The Larkswood Legacy (Reader's Choice) (Paperback)

Another type of romance that sells well is the "Regency historical" which is longer, almost always includes explicit scenes, and usually focuses strongly on the relationship of a particular couple, rather than on the broader setting. Some are better-written and more carefully researched than others.

I explain this, because as an American reader of these books who started off with Heyer (and still reads her), British readers may or may not be familiar with the different types. Nicola Cornick has written both traditional Regencies and Regency historicals. The works of hers that I have seen are published by Harlequin (the Mills & Boon equivalent in the States) in their Historical and short-lived Regency series.

I was pleased to encounter THE LARKSWOOD LEGACY, the first first book of hers I read. At the time I wrote my review for amazon.com (the American site), I had no other works of hers to compare it against. Having read some of her other works, I feel that this is the strongest of her works, and one of the only three recently-published Harlequin regencies and historicals that I would keep in my collection (the other being TALLIE'S KNIGHT and THE GALLANT WAIF by Australian author Anne Gracie).

The story is that of a young widow, badly treated by her in-laws and their friends, who finds happiness through reconciliation with her older sister and by finding new friends and a husband. As I said, there are some interesting sub-plots.

Annabella St Auby (nee Broseley) falls for Sir William Weston, a naval captain who has retired to take charge of the family estates. Their romance is of some interest. But the two most powerful subplots, and the reason why I am keeping this book, is the story of Annabella's past life including her troubled relationship with her sister Alicia, Lady Mullineux, her father the late Bertram Broseley, and her husband the late Francis St Auby.

While Annabella is by no means a scheming vixen, she is not perfect. She marries her first husband for the wrong reasons, and realizes her mistake too late. She matures between her first marriage and through her widowhood, from a mean-spirited thoughtless young girl into a more pleasant but not perfect young woman.

Much of Annabella's story before she meets Weston is presented through Annabella's memories, and through conversations with her sister's friend Lady Kilgaren.

There is also an exciting story of naval intrigue and society pettiness, whereby William Weston is made the scapegoat for another man's crimes by a jealous society miss and her supporters. Some people might find this subplot excessive, others might find it not exciting enough - especially since the villains are clearly identifiable as such. However, I found this subplot perfectly in keeping with the rest of the story.

The book was slow in parts. I could not read it through in one-sitting (my criteria for a five star read among romances). Sometimes I found the author's liberal use of exclamations too much.

Despite these and other flaws, I strongly recommend this book to readers of Regency-set romances. It makes for light and pleasant reading, but unless you are ultra-critical of Cornick's writing style or simply find romantic fiction of this kind unacceptable, I trust you will not be disappointed.
- An American reader -