Genteel Romance - two reviews

Ahhh, the Georgians, Victorians, all those bygone societies, - they knew how to do romance - coy looks and simpering smiles, lighthearted banter followed by meaningful pauses - and oh, so many ways for intentions to be misconstrued and for young people to step out of line.

Cindy Anstey writes about young gentlewomen who don't quite fit the well-behaved mold of society.  In Duels and Deceptions, young Lydia has little to complain about - outside her loud drunk Uncle and his land agent.  These "gentlemen" seem determined to ruin the sizable estate that Lydia's father left her.  Life is as it should be - except for these two louts.  She has a perfectly acceptable future fiance, chosen for her by her late father.  She is well-to-do.  And she is in control.  She likes being in control.  Funny that, actually.  As soon as she marries, all control will resort to her husband.

Lydia writes to her father's lawyer to complain about her uncle, and a young law clerk, Mr. Robert Newton, arrives to investigate.  He is thoughtful, well-mannered, a member of the peerage - although a younger son so destined to work for a living - in short, a paragon among men.

When an awful crime is perpetrated against Lydia in an attempt to steal her fortune, it is Mr. Newton who is Lydia's hero.  Said awful crime eventually leads to other awful crimes, all related in the most genteel manner in this romantic adventure.

Really!!??  This guy??!!

If we hop in the time machine to the 21st century, we meet Tash Zelenka, avid young vlogger and web series producer.  Tash love the works of Leo Tolstoy with a pure and burning ardor.  So, she and her best friend, Jack (short for Jacqueline), Tash's sister, Klaudie and others, create a web series titled Unhappy Families, based loosely on Anna Karenina. And life is fun and good and creative and THEN the series goes VIRAL.

Tash Hearts Tolstoy is about family, friendship, fame and feelings, among other more confusing things.  Such as sex and why Tash isn't really interested.  She is interested in romance - very, very interested, especially with boys.  But the physical part?  Not so much.  Tash tells her best friends, Jack and Jack's older brother, Paul, all about this confusion before the book starts.  But it's such an odd revelation that misunderstandings simply ABOUND!!

Then there is FAME and how it impacts the eight teens and one 20-something that make the cast of Unhappy Families - the social media frenzy, the fangirls and the haters, and the cute boy vlogger who reaches out to Tash and offers friendship and...more?

FAMILY?  Well, there is illness and explosive disclosures and separation anxiety as Klaudie prepares to leave for college.  Who needs this??

And FRIENDS?  Tash misinterprets or doesn't even seem to CARE about the feelings and problems that her friends have.  She is so caught up in her passion for filming and the chaos that fame creates.

Unhappy Families is a web series about genteel romance - the kind of love that Tash is looking for - someone to lean into, someone to share the deepest and best feelings with, someone who makes her heart melt with happiness.   There are a couple of candidates in Tash Hearts Tolstoy.  But which one will understand Tash's singular sensibilities and accept them?  Ahh, and there is where we find genteel romance.

Pretty darn good relaxing reads, both of these.  I'd give Tash Hearts Tolstoy the edge, though, because of the modern vibe.  The social commentary in both is coated with clever dialogue, likeable characters and humor.  The books did make me think but they also made me happy.