What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

At the Sign of the Golden Pineapple by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance 

The intrepid heroine of this novel is Miss Henrietta Bascombe, the orphaned daughter of a country doctor who has recently received a small inheritance from one of her father's former patients. Instead of using it as a dowry or investing it to live comfortably, Henrietta wishes to go into trade and open a sweet shop in London! Along with two local girls and a former school teacher, Henrietta opens Bascombes sweet shop which quickly becomes popular with the young gentlemen wishing to look at the pretty shop girls. When the Earl of Carrisdowne learns that not only has his younger sister been pigging out on the shop's pastries, his younger brother and best friend have formed a tendre for two of the shop girls which, in his opinion, is entirely unsuitable! He intends to have the shop shut down but he quickly learns he's no match for Henrietta Bascome! She shocks her friends by decrying marriage and sticking to her plan no matter what happens.The plot follows Pride and Prejudice without being too much of a copycat. Henrietta is an intelligent and admirable heroine. She sticks to her guns and doesn't ever become silly. This is a wonderful novel and one of my favorite Regencies to date!

Sweet Masquerade by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
The Earl of Berham is 33, unwed and bored. His life turns upside down when he becomes guardian of 18 year old Freddie Armstrong, the grandson of his father's old friend. Freddie seems very weak and feminine and not at all someone the Earl wants in his life. The situation becomes tense when Freddie is introduced to the lady the Earl is courting and the lady and Freddie take an instant dislike to each other. When it is discovered that Freddie is actually Frederica, a girl who has been raised as a boy, the Earl packs Freddie off to a seminary recommended by his girlfriend. Unbeknowst to the Earl, the seminiary is actually a sort of prison for wayward girls where the proprietors extort money from the wealthy while abusing their children. No one counted on Freddie's wayward upbringing to help her escape from the dastardly seminary, let alone the Earl who was beginning to suspect his intended bride knew more than she let on. Freddie must learn to control her feelings and accept her future as a woman. The plot of this book isn't very interesting. The characters aren't likeable, not even Freddie, who I was expecting to be a tombiyish girl masquerading as a boy. Freddie had moments of spunkiness which I admired but she was very young and acted very immature for a heroine of a romantic novel. I disliked this book and felt it was one of Chesney's worst.

False Steps by Sandra Heath -- Regency Romance
Cassian Stratford, Marquess of Landsdowne has been sent to the small seaside town of Weymouth by Queen Charlotte, who believes her granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, has formed a tendre for Cassian. Enployed annotating the king's letters, Cassian is bored to death until he spies a beautiful, fashionably dressed, redheaded girl and her cat in the fish market. Intrigued by her beauty,Cassian is confused when the girl dons an old gray cloak and disappears in the warren of old streets. He follows her until he has an opportunity to make her aquaintance. They fall instantly in love but the lady continues to be mysterious. All Cassian knows is that her name is Miss Smith and she has a black and white cat. Miss Smith manages to elude him and return home to where her mother runs a lodging house. The fashionable clothes are cast offs from Winnifred "Freddie's" best friend Lavinia Thorogood, an heirhess who is staying at Mrs. Smith's lodging house while her father recovers from a carriage accident. Lavinia is shortly to be taken to London for the Season where negotiations for her marriage to a Lord Kerswell. Lavinina believes herself to be in love with a Byronic poet, a Mr. Andrew Beaumont and does not wish to go to London. Freddie dreams of a London season and waltzing with Lord Lansdale. The two girls accidentially overhear a conversation with Lord Lansdale and his friend, who is none other than Lord Kerswell, who is as excited about the prospect of marriage to Lavinia as she is to the idea of marriage to him. The girls overhear the men speak of Lord Kerswell's kept woman in a villa on the Holland estate. Lord Lansdale seems to think the lady is Kerswell's mistress, but Kerswell intimates that there is more to the story but refuses to speak of it. Lavinia is shocked and tells her father what she heard. He refuses to cancel the engagement based on speculation but promises that if any scandal comes to light, Lavinia will not have to marry Lord Kerswell. Lavinia decides to take Freddie to London with her so they can uncover Kerswell's secret. They travel in the company of a Mrs. Shaw, an army widow, whom Freddie suspects is not what she seems. The friends find themselves thrust into the London Season and in the company of Lord Byron, Lady Caroline Lamb and Lords Lansdale and Kerswell. Lansdale takes it upom himself to save the young ladies from danger and ruined reputations and help his friend on the path to happily ever after. I liked this story well enough but it wasn't the comedy of manners I enjoy. The mystery was well developed and kept me guessing. The details seemed well researcherd but sometimes the author steps out of the story to relate description or historic information which could have been better in narrative form. Real life historic figures play minor roles and even Jane Austen herself makes a cameo! The romances develop too quickly and are too unrealistic. Lavinia and Lord Kerswell were far more interesting than Cassian and Freddie. I recommend this book to cat fans and fans of Regency adventure novels. If you're looking for brilliant writing or sparkling wit look elsewhere.

A Scandalous Publication by Sandra Heath -- Regency Romance
Outspoken and bookish, Miss Charlotte Wyndham is still unmarried at 23 and now her father has died leaving Charlotte and her mother with immense debts which require them to sell their home and move to London. The buyer is Sir Maxim Talgarth, who is rumored to be kin to the devil! To make matters worse, Max is involved in a liaison with Charlotte's bitter rival, Lady Judith Taynton. Both Max and Charlotte provoke each other with harsh words and they hope never to see each other again. In London, Charlotte overhears a private conversation between Judith and her cousin Miss Sylvia Parkstone, whose sister was once married to Max Talgarth. Sylvia accuses Max of killing her sister and ruining and killing Charlotte's father as well. Sylvia loathes Max with a passion and befriends Charlotte to ensure Charlotte understands what a wicked person Max is. Charlotte decides to vent her anger by writing a private, never to be published expose novel about Max. However, Max goes out of his way to ensure that Charlotte knows and believes the truth about him and Charlotte doesn't know what to think at first; she can't deny her growing attraction for Max but she doesn't want to betry her friendship with Sylvia. Past actions become regrettable when secrets become public and threaten to ruin Charlotte's happiness. The story is well-developed and progresses fairly well. The writing is polished but not to the caliber of Georgette Heyer or Jane Austen, but much better than False Steps. I thought Charlotte's book should have featured more into the story and come into play earlier. I liked the concept of an outspoken and bookish heroine but Charlotte comes off as mean and nasty at times. Her early exchanges with Max are mean and angry and not wity. I enjoyed this book though and I would recommend it to those who like Pride and Prejudice style romances.

The Scandalous Lady Wright by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Emma was married very young to a respected Minister of Parliament who is privately a cruel and brutal man. One magical dance with the Comte St. Juste angers her husband and finds Emmma locked in her room with the threat of being whipped in front of the servants in the morning. During the night, a shot rings out and the next morning, Lord Wright is found dead in his locked study with Emma's fan lying beside him. Tongues start wagging about murder and fingers point at Emma as the murderess. The kind Comte takes an interest in solving the murder and helping free Emma. This is a typical murder mystery romance for the most part but it has an overall sad tone to it that I can not like. The only really funny parts come at the very end and they're not enough to make up for this dark story.


1776 by David McCullough

Non-Fiction isn't really my thing, but I was curious about this book after having visiting the Nathanel Greene Homestead. The book recounts the Revolutionary War battles in New York and New Jersey during the crucial year which culminated in Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware. McCullough doesn't write in such an engaging manner that the book held my attention. He uses too many block quotes from primary sources. I prefer reading the primary sources without the analytical comment.