Customer Reviews

Mistress by Mistake (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wow, if this is an example of this authors books to come, I'm standing in line at the bookstore! This was fun and sexy from page one. Can't wait for the next release from Heino!

Comedy is so easy to read and so difficult to write. Ms. Heino brought a great deal of humor to her enjoyable Regency debut. I'm anxiously awaiting more from this author.

Set in Warwickshire, England. The year is 1816. Lord Dashford does not want to wed Claudia, but her father, Sir Victor Graeley, has the signed engagement papers. In hopes of changing Claudia's mind, the viscount convinces the world that he has thrown away his fortune on courtesans and gambling. Not even his mother knows that they are not really deep in debt as the world now believes. So when his mother, Lady Dashford, invites an heiress, Miss Evaline Pinchley, and her Aunt Bella for a short stay, he cannot blame her. His mother only wishes to help him. However, Lord Dashford is determined he will not succumb to the heiress or her scheming aunt.

The trust Evaline's father left for her is set up so that she receives it whenever she marries or reaches the age of twenty-five. Her mean Aunt Bella believes Evaline's twenty-fifth birthday to be five months away. In truth, Evaline has only just turned twenty-five. Evaline sneaks out to the garden - alone - to toast her birthday. The drunk heiress never recognizes the man she meets there is Lord Dashford; not even when she wakes - alone - in his bed the next morning.

Lord Dashford is surprised to learn that the servant from the garden is actually the heiress. He is still engaged to Claudia after all. But still, when Evaline refuses his marriage proposal he is both relieved and disappointed. The attraction between them is overwhelming. Things turn for the worse when Claudia and her father arrive to insist on a date for their wedding (within the month). Then, to cap it all off, a man from Evaline's past shows up, along with a guest, and the area becomes too flooded for anyone to leave. Lady Dashford's little visit of two ladies has turned into mad chaos.

*** THREE STARS! Here is a good debut novel from a new voice in the Regency Romance genre. The story has a sound plot and is executed with style. If you are looking for a realistic story, this is it. No danger lurking around the corners here. Instead, readers get a romance with hot bedroom scenes, scheming characters, and a hidden treasure subplot. This author shows lots of promise and I plan to keep a close eye on her future work. ***

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Mistress By Mistake is an interesting tale. I always think of the noble kind of people as behaving properly but by reading about Evaline and Dashford, one can see, they are only human and have their downfalls. Then you add the relatives, some other lovers pitted in along the way, and one has the makings of a story that is a page-turner. Susan Gee Heino crafts a charming read that flows at a good pace as the reader is pulled into the charisma of the characters. I could almost see this story turned into a movie the way Evaline and Dashford play out their roles. Terrific dialogue and strong players really deliver a splendid read. - Linda L.

I loved this book. I was worried at the beginning whether the author could pull off the garden scene. Could I suspend disbelief? Yes. Evaline Pinchley is not a fluffy heroine but one with a mind of her own. Lord Dashford is a hero to die for. The dialogue sparkled, a la Julia Quinn. The plot twists were exciting and unexpected.

Thank you to Ms. Heino for a wonderful read. I know why you won the Golden Heart.

Mistress By Mistake stood out from the many Regency romances I've read due to the originality of the plot and the lighthearted tone. I also loved the characters, finding them both amusing and appealing. It was great fun watching Evaline and Lord Dashford work toward their happily ever after. I was also intrigued by Lord Rastmoor and delighted to find (in the preview excerpt at the end of the book) that he will star in his own romance, Damsel in Disquise, which is scheduled to come out some time this summer. I look forward to reading many more books by Susan Gee Heino!

Retrieved from Library, and will now need to purchase for my own bookshelf. This book had ALOT of twists and turns, and kept me on my toes and made me laugh and wish for more. But the best part was the Hero and Heroine always came back to each other more times than the not, and that is worth the buying of this book. Except for the aunt who could have used good swift kick, even she had her place in the turns. Though I wished her turn was right off the page. The fiancee well she's fortunate it was those times she lived in wherein men stood by their word. For in this generation she'd get what she deserved from day one. All in all, this was a really fun and worth the while read. I could not put it down for fear I would miss out on what happened next. I will be adding this book to my shelf, and buying this Authors next books. Fun,Fun,Fun...Oh and Sexy too!

This Historical Romance kept me hooked from page one. I was so glad I picked this one up and can't wait to start the next book from this author.

Susan Gee Heino is an author who has potential but it wasn't quite reached in her debut novel Mistress by Mistake. The characters are not overly exciting and the plot was a little convoluted. What this author does well is write steamy romantic scenes and she does pen good inner dialogue.

Heroine Evaline is quite happy with herself. She has finally reached twenty-five and can be totally independent of her scheming money hungry aunt and uncle. She is at a house party when she reaches this milestone and she proceeds to get rip roaring drunk.

Hero Lord Dashford finds her in his garden. He mistakes Evaline for a servant and not the heiress his mother has been plotting for him to meet. He engages in some intimacies with her and caries her off to his bed all the time believing she is in his employ. These opening chapters are the best part of this novel as they are probably the most plausible parts of this story. People can behave improperly when they are inebriated and aristocrats were not above dallying with servants.

Once these two discover who the other is they play a cat and mouse game of I-don't-want to-marry-you but somehow they still find time to engage in trysts throughout Dashford's home. There are several subplots in this novel, in fact too many. Dashford is pretending he is impoverished, he is still engaged to a whiny aristocrat who shows up at the house party, and other guests are Evaline's barrister and her old beau. Add to that, ancestors who were lovers and marriage minded relatives along with floods, a washed out bridge and a possible treasure.

Dashford and Evaline have few conversations as they can barely contain their passionate nature when they are together. These scenes are steamy but other than her looks and manners, I did not know why Lord Dashford liked Evaline. Even more implausible is Evaline's great love for Lord Dashford. She thinks him to be a gambler and womanizer and he does little to disabuse her of her beliefs.

This book is not a total disaster though. Lord Dashford does have a certain charm and his inner musings can be witty. Evaline lacks Dashford's charisma; she was uncertain about almost every aspect of her life including her feelings about Lord Dashford. Overall this novel has too many subplots and too little development between the leads, but the writing style is fluid and Dashford is a likeable character.

In 1816 heiress Evaline Pinchley looks forward to her birthday coming soon when she reaches the age where she will control her money; she has no plans to marry some wastrel after her wealth. Lord Dashford is tired of matchmaking moms trying to get their daughters married to him because of his money; he decides to let everyone believe he is broke.

Evaline's Aunt Bella drags her to a party at the Dashford estate. She gets drunk in his garden to celebrate her liberation birthday. He sneaks out to his garden for a respite from the horde of marriage mommas. The pair accidentally meets in the garden. The next morning she awakens in his bed. However, when his former fiancé arrives proclaiming he is hers; Evaline acquiesces but decides to taste another night in his bed.

This is an amusing Regency romance starring two individuals who deny love and marriage but cannot resist the sexual lure of the other. The story line is fast-paced as the lead couple with a strong support cast (her family and his two best friends) make for an amusing tale of I'm Not in Love only in lust. Susan Gee Heino provides sub-genre fans with a wonderful historical.

Harriet Klausner