The Bachelor List (Duncan Sisters Trilogy) [Kindle Edition]

Jane Feather (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in London in 1906, Feather's latest (after Venus) touches on a topic that is near and dear to many romance readers' hearts-women's right to vote. Constance Duncan, the eldest of three headstrong sisters, throws down the gauntlet to handsome member of Parliament Max Ensor when she declares that women's suffrage is the driving force of her existence. In return, Max makes no bones of his opinion that women shouldn't vote, a stance firmly backed by his powerful friends. When Max and Constance's prickly verbal battles flare into hotly sexual encounters, both seize the chance to do behind the scenes (or beneath the covers) scouting for their respective parties, even as they wonder what falling in love with the enemy will do to their careers. Though Feather's story stumbles out of the starting gate, it hits a smooth roll when the couple's duels ignite. Constance's sneaky maneuverings, however, undermine her credibility, and the sisters' tendency to think that women who don't demand the vote are merely mindless sheep makes them seem shallow rather than sympathetic. All in all, Feather's attempt to illuminate women's struggles in early 20th-century London is laudable, but many readers will end this tale with doubts that the protagonists' happy ending will be everlasting.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Perennial favorite Feather embarks on a new trilogy, adding a sweeter tone to her sensual writing. Constance Duncan and her two sisters are trying to manage household funds as their father's spendthrift ways threaten their late-nineteenth-century social status. In order to make money, the sisters secretly write a newspaper and start a matchmaking service for wealthy Londoners. Constance uses the gossipy newspaper as a forum for her suffragette cause, attracting the attention of Max Ensor, a newly elected member of Parliament. He has antiquated ideas about women, and suspects that Constance is involved with the women's movement. He hopes to use her as entree to the group, while Constance sees him as someone she can sway and use to support her cause. What neither of them counts on is the immediate and very physical attraction between them. In her latest wonderful romance, Feather enriches the genre with her entertaining look at the precarious position women were in before securing civil rights. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 473 KB
• Print Length: 368 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0553586181
• Publisher: Bantam (February 3, 2004)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FC0ZC6
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,879 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars novel failed to meet my expectations, February 7, 2004

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bachelor List (Mass Market Paperback)

Set at the beginning of the 1900s, "Bachelor List" is the first installment in a trilogy that focuses on the exploits of the unconventional Duncan sisters who own (secretly) a women's newspaper the "Mayfair Lady." The sisters are all members of Society so that their reputations would be ruined if anyone were to ever learn about their involvement with a newspaper that is slightly radical in tone and that discusses politics and campaigns actively for women's suffrage. Busy with putting out the newspaper, running their newly formed matchmaking enterprise, and trying desperately to keep their family finances afloat, the sisters have no time for romance. But all this is about to change. First up is eldest sister, Constance Duncan's story. Constance's heart was broken when her fiance was killed in battle at Mafeking, and she thinks that she's put all thoughts of romance behind her. That is until she decides to cross verbal swords with politician Max Ensor. He, of course, views all suffragettes as troublemakers, and suspecting that Constance is a member of the Suffrage Movement, has decided to use her in order to discover what these rabble rousers are up to; while Constance has decided to see if she can manipulate Max into seeing things her way. What neither of them counted on was the instant and compelling attraction that each would feel for the other, or on how this attraction would impact on their differing political agendas...

Unfortunately for me, "Bachelor List" failed to live up to it's promise. The book was actually structured around a rather novel and interesting premises: a trio of intelligent and resourceful sisters who are passionately devoted to furthering the cause of women's suffrage and how they try to achieve their goals using cloak and dagger methods because of all the hostility that much of Society has for the suffrage movement. But the authour failed to develop this theme adequately enough for me. (Perhaps I expect too much?) Max behaved in a condescending manner towards Constance from start to finish, which really put me off him; and while Constance did flash her eyes at him everytime he said something stupid, she also let him get away with far too much in my book. Max didn't believe in women's suffrage at the beginning of the book, and doesn't really change his mind or stand about this issue by the time the book ends. And while this was a daring approach for a romance novel, what I had banked on was for him to realise how wrong he was and change. As it stood, I was left wondering as to whether or not Max and Constance would be able to work through their political differences. And truth to tell it wouldn't at all be difficult to forsee a not so happily ever-after ending in the future if one character doesn't have a change of heart soon.

But my main disappointment with the book was that I really wanted to read a ROMANTIC novel -- not one about fervent sexual and sensual need -- but one about the meeting of minds and souls. I didn't really think that this was achieved in this novel at all. But that's just my take on things.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, October 10, 2005

By 

Janice Davis "Book Enthusiast" (Urbandale IA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bachelor List (Mass Market Paperback)

I really loved this book. The first page hooked me and I was a goner from there. Constance, Prudence, and Chastity are very well-developed characters that make you feel as if you know them personally. The story is very good with secret newspapers, self-indulgent papas, and a rather explosive relationship with a parliment member. I rather good read. I enjoyed every minute.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i really liked it, April 17, 2005

By 

ella-lynne "ella-lyne" (australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bachelor List (Mass Market Paperback)

i had an overkill of romances and stopped reading them for a while in favour of biographies when i picked up The Bachelor List- it was fantastic after all that serious reading it was fun and fabulous.. quite a few people didn't seem to like, but to me, it was the perfect thing on a lazy afternoon or a stressful day at work- perfect!