Rendezvous [Mass Market Paperback]

Amanda Quick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1991

From the elegently appointed drawing rooms of London's most exclusive clubs to an imposing country estate in the heart of Dorset, comes a provocative tale of a free-thinking beauty, a dignified lord, and a mad impetuous love that defied all logic . . .

RENDEZVOUS
 
Augusta Ballinger was quite sure that it was all a dreadful mistake. The chillingly pompous and dangerous Earl of Graystone could not possibly wish to marry her. Why, it was rumored that his chosen bride must be a veritable model of virtue. And everyone knew that Augusta, as the last of the wild, reckless Northumberland Ballingers, was a woman who could not be bothered by society’s rules.

That was why the spirited beauty had planned a midnight encounter to warn the earl off, to convince him that she would make him a very poor wife indeed. But when she crawled in through his darkened study window, Augusta only succeeded in strengthening Harry’s resolve: to kiss the laughter from those honeyed lips and teach this maddening miss to behave! How could he possibly know that it was he who was in for a lesson . . . as his brazen fiancée set out to win his heart—and an old and clever enemy stepped in to threaten their love, their honor, and their very lives?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With its predictable resolution, obvious villain and a hero and heroine who are strikingly similar to those in the author's most recent contemporary romance ( Sweet Fortune, written as Jayne Ann Krentz), this Regency falls short in both originality and intrigue. The scholarly Harry Fleming, earl of Graystone, prizes loyalty above all else. A former spy, he is haunted by his failure to nab a traitor known as the Spider. Furthermore, his wife was "a lying, deceitful, falsehearted bitch." Now a widower, Harry's in the market for a second wife. He has selected as his bride Augusta Ballinger, a reckless but steadfastly loyal woman, and knowing she will balk, he persuades her guardian to present the engagement to her as a fait accompli. Despite her attraction to Henry, Augusta is indeed convinced that a free spirit doesn't belong with a stick-in-the-mud scholar. But the marriage proceeds, and as Harry tries to fashion a proper wife out of Augusta, he begins to believe that a document linked to the suspicious death of her brother two years earlier may offer a clue to the identity of the elusive Spider.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

From the elegently appointed drawing rooms of London's most exclusive clubs to an imposing country estate in the heart of Dorset, comes a provocative tale of a free-thinking beauty, a dignified lord, and a mad impetuous love that defied all logic...

Rendezvous

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (October 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553293257
• ISBN-13: 978-0553293258
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

With a string of bestselling Regency and Victorian Era romantic-suspense novels under her quill, AMANDA QUICK (who also writes under the pen names JAYNE ANN KRENTZ and JAYNE CASTLE) entered the world of a highly secretive paranormal group, the ARCANE SOCIETY, with her novel SECOND SIGHT. The series moved into a contemporary setting when JAYNE ANN KRENTZ (Amanda's contemporary alter-ego) released the second book in the series, WHITE LIES.

This winter, the ARCANE SOCIETY continues with THE LOOKING GLASS TRILOGY. It begins with IN TOO DEEP by Jayne Ann Krentz this December. Amanda is working on QUICKSILVER, her Spring 2011 contribution is book 2 in the series. The trilogy will conclude when JAYNE CASTLE releases CANYONS OF NIGHT, the futuristic novel, in Summer 2011.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not up to par., August 27, 2000

By 

L. S. Tucker (Port St. Lucie, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rendezvous (Mass Market Paperback)

Harry Fleming, Earl of Graystone, was looking for a wife and mother for his daughter now that his spy activities were completed. He was looking for a demure, obedient, virtuous woman. Augusta Ballinger, last of the reckless Northumberland Ballingers, was loyal and virtuous, but definitely not demure or obedient. She went her own way and gave little thought to society's dictates. Therefore, it took London by surprise when Harry requested Augusta's hand in marriage. The couple must learn to accept each other while trying to clear Augusta's dead brother's honor and searching for a dangerous enemy spy.

Lovely tale, but a bit weaker than most Quick novels. Augusta kept going on and on about her family traits for recklessness and stubborness. It got a bit old before long. The ladies club, Pompeia, was a wonderful touch. A good beach book or for a cold winter night in front of a roaring fire.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Amusing, July 19, 2000

By 

Tamsin Green - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rendezvous (Mass Market Paperback)

Okay, I know that, if you've seen my reviews anywhere else, you're probably tired of hearing about Ransom. So this time, I'm going to do my level best to explain what I like so much about this book without being overduely annoying- after all, not everyone liked Ransom, and everyone should love .R.

Augusta is wonderfully daring, bold and quite reckless, which I like because all too often in Romance books you have heroines who end up being fairly prissy, so Augusta is an interesting variation. Or complete opposite, I suppose. I loved the way she stood up for her brother loyally even when it looked so much like he was the 'Spider'. Unfortunately, I found that Lovejoy was too transparent as a villian to really lend that much credence to the idea that Richard really was 'Spider'. Still, I got absolutely delicious chills when I read 'Spider's Web' and I found that a deft touch to add to the suspense- although, sadly, most Quick novels do seem to be lacking that quality of on-the-edge of your seat entertainment. I also found myself in reluctant agreement with Harry's rather derrogatory opinion that Augusta excused her own behavior far too often with the rather tired line about being a Northumberland Ballinger. However, I really think that Augusta's habit of using her heritage as an excuse was really very human, and added a whole new dimension to her character as well as gave her some shading and color.

Harry was perhaps a little- well, overwhelmingly would be a better description- too straightlaced. And I very much enjoyed watching Augusta rid him of those laces- literally and figuritively! I also enjoyed Harry's character because typical male romance figures are brawny, very un-scientific, unprincipalled types, and ocassionally one likes to read a book where the guy is the prude. And Harry was certainly a prude! . . . . Although I did feel that making 'sweet love' in a carriage was certainly an improvement on his usual bleached and starched behavior, I didn't like the idea that the wedding was suddenly moved up an entire three months- I kind of wanted to see them both struggle with their attraction more.

Meredith was a very nice touch, as, again, all too many books, including quite a few of Lowell's, Small's, Garwood's and Lamb's lack the element of a child to unite the lovers in question. And I very much enjoyed the scene where Harry finds out that Augusta took Meredith to Pompeia's.

On the whole, I would say that Quick's books are written with remarkable humor, a light touch, and although I agree with the complaint that they seem fairly cookie-cutter, it is books like .R. and Wicked Widow that really stand out. And of course, the interim books aren't bad at all. . . .

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Amanda Quick's best, November 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Rendezvous (Mass Market Paperback)

I really enjoyed Rendezvous. I'd rank it as one of Amanda Quick's best - better than her later books. The action starts almost immediately. The constant bantering is fun. It follows the plot in the majority of Ms. Quick's books - the girl is trying to get him to admit he loves her and he is trying to control her actions which the heroine refused to let him do. Even though the plot is familiar, if you are reading her books for this type of style - you get what you're looking for! I would recommend it. It was very enjoyable.