Description
#1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey
blends passion and humor in a dazzling Regency-era novel in which a
disastrous debutante becomes the toast of the town with a little help
from a friend of the Prince Regent’s.
Threatened by powerful enemies, William Blackburn, Earl of Ketterham, lives in exile in the Scottish Highlands with his daughter Vanessa. When she comes of age William urges her to return to her mother in England to make her debut. Raised with all the advantages and freedom a boy would have, Vanessa doubts she can fit into the mold of a proper young lady. Still, she agrees to re-enter fashionable society, determined to end the vendetta against her father, never imagining the high price she will have to pay.
Lord Montgomery Townsend enjoys living on the edge, courting danger as he fixes potentially scandalous problems for the Prince Regent. While hiding out at the home of the Countess of Ketterham, Monty watches a disaster-in-the-making as his hostess tries to prepare her estranged daughter for a match with the pompous son of a powerful family. Puzzled as to why independent-minded Vanessa submits to being turned into a puppet and wants to marry the arrogant rogue, Monty nonetheless steps in to make her dreams come true. But no good deed goes unpunished and soon he faces more pressing problems, including the temptation to upend Vanessa’s wedding plans so he can marry her himself! AMAZON 3 STARS
I enjoyed the time that Vanessa was given with her father. It freed her up so much to be herself and not all the rigid society rules of her mother. I also liked the fact that Vanessa or Nessa as she was often called had the gumption to run away with her father. Not that he knew at first that she had smuggled herself aboard with him. It was pretty bold at any time but for her young age it was even more courageous.
I hate to say it but her mother was a twit. But then maybe it was also the way that she was raised without the tools to really think much for herself. When Nessa gets more of the facts from her mother about being part of the reason William got exiled? She promptly nails her mother with what she would have done in her position. Astonishment was part of her mother's response. She never thought of those very reasonable ideas. Duh. I also didn't like that she was practically selling Nessa in order to get her family back together. How did she think her husband was going to thank her for that? What is this woman thinking???
I liked Monty because although he has been branded a rake, he does have honor. He is also charming, likable and responsible. The "friendship" between the him and Nessa was also fun to listen to. I liked that he wasn't as bad as he was painted. BUT, he was also kind of careless when the two of them had their "moments" together.
Two other characters that Monty was trying to hide also provided some interesting times along with a surprise or two towards the end.
Nessa's twin sisters also added some to the story especially Emily. Who was more aggressive of the twins. She was more like Nessa but she also had some issues she needed to deal with too. Layla, the other twin was so much the peacemaker that she would have been invisible without her beauty.
While I enjoyed the story, I also felt it was a bit too long and kind of dragged at a point or two. Maybe nobody else felt that way but I was just wanting it to move on. Which when it finally did, came up with those surprises I mentioned and a good ending. Looking for a H.E.A.? Yes, there is one.
On a final note I thought the eBook cover was attractive.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Threatened by powerful enemies, William Blackburn, Earl of Ketterham, lives in exile in the Scottish Highlands with his daughter Vanessa. When she comes of age William urges her to return to her mother in England to make her debut. Raised with all the advantages and freedom a boy would have, Vanessa doubts she can fit into the mold of a proper young lady. Still, she agrees to re-enter fashionable society, determined to end the vendetta against her father, never imagining the high price she will have to pay.
Lord Montgomery Townsend enjoys living on the edge, courting danger as he fixes potentially scandalous problems for the Prince Regent. While hiding out at the home of the Countess of Ketterham, Monty watches a disaster-in-the-making as his hostess tries to prepare her estranged daughter for a match with the pompous son of a powerful family. Puzzled as to why independent-minded Vanessa submits to being turned into a puppet and wants to marry the arrogant rogue, Monty nonetheless steps in to make her dreams come true. But no good deed goes unpunished and soon he faces more pressing problems, including the temptation to upend Vanessa’s wedding plans so he can marry her himself! AMAZON 3 STARS
I enjoyed the time that Vanessa was given with her father. It freed her up so much to be herself and not all the rigid society rules of her mother. I also liked the fact that Vanessa or Nessa as she was often called had the gumption to run away with her father. Not that he knew at first that she had smuggled herself aboard with him. It was pretty bold at any time but for her young age it was even more courageous.
I hate to say it but her mother was a twit. But then maybe it was also the way that she was raised without the tools to really think much for herself. When Nessa gets more of the facts from her mother about being part of the reason William got exiled? She promptly nails her mother with what she would have done in her position. Astonishment was part of her mother's response. She never thought of those very reasonable ideas. Duh. I also didn't like that she was practically selling Nessa in order to get her family back together. How did she think her husband was going to thank her for that? What is this woman thinking???
I liked Monty because although he has been branded a rake, he does have honor. He is also charming, likable and responsible. The "friendship" between the him and Nessa was also fun to listen to. I liked that he wasn't as bad as he was painted. BUT, he was also kind of careless when the two of them had their "moments" together.
Two other characters that Monty was trying to hide also provided some interesting times along with a surprise or two towards the end.
Nessa's twin sisters also added some to the story especially Emily. Who was more aggressive of the twins. She was more like Nessa but she also had some issues she needed to deal with too. Layla, the other twin was so much the peacemaker that she would have been invisible without her beauty.
While I enjoyed the story, I also felt it was a bit too long and kind of dragged at a point or two. Maybe nobody else felt that way but I was just wanting it to move on. Which when it finally did, came up with those surprises I mentioned and a good ending. Looking for a H.E.A.? Yes, there is one.
On a final note I thought the eBook cover was attractive.
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