A historical Regency romance blended with fantasy and fairytale.
Tilby, Lincolnshire, 1811. Miss Sophia Landon is the daughter of an impoverished clergyman. Her father’s health is failing fast, but who wants to marry a woman without birth, beauty or wealth? Her prospects are limited indeed – until her friendship with the town’s fae denizens earns her passage to the otherworldly realm of … otherworldly realm of Aylfenhame. Could her fate truly lie beyond the shores of England?
There she meets Aubranael, a young man with a warm heart and a ruined face. In Sophy he sees the answer to his loneliness, but how can a disfigured Ayliri hope to win her heart? When a mysterious witch offers him the temporary gift of beauty, he eagerly accepts: and so begins an adventure that could change his life, and Sophy’s, forever.
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A delightful, old-fashioned fairy tale with charming illustrations, and very few errors. Shape-shifters, goblins and trolls oh, my. Sprinkled with faerie lore like glamour and not eating anything in a faerie city. Doesn’t leave you hanging even though there is more to come. I would definitely read the next one.
The hidden realms of the fae meet English village propriety in this delightful take on the Regency romance. Very tongue in cheek with some quite original twists and turns and a host of otherworldly creatures both good and bad. Constrained by her adherence to the behavior of a proper lady for most of the book, in the end the heroine breaks the mold to create a new and fuller life by rejecting the village which has never appreciated her. And finds love with a prince among the fae whose face may have been ruined but whose heart is pure untarnished gold
This was a fun little book to read. I really enjoyed it!!
Terrific blend of traditional fairy tale elements with an original story.
3.5 – nearly 4 Stars.
(1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= Yes, NICE/SWEET; 4= I LIKED IT A LOT!; 5= A favorite, it was great!)
TALES OF MISS LANDON AND AUBRANAEL is bk #1 in the TALES OF AYLFENHAME by Charlotte English. TOMLAA is a CLEAN novel, a fairy tale or fantasy adventure, actually, with subtle nods regarding personal significance and integrity; forgiveness and acceptance deftly woven into the sweet story. I enjoyed TALES OF MISS LANDON AND AUBRANAEL and found it entertaining.
TALES OF MISS LANDON AND AUBRANAEL is the tale of a place and a time, long ago, in England where the fabric between human and fairy realm ran parallel and occasionally overlapped. Under the insistence of a friend, one fine morning, Miss (Sophy) Landon, a somewhat plain and unfashionable 29yr old village parson’s daughter, wanders unknowingly out of her ordinary human world into the previously hidden land of fairies (Aylfenhame). During Sophie’s brief visit to Aylfenhame, Sophy meets a kindhearted but sadly scarred person named Aubranael, 29/30yrs. They hit a rapport and a friendly connection is made but Sophy is compelled to return home to her ailing father. After a week or so Aubranael begins to miss the acquaintance of Miss Sophy wishing they had had more time together, and so he makes an effort to locate her in her own world in England. Aubranael returns to England (the human world) and under the disguise of an attractive and wealthy man (granted to him through magic) where Aubranael hopes to refresh and build his acquaintance with Sophy. Aubranael soon discovers that the customs, privileges, prejudices and more (in the human world) combine to separate various types of persons much more so than in his own world, Aylfenhame. Aubranael desires more than anything to build a lasting relationship with Sophy, in either world, but soon wonders if such a future is even possible with so many differences and barriers standing between them?
THE TALES OF MISS LANDON AND AUBRANAEL reminds me of a fairy tale, one that might be enjoyed by YAs through adults. It contains adventure, unusual creatures, and a touch of magic with a sweet, delayed HEA. I caught myself pondering issues of personal integrity, significance, and other values as I read. There are 4 titles currently in the TALES OF AYLFENHAME series. Previously, I read #3, Bessie Bell and the Goblin King, and adored it. I recommend these tales to readers who enjoy light fantasy, adventures and fairy tales; historical romances; and sweet HEAs. Each story could be read as standalone titles but the characters overlap slightly in each book and I intend to read them all. A set of the first 3 books is available in a combined set.
READER CAUTIONS – this is a CLEAN novel suitable, IMO, for all ages.
VIOLENCE – None.
PROFANITY – None.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS – None. Simple kisses
A fun trilogy with fantastic locations set in Aylfenhame and England. The characters are as delightful and the storyline.
The mystery and subplot kept me turning the pages to find out how it would turn out.
I enjoyed trying a fantasy style writing with the twist of a regency romance.