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| Plot Summary of Once A Dreamer |
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Avon, Jan 2003, 5.99, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0060505621
In 1801 London, teenager Belinda Chadwick informs her Aunt Eleanor Tennant that she loves Geoffrey Barkwith, a notorious rake. Eleanor tries to persuade Belinda to forget Geoffrey, but the niece quotes popular advice columnist Busybody to go after love. Eleanor confronts Busybody, but is stunned that the columnist is a man. Eleanor blackmails Simon Westover to talk with her niece as he fears her revealing his identity plus she shows him the stupidity of concentrating on only love and not the relationship.
The couple finds a note that says Belinda eloped with Geoffrey. Eleanor forces Simon to accompany her to rescue Belinda from a man she believes will ruin her niece. As they ride in his coach in pursuit of the eloping pair, they debate whether love exists. Though Simon believes that his companion needs a hero he works on an ode to her kissable lips. As they chase after the runaways and now argue the role of women in society, they fall in love, but when he turns swashbuckling he angers Eleanor who demands pragmatism not romanticism in her ideal relationship.
Though the plot repeats itself several times as Simon the romantic and Eleanor the pragmatic debate life while chasing after Belinda, the story is an enjoyable gender bending Regency that sub-genre fans will relish. The key to the tale is how opposite the lead couple appear yet somehow the audience feels that opposites not only attract but also belong together. Candice Hern writes a wonderful charmer that focuses on a witty debate that leads to not compromise but consensus between the dueling duet.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Once A Dreamer |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story
- Regency era
Seduction/coercion/force
Yes
How seduced/forced?
- threat of exposure of secret
- loving persuasion
Action/suspense subplot?
Yes
Action:
- chased by authorities/family
Who seduces whom?
- mutual seduction
Main Male Character
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
Age/status:
- 20's-30's
How sexual is this person?
- very picky
How romantic is this person?
- somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Female Character
Age/status:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
How sexual is this person?
- very picky
How romantic is this person?
- not very romantic
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
What % of story is romance related?
- 80%
Focus of story
- equally on him and her
How much dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Candice Hern Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
Lisa Demopulos 
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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