Customer Reviews

Known to All

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This book was a very satisfying read for a cozy afternoon... Just when all the characters seem tangled up and there are surprises and twists around each corner... everyone gets the happiness or pain they deserve! I'll look for other titles by this author for a guaranteed few hours of escape!

Miss Violet Durbin knows she will never be accepted by the ton. And it really doesn't bother her. She's more concerned about the feelings of her ex-courtesan mother, Lady Sadie Kelly, and her father, Lord Kelly. When Sadie's French noble parents moved to England, they were hard up for money and Sadie did the only thing she could. She became a courtesan. When Lord Kelly began feeling too much for Sadie, he rid himself of his mistress. Years later, they came across each other and Lord Kelly married Sadie, also giving legitimacy to Violet after she was forced into becoming a man's mistress at the tender age of fourteen. Due to her father's selfless act, Violet is determined to never bring any scandal to his name. With her reputation, Violet has learned how to gracefully turn down any offers from noblemen wanting to make her their mistress. Violet has also decided not to get married. Since her father made sure he provided for her, Violet knows it won't be necessary. Even though Jared has made it clear he will offer for her when he attains his majority, Violet has always looked upon him as a younger brother and has no intention of accepting his offer.

When the Duke of Hawkinston hears of Jared's preoccupation with Miss Violet Durbin, he raises many objections to the possible match due to Violet's unacceptability. Determined to meet this young woman, arranges to go to a musicale and ball Lord Kelly is hosting. After one look at Miss Violet Durbin, the duke decides he will make her his mistress. Since he's always gotten whatever he has wanted in life, he has no doubt Violet will accept. After all, he is a duke. So he is quite shocked when she declines his offer. Determined to have her as his mistress, the duke arranges for a house party at his castle with his sister acting as hostess in order to gain his goal. However, the duke and Jared are not the only men interested in Miss Violet Durbin.

Will Violet give in and become mistress to the Duke of Hawkinston? Will the duke ever realize just how very arrogant and self-indulgent he has become? Will Lord and Lady Kelly ever be accepted into society?

KNOWN TO ALL is an intriguing Regency romp. Author Gloria Gay weaves a tale of intrigue and danger in the Regency era. While Violet must cope with her growing feelings for the duke and her ill mother and the disdain of the ton, the Duke of Hawkinston is forced to become a bit introspective and learn exactly what his life has become. This story does provide a look into the life of people not accepted by society and how they deal with things.

Set in Regency England, Known to All: A Regency Historical Novel is the dramatic story of an beautiful yet illegitimate girl's struggle to rise above her past and secure lasting happiness for herself. Young Violet's father is sufficiently moved by love to marry her mother, who was formerly his mistress, and publically acknowledge Violet as his daughter - a rare and daring occurrence in those times. But society will not forgive Violet her past, in which she was briefly forced to become a man's mistress at the tender age of thirteen. Though she longs to live a normal life, and holds love and marriage in high regard, powerful men charmed by her beauty strive to possess her as at best a mistress, at worst an object. An emotionally charged tale of passion, the search for a meaningful life, and the desire to escape sexual relationships tantamount to slavery.

When Philip Durbin, Viscount Kelly, married his former mistress, Sadie Welsh he publicly acknowledged and adopted his illegitimate daughter, Violet. Both she and her mother were shunned by most of the ton because of Violet's past; when as a 13 year old she was forced into sexual slavery by her then courtesan mother's former lover.

Although Violet could care less about acceptance into ton society, she would be forever grateful to her father for his unselfish act of acknowledging her. Conducting herself with proper decorum she was now extremely circumspect in her day to day behavior - adamant to never bring shame to her father's name. Stunningly beautiful, she was constantly approached with reprehensible propositions from gentlemen and had become quite adept at discouraging most. Unfortunately there would be some who were most determined and then again, there were some who would turn out to be downright dangerous. Only one young man was offering her marriage as soon as he reached his majority, but his guardian and uncle, the Duke of Hawkinston, was determined to save his nephew by taking the young woman as his mistress. A proposition Violet was not about to accept even though the duke's very presence made her heart sing.

*** For all the Regency Romance lovers out there, here is one book you do not want to miss. Having had the opportunity to read and review several of this author's prior novels I was most anxious to read her latest. What I've come to expect is a well researched and thoroughly entertaining read, and in that I was not disappointed.

Violet was a completely enchanting heroine who won my sympathy for having been victimized as a child, through no fault of her own, and was still having to pay the price because of it. When approached by the Duke of Hawkinston (Hawk) with his offer, Violet was seriously attracted but stood firm on her vow to never bring dishonor to her father's name who was paying the price of being shunned by society for both marrying beneath him and acknowledging his illegitimate child.

Hawk, entranced by Violet's beauty, was amazed that Violet did not accept his offer and from there the author takes the reader on a merry chase as Hawk continues to pursue Violet. Knowing of Violet's devotion to her parents he cleverly gains points in his favor by elevating her family's standing by inviting and hosting an elaborate house party in her honor. Hawk was crafted early on as an arrogant and haughty individual who was used to getting what he wanted and his inner reflections on his bad behavior towards Violet was rendered beautifully by the author. The reader is able to see him grow as Violet who has nothing else to lose, speaks up and shows him just how rude and insulting his offers were to her, even as her heart is soon yielding to him.

The author filled the book with a plethora of interesting secondary characters, one of which was the villain. Her interpretation of his obsession with Violet was frightening in his deviousness of using others to get what he wanted and was extremely well done.

Bottom line, I found KNOWN TO ALL a very compelling and thoughtful read that was for me a breath of fresh air. It's original and creative plot with exceptionally intelligent dialogues kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end - a marvelous read I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

Hawk, or the Duke of Hawkinston as he is known, has very firm ideas about who belongs to the wealthy, acceptable, respectable social class. Little does he expect to fall passionately in love with a woman whom he has warned his nephew, Jared, will always be an outcast because of her lowly origins.

Through no fault of her own, Violet Durbin carries a tainted reputation, somewhat redeemed by the marriage of her mother to Viscount Kelly. While her mother was known to be a mistress, Violet carries a shameful memory known to too many and wonders if she will ever be seen for her real inner worth. But the love of her father and mother has left her with some pride, a gift that rises to the occasion as Hawk becomes more and more besotted with her.

Once one passes the phase where both male and female characters all initially seem like cads and phonies, the plot quickens and speeds along in a fascinating manner. For Hawk is neither the only one yearning to unite with Violet nor the only one to go far beyond the norm to get what he wants. There are some fascinating scenes where the secrets of the rich and famous are starkly depicted, be it gambling or drinking or just plain wicked conniving.

Midpoint in the novel, the plot becomes intriguingly complex and never slows down until the expected and unexpected ending the reader will never forget. A light and pleasant read for the summer, Known to All has much to say about life being far from what it seems. Gloria Gay inserts plenty of suspense, humor and provocative romance for many memorable hours! Nice work!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on June 14, 2007

A muddled costume drama:

The Author tells us that Saintly Violet has not had it easy. Her mother was a courtesan with some unsavory clients. Violet was the forced victim of one of these Lovers.

But things are getting better. Her parents have married. Her father has acknowldeged Violet as his bastard child. Violet has received Offers from many Gentlemen. Unfortunately, none of the Offers are respectable or acceptable. All of these shadowy events occur before the opening of the novel.

So Violet and her family are beyond the pale. They are not welcome in Polite Society. They are less than mushrooms.

We are told that the young nephew of the Duke of Hawkinston wants to marry Violet. The Duke knows that this will make his nephew a social outcast. He is determined to prevent this misalliance and seduce Violet.

Can Violet resist the handsome Duke, even though her heart cries to submit to his tender touch?

This is a tired unoriginal plot. Nobleman wants girl, Girl wants marriage, reader wants wasted time and money back.

In closing the novel needed proof-reading and corrections.

Warning: This novel would benefit from an editor's services. Perhaps a copy of Strunk and White's "Elements of Style". Syntax errors were distracting and subtracted from the intelligibility of the novel.

This Romance starts with the stating of two remarkable past events in the Heroine's life. 1. An illegimate adult daughter is adopted by her birth father. 2. A courtesan's innocent daughter is forced into child prostitution by her Mother's lover.

Unfortunately, the reader doesn't discover why these two events occurred. The emotional potential of these two story lines is totally untapped.

Why did Violet's father marry his mistress? Why the decades delay in the nuptials?

Why was Violet violated by her Mother's lover? What about Violet's rescue from that dire situation? What is Violet's reaction to her two negligent progenitors? These questions are not dealt with in a satisfactory manner. I would have been interested in reading that story.

Instead, we are treated to an unremarkable courtship of two people from different social classes and the usual societal conflicts that they encounter. The usual mistress or wife dilemma. Violet and her family are social pariahs. Can the Duke ignore what he owes to his family and his good name?

The most compelling plot lines are unexplored. Too bad, they would have made for a more involving story.

I can't recommend this novel.