Another excellent story by Stella Riley

Alex Wyndham is a great narrator and Stella Riley brings the historical period to life

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Just brilliant!

Such an engrossing and charming story. Very well and satisfyingly read. Stella Riley always delivers on every level, as does Alex Wyndham.

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Loved it!

As a late convert to audio books, I have found that an extra dimension has been added - descriptions and conversations have more colour and meaning. Having bought this book when it was first published and devoured it a number of times since, I was reluctant to acquire the audio version believing that I would find it less enjoyable. I need not have worried. This is the final book in the Rockcliffe series and ties up a number of loose ends, telling the story of two cousins who change places which makes things interesting. Not wanting to give anything away - all I can say is that Alex Wyndham’s rendition is superb, the Harcourt men’s voices in particular! I would recommend Cadenza (either audio, kindle or book form) to anyone who is looking for a well written and researched historical novel.

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fantastic

the only thing I didn't hear anymore about Elizabeth and Ralph's wedding and what happened with them

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Cadenza is a feast for the senses

This series has been absolutely tremendous and I have loved every wonderful minute of it, especially with the velvet tones of narrator, Alex Wyndham, added into the mix.

Cadenza follows the fortunes of a talented musician - a virtuoso in fact. Julian Langham is abruptly thrust into an aristocratic world he does not want, and worse, it’s at the expense of his beloved music. He is broke and desperately unhappy when Arabella (Belle) Brandon arrives with her beautiful laugh and practical good sense to save him. She has changed places with her cousin Elizabeth (Lizzie) Marsden who has travelled in her place to take up an offer of a London season under the sponsorship of the Duke and Duchess of Rockliffe.

Obviously the cause and effect of the girls subterfuge has far reaching consequences, but they are entertaining and give the author and her narrator great scope for drama, wit and spine tingling romance.

There is a parallel, secondary romance between Lizzie and Ralph Sherbourne which is quite lovely, but my favourite of the two romances is Belle and Julian’s. I think Julian is probably the most unusual character I have ever encountered in Historical Romance and quite delightful in his complexity.

Six books down the line and the superb acting skills of Alex Wyndham have never dimmed. He has kept a grip on Rockliffe’s ‘gang’ of friends and family and effortlessly replicated the voices of each one so expertly that there is never any doubt as to which character we are listening to. With each new book in the series more characters have been added, but he is never phased and his versatility knows no bounds. A consummate actor and an eloquent writer - what more could we, their audience ask for? Bravo Ms. Riley and Mr. Wyndham.

If you have never listened to an audio book by this author/narrator combination, then my advice is to begin with The Parfit Knight. I guarantee you will want to lock yourself away until you have devoured all six books. Highly recommended.

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6 people found this helpful

Such an delightful end to the series

I really felt like all loose ends were tied in this book, with regards to all our beautiful characters in the series. It seems as though even Rock’s reputation and place in society is about to grow too... as the Duke who discovered the virtuoso! I disagree with some reviews that criticized the Ralph and Elizabeth love story. There are always two love stories in the books, to varying degrees! This was the secondary one. At the end of the day Belle and Julian are the main story. Belle is a force, who often reminds me of Nel. Julian is singular and lovely and I couldn’t help but picture an 18th century version of Eric Stolz in Some Kind of Wonderful!

It’s a beautiful and delightful, and quite hilarious at times! When the children get angry at Rock I was guffawing!

Highly recommend for the story and narration! But also the getting introduced to classical composers like Royer and Soler!

Will listen again, of course.

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A Winning Combination

Having already read this story in e-book and hard copy, I was delighted to discover that Alex Wyndham’s audio performance enhanced my enjoyment of Stella Riley’s “Cadenza”.

I am a huge fan of all Ms Riley’s work and “Cadenza” showcases all her skills, notably: superb characterisation, deft plotting, sparkling dialogue and pitch perfect evocation of period and place. Ms Riley’s books are always so well researched and yet this research always sits lightly in the story. For example, it must have taken hours upon hours to find out what it would take to be a virtuoso harpsichord player in the late eighteenth century and to build a character that displays the requisite knowledge and skills and temperament. Julian Langham is entirely credible in this role and yet he is so much more than this. He is a fully rounded character and I defy anyone not to fall in love with him.

I love the juxtaposition of the two stories and the way the characters of the four protagonists contrast and complement each other. On the one hand we have the warmth and immediacy of Belle and Julian's story and on the other we have the quiet depth and restraint of Lizzie and Ralph’s tortuous progress to their “Happy Ever After”. The cast of supporting characters are particularly well defined and add so much to the story. From the three delightful children to Julian’s “terrible” cook and from Ralph’s dreadful brothers to Rock and our old friends from previous stories, they are each a joy whilst also serving to highlight traits and motivations of the main characters.

Alex Wyndham is particularly skilled in highlighting the nuances of character through his sensitive, thoughtful and empathetic narration. From my own reading of Cadenza, I already adored Julian and Belle but through listening to the audiobook, I was better able to appreciate the depth of feelings held by both Lizzie and Ralph: the way Lizzie accepted Ralph and could see beyond his brittle, harsh and self-contained exterior to his lonely, disillusioned and self-loathing soul. Through Alex Wyndham’s reading, I felt I understood Ralph more from the inside, as it were.

I have enjoyed other Stella Riley audiobooks performed by Alex Wyndham and look forward to catching up with the ones I have not yet heard. Ms Riley’s superb stories and Mr Wyndham’s excellent narration are always a winning combination.

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3 people found this helpful

An innovative plot and surprisingly endearing.

Alex Wyndham is once again the narrator and, quite frankly, no one else can better his rendition of the various (numerous) characters! How he does it, I don’t know!

Ms Riley has woven together a very enjoyable Victorian world (or is it Elizabethan? My history’s appalling)! Either way, this is another joint romance with a fabulous twist! One of the characters, whom we’ve encountered previously, is totally unrecognisable in this tale - it makes fascinating reading!

Don’t be off put by the length of the book. It’s worth every line. My only regret is not having met the Vicar...!

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Wonderful all round

Marvelous, carefully researched and beautifully written. Alex Wyndham's performance is, once more, memorable. Well worth keeping.

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3 people found this helpful

a Mozart - Da Ponte plot for a delightful fugue

As a fan of baroque and classical music, the harpsichord, Couperin, Mozart and Stella Riley, I was always going to enjoy this wonderful romp. I just hadn't realised how much!

The plot could be from one of Mozart and Da Ponte's operas. Two beautiful young cousins switch places - the poor vicar's daughter Lizzie becomes an honoured guest in a ducal household in London (Riley's omniscient Rockliffe). There, she captures the eye of the saturnine Ralph Sheringham, a villain in Riley's Hazard, and sets him on the road to redemption. The wealthy heiress Belle travels to a dilapidated estate in Lincolnshire, where she works as housekeeper and governess to the neglected children of the late master of the house.

The new master, Julian Langham, is our hero - and what a hero! Turn every single 'romance hero' cliché on its head, and you have Julian. He is shy, socially awkward, tongue-tied in the presence of women, unless it be to blurt out the first thing that comes to his head, a fish out of water tricked into taking on a ruined estate and a title he neither sought nor wanted. He is also a genius at the harpsichord, a friend of Mozart, and a kind, compassionate man who fosters his predecessor's illegitimate children in his home and heart. Julian is adorable and you understand how the accomplished and clever Belle falls for him and wants him to succeed as a concert musician. Incidentally, Belle is the descendant of Gabriel and Venetia Brandon, of Garland of Straw fame, which gave me a happy moment.

And what of the 'switching places' plot? The inimitable Rockliffe, of course, has a hand in untangling it... and after an adagio intermezzo during which the lovers are separated, we are treated to a happy scherzo... amabile and con brio!

My only regret is that we don't see the full blossoming of Ralph Sherborne's heart. But Stella Riley leaves us with him well on the way to redemption, so I'll just have to imagine the rest.

Alex Wyndham narrates the book with his customary assurance and talent - his voices, accents and tempo are all excellent and a credit to Ms Riley's flowing pen.

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3 people found this helpful