The Ungrateful Governess - Mary Balogh

Another one of Balogh's traditional regencies. No matter how much I enjoy her european historicals I approach these little books with an even greater expectation. This one was no different.

When the Earl of Rutherford tries to seduce Jessica Moore in her employer's library one night, she is blamed and loses her job. Rutherford offers her a position as his mistress, but instead Jessica enlists the aid of his own grandmother and sets out to teach him a lesson.

Jessica Moore, a young ladies governess, is dismissed after having been caught, barefoot and in her nightgown, with the Earl of Rutherford in the library, even if she has just refused his advances.

When he meets her on the road feels partially responsible for her predicament but at the same time sees it as the perfect opportunity for her to become his lover. Although at first she agrees Jess finds she cannot go through with it and Rutherford ends up sending her to his grandmother so she can find her a new position.

It is with evident surprise that he sees how his grandmother introduces her to society as a dear friend's granddaughter. At first he believes it to be a lie and still wants her to be his mistress and after knowing better to be his wife.

What I liked in this one was that it had a real feel. For instance Jessice first accepts to be Rutherford's mistress because she knows the situation she will face in London will be even darker. And when she cannot go through with it there's still some basic goodness in him to send her to his grandmother instead of just abandoning her. This is another story where a compromised young lady refuses to marry because there's no love involved, however and on the contrary of many other stories that does work here (no one else knows...). Jessica feels Rutherford would only use her and so they are constantly at odds. Their love is never expressed because they are always too busy fighting. The tension between the two grows and as the book reaches it's climax without them ever having confessed their feelings to each other there's material for a big misunderstanding to occur, fortunately it's not overly done.

What leads to this is that Rutherford changes his atitude throughout the book but never mentions it and Jessica is a bit too inflexible not allowing such confidences and that was what stopped me from grading it higher.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters. The grandmother was indeed a great lady and Hope and Godfrey were nicely done. I'm glad they had their happy ending even if Hope seemed a bit too naive.

Grade: 4.5/5

The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer

THE KNOWING BRIDE

When dazzling Horatia Winwood married the powerful Earl of Rule, she was saving her sister from a loveless match, rescuing her family fortune, and providing herself with a life of ease. Hers was a marriage made not in heaven but in the coolly logical mind of a very self-possessed young beauty.

Not until Horatia was deep in dangerous intrigue with her husband's vengeful rival, the dashing and arrogant Lord Lethbridge, did she suddenly find -- to her own tremulous surprise -- she had fallen deeply in love with the man she had married for money. But was it too late, now that she was but a heartbeat away from betraying both him and herself?

This was one of the first books I read by Heyer and it has remained one of my favourites ever since. I reread it recently and since I had never written a review I decided to do it this time. I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it as much as the first time.

The Earl of Rule has decided it's time to marry and for his bride chooses Miss Winwood less from inclination then from her impeccable bloodline. But Miss Winwood already has a beau and the Miss Charlotte Winwood is determined not to marry so the youngest of the family - Miss Horatia Winwood decides to take matters into her own hands and offer herself as prospective bride. It is fun to see how Rule is instantly charmed by the plain, stammering Horry and not only agrees to the change of bride as to becoming the patron of Miss Winwood's beau.

Like other Heyer novels The Convenient Marriage is full of witty dialogues and interesting conversations between the characters. Horry and Rule have a big age gap and she tries to be as adult as possible, keeping out of his way and his affairs but it is quite obvious from the beginning that Rule likes her as she is and is determined to be patient and considerate with his wife.

Horatia gets herself in various degrees of trouble, especially by befriending one of Rule's old enemies, and things aren't helped by Rule's cousin trying to make mischief between them. I was also quite amused by Horry's brother Pelham, the inveterate gambler who run through the family fortune but has a high sense of propriety and can't understand why Rule doesn't have a heavier hand when dealing with his sister. And in the end it is lovely to see Rule save Horry from herself... Although she is sometime too childish and immature he is a wonderful wise hero who totally makes up for it.

This is a fun Georgian romance that I highly recommend!

Grade: 4.5/5

Victoire - Clare Darcy

A Delightfully Impudent Impostor

Sparkling young Victoire Duvernay made her first appearance in Regency England posing as her cousin who had been shamefully wronged by the dashing, devastatingly handsome rake, the Marquis of Tarn. But soon she emerged under her own name as the leading light of the London season, with the hot-blooded, hot-tempered Tarn dancing attendance upon her, and a host of gallants, fortune-hunters, and rogues swarming around her.

Victoire seemed such a defenseless innocent in this sophisticated world of elegant snobbery and cruel deception. But Victoire had no intention of becoming anyone's pawn or prey. Instead this captivating young lady was determined to give the most arrogant gentleman in all the realm an unforgettable lesson in love!

I have been curious about this author ever since Ioanna wrote a review of one of her books. So when I had the opportunity to read one I was quite happy. I did like the book although I felt the type of story asked for more banter, more witty and humorous dialogue to really work out.

Victoire is a french young lady, daughter of an officer in the Napoleon Wars, who, after her father dies and her mother remarries finds herself shipped to England to live with an Irish relative. Unfortunately the relative is not entirely comme i'l faut and leads Victoire to pretend to be her cousin Nancy, recently deceased, so they can blackmail Lord Tarn's relatives by telling he has broken a promise of marriage. The success of such ploy is based on the fact that Tarn is supposed to be out of the country and can't unmask her. But he does unexpectedly return and after a few adventures that include the relative kidnapping Tarn and Victoire saving him, the Marquess of Tarn decides that he owes a debt of gratitude to Victoire and to pay it he offers her marriage.

Now it maybe be because I recently read Heyer's The Convenient Marriage but I did feel that there were some similarities between the two stories - namely the older heroes who let no emotions show and the young and sometimes naive heroines who are constantly getting into trouble.

Being this one a regency romance we know that they are on their way to a happy end, however that path isn't always smooth and in this case several people are interested in breaking them apart. One of Tarn's cousin's and his portuguese mistress who both set different suitors on Victoire just to make trouble. Since Tarn and Victoire both are hot tempered and don't run from a good fight this could have been the perfect opportunity for showing some tension and their emotions towards one another but it is never fully explored. Even when Victoire is kidnapped in the end and Tarn rushes to save her I felt his proposal was a bit bland. I wanted more emotion in their courtship to make me believe that Tarn really had fallen for Victoire. As it was I felt it was a nice story but that it could have been better.

One detail that annoyed me was that Portuguese's mistress had a spanish name and spoke spanish instead of portuguese. Most of you wont probably notice it but for a native portuguese speaker it's totally distracting.

Grade: 3.5/5

My Lady Domino - Sandra Heath

Miss Adele Russell knew it was sheer folly to attend the Duke and Duchess of Bellingham's grand masquerade. A year ago, she would have been an honoured guest - before the disgrace and death of her father. Now she was a penniless shop girl, scorned by society and mocked by the memory of her broken engagement to the elegant and handsome Lord David Latimer.

But when by chance she found an invitation to the masquerade, the temptation was too great. What danger could there be in going masked to this dazzling affair? She soon found out. First, in the arms of a stranger as mysterious as he was attractive. And then, face to face with the same David Latimer who had broken her heart once and still had the power to do it again . . .

Adele lost everything, including her fiancé, when her father died in a fire leaving her penniless and in disgrace after some irregularities where discovered in his bank. She now lives with her former governess who manages a shop in Bath where Adele works. She is unable to accept that her father might have been more than the victim of two dangerous man and despite her resentment at how he left her she can't forget her feelings for David Latimer her former fiancé.

When the action starts she receives a visit from her father's former secretary, and one of the men responsible for his ruin, telling her not to interfere when the announcement of the new engagement of Latimer is announced, he is supposedly marrying the daughter of the other man involved in her father's death.

Revolted, Adele decides to have a taste of her former life and attend Lady Bellingham's ball. In disguise she snubs David and makes a conquest of another young gentleman. Although she still loves David she is unable to resist going to meet the young gentleman again and her identity is soon discovered by both the gentleman and Latimer.

In a way this story reminded me of Mary Balogh's earlier books, very emotional with intense scenes where the characters mistaken their feelings and remain at odds when they are clearly in love. Adele finds herself in a dangerous situation as the young gentleman proves himself to be a villain but Latimer rescues her and helps her find the evidence that her father was innocent and the other two men were responsible for stealing the money. They don't seem on the right path to happiness though and they need a little push from Latimer's mother who gets her son to think on what really happened five years ago.

Grade: 4.5/5

A Makeshift Marriage - Sandra Heath

When lovely young Miss Laura Milbanke was asked for her hand in marriage in romantic Venice, the irresistibly handsome Sir Nicholas Grenville was at death's door. He had fought a disastrous duel to defend Laura's honor, and now he would defend her from poverty by leaving her his estate when he died.

But Sir Nicholas did not die. He lived to bring Laura home to King's Cliff manor. Waiting for him was the fabulously beautiful Augustine Townsend, whom Nicholas had long adored and who would be his - if only Laura did not stand in the way.

Should Laura try to fight this ravishing rival? Or should she give her husband his freedom by giving herself to the temptingly attractive Daniel Tregarron, who offered her all the love Sir Nicholas denied her? Never did a young bride find herself in a greater dilemma - as a marriage that broke all the rules threatened to break her heart . . .

This book had no magic, unlike my previous read by the author,  and I liked it a lot better for it. It features a marriage of convenience in which both the h/h believe he will die. They marry so the heroine can have finantial security and since he survives she decides to bring him back to England to recover.

As soon as they arrive it becomes clear that Ausgustine, Nicholas previous fiancee, is determined to separate the newlyweds and gain back her status after an annulment. She starts turning Nicholas' mind against his wife and unable to tell him the truth due to doctors orders, Laura decides to implement in the property some changes that Nicholas wanted to bring about, knowing they won't go well with Augustine and the neighbours. Feeling lonely Laura strikes a friendship with Nicholas' doctor and friend that will end up ruining her reputation and damaging her marriage.

I thought this had the potential to reach keeper status but in the end it didn't. I felt Nicholas was too easily manipulated by Augustine and Laura kept seeing the doctor (and getting into trouble) when she should have realized that that was only making things worse. And even if Laura was the wronged party it was she who ended up making the first steps to the reconciliation. Too much heart ache and not enough happy moments was my final take on the story.

Grade: 3.5/5

A Man of Affairs - Anne Barbour

Well beyond the normal age of courtship and marriage, a young woman resigns herself to a quiet life on her parents's estate. Then the adopted son of the Duke of Derwent arrived. His kind manner and passionate glances brought new, unfamiliar joy to the lady's heart. But the dashing gentleman had too many duties to his father to properly court her. It will take a scandalous heartbreak to bring them both together in a love that will go against their families and society. . .

Seth Lindow is the adopted son of the Duke of Derwent, he has always felt indebted to the Duke for adopting him so her works as his man of affairs. The Duke has an heir, a rake of the lowest sort who has assignations with maids, beats his servants and drinks too much. To control his wild ways the Duke asks Seth to find a bride, someone pretty and biddable who will put up with his bad temper. Seth thinks he may have found the right one when he meets Zoe Beckett, the youngest daughter of an impoverished Baronet. To better know her he decides to visit her home under pretext of buying some horses.

Seth gets to know Zoe better but also her oldest sister Eden. Eden seems the most sensible person in the family, she likes to paint and secretly plans to live alone and support herself selling her paintings. While he feels more disappointed with Zoe as he gets to know her better he feels more attracted to Eden as the time passes.

On his return to London he invites the family to a dinner party at the duke's house. There Zoe meets the Marquess of Bellhaven, the Duke's heir and unexpectedly they seem much taken with each other. And as Seth finds himself falling in love with Eden the Duke decides she is the perfect choice for Belhaven's bride leaving him thorn between his loyalty to his father and his love for Eden.

There were plenty of things to like in this story. First that we have an original hero, someone that is not a titled gentleman and who actually works, then that Eden is a dedicated painter who takes her art seriously, and then that the more they know each other the better they deal with each other, Seth helps Eden gain confidence and she makes him realise that he should live his life and not do everything the duke wants. Now, what I didn't like, I know Eden was more modern than most with her dream of living alone but each time Seth kissed her she just seemed to take it in stride, like it was "all normal, we just got carried away, let's not think about it anymore", I thought that was a bit odd but just a little detail.

There are some problems to deal with before they get their HEA, namely Bellhaven and Zoe. Barbour did find an unexpected explanation for Bellhaven's behaviour and while I wasn't very convinced I have to give her points for originality.

Grade: 4/5

Old Friends and New Fancies - Sybil G. Brinton

Originally published in 1914, this charming and original sequel to the novels of Jane Austen intertwines the lives of the most beloved characters from all six Austen novels with new characters of the author's devising. Inventive matchmaking leads numerous pairs of lovers through the inevitable (and entertaining) difficulties they must encounter before they are united in the end.

I haven’t read that many Austen sequels yet but I have read a few and I am happy to announce that this one just became a favourite. It was interesting to learn that this story, written in 1913, was the first ever sequel to the Austen books and contrary to many being written today it combines the characters of the several novels.

There is much to love in the story, we revisit familiar characters who may or may not be old favourites, we have the restraint and manners of the Austen stories and we have the misunderstandings and thwarted love pairings that existed in every of the original books.

The main characters are Georgiana Darcy, Kitty Bennet, Mary Crawford and Colonel Fitzwilliam. But there’s also Lizzy and Darcy, Jane and Bingley, Wentworth and Anne, William Price (Fanny’s brother), Tom Bertram, James Morland (Catherine’s brother) not to mention Knightley and Emma. We revisit them a few years after the original action and I must say that although I was in doubt throwing them all together would work the fact is that it made for a delightful story. It was really fun seeing how Emma and Lady Catherine de Bourgh continued to be the same characters, meddling in everyone else’s affairs and how all the others stay true to the idea I had of them. With the exception of Mary Crawford which is much improved.

When the story opens Georgiana Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam are engaged, however it's soon clear that none of them is too happy and the engagement is broken. While Fitzwilliam goes to Bath with Lizzy and Darcy where he meets Mary Crawford, Georgiana goes to stay with the Bingleys. She later goes to meet with her friend Kitty Bennet who is convinced (influenced by Emma Knightley) that William Price is about to make her a marriage proposal. Of course things are not as easy as they seem and some heartache will follow.

I think it’s best to read the Austen books before delving into this one because part of the enjoyment is definitely the fact that we are revisiting old characters, however it can be read as a standalone as the facts of the past that influence the story are explained in due course. What is perhaps lacking from the original is the witty dialogue; even Lizzy seems a bit tamer and more conciliatory towards Lady Catherine. The less sympathetic characters, Miss Steele and Mrs. Robert Ferrars are not given enough room to possibly engage in some more aggressive discourse but maybe that was a good thing because I really didn’t like them!

A very enjoyable read and highly recommended especially for Austen fans.

Grade: 4.5/5

The Devil's Bargain - Karen Harbaugh

THE ENDANGERED INNOCENT . . .
Lovely Eveline Seton knew that she could never be a proper match for Lord Richard Clairmond. The devastatingly handsome blueblood would never dream of taking a merchant's daughter as a wife. Why then did he whisper words that made her heart beat faster? Why did he gaze at her with a heat that melted her to the core? Eveline feared her ardent suitor was hiding something.

THE IRRESISTIBLE RAKE . . .
Not for nothing did the Viscount Clairmond keep a list of ladyloves that testified to his supreme skill as a seducer. But it was not as a wife that this reckless gambler wanted Eveline. To be relieved of embarrassing debts and a certain future of pauperism, he had sold his soul-and Eveline's virtue-to Satan. And unless this extraordinarily persuasive young woman proved an equal match for him in the thrust and parry of his campaign of conquest, she most surely would become his all - too - willing victim. Or he hers . .

I've been in the mood lately for stories featuring nobility and the so called Cit's. The merchants and tradesmen who became rich enough to save a title from ruin.

That's why I picked this one to read and it didn't disappoint me in that, it had nice and interesting characters who behaved in a believable way. Especially Eveline who seemed a fairly level headed woman, not the one to go into hysterics but in fact to make the best of her situation and indeed believe in who seems to have betrayed her. I had more trouble believing Clairmond who lost his money in a foolish game, believes his neighbour is harassing his sister just because the devil tells him so and then proceeds to ruin Evangeline when he could just have married her and used her money.

My main problem was the "devilish" side of the plot. I prefer my historicals without paranormal or supernatural elements and have the Devil struck a bargain with the hero that he would ruin the heroine and in exchange win the money he badly needed to restore his estate was a bit too much for me.

I think the story would have been perfect without that, it had all the elements for a nice marriage of convenience story and at least for me it would have worked better.


Grade: 3.5/5

The Irish Rake - Emma Lange

Miss Gillian Edwards was barely more than a schoolgirl, and certainly as innocent as one - but she knew how shockingly evil the Marquess of Clare was. He did not even try to hide a history of illicit loves that ran the gamut from London ‘lightskirts' to highborn ladies. Nor did he conceal his scorn for marriage and morality and his devotion to the pleasures of the flesh.

Thus Gillian was forewarned and should have been forearmed when she found herself face-to-face with this man whose dazzling good looks were clearly lascivious lures. All she had to do was remind herself that she was engaged to wed the wealthy, handsome, and aristocratic Lord Lionel Rockingham, the ideal partner for a perfect marriage.

All she had to do was say no to the maddeningly mocking Marquess, who would never stoop to seduce an unwilling woman. But strangely enough, what Gillian did was something else . . .

I did enjoy this story but not as much as A Certain Reputation, the first I've read by this author. I did have more trouble relating to and liking the hero and the heroine and that must be a part of my problem.

The heroine is very young and at first it seems her attraction to the hero is a bit of hero worship more than a real emotion as she doesn't know him all that well. As they start to see more of each other, she has an accident and has to spend some time in his house. I could see how he started feeling attracted to her but really couldn't understand what kept her attracted to him other than him being described as a rake with a charming attitude towards the ladies.

The end is marked by a big misunderstanding that if the heroine hadn't been the young and impulsive girl she was could have been avoided with an honest conversation between them. As it was I enjoyed at least the fact that since she was the one jumping to conclusions it was also her that went looking for him to apologise.

Grade: 4/5

DARING MASQUERADE - MARY BALOGH

BETWEEN TWO FIRES

Beautiful young widow Katherine Mannering vowed that no man would ever possess her. Her brief but brutal forced marriage left her with profound distaste for what went by the name of love.

But that was before she met Nicholas Seyton, a devilishly dashing highwayman who kidnapped her person and stole her heart. And that was before she met the infuriating yet attractive Sir Harry Tate, whose manner made her blood boil yet whose touch lit flames of passion.

The outlaw and the lord... Katherine knew so little about either, except that each taught her a different lesson in love -- and presented her with a more and more difficult choice....

Who could have been the author to tempt me to finish my break in reading traditional romances?! Mary Balogh, of course… I don’t know why, but I was never tempted to read this book, and I had it for quite a while… I think it was the suggestion of masquerade in the title and the fact that the hero passes himself for 2 different persons that put me off…

Anyway, I read it and I’m glad of it. Something about the plot: well, you have the heroine, who works as a companion for the daughter of an earl who is terrified of highwaymen (the daughter, that is). The heroine, Kate, has been married to a somewhat nasty character who choked on a bone and died (yes, I don’t know why that’s funny, but it is) and she claims that she doesn’t want nothing from men from now on! On the road to the family’s estate, she, her employer and her brother, are held up by a highwayman, who abducts Kate believing she is the daughter of the earl.

The highwayman is of course the hero. Nicholas Seyton, wearing a mask and a wig. He has been wronged by the earl and asks for some answers – hence the kidnapping. He doesn’t get too fierce in his role and somehow manages to tell Kate all about his life and sufferings, she believes him and offers her help. They meet now and then, he is always using his mask, and they start and affair and concludes in a one memorable night of smuggling and making love!!! That’s fine of course, it could happen in romances , but exactly the next day the hero arrives at the earl’s estate as a different man, Sir Harry Tate. A very interesting character, actually the best in the book, and my personal opinion is that for him only it’s worth reading it. The heroine doesn’t recognize him and every time they meet, sparks start flying. He is quite obnoxious, really . Anyway, the rest is for you to discover…

It was an entertaining read, sometimes funny characters, not such a clever plot, but the strongest point were the nice dialogues. As a proof of that, I really have to show here, one of my favorite scenes, with Kate and Harry:

“G-go away then!” Kate said crossly on a shuddering inward breath. “I am not looking for your sympathy. And I would not be crying now, sir, but that I had a sleepless night and have not been feeling quite the thing today. I never cry.” She blew her nose loudly in the handkerchief and glared at him out of reddened eyes.
“Hm,” he said. “Quite disgusting. Your nose and your eyes vie over which are the redder. I do believe the nose wins because it also shines”
“Oh!” Kate stamped her foot crossly. “I might have known you would not have an ounce of gallantry for a poor female in trouble.”
“Now, think a moment, Mrs. Mannering,” he said on a sigh. “If I had taken you in my arms and held your head against my shoulder and crooned soothing inanities into your ear, do you not think you would still be bawling? As it is, your emotion has been converted to anger, and your chin and cheeks have perhaps been saved from the same fate as your eyes and nose”

In the end, it is worth reading for fans of the genre, but only if you’re willing to ignore the big white elephant in the room – the fact that the heroine has an affair with 2 different men, never knowing it is actually one single person.

Grade: 3.5/5

A Regency Valentine - Anthology

Although Valentine's Day is in February I couldn't resist picking up this anthology on the eve of going on holidays for a bit of comfort read.

Golden Rose - Mary Balogh
I've read many stories where the jaded rake is saved by the love of a good woman but Balogh always seems to add something more to hers. This is one such example and despite being an old plot you can't resist finishing it with a satisfied sigh. Especially as this seems like a comedy of errors with the hero believing he is sending flowers to a society's widow while his young cousin is taking them to the heroine, who believes them to be from another man.
Grade: 4/5

Katherine Kingsley - The Secret Benefactor
While I really enjoy stories with less than perfect heroes here you don't really feel the pain involved in the hero's past. He has been playing benefactor to the heroine who, after her father's death, became destitute, and is too afraid to tell her he loves her. I did not feel his motives were enough and thought he should have told the truth much earlier.
Grade: 3.5/5

Emma Lange - Lady Valentine's Scheme
I'm afraid feisty, impulsive heroines are not my favourite and this story suffered from having one. She is betrothed to a young man who is clearly a mamma's boy and has mixed feelings when an old friend, now a rake, returns and seems to have feelings for her.
Grade: 3.5/5

Patricia Rice - Fathers and Daughters
I do have a fondness of stories about a second chance at love and this one was wonderful. The hero is forced by the heroine's father to leave her and when he returns, now rich and worthy of her, she doesn't make it easy for him to explain much less offer his love again. But his bastard daughter will be the means to bringing them together.
Grade: 4.5/5

Joan Wolf - The Antagonists
I usually enjoy Wolf's stories but I must say this one disappointed me a bit. Not enough banter between the main characters to make it stand out when they finally realise they are in love and I didn't particularly liked Dinah which, being this written in the first person, could be the main problem for me.
Grade: 3.5/5

Anthology grade: 3.5 (but very worth it for the Rice and Balogh's stories)

Heartfelt Blog Award

Laura at Laura's Reviews was kind enough to give us a Heartfelt Award. This is our first award and we are naturally quite happy that she remembered us especially as this seems such a cosy award.

Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when your relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy? That is what the Heartfelt Award is all about, feeling warm inside.

The Rules for the Heartfelt Award are:

1) Put the logo on your blog/post.

2) Nominate up to 9 blogs which make you feel comfy or warm inside.

3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4) Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on their blog.

5) Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

So, in the same spirit in which this was passed to us, we would like to nominate the following blogs and everyone else who has been following us:

Stephanie's Written World

Austenprose

Lord Rotham's Wager - Ann Elizabeth Cree

HIS BRIDE BY LOTTERY...
Lord Jack Rotham was not a betting man when it came to marriage. But when his great-uncle's will ordered Jack to marry, a bride by wager seemed the logical solution. And so Jack picked the winning wife out of a lottery. However, fate dealt him a cruel hand, for his new bride was the woman who'd left him broken-hearted to marry another man!

HER SECOND-CHANCE HUSBAND...
Claire Ellison had suffered a miserable marriage and didn't want to repeat the experience, particularly to a man who wasn't sure whether he hated her -- or loved her! But when a devious element threatened their new marriage, could Claire finally fight for the man she'd always loved...?

And another story about a second chance at love!

When Lord Rotham meets Claire again - at a ball where gentleman chose the lady by choosing her fans (I had never heard of this)- he decides he wont let her escape again. He had once proposed marriage only to be refused by her brother and learn that she was promptly married to another man. Now he decides he will court her again and convince her to marry him.

The premise was good but it seemed to me that there were too many misunderstandings keeping them apart that could have been easily explained if they had only talked to one another. Instead the problems and tension between them seems to go unresolved for too long. Besides I never really understood why her brother refused him in the first place, yes he had a bad reputation but he compromised her and he proposed. Wasn't that the right thing to do? And her friend who kept sabotaging his efforts and interfering was pretty annoying too.


Grade: 3.5/5

A Matter of Duty - Sandra Heath

ALTAR-BOUND

Handsome and wealthy Lord Christopher Highclare made it painfully clear why he was asking a virtual nobody like Miss Louisa Cherington to be his wife. He had made a promise to her dying brother to do so, and was honour-bound to keep that vow.

Proud and beautiful Louisa made it just as clear why she was accepting this man who not only made no pretence of loving her, but made no secret of the ravishing woman who was his mistress. Louisa, too, was bowing to the wishes of her late brother, who wanted to rescue her from poverty and the peril of Captain Geoffrey Lawrence, the notorious rake who was in hot pursuit of her.

Thus these two were bound to marry - and bound to wonder what would happen then.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this story. Both the main characters were nice, sensible people. They were ready to enter in a marriage of convenience and making the best of it.

Although they marry because the hero has made a vow to Louisa's brother and she wants some security after being dismissed from the house she works in as a governess they find themselves pleased with each other and ready to develop warmer feelings to one another. However Louisa had been dismissed because the older brother of the girl she teached was pursuing her and his young stepmother was jealous (yes the stepmother was having an affair with the stepson). Looking for revenge the woman sends Louisa a gift pretending to be her stepson. This originates a huge misunderstanding between Louisa and her husband and everything goes bad after that. Louisa discovers her husband had a mistress and doesn't believe that it is over between them. And Christopher refuses to believe that Louisa did not accept gladly Captain Lawrence's advances.

The tension rises when all four meet for a regatta on the Island of Wight, it made for an interesting setting, and Louisa believes Christopher to be enamoured of Thea still and he still thinks she might have responded to Captain Lawrence's advances. It doesn't help that Thea is determined to get Christopher back and does everything to make Louisa jealous.

Although I do like some conflict I thought this one went on for too long. If they had just talked to one another many a misunderstanding and harsh words could have been avoided. Also the happy ending was a bit rushed as everything is solved in one final scene.

Grade: 3.5/5

The Wagered Heart - Rhonda Woodward

An Alarming Kiss

The incident is quite unexpected. Enjoying a spring afternoon of shop-ping with her relatives, Miss Julia Allard could not be better chaperoned with the Royal Navy by her side. Even so, a handsome stranger catches up to her, and before she knows what's happening, Miss Allard is in his arms being kissed!The young lady slaps her assailant, of course, but not before her reputation has been fairly tarnished--and the memory of his passionate kiss forever sealed on her lips. The stranger in question, the Duke of Kelbourne, has made a name for himself with such roguish acts. Now, to allay rumors, the mortified Miss Allard must cut short her Season and return home, where she'll concoct an elaborate plan to exact her revenge. Little does she know, however, that the duke also has sonic plans up his rakish sleeve....

Julia Allard is in town for the season with her cousin and her family when one day she is accosted by a stranger on the streets and kissed. The kisser was the duke of Kelbourne trying to win a wager made after a night of drunken revelry. When the matter is known Juliann's relatives decide to ship her to the country as they feel they could never force the duke to propose and her reputation will be in tatters if it becomes known she is the woman involved. So Julia is sent back home in disgrace although she never really did anything to deserve it and feeling rather hurt that she could not have a season.

A few months later she is invited to join her cousin, now married, in Bath. One day, in the streets, she meets the Duke of Kelbourne who, in the mean time, had realised that is actions were less than acceptable and suddenly decides he must apologise. Unfortunately the duke's apology leaves Julia feeling more offended still and she decides to work on a little revenge of her own by engaging his attentions and then refusing him. Since they meet constantly at several social functions that's not really difficult to work on, although sometimes Julia can't always keep her cool and serene facade and she soon starts finding the duke more attractive than she would like.

It must be said that although Kelbourne does apologise for his actions, his bad behaviour is not something that he has thought much about. In fact when we meet him again in Bath he is ready to move in from his rakish ways and settle down and marry. Julia, on the other hand, is still suffering the effects of having been sent home and everyone in the village has been gossiping about it. What I enjoyed the most about the book was how it was about class and status and how that influenced people's daily lives. The highest ranking people could get away with almost anything while the others were left to dance to their tune.

The book includes a big set of secondary characters which are all of Julia and Kelbourne's family and friends and there's a secondary storyline about Julia's cousin problems with her mother in law that I actually thought were fun. The story is definitely on the light side, despite the subject, except for the scenes where Julia was exposed as the woman Kel had kissed. I thought that intruded a bit in the general tone of the book but nothing to worry about so I can really say I enjoyed it.

Grade: 4/5

BBAW 2009 Nomination

We just had a wonderful surprise and received a nomination for a BBAW Award in the Special Interest category! This is really exciting for us as we started this blog in November 2008 to show our love for a genre that has almost vanished in recent years and that didn't have as much space on the internet as we thought it deserved!

Thank you so much to whoever nominated us, we are very honoured and even if we don't make it to the shortlist it is wonderful to know that we have readers who enjoy what we do here! Don't be shy and do comment because we love to chat about these books!

And thank you Amy for starting the BBAW!

Courting Julia - Mary Balogh

A Swarm of Suitors

Miss Julia Maynard never dreamed that she might be the most passionately pursued prize in the Marriage Mart. But then her step-grandfather died. And his legacy drew suitors to her like bees to honey.

She could wed the very friendly Augustus...or the kindly Malcolm...or the most loyal Lesley. Even more tempting, there was the superbly sensual Frederick, whose good looks, charm and masterful skills in matters of love had won him scandalous success as a rake. But that was one marriage she would have to think thrice about. Could she ever become the bride of the arrogant, cavalier Earl of Beaconswood no matter how irresistible he might be...no matter how foolish her heart behaved when he took her in his arms to teach her the dangerous delights of desire...?

I read another of Mary Balogh’s old traditional regencies this weekend. Courting Julia is the first in a trilogy but somehow I managed to read the other 2 first. I really enjoy these smaller books about the regency period where the emphasis is more on the social manners and behaviour of the character.

In this book Julia’s grandfather dies and in his will he leaves his unentailed estate to Julia on the condition she marries one of her 5 cousins within a month of his death. Julia is both surprised and devastated with this clause that leaves her unable to privately grieve for her grandfather and the object of her cousins interest because she is now a great heiress. All the cousins show some interest except for Daniel, the heir to the title. A former play mate of Julia he went away when he inherited his father’s estate and had to deal with new responsibilities. He still sees Julia as an irresponsible young woman, always playing games and having fun. And she sees him has a bore who forgot how to enjoy himself and only cares about convention.

I thought the 2 main characters were planned to be true opposites, Julia is too wild and Daniel too conservative and that was a bit too much imho. It would have been more real if they weren’t such extreme characters that they spent half the book believing that they hated each other and after Julia finds herself in danger suddenly realise they love each other.

Just as a side note the villain in this book is the main character of the next one, Dancing With Clara.

Not Balogh at its best but still an enjoyable read. A 4/5.

A Love For All Seasons - Edith Layton

I usually like Edith Layton's stories and when I discovered she had an anthology out in which all the stories were written by her I couldn't resist till I found it. I had no idea though that all the stories were connected and it was fun to discover it as I went along.

SPRING'S PROMISE
The story of Felicia, a diamond of the first water who unexpectedly sees the man that was courting her marry another and to have a little revenge on fate decides to engage a known rake who is a neighbour of her father's estate. The rake does see through her scheme and ends up being more honourable than his reputation and the two fall in love.

SUMMER'S FRUIT
The story of Adela who married a navy officer and on the few days after the wedding and before he went away become pregnant. Now Adela's time is almost due, she is heavily pregnant and moody and her husband does not know how to deal with the woman she has become. It will take them some adjusting and talking to finally reach their HEA. Adela's husband and Felicia's fiancé are old schoolmates.

AUTUMN LEAVES
Bronwen Penny had been a rich young lady till her father's fortune vanished and she had to become a governess. One day she meets Nick, the Earl of Fairlie and one of her old childhood friends. Bronwen and Nick are attracted to each other but he sees himself has jaded and unworthy. This story had a bit of a magical feel to it and eventually the prince does realise he can't let the damsel get away.

SNOW BROTH
This story starts with the improbable premise that a young lady - Marjorie - attends the wrong wake. She becomes friends with 3 other young people with whom she visiting the city's entertainments. She and one of the gentleman feel attracted to each other and she feels sad and confused when she realises that he is engaged to another young lady but he is eventually released from that commitment and the two reveal their feelings. Marjorie spends part of the action in Felicia and her parent's house.

A LOVE FOR ALL SEASONS
This is Rachel, Felicia's mother story, and how after many years of marriage she and her husband find themselves drifting apart and knowing different people till they eventually have to rethink and work on their relationship. A story of how people change and sometimes have to fall in love with each other again to be happy.

While none of the stories captivated me completely I felt this was a really nice read, maybe not unforgettable but the kind to spend an afternoon reading with a cup of tea by your side and end with a smile on your face.

Grade: 3.5/5

Mistress of the Hunt - Amanda Scott

Lady Philippa's Pursuit

Proud and beautiful Lady Philippa Raynard-Wakefield did all she could to make one thing clear to elegant suitors seeking to capture her hand. Her brief youthful marriage to an elderly lord had left the young widow with a deep distaste for wedlock, and she would never fall into that snare again.

The Viscount Rochford got her message instantly. He did not hesitate to in turning his attention elsewhere, which should have made Philippa happy indeed.

Instead, as Philippa watched this handsome, hard-riding lord head for other quarry, this lady fleeing a pack of fortune hunters turned into a most unladylike huntress ... in as breakneck a chase as was ever run on the wild, wild fields of love...

---

This was another winner from Amanda Scott, who has provided me over time with many good reads. As usual the main characters are likeable (no ninny hammer or TSTL heroine, no bitter, harsh or idiot hero), the book has an authentic regency feel to it (people are addressed properly, and behave according to the manners and morals of the time) and the plot is believable and very enjoyable. What more could one ask ? Well here Ms Scott goes one step further: the book has a lot to do with fox hunting [as the title would suggest], and I have learned more about hunting from this book than from all the other books I have ever read combined. So on top of everything else, the book is also educational!

(By the way, disregard the book summary on the back page, is totally wrong and misleading. It is as if a different book is described there by mistake).

Our widowed heroine, Lady Philippa Raynard-Wakefield (and there is an explanation why she called is Lady Philippa rather than Lady Wakefield), is young, beautiful and very well endowed, courtesy of the will of her late husband. Lady Philippa is certainly aware of her desirability as a wife and is used to being chased by prospective suitors, so she goes to the country to avoid them. While she is there, she would like to hunt. After all she has done so before, with her husband’s hunt and also with the Duke of Rutland’s one.

Her stepdaughter Jessalyn gets into a scrape by leaving her Ladies seminary in Bath with a fellow pupil, Lady Lucinda Drake, without permission. This is how Lady Philippa gets to meet Lady Lucinda’s brother and guardian, Viscount Rochford, who happens to be a neighbour. Philippa quickly becomes aware of Rochford admiration of her charming self (and sizeable fortune, she assumes), and although she has no plans to remarry and generally discourages potential suitors, she is not averse into cultivating Rochford acquaintance, and even subtly flirt with him. After all he is very handsome, charming and good company, plus he might agree to allow her to join his hunt if he has taken a liking to her.

In this book we have the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Mr Assheton-Smith (his is the famous Quorn Hunt) and Lord Lonsdale (Cottesmore Hunt). I had heard of these gentlemen before, but now I got to meet them, as Lady Philippa visits each one to ask permission to join their hunt. Both refuse though, since according to Mr Assheton-Smith the right place for a woman is a sofa not a saddle, and Lonsdale firmly believes that Melton men are not fit company for a lady. So Philippa has to turn to her third and final candidate Rochford. Surely since he is quite evidently taken with her, he will not refuse to oblige her ? To her surprise and dismay though he flatly refuses to allow her to join his hunt. Here is where a battle of wills between these two starts, and it was a very enjoyable one. (Of course I was on Philippa side!)

At one point, Philippa goes as far as posting ‘no trespassing’ signs on her property, which ruins most of the hunts in the area (including Rochford’s who was the main target of this tactical manouvre). But this has the whole countryside (gentry, other hunters, the farmers as well) in uproar, and casts Philippa on the role of number one public enemy. Even when she realises she has gone too far, she can not back down since it would look as if she was giving in to Rochford’s demands, as he had stormed in her home ordering her to have the signs taken down. As if he had any right to order her, which of course he doesn’t. So Philippa stands her ground.

The clash between these two was very engaging, both entertaining to read, and also interesting to see each one’s side of the argument. Also Philippa comes to care about Rochford, but how could she contemplate marrying someone too autocratic, who will not respect her wishes and desire for independence and not allow her to take her own decisions ? So the matter of whether Philippa should hunt or not, represents a greater issue for Philippa: Rochford should learn to be less dictatorial and protective of her if she is to contemplate a future with him. Needless to say, that since this is a romance with a happy ending, Rochford does come round in the end.

All in all, a very enjoyable read. If you have not tried Amanda Scott before, this is a great book to start. It ticks all the right boxes and I can not see how anyone could be disappointed in it.

Grade 4/5

The Soldier's Bride - April Kihlstrom

A Marriage of Convenience

Lisbeth Barlow has never much cared for the notion of marriage--all duty and appearances and submitting to one's husband. But when Lord Thomas Kepley arrives one morning to ask for her hand, he has none of those conventions in mind. He wants only to evade the marriage his father has arranged for him. And for her help in this matter, Lisbeth can enjoy all the benefits of marrying quality without suffering any of the bother--as Lord Thomas will be off to rejoin Wellington's army in Portugal the next day.Kepley's father, the Marquess of Aylsham, hasn't the slightest patience, however, with Thomas's defiant behavior, and when Lisbeth bears a child who does not have the Kepley birthmark, Aylsham believes he has more than sufficient reason to discredit her. But the more the marquess tries to break them apart, the more Lisbeth and Thomas learn how much trust, love, and happiness can be found in their all too practical union.

Lisbeth Barlow's has a special magical locket where the women of the family look and that shows them the face of the man they will marry. That is why she is not surprised when Lord Thomas asks her to marry him all of a sudden and she happily accepts. However Thomas wants to marry right away not because he loves Lisbeth but because he wants to avoid the marriage his father planned for him.

He quickly leaves for the battle front and stays away for many months during which his parents do not accept his marriage or the baby that Lisbeth gives birth to and she has to leave in his old and ruined estate sewing clothes to make ends meet.

When Thomas finally returns he also refuses to accept that the baby is his and believes Lisbeth played him false. Despite that he wants to make the marriage work and only asks her to tell him what happened and why she betrayed him. Lisbeth has a hard time understanding what is happening and feels rightfully wounded that no one believes her. Unfortunately the lack of a birthmark that all male babies of her husband's family bear prevents her husband from believing her.

The story seemed to be stuck at this point with both of them stubborn and determined to maintain their view of events. It is clear that they do deal well with each other but since they are determined not to bend the HEA seems difficult. But the author does manage to solve this with a plot twist that I have to confess I did not see coming. It's always nice in this sort of book to be pleasantly surprised and just because of that I'm going to grade it a bit higher than I initially thought of...

There's a subplot involving Thomas being a spy and another about Lisbeth's aunt but I have to confess I didn't feel they added much to the story.

Grade: 3.5/5