Book Description
Lois Gordon's absorbing biography tells the story of a writer, activist, and cultural icon who embodied the dazzling energy and tumultuous spirit of her age, and whom William Carlos Williams once called "one of the major phenomena of history."
Nancy Cunard (1896-1965) led a life that surpasses Hollywood fantasy. The only child of an English baronet (and heir to the Cunard shipping fortune) and an American beauty, Cunard abandoned the world of a celebrated socialite and Jazz Age icon to pursue a lifelong battle against social injustice as a wartime journalist, humanitarian aid worker, and civil rights champion.
Cunard fought fascism on the battlefields of Spain and reported firsthand on the atrocities of the French concentration camps. Intelligent and beautiful, she romanced the great writers of her era, including three Nobel Prize winners, and was the inspiration for characters in the works of Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, Aldous Huxley, Pablo Neruda, Samuel Beckett, and Ernest Hemingway, among others.
Cunard was also a prolific poet, publisher, and translator and, after falling in love with a black American jazz pianist, became deeply committed to fighting for black rights. She edited the controversial anthology Negro, the first comprehensive study of the achievement and plight of blacks around the world. Her contributors included Langston Hughes, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Zora Neale Hurston, among scores of others.
Cunard's personal life was as complex as her public persona. Her involvement with the civil rights movement led her to be ridiculed and rejected by both family and friends. Throughout her life, she was plagued by insecurities and suffered a series of breakdowns, struggling with a sense of guilt over her promiscuous behavior and her ability to survive so much war and tragedy. Yet Cunard's writings also reveal an immense kindness and wit, as well as her renowned, often flamboyant defiance of prejudiced social conventions.
Drawing on diaries, correspondence, historical accounts, and the remembrances of others, Lois Gordon revisits the major movements of the first half of the twentieth century through the life of a truly gifted and extraordinary woman. She also returns Nancy Cunard to her rightful place as a major figure in the historical, social, and artistic events of a critical era.
Customer Reviews:
A Remembered Life.......2007-07-03
If Lois Gordon was writing about a fictional character she could not have told a story of a more exciting person than Nancy Cunard. However, Nancy Cunard was indeed an individual who lived in the early part of last century whose exploits, altruism, and literary talent were extraordinary by any standards. She was a legendary beauty, with a great mind, who was extremely devoted to the disadvantaged people of the world and their struggles. This is an unusual and remarkable combination of qualities that is brilliantly depicted throughout this wonderful book. Simply, I could not put the book down once I had started reading. I can highly recommend it.
Facinating.......2007-05-16
A facinating look at a most interesting woman. Well ahead of her time. Also many insights to a span of recent history often neglected.
Brilliant job, takes your breath away.......2007-05-12
This is a brilliant, sensitive, thoroughly researched biography which is a model example of how such things should be done. The author writes of the First World War experiences in London as if she had personally lived through them. Her understanding of the complex and bizarre Nancy Cunard, of her weird mother, of her strange friends, of her insane promiscuity, of her serial preying upon the creative elite by means of 'genital consumption', of her impossible psychlogy, of the whole phantasmagoria which Nancy Cunard represented, are really a triumph of empathy and insight, as well as of organisation of material. Lois Gordon's ability to master large volumes of action and hysteria without flinching qualify her for a top military command.
A lively, fascinating read from the first chapter..........2007-05-10
I just finished Lois Gordon's deeply moving tale of an unbelievably heroic, remarkable woman about whom I knew very little. I now feel I know the soul of Nancy Cunard, thanks to the author's wonderfully engaging, well-documented presentation. The book's fluent style and breadth of information are impressive. I agree with the majority here who have praised this fascinating biography. Buy this book, settle into your favorite chair, and prepare to meet the caring, complex, flawed, passionate woman that was Nancy Cunard.
Henry Crowder and Nancy Cunard.......2007-05-06
Regrettably, this biography is seriously flawed, frankly a disgrace, in respect of Henry Crowder and throughout. There is hardly a page in the book without demonstrable error of fact, misrepresentation, unfounded speculation or garbled citation. Columbia University Press were twice alerted that there were problems when an advance proof fell into the present writer's hands two or three months before publication. The Press did not respond. Caroline Weber's New York Times review is foolish in the extreme. Anne Chisholm's 1979 biography remains indispensable. While Gordon has uncovered new material (not about Henry Crowder in which she is particularly deficient) she has not been able to make sense of it. The true story of Crowder is told in the book+CD Listening for Henry Crowder scheduled fall 2007.
Although readers must judge for themselves, it is incumbent upon someone or other who has studied some of the particulars to point out the book's shortcomings, which are drastic. The book's flamboyant style may appear to be "a good read". All the more reason to alert the general reader. That Cunard's life was replete with extraordinary events and relationships does not confer upon the biographer the right to play fast and loose. Such treatment may befit an exploitative Hollywood movie but not a literary documentation with academic credentials. It may be that few care. Neverthless . . . In respect of, for example, Crowder, by Cunard's admission the single most important man in her life, a good deal of the information the author needed had been available to her for some years in an exploratory article in a journal, which was also posted online. Either she chose to ignore it or she did not find it, though it was easy to find. Unfortunately, she does not even get the facts right from the sources she does use and her misdemeanors extend far beyond that particular subject. (Crowder does not even figure in a list of Cunard's friends in an interview with the author on the publisher's website, while another, with whom she had no relationship whatsoever, is proposed as a lover.)
In response to a comment on my original brief posting: I have mentioned my forthcoming book on Crowder's life (which will not receive wide distribution or review) and Anne Chisholm's earlier, easily available, elegant, sober, generous, decent biography of Cunard, which is grudgingly noted and casually mistreated by Gordon, in order to give general readers the opportunity to find other takes on Cunard, which they might otherwise miss, and so allow them to judge from a well-informed position.
Book Description
Justin Maddox, the newly–anointed Duke Of Colster, is not adjusting to London life well. He much prefers the life he was leading in the Scottish Highlands to the glittering,but fake, world of London's high society. The one bright spot is the mysterious Francesca, whose kiss he can't get out of his mind. Of course, even that takes an unexpected turn when the tempting Francesca turns out to be the very proper Miss Dunroy.
Francesca Dunroy doesn't know what she was thinking. Kissing a strange man during her coming out ball was not a wise decision. And it's made even worse when she realizes that it was no other than a duke! Francesca is desperate to protect her reputation, which is suddenly being attacked from all sides. But maybe the one man who is the biggest threat will also be her salvation.
Customer Reviews:
Bedding the Heiress- A Joyfully Recommended Title.......2007-07-24
Now that Justin Maddox has been given his rightful title as Duke of Colster, he is expected to take his place in society. He must wear gloves, attend balls and of course he must marry. It is now his duty to wed and provide heirs. Uncomfortable in his new role as Duke, marrying is the last thing Justin wants to do.
When he encounters a lovely beauty alone on a terrace during a ball, Justin steals a kiss. Although Justin is sure Francesca is not at all proper, indeed she was alone on a terrace, he is also certain he is drawn to her. From that one kiss on the terrace, Justin and Francesca start a relationship that may turn into more than just a kiss between strangers.
Cathy Maxwell is one of my favorite historical romance authors. She consistently delivers what I want in a historical romance. Her heroines are strong, her heroes deliciously alpha and her plot lines engaging. Bedding the Heiress is another terrific Cathy Maxwell novel.
I love Francesca's spirit, Justin's honor and strength and I was immediately sucked in to the story. The chemistry between Francesca and Justin made me shiver in delight. Bedding the Heiress is all that I could want in a romance and, as always, I am eagerly awaiting more from Cathy
Annmarie reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
If only all mistakes were this good..........2007-06-29
The heroine, Francesca, is angry at her father and his new wife, and a bit angry at life as well. Mostly, she is angry at the scoundrel, Penthorpe, who convinced her to meet him discreetly, tried to convince her to elope with him, and then tried to compromise her when she wouldn't agree. Although a well placed knee allowed her to get away, she lost a prized piece of jewelry in the process. She develops a plan to cajole him into getting the necklace back. What she doesn't know until too late is that the man meeting her on her father's terrace is not Penthorpe, but Justin Maddox, the newly titled Duke of Colster. The two hit it off immediately, but Francesca's forwardness leads the Duke to assume she is more experienced than she is. The resulting story is funny and sultry.
This quick read will keep you turning the page. A great beach or poolside read!
Better than I expected.......2007-06-04
Because of other reviews I put this on the bottom of my stack. The thing I remembered about the prequel (In the Bed of a Duke) was it was in a tent. I thought Bedding an Heiress was a more complete story. These are the only two books I have read from this author but not the last. Chemistry and action are in abundance. I read at least 4 books a week and I finished this in a 1/2 day. I enjoyed the hero.
Unbelievable heroine.......2007-04-30
Maybe it's just me being more critical of romances of late but I found Franscesca Dunroy a particulary unbelievable Regency heroine - not that they aren't all somewhat unbelievable since we wouldn't want to read about reality, would we?!
Not only is she very independent and defies convention at every turn (sneeking out of her father's house for an assignation) she easily escapes an attempt at rape by kneeing the assailant (and where would she have learned that I'd like to know) and then has no qualms trying to seduce said assailant later on to get back the necklace she lost in the struggle. Yeah, right.
Enter the Duke Justin Maddox who is as much a misfit as Franscesca and they kiss before ever exchanging a word and know they are made for eachother. Yeah, right again.
No, I wasn't thrilled with this book. I like to read romances where the main characters battle with each other in the creation of their relationship and not just kiss and fall in love for no reason but physical attraction.
Cathy Maxwell has written some good books but this one is not one of her better ones.
Delightful - Marvelous Dialogues.......2007-04-27
In an attempt at rebellion Francesca Dunroy makes an almost fatal mistake when she tangles with a disreputable rake. While saving herself from rape she loses a treasured family heirloom. At a ball held in her honor she makes an assignation with the rake to convince him to return her property. The only problem is, in the darkened library, she mistakenly approaches and offers a clandestine kiss to a man she later discovers is Justin Maddox, the newly appointed Duke of Colster and London's most eligible bachelor.
Justin, the new duke is the older twin who was kidnapped at birth, raised in Scotland and earned his living as a blacksmith. Married and betrayed by a childhood sweetheart, he is determined to never marry again but the memory of Francesca's lips enflame his desires and when next they meet, in a most unusual scenario, Justin isn't about to let Francesca escape his embrace. As they discover true love, dangerous people from Justin's past come forward ready to ruin the happiness he's always longed for.
Maxwell is a perennial favorite of mine and her latest, BEDDING THE HEIRESS, is proof that this master word smith has not lost her touch. Consistently weaving together skillful plotting, a heady romance, delectable humor, along with a touch of dangerous intrigue has kept this author at the top of her game. Reeling you in from the very first page, Maxwell holds you enthralled until the last page is turned, and leaves you still aching for more. The lead characters are very well-developed with enough detail in their backgrounds that the reader can easily discern their motivations and their interactions with the numerous enhancing secondary characters all cleverly worked in to bring this story to life. Fans like myself, are sure to embrace this new hero who is caught between two worlds and will certainly look forward to the continuance of this fabulous series as Justin's enemies continue plotting to regain control of the sword of the MacKenna in this fabulously entertaining keeper.
Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com
Average customer rating:
- Angst and true love in the Highlands
- A solid, sensual Scottish tale!
- a great author, an okay book
- O.k reading
- Disappointing
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Beware a Scot's Revenge (School for Heiresses, Book 3)
Sabrina Jeffries
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 1416516107 |
Book Description
"Someone's going to call your bluff someday, Venetia -- you'd better hope it's not a handsome man."
-- Mrs. Charlotte Harris, headmistress
Lady Venetia Campbell's visit to her childhood home in Scotland takes a dramatic turn when she's kidnapped at pistol point by her father's sworn enemy. Sir Lachlan Ross is widely feared in his guise as The Scottish Scourge, but Venetia remembers her former neighbor as a handsome youth whose attentions she craved. Now a wickedly sexy man, Lachlan's appeal is even more intoxicating...and much more dangerous. Though Lachlan tries to treat her as his foe, his scorching kisses tell another story. And despite his plan to use her as a weapon against her father, Venetia is determined that Lachlan's lust for revenge will be trumped by an even more powerful desire....
Customer Reviews:
Angst and true love in the Highlands.......2007-09-28
There are still a few romance writers that I still enjoy these days, who can turn out a novel that goes a bit farther than a lot of billing and cooing in various historical costumes and settings. One of the more critical aspects for me is to have a heroine and hero who actually matter -- I'm not talking about social status or any of that fluff, but rather that they have distinct characters and motivations to them. Otherwise, a novel will just fall flat and be very forgettable.
Lady Venetia Campbell is the only child of the Earl of Duncannon. While she was born in Scotland, she has only dim memories of the place, and has spent most of her life in London. And despite several offers of marriage, she has refused them all -- she wants to marry someone that will care for her herself, not the wealth that she can provide. When the opportunity comes to visit Edinburgh during the festivities for the visit of King George IV, Venetia eagerly takes the opportunity to go.
But little does she know that she's about to become a pawn for revenge. There are rumors that the Scottish Scourge is dead, but others claim that the notorious highwayman is still about. When Venetia meets a strapping, handsome Highlander in his regimentals at a masked ball, she can hardly resist the charm that he seems to have. That will quickly change when he has the audacity to kidnap her.
Soon enough she finds out that her abductor is a friend of her childhood -- Sir Lachlan Ross -- and he has quite a quarrel with her father, the earl. Enough to where he demands a hefty ransom for her return. What he didn't count on was that Venetia would be enticing and spirited, and more than a match for him.
How all of this comes to a resolution is what keeps this a page turner. The romance between Lachlan and Venetia is one of equals, and the heroine gives just as good as she gets, with enough fire between them to set a forest ablaze. There are plenty of complications to move the story along, with several dark family secrets, real reasons for the hero to have his plot for revenge, and plenty of actual detail for the reader to think about, and give the story a believable base.
In fact, it's the extra details that Sabrina Jeffries brings to the story that sold it to me. In 1822, King George IV made a visit to Scotland, where the events were organized by none other than Sir Walter Scott (the former Prince Regent was very fond of his novels), and the wearing of tartan and what customs we think of as Scottish today were introduced. The visit was wildly popular. Sadly, however, the custom of Scottish landlords evicting the tenant farmers from their lands to introduce sheep farming was also wildly popular -- the devastating results of this can still be seen in Scotland today, and how it came to be that so many people in the United States and Canada have Scottish ancestry. Another interesting subplot involves the art of distilling whiskey. Most of this is covered in the author's afterword.
This was a fun read, perfect for light reading and a pair of lovers that have both charm and plenty of spirit to them. An excerpt from Jeffries' next novel is provided as well. In any case, this one is going to be kept, always a positive factor for me.
Four stars overall. Recommended.
A solid, sensual Scottish tale!.......2007-08-18
Maybe it's a little of my own Scottish blood, but I'm a sucker for Scots! This is one of my favorite of the School for Heiresses series; it even touches upon some of the characters in the previous books (but this book can be read independently). Venetia Campbell is kidnapped upon her visit to Scotland by her childhood neightbor, Lachlan Ross, as he attempts to demand the repayment of an outstanding family loan from her father. The story involves their journey to the Scottish Highlands, and the conflicting relationship of Venetia and Lachlan. There are some great historical accounts of the painful economical strife of the Scottish highlands that we learn through Venetia's eyes (she was raised in London). While their eventual romantic relationship can be predicted, there are some unseen plot twists nonetheless. Overall an enjoyable read with a solid story with sensual touches that keeps the pages turning!
a great author, an okay book.......2007-08-18
As soon as I started reading this book, I knew I was in good hands. Sabrina Jeffries is a master author. I loved her language and the interesting backgound. The characters were fleshed out and hot.
However, by the second half of the book, I felt that the story was kinda finished, as in "I got it. Done. Thank you, Ms. Jeffries!" But considering the subplots hadn't been resolved yet, I had to sit down for another 100 pages. So I rate this book a 4 star. But seeing that i am not the only one who felt this author was a pro, I ordered more of Ms. Jeffries books and hope to be wowed like other readers.
O.k reading.......2007-08-06
This was one of my first books by this author. I thought it was written very well. The story line was predictable, but enjoyable none the less.
Disappointing.......2007-08-03
I've read and enjoyed other books in this series and saw the good reviews for this one, so I bought it and read it. Maybe I was expecting too much, but the plot and characters seemed all too predictable. I'm also getting tired of all the precipitate sex, especially for the period. How about the characters getting to know and like one another first? Maybe some of these authors should reread Georgette Heyer'; she really develops her characters.
Average customer rating:
- Loved it !!!
- Enjoyable Read
- Worth reading for the witty dialogues and fun characters
- 2 hours squandered........
- Not my favorite...
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To Catch an Heiress
Julia Quinn
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0380789353
Release Date: 2002-07-30 |
Amazon.com
Caroline Trent is fed up with her greedy guardian, Oliver Prewitt, and his nitwit son, Percy. With only six weeks to go until she can claim her inheritance and rid herself of them, Percy attempts to forcibly seduce her. Fortunately, Caroline has a pistol at hand and she uses it--wounding the annoying man just enough to allow her to escape. Fuming, she flees the dark manor house determined to find employment and hide from her guardian for six weeks. But a bad night turns worse when a tall, dark stranger accosts her. Blake Ravenscroft thinks Caroline is a female spy, part of Oliver Prewitt's smuggling activities that include spying for Napoleon. He kidnaps Caroline, ties her to a bed at his nearby home, and grills her unsuccessfully before a friend arrives and tells Blake that he's captured the wrong woman. Caroline explains her predicament and, given what he knows of the larcenous Oliver Prewitt, Blake has no option but to offer her shelter. Caroline isn't a woman accustomed to sitting in the parlor sipping tea, especially while Blake's investigation has him involved in far more exciting, life-threatening activities. Blake isn't a man accustomed to having a woman ignore his commands. Sparks fly and passion sizzles between these two characters while a cast of endearing characters provide well-meaning assistance. To Catch an Heiress is both warm and wonderful, with witty dialogue and endearing characters. --Lois Faye Dyer
Book Description
When Caroline Trent is kidnapped by Blake Ravenscroft, she doesn't even try to elude this dangerously handsome agent of the crown. After all, she's been running from unwanted marriage proposals. Yes, Blake believes she's a notorious spy named Carlotta De Leon, but for six weeks until her twenty–first birthday, when she'll gain control of her fortune, hiding out in the titillating company of a mysterious captor is awfully convenient –– and maybe just a little romantic, too.
Blake Ravenscroft's mission is to bring "Carlotta" to justice, not to fall in love. His heart has been hardened by years of intrigue, but this little temptress proves oddly disarming and thoroughly kissable. And suddenly the unthinkable becomes possible –– that this mismatched Couple might be destined for love.
Download Description
When Caroline Trent is kidnapped by Blake Ravenscroft, she doesn't even try to elude this dangerously handsome agent of the crown. After all, she's been running from unwanted marriage proposals. Yes, Blake believes she's a notorious spy named Carlotta De Leon, but for six weeks until her twenty-first birthday, when she'll gain control of her fortune, hiding out in the titillating company of a mysterious captor is awfully convenient -- and maybe just a little romantic, too.
Blake Ravenscroft's mission is to bring "Carlotta" to justice, not to fall in love. His heart has been hardened by years of intrigue, but this little temptress proves oddly disarming and thoroughly kissable. And suddenly the unthinkable becomes possible -- that this mismatched Couple might be destined for love.
Customer Reviews:
Loved it !!!.......2007-10-05
I love all her books. She's so funny and romantic this book and all her others are worth the read!!!!
Enjoyable Read.......2007-01-02
This is one of the better Quinn books. It has plenty of humor and romance. This book is worth reading.
Worth reading for the witty dialogues and fun characters.......2006-08-28
From the day her father died when she was merely ten, Caroline Trent has been passed on from one guardian to the next. Barely six weeks shy from turning twenty one and be able to claim her inheritance, she finds herself at the mercy of her latest guardian's mercy when she foils an attempted rape. Knowing she must escape until she can claim her inheritance, she runs away only to be captured by an agent of the Crown when she is mistaken for a spy.
Blake Ravenscroft thought he finally had the ruthless spy Carlotta de Leon in his hands--only to find out that he has the wrong woman. Upon learning his captive's predicament, the gentleman in him couldn't say no to her request to stay at his manor until her twenty first birthday. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he is attracted to her--even though she sorely tests his temper! But if he would just look deep inside, he would know that the tempting chit has wound her way into his heart...
I have been a big fan of Julia Quinn since reading the Bridgerton series. Her writing is superb and her characters are always well-rounded. While TO CATCH AN HEIRESS is the least interesting book of hers that I have read, this was still an entertaining book and had its moments. Caroline is a clever and delightful heroine, full of life and passion. She is perfect for Blake who suffers the guilt over losing his fiancée, who was also a government agent. The way she brought laughter to his otherwise jaded existence provided some sweet and amusing reading. I did have a good laugh over some of their verbal sparring, though I felt that the plot could have been better developed. This was still an entertaining read, with witty dialogues and fun secondary characters (watch out for the marquis and Blake's butler) though not quite on par with some of Quinn's other novels, notably the first three books in the Bridgerton series.
I have the follow up book, HOW TO MARRY A MARQUIS, and hoping for a better story.
2 hours squandered...............2006-08-14
.....so this unmarried unchaperoned 20 something year old (England 1814) just got kidnapped by "the most frightening man she has ever seen" and she is busy playing games with him not in the least bit fearful for her life, or at least her reputation???
Such is Ms Quinn's writing style...
This book and its idea is very immature, asinine, undeveloped, humorless, witless and ridiculously interminable.
Such is Ms Quinn's writing style.......
Why do I even bother anymore???
Once bitten, twice shy.......
Not my favorite..........2006-07-27
I was really looking forward to this book and wasn't impressed. Too much bickering and fighting between the main characters. Boring and draggy.
Ms Quinn has done much much better than this.
Average customer rating:
- Great Story, more serious than other "Heirssess Series" books
- Terrific As Always!
- The monkey stole the show!
- didn't finish
- Needed something more
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Only a Duke Will Do (The School for Heiresses, Book 2)
Sabrina Jeffries
Manufacturer: Pocket
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 1416516093 |
Book Description
From New York Times bestselling author and "grand mistress of storytelling" (Romantic Times) Sabrina Jeffries comes the second seductive story in her School for Heiresses Series.
"You can't avoid him forever, Louisa. Just tell him you're not interested, and put an end to it."
-- Mrs. Charlotte Harris, headmistress
Marry? Never! It would end Louisa North's work with her ladies reform group -- and truth be told, she likes her independence very much, despite her royal father's protests. So when Simon Tremaine, the dashing Duke of Foxmoor whom she once loved -- and had exiled from England -- returns bent on marrying her, she's skeptical. Does he truly care for her, or does he simply want revenge? It's difficult to resist Simon's dangerous charms, because the fire between them still burns as hot as ever. But when his ulterior motive for marriage is exposed, along with the deeply buried secrets of his past, Louisa vows to make him pay . . . and the price will be his heart.
Customer Reviews:
Great Story, more serious than other "Heirssess Series" books.......2007-08-18
I have read all of the School for Heiresses Series to date, and I would have to say this is my least favorite of them all. Not to say I didn't like it, but I think the reason is that the characters lacked the witty banter of the other books. Louisa North, illegitimate daughter of the King, is head the London Ladies Society whose current goals involve prison reform for women as well as supporting Political candidates willing to support this reform. Her suitor, Simon, the Duke of Foxmore, has his own political agenda to be Prime Minister, which to gain the King's support involves the courting and "taming" of Louisa's political aspirations. All of these situations are quite serious as the treatment of women in prison during this time period was heart wrenching. Even Louisa's fear of marriage leading to child birth has its own horrific historical significance. While it was still an interesting story, it seemed an off-shoot of the otherwise fun and witty Heiresses series. I think it may help to read Sabrina Jefferies Royal Brotherhood series as these characters are tied into that. But I still recommend this book as the characters are very rich and full of depth, an excellent story and steamy romance.
Terrific As Always!.......2007-08-17
In the second book of Jeffries "School for Heiresses" the reader is re-introduced (TO PLEASURE A PRINCE part of Jeffries' "Royal Brotherhood" series) to Louisa North, illegitimate daughter of King George IV, as well as the man who'd broken her heart 7 years ago, Simon Tremaine, the new Duke of Foxmoor.
It's seven years later and Simon has returned from India where the king had banished him after Louisa discovered his affections towards her masked his aspirations for political gain. He's back and still politically ambitious but after his first sight of Louisa his passions are aroused even more so for the woman she's become. Summoned to an audience with the king, Simon is offered a deal he cannot refuse. If Simon can court and marry Louisa, who's been stirring up trouble as a member and founder of the London Ladies Society, the king would make it possible for Simon to achieve his greatest political desire - Prime Minister of England.
Louisa for all her new independence and charitable work for female prisoners; courting reformists to her cause; and secretly backing a candidate for the House of Commons; she was not totally immune to the attentions of the Duke of Foxmoor. Yes, Simon was a scoundrel for breaking her heart while using her for his ambitious political maneuvers, but his kiss still left her weak in the knees. While Simon knew it would only be a matter of time for him to bring her to the marriage bed, Louisa would be the one to finally bring him to his knees.
*** A long time fan of Sabrina Jeffries, I confess, I have not read a single book of hers I did not love! Bringing together a couple with bad history from an earlier story has been done before, but Jeffries brings them back with style incorporating sparkling dialogs and some very sensual trysts as they battle over both domestic and political issues.
Simon is a complex hero who isn't at all likeable when first introduced as he is shown bargaining with the king once again in an effort to reap political gain and rewards. If it weren't for having Raji, his pet monkey on his shoulder, I wouldn't have liked him at all. Little by little, he does become the hero when he starts to bend a bit while trying to worm his way into Louisa's good graces. As the author starts to weave in bits and pieces of Simon's tragic early youth of `training', beaten into him by his grandfather one starts see how he was molded into his attitude of political ambitions while making him stifle any and all feelings of passion. In some of his kind acts, used to break through Louisa's lack of trust, the reader begins to see bits and pieces of the man he could become if someone was brave enough to break through his defensive outer shell.
Having spent most of the last seven years in the royal court, Louisa had grown into an independent, accomplished woman after having her heart broken by Simon. She is intelligent and savvy, points very well defined by the author's excellent portrayal, and as such even though she knows Simon is not to be trusted, her heart is drawn as a moth to a flame. Willing to give him enough rope to hang himself, this more mature Louisa sees glimpses of the man she's always dreamed of and hopes he's become and gets caught in Simon's net, but was wise enough to demand concessions. Consequently she was devastated to discover once again his betrayal. Hurt beyond measure, Louisa would uncover truth's that motivated Simon, truth's that would set him free to live and love.
This truly was an engrossing story of redemption and sensual passion for Lousia and Simon - both wonderfully crafted and finally able to find the happiness they deserved. Not only does Jeffries titillate the reader with a passion filled romantic love story but she couples it with intricately woven human frailties making the characters leap off the pages into your hearts. I've said it before and I'll say it again Ms. Jeffries holds you from first page to the last with a perfect combination of wit, romance and intrigue.
Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization for www.paranormalromance.org
The monkey stole the show!.......2007-06-13
The most interesting character in this novel, was the hero's pet monkey Rajii! That summarizes my view of this book. I'm glad I only borrowed it from the library.
Others have already summarized the plot so I will not rehash. I will say that the political backdrop was intriguing and very informative. The chemistry between the protagonists was lacking- of course when Simon could actually convince Louisa to let her guard down , it was steamy but their interactions as a couple lacked the spark I like in a romance.
I actually felt sorry for Simon for landing such a querolous wife.
I for one love the independanlt female, however I really think many heroines are not realistically rendered. I totally understand Louisa's devotion to her prison reform, and wanting a radical candidate and I understand Simon's balking at it- what I don't understand is why Louisa thinks this is abnormal from her husband, a DUKE with POLITICAL asperations.
There was also the scene where she got pelted by a rock (yes, a ROCK!) at the prison, however even though she got knocked out, she is adamant tonot have a doctor. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't mind independent heroines, I just dislike the borderline stupid ones.
didn't finish.......2007-06-07
I have read several of her other books and enjoyed them. I found myself having a few minutes to read, picking up the book, then doing something else. I wish that I had read the reviews before. Borrow the book if it appeals to you.
Needed something more.......2007-05-08
The hero and heroine of this book just never convinced me that they really loved each other. Since there was a lot of political machination going on between these two, they were always one upping the other when it came to advancing their own agendas. This was a tedious. I never understood how Simon, the hero, was so forgiving of Louisa. When she discovered that he was stringing her along in a courtship she had him sent to India for seven years. She was in no way compromised, they shared one kiss. This was glossed over and Simon said he deserved his banishment. This novel would have been more interesting if revenge had been part of the plot. Also, a deeper background into Simon's past in India would have fleshed out his charachter. He was one dimensional.
Louisa was stubborn but so was Simon. I really was tired of her reapeating to herself, "A pox on Simon, a pox on her husband."
Both were secretive but to the author's credit, they did not let misunderstandings go on throughout the entire novel. Once a secret was revealed, they discussed it and moved on. This book rates 2 ½ stars. The political backdrop with prison reform was fresh and inventive but the hero and heroine were not.
Average customer rating:
- The School for Heiresses
- SCHOOL FOR HEIRESSES gets A+!
- 2 out of 4 isn't too bad
- I really enjoyed 2 out of 4 books
- Fun, Flirty, Fast anthology
|
The School for Heiresses (The School for Heiresses, Anthology)
Sabrina Jeffries ,
Liz Carlyle ,
Julia London , and
Renee Bernard
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 1416516115 |
Book Description
Inspired by New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries's School for Heiresses series, this delightful anthology features four young women who learn that there's nothing textbook about love. . . .
"It is better not to marry at all than to marry badly."
-- Mrs. Charlotte Harris, headmistress
At the School for Heiresses, the lessons go far beyond etiquette and needlepoint. In addition to teaching her students how to avoid fortune hunters, headmistress and founder Charlotte Harris proposes the radical notion that women of means need not shackle themselves to men at all -- unless they find a suitable, desirable mate. So lessons in the fine art of acquiring a loving and passionate husband are part of the curriculum at this highly unusual school. And as the holidays approach, Mrs. Harris sends her young ladies home with personally tailored lessons to work on. Will they return any closer to finding the perfect husband?
Join this dazzling roster of authors as they put their own spin on the School for Heiresses in four spirited tales of passion!
Customer Reviews:
The School for Heiresses .......2007-08-13
Ten Reasons To Stay by Sabrina Jeffries
The new Earl of Monteith, Colin Hunt, wants nothing more than to find some long sought after peace and a bride who will give him that. What he finds is the cloaked figure of a tempting woman trying to steal one of his horses. Eliza Crenshawe is Colin's mystery woman, and the tale she spins is unbelievable. When he finds out that she might be telling the truth, instead of sending her back, he finds himself giving her ten reasons to stay.
Ten Reasons To Stay is a lusty love story. It's romantic and mysterious as well. I like Colin and Eliza very much.
After Midnight by Liz Carlyle
Martinique is leaving The School For Heiresses to live with her uncle, Baron Rothewell. The Baron will undoubtedly try to find Martinique a suitable husband and fast, but what she wants is love and passion.
Justin St. Vrain is going through the motions of life with little expectation and desire until a mistaken and passionate encounter with Martinique has him slowly rethinking his life's shallow goals.
The romance was a bit dimmed for me when the hero intended to bed one woman then beds another in her place. I do so enjoy watching said rogue fall hard though. After Midnight is full of mystery and passion. It's a good story with fun characters.
The Merchant's Gift by Julia London
Grace Holcomb's father insists she marry a wealthy and titled gentleman. He has done everything in his power to mold Grace into the proper young lady, but she still lacks suitors. Barrett Adlaine is a merchant and unfortunately for Grace, he's the only man she is attracted to. Barrett wants Grace, but in order to have her he'll have to convince her that true love is worth more than a title.
Grace disappointed me in The Merchant's Gift. I thought she was weak and that she hurt poor Barrett's feelings knowing full well how it feels to be cast out of society. I did love Barrett though, and the ending is very romantic.
Mischief's Holiday by Renee Bernard
Alyssa Martin has gotten herself in trouble again. She seems to find it even when she is determined to stay away from it. When Leland Yates saves her from a carriage mishap, then turns out to be a guest at her father's home, Alyssa is sure her troubles are just beginning again, but she may be in for a surprise when sedate, quiet Leland decides that he likes the kind of trouble Alyssa brings to his life.
Mischief's Holiday is a very tender and romantic story. Alyssa is sweet and endearing and Leland is very sexy. I wished this had been a longer story. I wanted more!
The School for Heiresses has a good group of stories in it. There is romance, passion, and drama in each one. There is a common theme in the stories but they each stand alone nicely
Nannette reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
SCHOOL FOR HEIRESSES gets A+!.......2007-06-15
England 1800'S
The delightful four stories are wonderful and could have easily been made into four separate novels! Will definitely look for more from these authors!
Very Enjoyable!
2 out of 4 isn't too bad.......2007-05-15
The concept of this anthology is strange to me. You have one author that has a series and then these other authors trying to write stories about the same series? Good in theory perhaps but I'm not sure it was a success. Only one of the authors pulled it off (besides Jefferies of course). I didn't hate it; however I am glad I bought it at a discount store. Two of the stories were really good. Jefferies' and Bernard's - the other two were lacking.
1 - Sabrina Jefferies' Ten Reasons to Stay - this was great. I really like her writing style and besides it was a continuation of characters we've already read about. I love series so it worked for me.
2 - Liz Carlyle's After Midnight. I didn't dislike it so much as I felt like I was missing something important. Like an entire book. I think I was suppose to know who all of those characters were but because I have not read Liz Carlyle (maybe I should?) I didn't. I thought there was too much story trying to be told in a short story format - maybe this was a tie in to one of her series?
3 - Julia London's The Merchants Gift - I don't think I've read any of her books but this story didn't do anything for me. The man I liked, hard working, strong, honest, and sexy - everything likeable in a hero. The woman on the other hand was a spineless silly twit. It was one of those stories where you think, wow he deserves so much better than her. What a shame they ended up together.
4 - Renee Bernard's Mischief's Holiday was a delight and I loved it. She should have had second billing in this book rather than Liz Carlyle. Of course Jefferies gets first, it's her series, but to be honest I think this was my favorite. I love writers that can make me laugh and really feel for the characters in the book and this is one of those, even in a short story format. She did a really good job tying it into the School for Heiresses idea as well. Besides all of that Bernard is a great new writer. If you have not read A Lady's Pleasure by her you are missing out. It's different and a really good read. I'm looking forward to Madame's Deception coming out in August 2007.
I really enjoyed 2 out of 4 books .......2007-02-27
The School for Heiresses is four stories of women are finished with school and on their own for the first time.
Ten Reasons to Stay by Sabrina Jeffries was very enjoyable. Eliza is running away from her uncle who wants to marry her off and finds herself stealing/borrowing a horse from Colin the new Earl of Monteith. Colin lockes Eliza up in his closet until her finds out the real truth. Very Steamy - a great read....
After Midnight by Liz Carlyle was missing something - no my favorite. Justin crawls into the wrong bed and finds Martinique and not his lover. It has moments but I was glad it was a short story.
The Merchants Gift by Julia London was a very sweet story. I didn't like the Grace the main character she didn't have a back bone.
The final book Mischief Holiday by Renee Bernard was very good. Lots of stolen kisses, humor and great characters.
Fun, Flirty, Fast anthology .......2007-02-24
Each story ties into The School for Heiresses world created by Sabrina Jeffries. The heroines have their own personality, which compliments the mix of authors as they have their own style and voice. They tackle a different tried and true theme in romanceland, adding a twist to make it interesting. Two stories worked really well for me, one was okay and one didn't work at all.
Sabrina Jeffries, Ten Reasons to Stay, is a take on the `regency miss trying to escape the evil guardian's plans to make her marry someone not of her choice to pay off his debt'.
Colin is a very interesting character, who is of mixed race and suddenly finds himself the Earl of Monteith. [If you haven't read Only a Duke Will Do, you should and you get more of his backstory here as well] Eliza has a pretty good head on her shoulders. And is trying to do something vs waiting for someone to rescue her. [The Twist: Some naughty books and mixed heritage]
Sabrina Jeffries has a great way of taking historical fact and expanding on it. Her world may not always follow the letter of the law of history but they come across as believable. I always find myself closing her books with a smile on my face. Grade: B
After Midnight by Liz Carlyle does the `regency miss gets caught with a rake so they have to marry'.
Martinique is a beauty. She has a brain to match it and a mysterious past in the West Indies. Justin St. Vrain was a very, very naughty boy. Years ago he ran off to Paris with another man's wife. Now his father is dead and the title is his. [The Twist: Martinique is a courtesan's daughter. The woman Justin ran off with was his stepmother. And the story starts off a new series!]
I love this story and the fact that these people aren't your normal Regency fare. It might have to do with the fact it has made me way excited about the new series. I can't wait to spend more time with these characters. Grade A-
The Merchant's Gift by Julia London tries her hand at the `wealthy merchant daughter's duty is to marry a title'.
Grace, as would be expected, has a hard time trying to mix with the ton. Her duty is to marry a title and little else seems to matter. Barrett Adlaine is nothing more than a merchant and thus she believes not for her.
[The Twist: The hero is pretty betaish and does the chasing.]
I don't like the 'selling your daughter for a title' plot. And Mr. Holcomb gets way too much screen time, add in this is a novella and it way drops my enjoyment level. I could never see Grace as anything more than a gold digger, regardless of her but it is for my father and expected of me lines. Adlaine should have ran far and fast away from the chit. He was too good of a hero for Grace. Grade D.
Mischief's Holiday is Renee Bernard's tale of `Nice guy falls for clumsy regency miss evil cousin tries to steal him'. (At least I think that is what it was going for....)
Alyssa Martin (regency name?!?) wants to get married, fall in love and live happy ever after. And for once, she would like to stay out of trouble while doing it. [The Twist: The story is more of a `traditional' regency.]
Cute story with a sweet heroine but too slapsticky for my taste. And the tone was completely different from the other three in style. It may have worked better for me if this was the second in the anthology then to end with it. Regardless the story didn't seem to end as much as stop. Grade C-
If you are looking for a meaty historical, keep looking, but if you are looking to lose yourself with some fun characters for a bit, this is just the ticket. Readers of the series will enjoy it and new readers should be able to follow along just fine.
Average customer rating:
- Completely Awful
- tawdry
- Rich story lines, characters with depth, hot passion - an entertaining read!
- Reading for pleasure at its finest
- Delightful!
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Never Seduce a Scoundrel (The School for Heiresses, Book 1)
Sabrina Jeffries
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 1416516085 |
Book Description
Bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries's enticing new series introduces the spirited graduates of Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies -- unconventional heiresses who are more than matches for society's most irresistible rogues....
"Be careful, Amelia -- you know how reckless you can be!"
-- Mrs. Charlotte Harris, headmistress
Lady Amelia Plume has many admirers -- it's too bad they're all fortune hunters and fops who can't provide the exotic adventures she seeks. But the ballrooms of Mayfair have become much more appealing since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter, an American with a dark past and a dangerous air. Lucas is brash, arrogant -- and scandalously tempting. Every thrilling kiss sparks hotter desire, yet Amelia suspects that Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her. And she intends to discover it, by any means necessary....
Download Description
Bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries's enticing new series introduces the spirited graduates of Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies -- unconventional heiresses who are more than matches for society's most irresistible rogues.... Be careful, Amelia -- you know how reckless you can be!" Lady Amelia Plume has many admirers -- it's too bad they're all fortune hunters and fops who can't provide the exotic adventures she seeks. But the ballrooms of Mayfair have become much more appealing since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter, an American with a dark past and a dangerous air. Lucas is brash, arrogant -- and scandalously tempting. Every thrilling kiss sparks hotter desire, yet Amelia suspects that Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her. And she intends to discover it, by any means necessary....
Customer Reviews:
Completely Awful.......2007-09-05
I was fully prepared to enjoy this book based on the raves the most of the "reviewers" gave it. I kept waiting for the enjoyment to start, but finally gave up 2/3rds of the way through. I found the book so dull, boring, shallow and non-entertaining that I do not feel I can trust what others write. It is obvious that the author spent about 4 days writing it. It was not worth the $6.99 price.
Try something by Judith McNaught Something Wonderful or Kathleen Woodiwiss The Wolf and the Dove instead.
tawdry .......2007-08-29
I was expecting a regency romance (more romance than sex & better vocabulary than other romance genres), and instead I got a low brow historical romance. Even though it wove some history into the plot it didn't feel like it was set in that period. It was missing all the elegance I look for in a regency romance. Regency romances have long been a guilty pleasure of mine this one is down right embarrassing. It is far too cheesy sleazy.
Rich story lines, characters with depth, hot passion - an entertaining read!.......2007-08-13
This novel revolves around the lead character Lady Amelia, a graduate of Mrs. Harris' School for Heiresses and sets place during the year 1818 during the London "Season". The rough American Marine Major Lucas Winter catches her eye and the story goes from there. Without retelling the plot; I enjoyed the book thoroughly, it kept me reading well into the night. There is just so much going on in this story: the restrained relationship of Amelia & Lucas, Lucas' secret investigation of Amelia's step-mother, the coorespondance of Mrs. Harris to her cousin Michael, Lucas' painful & tramatic war memories and family history, and more. While a simple boy meets girl, they fall in love, etc. story can be a little romantic-yet boring-the author adds all these unique characteristics and situations that even without the romance would make a great story. But of course the romance and STEAM are the icing on this cake. And the fun wit and banter adds that little spark of humor. While I think the "darlin'" nickname Lucas called Amelia was a little distracting - I coudn't quite place an American accent using that word unless maybe a Southenern or a Cowboy - or maybe Boston but I guess that would be "dah-lin'". It was a real exciting and entertaining novel! Can't wait to read the rest of the series!
Reading for pleasure at its finest.......2007-07-04
If one were to sum up all the Regency romance titles that have been published, the number of rakehell dukes and barons that populate those books would probably exceed the actual total population of England at that time. Thus, it is rare to find works that show any originality or creativeness. The thing I really admire about what the author has accomplished with this series is that she has somehow taken the old threadbare plotlines and the cliche battles of will and turned those staid elements into a reading experience that feels truly fresh and original. I picked up this book after having read Beware a Scot's Revenge (School for Heiresses) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was somewhat concerned that this book would just feel like more of the same (which, though not always a bad thing, is how I feel about romance series by most authors I've read). I was, however, pleasantly surprised. Though you could say that this book follows the other closely in formula, the author has a real gift for creating unique and individual characters that you could never mistake for those from another book of hers. Ms. Jeffries also has a talent for intelligent and well-constructed plotlines. Very often, I feel very frustrated by the plotlines of pulp romance novels because there are almost always plotholes the size of Kansas, or plot-points that feel almost painfully contrived. Not so with these School for Heiresses books; the plot progression extends almost seamlessly out of the characters themselves -- nothing ever feels contrived for the sake of having a plot, all the twists and turns arise out of an organic interaction of the characters, who themselves are intelligent and rational people (which, sadly, cannot be said for the majority of the novels I've read).
Now, having built her narratives around a solid framework of plot and character development, Ms. Jeffries also entertains us with unparalleled wit and humor. Many romance authors tell us their heros are dashed clever devils and their heroines have sparkling wit, but fail to convince us due to a lack of any real wit. But the characters in Ms. Jeffries books are actually so clever and charming that you will not only come to take a real interest in their adventures, but you will actually laugh out loud at their verbal and intellectual sparring. Many Regency romance authors try to emulate the wit and prose of the sainted Austen, but Ms. Jeffries is the only one I've read so far that even comes close to being able to hold a candle to the much revered lady.
As for historical accuracy, the author includes a note at the end of each book that briefly summarizes the basis of the plot from her historical research. So one can assume that Ms. Jeffries isn't taking particular liberties with history to set the stage for her characters. Some of her love scenes, though, could have a more contemporary feel, due to some of the euphemisms she uses (though other authors' repeated use of the word "manhood" could get equally tiresome, if not more so). Also, her heroines seem to posses a surprising degree of sexual inventiveness given their lack of experience, but then again, the whole point is that they _aren't_ your average 19th-century English miss. Sex wasn't invented 10 years ago, and neither was human creativity, so there really is no good reason to say, "That scene wasn't historically accurate because people didn't do things like that back then," because I'm sure somebody at that point in time had thought of it ;)
Anyway, the bottom line is, anyone who enjoys light reading (not just historical romance) should pick up this book (and the rest in the series), because it is truly one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a long time. It is a great introduction to the work of Ms. Jeffries. I will definitely be picking up the other books in the School for Heiresses series.
P.S. I've also gone back to the Royal Brotherhood series by Ms. Jeffries, but I'm sorry to say they aren't quite as good as this series; though you may want to read them (at least To Pleasure a Prince (Royal Brotherhood)) to get the full background for Only a Duke Will Do (The School for Heiresses), which is Book 2 in the School for Heiresses series.
Delightful!.......2007-06-28
1800's England
NEVER SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL is the beginning of a delightful series! The next book in The School for Heiresses series is ONLY A DUKE WILL DO, which is linked to Sabrina Jeffries ROYAL BROTHERHOOD SERIES, followed by the wonderful THE SCHOOL FOR HEIRESSES, and then BEWARE A SCOT'S REVENGE with more books in the series promised to be published!
Very enjoyable!
Book Description
New York Times bestselling author Bertrice Small presents the conclusion of her highly acclaimed saga of Rosamund Bolton and her daughters with this dazzling tale of passion, intrigue, and seduction. Set against the glorious backdrop of King Henry's sixteenth-century court, The Last Heiress stars Elizabeth Meredith, the youngest Bolton daughter, who will risk everything to protect her beloved Friarsgate.
Download Description
New York Times bestselling author Bertrice Small presents the conclusion of her highly acclaimed saga of Rosamund Bolton and her daughters with this dazzling tale of passion, intrigue, and seduction. Set against the glorious backdrop of King Henry's sixteenth-century court, The Last Heiress stars Elizabeth Meredith, the youngest Bolton daughter, who will risk everything to protect her beloved Friarsgate.
Customer Reviews:
Better Than Philippa.......2007-08-21
This first few chapters of this book was a bit boring but it got better when Baen and Elizabeth became close. I loved reading about them. Elizabeth was a lot more likable than Philippa.
I felt a little sad near the end of this book, because, I knew it was the last one in the series. The Friarsgate series is not as good as the Skye O'Malley series but I did like the first two books in this series very much. Rosamund and Logan made the first two books enjoyable. If they had been featured a lot more in this book and in 'Philippa', I think the Friarsgate series would have been almost as good as the Skye O'Malley series.
I wanted to read more about Rosamund and Logan but I still enjoyed this book.
Boring.......2007-02-15
This is the final installment in the Friarsgate series. It tells the story of Elizabeth Meredith, Rosamund's youngest daughter, who was made heiress to the estate, after her eldest sister, Philippa, renounced it.
The novel begins with Elizabeth and Rosamund arguing on the subject of a husband for Elizabeth. Elizabeth agrees to go to court, if her Uncle Tom, who had also taken her older sisters, agrees to accompany her. At court, she befriends the exotic new-comer Anne Boleyn.
This book is definitely not up to par with Small's earlier works. It is quite repetitive. They dwell on how Elizabeth ended up in charge of Friarsgate, how she doesn't want to go to court and belongs on her estates, "don't call me Bessie," and so on. It also just drags. It takes forever to her to get to court, and when she does, she leaves right away because she "doesn't belong there." Then it is back to Friarsgate for more of the same "I need someone who loves Friarsgate as I do." There are not very many sex scenes, as Elizabeth and her hero don't consummate their relationship until about 3/4 of the way though the book. The entire book is predictable and there are no plot twists at all.
I did like the description of Anne Boleyn's coronation, as well as any interaction with the "real" people from history, as I do with many of Small's novels. I enjoy reading on how she perceives these people and what types of personalities she gives them. Unfortunately, since Elizabeth's time at court was limited, there wasn't much incorporation of them in the entire novel.
I still read Small's works, mostly out of habit now, I think. But if you want a really good romance with more interesting plot lines and characters, check out her earlier works, like the Skye O'Malley series, or the Leslie novels (The Kadin, Love Wild and Fair, etc).
fourth and final book in the Friarsgate Inheritance series .......2007-01-27
Entrusted with the running of Friarsgate at the tender age of fourteen, Elizabeth Meredith has grown up a country lass with no interests beyond her precious Friarsgate and the sheep and wool her estate is well known for. Now twenty-one years old, Elizabeth must marry in order to provide the estate with an heir, and Elizabeth has no intention of marrying just so some male can take over her precious Friarsgate.
Baen MacColl started life out on the wrong side of the blankets. While he knows who his father is now and is even accepted and loved by his father and his family, he's still illegitimate and as such owes everything he has to his father and has nothing to offer a wife.
Rosamund, Elizabeth's mother insists that Elizabeth must go to court to find herself a husband. Friarsgate requires an heir and in order to do that duty she first needs a husband. Since Elizabeth's elder sister, Philippa is a creature of the court, Rosamund is determined for Elizabeth to go to her. Phillipa and Elizabeth do not get along and so Elizabeth counters with the request that Uncle Tom accompany her and she'll go quietly. Otherwise, every eligible that Phillipa brings to her presence, Elizabeth swears she will "belch, fart, speak with a broad North Country accent, and make herself generally undesirable." Uncle Tom agrees to accompany her and arrives at Friarsgate to ready her for the pomp and circumstance that the court would expect of a young lady in their midst. Both Uncle Tom and Elizabeth are aware that this trip to court is a fools' errand, none of the men attending court will be suitable. Baen arrives with a missive from his father for the Lady of Friarsgate, only it's addressed to Rosamund and so Elizabeth offers her hospitality for the night and sends him to her mother's home, over the border in Scotland, only to have him return as the missive is in regards to buying sheep from Friarsgate. Elizabeth does agree to sell some, at the same time, also offering him one of the border collie pups to help with herding the sheep. Baen is attracted to the fair Elizabeth in all her course ways, however, he also knows that with his lack of lineage that he's not suitable. Still she must be made ready to attend court and he's more than willing to offer to help her in the fine art of kissing. On the day she's to leave for court, Baen finds her crying in one of the fields and holds her as she cries herself out. Will Baen and Elizabeth find a way to be together? Or will their senses of duties keep them apart?
THE LAST HEIRESS encompasses all the boldness, coarseness, honesty, and flat out bluntness of a young woman raised in the country, bundled up in all the finest frippery and have her attending the court of King Henry VIII. The results are charming and fun as Elizabeth continues to be true to herself despite the gossip and backstabbing that the court thrives on. Elizabeth is a strong, independent woman fully in control of her lands, and it's a pleasure to experience her in all her simple country girl glory. I love that even though this is the fourth and final book in the Friarsgate Inheritance series and thus, has followed along the same kind of theme. There is also mention of characters from previous Bertrice Small novels. Blaze Wyndham was mentioned from the book by the same name, as is the Earl of Glenkirk's daughter, Janet and Colin Hay who are both characters from THE KADIN. In this way two of the other books I loved are also included and their characters live on in the reader's mind. This book is full of amusing memorable characters.
Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)
Great Book.......2006-08-27
Wonderful book, great service and fast shipping. Will come back again. Amazon is great!!!
BORING.......2006-04-15
Having had the pleasure of reading ALL of Bertrice Small's books. I have been disappointed to say the least about The last Heiress... Sure the historical background is wonderful, Who can not love King Henry the 8th, his reign was legendary. Yet Poor Elizabeth's story is dull as dirt. Even at the luxurious King Henry's court, Elizabeth failed to be defrocked. Of course one did not expect her to get her groove on at boring Friargate, but none at court either??? Come on, where was the adventure, the passion, the erotic love scenes. If you are looking for that, keep looking, as it is not present in this story.
Book Description
Chicago socialite Amanda Delmar thought spending the summer in Cuttersville-Ohio's most haunted town-would be a hoot, until dearold-Dad cut her off. Now Amanda has to do the unthinkable and get... A JOB. Her attempts at joining the job market would crack up farmer Danny Tucker, if he weren't so turned on by the skinny, bronzed blonde. Hiring Amanda to babysit his baby girl may not be the smartest thing Danny has ever done. But seeing how she and her couture-clad poodle bring a smile to his shy daughter's face makes it all worthwhile. Now all Danny has to figure out is how to keep Amanda at arm's length, when she has already wriggled her way into his heart.
Customer Reviews:
Promising and funny beginning, mushy ending!.......2007-08-06
Okay, I admit I bought "Heiress for Hire" because it was on sale. And I thought why not try a bit of "chick lit". The first part of the book was funny and I could sympathize with our shallow, rich heroine but as the book progressed I saw where it was all heading and it all became the sappiest, mushiest, corniest "romantic" story ever. And the sex part went on endlessly. Actually, I skipped quite a few lines here. It was not hot or sexy, just plain silly.
There are better books but this one is okay...especially if you want to take a big break from reality and want to give your brain a rest. Funny at times, mushy most of the times.
My favorite Erin McCarthy book!.......2007-07-26
I'm an Erin McCarthy fan but this was my favorite book of hers. There is perfect amount of humor, romance, and steamy scenes. The relationship between Amanda and Danny is very real and sweet. I love this book so much, I'm re-reading it now!
HEIRESS FOR HIRE - great read........2007-06-09
This book is funny, well-written, fast-paced. The characters are wonderful and completely likeable (even when I wasn't sure I was going to "like" the heiress, ha! I adored her!) And the hero is...pardon me if I sigh. I'm sure fans of Erin McCarthy and Brava novels will find HEIRESS FOR HIRE is a wonderful, wonderful read. I'm glad I snatched it up and so will you!!
Loved It.......2007-05-02
I recommend reading A date with the other side by Erin McCarthy first. Amanda Delmar's character makes an appearance in that book first along with Shelby Tucker, it will make Heiress for Hire easier to understand, plus both books are awesome!
Loved It!.......2007-04-08
This is the first book from EM that I absolutely love. I have read a few of hers before, mostly the novellas collection.
I love the maturing of Amanda and the trauma of Piper as well and the turmoil that Danny was going through.
The only thing I did not love so much was the ghost component. I did not think it served any purpose except to give Amanda money.
Book Description
"A lot of people seem to have the wrong idea about me. In fact, pretty much everything I read about myself is totally ridiculous.... I've finally decided to let the world know: Okay, I get it."
Paris Hilton has a lifestyle most girls dream about. Her name is on everyone's lips, but can she help it if she was born rich and privileged? Now, with a sly sense of humor and a big wink at her media image, Paris lets you in for a sneak peek at the life of a real, live heiress/model/actress/singer/it-girl and tells you how anyone can live a fairy-tale life like hers.
Featuring more than three hundred fabulous color photos of Paris, Confessions of an Heiress is a look at life from the unique perspective of a young woman who has the whole world at her stiletto-clad feet.
Customer Reviews:
Horrible!.......2007-08-20
It's true what another reviewer said . . . there are people who live only for image, without substance, then you've got those who are intelligent and stay out of the limelight. And like the reviewer said, the first type of person, the "image" type, "gets old" fast -- both literally and figuratively. What is left once the person gets old and has nothing left to show? Answer me that. It is very disconcerting to me that young girls look up to this creature or humanoid named Paris, whatever term you prefer. It makes no sense. When I was younger there were no such crass and base people to be idolised, and thank God for that! We idolised Joan Jett or The GoGos or even Cyndi Lauper -- these were truly creative and interesting women. Things then seem so innocent now, don't they? I feel so sorry for young people today, they are bombarded with Paris Hilton and other forms of cheap, worthless entertainment daily, without respite.
Paris the Heiress/Author.......2007-08-08
This book was awsome! People writing bad reviews either just hate paris and were just trying to down her overall book reviews (and most probably didnt even read the book). Or they read the book expecting some philisophical journey.
Hello, people, it's paris hilton!!!
Her book is really good. I read it cover to cover and couldnt put it down! She gives advice on how to channel your inner heiress while giving you a look into her personal life. The book isn't like some books about celebrities that just restate tidbits about their lives from magazines. It's original material i've never read before.
Some people might say the reason she didnt put in a whole long chapter about the sex video is becuase she's scared. The truth is, she has a lot of young fans whose parents probably wouldnt let them read the book if it had sex-related things in it.
She stats at the beginning of the book "I haven't tried to correct whats been written about me so far because, well, gossips believe whatever they want anyway."
I love that because it's so true!
Even if she did try to say "I didnt do that." or "that's not the whole story." or "That's totally ridiculous!" Most people wouldn't beleive her anyway because everyday we've got things shoved at us from the media about how horrible she is. Everyone loves to trash Paris and yet she goes about her life, not hiding because of what people think about her but embracing it and laughing along with us about her screw-ups and hook-ups.
This book is definatly on my Favorites list. Paris keeps things fun, light-hearted, and glamorous and if you are so-serious-you-walk-around-all-day-with-a-scowl-on-your-face-reading-the-New-York-Times-and-constantly-checking-the-stock-market, you probably won't appreciate this book. But if you love-life-and-ridin-in-your-car-with-the-top-down-putting-on-lip-gloss kind of thing, this book will soon become a fav. for you.
Give it a chance. Give Paris a chance.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!
I'd give it a billion stars if possible!
A transcendent scrumptulescent chef d'oeuvre.......2007-07-11
This was a great literary work. It really stimiulated my mind, it reminded me of the complex converging story lines of Charles Dickens best works. Her use of the full lexicon of the English language rivals that of William Shakespeare. In fact, she was even able to invent some new vocabulary, that was not in any dictionary. Her marvelous use of metaphor recalls that of the great Russian master Dostoyevsky. There were even some clearly outragously allegorical chapters, in the style of Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." By the last chapter the mastery of Paris brought me to tears! I RAN OUT OF TISSUES!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGG I WISH I COULD GIVE IT A MILLION BIGIZILMONION STARS!!!!
I'm 14, not under 13........2007-06-21
I LOVE Paris Hilton so I thought I would give her 5 stars to increase the book rating. This book is definately worth $15.00 if you are a true Paris Hilton fan.If you just know of her, then this isn't the book for you. I figured she would really go into her life and say things that we could learn from her.She puts useless and (I hate to say this BUT...) ridiculous things in her book.For instance, on her top 23 steps to being a Heiress she puts that you should be born into a rich and famous family. She says if you can control everything in your life, why not control which family your born into? That is really stupid...there is no way on earth that you can choose that. She talks about the simple life and everything. It is a real page turner and it's kinda addictive no matter how stupid and useless it is. It kinda reminded be of a little girl's diary, because she really just puts things that happened in a childish way.Her grammar and everything is really bad, because it's hard to get into a book whenever the things the person is saying is stupid.Hopefully, Nicole Richie's book will be better. Some people say that Nicole didn't really write hers, but I know for a fact that Paris wrote this.If she didn't, the person who DID write it must be just as ditzy as her. If I were you, I would stick to watching the Simple Life if you wanna know more about Paris Hilton. This book won't really do much for you.
This book is hot!!!!.......2007-06-12
Well, actually I'not saying this cause I'm a Paris fan, I wasn't when I read this book. It was from a cousin and I started to read the front page, and then the next, I simply couldn't stopped! I started to read the whole thing and it's one of my favorite books ever! Now I see her TV show, I have the DVD's, I haver her 3 perfumes for men, I have her record, I buy every single magazine in where she appears,'I'll buy a watch soon and can't wait for her world tour and her new stuff. She's releasing shoes, a clothing line, new handbags, jewerly, sunnies, wigs, new perfumes, OMG this gir is amazng, she's gone so far...
so haters, better start liking Paris because SHE CAME TO STAY!!!!!!
Books:
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- One Wish
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- Retire Secure!: Pay Taxes Later The Key to Making Your Money Last as Long as You Do
- Same Sex in the City: (So Your Prince Charming Is Really a Cinderella)
- Scottish Brides (Avon Historical Romance)
- Secondhand Bride (McKettrick Cowboys Trilogy #3)
- Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Volume 2 - Flashpoint (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic)
- Strategic Management and Business Policy (10th Edition)
- Taming Your Gremlin (Revised Edition): A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way
Books Index
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