What I've Read This Weekend

What I've Read This Weekend . . .

A Noble Deception by Sara Blayne -- Regency Romance

Lucille Emily Powell, the eldest child of the Earl of Bancroft, is outraged. The new Duke of Lathrop, her neighbor and godmother's nephew, is coming back to his abandoned castle to look her over as a marriage prospect. Lucy has no desire to be a "brood mare" to sire his heirs. She is content to remain an independent, free spinster but dreams of publishing gothic romance novels. She's already written a few stories which she shares with her younger sisters. While reading one of her stories in a tower in Lathrop Castle, she and her sisters encounter ghostly noises. Frightened, her sisters run off but Lucy knows it's only her little brothers playing a trick on their sisters. She decides to do them a fright in turn but instead discovers a man coming out of the shadows towards her. Instead of being scared like any proper heroine, Lucy quickly makes the acquaintance of the man informing him of her views on marriage. The man claims to be Phillip Carmichael, the Duke of Lathrop's steward. He is lately come from the Peninsula and is new at his job. Lucy offers her assistance and friendship. Philip and Lucy ride, fish, discuss Lucy's novels and Lucy learns the finer points of dueling. Lucy also discovers that she's not so indifferent to men as she would like to be. Alas, she believes Philip loves another and even if he didn't, she stubbornly refuses to marry. Philip, enchanted by the innocent, wild redhaired beauty dreams of more than friendship, but he has a secret and when he reveals it to Lucy he's certain she'll never forgive him. Having read the other books about the Powell family, I became enchanted with their lively, loving nature. I especially liked Lucy. I can easily relate to her desire to remain free and independent, however, I think it's an unrealistic dream for her time. Lucy is a very modern woman in a nineteenth century novel. I was willing to overlook that because she's such a great character and the romance is very sweet. I especially like novels where the characters become friends before falling in love and this one is a great example. The friendship and romance develops beautifully and realistically. Lucy maintains her fiery spirit throughout and doesn't give up her dreams, she just opens her mind and heart to share her dreams with someone who loves her. I knew Phillip's secret, having read the other books in the series, but I enjoyed the story anyway. This first book is the best in the series and one for the keeper shelf. 

Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer -- Historical Fiction/Romance

Once upon a time near Great Fittledean in Sussex, a Sir Thomas Jettan loved his home so much the locals nicknamed it "Jettan's Pride." Sir Thomas' two sons however, did not take much interest in their father's pride and joy. Upon Sir Thomas' death, Sir Maurice feels the need to settle down and beget an heir. His brother Tom disagrees. After sewing some wild oats, Maurice fulfills the family legend by settling down to live happily ever after. His son Philip grows up playing with the other children of the great families and has an undying devotion to his country home. Much to his father's dismay, Philip doesn't want to sew his wild oats or become polished in any way shape or form. That is, he refuses until the beautiful Cleone returns from school. Philip falls head over heels in love with his childhood friend and is determined to marry her. Another local, Henry Bancroft, also returns and captivates Cleone with his sophisticated airs and flattery. Cleone is so captivated she rejects Philip's offer of marriage and at the insistence of Sir Maurice, sends Philip packing to London and Paris to acquire the necessary air of sophistication. He succeeds beyond anyone's wildest dreams, let alone Cleone's. Philip is a much sought after young man. Jealous, Clo is determine to earn her own sophistication in London, a plot which may backfire when she too becomes too popular for her own good. This Georgian era set novel is one of Georgette Heyer's earliest works published as "The Transformation of Philip Jettan" under the pseudonym Stella Martin. I would not have wanted to attach my name to this work either if I were her. This is possibly her worst novel ever. The writing style is simplistic but peppered with mostly unintelligible French phrases. The plot doesn't flow very smoothly. The relationships don't feel natural or even interesting. It's a classic misunderstanding plot that works fine in short stories. Most of the novel is dedicated to the transformation of Philip and even that is greatly rushed. The heroine is one of the worst sorts who flirts and gets angry at the man she loves for no good reason. The novel finally concludes with some outdated ideas about male/female power and thought process which I did not like at all! Most of Heyer's other heroines are not so awful. There are also brief appearances by a black page named Sambo (the novel was written around 1930) who utters his lines in appalling dialect. I'm surprised this novel has endured for so long. I would not recommend it.

What I Read This Weekend

What I Read This Weekend . . 

The Scotsman and the Spinster by Carolyn Madison -- Regency Romance

Ross MacCailan is a soldier fighting in Spain when he learns that his uncle has died making him the new Viscount St. Jerome. At first, Ross wants nothing to do with his uncle's wealth or title but when Wellington commands Ross to go to London to fight in the House of Lords, Ross has no choice but to obey. Wellington commands Ross to an A. Terrington in London, who will help Ross learn to be a gentleman. Ross has no interest in becoming a mindless member of the ton, especially not when he learns his tutor is a woman! Adalaide Terrington is a spinster who wears turbans and spouts Latin at anyone who will listen. She has no desire to be married, despite the protests of her aunt. She has taken it upon herself to help young gentlemen learn social graces which help make navigating Society easier for them. She hadn't expected her newest pupil to be so ruggedly masculine not so difficult! Ross is stubborn and hot tempered but Addy is equal to the task. Ross resents the way Addy treats him as less than a man but still, she was the first friend he had in London and he won't ever turn his back on her. There's no time for him to think of romance though, with his maiden speech coming up and attempting to make allies out of enemies and stop his despicable cousin from ruining everything. Even so, he can't help but think Addy would make an excellent wife. As Addy helps Ross enter Society she begins to appreciate his masculine qualities despite the fact that he seems to hate her.As she begins to understand her own heart, she doubts Ross will ever see her in a romantic light. If you are new to the Regency genre, this might be a good place to start. Much of the book is given over to explaining the nuances of behavior in Polite Society. As much as I love history and appreciate a well-researched story, I think all the etiquette slows down the story at the expense of the romance. Addy and Ross don't really have a great connection. There's chemistry and friendship which I can see building into love but there's a lot left unsaid that bothers me. The reader does not get to know Addy very well. Most of the story is from Ross's point of view.  Ross and Addy don't really know each other that well. The romance heats up a bit, with one make-out scene but nothing graphic. If you prefer sweet kisses only though, you might want to skip that scene or not read the book. Overall, the story is well-written other than my few complaints and slightly above average.

A Noble Heart by Sara Blayne -- Regency Romance

This is the fourth and last book in the Noble series. 
A man wakes up and sees the face of an angel staring down at him and is convinced he died and went to heaven. Hardly - declares the lady as she informs him he's been in a coma for six days and then proceeds to scold him for something he can't remember! In fact, he not only can't remember what he did, he can't remember who he is. He, Lady Felicity Talbot informs him, is William Powell, Viscount Lethbridge, her brother's dearest friend. She omits the part about how he was wounded fighting a dual over her silly cousin and his opponent hovers at death's door. She also omits the fact that she's been in love with him since she was ten. Felicity is determined to keep William at her cottage in the Kentish countryside until he is fully recovered and until the fate of his opponent is known. Felicity is a strong-willed, independent woman and Will is instantly attracted to both her beauty and her spirit. However, the lady seems to only want to be friends and she's keeping secrets from him. When Felicity and her house guest are threatened, Will decides to get involved whether Felicity wants him to or not. He's determined to protect the woman he loves and win her hand in marriage, even if it means never recovering his memory. Will is the brother of Francie, heroine of A Noble Pursuit. Six years later, he remains unwed while his sisters are happy wives and mothers. It's easy to fall in love with Will and the romance is very charming. At first this seems like a run-of-the-mill Florence Nightingale effect plot but there's much more to it than that. The danger and action are also quite unique as far as Regency novels go. This is one of the better traditional Regencies but high sticklers beware - the author seems to have deliberately ignored some of the rules of proper behavior but the story more than makes up for it.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

A Noble Pursuit by Sara Blayne -- Regency Romance

This book is a sequel to A Noble Deception which I have not read.
She's further disappointed that through her first season.Lady Francine Powell, daughter of the Earl of Bancroft, is not looking forward to her comeout this Season. Francie would prefer to stay at home and ride her beloved horse and be with her family. She's also disappointed that instead of being under the chaperonage of her beloved eldest sister Lucy, she has to stay with her middle sister Florence, the new Marchioness of Leighton. Florence is feeling down because her husband scarcely spends any time at home and Lady Bancroft feels her daughter would benefit from helping Francie. En route to London, the spirited Francie wards off a drunken squire by claiming she is betrothed to the Earl of Ransome. Then she convinces her coachman to stop in Quorn country where she yields to an impulse to ride her horse to hounds. Her hoydenish behavior catches the attention of Harry Danvers, the Earl of Ransome who admires the young lady's free spirit. Back at the inn, Francie accidentally overhears two villains plotting the death of her brother-in-law Leighton. When she's noticed, she flees, and runs straight into Lord Ransome. The odious squire puts in another appearance and to save her lie, Francie begs Lord Ransome to kiss her. Harry is completely captivated by the young hoyden's innocent, refreshing nature. When next they meet, he finds himself agreeing to accompany her on her wild schemes to save Lord Leighton's and her sister's marriage. Francie thinks Harry agrees because of his love for adventure. She persists in believing she does not have any feminine attractions. Harry must convince Francie that she's the one woman he can't live without before the villains learn her identity. This is a light, fluffy story despite the villainous plot against Francie's brother-in-law. Francie is very young and very innocent and I found her adventures somewhat cringeworthy because I could tell she was going to find herself in over her head. I wish more of the story was from Harry's point-of-view because I kept wondering what he was thinking and what his back story was. We don't really know much about him except what Francie says. My favorite character is Lucy, Francie's eldest sister and I would like to read her book at some point. I liked that Francie comes from a large, loving family. It made a nice change from dramatic relations. Her relationship with Florence is very complicated and realistic. The rest of the story is not so much. The story is resolved a bit too easily and quickly but contains an Epilogue that isn't necessary. The plot is rather improbable but it's a fun read. If you are a stickler for period language and behavior, then you probably will not like this book. Read about the youngest Powell girl, Josephine, in A Noble Resolve.

A Phantom Affair by Jo Ann Ferguson -- Paranormal Regency Romance

I don't usually read paranormals but this one sounded good and I thought I'd give it a try. It is part of a series but can be read alone. Taken up by a wealthy lady of the ton, Ellen Dunbar, a Scottish lass, has had three Seasons without finding a lasting passion for any gentleman. Sure she's fallen in love but it never lasted longer than an evening. She's optimistic though, when she meets her friend Marian's neighbor and childhood tormentor, Corey Wolfe, Lord Wulfric. Ellen likes his sense of humor and Corey is drawn to Ellen's forthrightness. Unfortunately, a tragic accident results in the young lord's untimely demise. Corey was mortally wounded saving Ellen's life and she refused to leave his side while he lay dying. Ellen is severely shaken by the accident and mourns the loss of what might have been. She receives yet another shock when Corey appears in her bedroom - as a ghost! Corey can not move on until he pays Ellen a debt for staying with him. He vows to find her the perfect husband before summer ends. When Ellen recovers from her shock, she finds the dashing ghost just as charming as he was in life. The two quickly become friends while Corey is determined to play matchmaker. Ellen's friend Marian has a few gentlemen in mind who will bring Ellen all she's had to do without her whole life. Ellen wants nothing more than to be with Corey forever, for she has finally lost her heart. Of course, that is impossible as Corey well knows. Corey has fallen deeply in love with Ellen and it's far too late. Of course they can never be together even if the lady cared as much for him as he does for her. She seems a bit too interested in his cousin Lorenzo's poetry for Corey's tastes. How can he cross over when his heart still beats for Ellen. How can she marry when her whole heart belongs to Corey. There's no easy solution for these ill-fated lovers.  Ellen and Corey have great chemistry. I really like Ellen and can relate to her practical nature. Corey is a bit rakish but charming and witty and I think many women could fall in love with him easily. Most of the secondary characters are rather stereotypical. My least favorite is Marian, who thinks she is doing what is best but is really incredibly unkind and insensitive. I like her hound-crazy husband though. They are an odd couple. The ending is somewhat of a shock and I can't say I really liked it. It stretched my credibility too much. I really liked this book despite the unusual premise. It's funny, sweet and sad and I would recommend it even to those who don't enjoy paranormal.