What I've Read This Week . . .
Moonlight and Mischief by Rhonda Woodward -- Regency Romance
After Lord Haverstone loses a fortune gambling, he is approached by a young tradesman's son, a Mr. Steven Thorncroft who offers up his sister and her dowry as a solution to Stone's gambling debt. Stone is surprised and a bit offended but decides the younger man amuses him and invites Steven and his sister to a house party on his estate come October. Mrs. Thorncroft is delighted with the invitation and is anxious to marry Mariah off to a peer and believes Stone may "come up to scratch." Mariah is furious and annoyed with her family but reluctantly joins her mother and two brothers at the house party, despite the fact that no formal invitation was issued. Stone had forgotten the invitation, but graciously allowed the Thorncrofts to stay, though hoping they'd leave early so he and his guests could have fun in the manner in which they were accustomed. When Mariah discovers her host in an embarrassing situation, they agree to be fully honest with one another and Mariah and Stone soon finds themselves sharing intimate secrets they've never shared with anyone else. She struggles to protest against her growing feelings for Stone and her realize her desire for independence. Mariah manages to stay true to herself and her desires and find happiness at last. I really admired Mariah for that and empathized with her dream of independence. The romance was very realistic and the characters actually got to know one another's dreams and desires. The writing was not up the the mark of Georgette Heyer or even some other copycats, but still good and the story interesting and enjoyable.
Mama's Disappointment by Judy Chirstenberry -- Regency Romance
Emma Chadwell is bullied and belittled by her step-mother who continually compares Emma to her beautiful step-sister Aurora. Mr. Fairchild is looking for a mother for his unruly 4 year old daughter, the product of his disastrous first marriage, and thinks Emma will fit the bill as she is the exact opposite of his first wife. Emma wants nothing more than to return home and continue managing the family's estates and tries to warn off Mr. Fairchild by being shy and sullen. He is persistent, however, because he doesn't require his wife to be charming or companionable,. Emma's greedy family readily accepts the match though she is against it. When her wastrel brother finds an heiress to marry, he makes it clear that Emma will not be wanted back home and she has no choice but to accept Mr. Fairchild's arrangement. Mr. Fairchild invites Emma and her step-mother to visit his home in the country and meet his mother and daughter. For moral support he brings along his friend Lord Atherton, the pretty young Miss Deborah Harris and her mother. Emma quickly endears herself to Mrs. Fairchild and little Melissa, makes friends with the other guests and becomes one of the family Richard doesn't exactly feel the same way and Emma despairs of ever being truly happy. The ending is predictable of course, but I didn't like it. Emma was so downtrodden that I could not like her. She didn't do anything to even try to make Richard care for her and pretty much let his mother direct their relationship. Richard was an unappealing hero with a hardened heart. He behaved rudely towards Emma for the entire book and was also incredibly cruel to his daughter who desperately wanted to be loved. Emma's step-mother and brother were stereotypical and the plot pretty much went nowhere. I would not recommend this book.
The Unsuitable Suitor by Marilyn Clay -- Regency Romance
The orphaned Fraser sisters, Katie 24, Minerva, 20 and Lucy, 16 are about to be turned out of their home after their father's death. Practical Miranda decides to head off to London to meet with the solicitors and prove ownership of the house. Sweet, pious Katie believes the Lord will provide and spoiled beauty Lucy is just dying to have a London Season. On the road to London, Lucky naively chats with a handsome London gentleman who turns out to be the rake who once randomly kissed Miranda at a party 5 years earlier. Miranda has never forgotten that kiss and never forgiven Lord Peterbloom for his wild ways and strives to keep her sister from harm. When things don't go as planned, the Fraser sisters take refuge with their wealthy estranged aunt and uncle. Aunt Isobel, Lady Heathrow decides to sponsor Lucy's come-out. Lucy becomes the toast of the town and sets her sights of Lord Peterbloom who is continually rescuing the sisters from mishap. Miranda struggles to get her home back from Peterbloom who now holds the deed and alternately worries about keeping her sister out of his clutches and wishing for the marriage so she and Katie can return home. Lord Peterbloom has reformed his wild ways but is not looking for a wife . . . or so he thinks, but he experiences strange sensations whenever Minerva is around and she can't help admiring his fine figure and keen mind. Though the story ends predictably, most of the story goes nowhere and takes too long to get to the point of conflict. Miranda is too high-strung and practical to be an appealing heroine and I felt that she obsessed over that kiss with Peterbloom five years ago and she was too unforgiving. Her sisters were equally stereotypical and annoying. Peterbloom seemed attracted to her spitfire nature but she came across as snappy and rude to me. Peterbloom is an appealing hero with intelligence and a good heart. Even he can't save this novel. It lacked appealing characters and excellent dialogue. I didn't really care for it that much but would recommend it for the less picky readers.
See No Love by Monette Cummings -- Regency Romance
Emily Harmon is extremely is so short-sighted, she can't see much of anything without spectacles, which her overbearing mother forbids her to wear in fear that Emily will never find a husband. When Emily makes her debut at court, she makes friends with Violet, the daughter of an Earl who invited Emily to a house party, hoping her brother will fall in love with Emily and forget about the mean Lady Isobel Darcy who is keeping company with their cousin Philip, the Duke of Durban. At the house party, poor Emily has a series of misadventures because of her poor eyesight and the hero must rescue her. Emily's accidents are told to the reader in a rather detached and summarized manner. I was expecting them to be really funny but instead they were rather sad because no one understands Emily's predicament and her mother believes that Emily could only see if she tried hard enough. I felt sorry for Emily and she didn't know how to laugh at herself so the reader does not get to laugh with her. She is also very young to be a romantic heroine and her romance comes out of the blue. This is a cute, light read but not my favorite.
The Incomparable Miss Brady by Sheila Walsh -- Regency Romance
Miss Clementina Brady from Baltimore, Maryland, USA arrives on the doorstep of the home of the Marquess of Cadogan expecting to reconcile with her estranged grandfather, instead, she learns her grandfather has died and a distant cousin has taken his place and the new Marquess has a very low opinion of Clementina, whom he labels as a managing female. That's fine with Clemmy, who doesn't care what others think of her. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself and her younger brother Patrick. Clemmy and Patrick instantly adapt to life in London and Clemmy catches the eye of a dashing French comte whom the Marquess knows to be a fortune hunter. Clemmy, Patrick and their aunt Seraphina head to Paris and take Parisian society by storm and experience the pleasures and dangers Paris has to offer. Used to managing her American grandfather's estates, Clemmy turns her energy into managing everyone else's lives but fails to notice that some events are beyond her control, including her own future. The Marquess is also in Paris and he suspects the Bradys are not as capable of looking after themselves as they seem and decides to keep an eye on them, just in case they need help and finds himself strangely drawn to his unusual cousin. This book started off wonderfully. I loved the interactions between Clemmy and the Marquess and Clemmy's determination to throw off convention and remain in control. Once the characters head to Paris, the story becomes more about everyone else than Clemmy. There were way too many characters to keep track of and too many titled characters to keep straight. I would have preferred more witty banter between Clemmy and Lord Cadogan instead of Clemmy's scrapes and adventures, that would have made for a much better story.
The Locked Garden by Gloria Whelan -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction
12 year old Verna and 6 year old Carlie move with their father and aunt to the grounds of a mental institution in northern Michigan. The year is 1900, and their father is a well-known psychiatrist who has radical ideas about the improvement of mental health. The children enjoying playing on the beautiful grounds and get to know the patients who are well enough to be outside and work, though Verna wonders about the patients in the locked ward and how they will ever get better by being locked up. Eleanor, who is recovering from depression, comes to work for the family and quickly endears herself to the children, causing tension in the household. When dour Aunt Maude becomes jealous, her actions nearly cause irreparable damage and it's up to Verna and Callie to try to help Eleanor free herself from her harsh father and inner demons. The ending happens rather abruptly and is too insightful to be from a child's point of view. I didn't feel this book was as well written as some of her previous novels for the same age group but I liked learning about the treatment of mental health patients at the turn-of-the-century.
Moonlight and Mischief by Rhonda Woodward -- Regency Romance
After Lord Haverstone loses a fortune gambling, he is approached by a young tradesman's son, a Mr. Steven Thorncroft who offers up his sister and her dowry as a solution to Stone's gambling debt. Stone is surprised and a bit offended but decides the younger man amuses him and invites Steven and his sister to a house party on his estate come October. Mrs. Thorncroft is delighted with the invitation and is anxious to marry Mariah off to a peer and believes Stone may "come up to scratch." Mariah is furious and annoyed with her family but reluctantly joins her mother and two brothers at the house party, despite the fact that no formal invitation was issued. Stone had forgotten the invitation, but graciously allowed the Thorncrofts to stay, though hoping they'd leave early so he and his guests could have fun in the manner in which they were accustomed. When Mariah discovers her host in an embarrassing situation, they agree to be fully honest with one another and Mariah and Stone soon finds themselves sharing intimate secrets they've never shared with anyone else. She struggles to protest against her growing feelings for Stone and her realize her desire for independence. Mariah manages to stay true to herself and her desires and find happiness at last. I really admired Mariah for that and empathized with her dream of independence. The romance was very realistic and the characters actually got to know one another's dreams and desires. The writing was not up the the mark of Georgette Heyer or even some other copycats, but still good and the story interesting and enjoyable. Mama's Disappointment by Judy Chirstenberry -- Regency Romance
Emma Chadwell is bullied and belittled by her step-mother who continually compares Emma to her beautiful step-sister Aurora. Mr. Fairchild is looking for a mother for his unruly 4 year old daughter, the product of his disastrous first marriage, and thinks Emma will fit the bill as she is the exact opposite of his first wife. Emma wants nothing more than to return home and continue managing the family's estates and tries to warn off Mr. Fairchild by being shy and sullen. He is persistent, however, because he doesn't require his wife to be charming or companionable,. Emma's greedy family readily accepts the match though she is against it. When her wastrel brother finds an heiress to marry, he makes it clear that Emma will not be wanted back home and she has no choice but to accept Mr. Fairchild's arrangement. Mr. Fairchild invites Emma and her step-mother to visit his home in the country and meet his mother and daughter. For moral support he brings along his friend Lord Atherton, the pretty young Miss Deborah Harris and her mother. Emma quickly endears herself to Mrs. Fairchild and little Melissa, makes friends with the other guests and becomes one of the family Richard doesn't exactly feel the same way and Emma despairs of ever being truly happy. The ending is predictable of course, but I didn't like it. Emma was so downtrodden that I could not like her. She didn't do anything to even try to make Richard care for her and pretty much let his mother direct their relationship. Richard was an unappealing hero with a hardened heart. He behaved rudely towards Emma for the entire book and was also incredibly cruel to his daughter who desperately wanted to be loved. Emma's step-mother and brother were stereotypical and the plot pretty much went nowhere. I would not recommend this book.
The orphaned Fraser sisters, Katie 24, Minerva, 20 and Lucy, 16 are about to be turned out of their home after their father's death. Practical Miranda decides to head off to London to meet with the solicitors and prove ownership of the house. Sweet, pious Katie believes the Lord will provide and spoiled beauty Lucy is just dying to have a London Season. On the road to London, Lucky naively chats with a handsome London gentleman who turns out to be the rake who once randomly kissed Miranda at a party 5 years earlier. Miranda has never forgotten that kiss and never forgiven Lord Peterbloom for his wild ways and strives to keep her sister from harm. When things don't go as planned, the Fraser sisters take refuge with their wealthy estranged aunt and uncle. Aunt Isobel, Lady Heathrow decides to sponsor Lucy's come-out. Lucy becomes the toast of the town and sets her sights of Lord Peterbloom who is continually rescuing the sisters from mishap. Miranda struggles to get her home back from Peterbloom who now holds the deed and alternately worries about keeping her sister out of his clutches and wishing for the marriage so she and Katie can return home. Lord Peterbloom has reformed his wild ways but is not looking for a wife . . . or so he thinks, but he experiences strange sensations whenever Minerva is around and she can't help admiring his fine figure and keen mind. Though the story ends predictably, most of the story goes nowhere and takes too long to get to the point of conflict. Miranda is too high-strung and practical to be an appealing heroine and I felt that she obsessed over that kiss with Peterbloom five years ago and she was too unforgiving. Her sisters were equally stereotypical and annoying. Peterbloom seemed attracted to her spitfire nature but she came across as snappy and rude to me. Peterbloom is an appealing hero with intelligence and a good heart. Even he can't save this novel. It lacked appealing characters and excellent dialogue. I didn't really care for it that much but would recommend it for the less picky readers.
See No Love by Monette Cummings -- Regency Romance
Emily Harmon is extremely is so short-sighted, she can't see much of anything without spectacles, which her overbearing mother forbids her to wear in fear that Emily will never find a husband. When Emily makes her debut at court, she makes friends with Violet, the daughter of an Earl who invited Emily to a house party, hoping her brother will fall in love with Emily and forget about the mean Lady Isobel Darcy who is keeping company with their cousin Philip, the Duke of Durban. At the house party, poor Emily has a series of misadventures because of her poor eyesight and the hero must rescue her. Emily's accidents are told to the reader in a rather detached and summarized manner. I was expecting them to be really funny but instead they were rather sad because no one understands Emily's predicament and her mother believes that Emily could only see if she tried hard enough. I felt sorry for Emily and she didn't know how to laugh at herself so the reader does not get to laugh with her. She is also very young to be a romantic heroine and her romance comes out of the blue. This is a cute, light read but not my favorite.
The Incomparable Miss Brady by Sheila Walsh -- Regency RomanceMiss Clementina Brady from Baltimore, Maryland, USA arrives on the doorstep of the home of the Marquess of Cadogan expecting to reconcile with her estranged grandfather, instead, she learns her grandfather has died and a distant cousin has taken his place and the new Marquess has a very low opinion of Clementina, whom he labels as a managing female. That's fine with Clemmy, who doesn't care what others think of her. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself and her younger brother Patrick. Clemmy and Patrick instantly adapt to life in London and Clemmy catches the eye of a dashing French comte whom the Marquess knows to be a fortune hunter. Clemmy, Patrick and their aunt Seraphina head to Paris and take Parisian society by storm and experience the pleasures and dangers Paris has to offer. Used to managing her American grandfather's estates, Clemmy turns her energy into managing everyone else's lives but fails to notice that some events are beyond her control, including her own future. The Marquess is also in Paris and he suspects the Bradys are not as capable of looking after themselves as they seem and decides to keep an eye on them, just in case they need help and finds himself strangely drawn to his unusual cousin. This book started off wonderfully. I loved the interactions between Clemmy and the Marquess and Clemmy's determination to throw off convention and remain in control. Once the characters head to Paris, the story becomes more about everyone else than Clemmy. There were way too many characters to keep track of and too many titled characters to keep straight. I would have preferred more witty banter between Clemmy and Lord Cadogan instead of Clemmy's scrapes and adventures, that would have made for a much better story.
The Locked Garden by Gloria Whelan -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction
12 year old Verna and 6 year old Carlie move with their father and aunt to the grounds of a mental institution in northern Michigan. The year is 1900, and their father is a well-known psychiatrist who has radical ideas about the improvement of mental health. The children enjoying playing on the beautiful grounds and get to know the patients who are well enough to be outside and work, though Verna wonders about the patients in the locked ward and how they will ever get better by being locked up. Eleanor, who is recovering from depression, comes to work for the family and quickly endears herself to the children, causing tension in the household. When dour Aunt Maude becomes jealous, her actions nearly cause irreparable damage and it's up to Verna and Callie to try to help Eleanor free herself from her harsh father and inner demons. The ending happens rather abruptly and is too insightful to be from a child's point of view. I didn't feel this book was as well written as some of her previous novels for the same age group but I liked learning about the treatment of mental health patients at the turn-of-the-century.
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