Scan barcode
A review by jmatkinson1
Becoming Belle by Nuala O'Connor
3.0
Isabel Bilton is the eldest of three daughters living in a military barracks and controlled by her mother. Isabel longs to be on the stage and her father allows this, before long she is the toast of London. After a early affair with a scoundrel naive Isabel becomes pregnant and afterwards she vows only to marry for love, reinventing herself as Belle. Falling for a young Irish nobleman, Belle is shunned by his family as they try to force the couple apart leading to a notorious court case. Supported by her sister and her close friend Isidor, Belle triumphs and finally takes her place in society.
This is a terrific story, a woman who led her life on her own terms in the cauldron of society in the 1890s, Belle is an engaging character. My problem was that I was expecting a biography and instead got a very syrupy romantic novel. This is the sort of book that will appeal to the masses who like their stories with a rosy glow and their characters very one-dimensional, the issue is that is not me. It's my fault for expecting something different, not the the author's fault, she has written what she wanted to write.
This is a terrific story, a woman who led her life on her own terms in the cauldron of society in the 1890s, Belle is an engaging character. My problem was that I was expecting a biography and instead got a very syrupy romantic novel. This is the sort of book that will appeal to the masses who like their stories with a rosy glow and their characters very one-dimensional, the issue is that is not me. It's my fault for expecting something different, not the the author's fault, she has written what she wanted to write.