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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Book 2 of the Widow's Club., March 13, 2008
As a child Georgiana Wilde had been close friends with Quinn and Anthony Fortesque. As Georgiana grew up, she secretly loved Quinn. After an accident, Georgiana's leg was disfigured and Quinn was sent away to boarding school. Georgiana had not seen Quinn since the day he married another woman and broke her heart. But now Quinn was a widow with a nine-year-old daughter, Fairleigh, and had returned to Penrose on estate business.
Georgiana had married Anthony, the Marquis of Ellesmere, much to Anthony's mother's anger and dismay. Gwendolyn Fortesque thought Georgiana too common for her precious Anthony! Georgiana was the steward's daughter and disfigured trash. Anthony did not care what his mother thought. He loved Georgiana. However, Anthony died in Georgiana's arms...on their wedding night.
Quinn became the new Marquis of Ellesmere. It was not a title he wanted. Gwendolyn was demanding that Quinn investigate and annul Anthony and Georgiana's marriage. The maids had not seen any blood on the sheets of the newlyweds. Georgiana still resided on Penrose, but does not use the Marchioness of Ellesmere title by choice. Quinn hoped to deal with the matter quickly and leave. He would like nothing more than to turn the entire estate over to Georgiana and leave, forgetting again the painful memories of his former life. Yet her beauty and bravery enticed him. Quinn forced himself not to respond to the urges he has had due to the surprising feelings after one kiss.
**** Author Sophia Nash has yet to write a book that I do not enjoy. There are several secondary characters; many are part of the Widows Club (a.k.a. the Barely Bereaving Beauties'). It consists of four widows, most young, and they are all residing at Penrose, invited by Georgiana. These ladies and Fairleigh combine to make a witty addition to the story, at times downright hilarious. Luc and Rosa, from a previous story, are secondary characters too. If you have not read their tale, you will not be left adrift at all. Fans of Regency Romance will NOT be disappointed with this story. There are many road blocks for the main couple to over come and a few surprises along the way. Recommended! ****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Didn't care for it much, May 12, 2008
I have read all of Ms Nash's previous books, and I had really liked one of her older Signets, so I ordered this one -- to my regret. I got about halfway through and gave up. I didn't feel emotionally engaged in the story -- it was all just too familiar sounding. I really gave up, though, because it seemed to me that the prose, if not purple, was definitely verging on the fuchsia, with touches of the itsy-poo in the passages about children, and the characters' dialogue was much too modern-sounding. The book also suffers from sequelitis, a condition in which characters from previous books are dragged in for no particular reason, flounce around for a while, and then leave without having done anything important. I did think the heroine's little lists were amusing. I wouldn't call it a wallbanger, but I would only recommend this one to readers who want an undemanding fast light read and haven't read very many regencies as yet.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unrequited love meets diplomacy, May 22, 2008
What do you do when you've been in love with someone since childhood but he marries someone else? Georgiana Wilde ends up marrying her other childhood playmate, Quinn's cousin Anthony. When he dies on their wedding night Georgiana finds herself in an awkward position with her mother-in-law doubting their marriage was true and trying to eject Georgiana from the house. After all, the daughter of their steward ought not to be raised up to the position of Marchioness.
A year later, when Quinn returns to Penrose, he finds the situation between Georgiana and his aunt still awkward. He finds himself becoming reacquainted with his childhood friend and watches as she interacts with his daughter, the strangely-named Fairleigh. Fairleigh's mother has died and so Quinn is now single again - and a very eligible Marquis.
Georgiana is surrounded by her friends, most of whom are widows but also Rosamunde, a Duchess. Some realise her feelings towards Quinn, others don't, but as Quinn and Georgiana become closer they are separated by a misunderstanding (a fairly usual plot device in this kind of book). Can they get together? Will Quinn be able to put aside his aloof nature and feel emotions again?
Although there wasn't really anything particularly new or different in this book I did enjoy it. Georgiana was a great character, a lively and self-assured woman who has coped with a disability for years. Quinn's smooth and urbane exterior hides his fear of those he loves abandoning him. The two work well together and the interactions between Quinn and the Duke of Helston were great fun. The author had a pleasant writing style with some good local colour for Cornwall and the lives of landowners. There was a fairly large cast of side characters who I imagine are part of a series this author is writing although this is the first book I have read by her. Overall it was a good read but the hackneyed misunderstanding/man can't say he loves someone plotline is perhaps getting a little bit tired.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008
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