As featured in USA Today’s “Happy Ever After” blog–a sparkling, suspenseful mixture of Gothic romance and romantic comedy from the Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author of With This Curse and Sea of Secrets!
Vivacious actress Sybil Ingram looks forward to a life of security when she leaves the theater to marry a wealthy American. But when he dies suddenly on their wedding night, she finds … on their wedding night, she finds herself a penniless widow. Her only legacy is Brooke House, a Gothic revival manor in the wilds of the Hudson River Valley. However, the eerie mansion comes with two tenants. One is a hostile ghost. The second, and far worse, is former violinist Roderick Brooke—the most insolent, dangerous, maddeningly gorgeous man she’s ever met.
As Sybil and Roderick engage in a battle of wills—and wits—she finds herself increasingly drawn to him despite her growing suspicion of a connection between him and the spirit that haunts Brooke House. But soon an even greater threat arises: the mysterious queen of local society, Mrs. Lavinia Dove. For reasons that Sybil can’t imagine, Mrs. Dove is determined to have Brooke House and Roderick for herself… if necessary, by deadly means.
By turns mysterious and moving, sparkling and spooky, Nocturne for a Widow follows a spirited heroine through adventures in life, love, and death. From the colorful theatrical world of late-Victorian London to the American wilderness, Sybil’s travels will test her mettle–and her heart.
Length: 97,000 words ~ Sensuality level: mild/sweet
Categories: Victorian era, historical fiction, gothic romance, romantic suspense, mystery, historical, romantic comedy, ghost story, Victorian mystery, historical romance, sweet romance, supernatural, 19th-century theater, Victorian England, cozy mystery
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It wasn’t your typical quick read mystery / romance. It made me think more classical.
clean
Will be reading more from this author!
DeWees’ book is filled with wonderful characters–some you love and others you loathe! The reading is never dull, the story moves along at a good pace, and there’s something happening constantly. I found myself repeatedly feeling sorry for Sybil, who always tried to do the right thing, even when others were adamantly against her, but she wasn’t truly a character to feel sorry for as she had formidable strength in the face of overwhelming odds.
I totally enjoyed the haunting aspects of the story and wish they had been played out more fully. The dark past of Roderick Brooke also added a lot of interest to the story and an additional challenge to Sybil’s future in her new home in the wilds of the Hudson River Valley.
Would definitely recommend this book to all who enjoy a good, clean, and entertaining read!
This was a really good read. Original setting to an old theme with unexpected twist.
Loved it
Loved it
Nice period piece with a liitle supernatural thrown.
Cute book with a somewhat predictable plot but a fun, light read.
This story moves smoothly along thru the chapters even as it changes direction at times.. The love connection is not graphic but comes slowly and at times sweetly, It 00 is also filled with many emotional moments in multiple areas. No offensive language, thank you! No dull or boring chapters and no glaring cliffhangers. Our author, Amanda De Wees, has done a wonderful job of bringing different characters and many different emotional facets together to bring us a very readable and enjoyable book.
Book reminded of reading Pride and Prejudice—the writing was good—it helped transport one to another era. Once I started reading I didn’t want to put it down!
Great read!
A little repetitive in some parts but overall entertaining. Read it in one day. I liked the characters.
I enjoyed this book, it had some interesting plot twists, and hauntings. My only criticism is that some transitions in character reactions and plot changes were a little clumsy and we’re distracting. I really liked the story and the idea of the hauntings.
The ending was a little too Pat, the beginning stretched credulity. It felt rushed. I wish the author had taken a bit more time.
not realistic
I found the book only mildly entertaining. It starts out fairly well, setting up the heroine’s problem of a waning theatrical career & what seems to be a solution (marriage to a wealthy admirer) which, predictably, offers less security & more complications than expected. So far so good; but unfortunately, the plot soon descends into a series of improbabilities & romance-novel cliches. As a “whodunnit” it holds few surprises but leaves some unanswered questions. Possibly those questions were intended to leave room for a sequel–which I doubt that I’ll take the time to read if it should appear.
The book did hold my interest well enough that I was able to read to the end without giving in to boredom, but I was left thinking that there are many other books left unread that would have been a better use of my time.
So far this book hasn’t caught my attention. Taking a minute to get into reading it.
Sorry. Just couldn’t get interested in this book
Reminds me of the period pieces by English authors. Too wordy.