Customer Reviews

Ugly Duckling (Harlequin Regency Romance)

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I happened to find this in a used bookstore. I took one look at it and instantly fell in love with it. I bought it and took it home. My first impression was correct. The book is about a wealthy girl from a huge family with a superficial mother and scholarly, yet withdrawn, father. Deirdre prefers her poetry to the social whirl that her sisters and mother indulge in. When the mother takes the second batch of daughters for their first season in London, Deirdre has no choice but to go. Dressed in plain clothes that contrast roughly to her mother's and sister's, she drives into Town. However, when Deirdre meets and falls in love with a rich and handsome marquis, she decides to change. She has to choose; give up her poetry and live with the one she loves, or give up everything for her beloved poetry.

I guess the thing I liked most about this book is that it stresses the positive virtues and morals that most people in this world still need to learn.

I enjoyed this book for the story of six sisters, alike and different in many ways. I enjoyed the playing off each other that each sister did. Deirdre easily slipped into the background because she lacked the looks of the other sisters. Her own mother did not try to bring out her beauty and let her develop her inner self.

Unfortunately, Deirdre turned out to be a very weak heroine. A very talented poet, she was willing to give it all up and even pretend she didn't enjoy any literature - all for a man! It was love at first sight, so Deirdre's sister turned her into a fashion plate and voila, she turned into a beauty with confidence to spare (too quick and too contrived!).

Lord Wrotham, the hero, who had resisted all marriage minded misses was so taken with her that he too was willing to give up any hope of meeting a woman who shared his love of literature. There was a little misunderstanding and each thought the other didn't like poetry. I think he would have looked around a bit for someone who (he thought) shared more of his interests.

Other characters in the book were intriguing and I liked when Deirdre met other writers. Mr. Flinder was an interesting villain. Worth a quick read but not a keeper.

I happened to find this in a used bookstore. I took one look at it and instantly fell in love with it. I bought it and took it home. My first impression was correct. The book is about a wealthy girl from a huge family with a superficial mother and scholarly, yet withdrawn, father. Deirdre prefers her poetry to the social whirl that her sisters and mother indulge in. When the mother takes the second batch of daughters for their first season in London, Deirdre has no choice but to go. Dressed in plain clothes that contrast roughly to her mother's and sister's, she drives into Town. However, when Deirdre meets and falls in love with a rich and handsome marquis, she decides to change. She has to choose; give up her poetry and live with the one she loves, or give up everything for her beloved poetry.

I guess the thing I liked most about this book is that it stresses the positive virtues and morals that most people in this world still need to learn.

Miss Deirdre Weaton was in a pucker. She had never looked to marry. Certainly not to someone as grand as Lord Wrotham.

But there was no help for it. She was unable to resist his charms, though for the sake of her first love, she fervently wished she could.

How could she love a man with her heart, knowing all the while she would have to abandon her soul?