DUCHESS OF FIFTH AVENUE

Author: Ruth Ryan Langan ISBN: 0425208893 2/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: BERKELY SENSATION
Time Period: 1882 Ireland, 1890's New York

Plucky young Lana Dunleavy left Ireland with her best friend Siobhan in search of a better life—but New York's harsh streets aren't quite what they expected. Employed as a maid for a wealthy family, Lana hopes to earn enough money to find a home for Siobhan and her son, Colin, away from Siobhan's wretched husband. Then tragedy suddenly strikes, and the only chance for Lana to save her precious Colin is to transform herself—from a maid to a lady... Ever resourceful, she engages a charming and selfassured confidence man, Jesse Jordan, to teach her the finer points of high society. But Jesse is hiding a secret of his own—and he's about to be trapped by his own deception. For as willing as he is to help the beautiful Lana with her scheme, he never planned on falling in love...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

DUCHESS OF FIFTH AVENUE is a not-too-pretty romance which depicts the hard life endured by many in poor and famine-plagued Ireland as well as the wretched slums and tenements of New York City during the late 19th century. This alone is enough to earn Langan a Top Pick in my book. Gritty, hard, and true to what I've learned about the 19th century poor and working classes in both America and abroad, Langan has done her research well and doesn't miss a beat. Her deft portrayal of the underclass lifestyle set against that of New York City's affluent society—i.e. the Vanderbilts—is in sharp contrast and adds greatly to the aura of this engaging romance.

The twist on the pygmalion theme works well here. Lana's pluck and loyalty to her "adopted family" and new found friends, as well as to her sense of morals, makes her not just a woman to be reckoned with, but the shining star of this story. Jesse, the gambler and con who befriends her, is, of course, doing a little slight of hand of his own. His ever present, unwavering aid to Lana and his determination to help her gain custody of Colin, no matter what, are the stuff that heroes of romance are made of.

More than anything else, though, it's the multitude of secondary characters along with Langan's depiction of the Gay Nineties that place this character driven romance as a must read. Any historical romance lover that's a true fan of the Victorian and Gay Nineties eras as I am, will appreciate DUCHESS OF FIFTH AVENUE.

Nancy Davis