Customer Reviews

Escapade

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The heroine Ella Fairmont is a bookworm and has a super secret identity as Miss Prattle, the gossip columnist for the Morning Observor. She is not high in the aristocracy, nor is she wildly beautiful, or considered terribly outgoing with broad interests. However, a lovingly scheming aunt gets them invited to a week long houseparty at The Duke of Clare's country estate. This event is widely considered to be the time that he, the most eligible bachelor in England, will make his
decision of marriage partner. Three of the young ladies who have been invited are believed to be the ones whom he favors. Miss Fairmont is not on the shortlist. The Duke of Clare is and has been the main target of the witty but sharp pen of Miss Prattle from early on in her career. Now the fun really begins.

The humor and quirky characterizations has drawn me to revisit this story time and again. Jewels, beautiful gowns, candlelit ballrooms, a palace...oh and the quiet, but fun bookworm gets the guy.

: No one knew young Ella Fairmont was miss Prattle-the notorious London gossip columnist. The main object of Miss Prattle's attention was Patrick Beresford, Duke of Clare-the most sought-after and talked-about bachelor town. She quoted every indiscreet thing he said. Now a weeklong houseparty at Clare's country estate would yield a lot of spicy talk to write about the arrogant nobleman. Ella never suspected there was another side to Patrick. Quite unexpectedly she found herself falling in love with him. Now no one must ever find out that Ella wrote those horrid things. Though it was getting harder and harder to keep the secret...

The book captures your attention from the first page and doesn't let go until the last. The characters are strong and likeable. I really enjoyed this book and have read it many, many times. If you can get a copy of it, it would be well worth the effort.

Previous two reviewers have done a good job on describing the book so I will not repeat it here. But I do also like to add that Ms. Smith has done it again--The book was intelligent, the bantering was lively, witty and humorous; it also gave an insightful analysis of human behavior. I really credit this to the writer. Well done, Ms. Smith. I also enjoyed the book cover, eventhough it was not quite in the book.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST JOAN SMITH REGENCIES THAT I READ. I WAS ON THE VERGE OF FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE REGENCY ROMANCE AND THIS WAS THE TURNING POINT. I READ THIS BOOK AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PERIOD AND THE AUTHOR. I CAN TRULY SAY THAT THIS IS MY FAVORITE REGENCY. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THAT COUNTRY HOUSE AND WAS THE GHOST IN THE CORNER WATCHING EVERYTHING TRANSPIRE. IT WAS HILARIOUS TO ME. I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN A REVIEW OF A BOOK ON AMAZON, BUT I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AND JUST FOUND IT AGAIN IN THE KINDLE STORE, ALONG WITH 11 OTHERS. I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A KINDLE AND LOVE IT. ANYWAY, I BOUGHT EVERYTHING THEY HAD FROM JOAN SMITH. EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN OPINION AND THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WOULD NOT AGREE WITH MY OPINION. THE GREAT THING ABOUT AMERICA IS, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, VOICE YOUR OPINION AS I HAVE MINE. I LOVED IT. I HOPE SHE WRITES FOREVER, CUZ I WILL SURE BE BUYING HER WORK UNTIL I CROAK.

I was hooked on Heyer a few months ago and have been reading her so voraciously that I feared I was coming to the end of her list of works. Then Amazon suggested this book by Ms. Smith and >phew< I am safe for a while! This novel is every bit as clever, well-written and engaging as Heyer's best. Plus it has a bit more 'modern' sensibility which may be pleasing to today's readers. Escapade has delightful settings, an engaging heroine, and truly entertaining supporting characters. I can't wait to go download my next Smith novel - and I'm so pleased to see that she's written over 100! I should be set for a while now. Highly recommended!

My Kindle suggested this book, I am assuming based on my history with Georgette Heyer books. I think it is fair to say that this particular book was similar in style (not just the era) to Heyer's works. It was extremely entertaining- a fun, lighthearted book!

When a young woman is sent to find a husband in London (for the second season), she sets her cap instead at writing for a gossip column, annonymously. Mere gossip turns into scorn of the ton's wasteful ways. Soon, most of her "daggers" are aimed at one of the ton's elite, a handsome and seemingly unfeeling man. Her success at maintaining her guise is that she is an easy person to forget (her person, not her words)- no one thinks much of her after seeing her. That is until she finds herself one of a small party to this gentleman's country seat. She singlehandedly turns a dull week into a lively one, planning such things as a toad race, a knight tournament, and a wonderfully spooky ghostly ghastly ball.

My favorite part of this story is how the romance unfolds (or doesn't unfold). I won't give that up. Perhaps her secret will be too much for the hero to overlook...

I have to believe that author Jean Smith is a very interesting character herself, the sort of person you'd like to meet personally sometime. This lady has a great sense of humor that subtly appears in the characters she developes as the story progresses. Her underlying story line is nothing new to regency romance novels in that a social nobody of a young lady inadvertently wins the heart of a duke who she despises even though he is regarded as the most desirable marital target in the land by the mamas of the ton. I recommend that readers pay close attention to the dialogue, especially the words put into the mouths of the three young ladies seeking to be chosen by the duke to become his wife. Very well done. In my opinion the story would make a great movie. I give it five stars.f

The plain Miss Pruella Fairmont has had a another unsuccessful London season. She begins to write anonymously in a gossip column as Miss Prattle. At 21 she now begins to write about Patrick, the Duke of Clare. The handsome duke is most soughtafter bachelor.
He is everything she despises, frivolous with his wealth, arrogant etc..

Since she is staying her aunt Lady Sara, a dear friend of of dukes, they get invited to his country home after his close friend is attracted to Ella.

The house party has an interesting cast. There are three other debutantes who are invited and try to win his affection. The boring but well respected Lady Honor, the beautiful Miss Sheridan and the very talented Miss Prentiss. Of course their mothers are present but play minor roles in the book.

Joan Smith is a new author to me. I came across her book as a recommendation on my Kindle.
The dialogue is entertaining, funny and witty. Clean romance. Can't wait to get started reading her other books!

I purchased this book based on the other readers' excellent reviews, happily expecting to discover a modern-day Georgette Heyer. Well - my expectations might have been too high, but I just couldn't relate to this story or to that author. The hero and heroine are immature and their personalities sketchy (to say the least). There is no apparent reason why the heroin, who remained "on the shelf" for years suddenly turns to become the life and soul of any party and so raises the interest of the hero. And how credible is it that the hero should not be strong-willed enough to repell the badly brought-up father of a marriageable daughter who gets drunk and hints at a marriage AT THE DINNER TABLE ?? What kind of a hero is he, to feel harrassed and hunted instead of just saying "no" ? Come on! Really, the characters are not especially likeable - and the story is much, much too long. I had to fast-forward at some points to get through it.

Other issue : the book is sadly lacking in historical credibility. Although the novel is supposed to be Regency, there is little demonstration of real research, and it belongs to the type of book that introduces modern-day characters, with modern-day preoccupations (and language), dressed as Regency people. It just does not fit. An heroin who says "You are welcome" when someone thanks her does NOT sound like a regency lady. And can you imagine that an unmarried girl could go alone for hours first with one, then with three single men and all throw stones together in a pond, and not be compromised ? Interspersing the story with "Deuce" and "ain't" and "lud" is not sufficient to create the right atmosphere - and the more the story develops, the more awkward this feeling becomes. Enough. I erased this title from my Kindle and will not try any other by that author.

I couldn't get past the first quarter of this book. Didn't like the characters at all . They were very shallow and not particularly likeable. Don't waste your money.