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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a satisfying and romantic read, April 16, 2004
This review is from: The Rules of Love (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)
On the whole, I rather enjoy Amanda McCabe's Regency-era romance novels (mostly the last few ones) -- the books are not always ones with vastly original plots, but the authour has a rather unique way of telling a tale so that I quite frequently think that, "this is new" or "what an interesting twist." The same proved to be true of "The Rules of Love" -- the plot was not a very original one, and the characters seemed to be the same stock type; and yet, by the time I was halfway through the novel, all I could thunk of was how the authour had, as usual, put her own unique stamp on all these much used props in order to give us this very enjoyable and satisfying new romance novel. If it wasn't for her irresponsible younger brother, Mrs. Rosalind Chase (a widow) probably would have carried on happily running her conservatory for young ladies, and secretly penning her book of manners for members of the ton. But her brother's foolish and expensive antics are getting completely out of hand, and would, probably, not only land them both in the poor house, but also destroy her own good name as well. Rosalind holds Lord Michael Morley, poet and a disgraceful reprobate solely to blame for her brother's bad habits. And when she learns that Lord Morley, a great breaker of rules, may be single-handedly behind the cause for the declining sales of her etiquette book, Rosalind decides to visit London in order to do some investigating. Thrown into that gentleman's company, however, Rosalind begins to discover that there is more to Lord Morley than she had hitherto suspected -- and that there may be more to her than just the staid school mistress. For here in London, glimpses of the young carefree girl she used to be is resurfacing. Should Rosalind repress that lighthearted part of her, or embrace it? And what of the powerful feelings she has for Lord Morley? Will the attraction spell her downfall or actually bring her great happiness... The nice thing about "Rules of Love" was that all the tension and conflict in the novel arose not because of dastardly villains out to murder the hero and heroine, but from the differing points of view that Rosalind and Lord Morley have about rules: Rosalind believes that following the rules is what keeps society civilized, whereas Lord Morley believes strongly that following petty little rules destroys the soul. There are merits (and demerits) to both points of views, and the authour uses certain plot developments to show this and to open the eyes of both her protagonists. This makes the happily ever-after ending both credible and satisfying. Another nice touch was making Lord Morley slightly younger and more exuberant than Rosalind, and making Rosalind the more mature, responsible and quieter one. This made the gradual 'unstiffening' of Rosalind pleasant to read, and the developing romance between the two principals truly satisfying. On the whole, "Rules of Love" was a very enjoyable and worthwhile read, and definitely worth its cover price.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best Regencies I've read, January 13, 2005
This review is from: The Rules of Love (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)
McCabe does a very credible job of presenting an "opposites attract" romance that's just a tiny bit different. Lord Morley isn't as bad as he seems to Rosalind at first, but he's definitely opposed to her rigid rules of behavior. Rosalind is far too prim, failing to grasp the joy of life; Morley shows her how to loosen up and have some fun. But it all happens through a series of unfortunate events--events unwittingly caused by the other. Each character is well-developed and grows through the course of the book. There are no dastardly villains, just the usual differences in personality and human mistakes evident in real life. So while there's no urgent drama, the more realistic approach to this relationship is both welcome and soothing.
A charming romance.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good, April 19, 2004
This review is from: The Rules of Love (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)
Rosalind Chase is a no-nonsense widow who runs a school for young women. The prudish schoolmistress has a secret: she's the author of the popular book, "A Lady's Rules." The book, now the talk of the ton, is a very strict outline of proper decorum. And Rosalind desperately needs the book to sell... so she can get her no-good brother out of a pinch. All of Rosalind's problems can be traced back to Lord Morley. Viscount Morley, a poet and notorious rule-breaker, has been a bad influence on Rosalind's younger brother. Not to mention, it's LORD MORLEY who is hindering the sales of "A Lady's Rule's!" ...But why does she find herself attracted to Lord Morley? And why does Lord Morley find himself growing fond of a woman who is openly critical of him? "The Rules of Love" is essentially an "opposites attract" book--and it's a very good one. Rosalind needs Michael (that's Lord Morley's Christian name) to tear down her walls, and Lord Morley needs Rosalind to keep him grounded. Amanda McCabe does a good job of drawing us into her world and her characters' world. Another thing I like about Ms. McCabe is the fact that none of her stories are similar. She brings us something new every time. That said, "Rules of Love" had a few slow moments, and it was generally uneventful. Still, it's very sweet. I don't have much to complain about. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, humorous, feel-good book.
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