Trouble For The Leading Lady by Rachel Brimble. #BlogTour

Bath, 1852.

As a girl, Nancy Bloom would go to Bath’s Theatre Royal, sit on the hard wooden benches and stare in awe at the actresses playing men as much as the women dressed in finery. She longed to be a part of it all and when a man promised her parents he could find a role for Nancy in the theatre, they believed him.

His lie and betrayal led to her ruin.

Francis Carlyle is a theatre manager, an ambitious man always looking for the next big thing to take the country by storm. A self-made man, Francis has finally shed the skin of his painful past and is now rich, successful and in need of a new female star. Never in a million years did he think he’d find her standing on a table in one of Bath’s bawdiest pubs.

Nancy vowed never to trust a man again. Francis will do anything to make her his star. As they engage in a battle of wits and wills, can either survive with their hearts intact?

The second in Rachel Brimble’s thrilling new Victorian saga series, Trouble for the Leading Lady will whisk you away to the riotous, thriving underbelly of Victorian Bath.

My Thoughts

As a young girl, Nancy Bloom would often find herself sitting on the hard wooden benches of Bath’s Royal Theatre, marvelling at the actresses in all of their finery, as well as those actresses who are playing the roles of men. Nancy had always dreamed of being a part of it all, so when a man promised her parents that he could certainly find Nancy a role on the stage they put their faith in him, however his betrayal quickly leads to her ruin.

Francis Carlyle is a theatre manager, a man who has created his own success after overcoming his difficult past. He is on the look out for a new leading lady for his show, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect to find her standing on a table in a bar. However, convincing Nancy to put her trust in a man once more will prove difficult after her previous experiences, but Francis is more determined than ever to persuade her that he is a trustworthy man.

This is the second book in this series, and although you can read this book as a standalone novel, I would recommend reading the first book in the series before starting this one to give you a clearer understanding of the characters. Although the underlying theme is rather dark and heart breaking, it is a fantastic, gripping read which does have glimmers of light throughout. The characters are well developed and have well fleshed out personalities. Nancy is a very likeable character, and as you learn more about her and her past as the story progresses, you certainly feel a deeper connection to her. Francis is equally likeable, and the ways in which he handles himself, and respects the people around him certainly makes you like this character all the more.

The story was wonderfully written, with so much detail being added to not only the characters, but the settings and situations they found themselves in throughout. The plot was well structured and perfectly paced, keeping my interest well and truly engaged to the very end. The story flowed beautifully, and was full of drama, emotion and passion, all of which make this a wonderful read.

You can purchase a copy of this book by following the links below:

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trouble-Leading-Lady-gripping-Victorian-ebook/dp/B08GTT5H2K 

US –  https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Leading-Lady-gripping-Victorian-ebook/dp/B08GTT5H2K

About The Author

Website: https://rachelbrimble.com/

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