Out of the Bower
Honora begins to feel similarly and knows that the good-hearted gentleman’s attentions would likely ensure her future happiness, but she is intent on liberating Celia Woodlow – the friend she was forced to leave behind at the Bower. Telling Barclay only parts of her own story, Honora enlists the besotted young man to help her.
When their plan goes awry, Honora realizes that only the truth can deliver them from the emotional and societal maelstrom in which they find themselves. But if she divulges all, what will become of Honora and Barclay’s budding attachment? And will Celia ever gain her freedom?
Out of the Bower tells the tale of a forbidden romance, an ardent friendship, and the ever-essential redemption of self.
Situated
off St Martin's Lane in Covent Garden, London, Titania's Bower looked
like a coffee house by
those passing by.
For orphaned Honora Goodwin, the place looked like
a respectable
establishment
to secure work. However, once the owner, Mrs Dovey agreed to employ
her, Honora is unaware of the true nature of the business.
Honara
finds herself sharing a room with two other girls and finds a friend
in Celia Woodlow. Both form a strong bond as they plan to escape
their surroundings. Only, fate steps in, as Honora escapes and is
helped by the preacher, Barclay Durban after injuring her ankle. Safe
for now, Honora needs to save her friend,
Celia
too but how can she do that?
Ms
Walnofer's novel portrays the ugly underbelly of life in Regency
London. Set in 1817, she highlights how young, unsuspecting girls
found themselves entangled within the dark world of prostitution. She
draws our attention to the exploitation of the poor unsuspecting
victims as well as the stigma and discrimination attached to those
tarred by association. Honora's story gives pause for thought about
how a girl trained to be a governess found herself looking for work
and ended up on the doorstep of Titania's Bower, emphasising how
quickly someone's life can change during a time when there was no
safety net for people in unfortunate circumstances. The story tugs at
your heartstrings, not only for the characters but for those, who
find themselves in a similar situation in today's world.
Where
there's desolation, there's hope and the narrative shines a light on
the positives too. It's a mix of compassion and understanding set
against a world where clear lines exist between the social classes.
Thankfully, people like Barclay, who has a strong faith exist to help
those less fortunate. He's a man torn between what he knows is right
in his head, as his heart contradicts those messages. Thankfully, he
finds a way to acknowledge both.
Overall,
Out of the Bower is a thought-provoking and
richly researched
historical novel with a satisfying ending and I'm looking forward to
knowing more about the Durban family in future novels.
***review
copy
received courtesy of the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources***
A.E. Walnofer spends weekdays mobilizing the soft tissue and synovial joints of patients, and weekends typing out stories that are incessantly brewing inside her head. There are lots of these tales and she hopes to share many more of them with you in the future.
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