A Rake's Redemption; Donna Simpson

I found this at my local UBS in their dwindling traditional regency section. I love TRs & I really wish they weren't passe. It's too late for that I suppose, but I feed my fix every once in a while by hunting for some "new to me" titles at my favorite UBS. Ms. Simpson currently publishes under the name Donna Lea Simpson. I thought I had some of her longer work in my TBR, but apparently I don't. Neither have I read or kept anything of hers, so she's a new to me author. Her most recent book, released in April of this year titled Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is set in Georgian England.

As the title implies, ARR is all about that old regency maxim 'reformed rakes make the best husbands'. LOL :) ARR is also one of my personal favorites: wounded protagonist must be nursed to health by member of opposite sex. For me these romances often work in a similar fashion to cabin romances: the protagonists are forced into close & repeated contact by the circumstances of the illness/injury etc. So the reader can watch as their feelings grow and change as each person must deal with the other, even when they'd rather not.

Phaedra Gillian is an older, spinster daughter living in quiet isolation with her elderly father, a retired clergyman. One morning Phaedra, clad only in her wrapper & nightie, discovers (alerted by her maid) Lawrence Jamison, Earl of Hardcastle, beaten near unto death in the road not far from the Gillians' cottage. As 'Mr. Lawrence' slowly recovers, nosy neighbors reveal that the handsome man stuck abed upstairs is actually Hard Hearted Hardcastle himself! In the flesh. Devious seducer that he is. You know, while he's stuck in bed hoping he doesn't have kidney damage. LOL :)

As Hardcastle recovers, he and Phaedra's father play chess and have philosophical conversations in the evenings. The old clergyman spoon feeds Hardcastle newfangled thoughts about the role of love and women and fatherhood and what it really means to be an adult on your own terms. This is what I really really appreciated about this book- Hardcastle changes on his own with a push or two from Rev. Gillian. Yes, he lusts after Phaedra, but primarily the accident causes Hardcastle to be reflective in a place where a mature man can give him guidance.

An excellent little read, well worth your time if you order one or find it in a UBS near you.

2 Traditional Regencies

I've always loved traditional Regencies and Christmas stories- this fat volume combines 2 Elizabeth Mansfield stories. One is A Christmas Kiss, originally published in 1978 and the other Winter Wonderland originally published in 1993. I sat on my keister for a whole afternoon and read them- no housework, no errands, no chauffering. Just sat and read, something I've not done since before I went to work.

The first one, A Christmas Kiss, unfolds as both a misunderstanding, not the famous 'big mis' some novels are known for and a device I dislike, and as a May-December governess romance. House parties. Jealous wanna be wives on patrol for a rich husband. Loving siblings. Snow storms. I never knew it snowed so much in England.

The second one, Winter Wonderland used a plot device that has worked in the past, but not in this instance. In this case the male lead was horribly emotionally scarred by a single encounter with the heroine at his first ever ball at the tender age of 19. I finished it, but it never really clicked with me. I found myself picking it apart, and that's always a bad sign.

3 Traditional Regencies

Drusilla's Downfall~

Written by one of my favorite TR authors, Emily Hendrickson, and published by Signet in 2003. Drusilla Herbert is the fifth of six children, fourth of five daughters. She has been employed as a companion by an old chum from her mother's school days. The lady's son Adrian Richmond, Marquess of Brentford decides Drusilla is an encroaching mushroom bent on bilking his mother out of money. So he attends a combination houseparty & birthday party intent on stopping the festivities and firing Drusilla. Needless to say, his mother and the eligible young miss next door have other plans.

One of the best scenes is one where Brentford wants to see Drusilla's hair down and contrives to push her on a swing higher and higher until her hair tumbles down around her like Rapunzel. He is then well able to offer his hairstyling assistance so Drusilla can get her hair pinned up again. The scene was well done and made Brentford's character that much more real to me. Keeper

Moonlight and Mischief~

Written by Rhonda Woodward and published by Signet in 2004. Mariah Thorncroft and her entire family has crashed a houseparty on the slightest of excuses. Nicholas Morely, Earl of Haverstone, has never bothered with silly young misses vastly preferring experienced, commitment free liasons with married women within his social set. Until Mariah manages to catch his attention, much to the chagrin of Haverstone's most recent paramour- who happens to be in attendance at this houseparty.

Mariah is tired of being the pawn in her parent's social climbing strategy, but cannot convince them to cease attampting to manipulate her. Haverstone is drawn to her, but isn't quite sure how to overcome his fearsome reputation. Mariah's parent's don't care since he has a title, but how to convince Mariah reformed rakes really do make the best husbands??

I had trouble ignoring this young lady's name as I completely detest the r&b singer with the same name, but my misgivings didn't amount to much once I delved deeply into Haverstone & Mariah's relationship. Keeper

The Last of the Winter Roses~

Written by Jeanne Savery and published by Zebra in 2004. Lady Ardith has managed to become an independant young woman running a breeding and training stable not too far from her childhood home. After a disatrous partial season, during which she was mercilessly teased and mocked for her height and gangly awkwardness Ardith has sworn off both men and London Society. St. John Worth, Marquis of Rohampton, has been a neighbor since Ardith's childhood. Ever since a horribly botched proposal St. John has patiently waited to regain Ardith's good graces. Finally! Five years later, Mother Nature gives St. John a second chance in the form of a vicious snowstorm which mires Ardith at St. John's for a few days.

I struggled with the female lead in this book. She was too emotionally armored, too mired in the past, too sharp. Her vulnerablity came too late for me to like her. However, I really really like St. John. He is thoughtful, considerate and patient with Ardith. He knows and loves her well despite the circumstances years ago. If ever there was a man who planned a careful campaign to win his ladylove this is it.

Reviews

I’ve managed to read four books over the last week or so. Three traditional Regencies and one paranormal erotica (aka the new Laurell K Hamilton).

Just Say Yes~

Written by Myretta Robens and published by Zebra in 2005,.this one has a cartoon cover which initially made me skip over it. Miss Caspar Hartwell, the vicar’s eighth daughter who was named after their only titled male relative, comes across one Geoffrey Dorton being licked to death by a large dog in a fallow field near her home. Being the eighth daughter means no dowry and Cassie isn’t afraid of hard work, so she likes Mr. Dorton and it’s ok since they’re sort of social equals. Except Mr. Dorton is actually Geoffrey Dorrington, Earl of Cheriton. Will she still love him when he reveals his true identity? Why is he playing at being a steward anyway? Will Cassie escape from the evil, slimy suitor her mother has chosen for her? Will Dorrington’s father permit his son to court a vicar’s daughter?

The Magnificent Masquerade~

Written by Elizabeth Mansfield and published twice; once by Jove in 1994 and once by Charter in 1987. This one features several chestnuts often found in this genre: the incorrigable daughter who must be married off in all haste because the parents can’t cope; the identity switch with the maid of all work, who just happens to be an impoverished nobleman’s daughter and the second son who has been busy raising hell at school and in London. However, this one involves quite a few scenes ‘behind the green baize door’ as it were. Scenes belowstairs with the servants. Ms. Mansfield reveals the hierarchy of servants’ social classes- who does what, sits where and has permission to interact with whom. Their daily schedule, etc. Fascinating stuff not often seen in romance novels. I enjoyed this novel, but it has a few too many timeworn plot devices and the time frame it too short (a little over a week).

Miss Haycroft’s Suitors~

Written by Emily Hendrickson and published by Signet in 1999 Miss Haycroft’s Suitors showcases a little legal nicety in England called a suit of seduction. Not an idea I’d seen in a Regency before, but Ms. Hendrickson discusses it briefly in her note at the end of the novel. Miss Haycroft also takes a steamboat picnic, which my daughter and I had to google just to check dates. According to Daughter, steamboats were in use in the colonies back in the mid to late 1780's. I presume they’d made their way to England by the Regency, but we didn’t do any more research into the details of steamboat history.

Anyhow. Miss Haycroft is nearing her 21st birthday and her aunt and uncle, her legal guardians, are attempting to force her into a marriage with an older stalker-type wealthy man. Impulsive and desperate Anne trusts a complete stranger to help her. Ms. Hendrickson does Justin Fairfax justice, by implying he initially helped Anne because she is attractive rather than out of plain chivalry. Anne moves into Fairfax’s aunt’s home. There follows a gothic tinged tale of attempted abduction, legal maneuvers and stolen kisses.



Mistral’s Kiss~

Written by LKH and published by Ballantine. I had to reread the previous novel, A Stroke of Midnight, before I began this one. I know LKH’s readers seem to be very polarized. Love her or hate her. No one in between. I don’t read the Anita series, so all of the baggage attached to that series doesn’t apply to me. Smartbitches wrote a post about LKH recently and the commentary was very interesting. I don’t categorize this series as romance, but rather a unique hybrid of urban fantasy and erotica. Therefore, in my mind, none of the Romanceland cliches, rules or stereotypes apply.

Merry Gentry is the niece of the current Unseelie ruler, Andais. Andais is infertile. Only fertile couples can rule in faerie, so Merry and Andais’ son Cel are supposed to be trying to prove their fertility by either becoming pregnant or impregnating someone depending on which person you’re talking about. Andais is a sadist and Cel is insane. Merry isn’t fully faerie. Therefore few of the inhabitants of faerie are pleased with Andais’ plans.

Merry has been chosen by the Goddess to be her vessel. Merry is descended from fertility goddesses, so anyone or anything the Goddess chooses to be brought back to power via Merry must be brought back through sex. Merry consistently chooses sex magic over violence or blood letting- two other ancient ritual ways of Goddess worship. So between the Goddess’ plans for Merry and Andais’ plans for Merry- she’s a busy busy girl.

Merry has brought several of her guards back to some degree of their former powers. The sithen reawakens and power invested vessels suddenly appear in her care. The Goddess has kept Merry quite busy reawakening various powers and aspects of faerie. As mentioned above, the health and fertility of the ruler directly impacts the health and fertility of all faerie- since both courts are currently ruled by infertile power hungry people, faerie is dying.

I’m hopeful that since Merry restored the fertility of Faerie by bringing the gardens back, by restoring water sources, by renewing the soil, etc. Perhaps now that Mistral’s powers have returned a little the Storm God’s lightning strikes will energize and restore the soil. You know, make it ready for planting?? And therefore help the fey get pregnant faster? In other words, maybe Merry has more of a chance to get pregnant now that the land itself is more fertile?

Ms. Hamilton’s plot arc has been quite slow across this book and the last book. Yet, I’m invested in what happens. This title doesn't stand alone, do not begin this series with this title. I enjoy delving into ancient mythology and symbolism. So I’m reasonably happy following along. However, this book was only 212 pages and $20 was pretty steep for the equivalent length of a traditional Regency. Especially considering the lack of signifigant plot advancement. I’m not irritated enough to wait until the paperbacks- but, well, we’ll see.

Latest books read

The Captain's Castaway

This is a traditional Regency written by Christine Scheel & pubbed by Signet in 2005. Features an American girl found adrift in a lifeboat with only an old sailor for company. Not a sign of the boat they were on. Plucked out of the sea by a British frigate captain, he brings her to Portsmouth where she is turned over to relatives. Ordered by the Admiralty to keep an eye on her due to mysterious circumstances beyond her control, Captain Sir Sidney keeps tabs on Julianna & assists her in hunting for her missing father.

I really struggled with this one as I feel there were too many irons in the fire that detracted from what ought to have been the main focus. Any one of the secondary stories would've been enough for its own book- all crammed into one little traditional Regency was too much. In addition Julianna bordered on TSTL towards the end. The ending scene was very touching though & really saved the book IMO.

Road to the Isle

Written by Megan Davidson in 1995 & pubbed by Pinnacle (Kensington). She seems to have one other book out & that's it. Too bad, really. I liked this one quite a lot. A note for those to whom it matters, Road to the Isle is sweet in terms of sexuality & has gritty, somewhat violent scenes involving one or both of the protagonists. Disclaimer: I know nothing of Scottish history & therefore cannot vouch for accuracy in this story. Also, there is some dialect written out, but I managed to ignore it ( a rare feat I must say).

Widow Abigail Fields has lost her daughter & her wastrel husband & has been forced into a Glasgow brothel in order to survive. She dearly loved her husband despite his many faults, which included gambling every penny they had plus all of their furnishings, most of their personal items & his lack of enthusiasm in the bedroom. She is desperate to find their daughter Lydia.

Calum MacDonald, a Jacobite on the run, needs to escape Glasgow in one piece in order to return to his family in a tiny hamlet in the highlands. Abby bribes him into helping her escape & guiding/dragging her northward toward the Shetland Isles where she believes Lydia to be held. From there on out, this is a road/adventure romance. Abby & Calum each have crosses to bear & issues to overcome. None of which are glossed over.

Overall, this is the story of two souls, bereft & grieving, determined to survive & start anew despite the horrendous war around them. They certainly earned their HEA. I did feel the villain was over the top & that distracted me a bit, but all in all Road to the Isle is excellent.
Romance Review