Must Love Breeches

Angela
Quarles
Genre: 
Other

TIME TRAVEL:  Isabelle Rochon loves her new life in London, enjoys her job at the British Museum, and seeks love. At a reenactment ball she hopes to find romance with a coworker, who turns out to be a vile snake. Embarrassed, she slips into a corner, and suddenly back in time. Dropped in the midst of a ball in 1834 she is shocked to discover herself face to face with the daughter of Lord Byron. Ada Byron befriends Isabelle and becomes her only confidant in her bizarre predicament. 

 

Lord Phineas Montagu, the Vicious Viscount, is intrigued by the Colonial who appears at the ball. For the sake of his cousin he aids her until he realizes he could use Isabelle’s assistance. Together they will solve two riddles, but also face the pain of separation when she can return to her real life. 

 

Time travel is a tricky genre to play in and “Must Love Breeches” broaches the subject well, delving into the past with ease, and returning to the story’s present with deft ability. The complex journey that Isabelle takes is handled beautifully, and the characters are believable. The romance is the stuff of tawdry lust, born of honey-like sweetness. Isabelle and Phineas are a couple worth knowing. The middle becomes a tad labored, slowing the flow of the tale down, but when the action returns, it is with a delightful twist. The quotes for each chapter, taken from the works of Lord Byron, are spot on and a perfect match for the novel. 

 

Penelope Anne Bartotto