Customer Reviews

How I Met My Countess

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

 

 

I'm a romance novel addict even at my advanced age, so I've got a lot of books under my "have read that" belt. And I have read just about every romance written by Elizabeth Boyle and each time wonder why I did it. Doesn't say much for my learning curve, but there's always something about each book that I like and makes me think that the next one will be even better. The problem for me is that the Boyle heroines have too much 21st-century freedom and are full of modern-day sensibilities and actions. This new young heroine trains spies, is an expert at picking locks, breaking spy codes, cheating at cards, understanding foreign terrain and dealing out a mean uppercut. Not that these are usual activities for a 21st-century woman, but it would be even less likely for a 19th-century female. She is also illegitimate, from the lower classes, and at the end of the book ends up married to an earl. So to enjoy this book, one must suspend logic and just go with the story, enjoying the romance and the fairy-tale ending it is bound to have. I believe a younger reader will enjoy this much more than I did.

At times I like to read an "uncharacteristic" romance, and Boyle is one to turn to. However, this effort is beyond poor. Really, most of her recent efforts have had me shaking my head. I enjoyed "Love Letters from a Duke," it was silly, unrealistic, but made me laugh, and sometimes I need that. But this story does not make you laugh - and laughter is all Boyle's novels have to recommend them, which I think says it all - do not bother.

I love romances - I read tons of them, but I find myself really confused by the glowing reviews for this book. I couldn't like the male lead - man I can't even remember his name- yikes. I kept thinking, if this guy loves and respects her, why is he moving so fast? I mean really - their first kiss he is groping her like a drunken frat boy. Ugh. Love is more than sex - and I just never saw the love part well developed here. That and the spy stuff was just silly - the father was supposed to be the "spy trainer" but somehow it's delegated to his daugher who he supposedly loves and wants to protect, but sends her around unchaperoned with a bunch of rowdy men, hmm. I was actually reminded a lot of the Johanna Lindsey books I loved when I was 13 - but as a grown woman, I need something a bit deeper.

How I Met My Countess by Elizabeth Boyle
Avon, 2010
345 pages
Romance; Historical; Series
4/5 stars

I've never read a romance that had so many chapters set in the past but it's necessary in order to fully tell the love story of Lucy and Clifton (His name appears to actually be Justin Grey but he's never called that.) Seven years earlier, he and his brother Malcolm arrived at her father's home to be inducted in to the world of spies. Along the way, they fall in love. But Lucy is illegitimate and Clifton is an earl so her father tried to manage her expectations. Seven years later she is widowed after marrying in desperation and thinking Clifton had forsaken her. He in turn believes her to have been untrue.

I really loved Lucy, a vibrant and exciting woman. She has a mean right hook and a tart tongue She did not seem of her time but I didn't mind. I was less enthused about Clifton, mostly because he was sometimes too intent on dominating her. He also has trust issues (see Spoiler). But he is genuinely heroic, having faithfully served England as a spy all these years.

SPOILER: I don't believe this is really a spoiler but better safe than sorry. Mickey is obviously Lucy's nephew and Clifton's as well for while Clifton hearts Lucy, his brother Malcolm loves her sister. But when Clifton meets Mickey, he jumps to the ludicrous conclusion that Lucy and Malcolm had produced the child.

I believe this marks the start of what I'm calling the Lady Standon series as Lucy, Elinor, and Minerva are all called by that name. They all married men they didn't love and this is now their chance to get their happily ever after. Check out Elizabeth Boyle's website for more info.

One interesting aspect is toward the end where Lucy takes a rather philosophical approach to life that such a thing had to happen in order for other things to happen. The second book, featuring Elinor, is also set up.

My big problem with this book is how problems cropped up and were quickly dispensed with. There were a lot of problems but they never lasted for long. However I liked that the couple were pretty much always in love and were eager to resume their relationship after those misunderstandings were cleared.

This is all set in Elizabeth Boyle's Regency World with references to spymaster Pymm, spy Temple (hero of my beloved Stealing the Bride), and Felicity Langley (from Love Letters from a Duke) in a rather unsympathetic portrayal. There are also two hilarious dowagers who come to help the Lady Standons remarry and who will hopefully be in the next two books.

Overall: A perhaps too fast-paced romance spy novel with an amazing heroine from the ever-delightful Elizabeth Boyle.

Cover: Why hello Miss Cleavage-pretty necklace!

This is the 6th book in the Bachelor Chronicles series.

While this can be a stand alone book, it helps the reader to read the other books in the series. Please be aware that this review may contain spoilers.

The book is about Lucy Ellyson Sterling, Lady Standon. Lucy has know Justin Grey, Earl of Clifton for several years. Lucy's father was a spy for England and he later trained men to become spies in an effort to defeat Napoleon.

Justin and his brother Malcolm were just to of the people that Lucy's father trained. But then Lucy and her sister Mariana also help to train the men to become spies.

Justin and Lucy fall in love. But of course you probably knew that would happen. But then Ms. Boyle has taken this a few steps further. Directly after Justin takes Lucy's innocence he is ordered to the coast to start his new career.

Lucy tried to follow Justin in his new career but all she gets to read is the reports. She does not get to see him nor does she know that he has been sending her a flower with each mission report.

Lucy's father and sister die in a fever that moves through the village. She is now homeless and is offered marriage to Archie. Someone she does not like very well but what is she to do.

Lucy marries Archie but he does not live long after the marriage. Lucy and Justin meet again on the steps at the Brook Street house in London. Justin is trying to contact Lady Standon but unknown to him Lucy is also Lady Standon.

While this book takes the reader back in time several times it is very interesting and Ms. Boyle has written a very good book. It will help the reader if they would stop and read the previous books in the series before starting this book or any of the other books that come after this.

This book starts off well, dropping the reader into an intriguing situation as we meet a woman with major problems. 20 pages in, that plotline is put on hold as the story jumps back seven years for over 150 pages of back story. While plenty of things happened in the back story, I found it tedious and wondered when we'd get back to the main story. After a while I started skimming, and didn't feel like I missed anything. This was partly because I already knew the end result of the back story, given what we'd learned in the opening pages. That reduced the tension that might have been there if we'd simply started with the back story, and then jumped ahead. I'm sure the author/publisher wanted to "start with a bang," but in this case I think it backfired.

Other than that, the story was an enjoyable read. It's fun to see how old lovers circle around each other, especially when they have secrets.

The story is about an illegitimate daughter of a cockney pick pocket and a promiscuous Italian Countess who ran away from an abusive husband. The story is just silly really and the historical reality low. Boyle does write well and hence three stars. But I could not get into this. The Romance was mediocre and for me did not ring true. The hero's lack of communication over the years does not ring true. I liked the three widows set up and maybe a romance based on their adventures would have been more fun. There are glimmers of humour. This is the first book I have read from this author I think but I sense this is not among her best. She does have a good syle and would probably build a funny and entertaining novel in with the right story.

This book is the perfect example of why I feel in love with reading historical romance novels. It is a true love story, filled with sexual tension, intriguing characters, and passion. I actually read this in one sitting - I couldn't tear myself away from Lucy and Clifton's story.

Over the past few years, I have been disappointed with many of the books that have come my way... so many overused storylines, so many flat, sterotyped characters (heck, most publishers can't even come up with original TITLES for their books these days). I was losing faith that historical/Regency romance was even worth reading anymore. But books like this give me hope that there are still writers out there who can keep this genre alive. Thank you, Ms. Boyle, for writing this wonderful story.

I like Elizabeth Boyle but this book isn't as good as ealier ones for me. I thought it started out strong with great characters but when it went back in time to the character's meeting, it lost something and never recovered my interest. I really liked the three Standons and wish more time had been spent in dialogue between them.

I am a huge fan of romance novels, and a huge fan of Elizabeth Boyle's, which is why I was so disappointed in this particular story. While nobody is claiming that romance novels are supposed to be true to life, the plot should at least be fleshed out fully. There was absolutely NO conflict resolution in this book. Every problem was solved in a hurried, weak manner, and far too quickly. It almost seemed like this book was the outline of another, as yet unwritten, book. Too much time was spent on the back story and not nearly enough on what was supposed to be the main story! This had the potential to be great, but instead was weak, rushed and too pat for my taste.