Molly O’Malley, lady’s maid to the progressive Lady Amanda Halloway, is determined to continue the life’s work of her lost love, killed in the Peterloo Massacre. But when her efforts and a trip to Lady Halloway’s charitable orphanage culminate in her own abduction, Molly’s eyes are opened to the horrifying crimes transpiring in the city’s slums. Despite the risks, she broadens her mission and is … is drawn ever closer to the peril all around them.
Thomas Flaherty, a footman in the Halloway household, has been with Molly from the beginning, but he fears she will never trust him with her heart. Even though her cause and happiness are of foremost importance to him, his loyal patience is tested by the fears that keep her at a distance. But with their safety on the line, Thomas is resolved to sacrifice everything for the woman he loves.
Risking their lives and their love, Molly and Thomas and a team of nobles on their side will stop at nothing to empower the powerless, no matter the personal cost.
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I must say, I love getting books early. This one was sent to be my the publisher. I couldn’t put this one down and stayed up to finish even though I had work in the morning and knew better. The author of this book tackled the issue of suffrage beautifully. It gave me new insight into a topic that I have sadly not given the attention it deserves.
I love Regency romances and this definitely deserves that categorization, but it was so much more. There were two separate couples that were highlighted. I loved having the differing points of view from the aristocracy and the serving class. There was a mystery that weaved its way into the story as well that made me stop and pay attention.
The plight of the lower class is often glossed over, but not here, the author faced those stark realities head on and even left some things undone as would be true to life. This book showed the abuses of those who seek unlimited power and use that power and influence to prevent the furthering of things that are just and right.
I never knew social justice could be so captivating in novel form. The characters are strong and invite sympathy. The situations are real enough that it doesn’t feel like the couples have a contrived problem that comes between them as sometimes happens when pushing a romantic story line. The romantic story lines are flawlessly integrated with the history and show depth and perspective that is amazing to find in a historic romance.
Jen Geigle Johnson is quickly becoming one of my favorite Regency Era authors.
Jen Geigle Johnson has crafted a beautiful story, bringing to light the early days of women’s suffrage and the oppressive conditions in the more poverty stricken areas of England. She built the story around characters I can relate to and root for making it easy to fall into this historical fiction.
The story contains a host of characters with Molly and Lady Amanda being the center of all that is happening. One of those revolving around these two is the shy and reserved Lady Chloe who is just beginning to find the power of her own voice. One of my favorite lines comes from her, “Because my voice is my own. I am a unique and valued person in my own right, and I deserve to have a say in the process of our government and in who represents me.”
While the book’s main message and theme is the women’s suffrage movement, there is also sweet romance, a bit of danger and intrigue. This book reminded me of all the brave women who desired something more and weren’t afraid to take a stand and work hard to change the ways of a society of repression. It made me proud to be a woman. It also made me especially grateful for the good men through time who have supported and championed the women in their lives- wives, mothers, sisters and daughters. Many of those men types of men were represented well in this book. The world needs good women and men, working together to bring about better lives for all.
This was a very enjoyable and enlightening read. I appreciate the amount of research and time the author took to represent the time and people accurately. I’m looking forward to the next book, set to release next year!
Content: mild violence, mild peril, kissing, mention of brothels
– I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Author Jen Geigle Johnson has written a beautiful and powerful story about women who chose to make a difference for those to follow. These women sacrificed greatly to make a better world for women going forward. Making it possible for women to also have rights. It’s obvious that Johnson has done her homework and thoroughly researched her story, enhancing it and bringing it to life and portraying it so that readers can better understand and know what life used to be like for women. This is a wonderful story that not only brings to life the history of women’s suffrage, but also has a romance element as well. Readers who pick up this story will be absolutely delighted with the contents!
Genre: historical, regency, romance
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: August 1, 2019
Number of pages: 350
A review copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
***4.5 stars***
I am in awe of the women who worked to give us the rights that we have today. This book centers on characters who fought for women’s suffrage.
Molly is a lady’s maid to a forward-thinking lady. She is given leave to work on a cause both she and her mistress believe in. Amanda Halloway is the MC in The Nobleman’s Daughter. (Another book that I highly recommend.) The Lady and her maid make a formidable team.
The characters are wonderful. I enjoyed all of them and their role in the book, with the exception of a very bad man, but even he had an important place in the story. This book really brings out the fight for women to vote and the work that was done to accomplish this goal many years before it became a reality. Not only does this book deal with sufferage, but it also opened my eyes to the working conditions of children in factories and the plight of the poor in Regency England.
If you love historical fiction and to learn while you are reading a well thought out and researched book, you should definitely pick this one up. The characters and plot are engaging. It is entertaining while informative. There is suspense, political intrigue, danger, and romance all put together nicely in one package.
This book contains non-graphic violence, innuendo, descriptions of women forced into a brothel, child endangerment, and romance.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
4.5 / 5 stars rounded-up! I really enjoyed this book! It is filled with history, romance, heart-pounding and heart-wrenching moments, sweet scenes, and so much more. u2063
Every time I picked up “A Lady’s Maid”, I was whisked back in time to 1800’s England, and felt like I was right there with all of the characters. u2063
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This is the first book I have read by Jen Geigle Johnson, and I can’t wait to read many more! She writes in a way that truly brings the time period, characters, locations, and events in the book to life. Her characters felt like real people, their relationships with each other were beautifully written, and I could really see the growth of various characters. You can tell that Ms. Johnson is very knowledgeable and I can only imagine the amount of research that went into this book. u2063
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If you love historical fiction, I HIGHLY recommend this amazing novel! u2063
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Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book! I loved it! All opinions expressed in this review are my own :)u2063
A gritty depiction of the early suffrage movement, the plight of the poor in the slums of London, and a difficult romance between a lady’s maid (thus the title) and a very patient footman. I haven’t read the book but I have listened to the Audible book and felt the narrator’s voice brought this story to life. I may not have otherwise felt so impressed with the women during that time period. Of course I knew of the history of the suffrage movement and vaguely was aware of the slums in London but this story so deftly written by this author made these times more poignant for me. The romance told in this story seemed almost secondary to everything else going on here that only by the barest of
definitions could be considered a romantic tale. However, I still can highly recommended reading this book or better, listen to the Audible version.
I enjoyed reading A Lady’s Maid by Jen Geigle Johnson. Though it’s billed as a historical romance, the novel is more about characters slowly working out their relationships than swoony, romantic moments. Both the plot and content focus heavily on England’s social movements and issues. Women’s suffrage takes the lead, but sub-topics include gender equality, child labor, and poverty. Though Molly (the lady’s maid) works to expose darkness and advocates for its victims, the novel didn’t feel heavy. Hope and light weave throughout to balance out the dark situations.
A Lady’s Maid by Jen Geigle Johnson can be read as a stand-alone novel, but I wish I’d read The Nobleman’s Daughter first. Events, presumably from that novel, received considerable mention in A Lady’s Maid and I think I might have connected quicker with certain characters. Molly, however, did not delay in capturing my attention. She’s passionate, brave, determined, and impulsive. In short, she’s flawed, but quite entertaining and her penchant for getting into danger kept the plot moving along. I loved her letter at the end.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Jen brings to life an era in history that is important to so many of us as it shaped reform in England and the Americas. This book was rich with historical accounts to the suffrage movement. In addition this fictional tale also had two main couples that have a chance at love despite many difficulties. This book had several plot twists and lots of challenges from abductions, threats, abuse, and love. It was a great novel and I look forward to more wonderful books from Jen.
A Lady’s Maid is an excellent work of historical fiction. Well researched and compelling, the reader is pulled back in time to participate in the story.
The writer gives an honest look at the lives of the Lords and Ladies of the time as they intersect with those of their trusted servants. Differences in station are set aside for common interest in the suffrage movement of the early nineteenth century.
Although the author sought authenticity in writing this book, it is not dry but full of human interest. As the story moves along the themes of human rights, friendship, hope and love are intermingled with the horrors of forced child labor, and the dire circumstances that families of the lower working class faced.
For me some of the historical data slowed the story down and I found myself wanting to move on. I recommend this book to those who love historical fiction at its best.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Covenant Communications Inc. through Interviews and Reviews. This is my honest assessment of the book.
Jen Geigle Johnson has a way of not only making history come to life, but making it relevant to the reader.
I loved the juxtaposition this book created against it’s predecessor, A Nobleman’s Daughter. Where the heroine and hero in that story were bold and fearless these were quite and somewhat reluctant heroes who grew into their roles and purpose. Both kinds of people have a place in this world and I loved that representation.
There was not one, but two relationships developing in this book and both added dimension to the story. It was beautiful to see Molly’s struggle with guilt, and the realization that it is possible to love again after loss.
Overall the story kept and held my attention, I felt invested in the characters success and a desire to learn more about this time in history. I officially love Jen Johnson’s historical romances and can’t wait for more!
A Lady’s Maid by Jen Geigle Johnson is a Regency period tale with a whole lot of substance and historical bones on which the author built an exciting, relevant story.
This was an interesting, sweet, clean read that takes place ten years after the infamous Peterloo Massacre in Manchester England. It is about three couples in London in 1831: Lady Amanda and husband, Lord Halloway; Molly O’Malley, her Lady’s Maid and their footman, Thomas Flaherty; and Lady Chloe and her admirer and childhood friend, Lord Annesley.
This novel had a style reminiscent of the PBS show Upstairs, Downstairs. However, Lady Amanda and Molly are friends as well as employer /employee. They work very hard as equals in the cause for women’s suffrage.
There is a despicable, evil Lord who is making money on the backs of young children he forces into labor.
Woven into the romances of the couples are the efforts of the common man and woman to win the right to vote. It shows just how great the struggle was for people, especially women to secure their rights in the society of England. There is lots of helpful information and excitement, too. The author’s story tugs at the heart for the plight of the working class and the young children who are kidnapped and forced into the dangerous cotton mills in order to help keep their families fed.
I recommend this book for those who like to learn some history with their romantic adventures.
*A copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications through Interviews and Reviews. I was not obligated to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
A great read about suffrage in the Victorian/Regency era with a little romance thrown in. I learned more than I had previously known about the suffrage movement…in particular the women’s suffrage movement. I did not know that they were actively trying to get a vote that early in history. As far as the characters go, I was drawn into their stories. Molly was a bit immature and I felt that she would make rash and foolish decisions. Thankfully Thomas was there to help bail her out of them. This made for a good balance between the two. The developing story between Chloe and Annesley was sweet with obstacles, but I’m glad that they were able to overcome them. I recommend this book for anyone looking for a good historical read with strong female leads.
I received a free copy of this book. All thoughts above are my own.
Jen Geigle Johnson has done it again! From chapter one until the very end, this book gripped me and did not let go. With themes of women’s suffrage and child labor, this book does not shy away from difficult (and timely!) subjects, and I LOVE this about it! Ms. Johnson has given readers a swoon-worthy romance (or two!) AND historical details in one beautiful story. What I loved about this book was that historical details felt well-researched and carefully placed within the story. These women (and men) who fought for women’s rights are nothing short of amazing, and I’m so glad Jen Johnson has brought them to life!
While I haven’t had the chance to read the first book in this series (The Nobleman’s Daughter), I still very much enjoyed this book. I would classify this book as more of a historical novel with romantic subplots than as a straight romance novel, but with such important themes and a beautiful writing style, this did not lessen my enjoyment. I also understand that the third book in this series is set to release next year, which should make readers very happy!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, regency romance (although this book technically falls outside the regency, there are some commonalities IMO), and for anyone who enjoys a well-written book.
I don’t know what it is exactly, but when given a straight history book, I’m bored to tears and have a hard time picking it up. But I love a good historical fiction! When I can learn something about history in a story with fictional characters, especially when a sweet romance is thrown into the mix, I’m all over it. A LADY’S MAID delivered just what I was hoping for.
Molly is so passionate about her cause and it was interesting to read about women’s suffrage and child labor issues in the 1830s and what some people were willing to do to ease the plight of so many. I love the support Thomas is for Molly.
This story is more than just a romance, which plays a secondary part to the story. I could almost taste the characters fears and adrenaline over their situations. These are some rock solid characters and the risks they took gave me some anxiety. I enjoyed learning more about this time in history through a well-told story.
Content: mild romance; moderate violence/suffering
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
This is not your typical historical book at least for me. I usually like the romance in them. The romance in this book is very light and secondary to the plot of getting Parliament to sign a women’s suffrage bill. There is some fact mixed into the book and a piece of note after the book ends.
Molly is Lady Amanda’s personal maid. Lady Amanda has been working on getting women the right to vote. And Molly is totally on board with it. Molly acts before she thinks and she gets herself into some major problems. Molly has a huge heart and just wants justice for all!
Chloe is the daughter of a high nobleman. She is also shy. But as she learns more about the movement, she finds her own voice.
Annesley is the son of another high nobleman who is caught in the snares of an evil bossman who is willing to help everyone out of their debts in return for helping him with his side business of brothel and pretty much free child labor in the factories. Most of the children go because their parents are high on opium or the like and are told to go.
Annesley was also a spy once and was now out of the business until he is blackmailed into doing some spywork about the movement. Chloe is someone whom he is very fond of and she is right in the middle of the intel and Annesley is sick about it and left with nothing to do about it.
Molly gets in deep with the evil Theo and learns of all he does. She is determined to right this injustice. There are no indecent scenes but there is a child who gets hurt in the factory. There is a kissing scene or two towards the end.
If you are looking for women’s suffrage, child labor laws, woman who fight for justice, parliament, the start of change in England, orphanges, a well written story, finding freedom and happiness with a little romance sprinkled in then this might be for you!
A Lady’s Maid isn’t just a regency romance. It’s a historical tale revolving around the fight for suffrage, the right to vote, a fight for those whose voices were so often ignored or deliberately set aside. A problem that remains with us today. I found it fascinating though to get a glimpse at the time and place. I like to think that though Lady Amanda, Molly, Thomas, and the others are fictional, that there were those like them, who worked hard in support of their causes. I loved reading about their efforts to help the orphans. Not only does Johnson do an excellent job in creating her setting, but she has also created a compelling plot with several subplots, as well as some fabulous characters.
In her previous book, A Nobleman’s Daughter, Lady Amanda and Lord Halloway’s story and romance is told. That story revolves around the fight for working people’s rights but resulted in a massacre. This new book tells the story of Molly, Lady Amanda’s maid, and takes place ten years after the previous book ended. Despite the time having passed, Molly still grieves the loss of her love, Charlie. Still, she is attracted to Thomas, a footman in the Halloway’s household, and a partner and friend also involved in the Halloway’s work for the poor and for suffrage. In addition to Molly and Thomas’s story, which gives the reader a glimpse at the work of the working class, Johnson tells the tale of Lady Chloe and Lord Annesley.
Lady Chloe gets involved in Lady Amanda’s work but struggles with shyness as well as her feelings for Lord Annesley. Lord Annesley is a childhood friend of Lady Chloe and the Halloways, who is also part of their cause. Unfortunately, because of his father’s poor financial decisions, he soon finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place, when he is blackmailed into spying on the suffrage movement by the prime minister.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the way all the different characters interacted through the various plotlines. If you enjoy regency romances or well-told historical fiction, I highly recommend this one.
Molly O’Malley, enjoys being a lady’s maid to Lady Amanda Halloway, but she also wants to further the cause of suffrage for women. When she sees firsthand the terrifying existence for many in the slums, where children are abducted and forced to work in factories and women are forced into brothels, Molly wants to do more for them. Focused as she is on her missions, she can’t help but notice how the Halloways’ footman, Thomas Flaherty, supports her in all her efforts. Having lost a man she loved once before, can she open her heart to love Thomas?
Chloe Wetherton has always felt shy and awkward among the ton, but as she gets involved in the suffrage movement, she begins to find her voice. She also finds herself more and more drawn to her childhood friend, Lord Annesley. As her confidence grows, however, she can’t help but notice that Annesley doesn’t seem as supportive of her efforts in the suffrage movement as she expected.
I liked the two different female characters–bold, headstrong Molly was a good contrast to the more timid Chloe, who is just beginning to find her voice. There’s a lot going on in this story–two romances, plus the suffrage movement (including trying to figure out who is working so hard against the movement) plus the efforts to clean up the slums., which makes for an interesting read. I really liked seeing the suffrage efforts in Regency England, as it’s a topic I definitely haven’t seen explored in other books (other than the first book in this series.
I read a copy of the book provided by the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this historical fiction about events I know only a little about. The story deals with British suffrage for women and the working class, and also child labor laws and the politics that go on around all of it.
As far a romance goes this book is a two for one as it features two couples. But while the romance is nice the story deals with so much more than that. The characters grow and become better people as they gain confidence in themselves. The title would lead the reader to believe that the book’s main focus is on Molly the Lady’s maid and she is a focus but others have a focus too and are just as important to the story.
This cast of people in nobility and working class roles all work together in fighting for rights of women and protecting children. And what we see they are up against is pretty disheartening. And some of it is down right horrifying. Part of the time my stomach was in knots and I wanted to bite my nails as I worried about the characters. A couple times I wanted to scream at Molly because I knew she was making a mistake.
There is a happily ever after ending for the love interests but the story doesn’t end with everything tied up neatly. Molly and her cohorts do not get everything they are fighting for. Their work is just a step in the path toward their goals.
I haven’t read the first book yet but I think this one was stand alone enough that I didn’t really miss important elements. I’ll be picking up the first one soon.
I liked the authors notes that explained what was fact and fiction. And I feel like I learned something about British history.
Sex: no, some innuendo and an understanding of what is goingk on in a brothel. Some crude comments and leering.
Language: no
Violence: yes but not horribly graphic, threatening situations, defending self by fighting, threat by knife, intention to sexually attack unwilling woman in brothel.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and voluntarily choose to review it.
A Lady’s Maid takes the reader into the households of the privileged and the unfortunate. The slums described in A Lady’s Maid reminded me of Dicken’s Oliver Twist. The feelings that I felt during Oliver’s plight were similar to reading about Molly’s escapade in the slums. The imagery and descriptions were very powerfully written. Johnson has a way of making the story come alive in the reader’s imagination even if it’s not pleasant. Johnson doesn’t write light or fluffy romances. She tackles the politics and troubles of the time period. I would also suggest reading her notes after the story. Some of her notes about the history were fascinating. A Lady’s Maid is a stand-alone novel, but has some of the same characters as Johnson’s The Nobleman’s Daughter. I’ve read The Nobleman’s Daughter and Scarlet, and I think by far this is my favorite. The detail is rich and imaginative. The main characters are inspiring and likeable. Even though this is a stand-alone novel, I think the reader should probably read The Nobleman’s Daughter first. There are scenes and background information that carry over into this book. The title of the book makes it seem like this is just Molly’s story, but there are also other characters that take center stage at times and its also their story as well. There is some scenes dealing with prostitutes and rude comments made to the women that were appropriate for the scene and doesn’t go beyond that. This is a clean novel. Please note that I received a free copy, however my opinion remains my own.
This is my first book by author Jen Geigel Johnson but it won’t be my last. Good historical fiction, with characters that drew me in immediately. I really didn’t know much about the suffrage movement in early 1800’s England and found it very interesting. It is truly heartbreaking to think of the real children who were exposed to brutal child labor and so interesting to get a peak into the heart of those who gave up much to save them. I very much enjoyed this well-written engaging story.