The Nature of a Lady begins a new series, The Secrets of the Isles, by Roseanna White. Set in the Isles of Scilly, The Nature of a Lady, tells the story of two Elizabeth’s.
Lady Elizabeth just wants an escape from the expectations of home so she rents a summer cottage. What she finds instead is a missing boarder also named Elizabeth, a treasure hunt, and love.
My Review of The Nature of a Lady
The Nature of a Lady starts out slow as books sometimes do when they’re laying the foundation for future books. What was immediately clear was that Lady Elizabeth wasn’t like other women of her class and desperately needed a friend.
I like how the mystery unfolded slowly while being intertwined with the coming alive of Lady Elizabeth.
The Characters in The Nature of a Lady
Libby bloomed on the Scillies. She learned more about who she was and what was her purpose. She also learned more about God. It’s interesting to note that like many of us, Libby initially had a one-dimensional view of God–a God so like us, He could be kept in a box. Under Oliver’s tutelage she learned more about her Creator and how big He is.
The romance between Libby and Oliver began as a friendship and was strengthened by common interests. Oliver saw Libby in a way others didn’t. I would have liked to see more of their relationship played out on the pages but what was portrayed shows what could become a strong marriage.
There were a number of secondary characters that were introduced in this book whose stories I’d love to hear so I look forward to the next book in the series.
I admit it, I didn’t have a good opinion of Beth (the missing Elizabeth); some of the choices she made seems to have been done out of selfishness and for her own gain. I do believe there are hidden depths to her character and look forward to learning more about her in future books.
The romance between Mabena and Casek had a lot of passion plus a stormy history which made them interesting side characters.
The Themes in The Nature of a Lady
The major theme in The Nature of a Lady is that God knows your name. He created us and we are His. Even when the circumstances of our lives aren’t ideal, God sees us and has a plan for us.
Libby struggled to be known by her peers and caused her to doubt whether she had a place in the world. Oliver was able to open her eyes to show her that God knew her name.
There was also a theme of forgiveness and how we should treat those we consider to be our enemies. There was a rivalry between Casek and Oliver that probably started when they were boys but wasn’t resolved by the time they became adults because of other events that happened between the two families.
Consequently, the two men often squared off in ways that were not becoming for the headmaster and the vicar. Over the course of The Nature of a Lady, we were able to see these two characters begin the process of mending their relationship.
The Nature of a Lady is a complete story but there are some issues that were not resolved in this book and will be continued in future books. I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publishers through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.
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About The Nature of a Lady (The Secrets of the Isles Book #1)
1906
Lady Elizabeth “Libby” Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn’t favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles into the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage’s former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.
Oliver Tremayne–gentleman and clergyman–is determined to discover what happened to his sister, and he’s happy to accept the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth’s summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it’s the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can’t quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.
As Libby and Oliver work together, they find ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love.
About Roseanna M. White
Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself.
Roseanna is the author of numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to Edwardian British series. Roseanna lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.roseannamwhite.com
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