Customer Reviews

Not Quite A Lady

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Loretta Chase never disappoints. This isn't my favorite book by her, but it is worthy of her - it steers clear of the worst romance cliches, because it doesn't need them in order to build tension or generate heat. The writing is smooth and rich, characters are complex, there's a dose of fierce passion and of humor, too. A relationship between equals, a strong female lead, a good supporting cast.

That being said, it's not Loretta Chase's most powerful book - it doesn't have the sturm und drang of Lord of Scoundrels, or the hijinx and unexpected pathos of Mr. Impossible. It's a romance, not an adventure or a mystery - it takes place almost entirely over a period of a few weeks spent calmly in the country, and the two leads are mature, self-aware people who behave as such. There are complications, lives are changed, but even these earth-shattering events are rather domestic.

But one thing I like about Loretta Chase is that she tries new things. Among books of this kind, the ones that revolve around house parties and match making and the profitiability of country estates, with occasional references to pig breeding and wall hangings, this one is head and shoulders above the rest.

A most deserving heroine haunted by a painful secret from her past is given a second chance at happiness in this outstanding romance by Loretta Chase. Forced at barely seventeen to give up her illegitimate baby - fathered by a scoundrel who deserted her and then died - Lady Charlotte Hayward in reality gave up her self. She has never recovered from the shame and the loss, which have haunted her these past ten years. Although beautiful and highly prized, she has never married. She knows she is not a virgin, and is unwilling to deal with the attendant lies and deceptions. She is wary of men and lives a scrupulously proper and chaste life. Long buried is the passionate and playful girl of her youth.

Charlotte's father (who never knew of the child) feels it is long past time his beloved daughter marries. He arranges a house party filled with eligible bachelors for one month hence, and asks that Charlotte select a husband from among the group. Totally panicked, Charlotte runs to collect her thoughts and bumps into her new neighbor, Darius Carrington. Darius, a resolute bachelor and expert on animal husbandry (!), is trying to restore his newly acquired, but long abandoned, property. Charlotte is exceptionally rude to him, pegging him just another profligate playboy, and he in turn mercilessly teases and torments her for her frills and propriety. But they are acutely aware of each other as well. For the first time in forever Charlotte feels alive - and hungers for a man's touch. And for the first time EVER, Darius yearns for the comfort of a marriageable miss. But with marriage NOT on the menu (or so they both think), what is this couple in lust to do?

I don't usually gush, but I LOVE THIS BOOK! It's the kind I can read over and over as the years pass and never tire of it. Perfectly put together from beginning to end, it is a superb blend of sentimental and sassy, sexy and sweet - and it is so infinitely satisfying. Loretta Chase is such a unique voice in historical romance. Her sly humor is her stock-in-trade and it is sublime, but she also hits all the right emotional notes: Charlotte's grief and longing for the son she held for only moments is palpable; her joy infectious; her newfound ardor so touchingly sweet. And Darius is a romantic hero to be cherished. Laugh-out-loud funny and wise one moment, he is achingly gentle the next. I literally choked up at one point - as did Charlotte - at his tender assurances. It is a rare author who moves so seamlessly between laughter and tears, joy and despair, all while creating a loving romance. But Ms. Chase has done it. This book is a treasure.

I feel compelled to share how delighted I was with Ms. Chase's novel. There was no 'misunderstanding' interlude where the protagonists believe the worst of each other ; there was no hero lashing out at his lady (or vice versa) because s/he was afraid to love and then some unfortunate circumstance had to bring them back together.

The book wonderfully shows their relationship unfolding, and the 'impediment' as it were - the Colonel- was nicely sidestepped, but there was enough building up to where I was worried what would happen.

An enjoyable and refreshing read!

It is hard to write this negative review without revealing the plot for those who may choose to buy and read this book.
Mr Impossible was my first book from this author and was a delightful keeper of a read. This one, had some delightful moments, and the characters were rather appealing, but then the author lost me with a plot twist that simply did not ring true to the period. Living in that world with rigid regency mores it was just unbelievable that a Marquess' daughter would do what she did, and still more so that an Earl would lend countenance. Luckily this was in the end, but my disbelief totally ruined the book for me. The UNbelievable plot totally took the book out of time and place, in fact would not be out of place in a contemporary novel. The response to a teen pregnancy by the dad when he found out, felt like a very rushed and hurriedly written scene. And accepting a 10 year old brat as their own grandchild without a pause? Very Very contemporary. Unhesistating acceptance by extended family and friends was even more out of time.

As a pro, I really did love how this pregnancy shaped the character of the heroine and set up the romantic tension.

A charming romp through the English countryside presents us with Lady Charlotte Hayward. At the spinsterish age of twenty-seven, Lady Charlotte appears to be every Englishman's perfect woman: she has impeccable manners, she is well educated (for a woman), is an authority on the social graces, and has killer good looks. She has had years perfecting her technique of deflecting the attentions of marriage-minded gentlemen while still retaining their friendship. No one has guessed that buried in her youthful past is the sole indiscretion that makes her unmarriageable.

Enter Darius Carsington, new landlord to Beechwood - the estate that borders the Hayward property. Although highly educated in the field of animal husbandry, this youngest son of the Earl of Hargate is considered a rake of the highest order who draws the line at seducing 'innocents'. Of course he is instantly attracted to Lady Charlotte.

With the stage for romance thus set, it is only a matter of time before these two run far enough in opposite directions only to find themselves learning to appreciate each other as friends.

But will Lady Charlotte's secret, which even her own father hasn't guessed, relegate these two to a lifetime of being friendly neighbors, or, will a young ten year old lad be the key to melting Lady Charlotte's resolve to come clean of her past and accept love into her life?

I liked this book. It explored new themes. Many historical romances have explored illegitimate children born to men, but I've never read one with a female protagonist mothering one. It reminded the reader of life before reproductive choices like birth control, abortion, adoption, or even single motherhood without stigma. I think it played down the stigma, but it was still good. The male protagonist was believable. I'm not sure the "girl's" parents were fully developed characters, nor the child's. But it was worth the read and I had to finish it quickly. And I'm bothering to write a review. I'd recommend it to romance novel lovers.

I LOVED this book, though I didn't really expect to. I'd seen it here on Amazon before but hesitated to buy it. Then I stumbled across it at the library, read it in less than 24 hours and now just have to buy it to read again. I enjoyed the characters, laughed, cried and ended the book with a sigh of contentment. Truly enjoyable!

As my first venture into Chase's works, I found Not Quite a Lady a pleasant experience. Her writing style is somewhat different than what I have experienced with others in this genre - so don't expect your usual romance writing style or typical contrived storylines here.

I found that though I wasn't crazy about the hero, Darius, in the beginning - he did grow on me as the book progressed and he demonstrated - as I expect our heroine also found out - that he had a number of redeeming qualities and a depth of character.

Overall the dialog and banter between the two made for an entertaining read.

Loretta Chase creates characters in a way that few in this genre can match. She understands motivation and human behavior--so her characters have depth and individuality.

This book is the last of the Carsington series, the tales of a family of five brothers. Darius is the youngest, and true to the rules of birth order, he has trouble carving out a niche for himself, is in competition with formidable older brothers, and has difficulty winning the approval of his father. He develops a strong talent for scientific investigation and specializes in animal mating behavior. While he gains prestige and accolades in scientific circles, his father is unimpressed because Darius is not earning money through his work. His father gives him a decrepit estate to turn into a profit-making enterprise within a year.

When Darius meets Charlotte, he is the one person capable of noticing her odd "mating" behavior. She has perfected ways to avoid marriage, adapting her methods to each suitor by boring or irritating them and sometimes by quietly doing some matchmaking to send the gentlemen to more suitable partners. Intrigued, Darius begins to study Charlotte to learn her secrets. Along the way, he discovers that she is the one woman he has met who understands his hopes, difficulties, and sense of humor, and he is the one man who can appreciate and love her.

Darius does not swashbuckle or save Charlotte from highwaymen or other ploys from action-driven stories. Instead, the book carefully reveals the charming courtship of two reasonable, intelligent people. Humor, unusual settings, and amusing situations abound--those 1800s clothes are always a trial, aren't they? Yes, Darius accepts Charlotte's "secret" in a way that would not be typical of the time--but in a way reasonable for someone who views mating behavior from a scientific standpoint.

The ending is highly improbably for the time in which it occurs, but that is the reason for historical romance literature. It offers a way to escape the grating realities of the 21st century. How nice to think that two close families could defy convention and protect their own loved ones. The area where I live is rife with narrow-mindedness and prejudice. I hate to think what it must have been like in the early 19th century. Imagining that, once upon a time, those evils were overcome by loving families is encouraging.

This is the story of the last of the Carsington brothers to find the right woman. Loretta Chase has an original style, writes extremely well and is very amusing to boot. She can make you laugh out loud and smile whilst still feeling all the emotions and passion you are looking for in a romantic novel.

Darius Carsington has been tasked by his father, Lord Hargate, to put to rights a derelict estate in Cheshire. His very matter-of-fact and scientific mind is puzzled by his neighbour's beautiful, charming and on-the-surface perfect daughter, who is 27 and still unwed. He tries to discover why and how she has managed to evade all her suitors and in the process falls in love. She discovers in him a source of strength and someone to trust. Gradually they discover each other's secrets. I won't give away the plot but the story hinges on a very original twist on a fairly standard theme of a base born child. Not much happens, the action takes place mainly on his estate and at her home but its an original tale well told. Recommended.