THM's One Year Anniversary Review!!- The Ryland Brothers Series

The Haughty Miss turned 1 year old as of  Sept. 25th! As a celebration of a year of sharing my love of books with all of you, here is my review of a series that I have loved for well over 10 years! Thank you for a year of suggestions and fun! Happy Reading!

It’s that time of year where I review a book or series that I have previously read during my teenage years to see if it withstands the test of time. This time I have chosen a series that has stayed with me well over the course of the past ten or so year by an author that I have never come across again, even after crawling through several different bookstores. It is the Ryland Brothers series by Kathryn Smith that has left a great impact on my love for regency romances. The five book series spans several different viewpoints of life on top of five very emotional topics of love. Each brother and respective spouse has a major issue, flaw or heartache that drives their stories. Yet each motive and insecurity is instantly understandable to me.

The first book is more of a prequel than anything and sets up the female lead of the first actual Ryland book. It is the story of Miles, a bow street runner slash gentleman whose former mistress was brutally strangled by a former lover. And Varya, an incomparable pianist who is the best friend of the murdered mistress. The book opens to Varya holding Miles hostage and interrogating him for the murder of her friend. He swears that he didn’t do it, and also vows to get revenge against whoever hurt the woman. Varya however has a much more harrowing tale from a lot of other heroines in that she is a self exiled Russian royal. She is on the run from an abusive murderous fiance’, and lives a life well below her station in almost relative obscurity.

The two actually make quite a passionate couple, and once the truth of Varya’s lineage comes to the forefront, the story takes on both a warm and fuzzy tone and an air of danger simultaneously. The killer of the best friend finds out who Varya is as well, and figures out that the duo is getting closer to unmasking him. Naturally that means that his sights are now set on her and Miles must do anything and everything to save her. In the end they get their happily ever after. During the course of this story, we meet the young and very tall Blythe Christian, Miles’ baby sister. She is a headstrong redheaded bombshell who happens to be very wise. With a predilection for wearing men’s trousers naturally and a head over heels love for her brothers best friend Carnover. Throughout the story, she encourages Varya and Mile’s relationship, and sees the very best in her. Even when all the rest of the ton sees in Varya is a mistress.

I note Blythe’s involvement and eccentricity because Blythe is the heroine of the first Ryland book.

The gorgeous amazon draws the attention of the handsome yet very quiet brother Devlin. Dev was a sniper during the Napoleonic War, and is frustrated and traumatized by his time served. He is a brooding solemn character with a surprising sense of humor. And naturally, he is the third best friend of Miles and Carny (Carnover), having saved both men’s lives. Blythe is still a trouser wearing, lower class helping, hard working woman. A woman who is scorned by the fact that Carny married a beautiful Spanish woman and has a family with said woman. She also has a very big dream of being independent and buying the neighboring property that she has pined over for years.

Miles of course knows of her plans, and instead of just talking to her, takes the low road and talks Devlin into moving into the property. Through the course of the story, she not only has to emotionally deal with the budding emotions and love that she feels toward Devlin, but she must also adjust to the fact that her dream home has been sold to a man that she truly respects. Eventually their mutual love binds them together in marriage, and they move to the new house. Devlin must also make some changes to his life, and learn how to turn to his wife with his issues and emotions instead of his rifle. Through all of this, Carny must learn to deal with the fact that Blythe no longer worships the ground he walks on before it ruins his relationship with his wife, and his friendship with Blythe and Miles. Everyone goes forth after some unfortunate mishaps and misunderstandings to lead happy lives. With Devlin’s entrance into the fray, we are introduced to his brothers. And my how different each brother is.

Braham is the newly sober Viscount Creed, who has made some very large mistakes in his past. As the oldest brother, he takes his status seriously as a way to show his love for his brothers (except for Wynthrope.) North is the middle-ish brother, born of their father’s indiscretion with a famous actress. The difference being that North’s mother was actually loved by the late Viscount. Finally we have Wynthrope, a cynical jerk who is at minimum casually jovial with most of his brothers. He and North are the same age, and they are best friends. He is also the reason why North gave up his position with the Bow Street runners and started being a private investigator.

In a surprise twist North was the next brother to get a book. Commonly addressed as North Sheffield, he is well known as the illegitimate child and a very successful former runner. He grew up in a household full of love and was raised with his best friend Octavia Marsh. Octavia who now has a very nouveau riche last name of Vaux-Daventry is the daughter of a very prominent actress/mistress and the youngest son of an Earl. Having grown up in Seven Dials, she promised her grandfather when he came for her, that she would become a lady and marry as he instructed her to. When Octavia’s beau calls on North to investigate some strange letters she has been receiving, it begins the opening strains of a whirlwind romance that even time wasn’t even able to stop.

Unfortunately, an evil man who North has been trying to capture takes note of who Octavia is to North, and begins making threats against her. Octavia, torn between the “lady” she is supposed to embody, and the much common simpler girl she used to be, takes matters into her own hands and gets the drop on Harker for the abuse of one of her friends from her old life. This goes against the directives of North for her to stay out of the mess, but ends up going somewhat well. In the end, Harker is dispatched by Braham of all people and Vie and North are free to be together come hell or high water. It is during this story that we glean a little more insight into why North left the runners. Turns out it has everything to do with Wynthrope, and boy is it a doozy.

Wynthrope is for all intents and purposes a prick. He is snide, he is judgemental, he is everything that I would avoid in a man in real life. He carries this air of total indifference that almost all of the ton falls for. Except for one woman. Moira Tyndale is a widow who seems to be able to look through  Wyn’s soul and see the broken not as jaded man that he pretends to be. Which becomes his undoing. Wynthrope was once one of the most notorious jewel/art thieves in London and did so under the misguided notion that he was working for the government. Hence why North gave up his career. He was the only other person who knew. Moira’s secret is a little more risque as we find out that her marriage to her late husband was well beyond that of convenience. It was one that ensured that she got away from her awful mother, and one that allowed her husband to be with the one he loved the most. *SPOILER: It wasn’t Moira* In the end, the couple work through all of the issues that Wynthrope has caused (also by the aid of his brothers) and they are able to finally get married and be truly happy.

The brother who’s story I loved the most and felt the most emotion for was Brahm. As I mentioned early on he became the new Viscount Creed because his father and him shared a passionate love of booze. Booze of all kinds at all times. Which led to the carriage accident and simultaneously Brahm being almost crippled and newly titled. Through the course of the other books you see Brahm is a responsible level headed if not witty and sarcastic older brother who just wants the best for his siblings. But his past as a drunk libertine, and womanizer does not leave him. It was while he was drunk that he actually shagged his bride to be’s sister. He had no idea that it wasn’t his lady, and definitely didn’t know that Eleanor had witnessed everything.

When her father concocts a reason to throw a house party and reunite the long feuding exes things go pear shaped for them. They rekindle their friendship and their romance, they get to know each other better than they had before and things seem almost wonderful. Until they have yet another falling out and it drives Brahm back to the bottle. The book goes through the stages of withdrawal and recovery from relapse in great detail to the point where it is almost uncomfortable. And that is what is remarkable about this story. Eleanor was able to see Brahm through his worst and stick by him even if he didn’t want her there. His brothers are able to forgive her just due to her sheer willpower to see him get better. And the wives are able to see just how much she loves him and lend their support. They get their happy ending and I am still left in awe of the series.

Smith gave a nuanced view into some complex issues that were very rarely broached in historical literature before that time. From the effects of war on the human psyche and the need for independence, to eating disorders, and the need for independence. All the way down to how alcoholism not only physically harms the drinker, but the emotional toll that it puts on surrounding family and friends. It is a shockingly human series. Yes it features all of the tropes and staples of historical romances that we have all come to know and love, but it also casts a light on how love from not only one's spouse, but from family and friends could be the difference in how life in the aristocracy could have been lived.

Does it hold up to the test of time with me? Actually yes, even more so. As a teenager I couldn’t have appreciated some of the issues put forth in these books because I had never experienced them. Having gone through so much more in a 10-15 year span since my initial read through, the characters are so much more memorable than they previously were. I highly recommend the series to anyone who wants a different kind of viewpoint on the ever changing romance genre.