My share in the conversation...No Such Thing as Luck

No Such Thing as Luck was one of the winners in my MAE Awards for 2015. I promised my review of it on that post so...here it is! I hope this will stir your interest if you have a love for North & South.

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No Such Thing as Luck: North and South Variation

by Nicole Clarkston

The book starts some months after Mr. Hale has died and Margaret is living in London with Edith, her family and Mrs. Shaw. Mr. Bell is visiting Frederick in Spain and is still quite crafty and shrewd in his endeavors to ‘help’ certain situations. Marlborough Mills is in trouble but John has a new idea for saving it. Higgins is working for John and they have already established an easy rapport. (I adore Nicholas Higgins!) The tale that follows from this point is awesome and not to be missed!

Nicole Clarkston’s John Thornton is romantic, strong and wonderful, as well as the brilliant mill owner admired by all. I fell in love with him again. He feels the loss of the only woman he ever loved and believes there is no chance of having her for his own. Margaret has already realized the type of man that she refused and is feeling the emptiness left by that refusal. Fate intervenes and a chance encounter may change everything for the deserving couple! The story that follows is riveting and tender.

I enjoyed getting to know the real Hannah Thornton and seeing her soft side surface. I appreciated that the author chose to make her human, with a heart that could be touched while also delving under the layers of her nature and exposing the personality long hidden and why it had been so. Little Johnny Boucher is adorable and lends a nice touch to the plot. Henry Lennox is portrayed with feeling and honor, much as in the original. Of course, no North and South variation would be complete without Dixon! This is no exception.

Ms. Clarkston kept the characters true to Elizabeth Gaskell’s and added a few new ones that enhanced an already fantastic plot.  A portion of this story is set in Cadiz, Spain, where we have the pleasure of getting to know Frederick Hale and his bride, Dolores. Mr. Bell is there and is up to his shenanigans even though his health is failing fast. I liked Frederick Hale’s father-in-law and the minor part he played. A ship captain along with his wife and daughter were some of the new characters that added a pleasing touch to the drama that unfolded aboard ship and after. 

I loved this book. It filled in the gaps left by the original having to be rushed to a finish. There are several twists and some unexpected happenings that make for a thrilling read with depth and romance. The novel was well-written and the conclusion was gratifying, even if I did not want it to end. No Such Thing as Luck is a story that I will be reading again.  There is absolutely nothing that I disliked about this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves North & South. Very well done, Nicole Clarkston. I hope you will be writing more about John Thornton and Margaret Hale.

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I am giving away one eBook of No Such Thing as Luck and the giveaway is international. If you have read this awesome book, please share your thoughts with me. If not, tell me why you would like to read it. As usual, should you be the winner, I will need your contact info so leave it in the comment. Giveaway will end at 11:59 PM on the 7th of February.