Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

Intelligent, practical Mary Challoner knew wicked Dominic Alastair, Marquis of Vidal, wouldn't marry her sister, despite her mother's matchmaking schemes. So Mary coolly prepared to protect her sister by deceiving Vidal. But, she certainly hadn't expected the infuriated nobleman to kidnap her! Reluctantly awakening to his responsibility --and realizing just how serious Mary was about her virtue -- Vidal postponed marriage. But after all the carefully laid wedding plots he'd dodged, Vidal had never expected to be refused by a chit! Baffled, bewitched and frustratingly tempted, Vidal swore that Mary would be his wife. Even if it was the last thing either of them ever did.

Quite honestly, I don’t think I can do this book justice. Clever humor pours all through the pages of this wonderful story. I spent last Sunday afternoon with a beatific smile plastered on my face laughing uncontrollably. My cat, who was sleeping right next to me, was awaken several times and made me well aware with some glaring looks that I was disturbing his comfortable nap.

The characters are a true delight, attaching and far from perfect, who made them even more attractive to my eyes. But it’s the dialogues that caught me completely unaware with their delicious wittiness. There are so many memorable moments, that is hard to pick up a favorite.

Vidal is a true rake, not the kind that makes all the show and, at the end, is another misunderstood man who is in great need of talking about his feelings. But he is always honest with his intentions and clearly shows marriage is not in his immediate plans. The pretty and frivolous Miss Challowner caught his eye and is convinced he will maker her his marchioness.

After another scandal, Vidal needs to leave the country and intends to take his current love interest with him. But this is without counting with the young woman’s elder sister, Mary, who always knew the Marquis true intentions. Determined to ruin his plans, she decides to go in her sister’s place.

I enjoyed Mary immensely! There’s sizzling chemistry between her and Vidal right from the beginning, but they both try to ignore it the best they can without many success. The shooting scene is hilarious and one of my many favorites in this book.

The constant interventions of Vidal’s family contributes to many funny moments, especially when his paternal aunt is involved (her complains about Vidal’s behavior and comparisons to her son are higly amusing) or even his mother, Léonie, the heroine of These Old Shades, who has always a peculiar talent to comfort her son.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! Devil’s Cub is now in my comfort reads shelf forever.

Grade: 5/5

Knaves' Wager - Loretta Chase

"I need no further proof that you are despicable!" Lilith Davenant's sensibilities were appropriately offended. How dare the brazen Lord Julian Brandon kiss her when he knew full well the man she was to marry was in the next room! It mattered not that the cad was handsome, charming and witty...unlike the staid, auburn-haired young widow's fiancé. Lilith's repute meant all. Never did she imagine the blackguard's amorous pursuit was the result of a wager to sully her flawless reputation. Nor did she dream that one day she would yearn for Julian's irresistible embrace-and that a reckless gamble would cause the notorious rake to lose his heart...just as Lilith discovered her own!

Knaves' Wager must be one of my favorite Trad Regency books, just after The Sandalwood Princess also by Loretta Chase. Since I was much in need of a comfort read this week, I immediately thought about rereading this story again. It’s always a pleasure to revisit Chase’s characters again and again.

I’m one of those readers who immediately shy away when I see a wager plot. Maybe it’s the abundance of this kind of story in the romance gender, but, for me, they all follow the same steps: virtuous heroine, rake hero, he wagers to compromise her, she tries to keep her distance but fails miserably after tasting the hero’s charms. At the end, after a big confrontation, everyone gets together and all problems are solved. I confess that what made me read this book for the first time was the author. Most of Loretta Chase books are hits for me and this one was no exception, even if some aspects of the story are not entirely to my taste. Chase still managed to pull it off!

Lilith is a young widow who is determined to marry her nieces well. When faced with some economical troubles, she knows the only solution is to get married. Her fiancé is a member of the aristocracy, a pleasant and reliable man, very in agreement of what Lilith wanted for herself. While virtuous and sensible, she is also respectable without being a moralizing tight up kind of heroine who would constantly judge everything and everyone. She’s a charming woman who tries to give the best to her nieces and she actually surprised me since I was all ready to dislike her.

The charming scoundrel, Jillian was a bit of a disappointment. He starts as a delicious, even if sometimes scandalous womanizer and towards the end, he completely changes, as if a new man was born. A repentant rake can be believable sometimes but not to this point. He entered the wager to try to save his nephew from a tricky situation and actually drags himself in a complex relationship with a woman who turned out to be everything he didn’t believe anymore. While I had no hard time seeing these two together, I didn’t understand how he had to change so much to allow himself to be with Lilith.

Something I truly enjoy in this story is the fact that the characters aren’t all perfect; there’s no cardboard villains, just normal people with their flaws and qualities who sometimes don’t make the best decisions. This creates some very real situations and this along with the witty dialogues between Lilith and Jillian is what makes it a favorite. Certainly a must read for any Trad Regency fan.

Grade: 4/5

St. Martin's Summer - Diana Brown

Miss Josephina Trafford was quite happy tolive a safe distance from the fashionable frenzy of Regency London. Not only was she a young lady of good breeding and even better sense, she was busy enough trying to save her family estate, curb the extravagance of her flighty mother, and provide for the marriages of her two charming but helpless sisters.

But if Josephina would not go near the temptations of the city, they came to her--in the devilishly handsome form of Lord Conniston Venables. Venables was on an unwilling visit to the countryside, but the sight of Josephina made him eager to stay until he conquered her. He could not imagine she could resist a man who knew so well the ways of the world--until Josephina began to teach him how much he had to learn about the ways of a woman's untamed heart...

After her father’s death, Josephina Trafford became the head of her family. Left with considerable debts, she does everything she can to put her state in perfect order and settle her sisters dowry as stipulated by her father’s will.

When a problem arises, she seeks her new neighbor, Lord Conniston Venables, to help her solve it. Both Conniston and Josephina seemed intrigued by each other. But he has a wicked reputation with the ladies and is even accused of compromising the sister of a friend. Everything seemed to set them apart and yet, they are intensely drawn to each other.

Josephina is a strong-willed, independent and very intelligent heroine. Her family’s state is on her hands and she knows it’s their only source of income. She has no troubles refusing extravagances and childish requests to her vapid mother and foolish younger sister, Amelia. They both blame her constantly for not getting what they want and for living so above their station. In fact, everyone around Josephina seems to think her savings and care for her lands are exaggerated and those matters are not fit for a young lady like her. This annoys our heroine quite often, but she just ignores them all and does what she thinks is the best. How can we not admire someone like her?

Now, Lord Conniston Venables is another matter. He doesn’t seem a nice person when we first meet him. He sounds too arrogant, careless and too libertine. In other words, the perfect rogue. His reputation precedes him and he is clearly “persona non grata” among the local gentry. They all seem eager to see him go. He has other plans, especially after meeting Josephina.

The dashing Lady Eliza Coningsby reminds me a lot of Miss Caroline Bingley from Pride And Prejudice. The remarks about the locals, the lack of sophistication, Josephina’s manly occupations… Everything seems not good enough for her and when she learns our heroine has never been to London, she is absolutely shocked. Venables arrogant sister is no better with her concerns after Jo’s lowly social status might damage her own and worst, her son’s. What a pair of utterly despicable young ladies we have here.

The scene of the proposal is intense and filled with excruciating distress. This scene and even some details made me think sometimes about Pride and Prejudice. The arrogant handsome man who moves in different social circles, the local intelligent and witty young lady with a crazy family, the 1st refused proposal. Of course, here Jo is in love for Conniston and well aware of it, but his snobbish sister took care of any hopes she might had of a possible relationship.

I quite enjoyed the characters but felt somehow the upcoming marriages were just there to create some additional and unnecessary drama. Why suddenly someone so level headed as Jo would make something so rushed up?! She was hurting, saw herself alone and took this decision, but for me it just didn’t sound like Josephina Trafford.

Despite my opinion of the end, this book is a very pleasant surprise and certainly another recommendation for all the Regency fans out there.

Grade: 4/5

You can also read Ana T.'s review of this book here.

The Emerald Necklace - Diana Brown

A tragedy of errors. The first error was one of pride - pride that made Lady Leonora spurn the loving attentions of her commoner husband for the frivolous company of her aristocratic friends. The second error was one of vanity - the kind of vanity that made a beautiful young woman an easy victim for the flattery of an all-too worldly admirer. The third error was one of loyalty - loyalty to a father who would sell anything, even his daughter's honor, to save his own. For Leonora and Etienne Lambert, those were just the opening errors in a battle royal of willful misunderstanding that would give the word marriage a whole new meaning.

Lady Leonora Fordyce is a young lady sure of her place in society. She spends her days in leisure with her friend Penelope Oliphant and her brother Francis, to whom she imagines being married in a near future. After an exciting day in the park with her beau, she arrives home to find her father in deep conversation with an unknown man. Immediately she sees he is not from her class and dismisses him as a commoner and certainly someone without much interest. To Leonora’s deep shock, some days later, her father announces her that she is to marry the young man, Etienne Lambert, so he can help him with his heavy debts.

A convenience/forced marriage to help the family is not really an uncommon theme in traditional regencies, but this one was written with mastery. The first (and biggest) problem here seems to be the heroine, her father and even her dearest friends. All insufferable snobs filled with deep scorn for anyone who isn’t from their class. Leonora repeats many times how unworthy Lambert is of her. When she learns about her marriage, her first thought is that her father certainly refused the offer since it was unthinkable that someone like her would marry a tradesman. But in the other hand, it is completely acceptable for her father and other society members to be indebted to their necks and accept money from those they despise.

It’s impossible to like this little chit in the first 200 pages. She is everything I hate in a heroine: narrow minded, arrogant, stupid and selfish. I was so mad with her that I even thought of drowning her in the Tames several times. It’s not often I feel like this about a character, but I rarely stumbled upon someone so annoying. But then, with time and thinking with a bit more logic (which is not always easy while listening the heroine burping so many silly things), not everything was her fault. It’s true she was a brat, but she was bought by a man and forced into a marriage she never wanted, no matter her reasons. Her father and her husband never really tried to know her feelings about it.
Lord Fordyce was mostly interested in paying his debts and getting a monthly allowance from his son-in-law, while completely forgetting about Leonora’s happiness; and her husband was not really better. What was he thinking to buy a bride like this and expecting her to immediately love him without any suspicions and even some hurt pride?! Etienne was not always honest with his wife and despite their differences and their quarrels; the responsibility for their failed marriage was not solely Leonora’s.

After months of obstacles and misunderstandings, they finally take their separate ways, after a very dramatic situation, and, I must confess, I completely understood Leonora’s attitude and cheered her up. This girl was finally taking some action and making a life for herself. A new Leonora is born and I can’t help but admire her. She takes refuge in Yorkshire and there she builds a life for her. It’s the turning point of the story. Not only we actually see her changing, but it’s clear she wants to become someone different too. She becomes involved in the local activities and she impresses her neighbors and even her servants and workers with her interest for her estate affairs and even her wisdom.

It’s not often you follow a character grow like in this book. Slowly, and sometimes painfully, the spoiled brat becomes a strong woman, someone who knows what she wants, even if her relationship with her husband is still on the rocks and it’s climbing towards the unthinkable – a divorce. From a profound dislike for Leonora in the beginning of the story, I ended up suffering for her (and even Etienne) and the agony of some moments was quite powerful.

Etienne St. Clair Lambert was not an easy man. Born in the wrong side of the blanket, his upbringing was not a conventional one and he is a tough self-made man who never stops until he gets what he wants. In this case it was Leonora. He saw her once and it was all that it took. He marries her and never really expects to fail his conquest. We know he loves her but, at the same time, he never trusted her and there was absolutely no intimacy or even a desire to share his life with her.

As I said before, both characters had their flaws but he was a very guarded man. The only time he seems to loosen up was in company of another woman or when Leonora was not around. Each time she was present, he acted like he was expecting the worst from her. Nonetheless, he was the one who started to give Leonora’s some well deserved lessons about money and responsibilities. Something she knew nothing about since her father was not a good role model for anyone…

I spend the last 200 pages of the book holding my breath, dreading for the worst and ended up with a slight pain on my chest but a big smile on my face. I really must say I was very surprised with Diana Brown’s The Emerald Necklace which goes immediately to my Top 10 list of Best Traditional Regencies.

A little note, the book is written in the 1st person, which is something it often puts me off. Here it worked perfectly well, even if sometimes, I would have liked to know other characters perspectives of the story.

Grade: 4.5. / 5

You can also read Ana T.'s review of this book here.

The Sandalwood Princess - Loretta Chase

After a number of years keeping house for her brother in India, Amanda Cavencourt has decided to return to her native England. She receives a sandalwood fertility carving as a going-away gift from Rani Simhi, a notorious Indian princess she has befriended. Amanda soon learns that this carving is coveted by the powerful Lord Headgrave, who bears a grudge against Rani Simhi. Headgrave hires a mysterious, infamous thief named ''the Falcon'' to steal the carving from her. Although the Falcon is successful, clever Amanda manages to find a way to get it back--and steals the Falcon's heart in the bargain.

Amanda is a feisty even if sometimes too trusting heroine, but she’s also funny and very perceptive. Just the kind of girl I love to read about. When the story starts, she is about to leave her adoptive country, India, where she lived several years with her brother. Since he married, she felt that her presence was not really welcomed by her sister-in-law and decided to return to England.

In her last night in the country, she visits a princess who gives her a very mysterious statue, The Sandalwood Princess. Meanwhile, another person is also interested in the statue and hires a mysterious man going by the name of The Falcon to steal the precious gift from Amanda that same night. The next day they are both aboard the same boat returning to their home country…

If Amanda is a delicious heroine, The Falcon is a charmer! Philip Astonley, Viscount Felkoner (aka Mr. Brentick) didn’t think twice when he stole the statue from the young lady. Now, while returning home he meets and gets to know her and slowly falls under her charm. Arrogant, adventurous, charismatic, he has everything to win her heart, and ours too!

They both lie to each other and do everything they can to keep the statue, but somehow Loretta Chase manages to create a very dynamic couple who, in the end, understand they just cannot live without each other. Their bickering and competition is really funny. The initial condescending attitude from Philip quickly changes when he understands that Amanda is much more than a pretty lady and she stands up to him as an equal.

The story is not only exciting and very well crafted (in 220 pages!), we also get moments of pure fun and those are entirely Padji’s fault. The man is hilarious and kept me laughing out loud all the way until the end.

I read The Sandalwood Princess for the first time a couple of years ago and since then it remained one of my favorite Traditional Regencies. For me, it has a bit of everything I enjoy in a good story: a solid and exciting plot, a sparkling leading couple, attaching secondary characters (a special mention again for Padji) and an irresistible sense of humor. Also, it’s set in India which for me it’s always a plus!

Grade: 4.5/5

Miss Whittier Makes a List - Carla Kelly

Miss Hannah Whittier was a most proper young lady, but now she found herself in a most improper position. Not only was she the sole female on a British man-of-war, but he ship's commander, Captain Sir Daniel Spark, seemed to feel she owed him far more than gratitude for fishing her out of the sea.

This overbearingly arrogant officer was all that Hannah found infuriating in a man--and it should have been easy to repulse his advances… if only he were not so handsome… if only he did not know how to be so charming… if only she did not find that the salt air worked a sea change on her senses… as powerful currents swept her far from familiar shores into unknown waters where the compass of conscience could not guide her on a course that was headed for the shores of scandal and rocks of ruin…

Hannah Whittier, a young Quaker girl, is traveling to Charleston to be married. To her dismay, her ship is first attacked by the British, whose Captain forces a young American boy to join his crew, and later by the French who kill almost all the passengers and destroy the vessel. The young woman manages to escape and is saved by the same British crew lead by Captain Sir Daniel Spark.

What went wrong for me in Miss Whittier Makes a List? The two main characters, Hannah and Daniel. I normally don't mind very young heroines but here it was almost a torture to follow this girl's adventures. She is naive beyond belief and sometimes plain silly. I couldn't relate to her in any possible way and if some of her attitudes were supposed to be funny or refreshing, that didn't work for me at all.

Unfortunately, the hero was not much better. When he first meets the heroine, he appears as a ruthless and quite arrogant man, but right after he seems like a complete different person and shows a huge amount of patience with Hannah who is constantly in everyone's way. Suddenly to make up for all her faux-pas, there she is making extraordinary coffee for the captain, or giving him her support in a difficult moment…

I never believed not for a second that these two had feelings for each other. First him, a man well on his 30's suddenly claiming he is deeply in love with a 17 year old girl who he barely knows. And when he declares his love, it's her who shows some sense, but not for long. I just couldn't picture them together, there was no spark, no attraction whatsoever. I even started to think he was marrying her for her coffee…

After suspending my disbelief for so long I finally gave up, making of Miss Whittier Makes a List my first DNF of the year.

Grade: DNF

Lady Elizabeth's Comet - Sheila Simonson

At 28, lovely Lady Elizabeth Conway was old enough to know what she wanted-most especially in t he matter of choosing a mate. But now the independent Elizabeth found herself sorely perplexed... Her beau, the incredibly handsome and wealthy Lord Bevis was eagerly seeking her hand. Though the viscount showed no interest in Elizabeth's passion for astronomy or other intellectual pursuits, the young woman had to admit she was ever so fond of him...Then there was Lord Clanross, the insufferably opinionated and maddeningly bossy new heir to the Conway title. Still, Elizabeth had to admit she vastly admired his courage and enjoyed his brilliant mind.
It would take a new comet in the heavens to help her choose
wisely-and light her way to true love.

Lady Elizabeth Conway is an astronomer and the eldest of 8 daughters. Upon her father's death, it's a distant cousin who inherits the earldom, Tom Conway. But the new earl of Clanross doesn't seem very interested in his estates and takes a whole year to present himself to the family. When he finally arrives to the Abbey, he is not what it was expected…

Elizabeth is a very charming and strong-willed heroine. Her life is her telescope and her stars and, for once, this feels real and not just something to make the heroine look smarter or original. You can actually feel her passion and dedication to astronomy. She even refuses to marry if her profession is not accepted by her future husband. She's also independent and has a dry humor who easily makes you laugh out loud.

Tom Conway, the new earl of Clanross, prizes intelligence and education. He also cares for his family, even when he was never treated like such. A man who is not sure of himself and his appeal and yet, everyone seems under his charm. I'm not normally seduced by beta-heroes but I confess this one is absolutely marvellous.

There is no love at first sight, no initial and overwhelming attraction. When these two met the dislike is mutual. She finds him stiff and grayish. He completely disagrees with her decisions concerning her sisters education. They slowly become friends, respecting and admiring each other. We follow that relationship and it's obvious why they fall in love. We want them to be in love, there's no other way.

Sheila Simonson manages to create a very believable story and even Elizabeth's doubts and fears aren't silly or childish. We can only feel for her and expect for a happy ending.
I can say without doubts this was one of my best reads of 2008. The author's intelligent writing and attractive characters makes this book a must read for any Trad Regency fan. If you can get a copy of Lady Elizabeth's Comet, don't let it go!

Grade: 5/5

Deceiving Miss Dearborn - Laurie Bishop

Annabelle Dearborn has been managing the financial affairs of her family’s estate since her late father lost their wealth in a bad investment. To help pay expenses, she has opened their doors to boarders. But when she discovers an injured man in the barn on her grounds, she manages to find a place for him in her full house—and in her heart. He has the manners of a gentleman and the strength of a Corinthian, yet he has no idea who he is or where he’s from. The one thing he knows for sure is that his desire for Miss Dearborn is growing—and he can only pray that, when he finally does remember his true identity, he’ll be worthy of Annabelle’s love.

After a succession of bad investments made by her father and his consequent death, Annabelle Dearborn is forced to turn her home into a country inn. Faced with a disastrous financial situation, she considers selling her last valuable object – her father's ruby ring. Later she finds a man hiding in her stables claming he doesn't know who he is… He only remembers waking up in a field (hence his new name, Mr. Wakefield) but his posture and speech show clearly that he is a gentleman. Immediately (but not without some suspicions), Annabelle proposes him to stay and recover while giving her a hand in the farm and house chores.

First of all, this story is perfectly predictable. Immediately we guess the man who was robbed, beaten and left naked on a field must be someone rich and even titled. Mr. Wakefield is a true gentleman, agreeable and charming, always doing everything to please his delightful employer, even when he finds out his true identity.

In the other hand, Annabelle acted, too often for my taste, like her mother's favorite punching bag. She is gentle and full of hope, even when everything seems without salvation, but a bit more of strength wouldn't do her any wrong.

Anabelle's mother was a real pain. She simply refused to acknowledge her situation and all the troubles her husband caused. She never makes any effort to understand her daughter's concerns and only worries about herself and her well being. Not the most sympathetic character…

I really had a hard time believing Annabelle and Mr. Wakefield were in love by the end of the story. There's no attraction or even much interaction and suddenly they are having feeling for each other. Everything is too sudden, too quickly to have any deep.

I was never partial to these amnesia plots and this one didn't work either. The fact that some arrogant and cold aristocrat could change of character so quickly is simply unbelievable. His own family describes the man not only as intimidating but like he had an icicle instead of a heart. How could he become more friendly and modest while staying a little while in a country house sleeping in the master's bedroom and wearing Annabelle's father clothes. It seems to me a bit too stretched. One day, someone knocks him in the head and he wakes up a much nicer person. I'm almost tempted to say that those men who almost killed him made him a favor.

Grade: 2.5/5