MRS MORPHETT'S MACAROONS {EDWARDIAN ENTERTAINERS 4}.

 Along with Pen and Paper friend, Gina over at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers who posted an extract and giveaway of the book on the 7th of March {details at the bottom of this post}, I'm one of several bloggers who over 5 days will be participating in this Blog Tour {the full schedule of which can be found below at the bottom of the page}. Today {the 4th day of the Tour) its my pleasure to be sharing my thoughts on ...

MRS MORPHETT'S MACAROONS by PATSY TRENCH.

Genre ... Historical women’s fiction

Publication Date ...  5th January 2022

Standalone Fourth book in the Edwardian Entertainers series

Estimated Page Count ... 272

Order Link ... https://mybook.to/MrsMorphett

London, 1905. A show. A stuttering romance. Two squabbling actresses.

Is it Shakespeare? Is it Vaudeville?

Not quite. It is Mrs Morphett’s Macaroons, a satirical play about suffragettes which its creators - friends and would-be lovers Robbie Robinson and Violet Graham - are preparing to mount in London’s West End.

It is the play rival actresses Merry and Gaye would kill to be in, if only they hadn’t insulted the producer all those years ago.

For Robbie and Violet however the road to West End glory is not smooth. There are backers to be appeased, actors to be tamed and a theatre to be found; and in the midst of it all a budding romance that risks being undermined by professional differences.

Never mix business with pleasure?

Maybe, maybe not. ... Synopsis

How does the famous saying go? "Be nice to people on the way up because you'll meet them on the way down."... First Sentence Paragraph, 'Overture'

Merry picked up her napkin and wiped the condensation from the window of the cafe in which the two women were sitting and peered out at the street. She was watching a lady in a scarlett dress and matching hat descending from a brougham. It took two footmen to aid her - one to hold the door, the other to take her hand as she came down the steps, followed by a snappily-dresses gentleman - and to pass her to said gentleman like an object, a precious piece of china, so it looked to Meredith. ... Memorable Moment, Pg 50

MY THOUGHTS ... Cue a celebration of women in a light, fun read with some truly memorable characters ... oh how I adore a novel with strongly written female characters, and that there are so many to choose from ... ahh heaven! 

A book very much about women; women in the theatre, the suffragette movement, the lack of choices for women, the importance of how one presented oneself as a women ... its all there in this wonderful novel which though it reads perfectly well as a standalone novel is in fact part of a series; as series which as the author explains in her notes at the beginning of the book is 'about women who, against all the odds, break free from their allotted roles.' 

Set in Edwardian England, Mrs Morphett's Macaroons {what a great title and wow, that cover} takes a satirical look at the producing of a play, a play that, unusual for its time, was written in part to showcase the talents of actress, Lolly, who is to play the part of a maid who takes up the suffrage cause. The producer? Yet again, unusual for the time, another women. Violet Graham who, whilst convinced of the productions merits, is concerned that men, used to male led productions, may be put off by a play dominated by actresses. 

That the author has a background in the theatre and brings that knowledge {and what I suspect is a great deal of research} is apparent given the insight into all aspects of putting on a play. That she works it into the narrative in such an effective way is admirable and makes for great reading so much so that ... 

A novel I'd suggest to anyone who has a love for melodramas, an interest in women's history and/or the history of the theatre. You know what, actually, I'd suggest this to anyone who loves a good read.

About Patsy Trench ... Patsy Trench has spent her life working in the theatre. She was an actress for twenty years in theatre and television in the UK and Australia. She has written scripts for stage and (TV) screen and co-founded The Children’s Musical Theatre of London, creating original musicals with primary school children. She is the author of three non fiction books about colonial Australia based on her own family history and four novels about women breaking the mould in times past. Mrs Morphett’s Macaroons is book four in her ‘Modern Women: Entertaining Edwardians’ series and is set in the world she knows and loves best. When she is not writing books she teaches theatre part-time and organises theatre trips for overseas students.

She lives in London. She has two children and so far one grandson.

Follow Patsy Trench ... ~ Website ~ FaceBook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ 

Blog Tour Schedule ... ~ 6th March: Northernreader ~ Over The Rainbow Book Blog ~ Becca’s Books ~ Chez Maximka ~ Chapter and Cake ~ 7th March:  wee_glasgow_bookworm ~ ramblingmads.com   ~ The Pufflekitteh Reads, ~ Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers ~   Scrapping&Playing ~ 8th March: loopyloulaura ~ Chicks, Rogues and Scandals ~ mjporterauthor.blog ~ The bookish hermit ~ Portable Magic ~ 9th March: Felicity Grace Terry ~ Bookish Jottings ~ B for bookreview ~ The Magic Of Wor(l)ds ~ sharon beyond the books ~ 10th March: Lisa's Reading ~ The Divine Write ~ Novel Kicks ~ Jazzy Book Reviews ~ Kitty McIntosh

Please feel free to pop by any of those linked to above and for a chance to win an Ebook please stop by Gina's blog with its giveaway that is open internationally FGT.