What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week  . . .

His Impassioned Proposal by Aileen Fish -- Regency Romance novella


Stephen Lumley has returned from the wars scarred in body and scarred in spirit. He arrives at Bridgethorpe to see his family only to learn that his parents perished in a devastating fire the day before. He had hoped to marry the beautiful Jane Marwick, his childhood friend and neighbor, but now has has nothing to offer. His depression makes him drink too much and when Jane finds him having a pity party for one in his uncle's study, she is not amused. Jane tries to make Stephen be sensible and see how much he means to her, but he's too far in his cups and ends up offending Jane. Jane is devastated. She realizes she may have made Stephen into a hero of her imagination. She has held on to his memory for too long and rejected all other suitors. She now resigns herself to finding any husband that will suit. Stephen, realizing his mistake (with the help of his cousins), knows he has an uphill battle to win Jane's heart. Something is holding her back and he's determined to overcome whatever it is and be the husband of her dreams. It may be an uphill battle, but he knows she's the one for him.

This novella introduces characters that will appear later in the series. I liked the Lumley family very much, especially the silly, spunky Hannah. They're all such a loving family and rally around Stephen, yet they're comfortable enough with each other to tell it like it is. Stephen needs to hear that. He's a wounded soul who needs to get back to as normal a life as possible. He's an admirable man and I liked him. I just didn't love him. Jane is sensible and kind. She has scruples and I admire them. I would probably feel the same way and fear the same things in her situation. She seems like a nice girl, but there's no chemistry between she and Stephen. They knew each other as children but there's really nothing that suggests they're in love or why. The story is just too short to build a relationship naturally. Months go by without any plot and suddenly Stephen is his old self trying to woo Jane. I liked the inclusion of the politics of the time but it felt a bit out of place in such a short book. I think the story deserved more than it was given. It is similar to a Carla Kelly plot and could have made a nice full length novel. I liked it well enough but not enough to want to read David's story or any more about the Lumleys. 

The English Witch by Loretta Chase -- Regency Romance


Alexandra Ashmore is known as "The English Witch" all over Albania where her intense green eyes bewitch every man around. Alexandra's archeologist Papa barely notices. He wants her to marry the son of a his man of business, a wealthy wool merchant. Alexandra finds Randolph Burnham extremely boring. She writes an impassioned plea to her godmother, Lady Bertram, back in London for help. Lady Bertram dispatches her wayward nephew Basil Trevelyan to rescue Alexandra. Basil has spent three wretched years in India paying his debts and making a profit. He travels to Greece where he receives his Aunt Clem's letter. When he arrives in Albania to discover that Alexandra has been kidnapped by one of her would-be Albanian suitors. Basil dashes in to rescue the lady, only to be bewitched himself! There's nothing to do but fake an engagement in order to persuade Alexandra's Papa to allow her to return to London instead of hurrying her off to Yorkshire to be married. In London, Alexandra is the guest of Lady Bertram and her friend Lady Maria Deverell. Basil plays least in sight trying to return to his libertine ways. Enter William Farrington, Marquess of Arden, a long time friend of Basil's and Bail's equal in debauchery. Will takes one look at Alexandra and knows he has to posses her. His "aged parent" is after him to marry so there's nothing to it but to woo and win Alexandra. Then Alexandra is invited to a house party at Lord Hartleigh's, along with Will, his sister Jess and of course, Basil. Also in attendance are a number of unmarried young ladies falling prey to Basil's flirtatious charm. Why should that annoy Alexandra so much? Why can't she seem to succumb to Will's charm? Further complications ensue when her father arrives determined to marry her off to Randolph no matter what. Alexandra may have to sacrifice her dreams of love in order to save her family from scandal.

This book starts off really strong. The Albanian setting is very unique. The description is excellent. It sounds as if the author did her research, but she could have written any old thing and it would have sounded right. The dialogue between the heroine and hero is witty. The second section of the novel copies the plot of Isabella more or less. The third section is a comedy of errors worthy of Shakespeare. I liked the first and third sections the best. They were more unique and amusing than the middle part. The middle part sort of drags on a bit too long. The way Alexandra's problems are solved is predictable, but funny. There are a few surprises along the way though. My biggest complaint is that the romance is quick off the ground with a true connection but then the witty dialogue gives way to kissing and longing. We're told how the characters feel and how they can be comfortable with each other and why they're good for each other but most of the showing from the middle forward is in the form of physical attraction.

I loved the characters in this novel. I disliked Basil in Isabella but he feels some remorse for what he did and in this story, he gets a taste of his own medicine. It's vastly amusing to watch Basil be out-raked by his friend. His jealously is very telling of his feelings for Isabella; feelings which take a long time to acknowledge. He tries to go back to his old ways but finds he can't which is very telling. He discovers that he wants to be with someone with whom he can argue and have lively conversation. This says a lot about his character and how he has changed. Alexandra is intelligent and level headed. She's confident and manipulative in her own way. Yet, she doesn't see why all these men fall in love with her. She turns into a watering pot in the middle of the story and doesn't stop. I disliked that about her but I did admire her independence in wanting to solve her problems on her own. The chemistry between the hero and heroine sizzles. There are a few scenes with rather more intense kissing than I would have liked. The heroine nearly allows herself to be seduced. I thought she was going to give in and that would have solved her problems, sort of.

The secondary characters are very good also. Will takes the place of the rake character. He's just like Basil used to be. I didn't like him much but he does make Alexandra's internal dialogue a bit funny as she contemplates his courtship techniques. His sister Jess sounds like a great character. She's very level headed. I didn't quite understand why the gentleman with the title goes by his name when Basil is known as Trev. The best characters are Maria and Aunt Clem. I loved Maria in Isabella and here she has an even greater role. She rouses herself from her chaise lounge to attend her daughter's house party. She's still languid and finds anything too fatiguing but yet behind her facade, she's a skilled manipulator. I knew exactly what she and Aunt Clem/Lady Bertram were up to. It should have been obvious to at least Isabella, but it wasn't. They're very funny in a sly, subtle sort of way. I think they'll set their sights on matchmaking for Will and Jess now. It was great to catch up with Isabella and Hartleigh and their family. Little Lucy is now 10 and just as chatty as ever. She's a great gossip and will be a matchmaker when she grows up. Uncle Henry also appears in this novel, as skilled as ever at manipulating business affairs as well as personal affairs. I love the Deverell-Latham-Trevelyan family and want more of them!

Though this book is a sequel to Isabella, it can be read on it's own. I think Georgette Heyer would approve of the characters and most of the plot. She wouldn't like the intense kissing scenes, though, from what I've read about Loretta Chase's newer books, this is pretty tame.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Isabella by Loretta Chase -- Regency Romance

Edward Trevelyan, Earl of Hartleigh faced down the French and nearly died as a spy for Wellington, yet nothing has made him more fearful than arriving home to his ward's governess tearfully confessing she has lost little Lucy! Hartleigh is terrified he has failed his late friend. He promised he would look after Lucy and now she's lost in the middle of an unfamiliar and dangerous city. How could this have happened? Isabella Latham is in Town to chaperone her younger cousins' first Season. She's a spinster at 26 and was penniless since her father's death but now has a decent fortune. As she's about to leave her dressmaker, she comes across a small child sleeping in the corner. When the little girl awakes, she cries for her Mama, and Isabella's motherly instincts are aroused. Isabella is about to return little Lucy home when Hartleigh finally finds them. Hartleigh is so worried about Lucy, he is quite rude to the woman he assumes is a shopkeeper. He admires the way she handles Lucy and immediately realizes his mistake. He calls to apologize, but as Isabella's Mama points out later, timing is the enemy. His disreputable cousin Basil has already set his sights on Isabella or at least her fortune. Isabella is discommoded by the man with the cat's eyes. She fears being caught in his trap but is also a little bit curious about what it would be like to be with such a man. At least he makes no pretenses about courting her fortune, unlike her other suitors. Lord Hartleigh decides he needs to find a Mama for Lucy. He tries to court the young ladies his aunt has picked out for him but none of them attract his attention as much as Isabella. He enjoys the time spent conversing with her and is attracted to her. Isabella's aunt is annoyed at Hartleigh's attentions to Isabella. He's way too good for Isabella and should marry her empty headed daughter Veronica instead. As Basil becomes increasingly desperate, he spins gossip in such a way that will damage not only Isabella's reputation but ruin the chances of her younger cousins. She's confused about which one to pick for Lord Harleigh doesn't seem to love her any more than his cousin does. Though she loves him, she can not marry him if he does not love her. Finally, old scandals come to light as the two gentlemen try to win Isabella's hand.

This is Loretta Chase's first published book and as such, it's a good one. The plot kept me interested to find out how the HEA would come about. I tried to stop at the halfway point but at the point, something happened and I couldn't put it down. The romance plot could use a bit more courtship but I liked it. There are a lot of misunderstandings and I felt like yelling at Isabella "Just talk to him even though it's not proper!" Isabella's time spent with Hartleigh goes by very quickly and is mostly his thoughts about her. I would have liked more dialogue and interaction showing how compatible they are. I do get a sense of why he loves her but not so much why she loves him. The scandal is predictable and I wondered about it early on. I would think there would be legal hurdles to jump if such a thing happened. It wouldn't be so neat and tidy. I also didn't like the end of Maria's plot. At first I did but then the other person does something that was typical of gentleman at the time but I didn't like it at all.

I liked the characters in this book a lot. I especially liked Isabella's Mama, Maria. She acts like the quiet beta heroes in Georgette Heyer. Isabella is sensible and had a good head for business. She doesn't allow Basil to fool her as to his intentions. She thinks she can control him. Basil is a nasty man. He convinces himself that his lies are the truth and will stop at almost nothing to get money and to thwart his cousin. He's entirely despicable and untrustworthy. However, Basil seems to learn a lesson at the end. Little Lucy is cute. She sounds and acts more like 4 or 5 than 7 though. She's used enough to forward the plot and add some humor but not so much as to be annoying. Hartleigh is an honorable gentleman. As far as the reader knows, he's pretty much a saint. He's a war hero, a devoted friend and trying to be a loving guardian. He's not entirely perfect. He acts like Mr. Darcy at first but he realizes his mistakes some of the time. The characters are driven by lust at times and there is some kissing not on the lips. The door closes on a married couple but the per-marital kissing is much more intense. This book is far more clean than Loretta Chase's current books. (She is now writing Regency Historicals). 

Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther -- Historical Fiction Stories

This volume of short stories provides snapshots of the daily life of an ordinary Englishwoman with an ordinary family. She's enjoying her 40s more than her 30s because she feels "suspended between summer and winter, savouring the best of them both." She has an ordinary husband with whom she can share a look every now and again when something significant happens. She also has three ordinary children: Vin, away at Eton most of the year; Judy, age 11 and Toby. There's also Nannie, a cook and a housekeeper. The Minivers time is spent between London and their summer home in Kent. Mrs. Miniver prefers Starlings. It feels more like home to her. There the children spend lazy summer and early fall days fishing, collecting rocks and doing what children do. In London there are dinner parties to be gotten up, shopping, the children's school, holidays and birthdays. There are also visits to see relatives in Scotland and a quick trip to France. War is on the horizon but not a part of daily life just yet. Mrs. Miniver is relieved to know this time they're fighting against an idea and not a nation as they were in her childhood. Everything is as it should be, just as Mrs. Miniver likes it.

I couldn't really relate to Mrs. Miniver (whose first name is finally revealed in the final story). I'm not a wife or a mother and though I like my routine, I like to learn new things and see new places. I could relate to the children a bit better because I remember my own summer days spent at my grandparents' very fondly. I also wanted dolls at an age when most girls have given them up, like Judy. This is a pleasant little volume of stories. There's nothing really remarkable about it. I kept falling asleep and having to reread passages. There's a professor character who uses impossible language and a trip to the zoo featuring animals I didn't recognize. Sometimes the writing is beautiful like the quote above. Unfortunately, occasionally the author uses the "n word" to describe black people and it's very jarring and took me out of the calmness of the story. I know it must have been acceptable back then but it's still shocking to read. The book sails along very peacefully and using that word ruined the image I had in my head of a sweet middle-aged housewife. The last story, written in letter form, appealed to me the most. The war is just beginning and we get a hint of how it will affect the family. I'd like to know more about the evacuees at Starling. Wikipedia notes there are other stories published in later volumes but I read the original first edition without those war stories and the library doesn't seem to have any of the later stories.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Viscount Vagabond by Loretta Chase -- Regency Romance

Catherine Pelliston, daughter of Baron Pelliston, wakes up from a drugged sleep to find herself prisoner in a bawdy house where she has been threatened with a brute named Cholly if she makes a fuss. Terrified, Catherine turns to the drunk, half-naked man in her room to beg for help. Surprisingly, the gentleman agrees to help! Poor Catherine fears she's gone from the pan to the fire when her rescuer takes her to his home. She preaches to him on the improprieties of the situation and manages to avoid her fate when her rescuer ends up passing out drunk. Hoping to avoid her rescuer, Catherine tries to sneak out the next morning, but is forced to make a formal introduction to her rescuer, Max Demowery. Fearing she will be sent back home to marry the drunken lout her father chose for her, Catherine lies about her name, but is forced to confess all to Max when she is left alone and friendless in London once again. Max, formally known as Lord Rand, decides to take Catherine to his sister, Louisa, Lady Andover, who had experience escaping an unwanted marriage. Louisa kindly allows Catherine to stay overnight until her adored husband can help her decide what to do. Lord Andover discovers Catherine is a distant cousin of his and Louisa becomes determined to bring out Catherine, but before she can learn her fate, Catherine sneaks out and again finds herself all alone in London. This time rescue comes in the form of a young street urchin, Jemmy, who helps Catherine get a job as a seamstress with his foster mother. In return, Catherine teaches Jemmy his letters and finally finds peace and happiness in her work. However, an angry, enchanted Max is determined to find Catherine and bring her back to his family. Catherine reluctantly goes along with Max, with Jemmy promising to keep an eye on her by ingratiating himself with Max's staff. Catherine enters society and becomes a reigning belle while Max takes up his position in Society as the heir of the Earl of St. Denis after a six-month binge of dissipation following the death of his older brother. Unfortunately for Catherine, she first met Max at his very worst and persists in believing he is a lost cause and takes every opportunity to moralize at him. Max finds Catherine's preaching endearing and when her ex-fiance shows up in London and is on the verge of discovering Catherine's secret, Max protects Catherine once again. Soon he falls madly in love, but fearing Max is a drunken bully like her Papa, Catherine rebuffs his attentions. Knowing when to quit, Max is soon enchanted by the beautiful Lady Diana Glencove and pushes his shy, bookish friend Jack Langdon into courting Catherine. When Catherine finds herself in danger again, the gentleman in her life dash to the rescue but only one can be the hero.Despite the unusual opening of this novel, I rather enjoyed it. The characters have a lot of depth and backstory which helps explain their actions and carries the romance along. Though Catherine looks fragile, she's capable of taking care of herself and she never loses her head or wrings her hands. I admired her pluck. I also liked Max once I learned his story and why he has been behaving the way he has. The romance is believable and sweet and the author doesn't get carried away describing feelings and emotions and lets the reader get swept along in the romance. I liked this book much better than the companion.

Nissa's Place by A. LaFaye -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction

This companion to Year of the Sawdust Man continues the story of Nissa Bergen, now nearly 13 and experiencing the trials of growing up without her Mama. Nissa's best friend has suddenly gone boy-crazy and Nissa's father and stepmother are arguing about her. When Nissa's Mama asks Nissa to join her in Chicago, Nissa decides she wants to go. In Chicago, Nissa's mother has reinvented herself: she's smart, creative, and capable of taking care of herself and Nissa. Nissa enjoys the attention, though Chicago is hard to get used to after living an entire life in small-town Louisiana. When Nissa's Papa and his wife come to visit, they have a surprise announcement and want Nissa to come home. Nissa's feelings are torn. She doesn't know how she will fit into her Papa's new life or whether she wants to go back home. She finally discovers a purpose and a project for her to help her on the path to becoming an independent woman like Mama. Nissa's project is controversial and she worries over how to be true to herself and when she finally comes to a solution, she discovers that some parts of growing up are not so bad. This is a wonderful sequel to a great novel. While it lacks some of the more vivid descriptions of the first, the metaphors are still lovely. I think many girls will be able to relate to Nissa's inner turmoil and her desire to remain the same while growing older. The plot drags on too long though and there are two separate plot lines and I think the author should have finished the book with Nissa's decision and then continued in the next book instead of summarizing the events in the last chapter. I recommend this to girls 12 and up.

The Strength of Saints by A. LaFaye -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction
Six months after we last saw her in Nissa's Place, Nissa Bergen is busy running the town libraries. The Depression is affecting her family and most residents of Harper, so when some Yankees come to town to build a cannery, the whole town is abuzz with excitement and dreaming of the possibilities. When the Yankees try to change things in the town, including hiring African-Americans to work alongside whites, it causes serious tension in town. Nissa begins to wonder if she has done the right thing creating separate but equal libraries and if she'll survive the venture. To complicate her life further, Nissa's best friend has discovered boys and Mama has suddenly reappeared in town to stay. Nissa must have the strength of saints to survive the year of change in Harper. With serious thought, determination and sheer pluck Nissa learns to be herself and become an independent young woman. This is a well-written coming-of-age story. This book lacks the beautiful metaphors and imagery of the first two, but Nissa's odd unchildlike voice is still present to contemplate the ups and downs of change. I enjoyed finding out what happens to Nissa and her family but didn't find this sequel to be as interesting and engaging as the first two books.

Maria Escapes by Gillian Avery and Scott Snow --- Middle Grades Historical Fiction

Until the age of 11, Maria lived with an elderly relative and a house full of servants. When her great-aunt's advisers insisted Maria go to school, Maria is sent off to boarding school where she is miserable. After being humiliated in front of the entire school, Maria decides to run away back home to Bath. She makes it as far as Oxford, where her uncle is the Warden of Canterbury College. When Maria tells him of her difficulties at school and how she's rather learn Latin and Greek, things most girls in 1875 don't learn, he agrees to let her stay on at the college and take lessons with Professor Smith's three boys. Thus begins Maria's adventures with the rowdy Smith boys and their eccentric substitute tutor, Mr. Copplestone, who is obsessed with bullfighting and doesn't care about things like rules! When Mr. Copplestone takes the children on an outing to the historic Jerusalem House, home of the Baron Fitzackerley, Maria becomes fascinated by an unidentified painting of a little boy. A game of truth-or-dare takes Maria and the older boys on a clandestine outing back to Jerusalem House where Maria uncovers an inscription in stone written by someone in 1654. Maria believes the inscription was written by Stephen Fitzackerley, the Baron's son and she is also convinced that he is the little boy in the unidentified painting. Maria is determined to do original research, solve the mystery and prove to her uncle that she belongs at Oxford. This book could be a good example of 19th century "girl power," but I feel that Maria is a little too timid and gives up too easily to be a truly interesting heroine. The Smith boys were much more appealing, though they were quite naughty. Mr. Copplestone is a wonderful eccentric character who brings the world of Victorian Oxford to life. This is a quick, light read for kids who might not like history but they'll learn something anyway without realizing it.

Maria's Italian Spring by Gillian Avery and Scott Snow --- Middle Grades Historical Fiction

A companion to Maria's Escape Maria has spent nearly two years at Oxford enjoying lessons with her uncle and becoming proficient in Greek. Maria's uncle dies suddenly and she's left all alone again. With the Smith boys off at school, she has no one to talk to. The kind Dr. Jessop introduces Maria to his shy, nervous daughter who takes a liking to Maria and shows Maria around Oxford Ladies' College, Maria's new school. When Uncle Hadden's cousin comes to take inventory of Uncle Hadden's library, he allows Maria to choose one book to keep for herself. Maria chooses a copy of the Odyssey in Greek and impresses Mr. Burghclare who decides to take Maria back to Italy with him to study the classics and learn from the great works of art. The journey to Italy is long and difficult and their lodgings in Venice are less than ideal, but Maria enjoys the scenery. Her companion, Mrs. Clomper, despises Italy and heads back to England without Maria. Soon though, the weather turns damp and cold and Mr. Burghclare drags Maria all around Venice without thought for her personal comfort, until she becomes very ill. Maria then moves to Mr. Burghclare's villa outside of Florence to recover in the sunshine. Mr. Burghclare is busy with his books and largely ignores Maria, which is fine by her. She's determined to be an invalid forever so she doesn't have to look at any more pictures. Maria wants to be reclusive and alone and feels no one cares about her. Maria soon learns that many people care about her, including the bold, nosy English girl and her sisters who live in another wing of the villa! Cordelia inspires Maria to be more brave and Maria must face her fears and make a decision about her future. Maria is an incredibly boring character. She whines a lot to herself but doesn't give new situations much of a chance or express her feelings to anyone. I preferred reading about Cordelia and wished the book was about her instead. Unless readers are dying to know what happens to Maria, skip this book.

What I Read This Weekend

What I Read This Weekend . . .

Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? (Final Confessions of Georgia Nicholson) by Louise Rennison -- YA Contemporary Fiction

Georgia is on the rack of love once again. Massimo and Dave the Laugh are fighting over her and Georgia isn't sure what to do. She tries to impress Massimo with her "maturiosity" which causes problems when the Ace Gang get up to their old tricks. Meanwhile, her parents are acting even more mad than usual and the school is putting on an all girl production of Romeo and Juliet (or Rom and Jul as Georgia calls it) with Jas as Juliet. When the Stiff Dylans get some great news, Georgia must decide where her heart lies, whether she's ready to face a future with Massimo or just have fun with her mates. This is a funny but slightly bittersweet end to Georgia's confessions. I admit that I grew tired of her immaturity after awhile but in this final confession, she finally gains some "wisdomosity" and "maturiosity" which bring the story to a close.

The Devil's Delilah by Loretta Chase -- Regency Romance
This is a companion to Viscount Vagabond, which I did not read. Delilah Desmond is the daughter of the devil, or more precisely, a man the ton call Devil Desmond for his wild and wicked ways. Devil Desmond has written his memoirs which the publisher eagerly anticipates to keep him from ruin. Delilah accompanies her father to meet with the publisher at a country inn. She is determined to stop the publication of the memoirs before it has a chance to ruin her reputation and keep her from finding a husband. However, Delilah's reputation is already on the way to being ruined when the bookish Jack Langdon arrives at the inn and discovers Delilah holding a pistol to a man's head. In the ensuing tussle, Jack realizes he has improper feelings towards Delilah and that she's just assaulted his best friend's father. When Jack discovers that the Earl of Streetham mistook Delilah for a lightskirt, and the lady was defending herself, Jack is mortified and decides to take himself off to his uncle's to nurse his broken heart, as had been his intentions all along, but when the Earl discovers that Devil Desmond has written a memoir, he invites the Desmonds and Jack to his home. The Earl then sets his rakeish son to seduce Delilah into giving up the manuscript. Delilah decides she's going to allow herself to be caught by Lord Berne and make him marry her. Fearing for Delilah's reputation at the hands of his friend, Jack seeks to protect Delilah, which causes her to lose her temper at poor Jack. Jack retreats to the library where he accidentally happens upon Devil Desmond's manuscript hidden between the pages of a tome on Greek horticulture! Upon discovering Jack has the manuscript, Delilah sets herself to flirting with and annoying Jack to keep him from blurting out any secrets he may have learned. Delilah's father then realizes that Jack is the key to keeping the manuscript safe. Jack departs for his uncle's with the manuscript in tow and Delilah and her father head to her great-aunt's so Delilah can learn to be a proper lady before her first Season. Soon Jack is entangled in the Desmonds' affairs and lusting after Delilah, as is his best friend Tony, Lord Berne. The manuscript becomes lost and the entire cast of characters head to London to find it, or keep it from being found. There, Delilah is shunned by the ton for her parents' unconventionality, but soon finds an ally in Catherine Pelliston, Lady Rand, the wife of Jack's best friend. Jack, too, is willing to look up from his books long enough to realize he loves Delilah and needs to help her but Lord Berne's desires may trump Jack's good intentions. This is long, crazy complicated story filled with unsavory characters involved in trying to protect themselves. It's not a traditional Regency though it does have sort of a mystery plot. The author devotes a lot of time to Jack's baser instincts and Delilah's feelings, which isn't necessary. I have read plenty of excellent novels where the author manages to convey sexual tension without mentioning deeper feelings or emotions at all. It is unfortunate that the author chose to ruin her novel by dumbing down the plot that way. I really liked Jack when he was lost in his books but when he started thinking about Delilah as a woman, I didn't like him as much. Some of his actions seemed rather out of character for such a mild-mannered man. Delilah was an interesting character. She is strong-willed, hot-tempered and able to take care of herself, all qualities I admired. I did not like her when she felt remorseful and cried. That also seemed out of character. Overall, the plot was interesting, especially the twist at the end, but it would have been a lot better if the author could have written the book without describing the lesser feelings of men. Read this if you like romance novels but not if you prefer quality historic details over romance.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Brighton Road by Susan Carroll -- Regency Romance
Gwenda Mary Vickers dreams of a handsome hero who will sweep her off her feet. So far, he hasn't appeared but in the meantime she writes gothic romance novels. When she accidentally overhears the toplofty Lord Ravenel's prosaic marriage proposal and subsequent rejection, she feels sorry for the gentleman and offers her advice to a very unwilling Lord Ravenel. He recognizes her name as being a member of an eccentric family and wants nothing to do with her and gives her a lecture in propriety, which Gwenda accepts cheerfully and Lord Ravenel hopes never to see Gwenda again. Soon he and Gwenda, along with her boot-chewing/cat-chasing dog embark on a wild adventure together and Lord Ravenel discovers what it means to have fun and Gwenda finds the lover she's always dreamed of. This is a great read! Though the writing isn't terribly wonderful and the story lacks the historical details of Georgette Heyer's wildest stories, the madcap adventures of Gwenda make for many laughs and a wonderful romantic adventure!

Knave's Wager by Loretta Chase -- Regency Romance
Lilith Davenant has been in charge of her own life for the past five years since her rakeish husband died. She's lived simply, however, she is responsible for financing the come-outs of her nieces and thanks to some bad investments, is in need of money. She decides to accept Thomas Bexley. She doesn't live him, but she needs the money and Bexley will make a comfortable husband. On the road to London with her niece, Cecily, they rescue a victim of a carriage accident who turns out to be the Marquess of Brandon, the man whom Lilith believes ruined her husband. She refuses to see or acknowledge Brandon except through her man of business. The Marquess won't accept her refusal because he has made a wager with a lady of the demimonde that the Marquess can seduce the seemingly icy Lilith in exchange for the promise that the lady will give up all ideas of marriage to the Marquess's younger cousin. Meanwhile, Lilith's beautiful, outspoken young niece makes her impresses on Brandon's cousin. The book jacket promises the reader will fall in love with the hero before the heroine does, but this was not the case with me. I didn't even find him likable, nor Lilith either. The Marquess acted despicably through most of the book and Lilith responded to his flirtations though she was engaged to another man. The only character I really liked was Cecily because she spoke the truth even when it wasn't polite and she knew what she wanted and didn't stoop to any of the usual tricks to make a man fall in love with her. The book dragged on for the first 3/4 of the story and then I found myself more interested in Cecily and Robert than Lilith and Julian. This is not one I'm likely to read again or recommend.

The Impetuous Twin by Irene Saunders -- Regency Romance
Lady Georgina Forsythe can ride better and faster than her twin brother and prefers wearing his old clothes to gowns and getting her brother into scrapes. When their guardian, Lord Meridith, decides to buy William a pair of colors and a position in his regiment on the Continent, Georgina proposes she tag along as William's manservant in order to escape their cruel grandmother and poor estate. William reluctantly agrees and the twins head off to Portugal, where Gina is befriended by a Gypsy woman who sees through her disguise and persuades Gina to dress as a Gypsy camp follower. Unfortunately for Georgina, when it is discovered that William is living with a camp follower, Georgina's disguise gets her into trouble and makes Lord Meredith extremely angry. When he discovers who Gina really is, he sends her packing off to a lady friend in Lisbon where Georgina learns to act and dress like a lady. Then Lord Meredith decides to send Georgina back to England to stay with his mother for a time while he investigates the management of William's estates. While visiting the dowager Lady Meredith, Georgina builds family ties with Lord Meredith's mother, eldest niece, and young daughter. Lady Meredith decides to sponsor Gina's come-out and during the Season, Gina learns about family, danger and true love. I found Georgina very appealing as a heroine in a novel. She was spunky and smart; willing to learn but still be true to herself. I had problems with Lord Meredith and his temper and the romance seemed to kind of just happen and it was rather odd given the relationship between the two characters. There were also too many subplots that didn't appear until halfway through or more and then were wrapped up in the last few pages with very little action. I did like this book but I wouldn't choose it as one of my top favorites.

A Grand Design by Emma Jensen -- Regency Romance
Tall, redhaired and positively ancient at 26, Cate Buchanan does not dream of romance but of architecture! Living with her younger sister and two eccentric, artistic uncles, Cate has a plan to bring the family some money and all her sister the dream of marriage and her uncles the freedom to pursue their art, she has started an architectural firm with her uncles as the front for her unladylike occupation. Buchanan & Buchanan have been hired to renovate the home of the Marquess of Tregaraon, who has returned to London from eight years of self-imposed exile in Wales after a tragedy that has condemned him in the eyes of society forever. Cate tries to hide her true role in the business and avoid the man who once nearly seduced her. Cate's carefully laid plans start to crumble as the Marquess takes more and more interest in the renovations and seems to always be on hand to rescue her from the wicked man who once tried to seduce her. The Marquess seems drawn to Cate and she to him but someone is sending him mysterious messages that may ruin everything. The plot doesn't follow the traditional model very much and the backstories of the characters are revealed slowly over the course of the story, which I really liked. I have since discovered that this book is part of a series of novels featuring the same characters, so some of the backstory may have been revealed in a previous novel. This one stands well on it's own and is very well-written. The architectural theme makes it a bit different and provides some new historical details. I wasn't crazy about the Marquess, though he gets bonus points for having an adorable Corgi. The epilogue reveals the "what happens next" in a rather hurried manner leaving the reader to wonder how the problem of women's role in society was resolved or whether Cate doesn't care, not being one to focus on gossip. If you're looking for something different and like brooding gentlemen and heroines who dare to be different, pick this one up!