| Title | : | The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1849014434 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781849014434 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 523 |
| Publication | : | First published June 24, 2010 |
The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance Reviews
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I love these Mammoth Romance Anthologies, so even though regency romances are not my thing I couldn't resist giving The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance (TMBoRR) with its twenty three short romances a try. And I ended up being glad that I did.
This BIG book had a nice variety of stories, most of which felt much longer than I would have imagined and many with a surprising amount of steam. I found that the stories which I liked best were not the ones with the most complicated setups, mostly because there just wasn't the space for those stories to transition in a way which felt natural and to make the resolutions satisfying. On the whole, I found that stories which built off of a 'big misunderstanding' to keep former lovers apart for years and which had them hating each other at the start were my least favorite. Instead, I preferred the stories with lovers separated by circumstance getting a second chance or the ones with neighbors or friends taking it to the next level.
I am not knowledgeable when it comes to this genre - Although, to my surprise, I did actually recognize a few authors. So I can't really comment on the popularity of the collection of authors which editor Tricia Telep has amassed for TMBoRR. But if Telep's other collections are any indication, I am sure that regency fans will find many beloved names. Here's a short blurb for each author's story so you can be the judge and my rating for each
"Desperate Measures" -Candace Hern - She's decided to get the attention of the man she's secretly loved by making him jealous but there's a slight hitch in her plan. (3 stars)
"Upon a Midnight Clear" - Anna Campbell - An accident brings an estranged husband and wife back together after ten years. Could fate be offering them a second chance? (2 stars - a ten year big misunderstanding was just too much for me)
"The Dashing Miss Langley" - Amanda Grange - After two years, an independent woman reconnects with the man she thought would offer for her but whose absence left her questioning his true feelings. (3 stars)
"Cynders and Ashe" - Elizabeth Boyle - A dissatisfied customer and a misplaced invitation combine to offer a talented seamstress an opportunity to attend a highly coveted annual ball and to see the 'prince' she was forced to flee the last go round. (4 stars - A charming twist on Cinderella, a bit of 'magic' made the initial quick connection work for me)
"His Wicked Revenge" - Vanessa Kelly - He plans to blackmail his former lover into becoming his mistress to gain revenge on her family (1 star -a big misunderstanding plus the leading man in this one started out so ruthless that I was mad at the heroine for forgiving his rotten treatment so easily.)
"Lady Invisible" - Patricia Rice - A widowed Major back from war needs a wife to help him tame his wild child. (3 stars - pleasant enough, I liked the former military officer who was clueless about the women in his life)
"The Piano Tutor" - Anthea Lawson - A handsome piano tutor brings more than music back into a young widow's life. (3 stars - pleasant enough)
"Stolen" - Emma Wildes - Friends since childhood, after helping her 'retrieve' her property, he maneuvers her into sharing a room at an inn and the intimate adventure he's always dreamt of (4 stars - I love it when dreams come true)
"Her Gentleman Thief" - A victim of highway robbery on the eve of her wedding, a young woman allows a thief to steal her reputation in order to save her sister's. (4 stars - The hero had promise and I'd have liked for this one to have been a bit longer)
"The Weatherly's Ball" - Christine Kelley - Even though it’s been years and she is now a widow, the tales of her ruination still persist as the woman returns to the ball where her reputation was lost and finds the ghost from her past still alive. (3 stars - the hero loses so of his appeal when he's cruel to the heroine)
"Panchamaabhuta"- Leah Ball - A widow and a sexy roguish thief vie for the possession of a ring (2.5 stars - I had a hard time getting past, the heroine sleeping with stranger she knows is a thief)
"Angelique" - Margo Maguire - Returning from abroad after her father's death, a woman finds that the fiancé she jilted is trustee to her inheritance. (3 stars)
"Like No Other" - Caroline Linden - A retired sea captain, captivated by his widowed neighbor longs to move their friendship beyond pleasant conversation shared across their common garden wall. (4 stars - the slow growing love and two people finally taking the risk to acknowledge it appealed to me)
"Catch of the Season" - Shirley Kennedy - Lord Melton, the "catch of the Season", has asked her to wed. She should be thrilled but should she go with her head or with her heart when she meets his "ne'er do well" younger brother. (4 stars)
"French Intuition" - Delilah Marvelle - An estranged couple will play a bedroom game to try to regain what was lost between them and save their marriage. (2 stars - this has the skeleton of really good story but needed to be longer to capitalize on it)
"A Suitable Gentleman" - Sara Bennett - Resigned to taking care of her hypochondriac aunt, a woman entertains no hope of marriage or family, but a newcomer to town captivated by her wit may just change her mind. (2.5 stars - this one also needed to be longer, but the hero's enchantment with the heroine, connected with me)
"Gretna Green" - Sharon Page - Though she's fled from marriage herself, a dressmaker facilitates elopements for young ladies wishing to wed men not of their parents choosing - until the lover she left behind turns up to investigate the disappearance of one of the young ladies. (3 stars)
"Little Miss Independent" - Julia Templeton - Five years later she is no longer a child in pigtails but a beautiful young women who takes his breath away. She sees past the scars which have made him a monster in society's eyes to the man she has always loved. (4 stars - beauty and the beast, with a dollop of secret love for a big brother's best friend - both favorite themes of mine)
"The Devil's Bargain" - Deborah Raleigh - A married woman has carved a new life for herself until the husband she abandoned on her wedding day turns up. (2 stars - another big misunderstanding too easily resolved)
"Kindred Souls" - Barbara Metzger - A woman who was 'ruined' and a former soldier whose name was besmirched by the same foul man, are former sweethearts who have a chance to reclaim their honor and their love. (1 star - I am not generally a technical reader but the writing style made it difficult for me to get involved in this story)
"Remember" - Michelle Ann Young - A rakish man is hired by a family to save a young lord from offering for a fortune seeking woman and if at the same time the rake gets his revenge on the woman with whom he shared a past, it's all the better. (3 stars)
"Moonlight" - Carolyn Jewel - A young man and a widow who have shared a lifelong friendship discover that everything between them suddenly looks different by moonlight. (3 stars - but I'd have liked it better as a full novel, the transition from friends to lovers needed days not minutes - for those with language issues this one has a variant of the f-word)
"Invitation to a Scandal" - Lorraine Heath - Inheriting a title and a huge debt a broken young Earl sits in an almost empty mansion until he receives and invitation and a proposition from a beautiful wealthy young woman with a scandalous heritage. (4 stars - the heroine was incredibly appealing and I liked how she achieves her dreams while bringing him back to life) -
Having missed my train, I was seriously glad that I had this on hand to read!
^ That, was my initial thought. Now though, I find that this collection of stories seem a bit of a mixed bag. At least they still kept to the regency theme, though I find the historical accuracy of it uneven. All in all, there seems to be the expectation fo sex, which is a bit jarring when most of them involved first loves.
Still, there were a few standout stories, and oddly enough, none written by Mary Balogh (why was her name pride of place on the cover?!).
---
Desperate Measures: 4 stars
A fake relationship to draw her intended beau's attention going astray? Sign me up!
Upon a Midnight Clear: 5 stars
This was just as wonderful! 10 years may be a tad... unreasonable, but it was still wonderful to see a still-married couple come to terms with their previously immature selves.
The Dashing Miss Langley: 5 stars
This had a dash of farce through it, particularly with regards to Caroline. Ah, youthful ignorance! And the fact that it addressed the missed opportunity for Annabelle, Caroline's aunt, was actually rather awesome.
Cynders and Ashe: 4 stars
This story was a retelling of Cinderella, and it showed in a lot of places. That is not to say though, that the story was still rather charming and sweet. It just was a rather roundabout way of getting to the crux of the matter (and besides, it would do for a titled peer to marry a commoner, but meh. The story was cute, so I was happy to overlook it).
His Wicked Revenge: 3 stars
... Revenge was all well and good, but I'm usually none-too-fond of this trope. The secret-baby trope was a bit overdone, however, I did like that Vanessa Kelly subverted both of these tropes somewhat, tempering the usual outcome for such storylines.
Lady Invisible: 4 stars
Oh, that was rather silly, but good fun. I liked that Patricia Rice explored the unconventional relationship between a Major and his wild intended, instead of the usual lord/earl/etc that feature heavily in historical romance (not that there's no place for them).
The Piano Tutor: 3 stars
The story was far too short... and I suspected that the hidden identity trope was in play. Ultimately, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Stolen: 4 stars
A sweet story between two childhood friends, things just seemed much too convenient. But it was cute, and I finished it pleased and happy, so there is that. :)
Her Gentleman Thief: 1 star
Well, that was rather insipid. It was definitely not one of the strongest stories in this anthology of short stories.
The Weatherlys' Ball: 1 star
Another story where I ended up rolling my eyes. Some of the machinations were interesting, but everything just seemed too easily resolved (and that has a lot to do with the length of the story!).
The Panchamaabhuta: 1 star (maybe even a 0...)
Ah, insta-love. My most-hated trope. And this one had it in spades. I should've just skipped the story.
Angelique: 3 stars
This story was just a wee bit too flimsy, but since it was a second-chance story, I was willing to overlook it.
Like None Other: 2
I don't envisage a very happy ending for these two, not when one had a concerned mother, and the other a very ambitious mother. While they fell for each other in an instant, it's hard to tell whether it would result in happily-ever-love for them either.
The Catch of the Season: 4
For a Regency story, I didn't think that they would've succumbed to their passions so quickly, but meh. *shrug* Nevertheless, up until that point, I really liked the story, and its depiction of love-at-first-sight done right.
French Intuition: 2
It started out so well! /wail
A story of a marriage in peril, with a couple enduring many miscarriages and a nasty rumour of infidelity, it just disintegrated into sex. Take out the sex, add in a bit of a conversation, and it would've been amazing.
A Suitable Gentleman: 4
The twist was a bit contrived - but thank goodness for a love-at-first-sight story without sex involved!
Gretna Green: 4
Aside from the unnecessary sex scene and the slightly convoluted secondary love story, this was actually a pretty solid second chance story.
Little Miss Independent: 3
This started out so strong. I love stories about long-time crushes and loves, but this... the historical inaccuracies made me roll my eyes. In most of the stories I've read, it's rare for the chaperone to be a male; rare for a dress to be bought straight off the rack; rarer still for a woman to be open about her sexuality, let alone her heart's desires. So unfortunately, those factors reduced the rating for me.
The Devil's Bargain: 3
As it was with the previous story and the inaccuracies, surely it's beyond rude to leave your guests behind to deal with your personal matters? Stories involving the characters and their need to connect on a physical level (in particular!), leaving other matters to the side, always bothers me. And it seemed almost unpardonable that their marriage was left unconsummated for a year as well...
Kindred Souls: 4
This was a bit more fun, a story about two young people in love with one another for a long time, striving to clear their respective names. The only downside was all the telling as opposed to the showing, but I suppose that's down to the shorter format of the story.
Remember: 5
Other than the weak (and admittedly rather lame) ending, the story was otherwise solid. It was suitably angsty, and I really enjoyed it.
Moonlight: 5
This was just one, long sex scene, but meh. It hit the spot. What I actually enjoyed was its depiction of love from friendship, between a younger man and an older woman.
An Invitation to Scandal: 2
Yeah... no... The setup took too great a leap of faith for me to make. I suspect that their lives would be very difficult for a while, at least until some new scandal came along. -
This was a nice collection of short stories. I read them intermittently while I was reading full length novels. I initially picked this up because so many of my favorite authors were featured in here.
Candice Hern, Elizabeth Boyle, Caroline Linden, Sara Bennett, Carolyn Jewel, and Lorraine Heath all are authors I enjoy and they all did not disappoint in their short stories.
I also found a new author, Emma Wildes, as a result of this collection.
These stories ranged from sweet (Linden's and Hern's were adorable) to steamy (Carolyn Jewel's was really intense).
This was worth picking up for some fun reads. I enjoyed it. -
I take back what I said in the
The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance. The Mammoth books are boring with the exception of the Paranormal Romance anthology. -
A lot of these stories played into my favorite tropes, particularly the plain/spinster one. Lots of great angst, even with so short of stories. I'll definitely be checking out a lot of these authors!
Desperate Measures by Candace Hern - Heroine, in love with her brother's friend, tries to make him jealous but there's a hitch in her plan (3.5 stars)
Upon a Midnight Clear by Anna Campbell - Estranged husband and wife come together and patch things up. Some decent angst. (2.5 stars)
The Dashing Miss Langley by Amanda Grange - Spinster reconnects with the man who left her behind. There was almost some angsty insecurity. I know it's a short story, but damn, the whole thing oughtn't be resolved in a mere paragraph. Probably would have been better in a novella format. (3 stars)
Cynders and Ashe by Elizabeth Boyle - Sweet Cinderella tale, if a bit abrupt. (3 stars)
His Wicked Revenge by Vanessa Kelly - Hero bent on revenge against the woman he believes abandoned him and married another. Some good angst. (3.5 stars)
Lady Invisible by Patricia Rice - The plain spinster/hoyden heroine is just what the hero, a widower father, needs. (3 stars)
The Piano Tutor by Anthea Lawson - Widow embarks on an affair with a handsome piano tutor. There was some good angst but it was too quickly resolved. Oh well, to be expected with so short a story (3 stars)
Stolen by Emma Wildes - Hero takes advantage of the opportunity presented to seduce the heroine, his best friend since childhood, whom he has loved for years (3 stars)
Her Gentleman Thief by Robyn DeHart - Curvy, on-the-shelf heroine flees with a highwayman, convinced her intended does not care for her. She doesn't realize that he is the masked man. Some good angst. (4 stars)
The Weatherly's Ball by Christine Kelley - Heroine believes her lover is dead and marries in haste, but he returns, believing she betrayed him. Some decent angst. (3 stars)
Panchamaabhuta by Leah Ball - A widow and a thief steal a ring back and forth. A good amount of sex but it didn't seem very likely to me - jumping into bed with a stranger who is trying to steal your only possession? I wouldn't do that in this day and age, much less 200 years ago. (2 stars)
Angelique by Margo Maguire - Nice and angsty. Heroine was broken-hearted by the hero's supposed infidelity, two years later he wins her back. Resolved a bit quickly but that goes with the territory I suppose. (3.5 stars)
Like No Other by Caroline Linden - Retired naval captain and widowed neighbor slowly come together in cute, sweet romance. Interfering mother and overheard insult, which is always fun. (3 stars)
Catch of the Season by Shirley Kennedy - Artist heroine caught in love triangle between Lord Melton, who her mother demands she marry, and his brother with a less than perfect reputation, whom she falls in love with. I despise love triangles and everything seemed to move a bit too quickly or felt contrived. (2 stars)
French Intuition by Delilah Marvelle - Estranged husband suspects wife of cheating. Potential good angst but it sort of gets glossed over. (2.5 stars)
A Suitable Gentleman by Sara Bennett - Spinster cares for "ailing" aunt and hopes to find a good husband for her beautiful younger sister. I enjoyed her assumption that the hero would fall for her sister (instead of her) and the self-sacrifice and angst. (3.5 stars)
Gretna Green by Sharon Page - Tough, traumatized heroine seamstress confronted by the lover she ran out on. She helps young women elope after investigating their beaus, due to her desire to keep women safe after what happened to her mother and herself. The hero thinks she betrayed and abandoned him. Good angst and some of my favorite themes. (4 stars)
Little Miss Independent by Julia Templeton - Little girl with a crush on her older brother's best friend. Years later and he is a scarred war veteran and she is all grown up. She still loves him and he eventually realizes he loves her. I liked the beauty and the beast theme, and the headstrong little sister secretly in love with a friend. (3 stars)
The Devil's Bargain by Deborah Raleigh - Aaaaangst! Awkward wallflower seduced by dashing earl learns he was in desperate need of her dowry, so she abandons him, creating a new life for herself. On their one year anniversary he returns to set things right. She can't believe he cares for her. Love this stuff. (4 stars)
Kindred Souls by Barbara Metzger - Ruined woman and her aunt are exiled to the country by their awful family, but return upon the death of her father. This coincides with her young lover returning "from the dead" (aka Canada), clearing his name and claiming his title. Cute enough but missing something (2.5 stars)
Remember by Michelle Ann Young - Yes! Young lovers driven apart, each believing the other betrayed them. Revenge and insecurity and sweet, sweet angst. I love this author. (4 stars)
Moonlight by Carolyn Jewel - Sweet story about a young man and a widow six years his senior, who have been friends his whole life. They both discover their lust for each other and get it on. It was cute but I probably would have liked it better if it was longer and there was more buildup. (2.5 stars)
Invitation to a Scandal by Lorraine Heath - The daughter of a famous courtesan makes a deal with a broke earl to marry in order to make her dying mother happy. He is cynical and jaded, she is sweet and innocent and has pined for him for years. A bit of angst. Liked it but it was too rushed. (3 stars) -
This was not worth the money. Although I did discover that I’m no fan of romantic short stories.
Only two stories out of TWENTY THREE did I really enjoy. The rest of the stories were either ok or just straight up bad. Bad. So bad . Freaking bad.
I rate stories based on enjoyment. Any story that managed to hold my interest long enough to finish is a good one to me
1- Candice Hern Desperate Measures
Boring
2-Anna Campbell Upon a Midnight Clear
Excellent
3- Amanda Grange The Dashing Miss Langley
Boring
4-Elizabeth Boyle Cynders and Ashe
Cringe-y and Cheesy
5-Vanessa Kelly His Wicked Revenge
Not Bad
6-Patricia Rice Lady Invisible
Good
7-Anthea Lawson The Piano Tutor
Good
8- Emma Wildes Stolen
Excellent
9-Robyn DeHart Her Gentleman Thief
Cheesy and Stupid
10-Christie Kelley The Weatherlys’ Ball
Good
11-Leah Ball The Panchamaabhuta
F***ked up in so many ways
12-Margo Maguire Angelique
Boring
13-Caroline Linden Like None Other
Not Bad
14-Shirley Kennedy The Catch of the Season
So Stupid
15-Delilah Marvelle French Intuition
Bad
16- Sara Bennett A Suitable Gentleman
Boring
17- Sharon Page Gretna Green
Pissed me off
18-Julia Templeton Little Miss Independent
Good
19- Deborah Raleigh The Devil’s Bargain
Good
20-Barbara Metzger Kindred Souls
Painful to read
21-Michèle Ann Young Remember
Boring
22-Carolyn Jewel Moonlight
Good
23-Lorraine Heath An Invitation to Scandal
Good -
This Regency Romance has 23 short stories. Most from authors I am familiar with since I like Regency and Victorian romances. How these authors managed to write, on the most part, good stories in so few pages is very impressive. I managed to pick out my favorite authors. This was such a fun read!
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Okay, I've just read the first two stories and while Candice Hern's Desperate Measures were cute and sweet, the second story made me mostly angry. Anna Campbell's Upon a Midnight Clear tells a story of estranged husband a wife who meet after 10 years is separation to solve their issues with a hot sex in an inn. Was I the only one who wanted to beat Kinvarra with something heavy? The bastard forced his sexual urges on a seventeen year old girl he had just married, leaving her scared and hurt - no wonder Alicia was afraid of his touch and wasn't very responsive in bed. And all this moron does is further accost her in bed and accuse her of no womanly passion! It's clearly said that while she tried to establish some rapport between them during the day, he wouldn't have it because he wasn't satisfied with her at night. Sorry, but that's not the kind of hero I want to read about. No wonder she left him - it's a wonder she thinks she should ask his forgiveness, not the other way around!
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This book is one with many regency stories in it. Its one to keep on the bedside table and pick up whenever the mood strikes! I find it is great when I don't want to start a new book late at night and just grab this one. So I'm actually still reading it. I so find that these Mammoth's books are great for finding new to me authors as well as a short story to read of my favorite.
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I loved it! It actually took me a week to read it, but it was easy to put down and walk away when I needed to because I could finish up a story or two at a time.
-
stars
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again. -
(I no longer own this book and much like I believed I never got around to finishing it either. This review covers about half the stories in the book itself.)
Okay folks, aside from the fact every single site I've checked has mentioned both Mary Balogh and Jo Beverly being part of this collection--and they're not--I went into this anthology with high hopes. Regency romance stories! By some of my favorite authors! How could this go wrong? Well, it mostly didn't? Individual reviews then overall. And yes I'm peeved about not seeing a Mary Balogh or Jo Beverly.
"Desperate Measures" by Candice Hern (also available separately
Desperate Measures)
Lydia wants her brother's good friend Geoffrey to notice her as a woman--not as a little sister. Well, why not make him jealous? This was cute and sweet and so amusing. I'll give Lydia credit--she can think on her feet! Though I think Geoffrey is pretty smart himself...I kind of laughed at Lydia's mother though, I think the poor woman's head was spinning by the end of things!
"Upon a Midnight Clear" by Anna Campbell
Kinvarra and his wife have been estranged for ten years--ten lonely, frustrating years. What happens when he meets with her traveling with her swain? I was kind of confused by this story. Why they were estranged was rather muddled sounding and spoke more of horrible communication issues than anything else. And the resolution to their misunderstanding was equally abrupt.
"The Dashing Miss Langley" by Amanda Grange (available separately
The Dashing Miss Langley)
Miss Langley is 27, independently wealthy and in charge of her headstrong niece Caroline for the summer. A chance reunion with an old suitor however may be the undoing of her. This one was another sweet one. I liked how Annabelle understood just how to handle her niece Caroline's infatuation and Caroline's prognosis about being old...well let's just say I hear that from my 17year old sister quite often so I appreciated Annabelle's ability to remain amused rather than angry.
"Cynders and Ashe" by Elizabeth Boyle (also avail separately:
Cynders & Ashe)
Ella Cynders (see what she did there?) loved Viscount Ashe (come on you see the trend right?) years ago. A twist of fate may bring them together to have a happy ending to their very own fairy tale. I spent all of this story with a goofy smile on my face. It was just so sweet I couldn't help myself. I didn't even question the fact that Ella was ready to go recklessly into the night with Ashe. Plus Ashe's mom was some kind of genius ridiculous. Let me paraphrase why: Ashe "You knew?! You let my heart bleed all over the carpet for hours and didn't tell me? Why?!" Ashe's Mom: "Oh piffle dear I was hungry and wanted to eat."
"His Wicked Revenge" by Vanessa Kelly (available separately
His Wicked Revenge)
Thirteen years ago Maurissa aided in breaking Anthony's heart--and wrecking his life. Now he's back, he's got a wickedly good revenge plot and she has no choice. I have never enjoyed revenge motivated plot lines. Being a vengeful child myself I can't imagine forgiving. And Anthony got a really raw end of the stick (well at first at least). That being said I found Antonia to be the most charming piece of baggage ever. Not really enough to make up for the rest of the story, but I loved her. I'd be happy to read a story about her again. One day. Soon. (hint hint hint)
"Lady Invisible" by Patricia Rice
Back from the War, Lucas wants to find himself a wife to help handle his daughter Verity. So of course he chooses the biggest hoyden in the neighborhood. This was a kind of charming romance with a lot of 'duh!' moments for both characters. I liked that Harriet tried to make Lucas understand what it was like to be a child and a girl child at that. I kept thinking 'Invisible Girl' was a superhero however!
"The Piano Tutor" by Anthea Lawson (available separately
The Piano Tutor)
Diana, a recent widow caring for her twelve year old stepdaughter, becomes infatuated with the new piano tutor her best friend recommends. But is there more to this man than his very talented fingers? I think I would have liked this better if it had been longer. As it was everything felt so rushed and condensed--they meet, they make innuendo, they get scandalous, misunderstanding, revelation...end of story. It would have been better served, and maybe more believable, if there was more than a day's worth of interaction between the two leads.
"Stolen" by Emma Wildes
Sabrina wants her father's notes back. Stephen wants Sabrina naked and in bed. Perfect Opportunity + Door = Take Advantage now. I make light of the storyline, but its a sweet friends since childhood that grows into more sort. Though Stephen described himself as not rakish or dashing--yet he seemed the exact opposite whenever he seduced Sabrina. I was happy that misunderstanding didn't wage into this couple at all, after a mild obstacle things worked out perfectly. Happy times all around.
"Her Gentleman Thief" by Robyn DeHart (available separately
Her Gentleman Thief)
Annalise is on her way to marry her betrothed when her and her sister are waylaid by a highwayman. Desperate to protect her sister--and not get married--she foolishly agrees to be the highwayman's captive. Little did she know that the very man she was running from is the man she ran off with! There's a lesson to be learned here about accepting wagers and running off with men blindly, but its kind of lost as I waited to see how Annalise guessed the masked man's identity. She didn't disappoint, though I was shocked at Griffin's response. I was a little let down by Griffin's reason for making Annalise feel like he didn't care, but well it was a mild annoyance.
"The Weatherlys' Ball" by Christie Kelley
5 years ago Tessa fled the Weatherlys' ball, feeling secure in her lover's love. Returning to the ball a widow and still hurting from betrayal, will this time be any different? This was a lot of misunderstandings and well meaning people and not so well meaning people interfering. And more lying to compound problems. Honestly I wasn't keen on this because I felt as if everything just happened too fast; forgiveness, reunions, truths--they all came right after each other, making me feel like chapters were missing.
"The Panchamaabhuta" by Leah Ball
The only thing left to her by her late husband was the 'Panchamaabhuta' ring and Francis was determined to see it sold to its buyer. A legend from India may explain why a certain fellow seems intent on following her around however...I really wanted to like this story. And I think I would have really enjoyed it, because it had cute moments and the ending was so 'awwww', but I had severe problems with the first 'love' scene. It was...well it was a misleading scene and I judged both characters harshly for it.
"Angelique" by Margo Maguire
Her inheritance in the hands of the man she jilted, Angelique returns to London to confront him, and the lies that came between them two years ago. This was pretty standard--lies told, lies believed, truth uncovered--but Angelique was a brash young lady who wasn't above herself in telling others what's what. She also didn't let her pride stand in the way of apologizing when she found she was in the wrong. And Heyworth...well I give the man credit for being sly!
"Like None Other" by Caroline Linden (available separately
Like None Other)
Emma and Phineas had been neighbors for months, speaking mostly from their gardens as Phineas regaled Emma with his days in the Navy. Little by little something blooms and if meddling mothers can stay out of it, it may be just what they both were looking for. This was such a cute, sweet and adorable story! Emma was a widow, her husband being much older than her, but she apparently had a comfortable life with him. Which seems like nothing, but is rare enough in historicals. Even more rare is that Linden emphasized that Phineas and Emma grew to love each other through their friendship and how much that meant to them before allowing their attraction to grow.
"The Catch of the Season" by Shirley Kennedy
Julia Winslow expects Lord Melton to propose, to which she will accept and all will be right with the world. After all Lord Melton is the ideal 'catch'--handsome, titled and rich to boot! Maybe Julia wants something more however and just maybe Melton's roguish brother may be the one to provide it. I've read, and loved, several of Kennedy's regency romances before. She makes her heroines likable, her love interests dashing and brings them together in a usually elegant manner. I kind of doubted the brother's intentions, he spoke of 'love at first sight', but I didn't feel that emotion from him. Also Julia's mother was the worst sort; using emotional blackmail to get her daughter to do what she wanted. The nerve!
"French Intuition" by Deliliah Marvelle
After a few too many miscarriages Gwendolyn and Camden decided to take time off from their marriage so that Gwendolyn could heal. Months later Camden is hearing the worst sort of rumors..but maybe Gwendolyn has the perfect solution. Truth be told if I was Camden I would have assumed the worst as well, the evidence was pretty well damning. I did not understand where Camden's Uncle's objective was, Gwendolyn insisted he was entirely different than his actions warranted. And her brother really needed to go jump off a bridge, he was beyond useless. -
1/28/2011 Candice Hern- Desperate Measures- A good little story, only 17 pages long. Lydia wants to make Geoffrey notice her and perhaps even jealous. Philip was going to help but instead Geoffrey shows up to do the deed of dancing with her at the ball and fawning over her. He asks who the man is who won't notice her and she can't tell him that he is the one. If only all the play acting attention was real from him.
1/29/2011 Anna Campbell- Upon a Midnight Clear
Sebastian heard a racket down the road and found an overturned carriage. As the man and woman got out he helped the horse to freedom. His surprise was great when the woman finally looked up and he seen his wife. They had been separated 10 years now but he still wanted her. After her suitor took off on one of the carriage horses he took Alicia with him. She had only been 17 when they married and he scared her. After a night of being snowed in at an Inn perhaps they could put the past behind and start over as the adults they both were now.
1/29/2011 The Dashing Miss Langely - Amanda Grange
Annabelle Langely takes her niece up to a house party. Her niece is sure she is in love with a gardner and Annabelle knows getting her away will show her it is not true love. On the way they must stop at an Inn because of a rain storm. There Annabelle meets Daniel, a man she fell in love with last year at a house party but felt she must have been his amusement as she never heard back from him again. To her joy he is also at the house party.
1/29/2011 Cynders and Ashe- Elizabeth Boyle.
What a neat Cinderella type story. Ella first meets Lord Ashe as she goes to his ball pretending to be the Lady she is a companion for. He instantly falls in love but she is taken away before he knows who she is. Five years later and the final ball where Julian must choose his wife. Ella has made a gown and it is refused by the snobby woman. She also drops her special invite to the ball so Ella has her 2nd chance at meeting Lord Julian Ashe.
1/29/2011 His Wicked Revenge- Vanessa Kelly
Finally after thirteen years Anthony is going to take revenge on the Joslin family. He had loved Marissa for so long. After making love to her they were going to elope but her brother got her father. After beating him and turning him out into the cold he went to London to wait for Marissa to find him. After six months he found out she married and felt betrayed. There is always more to the story then what you can see as Anthony finds out when he tries to take revenge on her.
1/29/2011 Lady Invisible- Patricia Rice
Major Lucus Sumner has come home to raise his daughter. He knows how to direct men in war but not this busy little girl who he wants to behave and do as she is told, not climbing tress and what not. He recalls a young Harriet Briggs from 8 years ago and decides she is what he needs as a wife and mother. What he meets is a still very tomboy young woman but yet she seems to relate and care about Verity.
1/30/2011 The Piano Tutor Anthea Lawson
A new young piano tutor comes to Diana's home to teach Samantha, her step daughter. They are just coming out of mourning and her friend Lucy encourages Diana to enjoy Nicholas in more ways then one.
1/30/2011 Stolen - Emma Wildes
This is about Stephen and Sabrina. They were always best friends who grew up together. She talked him into breaking into a home to get notes that were stolen from her father. On the way home they stopped in an Inn and Stephen planned on seducing her, as he had loved her for a long time.
1/30/2011 Her Gentleman Thief - Robyn DeHart
Annalise is to marry Griffin. When he first approached her at the ball and then danced with her for four dances she thought love was possible. Once he started courting her, he ignored her and spoke to her parents. It seemed he only wanted her for some land her not her. She was use to it. Her parents gave all their attention to her younger and prettier sister Penny. Griffin kept his distance from Annalise because he found her so beautiful he was afraid what would happen if he touched her. On the way to the wedding a highwayman stops her coach. To protect Penny she asks him to take her with him. She may be ruined but at least Penny's reputation would be saved.
1/30/2011 The Weatherly's Ball -Christie Kelley
Tessa & Garrett were in love. At Weatherly's Ball things got out of hand and they were caught and as Garrett went off to war Tessa lost her reputation. She received a letter from his brother saying he died and she was forced into a marriage of man 40 years her senior. Five years later she is a penniless widow back on the marriage mart, back at Weatherly's Ball and who is the person who could look and act so much like her dead Garrett?
The Panchamaabhuta - Leah Ball 1/31/2011
Francis is traveling to Bath to sell her ring, the Panchamaabhuta, to someone who claims it was a family heirloom. It is the last thing she has from her late husband and she needs the money.
She is stuck at an Inn since their carriage broke down and she is suspicious of the man next to her who seems to be looking at her ring.
Jared White ends up stealing her ring but she steals it back, twice.
Angelique - Margo Maguire 1/31/2011
Angelique was too marry two years ago to Duke of Heyworth until a family friend told her that he has been seeing his mistress while courting her. Her father was unfaithful and she would not accept that life. She went to Italy and left her groom in shame. Her father has passed away and left her inheritance in the hands of the Duke. Angelique is both drawn to him and hateful for his misdeeds.
Like None Other - Caroline Linden 1/31/2011
Phineas and Emma are neighbors. As they both sit behind the walls of their gardens he tells her of his adventures on the sea as a Captain and she dreams of the adventures. Her mother is trying to find Emma a 2nd husband to help her "climb" higher but Emma is content in her widowhood with her own home. Well at least she was until Captain Phin.
The Catch of the Season- Shirley Kennedy 1/31/2011
Julia has been proposed to by Lord Melton, the catch of the season. Only she feels nothing for him. Her mother and everyone is excited and she is going to say yes to please everyone else. Her granny tells her she should decide whether she will follow her head or heart. She goes back to the country to consider the offer and meets the ner-to-well younger brother, Robert. He appreciates her paintings and much more.
French Intuition- Delilah Marvelle 1/31/2011
Camden and Gwendolyn were separated and he was talking of divorce since rumors were flying that she had been with another man. Due to seven miscarriages she had shied away from her husband but she loved him and was determined to get him back.
A Suitable Gentleman -Sara Bennett 2/1/2011
Clarinda and Lucy were suddenly orphans after a fire took their parents and home. She thought it a blessing when their Aunt, Lady March, offered them a home. What she became was a nurse to a woman who chose to have one odd ailment after another, always adding more. When in Bath she met James Quentin and thought him maybe a match for Lucy. She had felt doomed to always take care of her aunt.
Gretna Green- Sharon Page 2/1/2011
Sally & Lyan grew up in the stews. He was now a bow street runner and she changed her name and owned a dress shop. He wanted to marry her 10 years ago but she ran off. He still loved her. She did not want to end up like her mom being run by a man. She had a daughter to think of. For the love she would not have for herself she helped the young ladies wanting to go to Gretna Green with their true loves. She investigated the men they wanted to marry and helped them get off to their weddings.
Little Miss Independent-Julia Templeton 2/1/2011
What a good story. Roan has returned from battle with a scar from his face to his arm. People scorn him for his looks. At the ball a beautiful young lady who five years earlier had still been the girl he thought of as a little sister (his best friends sister as well). She was warm and kind and did not stare or react to his face. She even danced with him, it had been a long while since a woman willingly touched him. Addy had loved Roan since she was eight years old and she still seen and admired the man he was, perhaps more for all he been through.
The Devil's Bargain- Deborah Raleigh 2/1/2011
Amelia was no longer a wall flower. She was married now, even though she lived in London while her husband, Justin, lived in the country. She had parties not with the ton but with those who could stimulate conversation. She had thought her Earl to be so handsome and someone she could love. After being caught in a compromising position they were married. Of course it was that he needed her dowry for his properties. Now on their one year anniversary (of which she left him at the Inn) Justin shows up wanting an heir.
Kindred Souls-Barbara Metzger 2/1/2011
Ted is almost killed when in the army in Canada, back home they all think he is dead. Millie has been banished from her family and all of London for leaving her groom at the altar. Her true love was Ted, but he died. After five years barely getting by after her father disowned Millie, her father is dead and she needs to go and find out if she will get to even have the place she lives in or if she will be completely cut off. Ted returns as well as even though he is 2nd son, his father and brother have both passed on.
Remember-Michele Ann Young 2/2/2011
One of those stories where two people who were in love years ago were separated by a father who wanted more for his son. Gerard was asked to help get a woman away from his cousin. His aunt was upset that the boy was so taken with her. When Gerard seen it was Charlotte he could not believe it. She left him five years ago to run off to France with her lover, that is what the note said his father gave him. Charlotte could not believe Gerard was in town. She was suppose to be married and have the money to get her father out of debtors prison before he knew she was there.
Moonlight- Carolyn Jewel 2/2/2011
Alec has come back after four years in London and his old friend Phillipa helped him with his party this night. After the party as he walked towards her he noticed her for the first time. She was beautiful. They were good friends. She was a widow now and about to remarry. She had held him as a three week old baby when she was six. The more he looked at her and then walked with her in the garden the more things he noticed about her more as a woman then just a friend.
An Invitation to Scandal-Lorraine Heath 2/2/2011
Hartely is invited to Miss Adrianna Vernon's home at 10:00pm. He does not know her but imagines she must want a dalliance with him. His fathers debts have left him to sell off most everything and instead of sitting in the empty echoing home he decides he will take up her offer. Once the women find he is broke he may not get many offers.
Adrianna is a light haired beauty who is young, and she does not want his body, she wants marriage.
She makes an offer to pay off his debts and marry her so that her ill mother will have peace. He would be a fool not to accept even though he is titled and she is not.
Then he finds out who her mother is and has to decide if it worth the money to marry her. -
The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance edited by Trisha Telep
A collection of 23 romances set during the short period of time called the Regency era. Lasting only between 1811 and 1820 when the Prince of Wales ruled as Prince Regent in place of his unstable father King George III, although some expand the time frame to the period between 1795 and 1837. A lovely collection that is a great introduction to some of the finest Regency romance writers around, even if a couple were overlooked or unavailable. 3.5 out of 5.
“Desperate Measures” by Candice Hern
Lydia Bettridge has been secretly in love with Geoffrey Danforth for years, but he appears to think of her as just his best friend’s sister. Another friend of her brother, Philip Hartwell, has a plan. Make the unknown object of Lydia’s affections jealous by playing attention to her. Except Philip bows out at the last minute, sending Geoffrey in to take his place playing the faux suitor.
A true comedy of errors with a delightful ending. I’ve always liked Hern’s Regencies for their mixture of romance and humor. This short story is a wonderful example of that. 3.5 out of 5.
~*~
“Upon a Midnight Clear” by Anna Campbell
Sebastian Sinclair, Earl of Kinvarra, and his wife have been separated for ten long years. He never expected to come across Alicia and her potential lover at the crash of a curricle. When Lord Harold Fenton deserts her, Sebastian must escort Alicia to safety and warmth. Alicia loved her husband, but his rough attentions on their wedding night had hurt and frightened her 17 year old self. While the separation had been her idea, neither expected it to last so long. Can this chance encounter help repair the damage?
Mere children when they came together in an arranged marriage, Sebastian and Alicia needed time to mature. Add the reason for their separation and you have an even better reason for their being apart for so many years. Still, everyone deserves a second chance. 3.5 out of 5.
~*~
“The Dashing Miss Langley” by Amanda Grange
Annabelle Langley had loved one special man years ago only to discover her feelings were one-sided. Now wealthy and independent, she was removing her niece from the city to gain distance from a youthful crush. The last person that Annabelle expected to run into was her once and only love, Lord Daniel Arundel.
A headstrong niece, an understanding aunt, differences in class and wealth, all are grist for the mill of this Regency romance. Of special note is the vivid description of the sudden storm that Annabelle and her niece were caught in. 4 out of 5.
~*~
“Cynders and Ashe” by Elizabeth Boyle
Ella Cynders has one chance to attend the Ashe Ball, all thanks to a lost invitation and a rejected gown. It was a dangerous thing to do, but would give her an opportunity to see Julian, Viscount Ashe, one final time before he is forced to marry.
A masterful reworking of the ancient fairytale, even if it was very unlikely that Julian's family would accept a young woman like Ella as his wife. 4 out of 5.
~*~
“His Wicked Revenge” by Vanessa Kelly
Anthony Barnett had lived for revenge after being torn from his first love. He schemed and worked until he had Lady Marissa Paget's wastrel brother in his clutches. But can he destroy the woman he still loves once he learns the whole truth?
Well written and intense. While it would have been better served in a longer version, Kelly still managed to engage your emotions during the read. 4 out of 5.
~*~
“Lady Invisible” by Patricia Rice
Widower Major Lucas Sumner needs a wife to help tame his tomboy daughter, one who wouldn’t mind living in the country that he loves. Fond memories of Harriet Briggs has him considering her a likely candidate, but who will tame Harriet?
I am particularly fond of heroines who are different and happy with their lives, so Harriet is wonderful. A beautiful tale that is my favorite to date in this collection. 4.5 out of 5.
~*~
“The Piano Tutor” by Anthea Lawson
Now that she is finally out of mourning, Diana Waverly, Viscountess Merrowstone, is being encouraged to live her life again, starting with the new piano tutor for her stepdaughter. Nicholas Jameson, the tutor, brings her back to life, but at what cost?
An interesting tale that had too abrupt an ending, even if it was expected. This would've been better suited as a longer story. 3.5 out of 5.
~*~
“Stolen” by Emma Wildes
Stephen Hammond used the opportunity of burglary with his childhood friend to seduce her. Lady Sabrina Pearson was all he wanted, but believed he could never be enough for her.
Interesting tale of good friends meant for each other finally figuring it out. 3.5 out of 5.
~*~
“Her Gentleman Thief” by Robyn DeHart
When a highwayman holds up Annalise Petty's coach, she uses it as a way to escape her marriage to Griffin Hartwell, Viscount Benning, certain that is simply the price for a piece of property.
Griffin's reticence came close to ruining his love life as Annalise had become so used to being a non-entity among her own family members. 3.5 out of 5.
~*~
“The Weatherlys’ Ball” by Christie Kelley
Lady Tessa Townson was back in society, a widow who still carries the taint of scandal. The man she had been caught with so many years ago was still alive. Garrett, Viscount Haverhill, wanted to hate Tessa for her betrayal in remarrying so quickly after he left for the war, but there was more to the story than he knew.
Tragic lovers torn apart by lies and circumstances can be a wonderful trope if in the right hands. Kelly definitely is the right author for the job. 4.5 out of 5.
~*~
“The Panchamaabhuta” by Leah Ball
Widow of a fallen soldier, all Francis had left was the Panchamaabhuta, an exotic ruby ring. Desperate, still grieving, she struggles to Bath to sell it to an interested party. Along the way she runs into Jared White, a rough hewn character who keeps stealing the ring while also bringing her back to life.
An interesting idea, having a hero with non-white blood, although the description of him couldn’t be whiter. I wish Ball had been willing to have Jared show that difference. Some very strong writing. 3.5 out of 5.
~*~
“Angelique” by Margo Maguire
Angelique Drummond is furious, forced by her father’s will to deal with her former fiancé for her living expenses. Angelique had fled to Italy after being told that Brice Colton, Duke of Heyworth, was keeping a mistress despite being engaged to her. She would not be like her mother, waiting for crumbs of love from her husband, wondering who he was with this time.
Sadly this just didn’t work for me. Too rushed, too formulaic, too trite. I didn’t have any emotional connection with any of the characters. Angelique is partly portrayed as a spoiled brat, yet even that doesn’t ring true. 3 out of 5.
~*~
“Like None Other” by Caroline Linden
Lady Emmaline Bowen enjoyed her small garden as well as the easy conversation with her neighbor, Captain Phineas Quentin, who would speak to her over the wall dividing their properties. But will their mothers ruin what might be the start of a beautiful love affair?
Sweet and lovely and different. I loved the ease of their conversation as well as how befuddled Quentin is with sweet talking a woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. 4 out of 5.
~*~
“The Catch of the Season” by Shirley Kennedy
Miss Julia Winslow has received a marriage proposal from Charles Carstairs, Lord Melton. The Earl is a perfect specimen of manhood and it is Julia’s third season. Uncertain, she asks for time to consider and returns home. Once there, she meets Robert Carstairs, Charles’ younger brother and the black sheep of the family. Now she has to make a choice, follow her head or her heart.
Sweet and tender, this is a lovely tale of choices. In that age, the choice would’ve been forced onto Julia, accept the marriage proposal. It is always nicer to have the romantic choice over the logical one. 4 out of 5.
~*~
“French Intuition” by Delilah Marvelle
After what was supposed to be a temporary separation became a much longer one, Lady Gwendolyn Redford is besieged by Lord Westbrook, a former suitor. She loves her husband Camden, but rumors linking her to Westbrook may lead to a divorce.
The story had a strong beginning, but an abrupt change from separation to a scene that may have been meant to be sexy and arousing just seemed jarring and, except for Camden’s uncle, out of character. At heart this is a story about trust and learning to live without the children society expects the couple to have. 3 out of 5.
~*~
“A Suitable Gentleman” by Sara Bennett
Clarinda Howitt was more than willing to be her aunt’s put upon companion in order to give her sister a chance at happiness. Then she met James Quentin, finding her heart longing for more. Quentin is equally taken by Clarinda, but has another task to complete as well.
Adorable, sweet, and very lovely. I do rather wish this had been a much longer story as there was so more that could have been done, especially when you have two separate stories going on at once, even if they weave together. Despite the short format, Bennett’s characters are well-developed with real depth. 3.5 out of 5.
~*~
“Gretna Green” by Sharon Page
Ten years earlier Trevelyan Foxton and Sally Thomas swore their love to each other. Then Sally panicked and fled. Now she is Estelle Desjardins, an accomplished dress designer and seamstress while Foxton is a respected Bow Street runner who is also the heir to an earldom. His latest assignment is a search for an eloping heiress whose flight may have been aided and abetted by Estelle.
Delightful tale of lost lovers who accomplished more apart than they would have if they had stayed together. A mystery, lovers destined to be together, and a secondary romance that may not end well. 4.5 out of 5.
~*~
“Little Miss Independent” by Julia Templeton
Lord Roan Drayton returned home from the war horrible scarred, the subject of snide remarks and redirected looks from London Society. Childhood friend Adelaide Bruce is one of the few who doesn’t react to him as a monster, but as a man, one she desires.
Wonderful set up, interesting characters, and fitting as I read this on Memorial Day. An abrupt ending weakened the overall impact, yet this is still a good read. 3.5 out of 5
~*~
“The Devil’s Bargain” by Deborah Raleigh
Amelia, Countess Spaulding, has fought hard to transform herself from insecure wallflower to a capable and strong woman after discovering that her husband was a fortune hunter. Justin, Earl of Spaulding, will need all his skills and charm to gain back his wife after such a betrayal.
Again we have a story that would be better served in a longer format. Yet the author does a remarkably deft job with the confrontation and reconciliation of husband and wife. 3.5 out of 5
~*~
“Kindred Souls” by Barbara Metzger
Mildred Cole had left her cruel betrothed at the altar, unable to marry a man she didn’t love. The scandal saw her banished into near poverty with her maiden aunt. Ted Whitbread had wanted to marry Millie, but her father didn’t consider a second son worth of his daughter and refused to allow it. Angry, Ted fled to Canada to make his fortune.
Within the angst and danger there is also humor, something Metzger has always been extremely adept at in her stories. While I loved Millie, Ted, and her aunt, I’m not so certain that I would forgive Ned and Winnie quite so easily for their continuing betrayal. 3.5 out of 5
~*~
“Remember” by Michele Ann Young
Madame Charlotte Beauchere must marry a man with money to rescue her father from debtors’ prison. Gerard Arnfield, the Duke of Hawkworth has been asked by a friend to distract Charlotte’s attention from her target, little knowing that the two have a history.
Melodramatic, yet still fun to read. 3.5 out of 5
~*~
“Moonlight” by Carolyn Jewel
Alec McHenry Fall, Earl of Dane, was falling in love with an older woman, a long-time friend who is close to becoming engaged to another man.
I'm not much of a fan of older woman/younger man romantic relationships,s o this wouldn't have normally be a choice I would make to read if it wasn't in the collection. That said, I also had a problem with the lack of real chemistry between the hero and heroine, especially disturbed when Phillippa declares she always considered Alec as if he was her own child. Ewww. 3 out of 5
~*~
“An Invitation to Scandal” by Lorraine Heath
Nicholas Wynter, Earl of Harteley is broke, his home stripped of its contents thanks to his father’s lifestyle. A mysterious invitation from Arianna Vernon intrigues him. It might also be his salvation.
This was lovely. Heath has a way with unusual characters and this was no exception. Despite their future difficulties, you can’t help rooting for the young couple. 4 out of 5 -
Desperate Measures - Candice Hern - 3 /5 - This is a very short story that takes place entirely in the space of a night. Lydia has been in love with Geoffrey forever and with her brother's friends help, plans to spend the night of a ball making him jealous. \In the space of a night, these two manage to work out their miscommunication, kiss in a garden and get engaged. The two are saccharine sweet, with very little chemistry overall. And, this being such a short story, we don't really connect to the characters nor do we learn very much about them.
Upon a Midnight Clear - Anna Campbell - 4 / 5 - I like estranged couples - Alicia and Sebastian separated 11 years ago, having married young, while Alicia couldn’t handle Sebastian’s passion and Sebastian didn’t have the patience to deal with her. They get stuck together and they realize they’ve both grown up. I did really like this one. Not a lot of hurt feelings for actions in the estrangement, but I really wanted confirmation that he’d been celibate. It seemed like it, but I wanted to KNOW.
The Dashing Miss Langley - Amanda Grange - 2 /5 - A second chance at love story which involves some spectacularly bland characters who more or less feel no emotion and certainly no passion. It’s well written and the dialogue is captivating, but this just did not engage my attention. Clean (hardly even a kiss).
Cynders & Ashe - Elizabeth Boyle - 3 / 5 - This was VERY short, pretty sweet, but just average for me. Too short to really get to know or like any of the characters. The insta-love was a bit much, but I understand the necessity in a story like this. I was really disappointed in the light-hearted and striving toward comical ending that fell short.
His Wicked Revenge - Vanessa Kelly - 3 / 5 - A second chance and revenge story that needs to be longer to deal with the complexities of character and plot introduced. Had it been longer, this would have been great. As it was, characters too quickly changed their minds, forgave each other and resolved differences. Also, the child was somewhat annoying.
Lady Invisible - Patricia Rice -4 /5 - A really cute and clean story about a widower returned from war to find himself trying to raise a six-year-old hoyden daughter. He immediately sets out to find a woman who can make his daughter behave and finds one who teaches him how to appreciate his daughter for who she is.
The Piano Tutor - Anthea Lawson - 4 / 5 - Another pretty cute story (not clean though) about a widow and her stepdaughter who get a new, very handsome piano tutor. He draws the heroine out of her shell and introduces her to passion, but she has no idea who he really is.
Stolen - Emma Wildes - 3 / 5 - Friends-to-lovers romance, where the heroine convinces the hero to help her steal something back from her father’s colleague and he takes the opportunity to seduce her, showing her they really can have something together. She takes some convincing to consider marriage though. Plenty of passion here, but the hero seemed a bit manipulative.
Her Gentleman Thief - Robyn DeHart - 3 / 5 - Clean. Analise is engaged to Griffin, but he seems to have lost interest in her. She’s captured by a thief, who is Griffin in disguise and realizes his betrothed is unhappy. This had a lot of potential, but didn’t quite deliver. Griffin should have fought for her. This probably would have been better if it were longer.
The Weatherley’s Ball - Christine Kelley - 3/ 5 - Clean. Tessa got caught having a rendezvous with Garrett at a ball and her reputation was ruined, and then Garrett went off to war. Tessa, believing he’d died, married another. But now he’s back and very much alive. This was okay - suffered from the length constraints. Not as much emotion as one would expect given the circumstnaces.
Panchamaabhuta - Leah Ball - 2 /5 - This one was very strange. Francis is a widow trying to sell her husband’s ring for money, but she meets a stranger who steals it from her and also fires up her passions. The whole relationship and the reasons behind the “hero’s” actions were so difficult to believe.
Angelique - Margo Maguire - 3 / 5 - A pretty good second chance romance story. Not quite clean, but no sex. Angelique cried off from her engagement to Duke Heywood after a close family friend lied about his fidelity. He’s pretty sweet - not much edge to him, but I liked him.
Like No Other - Caroline Linden - 3 / 5 - Clean. The Captain and Emma are already half in love with each other and live next door to each other, when the Captain decides to finally do something about it call on her. Very cute and somewhat comedic what with the heroine’s crazy mother and all that.
Catch of the Season - Shirley Kennedy - 2 / 5 - Eh. Julia has no backbone, so although she asks for time, she’s going to agree to marry Lord Melton to please her family. Even after she meets the man she falls in love with - his brother. This lacked oomph or something.
French Intuition - Delilah Marvelle - 2 / 5 - Very sexy, but one fatal flaw. The husband of an temporarily separated couple thinks his wife is cheating on him. She attempts to show him how she feels through an erotic game and afterwards he demands to know why she’s cheating. They didn’t resolve the issue of trust at all, he’d still believed she could do it. So what was the point?
A Suitable Gentleman - Sara Bennett - 2 /5 - Very sweet, but also this felt very short. Not much happens, we don’t learn much about the characters and there’s hardly any romance or passion.
Gretna Green - Sharon Page - 4 / 5 - Lyan and Sally get a second chance - they were childhood sweethearts growing up in the stews before Sally ran off leaving Lyan brokenhearted. They reunite while trying to find a lost couple. Plenty of passion and Lyan’s heartbreak was palpable.
Little Miss Independent - Julia Templeton - 3 /5 - Roan comes back from war terribly scarred but is surprised to see his best friends little sister all grown up and looking at him with desire. A cute story, but not extremely memorable. Seems like some missed opportunities with character/plot development because of length.
The Devil’s Bargain - Deborah Raleigh - 4 / 5 - Second chance romance with an estranged couple. Amelia learned that Justin married her for her money and took off after the wedding. He shows up for a reunion a year later. He gives pretty good grovel, but length constraints kept it from being as satisfying as it could be.
Kindred Souls - Barbara Metzger - 2 / 5 - Another second chance, this one mostly clean. Millie has lived in poverty since the scandal, but comes into an inheritance just as she learns her beloved, whom she believed dead is back and looking for vengeance. Not much chemistry between the characters and a lot of telling instead of showing.
Remember - Michelle Anne Young - 3 /5 - An angsty little piece and another second chance romance. This one has a bit of a vengeful tone, as Gerard is out for blood thinking that Charlotte played him for a fool. There was a lot of bitterness between the characters and the story wasn’t long enough to resolve it all.
Moonlight - Carolyn Jewel - 4 / 5 - A unique story, with the heroine 6 years older than the hero. She’s a widow and he’s more or less just come into manhood, their friendship turns carnal and they realize it’s love. I liked it a lot, very passionate, but lacking resolution regarding her feelings for her dead husband.
Invitation to Scandal - Lorraine Heath - 2 /5 - This was a story on fast forward. It had a lot of potential, but there wasn’t enough time to develop a strong bond between the characters. And in the end, the story ends with the two of them married and so far only a promise of potential love. If you’re going to do that, give me a damn epilogue so I know they have it! -
A good taster of Regency authors
4 stars
I'm always on the look out for enjoyable Regency romances but never want to try a new author's full length book incase I don't like the writing style. That's why I was delighted to find this large anthology. At such a low price (£4 at the time of writing) I felt I couldn't go wrong.
There are 23 stories in this book, all of them original to this collection so you can guarantee you won't have read them anywhere else*. There are offerings from well known authors such as
Lorraine Heath,
Candice Hern and
Elizabeth Boyle as well as many from less the less well-known. Some stories are sexy and some are quite tame. Basically there's something for everyone no matter what your taste.
Much like another reviewer, I also found it quite astonishing how good most of the stories in this anthology were. For being so short (each lasts roughly 30 pages), there were remarkably few that I couldn't finish or didn't enjoy.
I really liked quite a number of the stories in the book and will definitely be checking out longer length stories by a few of the authors. My standout stories were Upon a Midnight Clear by
Anna Campbell, Cinders and Ashe by
Elizabeth Boyle, Stolen by
Emma Wildes and The Devil's Bargain by
Deborah Raleigh.
Overall, for the price, you get a really good selection of stories and even if you don't enjoy them all, you're bound to get find a few that take your fancy. This is a book I would definitely recommend. 4 stars.
*While this was true at the time of publication (2010), I understand that many of the individual stories in this anthology have since been published elsewhere.
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Okay, so if you do the math, this book has 592 pages divided by 23 stories equals 25.7 pages each. So these aren't novellas. These are SHORT stories. And when you have 15-35 pages to tell a love story and make it convincing? I think that takes talent... and we'll see how much each of the following authors has! Ha!
Desperate Measures - Candice Hern - ♥♥♥♥♥
SO CUTE!!! And only 17 pages long! I'm such a sucker for a sweet story about a girl being in love with her brother's best friend! :) :)
Upon a Midnight Clear - Anna Campbell - ♥♥
Ah, the estranged spouse plot. I think it could work in this length... they have to have a good reason for being apart and a good reason for getting over it. Their reason for being apart? *shrugs* But if the issue is bad enough that they've been fighting and living apart for TEN YEARS (I thought 1 or 2 would have been plenty for the issue), getting over it in ONE night sure was quick. I wasn't convinced.
The Dashing Miss Langley - Amanda Grange - ♥♥♥
This one was cute, but, honestly, there just wasn't enough chemistry between the hero and heroine. I mean, he proposes at the end, but it's not even all that romantic.
Cynders and Ashe - Elizabeth Boyle - ♥♥♥♥
A Cinderella story told in 34 pages. It was broken into 5 chapters and two of them were a flashback. I thought the flashback parts were a lot more romantic than the "present" parts. The last chapter, where they got together, was less than 3 pages long! I think she would have done better to cut a couple pages somewhere else and add them to the final scene to flush it out more. It was just sorta like, "Oh, there you are! Let's get married!" then "Send out my fiancée!" So yeah, the ending was too bare-bones.
His Wicked Revenge - Vanessa Kelly - ♥
Seriously? Although I have to say, I usually avoid secret-baby plot books. But why do all these authors make the hero and heroine be apart for so long? The kid was 12!! And talked like a 25-year-old, btw. Plus, the whole evil-brother, blackmail thing? Meh. Not a fan.
Lady Invisible - Patricia Rice - ♥♥♥♥♥
That was so lovely!! A few years leaked out of my eye at the ending! Books with kids... and widowers looking for mothers for theirs... are always iffy... But this one worked so well!
The Piano Tutor - Anthea Lawson
Stolen - Emma Wildes
Her Gentleman Thief - Robyn DeHart
The Weatherlys' Ball - Christie Kelley
The Panchamaabhuta - Leah Ball
Angelique - Margo Maguire
Like None Other - Caroline Linden - ♥♥♥♥♥
I read this story first because I was interested in the author. HOLY CUTENESS, BATMAN!!! Next door neighbors talking over the back garden wall? YES PLEASE!!! Totes dorbs!!! Her mom was awful.... Loved his family... Huh! We get to know the hero and heroine, but we also got a feel for some of the secondary characters! That's kind of amazing for 25 pages (8 chapters)!!
The Catch of the Season - Shirley Kennedy - ♥♥♥♥♥
Oh, I really liked this one! The hero really complimented the heroine well! She gets a bit wishy-washy as the story's climax, but you (and even the hero) don't ever really think she's ACTUALLY going to choose the other guy... so that's okay with me. :)
French Intuition - Delilah Marvelle - ♥
More estranged spouses. Come on, authors. I know this can work! The skeezy bad guy was kinda the most interesting character... I mean, the wife was fine... but the husband was kind of a weakling... I was kinda afraid he was going to off himself... But don't worry, folks... Sex cures all marital problems!! *EYE ROLL*
A Suitable Gentleman - Sara Bennett - ♥♥♥
This one was just okay. I like how the hero is immediately attracted to the heroine and doesn't want anything to do (romantically) with her prettier (etc.) younger sister. It reminded me of
Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Colin and Penelope) in that way. But the author tried to add too many other elements to it... with the whole reason he was in Bath. That story line seemed like an afterthought.
Gretna Green - Sharon Page - ♥♥♥♥
I'll round up to 4 stars. This one was fairly cute. I'm not generally a fan of I-secretly-had-your-baby-without-telling-you plots... because SRSLY? But this one was pretty well done. The story felt a lot longer than it was. The hero and heroine had history that made the story feel flushed out... and the ending was lovely.
Little Miss Independent - Julia Templeton
The Devil's Bargain - Deborah Raleigh
Kindred Souls - Barbara Metzger
Remember - Michèle Ann Young
Moonlight - Carolyn Jewel
An Invitation to Scandal - Lorraine Heath -
Just my opinions/thoughts on the stories:
1 Desperate Measures by Candice Hern - 4 stars: A sweet story.
2 Upon a Midnight Clear by Anna Campbell - 2 stars: throughout the story I kept on wondering if Sebastian had been faithful as the author mentioned more than once that Alicia had been. However Sebastian’s fidelity isn’t said one way or the other. I don’t usually like romances that surround a distant married couple.
3 The Dashing Miss Langley by Amanda Grange -1 star: I really hated Caroline. Her bratiness annoyed me. The story itself wasn’t interesting.
4 Cynders and Ashe by Elizabeth Boyle - 3 stars: A cute Cinderella story.
5 His Wicked Revenge by Vanessa Kelly - 3 stars: I was a bit afraid I wouldn’t like it when I first started reading this one. Revenge stories aren’t usually my thing, but I was pleasantly surprised by this story. I didn’t really like Marissa. She was too much of a coward, but nothing she did make me want to kill her off so she can have her HEA.
6 Lady Invisible by Patricia Rice - 2 stars: I didn’t particularly like or dislike anything.
7 The Piano Tutor by Anthea Lawson - 1 star: Didn’t interest me at all.
8 Stolen by Emma Wildes - 3 stars: Friends to lovers story.
9 Her Gentleman Thief by Robin DeHart - 4 stars: I think I would’ve liked it better if Griffin really was ordinary and boorish rather than pretending, but a cute story nonetheless.
10 The Weatherly’s Ball by Christie Kelley - 5 stars: This story made my heart ache but in a good way. I loved Garrett.
11 The Panchamaabhuta by Leah Ball - 1 star: Didn’t interest me at all.
12 Angelique by Margo Maguire - 1 star: I really didn’t like Angelique.
13 Like None Other by Caroline Linden - 3 stars: A pleasant story.
14The Catch of the Season by Shirley Kennedy - 1 star: I didn’t like either the H or the h. Julia turns her back on Robert after her mother’s supposed attack after hearing about them. She then changes her mind on marrying Lord Melton all because he’s going to tear down some ruins. Robert does nothing as the woman he loves says she’ll marry his brother. And of course at the end Robert is given the green light by Julie’s parents since the Prince Regent likes designs.
15 French Intuition by Delilah Marvelle - 2 stars: I might have liked it more if it was longer and I could delve into the characters and their relationship more.
16A Suitable Gentleman by Sara Bennett - 2 stars: I thought it had potential at the beginning but that fell through.
17Gretna Green by Sharon Page - 1 star: I didn’t like the H or the h. I did like that the author didn’t leave the question of Lyan’s fidelity hanging, even though I didn’t care for the answer.
18Little Miss Independent by Julia Templeton - 3 stars: I think I’ve read this story before. Apparently I have, back in October. I gave it 2 stars then. I think it might have something to do with disliking the last story so much. This one seemed like a breath of fresh air.
19The Devil’s bargain by Deborah Raleigh - 4 stars: I didn’t really like Amelia. I didn’t feel like she had a real reason to run away.
20Kindred Souls by Barbara Metzger - 5 stars: A somewhat fast-paced pleasant story.
21Remember by Michele Ann Young - 1 star: Same old same old.
22Moonlight by Carolyn Jewel - 1 star: I don’t like OWYM.
23An Invitation to Scandal by Lorraine Heath - 5 stars: Probably my favorite story in this anthology. -
THREE AND A HALF STARS
THE ONLY STORIES I READ WERE LORRAINE HEATH'S AND ANNA CAMPBELL
Anna Campbell's story gets four stars. Her short story is that of an estranged husband and wife. The got married when he was 19 and she was 16. Brought up entitled and spoiled, she did not enjoy (or was not ready for) marital relations. They both lacked the communication skills and the husband lacked the patience and maturity, being a young man, to be gentle with his bride. The wife moved away and except for glimpses now and then at mutual parties they have lived apart for a decade.
He comes across her in a carraige crash in the snow, and they have to share the night together at an inn, where they make up and start their life anew. I liked the intesnsity. I would have given it five stars but the heroine is just so bratty, though this is typical of Anna Campbell's habit of writing flawed characters. I can't really fault her for a trait that makes her books stand out.
Lorraine Heath's story only gets 3 stars, which is dissapointing because she is one of my very favorite HR authors. In this one the daughter of an extremely rich, infamous madame proposes to a aristocrat that is destitute due to his late father's gambling debts.
When he finds the truth about her mother he balks. Then decides he loves her anyway and she's worth it. I didn't feel any chemistry and the plot was too rushed for a short story. -
(First impression) Still in the process of reading this collection, but I've discovered a couple of authors new to me whose books I'd like to explore - Patricia Rice and Anna Campbell. 5-star stories from both of them. Patricia Rice's was refreshingly humorous and down to earth, while Anna Campbell's was hot and intense (in a good way). (end of First impression)
Done with this collection now. In the end, I was disappointed by most of the stories in the collection. I guess 20 or so pages is just not enough to develop character or reasonably believable and affecting romance (with the exception of Anthea Lawson's, Patricia Rice's and Anna Campbell's - but maybe that just reflects on their writing skill). Also, the stories just started seeming more and more repetitious. In that sense, the other collection in this series that I've looked at, the one about "Scottish Romance", was better, because there was a far greater variety of time settings, from ancient to modern, and themes, from paranormal through gothic and Regency to contemporary. -
I haven't read all the stories. Here are my individual ratings:
Like none other by Caroline Linden
Very cute story about neighbours.
It was so sweet I wished it would be longer. 4 stars
Suitable gentleman by Sara Bennett
Woman dedicated to serving her hypochondric aunt meets a gentleman of her dreams.
The writing was not very subtle. Insta-love. Everything felt rushed. 2 stars
Little miss independent by Julia Templeton
Heroine in love with her brother's friend. He is scarred but she doesn't mind.
Very nice story. Heroine was super cool and nice. I wish the ending was more subtle. 3 stars
Invitation to scandal by Lorraine Heath
Illegitimate heiress has an offer for a flat broke earl.
Decent writing. The ending was not satysfying. 3 stars -
OVERALL:
"Desperate Measures" - Candace Hern
"Upon a Midnight Clear" - Anna Campbell
"The Dashing Miss Langley" - Amanda Grange
"Cynders and Ashe" - Elizabeth Boyle
"His Wicked Revenge" - Vanessa Kelly
"Lady Invisible" - Patricia Rice
"The Piano Tutor"
"Stolen" - Emma Wildes
"Her Gentleman Thief" - Robyn DeHart
"The Weatherly's Ball" - Christine Kelley
"Panchamaabhuta"- Leah Ball
"Angelique" - Margo Maguire
"Like No Other" - Caroline Linden
"Catch of the Season" - Shirley Kennedy
"French Intuition" - Delilah Marvelle
"A Suitable Gentleman" - Sara Bennett
"Gretna Green" - Sharon Page
"Little Miss Independent" - Julia Templeton
"The Devil's Bargain" - Deborah Raleigh
"Kindred Souls" - Barbara Metzger
"Remember" - Michelle Ann Young
"Moonlight" - Carolyn Jewel
"Invitation to a Scandal" - Lorraine Heath -
I bought this book because of the number of authors I like to read who wrote short stories for this anthology. While there were a number of stories that I did enjoy there were a number that were just OK. It was my first experience with a Mammoth Book and I am not sure if I wish to continue reading another. Many of the stories seemed like they ended abruptly, there was only one story that had a short epilogue of a few paragraphs. While I was entranced with some of the stories, some others left me fustrated. The book was a good way to introduce myself to ahuthors who you would have otherwise remain unknown to me and there are a few from this book who I will choose not to read.
Anthologies in general tend to fustrate me unless they are of a minor characters who garnered enough interest within another story (series) who deserved to have their minor story written. -
I would have read this book given the title alone, but was pleasantly suprised how much I enjoyed the stories themselves. I def feel it deserves 4 stars, maybe even 5. Basically, the book contains 23 short stories of regency (historical) romance; and each story was better than the next. One of the things I'm liking about these "mammoth" books is the new authors I get the opportunity to read. Looking back, I more than likekly would have missed out on some good stories. Eye roll all you want (which my friend's probably are) about this book choices, but my romantic heart/side was def engaged and satisfied. After all, who doesn't love, and/or want, a life full or love, romance, and happy endings.
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The selection is huge and so, I believe every historical romance fan will find some stories to their liking.
The plots cover every imaginable situation that a pair can be confronted with: separation because of intrigue, misunderstanding or impoverishment. There are also highewaymen, house-parties or treasure hunting.
Furthermore, there are two versions of stories: the sweet love-stories or the adult ones.
Through the book I got to know new author's and found a lot of joy in their longer stories as well.
Trisha Telep surpassed herself with the choice of stories and the editing seems perfect. Every Story comes to a pleasing ending in the right amount of time.
An Anthology to enjoy again and again, like I did. -
Others have gone through story by story to evaluate and while there were some that were "meh" (Upon a Midnight Clear, The Panchamaabhuta, and the French Intuition)there were also some real gems (Desperate Measures, The Piano Tutor, Stolen, Her Gentleman Thief, Like None Other, and Little Miss Independent.) I've read quite a lot of the Mammoth books and this one, so far, has the best overall in my opinion. I wish we could give half stars because I'd actually give this a 4.5 because there were a few that I skipped when I reread, but with so many awesome stories in here, it didn't seem right to knock it down to 4 stars. It really is hard to rate anthologies but this is an awesome buy for how many good stories are in it.
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I love anthologies and this was the mother of all for lovers of Regency romances. Not only was I able to read great short stories from authors I already know and love, but this book also introduced to me a ton of new authors who I will now be adding to my "must read" list.
While with the sheer number of stories (23 in all) there are bound to be a few that just fall a little short of hitting the mark, overall you couldn't ask for a better selection whether you're simply winding down from a long day on the couch or enjoying an afternoon on the beach, there is something for everyone in the Mammoth Book of Regency Romance. -
From some of the biggest names in Regency historical romance, 23 wickedly witty, lusciously romantic and sublimely sensual short stories. Stories replete with oversexed aristocrats, posturing courtesans and feuding dukes and duchesses tell of a beautiful lady awakened by a passion more powerful than anything she has ever known, one that could doom or save her; a disgraced rake who, given a final chance to redeem himself, discovers love has rules of its own; and a luscious young beauty fed up with proper tea parties and elegant balls who disguises herself to enjoy a soirée of uninhibited pleasure. As the passion mounts, so do the complications...
