A Trick of Fate

Brandon Brothers, Book 1

De: Stella Riley

Narrado por: Alex Wyndham

Someone is misusing Max Brandon’s name - resulting in bills for services he never ordered and goods he did not buy. For reasons he can't begin to guess, he has become the victim of some unknown person's campaign of persecution.

When the games move closer to home, almost forcing him to fight a duel...more particularly, when they draw in Frances Pendleton, a lady he never expected to see again...Max vows to catch the man behind them, no matter what the cost.

The result is a haphazard chase involving ruined abbeys, a hunt for hermits, a grotesque portrait...and a love story which, but for this odd trick of fate, might never have been given a second chance.

©2019 Stella Riley (P)2020 Stella Riley

Another triumph for Stella Riley

The Scottish wedding was like a fairy tale. Absolutely loved it.
As always the narrative by Alex Wyndham was perfect.

Enchanting entertainment!

At any given moment, I tend to have a small number of favourite audiobooks that I cycle through, swapping one comfortable listen for another and listening to those again and again until I can recite half of the narrative from memory! Being thus a creature of habit, I tend to forget what a rich delight it is when a new audiobook grips my attention and winds me into its narrative embrace, so that I can barely bear to press pause when I go to sleep for the night, and can hardly wait to recommence the story the next morning. But that is my inevitable experience with a new Stella Riley book! I somehow missed the fact that Riley had a new novel coming out, and so "A Trick of Fate" wafted into my Audible suggestions as a delightful surprise. In this book, Riley opens a new chapter in her series of Georgian (late 18th century) romances, following the threads she laid down in her previous novel "Cadenza" to inaugurate a series of novels that follow the travails and triumphs of various members of the Brandon family. "A Trick of Fate" focuses on Max Brandon, a loving son, affectionate brother, and exemplary landlord and estate manager, whose steadiness and reliability hide a heart blighted by an unhappy romance. I won't spoil the plot for you, but Riley's narrative operates in best Georgette Heyer style, combining romance, mystery, and adventure in one delicious tale about the need to take risks, to be vulnerable, and to not let a second chance at attaining true happiness pass you by.

Narrator Alex Wyndham is renowned for his warmly expressive voice, and as usual he perfectly captures the nuances of the characters' emotional trajectories throughout the story. If I have any mild critique to make, it's that as Riley's set of characters from Georgian society expands, some of Wyndham's voices bear a little too much resemblance to others. You're never unsure of which character is which while listening to any given story, but you can definitely hear parallels between the archetypes that recur in different guises in the various books, such as the "complex but passionate man with a Past", the "sociable younger brother", and the "quietly sparky young lady whose external loveliness is outmatched by her inner beauty." But that doesn't matter a mite when you get caught up in the narrative and let Wyndham's melodious accents carry you off to a world of carriages and polonaise gowns; rambunctious orphans and handsome harpsichordists; surprise encounters and Scottish handfasting ceremonies; and, of course, the winding but predestined road towards true love!

Overall good listen

Good story for the most part. But too long. Too much of the anguish desires which drag the plot down.

An incredible combination

It is difficult to surpass the excellence of a book written by Stella Riley and narrated by Alex Wyndham. This was a delightfully original story of a second chance romance between Max (brother to Arabella from a previous story) and the lost love of his life, Frances. After wading through many misconceptions during a crazy chase through Scotland, their long frustrated love is finally rewarded.

A wonderful story

Another excellent story by Stella Riley. And narrated by the fabulous Alex Wyndham!
I loved Max since Cadenza. His story is so Max!! What a wonderful and humorous story.
I also loved the little bit of the Ralph (The Earl of Sherborne) and Elizabeth.

The scenic view without leaving your home!

Stella Riley's prose is so easy to listen to and she took me along for the journey. Combined with Alex Wyndham's soothing voice, this was a story I did not want to end. The banter between the main characters was humorous and the added mystery kept me waiting for each new location. I always like the way Stella Riley intertwines historical facts and places and found my self "googling" on the side to learn a little more about Scotland's geography,

Romance vicariously

The narrator did an excellent job of presenting the different characters voices so that I knew them.

New Series

I did not think I could like A Trick of Fate any better than I had after reading the book by Stella Riley. I was wrong, so very wrong. Alex Wyndham breathes life into Max Brandon's character. Ms. Riley had developed his character in splendid ways that soared easily with Mr. Wyndham's talent. Max's voice changed when speaking to Frances, his family, or unsavory types as it would with a real life conversation.

His mother Louisa was well done and should be the way all book mothers act and sound. Frances was superb. Her love for Max that she wouldn't show, and yet she supported him. And he supported her, in so many things, big and little. If someone crashed through a door to rescue me, well...

The humor caught me off guard when first I read the book, this time I was anticipating it and it was just as funny. How can you not love a man who makes you laugh?

The connections to the Rockliffe series were lovely to catch up with. Ralph and Lizzie, Julian and Bella, of course the children were a welcome connection to Cadenza.

Now I am so ready for books about Leo and Adam. Maybe Duncan? To revisit the Brandon family. All of them. There were breadcrumbs that lead us straight to them. And to Mr. Wyndham's narration.

I recommend this audible book wholeheartedly, for the quality of the book itself and the narration. Thank you Ms. Riley and Mr. Wyndham.

I absolutely loved this story!

This was such a captivating story with very engaging characters. Max and Francis had met previously at a house party but circumstances had interfered and they had gone their separate ways. Someone is impersonating Max and he is determined to find out who and why. I enjoyed their journey through the Scottish Border towns. Max had such a wicked sense of humour and he just loved to tease Francis. I had a real chuckle at the haggis episode. Their discovery of what had happened in the intervening years and of how they now felt towards each other was riveting. I also liked the strong sense of family love that came with Max’s family. The attitudes and sensibilities were appropriate to that era. Of course, all this was enhanced by Alex Wyndham’s excellent reading of the story. The different voices he used, as well as the accents were spot on. I just couldn’t wait to listen to the next instalment!

Star Crossed Lovers on a chase through Scotland

A Trick of Fate adds to the rich multigenerational saga of the Brandon family. I passed some truly enjoyable hours listening to Alex Wyndham’s perfect interpretation of this book.
A few of my thoughts: A Trick of Fate had a lighthearted quality that I found a distinct relief from the stress and gloom of contemporary life. Her books set at the time of the English Civil War reflect the hardships and sorrows of that period. This one takes place many years later, when the wars were overseas and life in Britain was peaceful. The narrative may have been amusing, yet the emotions of the H&h were deep and very real. I’m no prude but I am not interested in gratuitous sex scenes. Riley built the sexual tension expertly and appropriately.
Ever since I found my way to the Romance genre via Georgette Heyer, I have loved the Chase trope. This one was among the best and had an unexpected twist at the end.
This book easily works as a stand-alone novel but I know my enjoyment was enriched by having read and listened to all of the author’s previous books.