Customer Reviews

UNWILLING CONQUEST (LESTER FAMILY)

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

 

 

Although not in large print, be aware this novel was included in Rogues' Reform by Harlequin in 2000. Rogues' Reform contains three Stephanie Laurens stories (including An Unwilling Conquest) set during the English Regency. The stories feature the romances of the three Lester siblings, a sister and two brothers. The set is excellent and I would highly recommend them. They are much tamer, however, than Laurens more recent novels dealing with the Cynster family. Note: the hero in A Comfortable Wife, Lord Phillip Ruthven is introduced in Rogues' Reform.

Stephanie Laurens, noted for her sensual Cynster novels, breaks away from the Cynsters with this traditional Regency Romance. Handsome Harry Lester, horseracer and known rake, meets the beautiful, independent Mrs. Lucinda Babbacombe, widow and businesswoman, as he pulls her out of her overturned carriage on the road to Newmarket. Lucinda needs to remain in town in order to visit the various inns she owns. Harry has Lucinda stay with his Aunt Em in order to keep an eye on her so that the other rakes in town do not take advantage of the beautiful widow. Harry vows to never succumb to marriage like his friends and family and fights the allure of Luccinda. Eventually they come together one passionate afternoon. Harry then proposes to Lucinda, but she declines, feeling he is proposing out of honor rather than love. Harry then decides that he will win Lucinda's love by courting her in the traditional way. If you are a fan of the Regency, you will enjoy this courtship and romp through the ballrooms of the ton. Once again Ms. Laurens delights us with her knowledge of horseracing in the Regency period. If you are a fan of her other sensual romances, you will be a bit frustrated waiting for more of her wonderfully written love scenes, which just aren't here. This is a heartwarming story that will keep you smiling and believing that the traditional Regency is not a dead genre.

Ok, the writing is very good, but I just didn't like the story line. It felt a little bit cold at times.

****warning SPOILERS*******

Harry, a wealthy rake and horse breeder, meets Lucinda, a financially astute widower, in Newport. He's there to race his horses and she's there to look over Inns, which she's inherited upon her husbands death. Sparks fly. Harry refuses to allow Lucinda to visit and inspect the questionable establishments without a proper escort -himself and insists she stay at his Aunts nearby. The mutual attraction grows and soon everyone is trying to push the reluctant Harry into leg shackles.

They all return to London and one thing leads to another and Lucinda is compromised. Much to Harry's shock -she was a virgin! Apparently her much older husband married her for companionship/teacher for his daughter and to prevent Lucinda from a distasteful marriage. So Harry offers marriage after the comprise, but not for love. Lucinda rejects him of course! Here's where the book takes a down turn.

Harry believes he has to prove that her loves Lucinda before he actually says the words -in his mind he thinks she won't believe him otherwise. Lucinda takes on a desperate role here. Every turn she believes that Harry will declare his love -but he doesn't.

It gets a bit too much, especially when he takes her to his home and tells her he's getting it ready for a wife and children -making it seem that maybe she won't be the wife. Makes me so sad for Lucinda! She just becomes depressed that he'll never tell her that he loves her. And when he finally does? No big sweeping romantic jesture! You feel like she's just about given up by this point. Makes Harry out to be sort of a meanie to me.

It just didn't leave me all warm and fuzzy. Good book, but there are better out there. Read Kleypas, Quinn or D'Allessandro for some good ~sigh~ instead.

I love Stephanie Laurens and have read (and collected) just about all of her Cynster and Bastion Club Books but honestly if I had started with this book I cant be sure if I would have become the fan I am today. Dont get me wrong its an OK book but not what I have come to expect. I can only excuse it by saying it was one of her earlier books and released through Harlequin Mills & Boon London.

From the first meeting of Harry and Lucinda they are intrigue by each other. Later after becoming intimate with her, Harry decides that they should marry but Lucinda refuses because she wants Harry to love her first. However Harry has been burned in a relationship before and refuses to risk the same thing happening again. Lucinda soon despairs that he will ever express his love and starts to accept that her love may have to be enough. Eventually Harry explains that the manner in which he acted was to show proof of his devotion and love.

I found the hero too restrained for my liking, too impassive. Yes he appoints himself as her protector and thereby shows that he does care but he refused to show any emotions, except for annoyance. He does not romance Lucinda or does anything to show she is his world and that he needs her to make his life meaningful. What he says was proof of his love seems more more like proof of his possessiveness towards Lucinda.

Conclusion: Good plot, well written but not enough passion and romance.

Stephanie Laurens never disappoints. Her characters are true ladies and gentlemen, always well developed and appealing. Yet they have true passion for life and each other. In addition, the author writes well, putting her commas in the proper place, keeping tenses organized, and never dangling her participles Because she Is Australian, the slight differences in vocabulary usage and sentence structure are interesting and charming.

Enjoy entering the genteel and mannerly Regency Period as Harry, the reluctant suitor, and Amanda, the capable, but virginal widow find true love in a classy romance.

Stephanie Laurens' writing is easy and enjoyable. The story could have been better. I was disappointed. I just did not get that "happy feeling" in the end. Not a winner for me.

The first half of the book, I struggled to keep reading. Probably only read it through because I am a fan of Laurens' other works.

Like the other reviewers, I felt SL has a lot more to say than this book represents. I don't know what happened, but it lost it's momentum rather quickly. The first part was good but then something happened and then poof! The last two or three chapters were a blur because I turned the pages without reading until I came to a page that had something to add. No, this isn't a good one but I will continue to be a fan, and not judge her on one not-so-good book.

I love all Stephanie Laurens' books, and this was no exception. Only reasons I didn't give it 5 stars were I knew what to expect and I always wish her boosk were longer, since I get so involved with the characters. If you are a Laurens fan, you won't be disappointed; if you are new to her books, you should probably start with one of the earlier books and work you way up, as there are a lot of repeating characters.

Harlequin books has reprinted this, It is available thru reader services for a short time only.