne Verlaine believed with all her heart that she was an atheist. Her feelings for the country vicar were impossible; they were absurd. They could never be together; they could never share a life. His God was hateful, cruel and vengeful. In his God's eyes they had sinned - they had dared to love each other. There was no hope for them; their love was a dream - a macabre joke. Hopelessly, she had fallen in love with the vicar of All Saints . . . fallen in love . . . with all her heart.

TO LOVE & TO CHERISH is heavy-duty and full credit should go to author Patricia Gaffney for turning out a very thought-provoking story. The author takes her reader inside and relentlessly forces reading contemplation. Usually a rating of 9 or 10 indicates this reviewer would consider a reread. I doubt, very much, if I would ever read this again, yet it is definitely worth the 9 rating. Patricia Gaffney made me think, she made me feel, Gaffney made me appreciate her intense work. If you get a chance, pick up a copy and savor this author's remarkable skill as she unravels a wonderfully conceived love story.
Grade: A

MaryGrace Meloche.

This book has everything I could hope for in a romance. It's a beautifully written love story, is intensely moving, and has deep, layered and completely developed characters. I enjoyed everything about it.

It's a story about forbidden love and also one about faith. Geoffrey D'Aubrey returns as Lord to the home he ran from as a child. With him he brings his wife. His beautiful, cynical, lonely and battered wife Anne. War and soldiering are the only things Geoffrey truly loves. Before they've barely moved in he leaves Anne to fight another senseless battle. He leaves his horse and her (and in that order) in the care of his childhood friend Christy - a minister.

Christy is gentle, kind, caring, loving and he and Anne become fast friends despite their differences in faith (she's an atheist). They have a great time joking about their differences and are open and honest with each other. Despite their attempts to avoid and deny it they fall in love but are both such! honorable people they refuse to do anything about it - until Geoffrey is reported dead. But before they can live happily ever after they must struggle through some horribly bleak times.

I ached for this couple as they suffered through so much darkness and pain. This book is so good that it haunts me still. I don't say this often, and haven't said it in a long while, but if you haven't read this already go find it immediately.

Well I actually read this one after I had read "To Have and To Hold" and I think I preferred the story of the 2nd book better. Gaffney does seem to have a knack of unusual storylines for romances.

Anne is a very "hard to like" heroine IMO. Her views on life, religion, marriage is a bit jaded and cynical. Christy is very likable, being the Honest-to-the-bone Vicar. Be prepared for a book that does not fit the honey sweetness of your typical romance novels. Anne is a married woman, married to Christy's long time best friend (although he and Christy have not spoken for years). There are some strange circumstances around their marriage which is revealed in the book but it is left up to the reader how such a condition came about......

I like the fact that Anne eventually becomes less cynical and I love the fact that Christy didn't betray his beliefs to have her. That all ways works out better in romance if this can be achieved. I would recommend reading these books in order though, this being the first. So you can see how Ms. Gaffney sets up the different people in this cozy village.

Happy Reading

Another very fine read, which is what I've come to expect from Gaffney. What was most intriguing about this book was the heroine, Anne's, somewhat jaded, cynical and self-deprecating outlook on life(usually that's the man's role in a romance novel). The hero was noble and good, sexy and romantic, and the romance between Christian, "Christy," and Anne is divine.

The anti-hero is not your typical brutish lout - a bit more interesting and well-defined than the outragiously monstrous, errant husbands in novels with similar plots.

In "To Love and To Cherish," Gaffney respects the vicar's Protestant beliefs. Rich in textured descriptions of characters and the quaint village of Wyckerly, one never feels Gaffney is just filling up page space; rather, you are transported to another place and time.

Highly recommended.

This is the first book of a wonderful series. Patricia Gaffney has created a beautiful English village and an incredible love story between the local vicar and a married woman. I loved it!

For most, Charles Dickens is the only source we've encountered regarding the awful human misery of the early industrial revolution. However, Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx reported on it, too. Indeed, most of their criticisms were far more applicable to the raw capitalism of contemporary England than their native Germany.

Engels stayed in Manchester, the premier industrial city of the time, during the early 1840's to research his book. And he produced a devastating indictment of the truly miserable and life-threatening living conditions he found. Unlike Marx, Engels had a pronounced flair for writing; he makes it a fascinating, eye-opening journey back through time.

The topics he includes cover: struggling labor movements, the denigrating effects of immigration on domestic workers (due to competing subsistence-cost labor), the ignorance and crippling of child workers, the sexual exploitation of women workers, the displacement of male heads of household by lower-cost and more pliant women/children, the unbelievable filth and subhuman housing conditions workers endured, the dangerous and unhealthy working conditions of miners/factory workers, rampant substance abuse, doping of children by babysitters, the total lack of legal redress for the poor, the displacement of labor by machinery, and the role of unbridled competition in perpetrating economic distress.

While we all know communism has failed, its rise was due to these very real and serious problems, some of which remain with many Western workers today. And most of these conditions do very much persist in emerging economies right now. So, even though the book is well over 150 years old it is still highly valid!

The main fault of course with Marx/Engels' communist philosophy is that ALL humans are greedy and lazy - it's just that the clever ones (whether they originate from 'bourgeous' or 'working' classes) will always exploit the others. And it doesn't matter whether the system is capitalist or communist - those at the top will always exploit those below for personal advantage. Probably the best response has been the progressive social reform in Western nations over the last 100 years. (Revolutions and dictatorships usually only lead to mass murder.)

This chilling book is the real-life Oliver Twist exposed.I think Fredrick Engels wrote this book,in part to clear his conscious.And largely, to shed light on the fetid ,wretched underbelly of the 19th century industrial-age society.The nameless toilers working ten to twelve hour shifts,in a factory operation they had no vote or control over.Marx and Engels had many valid arguments for improving the workers lives.Did their end-results justify their means of social revolution? Engels would be amazed at the former textile towns,like Manchester,absorbing the large influx of Asians,Moslims and Africans today.It is still being debated,whether history has proven Engels & Marx right.This book is still a historical classic,thats presumptive findings give the modern reader,reason to pause. So,look all around you. -A Great Book !

Fabuous book. Engels wrote this when he was only 24- and what a tour de force.

The work is detailed, beautifully observed and elegantly written. Despite the depressing nature of the subject matter, the tone is always possible about a better world beyond the evils of capitalism.

Unfortunately 150 years after this masterpiece was written things dont seen to have gotten better under capitalism. Rather, the old evils of poverty, infectious diseases, starvation have been replaced by the modern evils of capitalism: obesity, alienation, mass materialism, depression, plunging fertility and marriage rates and so on...

Engels was the engine behind Karl Marx, one that gave him all the support he could, so to permit Marx to dedicate himself almost completely to the completion of his works. Judging himself many degrees bellow Marx in terms of intelect, Engels nonetheless is capable of writting a book such as this which describes all the impoverishment of the working class in the beginning of the industrialization in England, being helped by some well porputed factories labor fiscalization agents who allowed Engels to flip trough their reports. Strong terms like "the dark satanic mills" describe fully what were the working conditions of the time in a so rich country as England. An historical document lest no one forget what can happen again if the free hand of capitalism is allowed to run free of any barriers.

Friedrich Engels' classic "The Condition of the Working Class in England" was written when he was only twenty-four, and had but recently abandoned his Calvinist upbringing for a more critical, socialist, point of view. Yet this book reads as if it were written by an experienced political commentator or a radical sociologist, without actually at any point becoming melodramatic or dense.

Engels' main purpose is to confront the bourgeoisie with the reality of their mode of production and to contrast this with the rhetoric of "free choice" and "civil liberties", as well as the capitalist apologia of the political economists of his day, in particular Andrew Ure. With great insight into both the causes and effects of the capitalist system, Engels catalogues the endless want, filth, despair and misery experienced by millions of labourers every day in 19th century England. He pays attention to housing, to factory safety, to unionism, to the physical condition of the workers, to alcoholism, the state of the Irish underclass, to prostitution and disease; in short, all the ills attendant on industrialization.

What gives this book such power is that Engels on the one hand proceeds in an analytical manner, making use above all of sources from the bourgeoisie itself and from Parliamentary reports, in explaining the functioning of the capitalist system and the competition between capitalists and between labourers. On the other hand, he writes in a particularly readable manner and at no point bores the reader with the mere summing-up of statistics. On the contrary, every analytical truth is accompanied by a vivid description, taken from Engels' excursions into working-class neighbourhoods, of the terrible state of humanity that the economic laws of capitalism cause for a great number of people.

For those interested in political economy, it may come as a surprise to see how much of the functioning of capitalism Engels already understood at such an early point in the development of theory. This gives the lie to the many theorists who would later claim that it was Marx only who worked on economics and that Engels was a mere epigone; this book should be a vindication of Engels. His later sketches of the political economy and of the historical development of capitalism would lay the foundation for both the Communist Manifesto and Marx' economic works. But the core insights that would create the modern theory of socialism are for the first time fully expressed here, and in a most appealing and shockingly effective manner.

In other words, an absolute must read for every person of intelligence.

I am very pleased with this book and I think it gives a load of information for a very reasonable price.

The book (together with vol.2) is overfilled with all kinds of garments you can imagine and for each sort of garment there are always many styles.

It is not directly a drafting book, it does not tell you how to draft your own bodice etc. by using your measurements, but the method of using the patterns and the enlarging rulers is very close to that and, as I think, it might produce a very good substitution for a custom-drafted dress with saving a lot of your time and being very simple to do. It is something between custom drafting and pre-sized patterns, because you create the garments by using your bust and back length measurement, which are the two most important measurements for making a garment suited to your proportions and it will probably need only little easy modifications like adding/substracting from waist and hip width and maybe some changes for the front length. But all possible and most frequent modifications are very well explained in the book.

It is all written in such a way that even with no or little knowledge of drafting, you'll be able to produce a probably very well fitted garments.

For a drafting professional, it's a good help when doing things like skirts, especially draped overskirts and all garments creating a shape or silhouette that is hard to figure out. Even if you won't use the patterns for enlarging and draft the things yourself, you can very well keep to the shape of the patterns as you can see, unlike in so many pattern books, NUMBERS.

I think this book has the best ratio of the price and the information given of all costume book I've come through. It's a pity that there are no such books for earlier periods:-(

This is a great book for seamstresses with some experience(I think it would be too hard for beginners.It would be good if you have some comprehenesion on sizing(drafting patterns yourself for example)but that isn't even necessary.I think it would be easier though:)

Frances Grimble gives clear instructions for changing patterns to size and even to different body shapes(large bust, short back etc.
You do need to take some time for this, but well, you'll have an authentic pattern in your hands, how great is that?;)And there are so many in this book! I was having a very hard time finding real historical patterns in The Netherlands(so far found one french journal from 1902)and I feel like a kid in a candystore now.:)I <3 this book already.

You can make a complete outfit, from undergarments to overgarments.

If you have some sewing experience and you love this period it is really a great book!



Amazon's service is excellent too. It didn't take very long for the item to arrive(from US to the Netherlands)(with one step faster shipping, expidited?)it was even a lot faster then the estimated arrival time.

This book is wonderful. I believe I own every book Frances Grimble has written and anxiously await more. The variety of patterns is amazing and allows the experienced sewer to create their own designs from various components, like sleeves and collars. This sure beats trying to decipher the patterns in an original 1890's issue of Harpers!

This book contains patterns for the following:
corsets, hoopskirts and bustles (some)
underclothing and negligee wear (quite a few)
day and evening skirts (only about four)
day bodices (quite a few)
evening bodices (some)
overskirts (some)
polonaises (some)
day dresses (quite a few)

some = around ten
quite a few = over 20

I would recommend this book for anyone who likes victorian costuming. It not only works as a pattern book, but as a source book, having lots of pictures you can use for reference. Even if you just look through it, it really can help you understand the styles of that era.

The pictures and descriptions within the book are an excellent reference if you are researching and intending on recreating one of these beautiful designs. Advanced knowledge of sewing skills is a must for those who wish to recreate these (definantly not for the novice sewer). Frances Grimble, you've done it again. Please keep them coming. I will buy every book you put out.

Awesome and uplifting book. I recommend to everyone!!

I have read all of Ms. Victorian's work, and all is truly inspiring. A Month of Inspiration does as the title suggests-- it gives the reader a month of inspiration that will likely be read over and over again-- month after month. This work is a God send!

I love this book so much. It is a very empowering book, and I read and apply it in my life daily. My life has become better because of the inspirations I have got from this book. I would recommend it to every person who wants more joy and satisfaction in their life.

I recommend reading this thought provoking book to anyone who feels the need to be lifted. It encourages, inspires and stimulates the whole being. This book is well worth the reading.

I recommend reading this thought provoking book to anyone who feels the need to be lifted. It encourages, inspires and stimulates the whole being. This book is well worth the reading.

This book had authentic, accurate costume information with nice commentary from the author at the beginning. Also had helpful reference information to help understand and use the patterns. I felt I was a lady of the 1800's reading the magazine for the first time.

This book is a super bargain compared to original _Harper's Bazar_ magazines with pattern sheets. It's easier to use too--all the patterns have been disentangled and presented separately. Patterns are included for just about every woman's garment or accessory you'd ever want to make. The articles on sewing techniques are different from other 1860s ones I've seen reprinted, and better illustrated.

I do a little historic sewing (not a lot) but this is an amazingly beautiful book to look at. It has pictures of everything--clothes and hats and trims and sewing techniques and, well, just everything. The engravings are stunning and the production is superb. If you're at all interested in Victorian fashions, this book is worth having.

I am a Civil War re-enactor (female) who bought Reconstruction Era Fashions because I don't believe in restricting my research to just the war years. However, I was happy to discover it also contains material useful for my Civil War impression. There is a substantial section of instructions for dressmaking and pattern alterations that is suitable for the Civil War and, judging from the (many) illustrations, was reprinted in the late 1860s from an earlier 1860s source. There are large sections with other appropriate instructions for fancy buttonholes and buttons, netting, and crocheted tatting. The patterns and instructions for corsets, underclothes, and many accessories and trimmings are also fine for the CW. Although the bonnet styles are different from the war years the section on millinery techniques is very illuminating. The book is profusely illustrated--techniques are illustrated as well as the finished garments--and the production is very high quality.

I bought this book about a year ago and use it at least one a week for reference as well as to make items even though my re-enactment period here in uk is 1879 (british campaign against Zulu nation).
This is a must have book for EVERYONE! And for those here in uk it is worth the wait.

AFTERMATH (1920's Oxford) by Charlie Cochrane

When shy Edward Easterby first sees the popular Hugo Lamont, he's both envious of the man's social skills and ashamed of finding him so attractive.

Edward is a very shy young man who is miserable in his first year at university and he would do anything to switch places with the popular Hugo who seems to tower above him. Their first meeting is disastrous and does not augur well for any future friendship let alone an intimate relationship.

This turns out to be a tender story about two young men just finding their way who are uncertain about their feelings for someone of the same sex and concerned about how any expression of these feelings could impact their future. There is quite a bit of angst as they seem to go over the same ground amidst the tea and crumpets and a bit of cricket but they eventually figure out that "To thine own self be true" is more than just a platitude. Although there wasn't much sex in this tale I found it quite entertaining.

GENTLEMAN'S GENTLEMAN (Victorian) by Lee Rowan

Lord Robert Scoville has lived in a reasonably comfortable Victorian closet, without hope of real love, or any notion that it's right there in front of him if he would only open his eyes and take notice of his right-hand man, Jack Darling. Jack has done his best to be satisfied with the lesser intimacy of caring for the man he loves, but his feigned role as a below-stairs ladies' man leaves his heart empty.

This is such a beautifully told story. The level of detail in the background was so well done I felt that I lived it. The intrigue and espionage in the plot and pace of the action built up my anticipation for what would surely come next.

The main difference between a contemporary and historical story is, I believe, the ability of the historical writer to immerse the reader in a world that is purely imaginary but described in such loving detail that you feel you're actually living in the period and Lee Rowan does this very successfully in Gentleman's Gentleman. The characterizations are bang on from Jack and his Robert to the smaller role occupied by Captain Cecil McDonald; they were all well drawn for such a short story. The dialogue was so full of euphemisms that I laughed out loud on occasion - very upper class English society. The hint of espionage and criminal wrongdoings add spice to the story and help to throw Jack and Robert together. Imagine living together for 10 years in close quarters with no moves by either one to test the waters!

HARD AND FAST (Regency) by Erastes

Major Geoffrey Chaloner, recently returned from the Napoleonic war is the impoverished third son of a wealthy father who wants to improve his own social status by marrying Geoffrey off to a young lady, The Honourable Emily Pelham who is from a very noble family that could use a bit of cash. However, standing in the way of this very suitable match is the fact that the potential groom is not the slightest bit interested in marriage and is much more attracted to Emily's cousin, Adam Heyward.

Geoffrey's character is big and muscular and he struggles with his feelings for Adam who is physically the weaker of the two, partially crippled by a club foot, but who is the stronger one in the relationship and is more experienced in the ways of the world. Adam makes life extremely difficult for Geoffrey by questioning his motives for wanting to marry his cousin. The two men are driven by an emotion neither has felt before and they become more and more involved with no way out until a solution is provided from a completely unexpected source.

I was entranced by the passion between Geoffrey and Adam and the shifts in power between them as their very short dalliance progressed. I thought that this was by far the most sensuous of the three novellas and Erastes certainly knows how to keep the reader's interest at peak level throughout the story. I was totally engaged until the very last page.

SPEAK ITS NAME: Trilogy No. III is a wonderful anthology as it covers three different historical periods which added to the appeal of the stories and characters. This book was a delight and it was easy to immerse myself in the prose and characters as well as the leisurely pace. In my opinion this book is a credit to its genre and I highly recommend it as one that readers would definitely want to have on their bookshelves.

I thoroughly enjoyed all three stories in this anthology. All were well written and entertaining and clearly evoked their time and setting. I will definitely be looking for other books and stories by these three authors.

For Kindle readers: the book was nicely formatted for the Kindle. I didn't see any errors of spacing or font. My only complaint was that I couldn't turn the full justification off (even on the font menu) but this wasn't a big enough problem to distract from my reading enjoyment.

Leslie Nicoll
The Amazon Kindle FAQ

This book was excellent. I opened it and didn't put it down till it was finished. All three stories were very different, but shared a common theme of true love. They weren't overdone or predictable, and I loved how the characters fell in love; the journeys of each couple were so well written. If your looking for beautiful historical romances between men, this is your book.

The book arrived in good condition and expeditiously.
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I've read it, enjoyed it, and am donating it to the local gay library.

It won't be any secret that I'm a fan of both Erastes and Lee Rowan, so I've been looking forward to this trilogy ever since I first heard that it was on the books. That's an uncomfortable position to be in, or at least it is for me, because I'm always afraid that if I look forward to something too much, it will end up being a disappointment.

So colour me very happy indeed that this was nothing of the sort. All three stories are carefully observed, beautifully written and emotionally very engaging. All three also share an emphasis on romance, on following the burgeoning relationships of their protagonists through discovery, doubt, problems, conflicts external and internal, towards an eventual satisfying resolution.

Of the three, Aftermath is probably the one I liked least. I loved the setting! Who could not love flannel-trousered beautiful young men at university, strolling across the green lawns, talking about the meaning of life, while slowly, deliciously falling in love? My main problem was the structure. A flashback at the beginning left me wondering whether now was now or then was now or.... I got a bit chronologically confused as to when the shoes incident was happening. Reading back a second time I realised that that was the dramatic first meeting of the two heroes, but the impact was lost on me at the time.

Having said that, though, when I got my bearings, I became thoroughly invested in hoping that these two highly principled young things would throw their principles to the wind and settle down to making each other happy. Much praise to the author - whose first professional story this is - for making that happy ending so very much desired while also showing how unlikely, even impossible, it could seem. You can see both young men growing up even in so short a space.

Gentleman's Gentleman by Lee Rowan is a delight from start to finish. It felt a little like watching an episode of the Lord Peter Whimsey detective stories, if Lord Peter had been secretly in love with his manservant instead of with Harriet Vane. I don't mean that in any kind of derivative way, but more to illustrate the feeling of place, from the battlefield to the first class carriage of a train racing across Europe, to the final meeting with the spy in the hotel in Vienna. And yes, there was a spy too, and a snuff box full of cocaine, and secret plans that had to be retrieved and taken to the Embassy before the Germans got their hands on them... In short, it was an exciting read just at the level of an adventure story. But add on top of that the wonderful familiar-but-repressed relationship of Lord Robert and his manservant, the conveniently named `Darling' (Jack Darling), and there's a whole new world of entertainment.

I loved the many convincing reasons why neither man had acted on his attraction so far, and the equally convincing way that the story unravelled every objection, from Robert's principles to Jack's reputation as a ladies' man. It's obvious that both characters are already comfortable and well suited to each other - and I liked both of them very much - so the final coming together is a coming home for both of them. Beautifully done and very touching. And a big thumbs up for the excuse they came up with to tell Lord Robert's matchmaking mama!

Hard and Fast by Erastes is also a story in which matchmaking family members have a big impact. In this case it's Geoffrey Chaloner's father who wants him to get married to Emily Pelham, despite the fact that Geoffrey himself is fascinated by Emily's cousin, Adam Heyward.

Normally I'm not a fan of stories told in the first person, but this is just lovely! Geoffrey's `voice' is delightfully in character for a man of his times, but he still comes across as very much of an individual. A rather lovable, bemused, good humoured, chivalrous, but none too bright an individual. Adam too immediately leaps off the page as a fully rounded person; clever, cynical, defensive. And it's a treat to find that Geoffrey's father, Emily Pelham and Lady Pelham are well drawn, likable characters too.

This is another story where I was able to really luxuriate in the sense of place - the settings were so beautifully detailed and real. The writing managed to be lush but powerful at the same time. I did really enjoy the fact that Geoffrey, who is all kitted out to be the `alpha male' of this relationship - he's big, powerful, a trained soldier, and literally at one stage so moved by passion as to sweep Adam off his feet - is also such an innocent. Adam, the physically frail, slight, non-combatant is three steps ahead of poor dim Geoff at every stage. And speaking of sweeping off the feet, the passion between the two leads is breathtaking.

With three very high quality stories, I thoroughly recommend this book. It left me with a smile on my face that hasn't worn off a week later. One to treasure, I think :)

Review by Alex Beecroft, author of Captain's Surrender

I recently attended one of Patricia Behnke's book signings and purchased "A Victoria Justice". When I began to read it, I literally could not put it down until I was finished. I cannot believe that this is her first novel. I cannot wait until she publishes her second. It will be a 5 Star without a doubt! She has been encouraged to send it to the Oprah Show, since the subject matter involves much of what Oprah likes to discuss: ~deals with issues of racism and prejudices

~examines hypocrisies of small minds ~takes a nostalgic look back at the '70s while still examining contemporary issues ~explores the coming of age of one woman who endures many hardships ~examines the dynamics in an abusive relationship Don't hesitate for one minute to buy this book from a fresh, new author.

Patricia Behnke has written a compelling first novel about small town life and the effects of hypocrisy, racism, and hidden abuses stemming from all quarters of the community, not just the protagonists. Beverly and James, the main characters, are vividly characterized as very real people with obvious strengths and weaknesses. Behnke writes honestly and gives both Beverly and James negative and positive character traits, making the novel work for the reader on all levels. One is even able to sympathize with the abuser, because the hypocrisy in this small town is rampant, and the reader begins to understand how one thing leads to another.....and another.....and another. If you like strong characterization and a readable, flowing story, you'll love A Victorian Justice!

Patricia C. Behnke is the kind of writer I admire. From the first chapter, until the end of the book, her twisted tale of deceipt, murder and mayhem held my interest. What is unfortunate is that she has no other books out there for me to read! For a first attempt, I have no doubt that new Behnke books will be on demand from her publisher--and lining the walls of my personal bookshelves! I can not wait for the next shocking, small town mystery (and would love to see some of the characters return, too!)

A VICTORIAN JUSTICE is shocking in the best way: shocking events, heart-wrenching scenes, vivid characterizations, and seamless writing that caries the reader from one gripping chapter to the next. Pat Behnke's autobiographical novel depicts the people of the small town in which she was raised. Many a writer can include biographical information in his or her story, but it takes a writer of exceptional skill to recreate such vivid and distinct characters. A VICTORIAN JUSTICE is a book where there's scandal and intrigue on each page. But not just scandal for scandal's sake, but as a finely crafted story, illuminating the hypocrisy of not only small towns, but, more importantly, small minds. The character of James made my skin crawl with his physical and mental abuse of Beverly. And May and Hollis' love for each other sang out from the pages with Behnke's tender touch for heart-felt emotion and natural dialogue. In the end, justice is served not only to the hypocritical characters, but the lucky reader who was held spellbound by a gifted storyteller.

This book surprised me; it was not what I thought it would be when I first started it. The subject of race relations in the 1970s is volatile in and of itself, but complicate it with a love story that is tainted with abuse and this drama takes on a realism that is thought-provoking. The young couple in this book have a lot going against them. Can they overcome the obstacles the members of a small town with a social hierarchy and a penchant for furtive gossiping have put in front of them? Read this book, not only for the story, but for the excellent writing. Behnke keeps you turning the pages.

24 Victorian Display Fonts CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Display Fonts Series)

A great collection of fonts that's easy to download to the Mac. I was impressed that there were no filler fonts (poorly designed fonts included in a collection to make it appear that you are getting a better deal). All were well designed. Some were classic and others very unique to a particular genre of Victorian Type. We were looking for a font that looked like it would be in a medical advertisement and one that looked like it would appear on the cover of a horror story. We found both on this disk and they look genuine on our poster.

A great resource for the cutting edge designer who want more choices in this currently fashionable font group (2006). Goes far beyond what is on either Mac or PC OS and reveals a treasure trove of standout designs.

Includes Arboret. That should be enough enticement if you're truly a font freak. Pages have maps/grids/graphics to show you what characters are actually there. Sometimes a few dingbats are incl. Some (many?) western European (non-English) characters are absent.

Hope there will be a second set of Victorian fonts from Dover.

These Victorian fonts were from a period of "anything goes" in type design and everyone will surely find some goodies here. Dan Solo had a huge collection of great old and new type faces. You'll find 24 of them here. Some, you might already have, and some are so nice that I believe if you find one gem here, it makes the price worthwhile. The fonts are in both Windows True Type and Macintosh formats. The pages have the complete alphabets and a character chart. Be sure to notice the "extra characters" that are offered in some fonts.

The Victorians were responsible for some really hideous, over-decorated typeface designs - but you won't find them in this book. This Dover collection of 24 fine examples from the 19th century include many elegant faces deserving of more exposure, together with lightly-ornamented designs which recapture the charm of a bygone age. This isn't a reference book you'll leave on the shelf. The 24 faces are supplied as good quality Postscript and TrueType faces on CD-Rom. All have been deftly restored to their full glory - there are no broken kerns and worn hairlines with these little gems. My guess is that you'll find a use for most of them within a few months of receiving your copy. A must for any designer's library and a typographer's dream.