Archives for December 2015

And the reviews keep coming…

December 31, 2015 By BlissBennet Leave a Comment

It’s been so exciting to read the strong reviews being garnered by both A Rebel without a Rogue and A Man without a Mistress since their publication earlier this year. Thought I’d ring out 2015 by sharing some of my favorites:

For A Rebel without a Rogue:

“A sparkling debut.” — Historical Novel Society Indie Reviews

“Bennet’s historically, thematically rich romance bodes well for having another great, and they’re pretty scarce these days, historical romance writer to look forward to.” —Miss Bates, of the Miss Bates Reads Romance blog

“A beautifully written tale of the Irish Rebellion, justice, mistaken identity, vengeance, secrets, family, passion, redemption, betrayal, healing, and so much more. Finding love and romance amidst much turmoil, prejudice and injustices. I find this story mesmerizing, intriguing and fascinating with Irish fanatics and dangerous situations . . . . Fans of Historical Fiction, historical romance, the Irish Rebellion, passion, romance, and love will enjoy this dangerous but compelling story. A wonderful read!” — My Book Addiction Reviews

“After their first emotionally charged kiss, I found myself sucked into such an emotionally complex relationship that I was very surprised. It’s such a dance of outside, societal influences and deep, tearing emotions that the reader can’t help but feel every glance or embrace. . . . I’d definitely recommend this one to historical fiction lovers. It’s something different than your typical Regency era book and a great read.” —Montana Bookworm

“ The author has done an excellent job researching and portraying historical facts from the Irish Rebellion. She has integrated history into a perfect work of fiction mixed in with vengeance, mystery, betrayal, and love. Mrs. Bennet’s heroine is broken and unloved but has many redeemable qualities. The hero is young and naive but together they work. She also writes secondary characters in a way that leaves the reader wanting to know more about them. As a whole this is a story I would highly recommend to anyone who likes history in their romance, a story that brings two very unlikely people together and creates a love that could last a lifetime.” — Alwyztrouble’s Romance Book Reviews

“If you are a real history lover then this is definitely the book to read. If you love the agony of emotion and heart then you will absolutely not want to miss this story!” — Swedenmom (amazon review)

A beautifully written love story that has everything you want in a great historical romance with heart wrenching emotion, heartbreak and a great HAE. Really enjoyed this book, cannot wait for the next one in the series.” — Jaci (Goodreads)

“Excellent Story. I enjoyed the strong characters…and I was so engrossed that I didn’t want to sneak / spoil the story by looking at the end. I’ll be looking for more books by this author :)” —Mary Hart (Goodreads)

For A Man without a Mistress:

“Bennet skillfully weaves mystery, political history, and romance together in this captivating novel. She surprises the reader by including in this story with its threads of grief, guilt, and grimness a couple of humorous scenes that reminded me of my favorite scene in Georgette Heyer’s The Unknown Ajax. But I think her finest achievement is the heroine who remains unconventional to the end even when she cooperates in the most conventional of romance fiction’s elements: the HEA.” — Janga, Heroes and Heartbreakers blog

“A Man Without a Mistress, the second of Bliss Bennet’s Pennington series, is savvy, sensual and engrossing, and manages a spot-on balance of realism and buoyancy. The hero and heroine are refreshingly equal in all but their gender — they’re a couple of resourceful, damaged, wry, intelligent, lonely and delightful messes.” — Kathy Altman, USA Today’s Happily Ever After Blog

Ackermann’s Fashion Plates March 1811

December 16, 2015 By BlissBennet Leave a Comment

Arbiter Elegantarium notes that he’s not had need of commenting on the current state of fashion in recent issues, as mourning for Princess Amelia still continues. The mourning period is likely to be lifted soon, he states, and anticipates the bloom of color in spring with pleasure, both for the variety they will offer, and the likelihood of witnessing extremes, which will provide him with “sufficient subject for animadversion.” Ah, how AE loves to censure the foibles of the fashionable world…

: Plate 17, Vol. V, no. xxvii, page 168

: Plate 18, Vol. V, no. xxvii, page 168

*Plate 18 recommends adorning oneself with a necklace and earrings of pearl, or “Mocho stone.” I hadn’t heard of the latter, but a check of Thomas Sheridan’s A Complete Dictionary of the English Language revealed it to be: “nearly related to the agat kind, of a clear horny grey, with delineations representing losses, shrubs, an beaches, in the substance of the stone.” Or, in modern parlance, dendritic agate.

Dress goods dominate this month’s fabric samples, with a bright “permanent morone printed cambric” (morone = crimson or maroon), and two figured shot-sarcenets, one dark green, one creamy white. The abstract figures of sample 4 seem quite modern, don’t they?

Vol. V, no. xxvii, page 175

Ackermans’s Fashion Plates February 1811

December 9, 2015 By BlissBennet Leave a Comment

No commentary this month, just descriptions of the costumes in two plates. One of a Walking Dress, or Carriage Costume, the other featuring two Opera Dresses. The Walking Dress is described “trimmed with Astrakan fur”; the tippet and “ridicule” are made of the same. I’d heard the word “Astrakan” before, but I wasn’t quite sure what it referred to. The OED uses the spelling “astrakhan,” and includes two definitions: “The skin of still-born or very young lambs from Astrakhan in Russia, the wool of which resembles fur”; “A kind of cloth used chiefly as an editing or trimming for garments.” The latter definition, though, dates from 1887, so I’m guessing we’re talking about poor little lambs here.

: Plate 11, Vol. V, no. xxvi, page 104

: Plate 12, Vol. V, no. xxvi, page 104

Want to decorate just like a Prince? Well, this month you can, for February 1811’s fabric samples includes a chintz “designed by Mr. Allen, of Pall-Mall, for the bed-room furniture of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, at Carleton-House.” How many members of the ton do you think rushed out to visit Mr. Allen for a sample?

Vol. V, no. xxvi, page 111

Ackermanns Fashion Plates January 1811

December 2, 2015 By BlissBennet Leave a Comment

The mourning ring the Prince Regent commissioned on the death of his sister, Princess Amelia

One of the 52 mourning rings the Prince Regent commissioned on the death of his sister, Princess Amelia

The theme of mourning continues from last month’s Repository to this one. Princess Amelia, daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte, died the previous November. I’ve read that a protocol officer of the court typically decreed the degree and length of official mourning when a member of the royal family died, but I haven’t been able to find any mention of the specific length of public mourning decreed for the 27-year-old princess. Perhaps a month? Ackermann’s prints for January showcase both full and partial mourning outfits:

: Plate 3, Vol. V, no. XXV, page 49

: Plate 4, Vol. V, no. XXV, page 49

And this month’s fabric swatches tend more toward the silvery-blue than to straight black (and even the black sample is deemed “particularly adapted for half-mourning dress”). The silvery polka dot (“grey embossed satin”) is quite lovely, don’t you think, even if you’re not in second mourning.