Customer Reviews

Lady with a Black Umbrella (Signet)

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

 

 

The first chapter alone will have you laughing is stitches.. The completely delightful, completely misguided Daisy is used to managing everyone and everything around her. When she sees a man accosted by thugs, she rushes to his rescue, complete with cold cream and nightgown. Her weapon of choice is nothing less than a black umbrella, and to the Viscount's shame, she actually succeeds in driving them off!

The Viscount is proud, handsome, arrogant, and completely eligible. And he's NOT happy with having a slip of a girl rescue him and embarrass him publicly. Daisy wants to set him up with her beautiful and meek sister. But somehow, she finds herself gravitating towards him herself, and to his utter disgust, he finds himself equally gravitating towards her.

This book is for keeps despite being quite short. You'll enjoy the characters and the dialogue. Mary Balogh takes a few historical licenses, but they don't affect the story in any way. Besides, you will enjoy the dialogue and the twists and turns so much; you'll probably not even notice them!

I bought a copy of this novel, new, a long time ago in a bookstore. Though new, I remember the book was dreadfully mangled. Pages and the cover were torn and creased. After skimming the first chapter, I bought it anyway. I am so glad. I am reviewing this to boost up its composite rating! Because it truly deserves the highest rating possible.

Daisy is delightful from page 1 to the end. Daisy is a managing but lovable spinster of 25. Those she manages do not always appreciate her efforts on their behalf and sometimes her well meant actions backfire on both herself and those she is trying to help.

For all the trouble she causes, she is a tiny thing with a huge braid of hair coiled like a crown about her head. At her home in the country, she is the queen of all she surveys. She looks younger than her age. She underrates her own beauty. Her family and neighbors know her faults but love her anyways, including her deceased papa who sold his coal mines so Daisy would not try to rescue all the miners after his death.

The novel begins with Daisy and her beloved sister Rose (whom Daisy considers so beautiful, she is wasted in the country) on the road to London for a season for Rose. They have stopped at an inn for the night. In the morning, Daisy is gazing out her window into the stableyard below and spots the handsome Giles, Viscount Kincade, waiting for his carriage. She begins to daydream about the unknown stranger (Giles) romantically rescuing her from a fire when she sees two men begin to beat him up. Then a third joins in, pinning Giles' arms to his sides. Daisy is incensed at the unfair attack. She rushes from her room, barefoot, in her nightgown, with lemon oil on her face (to fade her freckles) and a big black umbrella. She beats off Giles' assailants with the umbrella. Instead of being grateful, Giles' is embarrassed to be rescued by the odd looking madwoman with the umbrella. He beats a hasty retreat. Meanwhile, Daisy discovers that Giles had been robbed of all his money and left debts at the inn. She pays all of his debts, including a barmaid prostitute and a gambling debt.

When Giles sends money back to pay his debts, he discovers that his rescuer, named Daisy Morrison, has paid ALL his debts -- including the embarrassing ones. His brother, Reverend Arthur Fairhaven, thinks the story of Daisy shows her to be a courageous and generous woman. Giles does not agree.

When Daisy arrives in London, she discovers the relatives she meant to stay with and whom she meant to introduce Rose to the ton are out of town for an extended period. Rose wants to return home but Daisy refuses. She hopes to strike up an acquaintance at the hotel they are staying at. One day while walking with Rose in Hyde Park, Daisy espies Giles. Rose begs her to leave but Daisy waves her parasol to catch Giles attention. Rather than make a scene, Giles grimly acknowledges Daisy and asks where she is staying so her can repay her tomorrow for the debts she paid at the inn (and soundly chew her out).

Meanwhile, the mysterious gentleman at the inn who Giles had gambled with, has spread the story of Giles' rescue by Daisy (with all details) about the London gentlemen's clubs. When Giles visits his club he becomes the object of many ribald jests, much to his chagrin. Due to Giles extreme anger, his brother Arthur insists going with Giles to visit Daisy at her hotel to prevent Giles from strangling Daisy. There Arthur meets Rose.

Daisy asks Giles the favor of introducing Rose (and her) to the ton. Giles has no intention of doing so, but his brother Arthur steps in and offers their cousin, Lady Hetty Parkinson, as a sponsor for them.

This is just the first three and one half chapters and does not include the delightful and humorous conversations or thoughts of Giles and Daisy.

I do not see how one can say the end of the book does not live up to the beginning. The last page is laugh out loud funny. Daisy is a delight to the very end and the forebearing Giles has some wonderful lines too, especially the last sentence. Buy it and see if you do not agree with me!

This regency romance is a comedy and the delightful beginning is superb. At twenty-five and a self-proclaimed spinster, Lady Daisy Morrison, staying overnight at an inn, sees a gentleman being attacked by hooligans. She charges to his rescue, wielding her father's large black umbrella, and rescues Viscount Giles Kincade from his assailants. To further his shame -- after the viscount's hurried departure -- Lady Morrison pays his inn bill, his gambling debts, and his "lady" of the evening.

Lord Kincade is an eligible bachelor who is good-looking, wealthy, and not pleased with the public humiliation Daisy has brandished his way. Now Mary Balogh frolics with her reader, emphasizing glorious humor. She allows Daisy to mistake the viscount's mortification for undying gratitude; therefore, allowing Daisy to request a favor. Daisy Morrison needs an introduction, to gain entry, into London's aristocratic social setting.

Comments:

Lady Daisy Morrison is a delightful creature, Viscount Giles Kincade is a great hero, and Balogh's supporting players enhance the story. But somewhere along the way, Balogh's marvelous touch slips away and the story finishes on a "run-of-the-mill" note . . . in other words . . . Lady with a Black Umbrella's comedy collapsed!

Grade: C

MaryGrace Meloche.

I loved this book to bits and pieces. Pretty little Daisy, a self-proclaimed spinster because she believes 26 is "on the shelf," is bizarre and absolutely lovable. It is quite funny that I liked this novel more for the heroine than I did for the hero. Though Giles was quite nice too, and, in the end, you will be quite convinced he is the only man on the planet who would be able to control her to a certain extent and keep her out of danger. But Daisy, with her innocence, kindness, and forthright (if somewhat controlling and managing) manner will enchant you.

This is another of Balogh's older books that puts me in mind of something Georgette Heyer would write. Something in the nature of the Grand Sophy, a book I absolutely adored.

This is a very funny, cute little novel by Mary Balogh. Balogh always seems to write very likeable characters, even when they border on the ridiculous (Daisy is really unbelievably clueless/careless about SO many things), and this novel is no exception. The rapport between Giles and Daisy is predictable (in a sit-com sort of way) but you laugh anyway, because you KNEW it was coming and you feel Giles' frustration and helpless acceptance of the bizarre Daisy universe he has found himself in.

I thought the ending was VERY rushed, though. After all that banter and silly escapades, I loved both of the characters together and really, really wanted a bit more of their relationship to develop as a couple...and there wasn't much there. I also was disappointed with the very 2-dimensional side romance of Daisy's sister Rose. We all saw that one coming within seconds of meeting the gentleman. And apparently the two of them decided it as well. I'm never a fan of "love at first sight" and I believe that one of the things Balogh does best is develop relationships, and she didn't seem to give Rose and her man enough time to do that properly, so that when it happened, it was not as satisfying as it could have been. Those reasons are why I am giving it 3.5 stars.