Rated of 5
by Elaine, (Midland, TX) Gael Has a Winner
Juliet Gael has a winner. The novel can be read and enjoyed without any knowledge of Charlotte Bronte. If you are aware of Charlotte’s family or life, Gael’s novel is accurate. I thought the ending came a little too fast. But that may have been because I was enjoying the book and wanted it to continue. The writing was true to the time period without being cloying. Some of the scenes in the book were so vivid, I “watched them” in my mind as I read them. At the end of this thoroughly enjoyable book (knowing more about Charlotte Bronte) you may want to re-read Charlotte’s books.
Rated of 5
by Margot T. (Naples, Florida) When you know the ending...
Since 'Romancing Miss Bronte' is a fictionalization of Charlotte Bronte's life, much of the mystery usually present in a novel, the "what will happen next" element is of necessity diminished and can only be compensated by a thrilling conveyance of the characters' internal workings. To this end, somehow author Gael tries very diligently but doesn't always write convincingly or evenly.
The book is, despite its lack of depth, a good read and does give the reader at least some idea of Bronte's difficult life, as a daughter of a tyrannical clergyman, beset by poverty and plagued by a lack of physical beauty and social grace. The author also is quite thorough in her rendering of the relationship among Charlotte and her sisters, Anne and Emily, and the tragedy of her brother. I think the best drawn character in the entire work is that of Arthur Nicholls, Charlotte's suitor, who in the end wins her hand and heart and leads her to emotional places never before imagined.
Ultimately, I would recommend this book, despite its unevenness, but would strongly advocate also reading 'Becoming Jane Eyre', a much more sensitively written novel, based on the same subject.
Rated of 5
by Amanda N. (Murfreesboro, TN) Romancing Miss Bronte
Gael's book completely transports the reader to the Yorkshire Moors of the Bronte sisters. The descriptions of the sisters writing their first novels and struggling to publish them under the pseudonyms of Currer, Acton, and Ellis Bell simply beg the reader to revisit the worlds of 'Jane Eyre', 'Agnes Grey', and' Wuthering Heights'. My one complaint is that the book sometimes reads as a straight biography rather than historical fiction. Sometimes it seems that the author can't decide which kind of book she wanted to write. On the plus side, Gael's meticulous research shines through.
Rated of 5
by Deb Y. (Blanco, TX) Lovely Charlotte
As I have said before, I have been very lucky in getting the books I have - this is another lovely book, one concerning Charlotte Bronte's love affair with, and subsequent marriage to, Arthur Nicholls. It is a tender story, with well-drawn characters. Well worth the reading.
Rated of 5
by Rebecca W. (Mansfield, PA) A Novel of Merit Romancing Miss Bronte provides a convincing, yet tragic, portrayal of the Bronte sisters. Juliet Gael brings the women to life again for fans of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre as she provides a rare look into the literary lives of moral women who walk the line between duty to their father and the fear of personal success. Gael's exploration of the connections between the literary characters and their authors provides fans with a rare and wondrous look into the hearts, minds, and souls of the Brontes.
Rated of 5
by Karen T. (Auburn, MA) Good biographical novel
This is a good read for anyone who is already a fan of the Bronte sisters. It is slow to draw you in, beginning with a more biographical feel. The author does manage to paint an accurate picture of the role of a poor woman in those times and the struggle the sisters went through to become authors. It isn't until after Charlotte's publication of Jane Eyre that the book goes deeper into their lives and we really get to see more of the characters. At times if feels more like being told things about the characters rather than being showed them, which was a little disappointing. Overall, a great read for Bronte fans and it made me want to go back and re-read all their books!
Stranger than fiction, blending tragedy and farce, How to Create the Perfect Wife is an engrossing tale of the radicalism, and deep contradictions, at the heart of the Enlightenment.
Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight...
read more
Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on...
read more
Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
read more
U.S. ebook sales up in 2012, but rate of growth is slowing(May 16 2013) In 2012, trade book sales (i.e. non academic book sales) rose 6.9%, to $15.049 billion, and e-book sales continued to grow, although the rate of growth...
Full Story
of 5
by Elaine, (Midland, TX) 
of 5
by Margot T. (Naples, Florida) 
