But can he be trusted, or are his words part of an elaborate mind game played between him and his wife?ĭuring a glittering age where a woman’s reputation is her most valuable possession, Penelope must decide whether to compromise her principles for love, lust, and the allure of an easier life. Initially, as Penelope grows into her own in the burgeoning women’s suffrage movement, Edgar exerts pressure, promising to use his power and access to help her advance. Prior to its publication, Mistress Suffragette was recognized with a number of awards and honors: it won first place in the Missouri Romance Writers of America. Certificate Acknowledgments Seeing a debut novel through to publication takes a village.

Diana Spechler, author of Who by Fire and Skinny. Diana Forbes's debut is as smart as it is compelling. This novel picks up where Jane Austen left off. Mary Livermore, Suffragist Leader, 1892 ' Dedication Thanks to my husband, an ardent reader and steadfast champion of this project from page one. Mistress Suffragette is a joy ride through late 19th-century New England, a comedy of manners from a new and exciting voice in historical fiction.

You might look bewitching you might wear a proper pale blue gown, with its gathered skirt and off-the-shoulder neckline. Mistress Suffragette - Diana Forbes Corsets have filled as many graves as whisky.

Skilled in the art of flirtation, Edgar is not without his charms, and Penelope is attracted to him against her better judgment. Mistress Suffragette Diana Forbes Chapter 1 Country Rules Tuesday, May 30, 1893, Newport, Rhode Island Imagine being sent to a party with a gun pointed at your head. Over a series of encounters, he promises Penelope the financial security she craves, but at what cost? A young woman without prospects at a ball in Gilded Age Newport, Rhode Island, is a target for a certain kind of “suitor”.Īt the Memorial Day Ball during the Panic of 1893, impoverished but feisty Penelope Stanton draws the unwanted advances of a villainous millionaire banker who preys on distressed women - the incorrigible Edgar Daggers.

Mistress Suffragette by Diana Forbes