Lord Perfect [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Loretta Chase (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2006

Tall, dark, and handsome, the heir to the Earl of Hargate, Benedict Carsington, is known for his impeccable manners and good breeding. Benedict knows all the rules and has no trouble following them--until Bathsheba Wingate enters his life. Now, the two must embark on a rescue mission that puts them in dangerous, intimate proximity. Fortunately, Benedict is in perfect control--despite his mad desire to break all the rules. Perfect control. Really.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the crowded field of Regency romances, Chase's work (The Lion's Daughter) is distinguished by its ironic tone, witty writing and narrative drive; her latest is no exception. Benedict Carsington, the Viscount Rathbourne, has the reputation of a perfect gentleman, which in 1821 London society means controlled, haughty and above reproach. By contrast, Bathsheba Wingate is about as disreputable as a Wingate gets, having been born to the notorious DeLucey branch of the family, a "completely untrustworthy" bunch who have "made themselves famous for their scandals." Widowed by a disinherited man, Bathsheba struggles to make ends meet and to provide every opportunity for her strong-willed daughter, Olivia—who, much to her mother's dismay, absconds in search of buried treasure, accompanied by Benedict's nephew and informal ward. Drawn to each other from the moment they meet, Bathsheba and Benedict strive to suppress their desires as they chase the little rascals right into the pristine stronghold of the disapproving Wingates. Readers will relish the loosening of Benedict's perfect control and the endearing, dry humor with which he and Bathsheba confront their inevitable downfall—as well as their satisfying redemption. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Benedict Carsington, Viscount Rathbourne, is in perfect control of his life until he meets Bathsheba, one of the "Dreadful DeLuceys." One encounter with the lovely widow, and he begins to wonder if his life is not so much perfect as boring. Benedict is certain that he can resist becoming involved with her, but he soon finds himself hiring Bathsheba to teach drawing to his nephew, Peregrine Dalmay. Then Bathsheba's impetuous daughter, Olivia, convinces Peregrine to join her quest to find the DeLucey family pirate treasure, forcing Benedict to become even more entangled with Bathsheba. As the two set off across England to retrieve the wayward young fortune hunters, Benedict is forced to admit that he is not as immune to the tart-tongued Bathsheba as he would like to think. With its splendidly original characters, exquisitely sensual romance, and wonderfully witty writing, the third of RITA Award-winning Chase's fabulous historical Regencies to feature the romantic comeuppance of one of the Carsington men is simply perfect. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 467 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing (August 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597222879
• ISBN-13: 978-1597222877
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,507,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Loretta Chase holds a B.A. from Clark University, where she majored in English and minored unofficially in visual art. Her past lives include clerical, administrative, and part-time teaching at Clark and a Dickensian six-month experience as a meter maid. In the course of moonlighting as a corporate video scriptwriter, she fell under the spell of a producer who lured her into writing novels... and marrying him. The union has resulted in more than a dozen books and a number of awards, including the Romance Writers of America's RITA® Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, Witty Story with Very Engaging Characters, March 30, 2006

By 

ellejir "ellejir" (Virginia, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord Perfect (Carsington Family Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

"Lord Perfect" is a wonderful example of why Loretta Chase is considered to be one of the top writers of historical romance today. Set in England during the Regency period, the story has a plot that is not particularly ground-breaking--a seemingly mismatched couple go on a road trip together and end up falling in love, yet Chase's characters are so well-drawn and her dialogue so fresh and witty that her material never feels tired or cliched. The *characters* are the real story in this book, and I found them all to be *very* engaging.

The hero of the story is Benedict Carsington, Lord Rathbourne, the eldest of the Earl of Hargate's many sons and an acknowledged paragon in terms of looks, manners and behavior. A widower for several years, Benedict is considered by society to be *perfect*--a consummate aristocrat who never shows his emotions, never makes a scene and lives by his own set of "rules" of socially correct behavior. Into Benedict's well-ordered but emotionally barren life bursts Bathsheba DeLucey Wingate, a stunningly beautiful widow who has the misfortune of being born into the disreputable branch of the DeLucey family that reportedly descended from a pirate. Every one of the so-called "Dreadful DeLuceys" has been a swindler, cheat or gamester and their infamous exploits and status as social pariahs led Bathsheba's late husband's noble family to disinherit him upon his marriage to her. Now a widow with a *very* high-spirited young daughter to manage, Bathsheba has come to London in an attempt to secure her daughter's education and future. Although sparks fly when Bathsheba and Benedict first meet, both realize that a relationship between the two of them would be a potential scandal that could ruin Benedict and shred the scant remains of Bathsheba's reputation. The couple's good intentions to avoid one another are sabotaged by fate when Olivia, Bathsheba's head-strong daughter (who has more that a touch of the devious DeLucey blood in her), and Benedict's young nephew, Peregrine, set off on a quest to discover the fabled DeLucey pirate treasure. Benedict and Bathsheba are thrown together during their pursuit of the children and find their mutual admiration and attraction growing even stronger.

Benedict and Bathsheba are wonderful characters--intelligent, attractive and sympathetic. Their attraction and developing love for each other seems very believable. The secondary characters in this story are also wonderfully well-rounded and entertaining, particularly the children but also Bathsheba and Benedict's other relatives. The prose is bright and clean, the dialogue sparkling with wit and the plot moves along well.

In summary, this is a very entertaining Regency period romance with a charming hero and heroine and extraordinarily witty dialogue.
Highly recommended, particularly for those readers who enjoy well-written, character-driven romance.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was worried by other reviews - but didn't have to worry., March 9, 2006

By 

Avid Reader (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Lord Perfect (Carsington Family Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

After reading the only four reviews that were up before I bought the book I was worried that I was going to have a disappointing read. (Recently I have read a couple of bombs from writers whose new books I had eagerly anticipated. I think authors are being pushed to write too fast.) Anyway, while it might not be my favorite Chase book it still contains the droll humor that have been more and more making her books a treat to read. If you like Chase's unique style and characterizations you will like this book from the first few pages. The eldest Carsington son's story might not be as madcap and exotic as his brother Rupert's Egyptian saga but it is still an adventure not to be missed! Chase writes with a witty style and wry intelligence lacking in so many other romances. I only wish there were several more brothers in this family.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars: a very satisfying indeed, March 15, 2006

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord Perfect (Carsington Family Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

Unlike a few of the previous reviewers, I was not surprised that "Lord Perfect" seemed to read more like a traditional Regency-era romance novel, because for me, except for the parts where Rathbourne and Bathsheba succumb to the attraction that they have for each other, "Lord Perfect" reminded me quite a bit of Loretta Chase's earlier works like "Isabella" & "The Sandalwood Princess." Witty, humourous and with brilliant and detailed character portrayals plus a well thought out and executed plot (even if it is an often used one) "Lord Perfect" was a wonderfully entertaining and satisfying read from start to finish, and one I'd recommend for anyone looking for an amusing and romantic read.

All her life Bathsheba Wingate has had people look at her askance because of her scandalous family. Currently a young widow with a young daugher to provide for, the last thing Bathsheba expected was to find herself deeply and hopelessly attracted to Benedict Carsington, Viscount Rathbourne, otherwise known as Lord Perfect. So that when an unexpected turn of events forces both Rathbourne and herself into a road trip together, Bathsheba knows better than to expect a happily ever-after ending -- even if the attractive and completely taking Viscount Rathbourne sees things otherwise...

"Lord Perfect" third novel dealing with the Carsington siblings (the other two are "Miss Wonderful" and "Mr. Impossible") fits in perfectly with the other two books in the series. Humourous and witty (the dialogue in this book is priceless), I kept chuckling out aloud as I read the novel. Also well done was the character portrayals -- how Ms Chase portrayed the two children (Olivia and Peregrine -- though it would have been more satisfying to have seen more of Peregrine's sensible influence on Olivia), and especially how she gradually brought out the more impulsive side of the staid, sensible Rathbourne to the fore. I thought that the romance angle was well handled and that the novel unfolded at a smooth and steady pace. The only thing that jarred, I felt was Rathbourne's father's sudden turnabout: this character seemed to suddenly morph from someone who wanted his son to marry suitably to someone who wanted his son to marry happily. Other than that, this was a wonderfully enjoyable read. I didn't find either Rathbourne or Bathsheba to be too self-sacrificing for their own good. Indeed I thought that their stance about duty and responsibility was admirable and understandable and so made their hard won happily ever-after ending so satisfying. A truly worthwhile read.