FAR BEYOND RUBIES has been reviewed in the Historical Novel Society’s magazine “Historical Novels Review.”
“Inside Riverside House in England in 1706 the seventh baron, William Kemp is heard shouting at his 18-year old attractive half-sister: “Bastards, Juliana! You and your sister are bastards.” He plans to banish them from Riverside. William has not only inherited the title but is claiming the estate as well. Juliana knows that under her grandpere’s will she was the rightful heir. Juliana has to prove her legitimacy and her claim.
Juliana and her sister flee Riverside to seek legal counsel in London. With William in pursuit, Juliana meets a suave gentleman named Gervaise. He has recently returned from India, having amassed a fortune and a dark complexion to boot. He offers to help Juliana in her quest as he is immediately besotted by her, for she reminds him of his late Indian wife. His proposal leads to more than a helping hand.
Rosemary Morris has penned a magnificent historical romance with superb, intimate descriptions and politico-religious conflicts of the era which immerse us into an elite society. The inclusion of snippets about Indian customs, religion and cuisine give the story a unique flavour. While the ending is predictable, the plot twists in Juliana’s and Gervaise’s quest and the evocative narration of the sexual tension between them keeps us turning the pages. Highly recommended.
Waheed Rabbani in Historical Novel Society’s Magazind “Historical Novels Review”.
5.0 of 5 stars. Enjoyable Historical Romance with Some Surprising Twists 29 Jun 2013
By Carolin Walz
Format:Kindle Edition
Picked up Rosemary Morris’ novel recently with the expectation of a nice escape into romance, and was agreeably surprised by the wealth of historical detail and engaging characters. The heroine, Juliana, is suitably persecuted by an evil step-brother and later on by a libertine suitor, and the hero, Gervaise, is not only handsome, but also mysterious, coming from a somewhat broken family and having been previously married to a woman in India. That is one of the things that sets this tale apart from the usual run of historical romances. The author is obviously quite familiar with India, and the reader gets all kinds of interesting tidbits about life there, from certain dishes Gervaise springs on his friends to what he has learned about the country’s belief systems, the latter of which at first causes quite some conflict between him and the heroine. The resolution is believable and satisfying. Well-written throughout.