Rags-To-Riches Wife

A thoroughly enjoyable Cinderella story. Jane is the daughter of a gentleman who was disowned by his father when he married a servant. Edward became a clerk, and they lived happily until he died when Jane was eight. With his death came a loss of income, so Jane and her mother became servants. Many years later, Mrs. Bailey achieved the post of housekeeper, and Jane became a lady’s maid. She is happy with her place in the world when a stranger arrives with a message summoning her to meet her estranged grandfather, Mr. Millthorpe.

Robert and his widowed mother have lived with his great-uncle-by-marriage since he was eight. He has grown rather fond of the grouchy, domineering, and sometimes manipulative old man and handles much of the estate’s business for him. He’s not too happy to be sent on this extended trip to retrieve an unknown woman with no explanation of why.

I liked the protectiveness that Jane’s employer felt for her and her desire to get to know Robert a little before helping him. I laughed a little at everything Lady Kingswood put him through before she agreed to let Jane leave with him.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Robert and Jane. It built slowly over the length of their journey and after they arrived at Beechmount Hall. Jane intrigues and attracts Robert from the start, but he is very cognizant of the difference in their stations. I loved seeing them get to know each other. Jane’s intelligence delights Robert, and they while away the hours of travel talking about everything from politics to food to what life is like as a servant. There are some sweet scenes of Robert’s gentlemanly behavior and growing feelings for Jane.

Jane’s life takes an unexpected turn when she reaches her grandfather’s home. Thrust into a situation where she’s no longer the servant, but the served, she feels more than a little bit lost and out of her element. Her grandfather makes cryptic statements that do nothing to ease her discomfort, though he eventually loosens up. The scene involving her dress and her grandmother’s portrait was especially moving. Meanwhile, his wife does everything she can to make Jane feel unwelcome. Robert’s mother is sweet, and Robert himself provides support and encouragement when Jane needs it. The time they spend together pulls Robert and Jane closer, but their social stations still present a considerable obstacle. Jane still plans to return to her post as a lady’s maid and feels the pull of her current life at Beechmount Hall.

I ached for all of them when Mr. Millworth died, but especially for Jane and Robert. Mr. Millworth continued his manipulative ways from beyond the grave, complicating matters for both Robert and Jane. Robert, who had just realized the depth of his feelings for Jane, now fears she’ll think he only wants her for her inheritance. Neither one wants the other to feel compelled to marry. Robert receives good advice from an unexpected source but fails to use the one thing that would solve his dilemma. I hurt for Jane, who gained what she wanted but without the one thing she craved the most. I loved the ending as Robert’s love showed through his kindness and compassion, and Jane recognized it and dared to admit her own. The epilogue’s peek into Jane, and Robert’s future was a nice wrap-up to the book.

I liked the attention to detail in describing a servant’s life and duties, from scullery maid to housekeeper. The differences in status between the servants and their employers were dealt with realistically. I loved the scene at the inn where a stunned Robert discovers what being a servant rates for sleeping quarters. I loved what he did about it, not just for Jane but also for the other maids. I liked how his conversations with Jane provided an eye-opening view into a world he never considered before. I also liked the scene at Beechmount Hall when Jane experienced being on the receiving end of having a lady’s maid. Her observations from her place in both worlds were a fascinating peek at a group rarely featured.

A thoroughly enjoyable Regency romance which does a really deep dive into the gulf between the gentry and the servant class in the era. Lady’s maid Jane Bailey knows her father was disowned by his family when he married her mother, but when a mysterious stranger comes to visit her employer and requests Jane accompany him to Yorkshire to meet the grandfather she’s never met, her curiosity makes it inevitable that she go.

The setup between Jane and Robert is obvious from the beginning… to everyone except the two of them, and it comes as an ugly shock when Jane’s grandfather’s will is read and their joint inheritance is conditional upon a marriage between them. Robert reacts particularly badly, having been the subject of a great many of the old man’s manipulations over the years, but to his credit he’s mainly angry on Jane’s behalf, because she realistically has much less choice in the matter than he does. He’ll still be perfectly comfortable even if he doesn’t inherit; she will not.

The examination of Jane literally living out a Cinderella story is fascinating, not least because of how very uncomfortable Jane is, the discomfort caused in part by those around her not treating her terribly well but also because Jane has very set ideas about what her own place in the world is and from the very first, she’s pushed way outside of her comfort zone. She’s happy and fulfilled as personal lady’s maid to a countess who is obviously fond of her, and doesn’t ask for anything more from life. The glittering society world opening up to her is alien and intimidating, and were it not for Robert, I could absolutely see her walking away from it with a certain amount of relief.

This is a very interesting and unusual story despite the obvious Cinderella trope, because of these careful examinations of the class structure of the era through the eyes of both Jane, who has a foot in both worlds, and Robert, who comes to a much greater awareness of what goes on below stairs as he gets to know Jane and understand what matters to her. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am delighted to award it a full five stars.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via Rachel’s Random Resources.

Rags-to-Riches Wife is author Catherine Tinley’s latest book for Harlequin/Mills & Boon Historical. Ms. Tinley is a writer who puts her heart and soul into her books and this one was no exception. Beautifully written with Ms. Tinley’s special touch makes this a must-read for Regency fans! Although this is a standalone book, our heroine Jane does appear in Ms. Tinley’s previous book, The Earl’s Runaway Governess. If you get a chance, I highly recommend reading both books!

Jane Bailey is the personal maid to Lady Kingswood. Although raised as a gentleman’s daughter until the age of eight when her father passed away, Jane and her mother have been working as servants ever since. Jane’s grandfather did not approve of his only son’s choice of a wife, and so Jane has never met her father’s family. So Jane is shocked when she finds out her Grandfather has been looking for her…

Robert Kendal is a gentleman who has been sent by his uncle by marriage, to fetch Jane Bailey to bring her back to Beechmount Hall in Yorkshire. He knows not why his Uncle is searching for the girl but makes up his own assumptions about her. Five days alone traveling together feeds the attraction between them, but neither acts upon it due to their differences in class. A friendship is formed between the two as they make their way to Yorkshire.

What a fabulous story and couple! As I mentioned earlier, for those of us who follow and read Ms. Tinley’s books we’ve already met Jane Bailey. I liked Jane in the previous story and was excited to hear she was getting her own story. As Jane finds out her grandfather who disowned her father is seeking her, you can’t help but feel her excitement at the prospect of meeting her father’s family, and yet a reluctance of not knowing what awaits her in Yorkshire. Jane was such a fabulous heroine, kind, smart and thoughtful of those around her. She struggles, in the beginning, to fit in at Beechmount Hall, but yet deals with her feeling and all those around her with grace and class. Robert is a new character for us, and I couldn’t help but fall for him! He’s a handsome, charming gentleman. It’s obvious there is an attraction on both their parts and as time passes at Beechmount Hall, their friendship is growing into something more. Together they were a sweet couple, and as the reader, you want to see them admit their feelings to each other and gain their HEA.

Ms. Tinley really did an outstanding job of pulling you into the story with her wonderful writing and fabulous characters. You immediately feel the connection between Jane and Robert when they meet and you can’t help but fall in love with them both. I found myself picking up this book frequently throughout the day to read just one more page… Besides Jane and Robert, there were also wonderful secondary characters who added to the fabulous storyline. Overall a fabulous story from an equally fabulous author, I highly recommend both!