Forsaking All Other
by Catherine Meyrick
Publication Date: April 1, 2018
Courante Publishing
eBook & Print; 291 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Love is no game for women; the price is far too high.
England 1585.
Bess Stoughton, waiting woman to the well-connected Lady Allingbourne, has discovered that her father is arranging for her to marry an elderly neighbour. Normally obedient Bess rebels and wrests from her father a year’s grace to find a husband more to her liking.
Edmund Wyard, a taciturn and scarred veteran of England’s campaign in Ireland, is attempting to ignore the pressure from his family to find a suitable wife as he prepares to join the Earl of Leicester’s army in the Netherlands.
Although Bess and Edmund are drawn to each other, they are aware that they can have nothing more than friendship. Bess knows that Edmund’s wealth and family connections place him beyond her reach. And Edmund, with his well-honed sense of duty, has never considered that he could follow his own wishes. Until now.
With England on the brink of war and fear of Catholic plots extending even into Lady Allingbourne’s household, time is running out for both of them.
You can read the first chapter here.
The beautiful cover for the novel was designed by Jennifer Quinlan of Historical Fiction Book Covers.
Amazon (Kindle) | Kindle (Paperback) | Barnes and Noble | Kobo
About the Author
Catherine Meyrick is a writer of historical fiction with a particular love of Elizabethan England. Her stories weave fictional characters into the gaps within the historical record – tales of ordinary people who are very much men and women of their time, yet in so many ways not unlike ourselves.
Although she grew up in regional Victoria, Australia, she has lived all her adult life in Melbourne. She has worked as a nurse, a tax assessor and finally a librarian. She has a Master of Arts in history and is also a family history obsessive.
For more information, please visit Catherine Meyrick’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Review!
This was a beautifully written book; one that takes place in one of my favorite times in history. Perhaps one has gathered that by how passionate I can be about the Elizabethan era. With a backdrop of the Catholics versus Protestants and always the worry of ‘Papist Plots’ to overthrow Elizabeth, I was certainly intrigued. I was always rather awestruck by how many plots were hatched or at least, thought were hatched.
Our heroine, Bess Stoughton, has been given a year to find a husband of her own choosing, upon her father arranging a marriage to an elderly neighbor. Meanwhile, Edmund Wyard is a veteran from the Ireland campaign. Whilst he needs to marry, he has no inclination to. But when he and Bess meet, there’s a connection. They’re from two different backgrounds, however, and statuses. So it does beg the question of if they’ll be able to overcome that?
Both are excellent characters, equally able to draw you in. The story is crafted beautifully and keeps you guessing. You need to grab a copy for yourselves so you can read this; it’s a wonderful story.
- I’d give it ★★★ stars.
- I was provided a copy from the author in exchange for my honest review. 😀 (Thank you!)
- I would recommend this to a friend!
Excerpt!
Wyard studied Lucy Torrington. Was this the manner of woman his mother thought would suit him best? She was well-dowered and, no doubt, malleable. But she was not to his taste, insipid was probably the best way to describe her. It had been a mistake to allow Eloise to talk him into coming here, he should have gone straight to Bucklings Hall.
He glanced at Bess Stoughton. Of all the women present she was the most appealing. Despite his initial misgivings, she seemed honest and sensible. She was not predatory or flirtatious, nothing like that bold piece who had tried to get him to dance last night. Perhaps Bess Stoughton’s relationship with that serving man was some sort of protection—life could be difficult for a widow. And she looked at him with neither pity nor revulsion.
‘You know Mistress Torrington well?’
‘As well as any. Lucy is a good and gentle girl who deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.’
‘Who does not?’
Her eyelashes fluttered as if surprised at his comment. ‘Lucy would bloom best married to someone who loved her.’
‘Few have that blessing. Kindness and respect are the best that most of us can hope for.’
She bit her lip, frowning. ‘Are you considering marrying Lucy?’
Wyard shrugged, ‘She is one of a number of young women my mother thinks would make a suitable bride.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘It may be more accurate to say would make a suitable good-daughter.’
‘Do you have a list of requirements—number of hands high, girth, teeth, temperament? A list such as you would take to a horse market.’
It sounded ridiculous the way she described it. He gave a sudden bark of laughter. ‘In truth, I have no list.’
‘Do you always do as your mother wishes?’
‘Rarely, but it is probably time I married and she fears that, left to my own devices, I will either never marry or choose someone highly unsuitable.’
‘Who would be unsuitable?’
‘From my mother’s position, someone without money or connections.’
‘And from your own?’
‘I have not thought so far.’ If you could not marry the best, the most loving woman you had ever met, it really did not matter.
‘Well you should. Can you imagine what it is like for a woman married to a man who is forcing himself to his duty, who does not like her company or her person, who married her simply because his mother or his father told him to?’
He had never thought of it from a woman’s point of view. ‘Was your own marriage like that?’
‘You lack courtesy, Master Wyard.’
‘But you sound as if you speak from experience.’
‘That is none of your business,’ she snapped, colour flooding her cheeks. ‘If I were a man, if I had your freedom, I would do exactly as I pleased. I would never accept a bride who had been bundled up for me by my mother.’ She glared at him, ‘Now, if you will excuse me.’ She swept away towards the group of singers, her back straight and her head held high.
Wyard wanted to stop her, to explain it was never so easy. He watched her go, wondering why he had never imagined he could truly do as he wished.
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 2 paperback copies of Forsaking All Other! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on June 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Clarissa Reads It All. 
Thank you for the lovely review and for hosting my book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person