What I Read This Weekend

What I Read This Weekend . . .

A Winter Kiss by Lynn Collum, Jo Ann Ferguson and Isobel Linton -- Regency Romances


The first story is "A Winter Courtship" by Lynn Collum. Lord Major Marcus Grey, Earl Crandall receives a surprise visit from a late friend's sister, Miss Pamela Reed, who is fleeing an unwanted marriage to her cousin. Not knowing what to do with her, his friend Sir Norton Stickey volunteers his sister, a respectable widow, as chaperone. Mrs. Alison Prescott is happy to help a young lady in distress. She fell prey to a man's charm and found herself trapped in a horrible marriage. She refuses to allow another to make the same mistake. She agrees to take Pamela to Scotland to stay with Pamela and Norton's grandmother until Marcus can sort out the problem of Pamela's relatives. Lord Crandall finds himself increasingly attracted to Alison but she is reluctant to let him get close. Her companion, sensing romance in the air, has her own motives for not wanting a match suggests Pamela . Sir Norton finds himself trying to protect Pamela from making a marriage of convenience. Will they untangle the love knots and thaw Alison's icy heart?

This is a road trip novella which is always different and fun. The story is a little dark but there are lots of funny moments, especially involving animals and Pamela. Pamela is the comic relief of the story. The romance is sweet. There are kisses and a tiny bit of sensuality. The romance begins with love at first sight but develops into more. The plot was predictable but I liked it. I liked Alison and felt sorry for her. At first I didn't like Pamela but she was so artless, she was charming. The men aren't developed super well but Sir Norton is a typical sidekick. Major Grey/Lord Crandall is an amazing hero. He's practically Lord Perfect. He's a war hero, a nice guy and romantic. What more could a girl want? I would have liked this story developed into a longer story to really get a feel for who he really is. This is my favorite of the three stories.

In "The Winter Heart" by Jo Ann Ferguson, Joyce Stuart is forced by her aunt to play host to a young teenage boy, Charles Everett, whose parents have gone to France. Upon returning home with the boy, she discovers another unexpected guest, Geoffrey Wilcox, Lord Dartmouth (along with his bird and cat). Geoffrey is entirely unexpected in more ways than one: he's a rattle and an adventurer. He manages to make young Charles happy but Joyce is not amused by his antics. Joyce is a respectable lady, done with having adventures. She's had enough adventure to last a lifetime and not interested in more. Geoffrey makes a point of trying to get her to share in his adventures and Joyce finds herself wanting to give in.

This is a story of opposites attract. The plot is strange. At first the romance is based on physical attraction. They get to know each other's personalities but never fully open up so the romance remains a little superficial. The ending is kind of cute though. The romance is clean but not exactly kisses only. There's kissing not on the lips and some sensuality. The plot also contains some element of danger. I absolutely did not like Geoffrey. I hate man-child men. It's a personal thing and some may find Geoffrey charming. To me, he's just immature and not hero worthy. I liked Joyce and could relate to her. Napoleon is the best character but he doesn't have enough dialogue. He's very funny when he does speak. The story may be a companion to another story because there's a lot of back story that isn't explained fully. I was also confused by the characters. Is Oliver her brother or brother-in-law or step-brother? If he's her brother-in-law, she shouldn't call him by his first name. It's confusing. There's too much period slang. I couldn't understand what half the words were. They're not in the Georgette Heyer dictionary. They're randomly tossed in and even Joyce uses and understands slang which seems out of character for her. This wasn't my favorite story. It could have been a little better.

The last story, "The Winter Wager" by Isobel Linton, begins with a wager. Sir Philip Lansdowne loses a "Favor or Fifty" wager to Lord Adrian Hensley at the Raffles Club. Hensley demands a favor. He lost his heart to Lady Davina Hampton and she rejected him. His heart is broken and he desires revenge. He proposes that Sir Philip make Lady Davina fall in love with him and then break her heart. It should be an easy task, after all Sir Philip is a notorious heartbreaker. Many ladies have gone into a decline from love for Sir Philip. When he meets Lady Davina, he fears he may have met his match at last. He's a man or honor. How can he go back on his wager and find happiness?

This story starts out with a despicable wager. I hated the premise. Then the meet cute was so wonderful, I thought I would love this story. Lady Davina is intelligent and witty. She doesn't like Byron and thinks the ladies who do make much ado over nothing. She exchanges witty dialogue with Sir Philip the first time they meet. Then the author does too much telling and Lady Davina does an about face. She turns into a lovesick watering pot. She is no better than the other ladies she thinks poorly of. I hated her after that. It seemed like she would improve and go back to her normal self. I also expected a dramatic turn but the story doesn't live up to it's promise. It would have worked better as a full length novel. The plot turns into something from a melodramatic romance novel that Davina likes to read. She forgives Sir Philip way too easily. I wouldn't have given in so easily. Sir Philip is not an admirable hero. He could have had potential if he had met his equal in Lady Davina but as he stands in the story, I just didn't like him. Lord Adrian is crazy. He's just as bad as the lovesick ladies but also dangerous. The right thing for Sir Philip to do is to get Lord Adrian's brother to send him to the country to recover. I found him very creepy. The romance doesn't develop nicely with too much telling. There's some subtle sensuality and a scene that might have been "fade to black" but from the dialogue following, I guess it was just kissing. I liked this story least of the three. It failed to live up to potential.

What I've Read Recently

What I've Read Recently  . . .

Libby's London Merchant & Miss Chartley's Guided Tour by Carla Kelly -- Regency Romances

Libby's London Merchant by Carla Kelly

This is a hard book to review. It's very different from your typical Regency plot. For one thing, it deals with PTSD, survivor's guilt and alcoholism. A good chunk of the novel is taken up with helping someone withdraw from alcohol. It makes the tone of the novel more serious than I usually like. Then, there's a love triangle. A very unexpected love triangle because both the gentlemen are likeable and I wanted them both to succeed and be happy. Yet my heart was pulling Libby towards one of the men. I felt that only one was the perfect choice for her. When she made her decision, I felt so bad for the other gentleman though. The characters are so well developed, they feel real. Their pain, their joy, their feelings are all so real.

There are a number of historical inaccuracies in this book. Since it was written in 1991, Carla Kelly points out that her editor in 2001 caught one mistake but it was too late for a rewrite. I caught several mistakes: edible chocolate like that was not invented until the late 19th century. This is the mistake her editor caught. It didn't really affect the story overall though. The second mistake is dumbwaiters are an American invention that didn't exist yet in 1816. And then, Mary Had a Little Lamb was written by Sarah Josepha Hale, a New England woman in 1830 so there's no way that would be a frame of reference for Libby and Joseph. Finally, the inaccurate modern language annoyed me to no end. It seems like Carla Kelly spent all her research efforts on the larger issues and not the day to day ordinary things that Georgette Heyer so excelled at.

This is my first Carla Kelly novel. It's not what I expected and I probably won't read more of her novels because I prefer light, bright and sparkling for bedtime reading. If you like stories with well written, ordinary characters who think and feel deeply you will enjoy her writing. Here you will not find fireworks or grand sweeping passion but a quiet, coming together of two souls and minds.

The rest of my review is a spoiler for the plot so read at your own risk!

I really liked Libby. She felt very real to me and her struggles were true struggles for the time period. Her struggle to understand who she loves is also more realistic than the usual Regency novel. I loved both the men in the story. The good doctor is a paragon. He's very well versed in medical knowledge (more than I think is realistic for the period but I don't know for sure), he's compassionate, he's caring, he's sweet and hard not to love. Sure he's not sexy but love is based on more than physical attraction. The downside is, he's never home but I think a woman who really loved him would accept that and wait for him and help make him comfortable when he does come home. I'm not a fan of the little woman ideal but in this case, it's what he needs and Libby can provide. She's also the perfect nurse for him. She doesn't hesitate to help so maybe they can go around together.

I knew all along she loved Anthony. She protested too much and she was so perfect for him; always picking up after him, helping him and laughing WITH him instead of AT him. Yet at the same time, I was rooting for Nez. I went back and forth in my opinion of who she should choose. If I were in her position, I would have accepted Anthony in the first place. He's kind and caring and will make an excellent husband. She would be next door to her mother and have a home of her own. Then, enter Nez, a needy soul. Oh how I felt for him! Deep down he was a caring man who was wounded by the death and destruction of war. He was too sensitive to go off to war. He feels guilty for surviving but as Libby points out, a good commanding officer keeps track of his men and does everything he can to help him. So, Nez lost points for that in the beginning. Then he turned into a real ass after he discovered the truth about Libby. I would have slapped him for that if I were her. Yet... when he went off with a broken heart, I felt for him. He picked up some of the points he lost when he grew up a bit and returned home to do his duty. Then in the end, he lost points for not doing anything to help in a crisis and trying to keep Libby from helping. I knew right then and there what Libby's decision would be. Her reasoning was a bit awkward though. It didn't really fit the story. It seemed like she had many good reasons not to accept Nez without that last one.

I wanted Nez to have a happily ever after. This 2-in-1 volume contains an excerpt of Nez's story and I was going to order it but then realized after reading the reviews, it wasn't for me. I'm glad he finally gets his HEA.

The other two main men in the story were also really well developed. I liked young Joseph, how could you not? I felt bad for him because all he really wanted was to help. Libby's mother seems like a strong and sensible woman. I wish she was in the story more.
The Squire was a nasty villain. He's not a stereotypical villain though. He's a complicated man with deep rooted issues. I assumed he was one of those people who was uncomfortable around people with disabilities. I couldn't understand his anger towards Joseph. The reason behind his actions was a real surprise and very gut wrenching. As if this story needed more drama and tears! I think Lydia is the real villain in the story. She's so ditzy she's cruel. I would have slapped her and pulled her hair long before now if I had to live with her. Eustace is despicable and I can't believe sweet, sensitive Nez is friends with that insensitive, rude, disgusting dandy.

I don't understand inheritance law and whatever but once the grandfather was dead, I would think that the Uncle would be able to help the family more. He's such a weak man. It's no wonder Lydia is shallow.

Miss Chartley's Guided Tour by Carla Kelly


Ms. Kelly really knows how to put her characters and her readers through the emotional wringer. The story starts off lightly and predictably enough. I especially like the characters who appear in the first part of the novel. I felt bad for Omega (stupid name. Her brother is called Alpha!) but felt she handled her disappointment with grace and class. She remains an admirable woman becoming a teacher at a second-rate school. She's on her way to a new job at a better school, another aspect of her character I admire. She knows what she wants and how to get it. Though she doesn't have a fortune of her own, she doesn't fret about it. It is what it is. She has a scandal or two in her past and she's accepted it and moved on. I like her pragmatism. Yet, she still loves the hero which I think is a little silly. I like the little boy. I usually don't like children but he's charming and not annoying. I also really love Angela. She's so funny yet such a tragic character. I can't imagine the horrors behind her practical soldier's nature. She and Hugh add a lot of sweet moments to the story.

Then, when the heroine meets the hero again, the story takes a dramatic turn. For me, the story he told didn't make a lot of sense. First it made me sick to my stomach (warning: this story is a bit graphic) and then I knew immediately what had happened. I don't see why the hero didn't realize it sooner! What he believes might have happened just wasn't possible. The villain takes advantage of the hero's good nature but it's just so OBVIOUS. However, the reader knows about the villain's character before the hero really understands what the villain is like. The mystery kept me turning the pages to figure out how it would all come up in the end. The romance also kept me guessing a bit. I wasn't sure what would happen in the very end.

The characters get to know each other quickly but realistically. I think the actual staging of the action is very unrealistic and she would be compromised big time. The romance builds nicely. It's a sweet building of two people who care about each other very much. The hero's feelings are worthy of swooning. He's so noble and perfect. The love scene comes at the right moment or could have come a little earlier but the plot was still in process so it couldn't go in the logical place. It is a bit graphic though. It needs to be for obvious plot reasons but still, I didn't like it. It could have been implied.

As with Libby's London Merchant, there are some modern Americanisms that creep in. I didn't spot any major historical inaccuracies but I'm not familiar with the topics covered in this novel.

The mystery is very graphic and made me sick to my stomach. I'm sure it's realistic for the time period which is very sad. It shows a different side to Regency society than the sparkling, light world of Georgette Heyer. I wouldn't recommend this book to sensitive or young readers. This is a story that is best appreciated by mature readers, maybe those who can relate to Omega.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Valentines by Barbara Metzger -- Regency Romances

"Bald Lies" begins with three gentlemen in the prime of their lives meet at their Club to drink away their worries. They each have problems: one has a wife who is rumored to be carrying on a flirtation or worse with another man; another, a young fop, is in need of money and the last has a secret problem he doesn't dare to confess to anyone: he's losing his hair! The solution is to repair to the country to a house party to try to solve their problems by finding wives for the two bachelors. Audrina, the daughter of a vicar, is content to be the companion to her beautiful younger cousin Carrie. However, her uncle is a miser who desires nothing more than marrying his daughter to a title. The titled gentleman he has in mind is old and smelly and Dree's cousin does not wish to marry him. When Audrina discovers that two wealthy bachelors have come to the country, she hatches a plan to marry her cousin to Maxim, the Earl of Blanford. Max feels he's too old and too lacking in hair (despite a hair piece) for the young woman. There's a certain minx who has caught his eye but she seems intent on pushing her cousin at him. All they do is argue. How can true love persevere if the lady can not see what is in front of her nose?

This story is sweet but short. It's too short. The romance suffers as a result. There's too much telling and very little showing. It's funny and cute though. The romance content is very low - kisses only and barely that. There's no real dog in this story either but there's a joke about a poodle.

In "The Last Valentine", a lonely young woman is buried in the country after a failed elopement. It's been four years of tedium and being watched by a stuffy old chaperone. When Martine discovers a love letter outside her door, at first she thinks it was misdirected but then when more notes and gifts arrive, she's convinced it's her old lover Digby returned to her. She's determined not to let him go this time.

This story is sweet and tender. The tone is darker than Metzger usually writes. The story is bittersweet. There's an interesting twist at the end but I sort of saw it coming. I really liked Martine and felt very bad for her. I liked how she blossomed as she realized she was loved. I was disappointed there wasn't a dog in this story but only a cat. Content warning: There's a mention of making love and how Martine felt about it.

The final story "Love and Tenderness" involves a young married couple. On their wedding night, the heroine panics when she discovers a ghost in the room! Misunderstanding, Lee, the Viscount Maitland, leaves his bride not willing to force her to do anything she doesn't wish to do. Senta DOES wish to continue the honeymoon but Lee won't listen. Senta learns she is the only one who can see the ghost. He can't remember who he is and doesn't know why he's there. All he knows is that his name is sort of like a vegetable and he was a king of a rock. Then Sir Percival, as Senta dubs her new friend, discovers that Maitland is being blackmailed. Maitland's brother Michael was a soldier with Wellington's Army and supposedly turned traitor and sold information to the French and then killed himself. The Army officially declared an accidental death but the blackmailer knows the truth. Determined to stop this nonsense once and for all, Lee heads off to London to try to find the blackmailers ... and obtain an annulment. When Sir Percival informs Senta of what has happened, she is determined to take matters into her own hands to solve the mystery and prove to her husband that she loves him, even if it means associating with a grizzled old soldier servant, a fallen woman, a baby and an old hound dog.

This story is darker than Metzger's usual romances but it also contains a lot of humor, especially from the ghost. It took me a lot longer than it should have to figure out who the ghost was. There's no explanation of who he is or what he's doing there. His identity becomes obvious as the story goes on. It's a little TOO obvious and very annoying. It feels really weird to have him in the story. I got very tired of the constant hints. The story would have been far more interesting without the ghost. The mystery kept me really interested. It surprised me a bit how it all unfolded. It was worth putting in a full length novel and developing more. There was a secondary romance that should have been fleshed out more. The dog plays a minor role in the story. I didn't like the marriage plot. I hate supposed marriages of convenience. They always involve a silly misunderstanding. The last bit of the story is stupid and unnecessary. Why? It doesn't do anything for the plot. It's not even explained.

The story isn't squeaky clean. The h/h are married and the reader is in bed with them but they don't get very far. There's some sensuality and some parts that may make readers uncomfortable but nothing is super graphic. It's clean but not kisses only.

This book was free on openlibrary.org and it was worth the time spent reading it but not worth paying for.

What I've Read Recently

What I've Read Recently . . .


Gwendolen by Clare Darcy -- Regency Romance


The Quarters sisters are as different as can be. There's practical and romantic Gwendolen; beautiful, biddable Jane and headstrong Campaspe. The one thing they have in common is the need for a wealthy husband. With Gwendolen promised to Naval Captain Harry Belville and Campaspe engaged to a young Lieutenant, it's up to Jane to go to London and make a brilliant match. Jane succeeds beyond everyone's expectations when she catches the eye of the Marquess of Lyndale. So what if he's had a checkered past in northern Africa - he's a Marquess! Naturally Mrs. Quarters and her sister are over the moon. Jane is not, however. She's torn between duty and desire. Her heart belongs to a young French emigre who works as a Duke's secretary. When the Marquess arrives in Gloucestershire he shakes everything up. He's kind and considerate to Jane and puts up with Cammie's outrageous behavior but with Gwendolen, he's always at daggers drawn. When her Captain returns, she finds she no longer sees him the dashing hero of her girlhood dreams. What should she do? Then Gwendolen catches the attention of the dandyfied younger son of a Duke. She's certain he is going to make her a proposal but will it be a proper one or an improper? She knows how to answer the latter but what about the former? It's not as if she loves someone else...

This charming story reads like Georgette Heyer light. It has all the elements of a comedy of manners and the romance goes round and round like a cotillion or a carousel. The plot is predictable yet getting there is the fun part. There's hardly any central romance in the story. It quietly plays out in the background and the perceptive reader can pick up on it but the characters are in the dark until the end. At the end there are two kisses and a passionate embrace with almost no feeling. I would have liked a bit more obvious wooing on the hero's behalf. He does something very grand that makes his intentions somewhat obvious but no one seems to understand what's happening and he makes a mull of it. Then he tries something else even more grand and manages to mess that up too. It makes for some funny moments as the characters realize what's happening.

All three sisters are very different but that makes it nice for the reader because each person can relate to a different sister. I identify with Gwen. Practical and romantic at the same time, I really liked her. At first she seemed a little silly and immature but when it really mattered, she showed she was capable of making intelligent decisions and taking care of herself. She's no shrinking violet! Cammie is the most annoying of the three. She's the obnoxious little sister who needs a firm, guiding hand. Unfortunately, Mr. Quarters, like Mr. Bennet, has little interest in his daughters and Mrs. Q is a silly woman. Cammie is like Horatia in Georgette Heyer's The Convenient Marriage. Cammie's behavior would put her beyond the pale in London but fortunately she's in Gloucestershire and she learns her lesson in the end, I hope. Jane is the least developed sister. Like her famous namesake in Pride and Prejudice, she's quiet, beautiful and dutiful. That last makes her either hard to like or sympathetic. I felt bad for the position she was in but more for the fact that her father didn't care about her. If he had, she could have asked for his help instead of trying to be the heroine of a tragic romance. 

The gentlemen in the story are also all very different. Lieutenant Fairhall is young and hotheaded. He reacts to Cammie's behavior in an immature way showing his age. Alain is hardly in the story and doesn't have any dialogue but he seems just like Jane and therefore, a perfect match. Lord Wilfred Boulting is a typical rogue/dandy. He's charming when he wants to be and he thinks he's dashing but he's actually quite boring and silly. He doesn't have much edge to him. Lyndale is the most developed of the three but he's really only a hasty sketch. He's charming, gallant and a bit roguish. We know what he's done or rumored to have done in his past but not much else about him besides his fortune. He seems like a care for nobody but he isn't. He's the quiet sort of beta hero similar to the Earl of Rule in The Convenient Marriage. I'd like to know more about him but I liked his interactions with Gwendolyn. The dialogue is witty enough to be interesting though not quite at the level of Georgette Heyer. I recommend this book to Georgette Heyer fans or anyone from their mid-teens on to adult.

notes on content: There are several references to a harem without really explaining what a harem actually is and one character asks another character to run away without being married.

What I've Read This Week Part 2

What I've Read This Week Part 2 . . .


Cressida by Clare Darcy -- Regency Romance

Cressida is beautiful and wealthy with all of London at her feet. True, she's no longer a young miss in her first season but she enjoys the attentions of the gentlemen just the same. She has agreed to sponsor the come out of her companion's relative, Kitty though the girl seems to be one of those boring, biddable young girls. Seven years ago however, Cressida wasn't so sophisticated. She was a young girl living with her elderly great-aunt in Tonbridge when she met Captain Deverell Rossiter, a young soldier. She knew right away from the first dance that he was the one she wanted to marry. She was prepared to follow the drum to be with him. Then they quarreled and broke their engagement. She hasn't seen him since until now. Rossiter has returned to London a wealthy and much heralded man. He's the toast of London and Cressida is furious. She wants nothing to do with him yet they keep encountering each other. Captain Rossiter even goes so far as to flirt with Kitty! He has two rivals for Kitty: Rossiter's friend Captain Miles Harries, a young man wet behind the ears and The Honorable Drew Addison, the next Beau Brummel; while Cressida has relationship problems of her own.

There's not a whole lot of plot in this novel until almost the end. That part comes out of nowhere and doesn't fit with the rest of the story. The characters keep trying to explain why but I found their excuse weak. It didn't suit the character. It came right out of a gothic romance. This certainly isn't a romance. There's no romance or courtship in it at all. Cressida spends the novel second guessing what she thinks Rossiter is going to say and then trying to hurt him with a scathing remark. We don't know much about him or his motivations but he doesn't seem to deserve her scorn. Cressida's behavior makes her a very unlikeable heroine. Her change of heart comes too late and too suddenly to be sincere and make the reader feel sympathy for her. It feels like that plot element was forced in to the story to make the romance work. None of the secondary characters are well developed. Kitty never emerges as a co-heroine. Only Miles gets much page time and he seems like a very kind young man who is in over his head.

I really liked how the story pokes gentle fun at romance novels in general. There's some other humorous moments and Cressida's companion is one of those garrulous women dropped in for comedic effect. Regency fashion lovers will love the detailed descriptions of Cressida's clothes. This isn't the best Clare Darcy novel but I would recommend her books to Georgette Heyer fans. 

Gwendolen by Clare Darcy -- Regency Romance


The Quarters sisters are as different as can be. There's practical and romantic Gwendolen; beautiful, biddable Jane and headstrong Campaspe. The one thing they have in common is the need for a wealthy husband. With Gwendolen promised to Naval Captain Harry Belville and Campaspe engaged to a young Lieutenant, it's up to Jane to go to London and make a brilliant match. Jane succeeds beyond everyone's expectations when she catches the eye of the Marquess of Lyndale. So what if he's had a checkered past in northern Africa - he's a Marquess! Naturally Mrs. Quarters and her sister are over the moon. Jane is not, however. She's torn between duty and desire. Her heart belongs to a young French emigre who works as a Duke's secretary. When the Marquess arrives in Gloucestershire he shakes everything up. He's kind and considerate to Jane and puts up with Cammie's outrageous behavior but with Gwendolen, he's always at daggers drawn. When her Captain returns, she finds she no longer sees him the dashing hero of her girlhood dreams. What should she do? Then Gwendolen catches the attention of the dandyfied younger son of a Duke. She's certain he is going to make her a proposal but will it be a proper one or an improper? She knows how to answer the latter but what about the former? It's not as if she loves someone else...

This charming story reads like Georgette Heyer light. It has all the elements of a comedy of manners and the romance goes round and round like a cotillion or a carousel. The plot is predictable yet getting there is the fun part. There's hardly any central romance in the story. It quietly plays out in the background and the perceptive reader can pick up on it but the characters are in the dark until the end. At the end there are two kisses and a passionate embrace with almost no feeling. I would have liked a bit more obvious wooing on the hero's behalf. He does something very grand that makes his intentions somewhat obvious but no one seems to understand what's happening and he makes a mull of it. Then he tries something else even more grand and manages to mess that up too. It makes for some funny moments as the characters realize what's happening.

All three sisters are very different but that makes it nice for the reader because each person can relate to a different sister. I identify with Gwen. Practical and romantic at the same time, I really liked her. At first she seemed a little silly and immature but when it really mattered, she showed she was capable of making intelligent decisions and taking care of herself. She's no shrinking violet! Cammie is the most annoying of the three. She's the obnoxious little sister who needs a firm, guiding hand. Unfortunately, Mr. Quarters, like Mr. Bennet, has little interest in his daughters and Mrs. Q is a silly woman. Cammie is like Horatia in Georgette Heyer's The Convenient Marriage. Cammie's behavior would put her beyond the pale in London but fortunately she's in Gloucestershire and she learns her lesson in the end, I hope. Jane is the least developed sister. Like her famous namesake in Pride and Prejudice, she's quiet, beautiful and dutiful. That last makes her either hard to like or sympathetic. I felt bad for the position she was in but more for the fact that her father didn't care about her. If he had, she could have asked for his help instead of trying to be the heroine of a tragic romance.

The gentlemen in the story are also all very different. Lieutenant Fairhall is young and hotheaded. He reacts to Cammy's behavior in an immature way showing his age. Alain is hardly in the story and doesn't have any dialogue but he seems just like Jane and therefore, a perfect match. Lord Wilfred Boulting is a typical rogue/dandy. He's charming when he wants to be and he thinks he's dashing but he's actually quite boring and silly. He doesn't have much edge to him. Lyndale is the most developed of the three but he's really only a hasty sketch. He's charming, gallant and a bit roguish. We know what he's done or rumored to have done in his past but not much else about him besides his fortune. He seems like a care for nobody but he isn't. He's the quiet sort of beta hero similar to the Earl of Rule in The Convenient Marriage. I'd like to know more about him but I liked his interactions with Gwendolyn. The dialogue is witty enough to be interesting though not quite at the level of Georgette Heyer.

I recommend this book to Georgette Heyer fans or anyone from their mid-teens on to adult.

notes on content: There are several references to a harem without really explaining what a harem actually is and one character asks another character to run away without being married.

What I've Read This Week Part I

What I've Read This Week Part I . . .


Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti by Bailey Cates -- Cozy mystery/contemporary romance/paranormal mystery

It's nearly the end of October and Katie has been in Savannah for six months. The bakery is a huge success and she's been practicing her spell work. She's also been trying to avoid choosing between Declan and Steve. On a friendly picnic brunch with Declan, Katie discovers a dead body in the square. Declan and the police are ready to chalk it up to a homeless man's drunken binge but when Katie sees the tattoo on the man's arm, she feels strangely drawn to it somehow. Her friends in the book club are more concerned than the police for Mimsey recognizes the symbol as an ancient druid sign. Only members of a certain select men's club sport the tattoo. Katie finds herself pulled deeper into the mystery when she consults Steve. Steve's father is a member of this club and Steve worries what will happen to Katie when she starts asking questions. The killer is still out there and dangerous. Katie knows that it's her destiny to help find the killer. Plus there's Detective Quinn's new partner, Detective Taite, a witch hunter, to contend with. In her spare time, Katie has to find someone else to help out at the bakery and deal with her relationship issues. Will she ever have a normal life?

This book is not as charming as the first in the series. It's darker and scarier; more like the later Harry Potter book in tone and magical content. There's more paranormal stuff going on in this book that I'm willing to accept. There are different kinds of magic in this book and not all of it is hedgewitchery and not all of it is nice. In the last quarter of the novel my heart was pounding as I turned the pages to find out what would happen next. The mystery kept me guessing. I began to suspect after a key moment in the plot when Katie realizes she's missing something but I wasn't sure. The ending was a bit unexpected and kind of hokey. It needed a little more at the end. It was a bit too tidy in spots and really strange.

There is a lot of character development in this novel including a bunch of new characters. I didn't like the Dragoh Society for the same reasons Katie didn't. It seemed strange in this country in the 21st century that there would be such a chauvinistic group. I liked the character development of the regular cast of characters. Katie is still figuring out what she wants and where her life is headed. She's a bit more mature than she was 6 months ago when we first met her. It was nice getting to know Cookie but I didn't find her a very appealing character. I especially liked the development of the men. At first I thought Steve was slimy and arrogant. I loathed him, but then I got to know him better and he revealed his true self so I changed my mind. I really liked him in the middle of the novel but not at the end. He has a ways to go before he's fully normal but he does have a good heart and I think I'm on Team Steve. I left Team Declan in this book because of his immature behavior. I honestly don't see the romance in this series though. I don't know how either of them could have fallen in love with Katie so fast. I can see Declan falling in love with her from Ben's description and Steve feeling a connection to her but is it happily ever after love? I don't really think so. At least not on Declan's part. Mungo is even more awesome than ever. I love him even if his description doesn't really fit that of a Cairn. He should talk with his eyes more and tilt his head from side to side when she talks to him. I especially love his gourmet pallet and his eccentric hobby.

The Honeybee is my idea of heaven and I think I gained weight reading this novel. There are two recipes included in the back: one sweet and one savory. I want more recipes!

I will probably pick up the third book in the series if the library gets it in soon. I feel involved in the characters' lives now even if I don't like the witchcraft aspect.

What I Read Last Weekend

What I Read Last Weekend . . .

Mrs. Jeffries and the Yuletide Weddings: A Victorian Mystery by Emily Brightwell

A woman is murdered at dusk in front of a fashionable residence and no one seems to have seen or heard a thing. Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes get right to work trying to force the snobbish Evans family to share the truth. Downstairs at Upper Edmonton Gardens, the staff are busy preparing for Betsy and Smythe's wedding. It's finally happening and Betsy's long lost sister Nora and her husband are coming all the way from Canada for the celebration. Betsy is excited yet nervous to see her sister again. She's worried because Smythe won't tell her where they will be going on their honeymoon or where they'll be living afterwards. She feels threatened when Mrs. Jeffries hires a new maid, Phyllis, to help out during the wedding preparations. That doesn't stop anyone from doing their job and trying to find out who killed Miss Moran, Miss Evans' former governess. Miss Evans is marrying on the same day as Betsy and the Home Office wants the mystery solved by Christmas. That's a tall order for Mrs. Jeffries and friends but they're certain they can help their Inspector solve another case. 

As usual there are many suspects and lots of twists and turns. This mystery has some obvious secrets that I guessed pretty quickly. The clues seem to be there but are difficult to fit together. I couldn't figure out the motive so never figured out the killer. I was a bit surprised and saddened at the reveal. There's more of a focus on the personal story line that keeps me coming back for more. I love the characters and I was dying to know what happened and whether they could pull off a wedding, finally. I liked the dynamic between Betsy and her sister. It seemed realistic and not at all fairy tale-ish. I don't blame Betsy for being upset. I would want to know too, especially where I was going to live. It would make me anxious not to know. I like the introduction of the new maid, Phyllis. She shakes up the story a bit and adds something new. If you like the other books in the series, you'll like this one too. 

Mrs. Jeffries Speaks Her Mind

Olive Kettering is murdered in broad daylight during a terrible storm on her own property. Her servants had the day off to attend Cook's funeral. Only her carriage house lodger, Mrs. Bernadine Fox was home. She is the one who found the body and alerted the constables. Since Miss Kettering was wealthy, Inspector Jeffries gets the case. As with most of his cases, everyone seemed to hate Miss Kettering. She was a tough employer and a difficult relative. Plus, she had recently become involved with a strange religious group calling itself The Society of the Humble Servant. Miss Kettering had some very odd ideas about God and Hell that made her peaceful, religious scholar nephew very upset. Would someone murder over religion? She's also disowned her niece for marrying an impoverished artist. Is money the motive? What about the bizarre noises Miss Kettering claimed to hear at night? Was it her imagination or something more sinister? Is the Reverend Mr. Richards for real or is he a confidence trickster like everyone believes? What of his wife, supposedly confined to a wheelchair? There are many roads to follow and only one leads to the killer. Can Inspector Witherspoon catch the killer? His staff are determined he will. Meanwhile, Betsy feels even more threatened by the continued presence of Phyllis. She's cranky, irritable and miserable all the time. Smythe does his best to make her happy but he doesn't know what's wrong or how to fix it. Mrs. Jeffries is terribly worried about a lot of things and isn't afraid to speak her mind to set things right.

I guessed who the killer was right away but then I forgot about that character and focused more on the clues Witherspoon was following. I knew what the key to the mystery was and as soon as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place I figured it out. I expected at least Mrs. Goodge to have picked up on something and even Mrs. Jeffries to encourage the Inspector to pursue that line but she didn't. They had a hard time picking up on the motive but to me it made sense given the clues they uncovered. This mystery isn't over until the very end. It has an extra twist that none of the rest of the books have. I like the uniqueness and the more realistic feeling it gives. I felt kind of sorry for the murderer in the end because of the circumstances that led them to commit such a horrible crime. I didn't like the personal aspect of the story. Betsy annoyed me so much. I guessed immediately what was wrong with her because of the ever present stereotype that exists in books to clue the reader in. I hate that and I didn't like how her personality changed. I can see why she was nervous and felt threatened but it wasn't fun to read. It also got a bit repetitious reading about Betsy's moods over and over again. There's also a lot of social and religious commentary on common beliefs at the time. It helps set the time period and place but isn't really relevant to the story. I liked when Mrs. J had the courage to speak her mind. Some of what follows is very implausible but I'm glad she said what she was thinking. I'm still enjoying the series and I'll be sad when I finish the latest one and will be eager for more!

What I Read This Week

What I Read This Week . . .

Piccadilly Jim by P.G. Wodehouse -- Historical Fiction/Romantic Comedy

In New York, Mr. Peter Pett, a millionaire, has a nagging wife, a house full of upstart young wannabe intellectuals and a horrid, fat stepson in need of discipline. The only person in his family he likes and trusts is his niece Ann. Mr. Pett and Ann concoct a plan with the aid of his physical instructor Jerry to kidnap Ogden and send him to a dog hospital for good food and exercise. It's Mr. Pett's only hope of peace in his household. Before they can act on their plan, Mrs. Pett discovers the tabloid journalists have learned she is the aunt to the one they call "Piccadilly Jim" and she's outraged that her name is associated with this young man's terrible behavior and is determined to go to England to stop him and force him back to New York.  James Crocker is a young man about town in London. He's lazy and enjoys living off his stepmother's millions. His poor hen-pecked father is beside himself with homesickness for good old American baseball but his wife won't allow him to return home until he's made a peer. Jimmy's behavior is not helping especially as he's made an enemy of the one person who can aid Mrs. Crocker's ambitions. Jimmy would do anything for his dear old dad including going on the straight and narrow, but what can he do? Then he rescues a beautiful young American woman from being run over by a taxi and it's love at first sight. He decides to follow her back to America. The only problem is - Ann hates Jimmy Crocker for something he once did to her. Jimmy must pretend to be Mr. Bayliss, the son of a butler. Then, when he's in need of help, he has to pretend to be himself. How can he convince Ann that he's worthy of her hand in marriage if he can't even be himself? When Aunt Nesta Pett discovers strangers in her midst she fears for her precious Ogden and sets in motion a series of events that will lead to the hilarious conclusion of the novel. 

Piccadilly Jim is a screwball comedy of errors type story that can be enjoyed by teens and adults. The story starts off a little slow with lots of exposition, but once we meet Jimmy, the story takes off. It captured my attention enough to know how Jimmy got out of his predicament and hopefully won the hand of the woman he loves. Jimmy's scrapes are comical but not really laugh out loud funny but they did make me giggle towards the end. The romance develops nicely into a true meeting of minds. She is cynical which I didn't like too much but I can understand her feelings. There's a mystery plot woven into the story too. It doesn't make a lot of sense realistically but it works OK. It's funny anyway and again serves to further the romance.

I really liked Jimmy and found him vastly amusing. Do I think he's good husband material? Not really but he'll try and maybe he will grow up. His moment of awareness comes a little too suddenly to be truly believable but it works in terms of forwarding the plot and to kick off the romance plot. I love the dialogue between the h/h. It's witty and amusing. All of Jimmy's dialogue is witty. I especially love his exchanges with Osgood. I also liked the heroine (I'm trying not to spoil it but it is predictable). She's intelligent and forthright and knows how to roll with the punches when faced with insanity. The only other character who is likeable is Mr. Crocker, Jimmy's father, who steals every scene he's in, especially the later ones.

I really disliked the two domineering wives in this story. When it's an alpha male and a meek girl it's considered abusive and not funny and I didn't find it very funny the other way around either. The two husbands annoyed me for being so passive. I kept willing them to stand up to their wives. However, when I got to the end and the moral of the story, I understood that Wodehouse was making a commentary on marriage and the reasons why people should and shouldn't marry. I liked the message and maybe it can be understood throughout the novel if the reader is paying attention.

This is my first Wodehouse novel but it won't be my last. I recommend this to anyone who likes screwball comedies and subtle romances with witty dialogue.

What I Read Last Week

What I Read Last Week . . .

Lady Eugenia's Holiday by Shirley Marks-- Regency Romance

Lady Eugenia Abbott has just missed her debut Season thanks to her older sister breaking off her engagement. When Lady Eugenia's eccentric great-aunt Rose arrives to whisk Eugenia away to Brighton for the summer, Eurgenia is thrilled to have some time to develop a bit of town bronze and practice flirting before her London Season in the fall. Unfortunately, she finds Brighton society with her aunt rather dull. Her aunt knows few young people and always wants to leave the party just as it's about to get interesting. Lady Eurgenia manages to find some new friends after all: the snobby Lady Penelope, also the daughter of an Earl; Miss Cynthia Penhurst and Mrs. Penhurt's protogee, an Austrian musician known as Franz Muller. Lady Penelope turns her aristocratic nose up at the foppish little musician but Lady Eugenia is quick to defend their amusing new friend. Her life changes forever during a breathtaking dance with a masked stranger at a masquerade ball. At last she has found her soul mate, but who is he? She discovers he's none other than the Duke of Rothford! Eugenia pursues Rothford, believing he feels the same way about her but each time she encounters him, he's cold and hot with her. She can't figure it out. During a visit to Lady Penelope's estate, Eugenia encounters a deadly secret and discovers that everything she thought she knew is not what it seems. When a mysterious man attempts to rescue her, she finds herself in just as much trouble as before.

The author of this book couldn't decide which plot device she wanted to use: fluffy love at first sight, suspense or marriage of convenience so she combined all three into one book. As such, the plot makes little sense. At first I found the book slow because nothing happened. After the first few slow chapters, the story becomes silly and I kept rolling my eyes at Eugenia. I probably would have felt the same way at 17. Then everything happened all at once and I couldn't put it down until I finished. This doesn't mean the story or writing was good though. I guessed at some of the secrets but it still came as a bit of a shock when secrets were revealed. The mystery is concluded too quickly and neatly. I kept waiting for something more gothic to happen. The characters are rather cardboard. Eugenia is a typical naive young girl who wants others to rescue her from whatever predicament she finds herself in. I didn't have much sympathy for her in the last third of the novel. I didn't understand why she was so upset. I can see why she would be a little angry but what happened was partly her fault and she got what she wanted. The villain is so shockingly evil without much of a story. Their motivation seems understandable but to actually act on it is bizarre. I can't believe that if something like that actually happened, the villains would get away with it. Aunt Rose is merely a background figure until the very end. I thought she would be an Auntie Mame type character but there's really nothing to her. She had potential but ended up disappointing. The only character I liked was Franz. He's so charming and funny. I wanted more of him but less of his atrocious accent and German phrases sprinkled in his speech.

I gave this book 2 stars because it captured my attention in the middle. I wouldn't recommend it to Georgette Heyer fans though. The Avalon Regency romances are just too silly for my exacting standards. They would be a good place to start for beginners and teens though. Don't read Georgette Heyer first or you'll be disappointed with everyone else! 

Eugenia by Clare Darcy -- Regency Romance

Eugenia has just finished school in Bath and is on her way to her guardian's estate when she is forced to stop at an inn due to bad weather. She discovers a young man she believes is her cousin Gerald also staying at the inn. He denies knowing her and then collapses. He is suffering from the after effects of a fever and Eugenia feels it's her duty to nurse him. The young man reveals he is her cousin but not Gerald. This cousin is Richard, the son of Eugenia's Uncle Charles.  To the family's knowledge, Uncle Charles never married. Richard is unsure whether he's illegitimate or not, his parents having died when he was a baby and their papers being lost in the chaos of the French Revolution. He's been living by his wits since he was 15 and is seeking work with horses. The doctor prescribes rest, but Richard is eager to leave. Eugenia has the perfect solution: Richard will come home with her and pretend to be Gerald until he's recovered. The family groom will keep Richard's secret and help him find a job. Richard reluctantly agrees but then comes to regret his decision when two Bow Street Runners arrive, along with Cousin Cecil, looking for Gerald who is wanted for highway robbery and murder! No amount of protesting from Eugenia can convince them Richard is not Gerald. Richard heads out into the world while Eugenia is taken to London for her Season. She becomes the toast of the ton but she wants nothing to do with young men. She wishes to marry her best friend's brother and settle down in the country together, just the three of them, forever. Eugenia concocts a plan that will help Richard and achieve her goal. Then Gerald turns up to complicate matters further. Eugenia is also determined to prove Richard's legitimacy so he can inherit her childhood home. Through the adventures that follow, Eugenia is sure she hasn't lost sight of her goal but when push comes to shove, can she really go through with her plan? 

This book is a fun romp in the manner of Georgette Heyer. The plot is a lot of fun. There's suspense but obviously you know in this sort of story what's going to happen at the end. It's predictable yet fresh and fun. I enjoyed following along on Eugenia's journey. The dialogue is witty and amusing. There's a lack of romance in the plot that may not appeal to everyone. Eugenia only understands her feelings at the end and I doubted the hero's feelings for her. They aren't alone together much to develop that relationship. I worry a bit about their future happiness. The kiss happens "off screen" so to speak, with the narrator turning away. It's implied what has just happened and how Eugenia feels. Though I had read this story before, I remembered very little of it and enjoyed discovering it again almost like it was the first time.

Eugenia is very young and silly but she's not stupid. She was raised like a boy and has no idea how to act like a lady. The plans she makes and adventures she has are things a young man might do. She doesn't really know any better and that makes her a charming and appealing heroine. She's a minx and will lead her husband a merry dance but she's a lot of fun. The only thing I didn't like was how she dealt with her feelings at the end but that's understandable given her age and lack of female companionship. I liked Richard but he's a bit too silent and brooding for me. There's hints of a deeper nature to his character but he's never fully allowed to show who he is. His character is a bit underdeveloped. Gerald is not at all appealing. He's an idiot and a care for nobody who is bound to disgrace himself and his family sooner than later. The secondary characters are all original and add more humor to the story.  I especially like Lady B.

I highly recommend this book to Georgette Heyer fans and those who like light, fun adventure novels with a dash of romance.

What I've Read Recently

What I've Read Recently . . .

Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley -- Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction

Lucy Gibson is the plant and errand girl at a prestigious law firm on London. She frequently grabs bagels and sandwiches at a local sandwich shop. One day, a Greek god comes running after her and asks her out. She's flattered and attracted so why not? When he stands her up, not once, but twice, she swears she'll never see him again, but he manages to worm his way into her apartment and her bed. Nick reveals he's a contestant on an Apprentice-like reality show and he's convinced he's going to win. In order to win, he needs Lucy by his side. Sure he's irritable and angry at times, but that's just the stress of the show right? When Nick accomplishes his dream, he decides the only thing to make his day better is to propose to Lucy. Lucy isn't sure Nick is the ONE and she doesn't want to make the same mistake her mom did, so she says no. Lucy becomes public enemy #1 with paparazzi chasing her and camping outside her building. She asks her best friend Fiona to help her get away somewhere where no one will bother her. Fiona and Lucy go off to stay at Fiona's retreat in Cornwall. The beach community is relaxed and doesn't seem to have heard of the scandal. Then she meets Josh. Local landlord, handyman, surfer and sex god all rolled into one. At first they don't get along but then she begins to see Josh in a new light. Unfortunately he's seeing Sara, equally beachy and good looking. Josh also can't stand liars and Lucy can't bring herself to tell him the truth about herself. As Lucy falls in love with the beach community and with Josh, she tells him part of her story, about feeling hurt by her dad's betrayal. Josh shares his story of his tragic past but there are still secrets and of course her job and lurking paparazzi back in London. Will she ever be able to find happiness and true love?

This book should be called Just Say No. It would serve a dual purpose: one to tell the characters what to say and two, to warn the reader away. The characters are awful. They're very cardboard people. Lucy claims she refuses to be like her mother and accept a lying, cheating man in her life and then she jumps into bed with a good looking near stranger who fits all her requirements for a man to stay away from. She claims she doesn't like liars and she lies to the hero. Nick is a sleaze bag of the first degree. He's dangerous and somewhat predatory. He uses Lucy for sex and to help him on his goal to fame and fortune. Sure she lets him use her and she says no when he asks her to marry him but she feels bad saying no and convinces herself that it's just because she's not SURE they belong together instead of realizing he's a creep. Lucy has two best friends who are stereotypical characters that appear in many rom coms and chick lit novels: the mad, bitter best friend and the mad gay male best friend. I liked Fiona and found her refreshing and amusing until the very end. I think I like Charlie though he's so stereotypical. He isn't in the book much but I wish he was because he was a good friend for Lucy. I was hoping he would turn out to be the love interest and not the gay bff. The characters in Cornwall aren't much better. Sara is a stock character: pretty, skinny, insecure, witchy, clingy, etc. etc. She doesn't have much personality and appears in the plot to complicate the romance. Josh is a character who sees the world in black and white. He had a rough childhood, became a modern rake and is now ready to settle down but only with someone he can trust. He suspects Lucy isn't telling the whole truth yet he enters into a relationship with her anyway. Their relationship isn't based on much. There's no real connection between them. I didn't care if they got together or not. Actually I didn't think either of them deserved each other. The romance was just not there. . The characters who live there are so obsessed with the beach and can't imagine living anywhere else. We're told Lucy falls in love with her new home but there's no real showing. There are are two graphic love scenes I wasn't expecting. Usually in this sort of novel the love scenes are closed door.

The writing is hit and miss. The descriptions of Cornwall scenery are beautiful. The author knows the location she's writing about and creates a picture of a beach community. I hate the beach and I had known, I wouldn't have read the book. The plot is very thin. It's based on a lot of non-communication, something I can't stand. I skimmed past the love scenes and ended up without much plot. The ending was way too rushed and that was the most interesting part of the book. I liked the direction Lucy was heading in and wanted more of her journey of self-discovery.

I didn't like this book very much and wouldn't recommend it to those who like well written books by Sophie Kinsella and Helen Fielding.