3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very odd story..., September 3, 2002
This review is from: How the Rogue Stole Christmas (Cats of Mayfair Series , No 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
This was one of the first Regencies I acquired (as opposed to borrowing from the library). At that time, I had come off a spate of later Marion Chesney's with her uniquely askew vision of Regency society. Naturally, this book appealed to me a lot, and on its strength, I acquired the author's Beau Brummell books in hardcover - which I do not regret.
I came back to this book recently, after it was mentioned on one of my discussion groups and I found I could not remember the plot. [This was perhaps a bad sign]. On a re-read, I found this book much less accessible, much less humorous, and rather convoluted in its reasoning.
It is best to regard this book as a farce. HOW THE ROGUE STOLE CHRISTMAS is about a penniless heroine determined to have a good Christmas, despite several problems - she must sell a dress to buy food and firewood, but her cottage roof falls in. She must travel to a neighbor's home subsequently, during which trip she stays in a shabby inn and is accosted by a London beau who believes her to be a maid. At the neighbor's home, she finds out that her hostess, a dowager countess who dresses too young for her age, is determined to marry her off to a London beau - who just happens to be the very man who insulted her at the inn. And so it goes, through various ill-matched couples quarrelling with each other, a thieving senior servant, and five frisky little kittens.
At this moment, I probably cannot appreciate the farcical element of the story, because the plot gets slightly convoluted. There are many many secondary characters, each with their own story. There are at least three secondary romances going on (although it is hard to call some of them romances!). There is a highly unpleasant society lady, and an almost equally unpleasant servant. No wonder that my head was reeling!
The problems I had with this story at the second reading was that in the two or three years in between readings I have read many more Regency romances, some better and some worse. I have also learned a lot more about the Regency period. Finally, I have read romances where the authors were sensitive to historical details (including social conventions) without boring their reader. HOW THE ROGUE STOLE CHRISTMAS is a charming if eccentric story, but it is not particularly correct in terms of keeping to the social conventions.
Throughout my second and third readings of this, I was wondering about the heroine's position in society, her first marriage, her relationships with others (including her estranged father), and her financial situation. Lady Margery's life at the beginning of the novel did not make sense to me. Much about her back-story (her previous history) remained unexplained or made no sense. Why did Lady Margery not seek a reconciliation with her father, or vice versa after her husband's death? Why did she choose to remain married to the husband in the first place? Why would she tell the hero that her marriage was never consummated but hesitate to share that information with her old nurse, her father and other people? [For that matter, an unconsummated marriage meant that the marriage could have been simply annulled]. I also could not understand why her nurse was Miss, not Mrs, and why Lady Margery had no governess, just her old nurse who raised her. That was just for starters. I could pick faults at any stage in the plot. There were so many holes in the plot, so many dropped plot threads, and above all, too many people.
At best, I would have to say that Rosemary Stevens wrote this very early in her career (when she knew little about the period) or that she deliberately ignored several details such as the correct title of the daughters of an earl. This book is more enjoyable, I suspect, when the reader knows little about the period or does not care about such details. I unfortunately do not fall into either camp.
There are saving details - some of the secondary characters are beautifully drawn, and we get an early glimpse of Beau Brummell (the detective-hero of Steven's recent works).
Rating = C+ (3.1)
Breakdown = romance 2.7 (C-), plot 2.7 (C-), writing 3.5 (B-), characterization 3.2 (C+)
Comment: This grade does not include deductions for lack of historical accuracy, or accuracy in social conventions of the period. If that is an issue for you, avoid this book.
Recommendation: For lovers of Regency farces that are light on historical details.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very good book, February 2, 2000
This review is from: How the Rogue Stole Christmas (Cats of Mayfair Series , No 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
This was my first Rosemary Stevens book and I admit that I was impressed. As the previous reviewer mentioned, the characters were awesome--I could easily picture each person as they were introduced in the story.
The plot is simple. No elaborate death threats, war issues, or madmen running around. That's okay, because it stands just fine on its story.
If I had any problems with this book, I found it to be a mite slow at points. The characters indulge--in my opinion--in too much introspection. "Stop thinking and act!" I wanted to yell at them. Some books err on the side of no-brainer characters; this one tends to err on the side of too-deep-of-thinking characters.
Overall, a very good book.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Regency Romance, January 8, 1999
This review is from: How the Rogue Stole Christmas (Cats of Mayfair Series , No 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
I adore the characters in this book, I'm sure I met the surly innkeeper once when staying at an Inn in Wales, we have the traditional penniless heroine, living with her old nurse, a French maid with magical face creams to clear freckles. A retired Major who eventually wins the bride of his dreams, the young lord who is spending too much gambling and is lured away from the hells of London, and not forgetting the dashingly dressed Lilly who exists to tempt the hero from the straight and narrow.
This by the way is one of the last Regency Romancy line published by Fawcett Crest, perhaps if we buy enough copies they might relent and publish a few more.
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