The Earl of Stainthorpe placed an advertisement in the
paper asking young Englishmen to participate in a series
of challenges that will conclude in Paris, the goal being
to find the most suitable husband for his daughter Lady
Sarah. Lord Boyce Parker decides to take part in the
dare, mostly to impress his father. In order to reach
Paris, Boyce opts to go by balloon, manned by the lovely
lady of science Miss Eve Mountfloy, who assists
her father, a distinguished aeronaut.
I was charmed right from the opening lines of WHEN A RAKE
FALLS. Starting from a very clever premise, Ms. Orr
weaves a fresh and charming tale filled with colourful
characters and the most amusing dialogues.
Boyce is a
charming, handsome and honourable rake, he has the heart
of a poet; he is absolutely irresistible. Not to mention
the fact that he is prone to bursting into song at a
moment's notice; he appears almost without a care and yet
his whole life is dedicated to the single purpose of
acquiring his father's respect; he is a study in
contrasts.
Eve is a perfect counterpart to Boyce: she is
much more serious, resourceful and brave, if disappointed
in not being recognised as a real scientist merely
because of her sex. Boyce's sunny presence lightens up
her mood but awakens long-forgotten dreams as well. Eve
is a wonderful heroine; determined and bold, all the
while remaining perfectly proper. Each and every one of
the characters is fabulously entertaining: who could
forget the coquette Lydia, who is superficiality
incarnate, or the unflappable Lady Buxton.
WHEN A RAKE FALLS is a delectable concoction, masterfully
written; it reads like a breeze and much is due to Ms.
Orr's prose, which is graceful, elegant as well as very
witty. The author's extensive knowledge and research on
balloons is nothing short of astonishing and because of
that, as well as the vivid and detailed descriptions, I
got the impression of flying right along with Boyce and
Eve. Ms. Orr historical accuracy doesn't end there: the
dialogues, apart from being delightful and amusing, are
spot-on with regards to usage and idioms; in fact, all
aspects of clothing, décor, as well as the tone of the
narrative are very faithful to the Regency era. Ms. Orr's
prose is airy, lively, and delightfully exquisite all-
around; if superlative writing could induce swooning,
WHEN A RAKE FALLS might well be the cause. I expected
WHEN A RAKE FALLS to wrap up tidily, but Ms. Orr keeps us
guessing until the end for the exciting and suspenseful
dénouement. WHEN A RAKE FALLS is one of the most
romantic, joyful, and enchanting books I have ever read,
and I cannot wait for the author's next book: Sally Orr
is a star!
He's racing to win back his reputation
Having hired a balloon to get him to Paris in a daring
race,
Lord Boyce Parker is simultaneously exhilarated and
unnerved
by the wonders and dangers of flight, and most of all by
the
beautiful, stubborn, intelligent lady operating the
balloon.
She's curious about the science of love
Eve Mountfloy is in the process of conducting weather
experiments when she finds herself spirited away to France
by a notorious rake. She's only slightly dismayed-the rake
seems to respect her work-but she is frequently distracted
by his windblown physical magnificence and buoyant
spirits.
What happens when they descend from the clouds?
As risky as aeronautics may be, once their feet touch the
ground, Eve and Boyce learn the real danger of a very
different type of falling...
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