An Infamous Proposal [Large Print] [Paperback]

Joan Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

"Fans of Joan Smith's books know they're in for rich amusement."

--Rendezvous



SHE DESIRED NOTHING MORE THAN A BIDDABLE HUSBAND. . . .



Emma, having gone at seventeen directly from her papa's home to her husband's arms, is now widowed at age twenty-two--and quite naive in the ways of the world: in particular, how to find herself another match!



Thus, she proposes to Lord Hansard, eyeing him as a husband who would let her enjoy her freedom and discourage the presence of interfering relatives. His blunt refusal is both surprising . . . and oddly disappointing.



Nick, however, has taken it upon himself to procure a suitable man for this outrageous miss, though none of the candidates are nearly as qualified as . . . well, himself. Thus Emma begins to suspect that when it comes to a decent proposal, even a gentleman has the right to change his mind. . . .

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Emma Capehart was widowed over a year ago at age twenty. Her father wishes to send her crotchety aunt Hildegarde to be her new live-in chaperone. Emma is ready to go on with her life. She wants to avoid her aunt's moving in, so she jumps back into the social scene with gusto. Nicholas Arden had been a friend of Emma and her late husband. The dashing bachelor's warmth to her in the past had led Emma to believe he would be open to a relationship with her. However, Emma throws away whatever chance she might have had with him -- she proposes to him the first time she sees him after the prescribed mourning period is over! Nick is shocked at her boldness; his Marry you ? echoes painfully in her heart. Nick does esteem Emma, however. He offers to help Emma evaluate her suitors' suitability, and she accepts. He arranges for her to meet new eligible fellows, including his cousin, Lord Philmore. Emma's father makes his own stringent standards for Emma's new love very clear. Or perhaps a Season in London would enable her to find a worthy prospect? Between Emma's feelings and Nick's judgment, it's not clear that any of the first several gentlemen Emma sees will do. Nick's new role gives Emma and Nick the opportunity to become re-acquainted under the changed circumstances of her being unmarried. Having gotten to know her assets and her needs better, Nick realizes who is the perfect man for her, and he's right under their noses. Joan Smith's storytelling is smooth -- she's mastered the special world of the Regency period. The characters' dry wit is enjoyable. She paces the resolution of the tale in a skillful, satisfying way. You'll be surprised at the whirlwind turn of events beginning with Lord Philmore's having an accident and Emma's coming to the rescue, and ending with unexpected guests at a ball held by Nick. The ending is tender and delightful.Readers who love regencies love Joan Smith! Once more, visit London in days of old -- share in the adventures of Emma and Nick as they weather the battle of the sexes. Will Fate leave them opponents or allies? More delightfully written with each succeeding chapter!Frances Mosconi -- Copyright © 1994-97 Literary Times, Inc. All rights reserved -- From Literary Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

"Fans of Joan Smith's books know they're in for rich amusement."

--Rendezvous



SHE DESIRED NOTHING MORE THAN A BIDDABLE HUSBAND. . . .



Emma, having gone at seventeen directly from her papa's home to her husband's arms, is now widowed at age twenty-two--and quite naive in the ways of the world: in particular, how to find herself another match!



Thus, she proposes to Lord Hansard, eyeing him as a husband who would let her enjoy her freedom and discourage the presence of interfering relatives. His blunt refusal is both surprising . . . and oddly disappointing.



Nick, however, has taken it upon himself to procure a suitable man for this outrageous miss, though none of the candidates are nearly as qualified as . . . well, himself. Thus Emma begins to suspect that when it comes to a decent proposal, even a gentleman has the right to change his mind. . . . --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 205 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568954735
• ISBN-13: 978-1568954738
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,152,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very witty and enjoyable, July 9, 2011

By 

Loebner - See all my reviews

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This review is from: An Infamous Proposal (Kindle Edition)

This was a great read. The dialog sparkled with wit and the characters were amusing. It certainly wasn't great literature, but for it's intended purpose - a light diversion - it was very good indeed.

About the diction - I checked the web and found that the first use of "umbrella" in English appears to be 1600. Since "umbrella" comes from "umbra" meaning shade, I think its use in the novel is reasonable. It's certainly not as bad as some errors I've seen, such as a Regency miss being thought "spacey"!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining quick read, but..., January 28, 2011

By 

M. Greenwood - See all my reviews

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This review is from: An Infamous Proposal (Kindle Edition)

This is another example of "historical" fiction where the characters speak and act as if they are from our time, and without a riveting plot to make up fo it. There are a lot of details that seem anachronistic in Smith's Regency period books. The characters are quick to call each other by their Christian names and in this book, the heroine uses an "umbrella" when it should have been a parasol. Call me picky but a thin veneer of period detail does not good historical fiction make. If you want great Regency romance novels by a modern author, read Georgette Heyer.