The Captain's Daughter by Jennifer Delamere

When a series of circumstances beyond her control leaves Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater putting on the most popular show in the city. A talented musician and singer, she feels immediately at home and soon becomes enthralled with the idea of pursuing a career on the stage. That is, as long as the shadows from her past don’t catch up with her.

(excerpt from press release)

Jennifer Delamere's newest series brings adventure, romance, fun historical tidbits and yet, I found myself not loving this story as much as I wanted too.

First the good. 

I enjoyed the concept of the plot and  for anyone who enjoys theater, Delamere has included fun little details that help bring the world of the stage alive. Using Gilbert and Sullivan as an anchoring point was so much fun (although I've had Modern Major General stuck in my head since I finished reading the book). Having done some amateur stage work I loved the backstage details, the tech work, and the way Delamere captures the  life and hard work behind the scenes.

I also found the many plot lines to be engaging and varied enough to give the series enough interest for a healthy start. Although the love triangle is often overused within historical romance, Delamere adds a few twists and turns along the way to make Rosalyn's suitors stand out from other contemporaries.   

That said, I did find myself struggling with a few issues. 

The pacing. The first day takes a full third of the book. The issue that drove Rosalyn to run through the early chapters? Resolved in mere paragraphs without warning or preamble. This seemed  to be a common styling leaving the book feeling too brief and rushed in some areas while simultaneously too slow regarding alternate plot points throughout the course of the book.

I also found the title confusing. While each Bernay girl is a "Captain's daughter" there was very little mention of the  absent sailor, nor did the Captain factor in significantly to the plot. In fact, many of those mentions actually focused on the youngest sister's grief   at his unknown fate not Rosalyn, the title character.

While not the strongest novel I've read this year, there is definitely promise for the remainder of the series.

3.5  stars

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."