A Lord for Olivia (Signet Regency Romance)

Description

Olivia Ormhill hasn't trusted a man since a past love broke her heart. So when she notices Lord Edmund Debham's frank, charming demeanor, it comes as a most refreshing surprise.

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Customer Reviews

Forgettable
Lord Edmund Debham returns from the wars to be denied his inheritance and cast out of the family by his cruel older brother. With nothing but a few coins, the clothes on his back and his trusty horse, Edmund wanders across England pondering his situation. He stops at a hedge tavern to rest and finds himself entering into a high stakes card game with a young gentleman with a large purse. Thinking to teach the young man a lesson, Edmund seeks to relieve Jason Ormhill of his purse, however, the more Jason drinks, the better he plays and Edmund ends up literally losing himself. The wager: Edmund stays a year on the Ormhill estate to learn land manage and he marries Jason's older sister Olivia. Jason is eager to travel and explore the world but feels duty bound to protect Olivia until she marries. Jason thinks Edmund would make his sister the perfect husband, but she has other ideas. Olivia Ormhill is a beautiful, intelligent woman who is more than capable of handling her own estate. Her father recognized her intelligence in his will, stating that she should have complete control over her own lands even after marriage. The catch is, she needs to marry a lord or the lands will default to her brother. Jason thinks Edmund is the perfect lord for Olivia but Olivia has no interest in marriage any longer. She had once been engaged and had her heart broken and no longer trusts men. She believes Edmund is a foolhardy gamester and fortune hunter and wants nothing to do with the wager. Another wager shows her a different side of Edmund, one she could learn to appreciate, but she still doesn't quite trust him. Her former fiance, Lord Corbright comes back into Olivia's life and wants to rekindle their romance. He seems sincere but Olivia isn't sure she can trust him either. She must discover the true nature of both men and decide where her heart lies and whether she will be able to find happiness in marriage. This is a bit of an unusual plot since the hero defies conventions. The heroine and the other characters are fairly stereotypical though and then in this character-driven story, the author introduces a villain to complicate the already complicated plot. The villain reminded me of William Walter Elliot from Persuasion so I was suspicious of his motives and thought Olivia was a bit of an idiot to even think about taking him back. The romance didn't really do anything for me. It developed nicely and realistically, but yet I don't feel that Olivia and Edmund spent enough time together (at least on page) to really have any chemistry. I liked the secondary romance much better and was even more interested in Jason's plot than Olivia and Edmund. This is an average, forgettable story and not one that makes me want to read any others by the author unless she publishes one about Jason! *High sticklers beware that I believe there are some inaccuracies in this story

2010-06-27 | aupoohbear (New England, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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Strong, refreshing, engaging story
This was my first June Calvin novel, but I hope it will not be my last. Edmund's character was well-drawn. He is a rare person in Regency fiction: a moral person who is neither self-righteous prig, bore, nor judge, but an honest, caring, wise, and trustworthy man with a conscience. He decides early on that he will not resort to seduction to win Olivia's love, but will earn it honestly or not at all. He is one of the most appealing heros I have come across.

Olivia is highly competent, and strong-willed without ever coming across as a spoiled brat. Her confusion is honest and makes sense. The love that develops between Edmund and Olivia is sincere, honest, serious, and drawn with a fine touch. Another rarity for Regency fiction: no sex scenes! The physical interchanges between Edmund and Olivia are tender, restrained, and absolutely beautiful.

The details Calvin provides about haymaking lend a wonderful air of authenticity to the setting.

Finally, I deeply appreciated reading a Regency that presented a clergyman in a positive light.

I found this story as refreshing and engaging as a Carla Kelly. I recommend it.

2009-07-09 (Virginia USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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A regency that explores rural life
The countryside provides a different setting for this regency romance by June Calvin.

Lord Edmund Debham is shaken after being cut off without a penny by his brother after returning from war and is wandering the countryside. He falls into the hands of a somewhat unusual card-sharp : young Jason Ormhill, seemingly eager to lose his money to a stranger he's heard of in dispatches, but desperate to find a husband for his sister and with an odd talent for cards once he's had a few drinks.

Olivia Ormhill would no more marry a man her brother wins for her at cards than reconsider the suit of her former fiancé, now a widower looking for a wife to manage his nouveau-riche estate. Edmund dares her to take a new bet, based on farming expertise unusual in the aristocracy : he'll stack hay in a cart high and correctly so that it doesn't fall out as it is taken up the hill to the barn.

Edmund has a great deal to contend with in Olivia's mistrust. Olivia, in turn, has a great deal of real villainy to deal with, and can sorely use a hero, if only she can find one she can depend on. Throw in the will that keeps young Jason chomping at the bit until his sister is married, and a few puzzled relatives, and this becomes an insightful and enjoyable tale of maneuvers in the countryside.

Overall, A Lord for Olivia maintains interest and delivers the sort of enjoyment expected for a romance of its type, with a little bit more in the thoughtful development of the main characters (although the villain is rather aggressive for the setting). I rate it a 4, below some of the really extraordinary regencies but not truly expected to compete at its length.

2002-06-25 | Betty, The Bookivore (Oklahoma, USA) | Helpful Votes: 4 | Rating: 4

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Satisfied reader in So. California
I've only been reading Regencies for a few years and am not that well versed in all of the rules and regulations of the ton. Not a problem. A Lord For Olivia is set not in London but in the country. Nor am I that familiar with inheritance laws, wills, bets and gaming. Also not a problem because I was so enchanted with the hero and heroine that I just kept right on reading, even when I was confused! I never did really figure out the intricacies of the bets that set up the story.

I was more interested in watching Lord Edmund, an ex-officer and poor second son, become enamored with Olivia, sworn off men and married to her land. I spent several days spying on them and eavesdropping as they became friends after discovering their mutual love of the land. The book is actually a quick read but I chose to slowly savor it so that I could spend as much time with them as possible. June Calvin is a new author to me. I discovered her quite by accident and am grateful I did. I enjoy Regencies for the "feel" they evoke. I can't explain it; I can only tell when I've read a book that accomplishes that "feel".
This one did and I loved it for it.

If I have a quibble, it is with the overly villanous villain and an "over the top" ending. I personally was so enchanted with the love developing between Edmund and Olivia that the villain and resulting ending were an unpleasant intrusion. That quibble was minor though and I would not hesitate to search for her older books and am looking forward to her future books.

2002-04-08 (Anaheim, CA USA) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 4

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a riveting read
Because of the particular manner in which their father's will was worded as well as a deathbed promise made to their father, the Ormhill siblings (Olivia and Jason) discover that their fate and fortunes are irrevocably tied together -- unless Olivia marries and marries soon. Unfortunately, upon hearing the terms of the will, Olivia's fiance, Lord Corbright, breaks off their engagement, and marries someone else. Meanwhile, heartbroken at having been jilted, Olivia has eschewed all social life and has thrown herself into estate management instead. And being a young man ripe for adventure, this entire situation in unbearable for Jason, who chafes at being tied to the country. And just when he begins to fear that he may actually grow old and die of boredom, Jason meets Lord Edmund Debham.

Lord Edmund Debham has just only recently returned from the wars with the expectation of inheriting his mother's property. However, because of the debts that his mother had run up, and the unscrupulous actions of his elder halfbrother, Edmund finds himself penniless and with no where to go. A chance meeting with Jason at a country inn leads to a drunken wager, and several games of chance later, Edmund finds that he has pledged to marry Olivia. However, he makes a stipulation that they also reveal ALL to Olivia. (I liked that June Calvin ensured that all would be straight between Olivia and Edmund from the very start by making Edmund insist that Olivia know all about the wager. This saved the novel from descending into that tiresome loop where Edmund woos Olivia under false pretenses, and where Olivia only discovers the truth after she has fallen in love with him, thus getting her heart broken by his perfidy. A truly refreshing difference). Of course Olivia is incensed and humiliated with the entire set up, and refuses to have anything to do with Edmund. However, circumstances (and I'm not revealing what they are because that would spoil your enjoyment of this novel) see to it that Edmund remains on the Ormhill estate for a while. The more time Olivia spends with Edmund, the more she begins to like him -- she even finds that she is quite susceptible to his good looks and charm. But can she afford to trust another charming man, after having had her heart bruised by Lord Corbright? And then Lord Corbright enters her life again, and begins wooing her in earnest. Jason and the other Ormhills are over the moon with joy. But Olivia is not so sanguine. Is Corbright wooing her because he still loves her? Or does he have some other reason for wanting to marry her? And what of her attraction to Edmund?

I liked this book very much. And as another reviewer her already pointed out, this is one novel that keeps you guessing till the very end as to what Olivia will do, and which man she would choose. Even though this is a romance novel and all is supposed to end happily, I was sometimes in doubt if this happy ending would actually materialize! However, while I did like the characters of Edmund, Olivia, Jason and the other Ormhill relatives, the behaviour of the Ormhills, at times made me blink. For example, in spite of Corbright's poor behavior towards Olivia, when he suddenly decides to woo Olivia (again), her relatives all but rub their hands in glee as they not so gently push her to spend more time with the man! This seemed a little perverse and made little sense to me -- I mean, this was the man who jilted Olivia a while back afterall!

All in all however, this book was a really engrossing read, and should not be missed! I liked the manner in which June Calvin developed Olivia's and Edmund's romance, and I thought the atmosphere of menace that prevaded the last quarter of the novel was excellently done too. "A Lord for Olivia" is the kind of romance novel that one can read and reread over a preiod of time and never get bored. And it definitely deserves 5 stars.

2002-04-02 (Portland, Oregon) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 5

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The Ruby Ghost (Signet Regency Romance)

Description

Penelope recognizes the home of her new employers-a castle from an eerie, recurring dream. Other bothers include ghosts and a rakish family relation who rubs her the wrong way. That is, until he determines to show her his true colors-and protect her at all costs.

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Customer Reviews

The Ruby Ghost
I love a good ghost storie and this is one. It is a book worth reading.

2007-06-07 | Bookkeeper (Ft. Worth, TX) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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The Ruby Ghost
Taking the position as governess to the Silverthorne family should have solved Penelope Jone's problems; she needs income and her family needs to have one less burden. However, she just knows that the rakish cousin of her new employers is trouble with a capital T. Moreover, a painting in the home depicts an image she has seen only in her dreams, and the lady of the house is haunted by spirits who have appeared to Penelope in those same dreams. Does Penelope have a connection to the house? Is she the key to putting the ghosts to rest?

*** A longer novel to develop the events more would have served the plot better, but it is a credible effort. It almost meanders into being more a gothic than Regency, but does not go far enough to be truly that. ***

Amanda Killgore

2006-02-09 | Bro (USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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Siege of Hearts

Description

During her sister's suitor party, a comely young maiden is awestruck when a handsome lord sets his sight on her. Captivated by his interest, she nevertheless refuses his advances, so as not to offend her sister. But then another party guest with sinister intent stages an accident, isolating the couple on an island overnight and threatening scandal if they did not marry. But despite the trickery and her staunch nature, the passion between them could not be denied...

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Customer Reviews

This was so good until ...
I came to June Calvin not knowing what to expect from her, this being the first book I had read by her.

To summarize briefly (without spoilers): the plain sister is the heroine - but the beautiful sister is not jealous, mean, nor petty-spirited. The family are all decent, and thoroughly believable. So is the hero Jack. Jack is brought along as a suitor for the beautiful sister, but as things fall out, he ends up offering for someone else.

The problem: at the wedding, things started to go wrong... not just for the unhappy groom, but also for this reader. Reading the last chapter, I felt as if I were reading about a different heroine and a different family from the one I had encountered so pleasantly.

Warning: Like Dorothy Mack's MOCK MARRIAGE, read upto about page 200, and then set aside. Contrive a happy ending for the couple then and there, by yourself.

Rating = 4.1 ([points lost for hackneyed and out-of-context ending)

2001-12-21 (India) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 4

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Loved it!
"A clean, wholesome, whimsical romance full of charming characters in a romantic era. A regency readers delight!"

Penelope is known as "The Beauty." Amanda her twin sister is known as the plain mouse. Everyone expects Lord Jack Maitland to court Penelope but once Jack meets the dowdy sister Amanda fate has other plans. Lord Jack is about to find out that Amanda has the ability to cure more than an injured leg.

Regency romances have always had a special place in my heart since I discovered Barbara Cartland as a teen. As an avid reader, reading about a man and a woman falling in love is one of the things I enjoy. It can be emotional, humorous, confusing and downright fun. Siege of Hearts has it all.

I found Siege of Hearts to be a clean romantic experience with delightful full-bodied characters that explore and grow in their relationships. Well-done Ms. Calvin.

2000-07-11 | MYSHELFDOTCOM (United States) | Helpful Votes: 4 | Rating: 5

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Captivating
I really enjoyed this book. When I first read it (about a month ago) I liked it but put it down when I was done and went on to other regencies. I have since read it three or four times and everytime I read it again I enjoy it a little more. Amanda and Jack make a wonderful couple and, like all of the characters, they are almost entirely unstereotypical (Jack's scarred past is the reason for the almost). This isn't one of those romances where the main characters fight like cats and dogs until the last ten pages and then realize they've been in love all along. You really get to see Jack and Amanda's relationship develop. They actually talk. The misunderstandings between them were really hilarious at times but I'm glad there was a glimpse of thier future life at the end to reassure me that Amanda really had let go of all of her insecurities.One of the better Regencies I've read in a long time.

Highly recommended

2000-06-27 (Roanoke Rapids, NC) | Helpful Votes: 4 | Rating: 5

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Funny misunderstandings and a "jewel in the rough"
Siege of Hearts, by June Calvin, was so involving that I actually called in late to work one morning to finish the book. The story was occasionally laugh-out-loud funny due to the main characters' misconstrued attempts to either avoid or please each other. The story highlighted an appreciation of the beauty often hidden below the surface.

Viscount Maitland is determined to resist both the females wanting his prospective title, and his father's deceitful efforts to ensure an heir. Jack hopes that joining Amanda's brothers and a few friends in the country for hunting will help him recover from the physical and emotional wounds remaining from his service at Waterloo.

Overshadowed by the beauty of her twin, Amanda is considered by all-including her family-as the plain sister, without expectations of an advantageous match.

The story includes both serious and ridiculous misunderstandings while Amanda's family attempts misguided efforts to attach him to the "Beauty" and Amanda to her least acceptable suitor.

1999-06-27 | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 4

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Beautiful characters you can care about
June Calvin's newest Regency moves at a slower pace than many recent examples of this genre. There are no real villians, no mysteries or murders, and no chase scenes. This is a very good thing, however. The slower pace allows the author to paint live three-dimensional characters that become real flesh and blood rather than cardboard cutouts. These are people with understandable cares and concerns, and a heroine that many of us can identify with. Ms. Calvin skillfully takes us into their minds and hearts so we feel what they feel. We truly care what happens to them. This is what sets this book apart; that and the imaginative inclusion of a delightful mule!

1999-06-19 | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 4

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The Jilting of Baron Pelham (Signet Regency Romance, No 8316)

Description

Unable to choose between three eligible suitors, Miss Davida Gresham struggles with the first's desire to use her for revenge, the second's unbridled sensuality, and the third's promise of security.

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The Last Leprechaun (Signet Regency Romance)

Description

John Blayne wants nothing to do with marriage-and certainly nothing to do with Beth Longford. But despite his efforts to remain indifferent, he finds himself coming to her aid. Will he decide to reform his ways...before it costs him the love of his life?

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Customer Reviews

Enchanting.
Elizabeth Longford knew that her childhood friend, John Blayne, thought of nothing now except his own sensual pleasures. He was no longer the wonderful lad she had grown up with. But John is now the Earl of Wayneathe, and only he has the power to help her save the cherished forest in which they played as children - and where she once caught sight of a leprechaun, even though they lived in London instead of Ireland. Beth's father has let his anger overwhelm all reasoning. He insists that he lost everything due to a curse by the leprechaun. The only thing he does blame the leprechaun for is the death of his only son, Terry. Terry's death he blames on John.

John used to believe in leprechauns, but now he believes in nothing and no one. When Beth arrives for help, John had no intention of assisting her or anyone else. But Beth is more than John's match and it does not take her long to persuade him to come see the woods and all that her father is doing to destroy them. John sees not only the devastation of his childhood playgrounds, but also the madness within Beth's father. John is wise enough to fear for Beth and her mother's very lives!

Still believing his childhood glimpse of a leprechaun had been nothing but his youthful imagination, John returns to the woods where Beth insists the little man still roams. Beth told John clearly that Shamus, the leprechaun, would not show himself to a human, especially a male human. Since acorns do not naturally fall sideways to hit people, John must admit that the woods still hold magic. As time goes by and John actually meets and visits with Shamus, John is left with several problems to solve. What can John do to protect Beth and her mother? How can he save the woods that mean so much to Beth? How can he stop a madman from destroying the area? How can he get Shamus back to Ireland safely? And most importantly, how can he convince Beth to marry him when she has vowed never to marry again?

***** I was not sure if I would like a Regency Romance with a leprechaun in it. They just do not seem as magical to me as faeries and water sprites do. (Must be due to all those horrid Lucky Charms cereal commercials.) But this enchanting tale of romance hooked me within the first few pages and I SO wanted to believe. Shamus's story on why he is stuck in the human realm, banished from the land of the faery, is very well done. I even caught a glimpse of water sprites and of the queen herself! This story will remain with me for a long time to come. I simply must hunt up more novels by this talented author. Outstanding! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

2006-01-09 (USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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Odd fantasy-romance
Wistful Elizabeth Longford, a widow, grew up believing the tales of her grandmother. Her grandmother used to tell her about the leprechaun residing in her father's estate. As a little girl, Elizabeth first catches a glimpse of "Shamus," the last surviving leprechaun. Many years later, her father wants to cut down the woods where Shamus resides. In desperation, Elizabeth turns to childhood friend and second cousin, John Blayne (now the earl of Wayneathe), in hopes that he will do something about the situation.

But Wayneathe is not the young man she remembers. He is now a wicked cad who lives only for feasible pleasures. He most certainly doesn't believe in fairy tales, and he doesn't want to associate closely with anyone--including his lovely cousin. If not for the fact that he remembers seeing a leprechaun himself, he would have dismissed her completely...

Did I enjoy this book? Well... umm... it was strange. You rarely see fantasy woven into a romance novel, so it definitely scores points for originality. But was it handled well? Honestly, I think it took itself a bit too seriously. If you're a cynic or a realist, you might find yourself rolling your eyes a lot (like I did). But if you're looking for a little magic, look no further. This might be the book for you. It had some interesting elements, but I almost feel like it would've made a better short story. There were several stagnant parts.

Overall: 3 stars. Possibly 2 1/2.

2004-08-25 | karenlk (Ohio) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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More save the leprechaun than love
This is a mixed tale. Not at all the usual Regency tale of romance in a social setting of the town or country. The love story very much took a back seat to the story of the Leprechaun, as I suppose was indicated by the title itself.
Beth Longford forces herself into the house of her cousin John, the Earl of Wayneathe to try and obtain his help to save her beloved forest, the Heartwood, at the family estate. Her father the Baron is ruthlessly chopping the ancient forest down for the money and out of revenge on John, who is his heir following the death of his son Terence.
John is holding a riotous orgy and is not pleased to have to see Beth at all, indeed he takes a few minutes to even recognize her. He has been pursuing this hedonistic existence to blot out the pain of losing his family. A soldier he had already fought at Waterloo and there had his cousin Terence shot beside him and his mother and brothers were soon after killed in a fire. He wants to escape and have no more of love or responsibility.
Beth of course wants him to act to the contrary. She tries to persuade him, and eventually leaves in despair of the fate of her woods. For not only are they in danger, but also the leprecaun, Shawn.
He is a secret she shared with John and her grandparents. John now does not believe in him.
John eventually finds he cannot forget his duties after all, nor the lovely cousin. He travels to the family seat to confront the Baron.
The bad Baron father is all that and more, vicious, drunk, despises his wife, a gamester who has tried to sell his daughter twice. Very unpleasant.
Shawn is an interesting creature, with a tragic tale of his own lost love that is a thread running through the story.
The stage is set.
Very dramatic and very much a story with a strong environmental message. This was done well, but it stuck out as an extremely modern take on the subject. I almost expected Beth to set up a protest tent or chain herself to a tree.
Unfortunately this is why the love story suffers. It is more a case of he falls in love with Beth and we do not see how or why.
Oh they are both good characters, convincingly drawn, sympathetic, believable.
An enjoyable tale - just more love would have been better.

2004-08-07 (Australia) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 3

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Sweet, Fantasy-Filled Regency
I was lucky enough to read this book before it was released. It's a sweet, fantasy-filled Regency romance with an endearing hero and heroine. John Blayne, Earl of Somewhere, wants nothing more than to lose himself in pleasure after the tragic deaths of his cousin, brothers and mother. However, Beth Longford, a widow, forces him out of his mindless pusuit of pleasure when she brings him the news that her father is cutting down the forest on the estate they both played on as children. He forces her to leave but she leaves behind a portfolio of drawings and letters that make him reconsider his position. He journeys to the estate and proceeds to put things to right.

The leprechaun of the title doesn't appear until about half way through the book, although he is repeatedly discussed. He is well-rounded and less stereotypical than I would have expected. He has his own love story and it plays out alongside Beth's and John's in the last part of the book. Other Faeries appear briefly towards the end and help resolve the conflict.

The main villian is Beth's father. He is a womanizer, gambler and a drunk. He is thoroughly selfish, but makes a nice foil to show John what he might turn into if he pursues his current path. Beth's treatment of him is realistic--she resents and hates him for everything he put his wife and daughter through. Unlike many romance heroines, she feels no need to rescue him or feel any responsibility for his behavior.

If I had one quibble, it is that the fantasy plot took up too much time, leaving the romance part a little hurried. The relationship between Beth and John could have used a little more depth. This isn't a sensual book, with little more than passionate kisses being exchanged between the heroine and hero. This is my preference, but others may find it a bit tame.

Readers may have two problems with this book: the fantasy elements and the fact that the hero and heroine are second-cousins. It was quite common to for second-cousins to marry in Regency England, but modern day readers may have a cousin "hot button" and may not like the closeness of the genetic relationship. Neither the cousin love or fantasy elements disturbed my enjoyment of this book, though. I enjoyed it greatly and will be buying the paperback when it is released in July.

2004-07-07 (So. Cal., USA) | Helpful Votes: 4 | Rating: 4

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Love and a Leprechaun
Those readers who enjoy a romance with a touch of the supernatural will love June Calvin's delightful The Last Leprechaun. Although, as the title suggests, this is the tale of the last leprechaun, it is really the story of the two humans who struggle to rescue him from extinction. Although the leprechaun serves as the fulcrum of the story, it is the romance that is the story's focus.
In order to stop her father's plan to destroy the ancient forest on his lands, young widow Elizabeth Longford seeks the aid of her distant cousin John Blayne, Earl of Wayneathe. Only Lord Wayneathe, as her father's heir, has the power to stop the desecration of the primeval woodland and the destruction of the forest creatures, among them the last remaining leprechaun. Beth is certain John will help her because he is the only other person who has seen such a creature, and Beth seeks him as an ally. Unfortunately when she arrives at John's home, she finds that the person she remembers as a kind and caring boy has grown into a dissolute care-for-nothing, bent on a life of sensual pleasure in the company of his depraved acquaintances. It is only when he begins to see his friends through Beth's eyes that John listens to her plea for help in saving the forest land. As he follows her in her crusade to save the forest, John finds his redemption in a return to the values of his youth and the love he finds with Beth.
Calvin's abililty with the language and her skill at developing believable characters and an engrossing plot prevent this story from becoming merely a trite little fairy story. Although the story of the leprechaun is fantasy, throughout the novel is the very subtle theme of saving the natural environment not only for future generations of humanking but alo for the creatures to whom it really belongs.

2004-07-06 (Tarzana, CA United States) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Miss Henderson's Secret (Signet Regency Romance, Ae 8285)

Description

Scandalized by the writings of the Earl of Dudley, which portray marriage as amoral and free love as virtuous, Eden Henderson nevertheless finds her convictions faltering after she meets the amorous earl.

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Customer Reviews

More Serious Than Most
Eden Henderson meets the Earl of Dudley when searching for her runaway pupil, Isabella. Isabella wants to escape an arranged marriage and Miss Henderson has been fired from her position as governess so the Earl decides to help them out of their predicaments. He takes them to London and settles Isabella with her grandmother and Miss Henderson as a governess in the home of his friends.

The Earl of Dudley falls in love with the governess, Miss Henderson, and though he is sure she returns his regard, she will not marry him. Miss Henderson does indeed love the Earl but has a secret, which she will not reveal to anyone, that prevents her from marrying him.

This book starts out light-hearted and fun, but as Miss Henderson's secret is slowly revealed it becomes more serious and dark. There is a lot of discussion throughout the book regarding women's rights, the value of marriage, and general social reform. The "bad guys" are very evil and their actions made me a bit uncomfortable at times. I truly wanted the Earl and Miss Henderson to end up together, but if seemed to take an awfully long time for it to happen.

This book was enjoyable and well written but was more serious than most other Regencies I have read. If you are looking for a light and fluffy Regency you might want to wait and read this one when you are in a more serious frame of mind.

2006-06-22 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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