Vega is a singer.
Hard work and talent have brought her to a long-term contract at London’s best magical night club. There’s plenty to keep her new music, reading the mood of the audience that night, and exploring the city. When her family asks for her help, she thinks they need an archaeologist instead.
Farran loves art in all its forms.
As he nears the end of his apprenticeship with one of Albion’s magical auction houses, he needs to decide what to do next with his career. After taking a short-term assignment in London, Farran wants to help Vega. The question is how.
Together, they explore the magic of London in all its forms and the songs of its history. Their explorations take them from the Guildhall and Tower of London into hidden spots underground. Along the way, Vega has to decide which of her secrets to reveal, and whether Farran will understand what she loves.
Harmonic Pleasure
is full of music, London’s many-faceted history, and varied forms of magic. Set in 1928, join Farran and Vega as they navigate what loving their families and homes mean as they live their lives. Harmonic Pleasure can be read in any order.
I will start by saying that this might not be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a book with a very unique personality built from a very introspective tone, a leisurely rhythm, and quite a rich writing style. All characteristics far removed from the more mainstream romances.
I loved the premise: Vega’s family ask her to find a magical object lost centuries ago, which has recently reawakened, probably because it was somehow disturbed. If handled improperly or for improper reasons, this object could be very dangerous, and so it is best that it goes back to the family. The problem is that it was lost so long ago that nobody knows what it looks like anymore, or where it might be, other than that it is in London.
So Vega hires an antique expert, Farran, and together they walk the streets of London, looking for clues, while being stalked by a mysterious American.
The author’s love for London and her history is very obvious. It enriches the narration with the myriad tidbits of history and legends, and gives the story some gravitas.
But the focus is on Vega and Farren and how they slowly fall in love despite their different race (Vega is partly a magical being).
It’s a very sweet, and yes, magical story, full of music and the magic of the stars.
Check out the book review of Ancient Trust.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m an author of historical fantasy set in the 1920s and a reader of everything historical from the 1910s to the 1930s (but I read other fiction too!). On this blog, I love to share my historical research and book reviews. If you love stories set in the 1910s-1930s period, download the Historical Fiction Gift Guide, where you’ll find tens of titles and authors who write in this period.
Harmonic aPleasure
Excerpt
Then she inclined her head at the young man. “Your first time here, I believe?”
“You’ve an excellent eye. I’d say even finer than your voice, but then we’d be into the hubris of the gods, and that doesn’t seem wise, does it?” He had a pleasant speaking voice, and now she could see him better. He was also well-dressed. Quality suiting, in a deep blue, a tie that strongly suggested Owl House at Schola, confirmed by the tie pin.
The comment, though, was a trifle intriguing. It certainly wasn’t the tongue-tied flattery she sometimes got. “Guests here rarely begin with a classical reference.” She offered her hand after a moment. “Vega Beaumont, of course.”
“Farran Michaels. My uncle, who raised me from 1912, is a classicist. One picks up a fair bit of it by sheer proximity.”
He took her hand, shook it, but also made a slight bow over it, in a way that came across as charming rather than entirely too contrived.
“And are you new to London, or just to the club?” They would need to be circumspect; the club was magical, the street was not. On the other hand, it was late enough there wasn’t a great deal of walking traffic.
“I work at Ormulu. I’m in the city for a project for a few months. Albie and the others thought I ought to see a bit of the town. Or hear, as the case may be. I’m certainly intending to come back. The entire evening was…” He hesitated, as if searching for a word. “It fit together. Far better than some places, where everyone’s jostling for attention.”
“Ah. You are clever. Not everyone spots that. Rather fewer understand why it’s important.” Vega thought she might have a word with Madam Helena about this one, tomorrow. A steady guest in the crowd, who understood what they were doing, that was a foundational point all the performers could benefit from. That was no bad thing. Making sure that this man got a slightly better seat, where it meant someone wouldn’t be bothering the dance mistresses and waiters coming through. That didn’t hurt either.
Then something else occurred to her. “Ormulu, you said.” The question now was how to ask what she wanted to know. Asking if he were a clerk would be insulting. Ah, there, that was the way to do it. “Do you have a specialty?”
“I’ve a knack for the feel of an object. Which ones might deserve closer attention, beyond the obvious.” Now, that was a deft explanation, suggesting a magical competence without coming out and saying it. It was also exactly the problem Vega had been struggling with. The question was whether he was trustworthy, or could be sworn to be. She tapped her toe once.
The Thursday Quotables was originally a weekly post created by Lisa Wolf for her book blog Bookshelf Fantasy . It isn’t a weekly post anymore, not even for Lisa, but just like her, I still love to share my favourite reads on Thursdays and I still use the original template which included an excerpt.
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