Monday, January 23, 2017

A Certain Age - Blog Tour Historical Fiction Review

About A Certain Age

• Paperback: 352 pages • Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (January 3, 2017) The bestselling author of A Hundred Summers brings the Roaring Twenties brilliantly to life in this enchanting and compulsively readable tale of intrigue, romance, and scandal in New York Society, brimming with lush atmosphere, striking characters, and irresistible charm. As the freedom of the Jazz Age transforms New York City, the iridescent Mrs. Theresa Marshall of Fifth Avenue and Southampton, Long Island, has done the unthinkable: she’s fallen in love with her young paramour, Captain Octavian Rofrano, a handsome aviator and hero of the Great War. An intense and deeply honorable man, Octavian is devoted to the beautiful socialite of a certain age and wants to marry her. While times are changing and she does adore the Boy, divorce for a woman of Theresa’s wealth and social standing is out of the question, and there is no need; she has an understanding with Sylvo, her generous and well-respected philanderer husband. But their relationship subtly shifts when her bachelor brother, Ox, decides to tie the knot with the sweet younger daughter of a newly wealthy inventor. Engaging a longstanding family tradition, Theresa enlists the Boy to act as her brother’s cavalier, presenting the family’s diamond rose ring to Ox’s intended, Miss Sophie Fortescue—and to check into the background of the little-known Fortescue family. When Octavian meets Sophie, he falls under the spell of the pretty ingĂ©nue, even as he uncovers a shocking family secret. As the love triangle of Theresa, Octavian, and Sophie progresses, it transforms into a saga of divided loyalties, dangerous revelations, and surprising twists that will lead to a shocking transgression . . . and eventually force Theresa to make a bittersweet choice. Full of the glamour, wit and delicious twists that are the hallmarks of Beatriz Williams’ fiction and alternating between Sophie’s spirited voice and Theresa’s vibrant timbre, A Certain Age is a beguiling reinterpretation of Richard Strauss’s comic opera Der Rosenkavalier, set against the sweeping decadence of Gatsby’s New York.

My Review:

I have been wanting to read Beatriz Williams for a few years now but somehow never quite managed to make it happen.  So I was really excited when the tour opportunity for A Certain Age came up.  I love the time period and that cover is just ridiculous but what if it didn't live up to my expectations?  I will say that A Certain Age wasn't quite what I was expecting - it was better.  This is a lighter read but it isn't fluffy and it most definitely isn't silly.  The characters aren't perfect - in fact I didn't particularly care for Theresa at the beginning of the book.  But that didn't last long becasue as I got to know her I felt like I understood her and her flip remarks and shocking comments were just bravado - a shield to protect her real feelings.  The other primary characters - Sophie, Jay, Octavian - are also nicely flawed without being overdone.  I guessed the shocking family secret fairly quickly and I wasn't particularly surprised by the outcome of the book itself but that wasn't a negative.  I loved seeing the interaction between the characters and watching the story spin out around them.  While the story itself wasn't particularly surprising the writing was fluctuating between matter of fact, sarcastic, humourous and the occasional moments of heartbreak.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am glad I've finally read Beatriz Willimas.  I'm very much looking forward to reading more from her.  Rating: Very Good

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Beatriz Williams

A graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from Columbia, Beatriz Williams spent several years in New York and London hiding her early attempts at fiction, first on company laptops as a communications strategy consultant, and then as an at-home producer of small persons, before her career as a writer took off. She lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore. Find out more about Beatriz at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

19 comments:

  1. That cover is gorgeous! I have never read Beatriz Williams either but might have to change that now. Great review!!

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  2. I love Beatriz Williams - A Certain Age wasn't my favorite of hers, but it was still great.

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  3. Yeah, that cover is gorgeous. Do you ever feel like since you read so many mysteries, it's kind of easy to guess any big surprises? I do. I don't read many these days, but I used to read them voraciously.

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  4. I have this on my list to read, and am reading another new one by her set in same times. I am only just getting into it so waiting to see. However have loved some of her previous books.

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  5. Oh, I'm so glad you liked this book. I meant to try her out last year but with so much hype I didn't want to be disappointed. I have her on my list for this year.
    And thank you for sweetly commenting on my cards. I'm still workin' on my card game, trying to get a better feel of the materials and to make them more intricate. Mine right now are standard and a bit of same geometrical layers.

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  6. Nice review, I've heard good things about her writing too in other reviews. I wanted to read her Along the Infinite SEa but never got to it, I may still.

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  7. I still haven't gotten to Along the Infinite Sea. She sounds like a writer I would like to add to the shelves, glad you enjoyed it.

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  8. Great! Happy you got more out of this than expected. Always nice to be even more pleasantly surprised and happy.
    I need to get to more historical fiction/romance this year. Really badly.

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  9. I love this time period, great review.

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  10. Great review! Not sure I've read many books based in this era. Will have to check her out :)

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  11. This looks like a very interesting book. I love the time period but I don't think I have read many books that take place then. I am glad that you enjoyed this one. Great review!

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  12. I've enjoyed a couple of her previous books so I'm glad this one was a win for you.

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  13. I would enjoy this, and gads that cover..I would love to frame it!

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  14. Sounds interesting. I like what you say about the main character. I feel the same way; I don't have to like a main character as long as I can understand/connect with her/him in some way.

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  15. I love this cover and I have a weakness for the 20's. I am glad you enjoyed this, it really sounds like a fun read.
    Great review!

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  16. I love it when a book exceeds my expectations!

    Thanks for being a part of the tour.

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  17. Sounds like you really enjoyed this one. I actually really like it when characters grow on you instead of being instantly likable. May check this one out in the future. Thanks for the review!

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  18. lol that cover is ridiculous. Love it! Yay for it being more than you expected :)

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  19. I think I would like this book with love interests, the roaring 20s, perhaps a scandal or two. I like that cover.

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