What I've Read This Week *updated*

What I've Read This Week

Daphne: Six Sisters 4 by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Beautiful, vain, cool Daphne, the middle Armitage sister is determined to marry a man of her own choosing. On a visit to London she meets a Mr. Cyril Archer, who is also beautiful and cool, and decides they would suit. However, Daphne's vanity and coolness are really a facade to mask her worries about her future and her family. She has learned that beautiful people are left alone and not expected to think so she puts on her mask and returns home. Upon Daphne's return home, she learns her father is preoccupied with trying to waylay the bishop who is arriving to demand the vicar give up the hunt by digging a ditch in the middle of the road. Daphne fears her father will be hanged if the bishop discovers her father's treachery and she attempts to stop the bishop but fears it is too late when she discovers an overturned carriage in the road. She rushes to the carriage and discovers a semi-conscious man and believing him to be the bishop, she confesses and asks for his blessing and is shocked when he kisses her! The man turns out to be the extremely wealthy Mr. Simon Garfield who was arriving to visit friends nearby. When Reverend Armitage discovers Mr. Garfield, he insists on the gentleman's recovering in the vicarage in hopes that Mr. Garfield will keep quiet about the incident. Daphne fears their strong, handsome guest and pretends to be crazy in order to keep him away, which has exactly the opposite effect! Mr. Garfield sees through Daphne's charade and is intrigued. He helps Daphne's father keep his horses and hounds in exchange for getting to know Daphne better. He believes she will quickly become like all the other women he knows and soon bore him, but he doesn't know Daphne at all and doesn't count on her continuing attempt to drive him away. Daphne returns to London to visit Lady Godolphin, who is having her own romantic troubles, and is thrown often into the company of Simon Garfield and is confused about her feelings for him. Meanwhile, Daphne worries about her sullen maid Betty and her sister Annabelle's marital troubles. There are many tears and many laughs before this story reaches the predictable conclusion. This story is much better written than than previous two and has more substance while still retaining the humor and romance. This is my favorite after Minerva.

Diana the Huntress: Six Sisters 4 by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Diana is the 5th of the six sisters and wants nothing to do with men other than to be one. She loves to ride and hunt and has her father's permission to hunt with the pack as long as she dresses like a man. Unfortunately, her father's friend, Squire Radford, discovers her disguise and lectures the Rev. Armitage on the impropriety of allowing his daughter to hunt. Diana, scared and upset, dashes off on her horse through a storm and seeks shelter at the mansion of Lord Charles Dantry, a gentleman who has recently returned to the country and moved to the neighborhood. Diana feels her disguise will prevent any improper behavior on the part of Lord Charles, but she remains uneasy around him. He offers to show young "David" around London for a week and Diana feels that is the opportunity for freedom she has always desired. Rev. Armitage decides it's time to send Diana to Lady Godolphin in London for a Season. Diana rebels and dons her manly disguise once more to escape into the hitherto unknown gentleman's world of London where she discovers that being a man is not as much fun as she thought. After her adventures as a member of the opposite sex, Diana returns to womanhood and finds herself being courted by a Mr. Jack Emberton, who is kind and pleasing. Lord Charles Dantry is concerned with Diana's attentions to Mr. Emberton and determined to remain in her life! Diana is scared and conflicted by the different types of attention and the feelings she has for both men. Her father fears Diana's exploits will be discovered and attempts to interfere in her life. Tragedy brings Diana home where she must discover what will truly make her happy. I liked Diana and sympathized with her desire for freedom but somehow I didn't enjoy this story as much as I wanted to. I did love Diana's reaction to her first kiss, which was exactly how I hoped all of her sisters would act! There is very little humor in this story and not enough Lady Godolphin. It's not one of my favorites but it is well-written and has more substance than the first three.

Frederica in Fashion: Six Sisters 6 by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Little Frederica is 17 now and is the most plain and bookish of her sisters. She is about to finish her time at a young ladies' seminary and refuses to return home where her father wishes to take the maid as his new wife! Frederica is determined to conquer her shyness and control her own life. She decides to take a position as a maid at the wealthy Duke's of Pembury's estate. When she stops for refreshments at an inn, she makes the aquaintance of the Duke and surprises him by being impertinent and uninterested in him as a titled peer or a man. Frederica is determined he shall not know of her deception when she enters his household, but she doesn't count on the Duke's perception or that his houseguests would include his demanding ex-mistress and Lady Godolphin! When Frederica's masquerade is discovered, the Duke and Lady Godolphin champion Frederica and insist she come to London for a Season. Frederica's sisters, all happily married, are determined to marry off their little sister and conspire to choose her husband for her. Frederica may not be beautiful but she seems to have caught the eye of the Duke of Pembery and his ex-mistress and an old enemy conspire to bring down the Armitage girls once and for all. Meanwhile, Frederica's father has his own romantic drama, as does Lady Godolphin. Frederica finally has an adventure worthy of a heroine in a romance novel, finds her courage and wins the love of her life. All is resolved neatly in the end. This story had it's funny moments involving the vicar and Lady Godolphin. The plot was resolved too quickly and neatly and could have used one more chapter to tie things up slowly. This was a good read and one of the better books in the series.

The Dreadful Debutante by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Mira Markham has always tried to be the son her father never had. She enjoys dressing like a boy, riding, fishing and hunting. Her childhood was spent in company with their neighbor, Lord Charles Devere who treated Mira as a best friend. Now Lord Charles is back from the wars and in town for the Season and Mrs. Markham has decided to bring Mira and her beautiful, ladylike sister Drusilla to London for a Season. Balls and parties and gowns aren't Mira's idea of fun but she doesn't mind as long as she can see Lord Charles again. She believes that it will be just like old times now that Lord Charles is back, but when she disguises herself as a boy and seeks him out at his lodgings, he is sadly disapointing and disapointed in Mira for not acting ladylike. Even worse for Mira, is the fact that Lord Charles is instantly smitten with her sister. The two sisters compete for attention and Mira ruins her reputation by pushing her sister into a fountain. Confined to the house as punishment, Mira longs for freedom and grabs her chance while everyone else is away. Once again disguised as a boy, she heads out into fashionable London and ends up becoming friends with the Marquess of Grantley who encourages her secret hoydenish behavior and discourages her attracion to Lord Charles. Soon, scandal errupts and the only way to save Mira's reputation is for the Marquess and Mira to become engaged. Feelings and hurt pride get in the way before true love prevails. I liked Mira and her tomboy activities and I feel sorry for women of that time period but the story itself was pretty weak and insubstantial. The characters were stereotypical and mostly unlikeable. I did learn to like and appreciate Mira's sister but her transformation was too quick and unrealistic. This book just isn't as charming as Chesney's series books.

The Perfect Gentleman by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Lord Andrew Childe is perfect in every way, from his impeccible clothes to his correct behavior. He does the right thing for offering marriage to Miss Ann Worthy, whom he thinks will make an excellent bride due to her advanced age of 28 and her lack of emotion and for her correct behavior. Lord Andrew's calm life is shattered when his mother, the Duchess of Parkworth, takes in beautiful, orphaned Penelope Mortimor, a country squire's daughter. Lord Andrew realizes that his mother has taken Penelope for a Season because the young lady's beauty will quite outshine her rivals. However, no one counted on the fact that Penelope does not want to be married and only wishes for a cottage near her former home! Penelope is outspoken and intelligent enough to make her wishes known when suitors come calling. Lord Andrew often finds himself in Penelope's company having wild adventures thanks to her poor eyesight! Miss Worthy becomes increasingly jealous of the attention her fiance pays to Penelope and Miss Worthy's rejected suitor tries to bring about an end to the engagement. Little did he suspect that Lord Andrew's perfect countenance was crumbling with every encounter with Penelope. Lord Andrew attempts to be correct but feelings and emotions win out in the end. I really liked this book. It was loosely based on Pride and Prejudice without being a copycat. Penelope was intelligent and witty and I really related to her. The romance got a little too "warm" towards the end but it didn't get too graphic. I highly recommend this book to fans of Pride and Prejudice.

Miss Fiona's Fancy by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Miss Fiona Grant is the daughter of a Scottish nobleman with a passion for gambling. She has lived her entire life in the Highlands of Scotland until her 19th birthday. Fiona's Papa decides to repair the family fortunes by coming to London and studying for the English bar and if that doesn't work, marry Fiona off to the wealthiest gentleman she takes a fancy to. Fiona learns that the Marquess of Clevenden is the most eligible bachelor of the ton, even if he is a trifle old at 37, and he is determined not to marry. Gambling fever runs through Fiona's veins and rears its' ugly head when she learns of the Marquess and Fiona bets three young ladies 3,000 pounds each that she can make the Marquess propose to her! The Marquess seems to fall for the bait but Fiona's illegitimate cousin Lizzie is determined to ruin the game. The Marquess goes along with the game and finds himself enchanted by Fiona and falling in love. However, he has to make Fiona love him, something he never dreamed he'd have to do! The Marquess teaches Fiona about growing up and falling in love, but the three silly friends and one determined cousin may ruin everything. The plot was silly and not all that interesting. There were some fairly steamy love scenes that seemed out of place and didn't add to the story. This was not one of Chesney's best novels.