THE MACKERBY SCANDAL

Author: Omma Velada ISBN: 1904781101 8/2004 HISTORICAL Publisher: UKA Press
Time Period: Regency

'If that stable boy were a gentleman, I am sure I should be half in love with him by now! He looks very well indeed, do not you find?' Catherine was too much appalled at Sarah's want of delicacy to reply. As they were returning home, however, Catherine's curiosity overcame her modesty and she stole a glance at James. She felt as though she had never really looked at him before. His hair was as untidy as ever and his clothes were certainly unimpressive, being the commonest livery. But beneath the brim of his top hat, she could see that his eyes glittered like two dark jewels and his strong nose seemed sculpted from stone. It was altogether a more handsome face than any she had yet come across in a ballroom and she found she must agree with her friend. If James were a gentleman, she certainly might be in some danger. Then she suddenly remembered the destitute Miss Mackerby and looked away in horror. Catherine Haywood is destined to marry well. Her father has even selected a suitable husband for her - Mr Larkin of Ellis Park. Haunted by the scandalous fate that befell Miss Mackerby eight years ago, she becomes engaged to him, determined that history will not repeat itself. But then she meets James, Mr Larkin's groom... Set against the bitter class struggles of the Regency period, this historical romance unfolds the story of an unfeasible relationship between a lady of the gentry and her fiancé's manservant.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

This novel is very sweet and charming, suitable for young adult readers and geared toward those readers who prefer stories that focus on character development, rather than the physical actions that take place between characters in most romance novels. Velada’s novel is very innocent, as there is nothing more intimate than a kiss and declarations of love between any of the characters. While the novel is a little slow in the beginning, the naiveté of the main character, Catherine, keeps one turning the pages, as readers watch Catherine grow and become an enlightened young woman who learns that there is more to life than society’s strictures.

As Catherine sees it, the wealthy marry the wealthy, and the poor marry the poor, and there is no reason to want for a higher status than what one was born with. As the story unfolds, Catherine begins to look at life ‘outside the box’. Upon meeting James, a servant, Catherine learns that men and women are more than their social status. James opens Catherine’s eyes to the injustices of the working class and the selfishness exhibited by many of her peers. Velada challenges readers to imagine what it must have been like to be bound by such a strict society, and to desire for someone, and love someone, outside of one’s social class.

There are many characters in the novel, and many twists and turns in the story. Just when you think you know who is marrying whom, you find out that THE MACKERBY SCANDAL is anything but predictable. Velada’s novel is riddled with lessons on life—being true to oneself, following your heart, and learning that love cannot be controlled. This is a very charming and sweet novel, enjoyable for those who are reading a romance for the first time, or a seasoned reader looking for a more demure story.

Carrye Syma