Dearly Beloved

Copyright says 1990, 2019. I haven’t found any reference by Putney that says anything about any revisions or updated. If not it didn’t need it.
Unpleasant circumstances leave two people scarred. Years later Diana Lindsay seeks love in London. Little did she realize that the man she was forced to marry would become her lover. Once secrets are revealed, love may be lost. Set during Napoleon’s war, spies become another problem. A very emotional rollercoaster that tears the heartstrings and leaves you inevitably drained. But that HEA makes it worth it.
Putney is a master craftswoman in creating an excellent story. A free copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

Review of audiobook version of Regency, redemption romance, first published in 1990

In the prologue of this novel, the romantic hero, Gervase Brandelin, is 23 years old and the sole heir of a fabulously wealthy British viscount. While in a drunken state, he is entrapped by a brutal man into marrying his 15-year-old, virginal daughter, Mary Hamilton.

In the first chapter, it is seven years after the events of the prologue. We are introduced to a woman named Diana Lindsay who is a single mother in her early 20’s living in a small village in a remote corner of Yorkshire. She owns a commodious home and is quite prosperous compared to the standard of living of everyone else in the village, but we are informed she is an outcast. Her only companions are her five-year-old, epileptic son, Geoffrey, and her friend and maidservant, Edith, a middle-aged, plainspoken and loyal woman. An additional compelling female relationship arrives in Diana’s life when she rescues a beautiful former courtesan named Madeline Gainford from freezing to death in a blizzard, and they become fast friends. It is due to this friendship that Diana decides to shake up her life completely and move with her son, Maddy, and Edith to London a year later.

It is now eight years after the events in the prologue, and Gervase is currently 31. He returned to England two years ago when he inherited the title of viscount upon his father’s death. Before that, he spent six years trying to redeem himself from the disaster of his wedding night to a woman he financially supports, but whom he has not seen since, by serving his country first in the military in India, and later as a spymaster for the British government. When Gervase meets Diana, the attraction between them is immediate and mutual. But since he is married, Gervase cannot make Diana an honorable offer. Perhaps, he wonders, she might be willing to become his mistress so they can be together?

Readers who enjoy strong friendships between women in novels will greatly enjoy the warm and wonderful, BFF connection between Diana and Maddy. Maddy is a fascinating character, and there is an enjoyable secondary romance between Maddy and her former lover. The relationship between Diana and her adorable son is also very well done. Her approach to dealing with his seizures in the Regency era is fascinating and historically accurate.

There is a spy-vs-spy subplot with an evil villain who is a French spy. It feeds into and supports the trajectory of the main romance plot seamlessly, and the way that this subplot is resolved by Diana’s well-foreshadowed, extremely brave actions is quite well done.

Regarding the central plot, the romance itself, this novel was written early in Ms. Putney’s career, in 1990, and reflects a classic type of historical romance of that era, a “redemption plot,” in which there is a “dark and dangerous” (D&D) hero who has endured a traumatic childhood. Such novels, to be successful, must have a powerful and believable growth arc for the hero, which is only possible through earning forgiveness from the one(s) he has wronged and, most importantly, forgiveness from himself, because he greatly regrets his past, destructive choices. Though this novel is not, per se, Christian fiction, it contains frequent mentions of God, and certainly, a major focus of Christianity is the concept of forgiveness and redemption through repentance and reparation. However, these principled ideals are not limited to Christianity and exist as universal, ethical themes among honorable people everywhere. As such, they are a crucial factor in the way that all historical-romance redemption plots play out, including this one.

I first read this book many years ago in the form of a mass market paperback. A year ago, in June, 2019, I read a re-release of it in Kindle format. This week, in June, 2020, I had a chance to experience it as a recently released audiobook. The narrator is Christine Rendel, a British voice talent who does an excellent job. Her voice is melodious, and she convincingly portrays both genders, all ages, and many different national and regional accents.

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Redemption Romance Plot: 4 stars
Spy Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars

Good book about two emotionally wounded people. It opens with a young Gervase who, in a moment of drunken idiocy, compromises a young woman. He retains enough of his gentleman’s code to marry the girl but also takes revenge for what he sees as entrapment. Devastated when he realizes the truth, he takes steps to care for the girl, yet also to avoid ever having to see her again.

I will say that Gervase did not endear himself to me in these opening pages. He was selfish, thoughtless, and cruel. I wasn’t sure that he was at all redeemable. He is rightfully haunted by what he did, which drives him to find ways to ease his conscience. When the story resumes eight years later, Gervase is back in England after inheriting the title and continuing his service to England. He is emotionally closed off, allowing no one past the walls around his heart. So he is surprised and dismayed by the strength of his attraction to London’s newest courtesan.

When we first meet Diana, she and her son and a friend live in a cottage in Yorkshire. It is the middle of winter, and during a vicious snowstorm, she rescues a woman who was a former courtesan. After nursing Maddy back to health, they become friends. Diana discovers that the stories Maddy tells appeal to the restlessness she feels. Something tells her that if she takes up that life, maybe she will find the love that she craves. But the man she is most drawn to is the least likely to give her what she needs.

The development of the relationship between Diana and Gervase is a rollercoaster of emotions. Both are wary of the strength of their attraction and the depth of the connection they feel. Gervase is a man whose trust in women was destroyed long ago in a most devastating way. He is determined to protect himself and uses that distrust like a shield. Though part of him wants to believe in Diana’s goodness and the happiness he feels when he is with her, his skepticism is never far away. Diana is frequently overwhelmed by the strength of her feelings for Gervase, but also fears that giving in to those feelings without an equal return will cause her to lose sight of her own needs.

This is not a fast-paced romance. Instead, Gervase and Diana spend time together over many months, both in bed and out of it. I liked seeing Gervase slowly begin to exhibit his emotions. I especially enjoyed his connection with Diana’s son. There were some pretty sweet scenes between them. However, Gervase’s demons still made frequent appearances, most notably in his outbursts of jealousy. Diana is not free of her own issues. There are parts of her past that she needs to share with him, but she’s afraid that it will drive him away. The longer she puts it off, the harder it becomes. When matters come to the points where both reveal their pasts, it is just as bad as she feared. Both of them frustrated me because of their attitudes. Diana made some excellent points about Gervase’s actions, and I liked that he accepted the truth of them and sought to make changes. But she wasn’t free of guilt herself, and the way she revealed her past only made things worse. Everything she said ran up against Gervase’s fears and beliefs, causing him to believe the worst of her. I wondered how they could ever get past the things that were said and done.

Gervase did his usual shove everything he didn’t want to think of behind a locked door in his mind and tried to lose himself in work. On the other hand, Diana still didn’t give up hope that they could overcome it all and have that future she dreamed of. I enjoyed her arrival at the house party, and the after-dinner scene was marvelous. I loved how she handled herself and turned things her way. I still wanted to shake Gervase for his blindness and loved seeing his cousin tear into him. But it took nearly losing her for Gervase to finally let down his walls and allow Diana into his heart.

Running through the book was also an element of suspense. As a spymaster, Gervase actively works to help Britain in its efforts to bring down Napoleon. There is one particular French spy that he is determined to stop if he could only get the proof needed. This particular spy also has an unhealthy interest in Diana. The depth of his depravity and his determination to have Diana are another element of tension throughout the book. The final confrontation with him was a nail-biter and I genuinely feared for the safety of both Diana and Gervase. The way the spy was brought down was poetic justice and extremely satisfying.

Mary Jo Putney– Always a delight to read anything from this highly reviewed writer. Her writing is beautifully worded, well and accurately researched, and intelligent. I had read the novel before, but wanted to enjoy it on my Kindle Paperwhite. A wonderful read!!

Dearly Beloved by Mary Jo Putney is an older book that has been reissued with a beautiful new cover. The plot is filled with surprising twists and turns involving the London’s most desirable woman, Diana Lindsey and handsome yet haunted man, Gervase Brandelin, the Viscount St. Aubyn. If you like intrigue and secrets, this is the romance for you.

When it comes to strong women, author Mary Jo Putney always delivers. Her novel, Dearly Beloved, written in 1990 and re-released in 2019, is no exception. But instead of just one tough lady, this novel boasts three! Each woman has suffered and struggled. Because of the hardships and heartaches, these ladies have endured, they have become better versions of themselves.

For the complete review, go to https://kindredconnection.wordpress.com/2019/07/16/dearly-beloved.

Dearly Beloved
by Mary Jo Putney

What an amazing story! I LOVED the angst of it, the emotions and heartache. Through no fault of her own Diana Lindsay was woken, her innocence brutally taken and forcefully married by her crazed preacher father, to Gervase Brandelin who was incoherent at the time, but soon realized his grave error!
This is a compelling gripping read that is not for the faint at heart or with trigger issues. Yes it’s dark and Ms. Putney is a professional at her craft, the storyline needs the darkness so the light can shine through. The road is a difficult one but there is remorse and a happy ending thankfully!

I highly recommend! I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my unbiased opinion.

This is an older Mary Jo Putney book, one I had forgotten that I had read. As a book of its times, it is a difficult read, given the circumstances of the marriage of the H/h, which starts off the book. Gervase is not the most appealing man in the world, and Mary, the child bride, has her own difficult road to follow. Fast forward to the romance between Gervase and a woman called Diana, a would-be courtesan who decides to seek that profession to support her child, and what we think we understand becomes upended. All of Putney’s books that I have read are compelling, with intact worlds and sympathetic characters. This one is more challenging, and victims of sexual assault might one to skip it. Still, I read it to the end and was pleased to see the hard-won HEA. When reading books of this period, I always remember that women had few choices and marriage was forever (or until death). What people did with those choices seems foreign to our modern eyes, but those choices make for great reading. (I received an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions mine.)

I purchased first this book as I was a new release from an author I knew I had to read.
Then I was graced an advance review by Netgalley and the publisher Kensington Books.
It is only when I checked in Goodreads, I learned it was a reedition of a long time ago edition, from the 90s, when I first read Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novels.
The rape trope was immediately reported by the earlier reviewers so I questioned myself if I would be able to read this book. Then I remembered the first book I read by Mrs Woodiwiss, about a young woman abducted on a boat mistaken for a prostitute, I do not remember if she had a lot of saying about what she wanted.
(After some research, I found which book it was “The Flame and The Flower”) and there was another about a young lady having her home invaded and being rape too by the hero, the soldier behind the attack.
So I decided to read it with an open mind about how it was in this time as not so long ago I read a medieval romance about a marriage of convenience and the husband had quite a dislike for his wife as he was compiled to oblige his family and when he claimed his marital’s rights, he just did it, not a moment did he tried to be kind to his wife, worth he hurt her on their first night until their relationship evolved to a love match.
So will the hero be redeemable?
So yes, it is rape from our modern point of view but in his drunken stupor and his angry haze, he saw his now-wife as a scheming whore and decided to claim what had become his by law, the girl never uttered a word. He claimed his hudband’s rights as a revenge for tricking him in this joke of a marriage. He only understood after what he did, and himself named it as a rape while this time period accorded no says to the brides, they changed hands from father to husband like any chattel and were to do what their owners decided them to.

And even if I might shock many, I do loved this book.
As my first read by Mrs Putney and despite the triggers, I was sucked by the fluidity of the story, it was clever and witty with the right amount of anger. I was not appalled by the story passed the initial stage of distaste after the prologue. Sure, I’m no psychiatrist and it probably more than borders the Stockholm syndrome but Gervase has his flaws and he committed sins but it does not make him an evil or monster as Diana rose herself from a victim to a woman who curbs her life in the way she wants it to.

Diana, I loved her from the beginning. Sure the blurb was quite shocking about her wish to become a courtesan. The first reason is the secret she harbours, then her hope at a second chance in life and maybe find love without the heavy cost she had to pay the first time.

« it wasn’t men that she wanted. It was one man, one who would love and protect her in spite of her past, one who could initiate her into the profane, earthly delights that Madeline had described. At the thought, Diana smiled wryly, knowing what a romantic fool she was. It was a sign of how much she had healed that she dared to dream again. »
Gervase, he was not a bad man to me, wrong circumstances and bad timing plus his past wounds drove him to believe the worst of his unfortunate baby-wife, it does not absolve him for the harm done but behind his wicked action there is his own pain and blameworthiness.

« Like her, Gervase had been gravely wounded by life, and he had done less healing than she had. Until she understood the origins and depths of his pain, there could be no worthwhile future for them. »

Sure the author took time to reveal what I did know from the beginning by she also distilled but of informations this or there. But the story progressed at its right pace, nothing was hurried, all perfectly timed and the side characters were incredible to like or dislike.
Madeline is really an awesome character.
I usually am not very attracted with stories about destitute women but she is a magnificent person whom has gained more from her life than it had cost her, she never lost her soul. Gervase’s cousin, Francis was also a kind and sweet allie to Diana and Geoffrey, Diana’s son was a breath of fresh air and never he was depicted as overacted.
Then the bigger threat is not the vilain but themselves and the guilt and anger they bear in their inner core that make them doubt the other and could cost them everything if they can’t overcome their pain.

« She and Gervase each carried dark scars on their souls, scars only love could heal. In the language of the heart she must be the teacher, for she knew something about giving and receiving love, while Gervase could scarcely bring himself to say the word aloud. If they were to have a future together, she must fight him; she must compel him to explore his own heart, and to let her in. »

I know rape is a trigger for many persons, so I can comprehend if readers choose to avoid this story, but I was glad I did read this book.