I bought a new book. Yay. Check out my review of The Making of a Lady, a LGBTQ+ Regency romance by Charlotte Johnson.
Title: The Making of a Lady
Series: N/A
Author: Charlotte Johnson
Genre(s) Historical Romance, Regency, LGBTQ+
Pages: 272
Publication Date: April 23, 2021
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Given the chance to live as the woman he’s always known himself to be, David Drummond leaps at the opportunity to become Miss Isobel Munroe. But will the help of Isobel’s friends and Lord Peter Fairfax, the man of her dreams, be enough to help her fool the ton–and also the man who wishes David dead?
Blurb: For the whole of his life, Viscount David Drummond has been groomed to inherit the title Earl of Falkirk upon the death of his father. However, instead of enjoying the manly pursuits expected by his father, he finds his every waking moment is consumed with the belief that he should have been born a woman and not a man. For David, it is a desire to compelling to resist.
After being caught in a compromising position while dressed as a girl, David Drummond is cast out of his family home by his father. With just the clothes on his back and a few golden guineas in his pocket, he escapes to London. There, he hopes to seek out a new life when his trust comes to him on his twenty-first birthday.
Through a letter of introduction, Lady Olivia Hamilton, the Countess of Weybridge, is apprised of his secret. For particular reasons of her own, she resolves to help David become Miss Isobel Munroe, the woman he always felt meant to be. Willing to brave the scandal of discovery for a chance to be true to herself, Isobel becomes a reality, and with the help of Olivia and her friends, she begins her new life. She even finds the man of her dreams, Lord Peter Fairfax, a gentleman in need of a wife as special as she. Everything is coming together, or so it seems. But Isobel can’t escape her past so easily, for someone is seeking David Drummond–someone who wants him dead.
****
I really enjoyed Lady Charlotte’s Revenge by the author, so when The Making of a Lady became available, I made sure to purchase myself a copy. I am happy to say, the author lived up to my expectations.
As the blurb says, Viscount David Drummond knows he’s been born in the wrong body and wants to be a lady. When he’s caught by his father in a compromising position, he’s thrown out, but a wealthy widow comes to his aid. She offers David what he’s yearned for: the chance to be a lady.
Having put off marriage because he has no inclination to bed a woman, Lord Peter Fairfax needs a wife or he’ll lose his inheritance. When he seeks the matchmaking widow for her help, she gets the idea to pair him with David, who has become Miss Isobel Munroe.
I must say I really felt for the hero and heroine. Both are born in a time when who they truly are is frowned upon, even scandalous. This is where the character arcs begin, since both must become comfortable with who they truly are, and lose their fears of being their true selves, especially David, who’s already been rejected by his family.
I enjoyed David becoming who he’s truly meant to be: Miss Isobel Munroe. The author takes us through his fears and worries that are wonderfully executed. The author does so in a way that he ceases being “David” to the reader and becomes “Isobel.”
There are even characters from Lady Charlotte’s Revenge who make appearances to help, and play strong roles in Isobel’s transformation.
The author paints beautiful descriptions that add great visuals to the storytelling that made me feel as if I was in Regency England. The same for the dialogue and mindset of that era. The people closest to Isobel helped Lady Charlotte become who she is, and they gave Isobel the courage to keep pushing to become her true self.
There is even some suspense that comes about that keeps the reader on their toes, wondering what will happen and if Isobel will be outed.
My only quibble was the unnecessary POVs from the other characters. When I read a romance, I like my focus to be on the two main protagonists. Still, with that quibble aside, this is a lovely LGBTQ+ read. And one I highly recommend. Do yourself a favour and get a copy.
Have you read The Making of a Lady? If so, do you agree with my review? If you haven’t read the book, would you be willing to now?
Maggie Blackbird 