Free/Bargain Romances in May 2013

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Blossom

What age did a woman become a old maid or spinsters in the late 1800s?

Average age at first marriage would have been in the early 20s for women (mid-20s for men) in Northern Europe for the middle ages and after. I suppose fertility decline would have begun on average by the mid/late 30s, so then or after. Aristocratic marriages would have trended younger, though, because the barriers to younger marriage did not exist so strongly for the wealthy and more marriages were arranged.

Southern Europe and Asia also trended younger, as they didn't have the same barriers to early marriage as Northern European culture has. Northern European culture usually expects a married couple to form their own household, which pushes marriage age up. Younger marriages (especially for women) tend to take place in cultures where the new bride basically moves in with her parents-in-law (as is the case even today in many places).

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I'm still baffled. I realize this is a ARC copy so maybe the age is fixed in the final version. Now I relooked on the first page it says she cut 20 years of hair so I bet it's a misprint. So it would make more sense she is 20 not 26. I knew something was off.

So I guess the question is what age did a woman come of age back then in 1867?

Between 18 and 21, although more likely 18--this could vary from place to place and time to time and for various things (inheritance, entering into contracts, voting, consent to marriage without parental permission, etc.)

Queen Victoria became Queen right after turning 18 (age of majority then and there); she would have had to have a regent to rule in her place if she'd inherited the throne a month earlier. As it was, her overbearing mother (and mother's lover) tried to get her to sign up for a regency until she was 21 anyway. That didn't work out well for them.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Between 18 and 21, although more likely 18--this could vary from place to place and time to time and for various things (inheritance, entering into contracts, voting, consent to marriage without parental permission, etc.)

Queen Victoria became Queen right after turning 18 (age of majority then and there); she would have had to have a regent to rule in her place if she'd inherited the throne a month earlier. As it was, her overbearing mother (and mother's lover) tried to get her to sign up for a regency until she was 21 anyway. That didn't work out well for them.

I love history but Google makes it impossible to find these answers.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Blossom

So here's what I have to ask. If 20 was underage? Could a Guy get in trouble for taking her across state lines? That just baffles me. The hero in the book is upset because he just took the heroine in his boat from LA to MS thinking she was a boy but finding out she was a underage girl of 20.

The Mann Act only dates back to 1910 and forbids interstate transportation of minors (people under 18) for sexual purposes, and interstate sex trafficking in general. I'm not sure what the laws were before 1910 or if there were any.

[koland]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Average age at first marriage would have been in the early 20s for women (mid-20s for men) in Northern Europe for the middle ages and after. I suppose fertility decline would have begun on average by the mid/late 30s, so then or after. Aristocratic marriages would have trended younger, though, because the barriers to younger marriage did not exist so strongly for the wealthy and more marriages were arranged.

Southern Europe and Asia also trended younger, as they didn't have the same barriers to early marriage as Northern European culture has. Northern European culture usually expects a married couple to form their own household, which pushes marriage age up. Younger marriages (especially for women) tend to take place in cultures where the new bride basically moves in with her parents-in-law (as is the case even today in many places).

Lack of land also pushed marriage ages up, at least for poorer males - most ended up living and working on a parent's property (ok, and they still do... didn't I see a recent article that Italian males now live at home into their 40's?)

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Joykins

The Mann Act only dates back to 1910 and forbids interstate transportation of minors (people under 18) for sexual purposes, and interstate sex trafficking in general. I'm not sure what the laws were before 1910 or if there were any.

That's what I thought too. I didn't think there was any laws back then forbidding a minor leaving the state. I mean the father could come after them but how much trouble could they be in with the law?

It just really makes no sense. I really wish authors of today would do better research or explain why the person would be in trouble. I need to finish this book the write the review.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Blossom

That's what I thought too. I didn't think there was any laws back then forbidding a minor leaving the state. I mean the father could come after them but how much trouble could they be in with the law?

It just really makes no sense. I really wish authors of today would do better research or explain why the person would be in trouble. I need to finish this book the write the review.

Might be considered kidnapping but I wouldn't think state lines would matter for that. And I doubt 20 would have been considered a minor in most places.

[Loosheesh]

Did anyone buy Relentless by Cassia Leo? The second book in the series, Pieces of You, is $0.99 at Kobo (and $3.99 at Amazon ). Actually, yesterday it was $3.99 at Kobo as well; I just happened to visit the page again tonight and noticed the price-drop

[Blue2u]

For those of you who hadn't read A.L. Jackson [like me, until today], I highly recommend. I got Lost to You for $.99 [it's still on sale as of tonight and is a prequel to Take This Regret]. Before I was even done I bought 'Take This Regret and paid FULL PRICE, yes, you read right, me, $4.00, full price, and I'm halfway through it now too and don't regret it [although admittedly I did at the beginning, but NOT now]!

[Carmelreader]

Originally Posted by Blossom

You're probably right. I should just stay away from Historicals that are being published today. All the modern terminology confuses me.

I agree with you. Frankly I don't think there was even the concept of "underage". More as mentioned married or spinster. An unmarried girl or woman was usually under the protection of her family. If alone, she was extremely vulnerable. I can't imagine a "hero" of that period being at all worried about taking a young woman "across state lines". I think that is very much a 20th century idea. Women didn't have any legal rights, so I can't imagine the law being unduly concerned about age. Ten, eleven years girls and boys were working in factories into the 20th century. I have to remind myself sometimes how vast the changes have been, when my mother was born, a woman couldn't even vote in this country!

whoops am saying the same as Dreams and Joykins. Should have read ahead before commenting.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Carmelreader

I agree with you. Frankly I don't think there was even the concept of "underage". More as mentioned married or spinster. An unmarried girl or woman was usually under the protection of her family. If alone, she was extremely vulnerable. I can't imagine a "hero" of that period being at all worried about taking a young woman "across state lines". I think that is very much a 20th century idea. Women didn't have any legal rights, so I can't imagine the law being unduly concerned about age. Ten, eleven years girls and boys were working in factories into the 20th century. I have to remind myself sometimes how vast the changes have been, when my mother was born, a woman couldn't even vote in this country!

whoops am saying the same as Dreams and Joykins. Should have read ahead before commenting.

No I'm glad you did. It just affirmed what I originally thought. I'm just gonna have to overlook it and hope it plays no more than just that small part of the story.

[Blossom]

Oh so the hero is arrested and charge with taking a minor over state lines and charge with kidnapping. Now get this, he also charge with ruin the girls reputation. and the judge right after opening arguments suddenly delivers the verdict guilty. Umm what happened to the trial?

Oh and now father says if he marries her, he will drop the charges so the poor hero is forced into a shotgun wedding!

This is a DNF for me. I will finish it but I can't believe the plot no matter how hard I tried and I'm miffed with how the freed slaves are just plot muppets. Handed off to the hero from the previous book to take north. Such a very important part of our history.

Okay this the last I will post on this book. DNF is my grade.

[worktolive]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

Did anyone buy Relentless by Cassia Leo? The second book in the series, Pieces of You, is $0.99 at Kobo (and $3.99 at Amazon ). Actually, yesterday it was $3.99 at Kobo as well; I just happened to visit the page again tonight and noticed the price-drop

Now at $0.99 at Amazon also. I tried to add the link, but my tablet is not cooperating.

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by worktolive

Now at $0.99 at Amazon also. I tried to add the link, but my tablet is not cooperating.

Here you go: Pieces of You

[NixLapi]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

Did anyone buy Relentless by Cassia Leo? The second book in the series, Pieces of You, is $0.99 at Kobo (and $3.99 at Amazon ). Actually, yesterday it was $3.99 at Kobo as well; I just happened to visit the page again tonight and noticed the price-drop

Oooh, thanks! I haven't read Relentless yet, but it's high on my TBR list!