Customer Reviews

Lady Delafont's Dilemma (Zebra Regency Romance)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I just finished Lady Delafont's Dilemma, and I really liked it. I thought it was a great portrayal of the way two people who love each other, and have hurt each other badly, can still heal themselves and their relationship. Emily, like a lot of women, still loved the husband she split from despite their problems, but time has given her a new perspective. She has matured over the years she and Delafont have been apart. What I liked best was that the people seem so real! They mess up, get angry, say things they don't mean, but it doesn't stop them from loving each other, and I found myself really rooting for them to get back together. I didn't think Emily was a wimp at all for wanting her husband back. She dealt with her own temptation, and she didn't just lay down like a whiny victim or act like his doormat. That was what her husband noticed first, was that she had regained her old fire, the spirit that had been sapped out of her by their problems. I won't divulge here why the Delafont's really broke up - it's kind of an important plot line, but it really has nothing to do with him thinking she is unfaithful or vice versa. The real reason is complicated, but realistic. It happens all the time, and I'll only say it has to do with how people make assumptions and blame each other without understanding all the facts of a case or what is in their spouse's mind. I have to say, I was rooting for the Delafonts. Their physical attraction to each other was well-handled, and the steps they had to take, the grudges against each other they had to release, was true to life. In all, I thought it was a realistic and sensitive portrayal of the give and take it requires to fix a badly damaged marriage. After all, neither one of them is perfect, they're human. If they were perfect, they never would have broken up in the first place. I read Lord St. Claire's Angel, too, and thought this was a good follow-up given that Emily is a more mature heroine with a troubled, broken marriage, which is explained in the first book. If I have any trouble with this book, it is that maybe they are all just a little too civil toward each other - the mistress, Emily and Delafont - but it is not out of keeping with the way the characters are developed. I liked the book. It is a little more complex than Simpson's first, and maybe that is a bad thing in some people's eyes, but a little variety never hurt. I look forward to the last book in the series. I hope it ties up the Delafont's story line, finally. I would recommend Lady Delafont for anyone who really wants to get into the characters in a book. I thought the secondary characters were great too.

In my opinion LADY DELAFONT'S DILEMMA is definitely a 5 star keeper. A sequel to Donna Simpson's LORD ST. CLAIRE'S ANGEL it tells the story of Lady Emily Delafont, aunt to the heroine of previously mention book. Why did I rate it five stars? #1 - It has a wonderfully diverse and fully developed cast of characters. #2 - It is a touching tale of how young love shadowed by doubts, assumptions and miscommunication falls by the wayside only to re-emerge later stronger and better for the adversity it has been through. #3 - It didn't take until the last page for the hero and heroine to realize they still cared for each other, even though they still had trials and misunderstandings to work through. #4 - It has an overweight heroine who is portrayed as beautiful AND desirable and (shock) she doesn't lose the weight by the end of the book! (Superficial I know but a nice change nonetheless.) And #5 - Last but definitely not the least, LADY DELAFONT'S DILEMMA has a wonderful epilogue. I love epilogues as I feel they tie the story together and this epilogue is very touching and left me feeling very satisfied. I could go on and on but I just wanted to let readers know that if they are looking for a touching, romantic story about love and the growth it goes through they shouldn't pass up this book.

I don't usually read Regency romance novels, but I really liked this one. The heroine,Emily, was a plus-size woman separated from her husband. She was overweight, but was comfortable with her body and still had men chasing after her. Her husband, Baxter, loved her always and thinks she is even more beautiful than ever. Even though the love scenes were tame, the sexual tension was good and the characters had such great love for each other that I didn't notice a lack of detailed love scenes.
If you enjoy this book, Lady May's Folly, should be read after this one. It talks about the characters May and Etienne who in this book stand out and the author makes the reader want to get to know them better. Nice read.

I was truly disappointed. I enjoyed Emily's character in the first book, but she did not hold my interest here. I did not think her a worthy heroine. And her husband truly did not deserve the title as hero. Both characters were very wimpy and the misunderstanding was just stupid. And why did her husband's mistress have such a strong presence? I think that just takes away from the romance of the book.

I was really disappointed with this book. I had enjoyed the first book so much and was really looking forward to reading Lady Delafont's story. What a letdown! I know that married couples can grow estranged because of a lack of communication, but this story was a bit of much. Did none of the more sympathetic relatives/friends never think of stepping in and shaking this couple (esp the husband). The only justification I can find for this story is that it seems to serve as a conduit to the next installment. Lady May, a character that crops quite prominently in the first two novels, is I believe to be the main character in the next book. And as she has proved to be a more interesting character than Lady Delafont, I will probably wait to read the next book, and hope that the story is worthy of the lady.

I have recently finished reading "Lady Delafont's Dilemma" and enjoyed it immensely. I was very surprised by the impressions expressed by the other reader and felt compelled to write a review myself.

Personally, I found all of the characters in this book to be very engaging and real. Neither of the main characters (Emily and Baxter Delafont), are perfect, and both are guilty of allowing misunderstandings and assumptions to come between them.

Throughout the story, they each struggle with their feelings for one another, their own insecurities, and with the mostly imaginary conflicts which they have allowed to tear them apart through a lack of communication.

Fortunately for them, they lived in a time when divorce was almost unheard of and were therefore inevitably forced to attempt to have a civil relationship with one another. This eventually lead them to reexamine the motives behind their separation and seriously evaluate their true feelings for one another.

The underlying plotlines this author seems to effortlessly weave into her stories also kept me turning the pages, wondering what would happen next.

In closing, I look forward to Ms. Simpson's next book, as I'm sure I will enjoy it as much as I have both "Lord St. Clair's Angel" and "Lady Delafont's Dilemma". Keep up the great work!

I really enjoyed Donna Simpson's follow up book, Lady Delafont's Dilemma. The characters were real and believable, not shallow and too perfect like some romances I have read. I especially enjoyed the ways the plot developed into a mystery surrounding the strange young Frenchman. (I don't want to let out any secrets). I found that I couldn't put this novel down. I had to keep reading to see what happened next. The storyline was excellent and portrayed how a misunderstanding could break up even a loving couple but also how love could overcome this in the end. I have been an avid reader for 40 years and would recommend this novel. It has become a permenant addition to my bookshelves. Lord st. Claire's Angel, the first novel, was also excellent and is on my shelf as well. Bravo to Donna Simpson! Keep writing your wonderful books...I am looking forward to the next one. Sincerely- a fan from Ontario, Canada

Donna Simpson is turning into one of my favorite authors. I've read Lady Savage and Lord St. Clair's Angel by her and really enjoyed them. The heroine in this story, Emily, is the Aunt of Celestine in Lord St. Clair's Angel. The fact that she has been separated from her husband for 5 years is mentioned in that book though you needn't read it to enjoy this book (though I HIGHLY recommend it).


It's a sign of great writing that this author could take several subjects that I normally hate to read about-love triangle, separation, and adultery, but still write an engaging, moving, and in my opinion, very romantic/highly sensual story. I love that the couple-who are in their thirties and forties, are written with the normal aging we all go through (graying hair, gaining a few pounds, not as active as we once were) but they are still desirable to each other, others and still want sex! LOL! We don't stop wanting it just because we age:)


I also applaud the author for having a male friend of the couple, who plays matchmaker to get them back together, who is witty and heroic, and well loved by his friends, who is also Gay. It is approached with sensitivity and heart and leaves the reader wanting to know how Sylvester Lessington's story finishes-I wonder if we ever find out in another book?


A great Regency-so good I had to hurry and read the last book in the trilogy, Lady May's Folly, next!
5 stars.

I bought this book on the strength of the first book. I enjoyed the first book very much but this book was very disappointing. The plot was extremely weak; it was the basis of the misunderstanding. How could this misunderstanding drive a couple apart who claims to be so much in love and serve as an obstacle for such a long time? Five years. Anyway, I didn't enjoy it much. I only hope the next one is more realistic.

While it seems that most romance novels, especially regencies, have one or two misunderstandings in the book to keep the central romantic couple apart, this book was just unending with the misunderstanding. For a couple to be so in love and not even discuss the situation in some fashion was just plain silly. And as a reader, very frustrating. And why did not any of the other people milling around in the story step in? It just did not work. Page after page it just baffled me that they were separated and for what? It just turned me off to the whole story.