Beyond Mr. Darcy: Romantic Historical Fiction discussion

In this astonishing novel, a brilliant mélange of fact and fiction, Juliet Gael skillfully and stylishly captures the passions, hopes, dreams, and sorrows of literature’s most famous sisters—and imagines how love dramatically and most unexpectedly found Charlotte Brontë.

During the two years that she studied in Brussels, Charlotte had a taste of life’s splendors—travel, literature, and art. Now, back home in the Yorkshire moors, duty-bound to a blind father and an alcoholic brother, an ambitious Charlotte refuses to sink into hopelessness. With her sisters, Emily and Anne, Charlotte conceives a plan to earn money and pursue a dream: The Brontës will publish. In childhood the Brontë children created fantastical imaginary worlds; now the sisters craft novels quite unlike anything written before. Transforming her loneliness and personal sorrow into a triumph of literary art, Charlotte pens her 1847 masterpiece, Jane Eyre.

Charlotte’s novel becomes an overwhelming literary success, catapulting the shy and awkward young woman into the spotlight of London’s fashionable literary scene—and into the arms of her new publisher, George Smith, an irresistibly handsome young man whose interest in his fiercely intelligent and spirited new author seems to go beyond professional duty. But just as life begins to hold new promise, unspeakable tragedy descends on the Brontë household, throwing London and George into the background and leaving Charlotte to fear that the only romance she will ever find is at the tip of her pen.

But another man waits in the Brontës’ Haworth parsonage—the quiet but determined curate Arthur Nicholls. After secretly pining for Charlotte since he first came to work for her father, Arthur suddenly reveals his heart to her.

Romancing Miss Brontë is a fascinating portrayal of an extraordinary woman whose life and work articulated our deepest human longing: to love and be loved in return.

I very much enjoyed this book when I read it. It is a beautiful story. Tragic yes, but still a beautiful love story. It is quite true to history I have read about the Bronte sisters. Arthur Nicholls and Charlotte Bronte seemed like a perfect match for one another and I loved watching their relationship evolve over the book. I was glad that the author of one of my favorite classic romances had her own love story and found her own happiness. The cover is just stunning as well. I know you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover but this one was just so beautiful it is hard not to be drawn to it. What are other thoughts and impressions of the novel? What were your favorite parts and least favorite parts? Did you like it or not?

I have confession, I have only to date read one of the Bronte sister books(Wuthering Heights)so,I was not sure if I would like this book. I truly love and enjoyed this book and I am now reading Jane Eyre and plan on reading the other Bronte novels. I love books that are as historical acccurate as possible and this book did a great job of it( I have done a little research on the Bronte since begining this book).

Finished Jane Eyre last week, I loved it! I am now reading Agnes Grey.