Waltz with a Stranger

October 8, 2012
Sherwood’s debut is a tame, detail-heavy romantic mystery set in late Victorian London and Cornwall. American debutante Aurelia Newbold, crippled from a riding accident and deserted by her fiancé, Charles Vandermere, hides in the shadows while her beautiful twin, Amy, dazzles society. James Trelawney asks Aurelia for a waltz, telling her, “You need not be defined by your scars,” and her confidence returns. After Aurelia’s leg is conveniently fixed by a yearlong visit to a German spa, she finds James has inherited an earldom and bankrupt estate from his dissolute cousin Gerald—and is engaged to Amy. When anonymous letters accuse James of murder, he suspects that Gerald was guilty of more than poor judgment. Aurelia helps James investigate Gerald’s misdeeds while Amy is drawn to James’s friend Thomas, and Charles reappears to beg Aurelia for forgiveness. Plot entanglements resolve too easily, but the sympathetic protagonists will keep readers engaged. Agent: Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Mangement.

December 1, 2012

Scarred and lame after a riding accident and often hurt by cruel comments, American Aurelia Newbold gains new confidence during a chance encounter with a handsome stranger in Lady Talbot's conservatory. A year later and following a successful stay at a European spa, a renewed Aurelia meets once again her mysterious hero--now the Earl of Trevenan and the fiancee of Amelia, Aurelia's identical twin. Crushed but unwilling to hurt her beloved sister, Relia vows to keep her true feelings hidden. But with the earl so close at hand and the attraction between them still strong, it's only a matter of time before they are forced to come to terms with their feelings. Well-developed, compelling characters and their relationship are at the heart of this heartwarming tale that zeroes in on confidence and self-perception issues and has a lot to say about love, loyalty, and honesty. VERDICT Poignant, compelling, and thoroughly satisfying, this engaging historical puts a refreshing spin on the classic mismatched lovers plot and adds a dash of adventure. A delightful debut for the Southern California-based Sherwood.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2012
Aurelia Newbold would do anything for her twin sister, Amelia, including giving up the man of her dreams. After all, it isn't as if Aurelia and James Trelawney, Lord Trevenan, had formed any sort of close, personal connection. Aurelia met James at a soiree a year earlier, when he discovered Aurelia in the conservatory, where she had retreated to get away from the attention her injuries always seemed to draw. The offer of a waltz from James was too tempting to resist, and for one lovely moment, Aurelia forgot about her scar and limp. Now, after spending a year at a healing spa, a newly rejuvenated Aurelia returns to London, only to discover that in the interim Amelia has become engaged to James. Aurelia knows Amelia could not find a kinder, sweeter gentleman than James, and even though her own heart is breaking, Aurelia will do everything in her power to see that their wedding day is perfect. Sherwood effortlessly evokes the world of Edith Wharton and Henry James, and her exquisite character development, memorable secondary characters, and impeccably researched historical setting infuse this elegantly written debut with a richness and depth worth savoring.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)