Customer Reviews

My Lady Mischief (Avalon Historical Romance)

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

 

 

William Cavendar "Hart" was the Marquess of Hartingfield. He was happy to escape London, and the scheming mothers, for a bit. Hart escorted his American friend, Paul McCormack "Mack", to Steyne Hall. There, Bremington Candler, the Earl of Steyne, would look over the drill improvements the American had done and perhaps purchase them. Hart met a young lady chasing a piglet through the house and assumed her to be a servant.

I must skip much here or spoil the highly amusing happenings. The reader knew from the beginning that the servant was really Lady Althea "Thea", the Earl's daughter. Hart ended up compromising Thea, even after all the hilarious things Thea had done to make Hart think her wanton and leave in disgust! Once compromised, Thea refused marriage! She wanted a local lad.

Lord Steyne sent Thea, chaperoned by her friend named Emma, to London for a Season. Thea would stay with Aunt Prunella who would present her at Court and to society. Lord Steyne made Hart VERY aware that Thea would wed for only love. Since Hart compromised her, Hart had one Season to convince Thea that she loved him and agree to marriage.

***** To sum this book up, Hart was not looking to fall in love, but did. However, Thea did NOT want him! The author, Kathy Carmichael, made Thea a total delight to watch in action. Thea was anything but predictable! I read this book while it was slow at work. (I work third shifts.) I found myself actually laughing aloud! Three times I spied fellow third-shifters peering into my department to see what was going on. I let them read a few parts and they left with the author's name and book title so they could order copies for themselves.

I found this romance to be a rip-roaring-romp of hilarious chaos and I cannot recommend it highly enough. DO NOT MISS THIS STORY! You will NOT be disappointed! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

This was my first book by this author. And I was so impressed. The plotting is strong, the characters are so engaging. Lady Althea was so winning, bright and captiving. Hart, well, he steals your heart. So arrogant and Lady Althea leads him on a merry romp.

For a first book, this is a very impressive story. I look forward to more from this promising writer.

William Cavendar "Hart" was the Marquess of Hartingfield. He was happy to escape London, and the scheming mothers, for a bit. Hart escorted his American friend, Paul McCormack "Mack", to Steyne Hall. There, Bremington Candler, the Earl of Steyne, would look over the drill improvements the American had done and perhaps purchase them. Hart met a young lady chasing a piglet through the house and assumed her to be a servant.

I must skip much here or spoil the highly amusing happenings. The reader knew from the beginning that the servant was really Lady Althea "Thea", the Earl's daughter. Hart ended up compromising Thea, even after all the hilarious things Thea had done to make Hart think her wanton and leave in disgust! Once compromised, Thea refused marriage! She wanted a local lad.

Lord Steyne sent Thea, chaperoned by her friend named Emma, to London for a Season. Thea would stay with Aunt Prunella who would present her at Court and to society. Lord Steyne made Hart VERY aware that Thea would wed for only love. Since Hart compromised her, Hart had one Season to convince Thea that she loved him and agree to marriage.

***** To sum this book up, Hart was not looking to fall in love, but did. However, Thea did NOT want him! The author, Kathy Carmichael, made Thea a total delight to watch in action. Thea was anything but predictable! I read this book while it was slow at work. (I work third shifts.) I found myself actually laughing aloud! Three times I spied fellow third-shifters peering into my department to see what was going on. I let them read a few parts and they left with the author's name and book title so they could order copies for themselves.

I found this romance to be a rip-roaring-romp of hilarious chaos and I cannot recommend it highly enough. DO NOT MISS THIS STORY! You will NOT be disappointed! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I don't have much time, so I'll make this review quick and to the point: I didn't care for this book very much. The beginning showed some promise and originality, but afterwards it quickly fell into typical regency stereotype and bad punctuation. The plot is exactly like some of Georgette Heyer's much better books: young girl meets older, wealthy, fabulously rich lord, they fight, all the while falling in love, and then, in a final confrontation/misconception get married. Ta-da! The perfect, absolutely see-through ending. And the characters were pretty well stereotypical too. I won't even bother to explain them, because you only have to look into another Regency-styled book and you have Hart, Thea, her aunt, father and Emma with different names.
The author's punctuation wasn't as good as I would like it, and the way her characters speak is absolutely stilted. No one speaks that way now, and no one spoke like that then!
To ease the pain I may cause to devoted fans of this book, I will say: it ranks with Eragon in being unoriginal, so be comforted, since that book was made into a [bad] movie and won national appeal. Also, if you haven't read any Georgette Heyer romances yet, you can read this book to get a hint of what hers are like - it will help set you up for future happiness and give you a taste for the real Regency romances.
To end my review, I will insert the last, very cheesy sentence in the book:
"While gentle pandemonium broke out among the threesome, Hart pulled Thea by the hand to lead her from the room and to a life filled with laughter and love." Page 185

Kathy Carmichael is a RIO (Reviewers International Organization) Award of Excellence winner for 2003 with his short contemporary romance "Here Comes Trouble". Well, guess what? She is a two-time award winner, second year in a row!! In 2002, she won best short historical romance for this book. Since one is a contemporary and the other a historical, it shows the range of this new talent! I mean, to win one RIO is astounding for a new writers - but two years in a row, this says sit up and take notice.

This novel is a super delight, with Carmichael's special sparkling humor! The characters were a so much fun! The Marques of Hartingfield, William Cavendar - known to his fellow rakes as "Hart" - quickly finds he has a heart and himself in hot water! More than delighted to escape the ton's scheming mums for a spell, he goes to the country with his friend from America, Paul McCormack. They arrive at Steyne Hall, hoping to have the Earl of Steyne look over improvements the Yanks have implemented in drilling, with eye for financing from the Earl, or an actual sell of the new techniques. Hart meets a young lady chasing a pig through the house and immediately assumes her to be a servant, for no lady would act in such a manner.

Naturally, before Hart finds out she is Lady Thea, they are found in a compromising position. Hart tries to do the honorable thing, when he finds out she is Lady Thea, the daughter of the Earl. But surprise to his arrogant ego - she refuses to marry him! She wanted to wed a local lad she grew up with.

Over her protests, the Earl sends Thea to stay with her friend, Emma. She's to have a proper season. Her Aunt would present her at Court, and see she is brought out in society in the manner befitting and Earl's daughter. By this time, Hart is determined to woo Thea, but the Earl has made it clear to him he will not approve a match. He loves his daughter and wishes to her marry where her heart will. So, it is up to the determined Hart to win Thea before she falls for someone else.

It's funny it's warm and it's touching. You will smile, you will laugh out loud. So find out why this author won a RIO Award of Excellence two years in a row!! Get this and then get "Here Comes Trouble" and find a new voice in romance.