Customer Reviews

Prosperos Daughter

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A flawed heroine physically and emotionally can be hard to like, but not in this book. Butler writes about people you come to love and care about. And the secondary characters are almost as wonderful. Her writing is clean and lovely.

I look forward to Nancy Butler's books and I'm rarely disappointed.

Morgan Grambling Pearce reluctantly agreed, for Ronald Palfry's sake, to leave London behind for three weeks. Morgan felt he had too much to do, with his sister, Kitty, due to marry Lord Waverly in about four short weeks, running Grambling House Publishing Company, and seeking out bed partners at night. But Ronald felt Morgan owed him this. Ronald thought he had saved Morgan's life during the war. The least Morgan could do was travel to Palfry Park in Windermere and help his father with his memoirs. After all, General Sir Janus Palfry was a war hero many times over. His stories of the times he spent in the Colonies of America, India, and all the famous people he knew would sell like mad. But Sir Janus was long-winded in his writing and needed help to edit it down. Thus Morgan found himself as a guest as Sir Janus's estate.

Morgan had been at Palfry Park a couple of weeks when he crashed into a Bath chair, literally. The lady within the chair seemed paralyzed and could do little more than stay where she was propped and be waited on hand and foot. Suddenly, Morgan found himself wanting to help the veiled lady, no matter how ill tempered she seemed or how often she flat out told him to leave her alone!

Miranda Runyon was a victim of a coaching accident that took her parents' lives over three years ago. Even though she has a fine estate on the Cornish coast called Nasrannah, Miranda cannot bring herself to return to the place where such wonderful memories of when her parents were alive and she was not crippled. Instead, she remained at Palfry Park, the home of her father's cousin, Sir Janus. Problem was that Sir Janus, his wife, and his two daughters pretended that Miranda did not exist. Alice and Mrs. Southey were hired as Miranda's caretakers, with orders to keep her hidden whenever they had house guests. It was pure chance that Morgan found her and made it his business to spend a little time each morning with her, without the rest of the family knowing. Whether she liked it or not, Miranda began looking forward to his visits and blunt speaking. With Morgan's help, perhaps Miranda could begin to recover the use of her lifeless limbs and have a reason to keep living. But first, she must face some hard truths about herself.

***** I will start off by stating that in all the years I have read regency romances, this is one of the very best I have ever come across! Author Nancy Butler does not give wimpy heroines or have love neatly fall into place. Instead, she creates realistic characters who act as I would expect real people to react if they found themselves in these situations! I came to care very much for Miranda. I understood how and why she felt as she did. I understood why she was so bitter. At the same time I could understand Morgan's side, his reasons for all he did. I cheered Miranda as she found the courage to attempt what doctors said she could never achieve. And just as real live, it was not easy or fast. It took hard work and determination. Through the talent of this awesome author, I got a peek into the lives of some amazing people. The only thing I hated was seeing the book end. I could not stop thinking about it or the characters in it for a long time afterwards.

Nancy Butler's talent shines brighter than a sunny day at the beach! All of her books are wonderful and well written. But in my humble opinion, this book is the best thus far! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Morgan Grambling Pearce reluctantly agreed, for Ronald Palfry's sake, to leave London behind for three weeks. Morgan felt he had too much to do, with his sister, Kitty, due to marry Lord Waverly in about four short weeks, running Grambling House Publishing Company, and seeking out bed partners at night. But Ronald felt Morgan owed him this. Ronald thought he had saved Morgan's life during the war. The least Morgan could do was travel to Palfry Park in Windermere and help his father with his memoirs. After all, General Sir Janus Palfry was a war hero many times over. His stories of the times he spent in the Colonies of America, India, and all the famous people he knew would sell like mad. But Sir Janus was long-winded in his writing and needed help to edit it down. Thus Morgan found himself as a guest as Sir Janus's estate.

Morgan had been at Palfry Park a couple of weeks when he crashed into a Bath chair, literally. The lady within the chair seemed paralyzed and could do little more than stay where she was propped and be waited on hand and foot. Suddenly, Morgan found himself wanting to help the veiled lady, no matter how ill tempered she seemed or how often she flat out told him to leave her alone!

Miranda Runyon was a victim of a coaching accident that took her parents' lives over three years ago. Even though she has a fine estate on the Cornish coast called Nasrannah, Miranda cannot bring herself to return to the place where such wonderful memories of when her parents were alive and she was not crippled. Instead, she remained at Palfry Park, the home of her father's cousin, Sir Janus. Problem was that Sir Janus, his wife, and his two daughters pretended that Miranda did not exist. Alice and Mrs. Southey were hired as Miranda's caretakers, with orders to keep her hidden whenever they had house guests. It was pure chance that Morgan found her and made it his business to spend a little time each morning with her, without the rest of the family knowing. Whether she liked it or not, Miranda began looking forward to his visits and blunt speaking. With Morgan's help, perhaps Miranda could begin to recover the use of her lifeless limbs and have a reason to keep living. But first, she must face some hard truths about herself.

***** I will start off by stating that in all the years I have read regency romances, this is one of the very best I have ever come across! Author Nancy Butler does not give wimpy heroines or have love neatly fall into place. Instead, she creates realistic characters who act as I would expect real people to react if they found themselves in these situations! I came to care very much for Miranda. I understood how and why she felt as she did. I understood why she was so bitter. At the same time I could understand Morgan's side, his reasons for all he did. I cheered Miranda as she found the courage to attempt what doctors said she could never achieve. And just as real live, it was not easy or fast. It took hard work and determination. Through the talent of this awesome author, I got a peek into the lives of some amazing people. The only thing I hated was seeing the book end. I could not stop thinking about it or the characters in it for a long time afterwards.

Nancy Butler's talent shines brighter than a sunny day at the beach! All of her books are wonderful and well written. But in my humble opinion, this book is the best thus far! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I was impressed with this novel because it can be read & enjoyed by everyone, not just people who like to read Regency romances. The quality was deeper than that -- this one has a really good story to tell, and it is well told! Its themes are very well-written and explored, and the romance is very sweet & grows slowly. It earns every one of its 5-star rating, and I would gladly read anything else by this author.

Miranda Runyan is wasting away in her Palfry cousins' home, helpless, hopeless, and numb after a carriage accident that severely crippled her, and took the life of her parents three years ago. She thinks she's a monster, severely scarred (no mirrors are allowed near her), as none of her remaining family has visited her in the past three years, leaving her to rusticate in a private room of their home, tended only by one sour, dour, maid and a sympathetic, caring older woman.

Left alone in an out-of-the-way garden, in her Bath chair one morning, while the younger, full-of-attitude maid is off on a clandistine meeting with a man in the Palfry's employ, Miranda is mortified to be found out by a guest of her cousin's.

Morgan Pearce can't believe that someone has simply walked off and left this fascinating, mysterious woman alone to her own devices. Pushing her chair along on a brief walk, and trying to strike up a converstation with her, Morgan decides to make Miranda his next "project". Little does he expect that she will turn his feelings, and views upon life upside down.

Nancy Butler writes with such emotional impact, and in-depth characterization, that she always pulls the reader into her stories, making you turn pages in impatient anticipation. Bits of welcome humor, and sparkling dialogue, off-set the human drama.

This is a true love story, IMO, and one of her very best. It's no wonder that Ms. Butler is an award winning, and most beloved author of the traditional Regency genre.

Don't miss this enthralling, heart-stirring tale!

Usually, Regency-era romance novels fall into certain cateogories -- one category includes the types of plots on which the hero and heroine have previously parted ways because on a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING and the entire book deals with how they work through this misunderstanding when they finally meet up; or else there is the category that includes either the hero or heroine going up to London for a Season and meeting with all kinds of adventures while falling in love along the way; and then there is the category that involves the heroine becoming involved with either a murder or spy investigation that the hero in conducting; also the couple who marry for convenience and then discover love with each other category -- but there are also novels that don't fall into easily defined categories, and Nancy Butler's "Prospero's Daughter" is one of those. Actually, I rather think that it was a storyline that I've never come across before in a 'light' Regency-era romance, and it was a gem of a read.

Three years ago, a disastrous carriage accident had left Miranda Runyon an orphan, scarred and without the use of her arms and legs. Feeling alone, numb and completely hopeless, Miranda has led the life of a complete invalid, staying in bed all day accept for a brief sojourn to the garden for some fresh air. Her relatives' (the father's cousins, the Palfrys) habit of isolating and ignoring her existence hasn't helped matters either. Indeed, it has only reinforced her feelings of alienation and bitterness. And then, one day, she meets a strange young man in the garden. But instead of reeling away from her in disgust and revulsion, this young man proceeds to engage her in conversation. Angry that he has broken in on her solitude, Miranda rebuffs this friendly stranger, but he seems intent on ignoring her rudeness. Who is this strange gentleman and why does he want to spend time with a scarred cripple like her when her beautiful (and whole) cousins are at hand to entertain and charm?

Morgan Pearce had bowed to his friend's (Ronald) persuasion to go to Ronald's father's estate and to help the older gentleman with his memoirs. On the surface, everything at Palfry Park seems to be delightful -- the beauty of the estate to his genial host and his host's beautiful daughters. That is, until he comes across ignored cousin Miranda in the garden. Morgan is appalled at how the Palfrys have treated Miranda, and is determined to help the stubborn woman in spite of herself. But how to make her accept his help? In the clash of wills that follows, an unexpected friendship and bond develops between the two. But where will this bond take them? And are either Miranda or Morgan ready to explore this unexpected development?

Nancy Butler has penned another gem! True, there is very little of the unexpected in this novel -- you know who will pair off with whom and you more or less know that at some point the bottom is going to fall out of Miranda's and Morgan's world -- and yet, I found myself eagerly turning the pages, reading to see what will happen next. And while main plot did revolve around the friendship and gentle blossoming of a romance between Morgan and Miranda, there were also two other subplots involving Morgan's sister, Kitty, and another involving Morgan's uneasy relationship with this father. All these get resolved nicely and smoothly, so that you actually get the sense of reading a much, much longer book. All the characters (secondary and primary) were well developed and realised. I thought that the authour had done a really good job in developing Miranda's character -- we get to see her blossom from a sullen and bitter woman to a much stronger, more self assured and more hopeful young lady. The other thing that I really liked about this novel was that it was a really beautiful love story that hadn't been spoilt with nay really silly plot contrivances. If I had any complaints it was that a thoroughly nice young man was being threatened with a match with a rather unpleasant young lady. (You'll have to read the book to find out who!) All in all, a thoroughly worthwhile and wonderful read.

I didn't think it was possible to find a recent Regency release as powerful, emotional and character-driven as Carla Kelly's "The Wedding Journey." Then I read "Prospero's Daughter."

I should start by refuting the synopsis on the back of the novel. It states that Miranda Runyon is "recovering from a carriage accident." But it's more like WASTING AWAY after a carriage accident. She has been sheltered in her room for over 3 years, shunned by her family, crippled, paralyzed and scarred. Her family is quite embarrased by her existence--they never even see her. She's no more than a ghost in the Palfry house. More or less, Miranda has given up on life.

Then Morgan Pearce enters her life, uprooting everything about her quiet, sheltered, structered (and lonely) life. He is visiting the Palfry house to offer advice on General Palfry's written memoirs. By chance, he meets Miss Runyon in the garden--a bitter woman in a Bath Chair. After their fateful meeting, he takes it upon himself to open her up to the possibilities in life. The results are slow, but delightful to read. Over time, Morgan starts to reawaken her mind. Her body. Her spirit. Her heart.

I save my 5-star ratings for books like this. If I could, I'd give it 6 stars. Heck, I'd give it SEVEN stars. In my eyes, "Prospero's Daughter" is virtually flawless. I felt the emotions of the characters, and they tugged at my heartstrings 'til the very end. The characters go through amazing (yet believable) transitions. I loved Miranda: her spirit, her feelings, her dry wit. Morgan is the hero of my dreams. Their interactions kept me laughing, crying, gasping, and smiling. At times, I wanted to cheer for them. At times, I wanted to SCREAM for them. The antagonist of the novel is quite unique, and there is a mysterious subplot that slowly unfolds. Upon finishing the book, I felt a void. I have no more words to discribe what a wonderful experience this novel is. I am in sheer awe of Ms. Butler's talents.