From Publishers Weekly
Ten years after Koen introduced heroine Barbara Devane in her bestselling debut novel, Through a Glass Darkly, she brings back the strong-willed young woman to face further challenges among the baroque world of the European and colonial American nobility of the early 18th century. The settling of America and the courtly intrigues of the Jacobite rebellion in England serve as both backdrop and parallel for Lady Devane's path toward her own independence as an aristocrat and as a woman. Having been widowed at age 20, she has embarked for colonial Virginia, determined to develop a plantation there. Spunky and headstrong, she bristles when she is patronizingly described by one of her many admirers as a "fragile black butterfly"; anything but fragile, she takes lovers across political divides and frees her slaves against all advice. These flamboyant gestures often seem shallow, however, and Lady Devane's dismay at the treatment of the slaves in the New World characteristically seems more picturesque than humane. Koen doesn't hesitate to make her heroine less perfect than conventional characters of this genre; Lady Devane comments in a rare moment of self-reflection that her pity for her favorite servant never led her to seriously consider his feelings. A pervasive tone of gentility grounds the novel in its period, and Koen's smooth prose and nicely integrated background details make this a superior historical romance. Major ad/promo; author tour. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
This sequel to Through a Glass Darkly (LJ 11/1/86) follows Barbara Devane, a 20-year-old widow, as she picks up the pieces of her life. Devastated by her husband's betrayal and death and facing financial ruin from his participation in the South Sea Bubble scandal, Barbara travels to a Virginia plantation, now her grandmother's property. There she matures and finds the inner strength to return to England and face her problems. Back in London, however, she finds herself involved in Jacobite plots and the treachery of powerful men, which threaten her family, friends, and a new love. Period details, especially of politics, are abundant yet the 18th century never really comes to life. Many of the characters remain two-dimensional, while the action evolves slowly until the end, when several story lines are hurriedly tied up. Readers who enjoyed Koen's first novel will undoubtedly welcome this continuation, but others might find it heavy going. For large collections.Barbara E. Kemp, SUNY at AlbanyCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
The beloved heroine from Koen's bestselling Through a Glass Darkly returns in a passionate, unforgettable, romantic tapestry. A widow at age 20, emotionally devastated and financially ruined by the death of her husband in scandalous circumstances, Barbara Devane leaves colonial Virginia for London to confront her enemies and to pursue a deeply satisfying yet dangerous clandestine love.


From the Inside Flap
The beloved heroine from Koen's bestselling Through a Glass Darkly returns in a passionate, unforgettable, romantic tapestry. A widow at age 20, emotionally devastated and financially ruined by the death of her husband in scandalous circumstances, Barbara Devane leaves colonial Virginia for London to confront her enemies and to pursue a deeply satisfying yet dangerous clandestine love.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

At the center of Now Face to Face is a woman who is devastated by loss, yet is nevertheless determined to create a new way of living with dignity, adventure, and love. Beautiful, headstrong Barbara Devane is a widow at twenty, emotionally devastated and financially ruined by the death of her husband in scandalous circumstances. In colonial Virginia, she struggles to develop a family tobacco plantation, and she finds, in this surprising society, betrayal and evil, and also her own strength and a new kind of purpose and bond. Returning to London, Barbara sets in motion an unorthodox plan to reestablish herself as a woman of property, confronting her enemies and regaining power and place. As the society around her erupts in political turmoil, she meets a mysterious, charismatic man and embarks on a deeply satisfying yet dangerous clandestine love.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Ten years after Koen introduced heroine Barbara Devane in her bestselling debut novel, Through a Glass Darkly, she brings back the strong-willed young woman to face further challenges among the baroque world of the European and colonial American nobility of the early 18th century. The settling of America and the courtly intrigues of the Jacobite rebellion in England serve as both backdrop and parallel for Lady Devane's path toward her own independence as an aristocrat and as a woman. Having been widowed at age 20, she has embarked for colonial Virginia, determined to develop a plantation there. Spunky and headstrong, she bristles when she is patronizingly described by one of her many admirers as a ``fragile black butterfly''; anything but fragile, she takes lovers across political divides and frees her slaves against all advice. These flamboyant gestures often seem shallow, however, and Lady Devane's dismay at the treatment of the slaves in the New World characteristically seems more picturesque than humane. Koen doesn't hesitate to make her heroine less perfect than conventional characters of this genre; Lady Devane comments in a rare moment of self-reflection that her pity for her favorite servant never led her to seriously consider his feelings. A pervasive tone of gentility grounds the novel in its period, and Koen's smooth prose and nicely integrated background details make this a superior historical romance. Major ad/promo; author tour. (Jan.)

Library Journal