Fancy Pants [Paperback]

Cathy Marie Hake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2007

Humorous historical romance from a best-selling author, ''Fancy Pants Hathwell'' tries to prove she's a ''man'' on the ranch before her true identity is discovered.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Cathy Marie Hake delivers a very good book to her readers... I would definitely recommend reading Fancy Pants." -- Julie Kornhausl, romancereaderatheart.com

"Cathy Marie Hake knows how to deliver a touching, yet amusing story with threads of inspiration woven throughout." -- Connie Payne, onceuponaromance.net

"Hake is a wonderful historical novel author." -- Diana Pederson, bellaonline.com

"Lots of fun lurks between the covers of this book...." -- Cindy Crosby, faithfulreader.com

"The humorous situations, witty dialog, and interesting characters will keep you reading right up to the end." -- Dorothy Jones, RomanceDesigns.com

"[Hake] has created characters that seem real and endearing who also live a life which is a testimony to God." -- Brenda Talley, theromancestudio.com

From the Back Cover

When "Big Tim" Creighton spies the mincing fop headed toward Forsaken Ranch, he is appalled. Thankful his boss isn't around to witness the arrival of his kin, Tim decides he'll turn "Fancy Pants" Hathwell into a man worthy of respect.

Lady Sydney Hathwell never intended to don men's attire, but when her uncle mistakenly assumed she was a male, the answer to her problems seemed clear. Her disguise as "Syd" was meant to be temporary...but the arranged marriage she's fleeing, her uncle's attitude toward the fairer sex--and her own pride--compel her to continue the guise far longer than she had intended.

When her deception is exposed, will she be forced to abandon her hopes for family...and true love?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Reprinted edition (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764203177
• ISBN-13: 978-0764203176
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #499,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrific amusing inspirational historical romance, September 7, 2007

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fancy Pants (Paperback)

In 1889 following the death of her father, Lady Sydney Hathwell, escorted by her Aunt Serena leaves England to join her American fiancé Rexall Hume in New York. However, he agrees to her insistence of an acceptable period of mourning before they marry. One year and one day later, Rexall demands they wed, but Sydney knows they do not suit.

Sydney receives a telegram from her Uncle Fuller, who was unaware he had living relatives until he got her note. He invites his nephew to live on his Forsaken Ranch in Gooding, Texas where he explained no human females reside. With Hume's unknowing help disguised as a boy she goes to the ranch. Her uncle is away and the ranch foreman widower "Big Tim" Creighton thinks his boss will be disappointed with his foppish nephew. He decides to change this "FANCY PANTS" into a real man though he also hopes to drive his lordship back across the content and ocean. Instead Lord Sydney begins to fall in love as she sees the vulnerable caring side of Big Tim, but fears once Uncle Fuller learns he has a niece he will kick her out, leaving her vulnerable to Rexall.

This is a terrific amusing inspirational historical romance. Sydney is a fabulous nephew as the ranch hands led by Big Tim struggle to toughen up the girly boy going so far as to take her to a brothel. Big Tim in many ways is the more interesting protagonist as he began to fall in love with her when she was an English sissy. The story line is intelligent and fun to read because Hume is not a nasty villain as he persists in marrying Sydney although she rejects them as unsuited (could his story be next?). Cathy Marie Hake has written a droll late nineteenth century tale that sub-genre readers will cherish.

Harriet Klausner

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Dissapointing, July 2, 2008

By 

H. L. Fisher - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fancy Pants (Paperback)

*Some Spoilers*
I really wanted to like Fancy Pants as I think that the premise has the promise of a great read. However I was terribly disappointed.
Lady Sydney is an unaffecting and unsympathetic character whose ruse is carried out farther then necessary or probable for a woman of her time. She is waiting to reach her "age of majority" yet I was surprised to find that she is 17 waiting for 18 not 20 waiting for 21 as it most defiantly would have been for that time period. Through the beginning of the book I found her to be ridiculously naïve for her supposed advanced education, making foolish assumptions and basing her impulsive decisions on them. By the end of the book I didn't find that she had improved or grown in many ways at all even though she wrestles with being a sinner and the idea of forgiveness and ultimately accepts salvation.
Big Tim really confuses me. We see ghosts of his background that we are supposed to connect to but are never fully developed; they could be powerful touchstones to explain who he is but fall flat. Tim's attitudes and actions are puzzling; he dislikes Sydney instantly and sets about to pound her into manhood, next we find him in a fury upon discovery of Sydney's true identity, suddenly he is leading her to Christ then before we know it he is thoroughly and possessively in love with her and on the way to the alter. For a man who is a respected Christian member of the community- loved by all- he comes off to me as angry, obstinate and undesirable marriage material.
The conclusion of the story and developing romance is positively rushed; the much anticipated arrival of Sydney's uncle is conspicuously lacking and the triumph over lurking evil simplistic, insufficient and anticlimactic.
Throughout Fancy Pants I was thrown out of the story by the plentiful anachronisms, words, phrases, facts and ideas that are out of place for their time. Most would say that it is a little thing and can be ignored but for me it was jarring as was the text arrangement and lack of page breaks. Overall I believe Fancy Pants could have been better written and plotted with warmer characters and believable events.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fancy Pants takes you on an adventure, September 4, 2007

By 

M. Baker "www.wovenbywords.blogspot.com" (MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fancy Pants (Paperback)

Sydney chooses to go a different path than society would deem proper. She heads to her uncle's farm and from the moment she reaches it, she has to prove to the rest of the cowboys she's man enough for the job. She meets Tim who runs the farm in her uncle's absence. He's prepared to make a man out of her and the fun begins! When Sydney's secret is revealed, it's an adventure to find out who's more stubborn Tim or Sydney.

Cathy has done it again. As you read this story you will find yourself laughing out loud. She seems to have an amazing grasp on the male mind and uses Sydney to reveal that to us. Women should be such good studies of how men think. Cathy also has done a lot of research into what life was like back in the Wild West and it shows through in her writing.

This is a book that was hard to put down and was able to be read in a couple days!!