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Lost Enchantment
First published 1972 · 320 pages
A breathless, vintage Regency romp where aristocratic cynicism melts before woodland innocence amidst the backdrop of Napoleonic spy fever.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage romance feels like stepping into a beautifully preserved, pastel-hued time capsule of the Regency era. The pace is brisk and delightfully breathless, sweeping the reader through a whirlwind of high-society glamour, idyllic woodland encounters, and mild espionage. The mood balances the swoony, melodramatic tension of a classic love triangle with the cozy comfort of a guaranteed happily-ever-after. Its prose is unapologetically flowery, lingering on the rustle of silk and the sparkle of green eyes, delivering dramatic declarations of love with absolute earnestness. It is a perfect, comforting escape for readers who adore traditional, sweet historical romances where a cynical, dashing lord is utterly disarmed by a pure-hearted heroine in distress.
- Mood
- swoony
- idyllic
- glamorous
- suspenseful
- Tone
- earnest
- melodramatic
- romantic
- breathless
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- innocence and experience · fated love · aristocratic duty · hidden secrets · protective devotion
- The writing
- Flowery and highly romanticized, the sentences are filled with lush descriptions of nature, aristocratic finery, and dramatic declarations of feeling.
- The arc
- The journey moves from cynical world-weariness and fearful isolation to a breathless, protective, and triumphant romance.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave vintage, sweet Regency romances featuring dashing, arrogant lords and pure-hearted heroines swept up in mild espionage.
Content notes
- mild peril
- period-typical sexism
About the book
1803 is the year of the expected invasion of Bonaparte's fleet, and hundreds of flat-bottomed barges in the ports of France are waiting to carry his seasoned troops across the Channel. Unprepared England is in the grip of spy fever and the Marquis of Alton has been appointed to discover a suspected leak in Government circles.
The dashing Marquis of Alton was one of England's wealthiest noblemen. The most enchanting beauties in London were eager for his embrace and the loveliest of them all was determined to marry him. The Marquis, blue-devilled and incensed, repairs to his country house after nearly being trapped into marriage by Lady Leone Harlington.
Then, walking in the green and gold-flecked woods on his estate, he met a mysterious and bewitching young woman, and he rescues her small dog from a trap. Who was this green-eyed wood nymph, with her elfin grace and unspoiled charm? Why was she so terrified? He must find her again and learn the truth. At last, when fate did bring them together, he was drawn with Sylvina into a drama of powerful passions that threatened to destroy them both!
Description from Open Library.
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