A common woman in Victorian London… intriguing man who fascinates her. While Victory may not have been looking for love, it found her just the same.
A veterinarian on the brink of scientific discovery…
Dr. Rhys Grayson is a respected scientist, a man who has devoted his life to the cure of disease by the study of rats. But that isn’t his only talent. With his recorder, he can ‘enchant’ the rodents by his song, an ability that caused his engagement to falter long ago. He meets Victory by a chance of fate, and his heart starts to beat again. He sees promise for a future that he thought was lost. But when enemies begin to creep out of the East End and threaten everything he holds dear, Rhys must make some difficult decisions, or risk losing the one woman who brought him back to life.
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Really good suspenseful take on The Pied Piper.
Rhys Grayson is a veterinarian who studies rats and the illnesses they carry. He has a special talent that aids in collection of rats. Can you guess what it is? Victory Jones has come back to London to open a photography studio to create memento mori photos to comfort families at their time of loss. She has a sensitive eye and produces compelling portraits. Each is interested in the other’s work, and they rapidly become friends. Will working together lead to love between these two odd companions?
This is an absolutely charming and deliciously creepy retelling of the Pied Piper, for adults. Tory is an orphan taken in and raised by Lady Goosebury. She is a sweet girl with a kind heart. Rhys is a talented, reform minded man. He is a bit skittish about his feelings for Tory due to an unpleasant reaction to his rat catching by his once betrothed. There is a bit of trouble with some less than savory ratcatchers, but Rhys handles it. Rebecca Veltree is delightful and hosts a party with some very nice surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed Tabetha Waite’s interesting take on this familiar fairytale.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
A twist of fate, when least expected, Victory meets Rhys. Rhys is a scientist studying rats and the illnesses they carry. On the side he sells the rats for pets. Tory has returned to open her own business doing memento mori photos to comfort families at their time of loss. She handles this beautifully. These two people find something with each other they weren’t even searching for. They are both good people who are trying to make there way in the lower classes of England. Between catching and training rats, selling Fancy Rat, and following her dreams, Tory and Rhys fall in love. This was a interesting play on the Pied Piper but so worth the read.
Victorian England is full of fanciful, extraordinary stories. This one touches on some of that with the main characters being a photographer and a man who studies rats, and yes uses his recorder to sooth them. Tabetha’s imagination knows no bounds as she weaves a tale filled with references to historical figures and the magic of the pied piper!
Tory had been raised by Lady Goosebury when her parents passed away. Actually said Lady took in many orphans and they had been her family. But she also encourage Tory to do what she was interest in and helped get her some training. Now Tory was back in London and ready to open her shop and get started.
Rhys was focused on his research of rats and hoped to find some cures to help people in healing and living longer with his experiments.
A shared passion of learning and almost a love at first sight… What can be better? Immerse yourself in this wonderful story and sit back and enjoy! Cannot wait for the next installment!
This was such a delightful change of pace to step away from dukes, ballrooms & the Ton’s rules. I enjoyed the middle class people, the freedoms they had and the characters were wonderful.
Miss Victory Jones was orphaned early in life and was lucky enough to be raised and educated by Mrs. Goosebury. Because she never knew her parents, she always dreamed of capturing photographs of death. As she became a young lady and was trained by a successful female photographer; she opened her own photography shop in London and would offer memento mori photos to grieving families as a remembrance of their loved one. Everything is starting to fall into place until she meets a fascinating man and while she was not seeking love, she could not deny the pull he had on her.
Dr. Rhys Grayson is a veterinarian but his specialty is the scientific side of the animal care. Specifically, the study of London’s horrible rat problem, the diseases the rats carried and how to find a cure. However, science is not his only talent as he can play his recorder and the soothing sound puts the rodents in a trance-like state for capture and study. This particular talent caused his betrothal to end badly when the lady felt he should be committed to a mental institution. Then he met Tory and his heart began to beat again and the walls around it were crumbling.
Rhys and Tory were such a great couple – he offered her his friendship, his trustworthiness and love & she helped him heal from his loss of love & the loss of his two siblings. The adventures they had on the way to their HEA was full of danger, suspense, and wonderful friends. I loved this retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamelin and I found Ms. Waite did a perfect interpretation of bringing the tale from the 1200’s to the 1800’s.
I was gifted the Advanced Reader Copy of this book & all opinions are my own & have been voluntarily given.
Miss Victory Jones has dreamed of capturing the haunting images of death photography ever since she was an orphan, raised on the goodwill of Lady Goosebury. She never knew her parents, so she wants to give a measure of comfort to those who have suffered the pain of loss. Dr. Rhys Grayson is a respected scientist, a man who has devoted his life to the cure of disease by the study of rats. But that isn’t his only talent. With his recorder, he can “enchant”’ the rodents by his song, an ability that caused his betrothal to falter long ago. When he meets Victory by a chance of fate, his heart starts to beat again. He sees promise for a future that he thought was lost.
The author is a must read for me but I nearly gave this book a miss, not because of the writing but because of the occupations of Tory & Rhys both of which made me feel uncomfortable. That said I read this long novella in a sitting but admit to having skipped some pages which dealt with the four legged creatures but that was down to my phobia nothing to do with the writing. I loved Rhys & Tory, their attraction was immediate & fate conspired for them to meet. I loved how their relationship developed, they were perfect for each other.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
The Piper’s Paramour
Lady Goosebury’s Tales
Tabetha Waite
https://www.facebook.com/TotallyTabetha/
Release date 07/01/2020
Blurb :
A common woman in Victorian London…
Miss Victory Jones has dreamed of capturing the haunting images of death photography ever since she was an orphan, raised on the goodwill of Lady Goosebury. She never knew her parents, so she wants to give a measure of comfort to those who have suffered the pain of loss. But just as everything she’s worked for is so close at hand, she meets an intriguing man who fascinates her. While Victory may not have been looking for love, it found her just the same.
A veterinarian on the brink of scientific discovery…
Dr. Rhys Grayson is a respected scientist, a man who has devoted his life to the cure of disease by the study of rats. But that isn’t his only talent. With his recorder, he can “enchant”’ the rodents by his song, an ability that caused his betrothal to falter long ago. When he meets Victory by a chance of fate, his heart starts to beat again. He sees promise for a future that he thought was lost. But when enemies begin to creep out of the East End and threaten everything he holds dear, Rhys must make some difficult decisions… or risk losing the one woman who brought him back to life.
My review :
My first thought is what a lovely and fun read it was. I love when authors step outside the classic ballroom party and peers environment. Commoners are as fun as dukes, they are allowed much more freedom.
Plus the old tale used as a background plot was quite fun, and I do not even remember to have read any retelling of this folktale.
I even googled some of the people named in the book, as they were real historical figures, and it was great to learn more about them from the rats catcher to the photographers or writers.
Victory is no usual miss, and because of her upbringing as an orphan, she has chosen a very peculiar path as a living. I discovered not so long ago the existence of this memento mori photos, yet it was interesting to learn more about the process and the why behind those pictures.
She is a woman of her time, looking to create her own path, to be master of her life.
I loved her, she knows what she wants and does not shy away.
Rhys is such a good man to love, while his life has been easier, he also learned the price of loss, and in the way lost a part of himself. In his work and his ability to charm rats with his recorder, he found a way to step outside the walls he built after his siblings death. And while he was once burned at love, his fortuitous encounter with Victory, instead of reopening old wounds, shows him there are different way to love.
Mrs Tabitha recreated an old legend in a cute fast paced romance with lovely characters in a much modern setting and a different outcome.
5 stars
I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/651497558772752/?d=n
This is a sweet retelling of the children’s story of the Pipe Piper, however this is the adult version. Tabetha Waite shows off her writing skills of intriguing her readers with a welcoming story of mystery. Her ability to describe scenes for the reader definitely helps their imagination to get carried away in the book. I voluntary reviewed this ARC after receiving a free gifted copy.