Doctor Cupid
Rhoda Broughton set this late-Victorian romance among the Lambton sisters, whose modest household sits in the shadow of a grander neighbouring estate. Peggy, the practical and level-headed elder sister, quietly keeps the family in order while her prettier, more impulsive younger sister Prue chases romance, and Peggy expects little happiness for herself. Love, of course, has other plans. Broughton was famous in her day for heroines who spoke their minds and refused to play the meek Victorian ideal, and here she picks at the small vanities, jealousies, and misunderstandings that keep sensible people apart. The tone stays warm and gently ironic rather than melodramatic, with the author’s keen eye for social awkwardness on full display. Available here as a free PDF and EPUB edition.
