A Lord for Olivia (Signet Regency Romance) [Paperback]

June Calvin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Signet Regency Romance | Publication Date: April 2, 2002

Olivia Ormhill hasn't trusted a man since a past love broke her heart. So when she notices Lord Edmund Debham's frank, charming demeanor, it comes as a most refreshing surprise.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Signet (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451206053
• ISBN-13: 978-0451206053
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,212,454 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:

4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfied reader in So. California, April 8, 2002

By 

Excelb (Anaheim, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Lord for Olivia (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)

I've only been reading Regencies for a few years and am not that well versed in all of the rules and regulations of the ton. Not a problem. A Lord For Olivia is set not in London but in the country. Nor am I that familiar with inheritance laws, wills, bets and gaming. Also not a problem because I was so enchanted with the hero and heroine that I just kept right on reading, even when I was confused! I never did really figure out the intricacies of the bets that set up the story.

I was more interested in watching Lord Edmund, an ex-officer and poor second son, become enamored with Olivia, sworn off men and married to her land. I spent several days spying on them and eavesdropping as they became friends after discovering their mutual love of the land. The book is actually a quick read but I chose to slowly savor it so that I could spend as much time with them as possible. June Calvin is a new author to me. I discovered her quite by accident and am grateful I did. I enjoy Regencies for the "feel" they evoke. I can't explain it; I can only tell when I've read a book that accomplishes that "feel".
This one did and I loved it for it.

If I have a quibble, it is with the overly villanous villain and an "over the top" ending. I personally was so enchanted with the love developing between Edmund and Olivia that the villain and resulting ending were an unpleasant intrusion. That quibble was minor though and I would not hesitate to search for her older books and am looking forward to her future books.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a riveting read, April 2, 2002

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Lord for Olivia (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)

Because of the particular manner in which their father's will was worded as well as a deathbed promise made to their father, the Ormhill siblings (Olivia and Jason) discover that their fate and fortunes are irrevocably tied together -- unless Olivia marries and marries soon. Unfortunately, upon hearing the terms of the will, Olivia's fiance, Lord Corbright, breaks off their engagement, and marries someone else. Meanwhile, heartbroken at having been jilted, Olivia has eschewed all social life and has thrown herself into estate management instead. And being a young man ripe for adventure, this entire situation in unbearable for Jason, who chafes at being tied to the country. And just when he begins to fear that he may actually grow old and die of boredom, Jason meets Lord Edmund Debham.

Lord Edmund Debham has just only recently returned from the wars with the expectation of inheriting his mother's property. However, because of the debts that his mother had run up, and the unscrupulous actions of his elder halfbrother, Edmund finds himself penniless and with no where to go. A chance meeting with Jason at a country inn leads to a drunken wager, and several games of chance later, Edmund finds that he has pledged to marry Olivia. However, he makes a stipulation that they also reveal ALL to Olivia. (I liked that June Calvin ensured that all would be straight between Olivia and Edmund from the very start by making Edmund insist that Olivia know all about the wager. This saved the novel from descending into that tiresome loop where Edmund woos Olivia under false pretenses, and where Olivia only discovers the truth after she has fallen in love with him, thus getting her heart broken by his perfidy. A truly refreshing difference). Of course Olivia is incensed and humiliated with the entire set up, and refuses to have anything to do with Edmund. However, circumstances (and I'm not revealing what they are because that would spoil your enjoyment of this novel) see to it that Edmund remains on the Ormhill estate for a while. The more time Olivia spends with Edmund, the more she begins to like him -- she even finds that she is quite susceptible to his good looks and charm. But can she afford to trust another charming man, after having had her heart bruised by Lord Corbright? And then Lord Corbright enters her life again, and begins wooing her in earnest. Jason and the other Ormhills are over the moon with joy. But Olivia is not so sanguine. Is Corbright wooing her because he still loves her? Or does he have some other reason for wanting to marry her? And what of her attraction to Edmund?

I liked this book very much. And as another reviewer her already pointed out, this is one novel that keeps you guessing till the very end as to what Olivia will do, and which man she would choose. Even though this is a romance novel and all is supposed to end happily, I was sometimes in doubt if this happy ending would actually materialize! However, while I did like the characters of Edmund, Olivia, Jason and the other Ormhill relatives, the behaviour of the Ormhills, at times made me blink. For example, in spite of Corbright's poor behavior towards Olivia, when he suddenly decides to woo Olivia (again), her relatives all but rub their hands in glee as they not so gently push her to spend more time with the man! This seemed a little perverse and made little sense to me -- I mean, this was the man who jilted Olivia a while back afterall!

All in all however, this book was a really engrossing read, and should not be missed! I liked the manner in which June Calvin developed Olivia's and Edmund's romance, and I thought the atmosphere of menace that prevaded the last quarter of the novel was excellently done too. "A Lord for Olivia" is the kind of romance novel that one can read and reread over a preiod of time and never get bored. And it definitely deserves 5 stars.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Lord for Olivia by June Calvin, March 24, 2002

By 

Martha Janet Close (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Lord for Olivia (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)

An honorable decorated soldier, an independent woman, several dastardly villains and the family and community surrounding them make this potential marriage of convenience story priceless. Olivia's father included some language in his will that requires her to marry a "Lord" and her younger brother sets about to make it happen. Her previous fiancé, an upstart newly made lord, had her heart but when he threw her over for an heiress, she hardened her heart to love and marriage. Lord Edmund, a third son with only a courtesy title, is down to his last pence. Home from the wars, he is rejected by his family, his inheritance swallowed up by his mother's debts. He wants nothing more than a life as a country farmer, working the land and being a part of the rural community.

I felt that the uncertainty of Olivia's feelings for the two men who were potential husbands for her, was well done. Even after his betrayal, the newly widowed Lord Corbright, still stirs her senses. The growing relationship between Olivia and Lord Edmund is distorted by misunderstandings. When she finally makes her decision, the happy ever after is very satisfying.

The villains were sufficiently dreadful, and in most cases deserving of a bad end, although the redemption of a couple of the scoundrels is possible. I found that the feel was very much that of the time period, with any unusual quirks well explained. I would love to see a sequel, detailing the future romance of Jason, Olivia's hot headed younger brother.