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Unladylike Pursuits
She needs to find a husband but in truth would rather not.
Miss Emily Sinclair has just answered the summons that will change her life. On the eve of spinsterhood, she is offered a month to find a willing gentleman or suffer a marriage to her stepmother's odious cousin. Neither choice seems palatable.
He wants to remain a bachelor and is weary of marriage-minded misses.
Lord Brandon Davenport has had more than enough of marriageâ the infidelity, the gossip, the inconvenience. It has all reaffirmed his conviction to never involve himself in such a predicament.
Of course, need and want are very different matters...or are they?
When the two find themselves grudgingly paired in the ambush of highwaymen, temper is matched equally with desire, leading Emily to realize that Brand is the perfect prey for her husband hunt. But is Brand too cagey to be caught in her trap?
Miss Emily Sinclair has just answered the summons that will change her life. On the eve of spinsterhood, she is offered a month to find a willing gentleman or suffer a marriage to her stepmother's odious cousin. Neither choice seems palatable.
He wants to remain a bachelor and is weary of marriage-minded misses.
Lord Brandon Davenport has had more than enough of marriageâ the infidelity, the gossip, the inconvenience. It has all reaffirmed his conviction to never involve himself in such a predicament.
Of course, need and want are very different matters...or are they?
When the two find themselves grudgingly paired in the ambush of highwaymen, temper is matched equally with desire, leading Emily to realize that Brand is the perfect prey for her husband hunt. But is Brand too cagey to be caught in her trap?
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 6, 2004
16 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Goodnight
8 books185 followersAlyssa Goodnight also writes as Stephanie Graves and has a new mystery out in December: OLIVE BRIGHT, PIGEONEER.
Alyssa Goodnight is the author of the Jane Austen's Diary series (AUSTENTATIOUS, AUSTENSIBLY ORDINARY), a romance with a touch of magical realism, JUST SAY YES, and a Regency historical, UNLADYLIKE PURSUITS. Her books have been mentioned in FIRST for Women, Woman's World, and Entertainment Weekly.
Alyssa is a Texas girl who dreams of British accents (and gets her fix watching Acorn TV and Masterpiece Mystery). Keep up with her on her website at alyssagoodnight.com
Or visit her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Alyssa Goodnight is the author of the Jane Austen's Diary series (AUSTENTATIOUS, AUSTENSIBLY ORDINARY), a romance with a touch of magical realism, JUST SAY YES, and a Regency historical, UNLADYLIKE PURSUITS. Her books have been mentioned in FIRST for Women, Woman's World, and Entertainment Weekly.
Alyssa is a Texas girl who dreams of British accents (and gets her fix watching Acorn TV and Masterpiece Mystery). Keep up with her on her website at alyssagoodnight.com
Or visit her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 5, 2012
So many words, so little said. Don't bother.
October 31, 2012
While this book does have a lot of potential, and is a solid debut for a writer, the editor of this book needed to exercise a heavier hand.
I skimmed through most of this book, stopping once in a while to actually thoroughly read certain parts - I have never skimmed through a book before, but I just kept coming across parts that really dragged on - much too much repetition of internal dialogue - I found I knew what their point would be long before they made it and was able to gloss over it without missing anything. At one point the action lagged so much I skipped around 40 pages and found I still could follow what was going on and hadn't missed much.
The author also at times switched character points of view very suddenly and I would have to double back a few lines whenever that happened. Even a paragraph break would have been helpful in transitioning between POVs.
Also, this book can't decide whether it's a romance or historical fiction. The hero only appears briefly in the first third of the book - so a romance audience will likely get bored waiting for the parts that involve the hero and heroine - so it's hard to call this a romance when there are such lengthy other plotlines going on. However, the sex in this is only something you would find in a romance. Granted, even without the sex, a certain stretch of the imagination is required in accepting some of the heroine's action/decision, but all of the sexual aspects of the plotline really through this train off course and prevented me for seeing it as historical fiction. Therefore, I think both audiences will be left wanting.
There are some strong bits of writing throughout the book though and I did find certain parts interesting/entertaining, but essentially, I had high hopes for this book and was disappointed.
I skimmed through most of this book, stopping once in a while to actually thoroughly read certain parts - I have never skimmed through a book before, but I just kept coming across parts that really dragged on - much too much repetition of internal dialogue - I found I knew what their point would be long before they made it and was able to gloss over it without missing anything. At one point the action lagged so much I skipped around 40 pages and found I still could follow what was going on and hadn't missed much.
The author also at times switched character points of view very suddenly and I would have to double back a few lines whenever that happened. Even a paragraph break would have been helpful in transitioning between POVs.
Also, this book can't decide whether it's a romance or historical fiction. The hero only appears briefly in the first third of the book - so a romance audience will likely get bored waiting for the parts that involve the hero and heroine - so it's hard to call this a romance when there are such lengthy other plotlines going on. However, the sex in this is only something you would find in a romance. Granted, even without the sex, a certain stretch of the imagination is required in accepting some of the heroine's action/decision, but all of the sexual aspects of the plotline really through this train off course and prevented me for seeing it as historical fiction. Therefore, I think both audiences will be left wanting.
There are some strong bits of writing throughout the book though and I did find certain parts interesting/entertaining, but essentially, I had high hopes for this book and was disappointed.
March 12, 2011
This novel was fun to read, though at times I found it difficult to get through much of the inner-dialogue (of which there was plenty). The main characters were endearing, while emily's best friend, sophie, was annoying, and she didn't seem to like emily much at all! Overall, the plot was refreshing, without a lot of the typical 'misunderstandings', and was filled with lots of adventures. :)
March 15, 2012
Unladylike pursuits: donning breeches, riding astride, wielding pistols, ambushing highwaymen, and impertinence is the very essence of our protagonist.
At twenty-five, Emily Sinclair believes she is safely “on the shelf” and out of reach from her step-mother’s machinations as well as heiress-seeking gentlemen. These hopes are quickly dashed when faced with an ultimatum: find a husband in one-month’s time or suffer an arranged marriage to the “Despicable Desmond” Richly.
In search of a bit of adventure before her wedding, Emily sets out to uncover the identity of a highwayman roaming Devon. When Brandon Davenport happens upon this most unladylike lady, he becomes entangled in an adventure. Will Brandon and Emily be able to discover the identity of the highwayman? Will Emily find her dream husband or be forced to marry “Disagreeable Desmond?” Can a guy who has cleverly dodged the marriage mart ignore the tension and passion between him and Emily?
Unladylike Pursuits is fast-paced and action packed with secrets aplenty. With the majority of the book’s events taking place in the span of a week, it was easy to get caught up in the adventure and suspense and not want to put down the book. Goodnight’s word order and sentence structure added to the text’s humor and cheekiness. In addition, the author’s descriptive word choice allowed me to see the scenes and fully understand the characters’ tones and reactions.
Though I enjoyed Goodnight’s storytelling ability, I did not like the length of time between Brand’s introduction and reappearance. Because I was immediately captured by Brand’s confidence and witty repartee, I felt bereft when he wasn’t there. I rather enjoyed Brand and Emily’s verbal sparring. Between Brand’s cocky confidence and Emily’s cheeky impertinence, I often found myself chuckling, snorting, and always smiling. As the book quickly progressed, I was drawn in and found a few times I actually felt for the characters.
After reading Austentatious by Alyssa Goodnight, I was ready to read another. Unladylike Pursuits did not let me down. I am anxious to see what Goodnight produces next and if it will be as satisfying as her first two novels.
At twenty-five, Emily Sinclair believes she is safely “on the shelf” and out of reach from her step-mother’s machinations as well as heiress-seeking gentlemen. These hopes are quickly dashed when faced with an ultimatum: find a husband in one-month’s time or suffer an arranged marriage to the “Despicable Desmond” Richly.
In search of a bit of adventure before her wedding, Emily sets out to uncover the identity of a highwayman roaming Devon. When Brandon Davenport happens upon this most unladylike lady, he becomes entangled in an adventure. Will Brandon and Emily be able to discover the identity of the highwayman? Will Emily find her dream husband or be forced to marry “Disagreeable Desmond?” Can a guy who has cleverly dodged the marriage mart ignore the tension and passion between him and Emily?
Unladylike Pursuits is fast-paced and action packed with secrets aplenty. With the majority of the book’s events taking place in the span of a week, it was easy to get caught up in the adventure and suspense and not want to put down the book. Goodnight’s word order and sentence structure added to the text’s humor and cheekiness. In addition, the author’s descriptive word choice allowed me to see the scenes and fully understand the characters’ tones and reactions.
Though I enjoyed Goodnight’s storytelling ability, I did not like the length of time between Brand’s introduction and reappearance. Because I was immediately captured by Brand’s confidence and witty repartee, I felt bereft when he wasn’t there. I rather enjoyed Brand and Emily’s verbal sparring. Between Brand’s cocky confidence and Emily’s cheeky impertinence, I often found myself chuckling, snorting, and always smiling. As the book quickly progressed, I was drawn in and found a few times I actually felt for the characters.
After reading Austentatious by Alyssa Goodnight, I was ready to read another. Unladylike Pursuits did not let me down. I am anxious to see what Goodnight produces next and if it will be as satisfying as her first two novels.
July 31, 2012
I love Jane Austen and I thought this was very Austenesque. I find I am very picky in what I enjoy reading. I throw books away that are not written well. If you don't enjoy the greats like Jane Austen's you may not like or understand this read.
This is a very intelligently written book, my brain didn't have to auto correct, so I could thoroughly enjoy the story line. And what an intriguing story line it is! It is funny, it is tender, of course their is a brooding man whose heart is won over by a real woman. But of course she has to pretend to be a man in the day of side saddles and genteel women.
This is a very intelligently written book, my brain didn't have to auto correct, so I could thoroughly enjoy the story line. And what an intriguing story line it is! It is funny, it is tender, of course their is a brooding man whose heart is won over by a real woman. But of course she has to pretend to be a man in the day of side saddles and genteel women.
August 14, 2014
Truly one of the worst romances I have read in a long time. The writing was tedious. Don't tell me what the heroine is thinking in paragraph after paragraph. The plot didn't make a lot of sense. It was baffling why either character would be the least bit attracted to the other. The best I can say is that it was readable.
February 14, 2013
I liked the premise, loved the heroine and the Viscount, but it took too many words to tell the story. Emily's independence and adventurous spirit had me rooting for her as soon as she fell off her horse. Her adventures were fun and interesting. I just think the story could have been told just as well using say 75 to 100 less pages.
February 23, 2020
I loved this story so much, a real homerun for Alyssa.
September 12, 2015
I think the heroine in this book was too immature and frankly TSTL (Too stupid to live). Honestly, its not often that I brand a heroine TSTL so you have to understand that seriously, I cannot figure out how she didn't die in this book. I mean seriously, she goes chasing after highwaymen half-cocked without telling anyone thinking what? That she could somehow save the day by herself when by all accounts she has lived a sheltered life that didn't teach her jack about how to handle herself in a situation like that?
I can see how the author was trying to portray Em, sort of like a lovable, adventurous, independent woman, and in some parts of the book, particularly in Brand's view of her, I can see that but seriously, the rest of the time I just wanted to shake her.
And the sub-story with Sarah, Em's best friend? I just didn't get their relationship. They were supposed to be best friends since they were children but to me it kind of seemed like the kind of relationship where they sort of just tolerated each other and were only 'friends' because they didn't have anyone else. Em was oblivious and selfish in how she treated Sarah and Sarah was constantly lecturing her and/or throwing barbs at Em about how she was just so unacceptable.
Em aside, this wasn't a bad book. The author has a nice voice and the story was well paced and action packed despite fitting into a 7-day time period. The best part of this book was Brand, even though he seemed to be missing for half the book - when we did get him back, he was great.
I can see how the author was trying to portray Em, sort of like a lovable, adventurous, independent woman, and in some parts of the book, particularly in Brand's view of her, I can see that but seriously, the rest of the time I just wanted to shake her.
And the sub-story with Sarah, Em's best friend? I just didn't get their relationship. They were supposed to be best friends since they were children but to me it kind of seemed like the kind of relationship where they sort of just tolerated each other and were only 'friends' because they didn't have anyone else. Em was oblivious and selfish in how she treated Sarah and Sarah was constantly lecturing her and/or throwing barbs at Em about how she was just so unacceptable.
Em aside, this wasn't a bad book. The author has a nice voice and the story was well paced and action packed despite fitting into a 7-day time period. The best part of this book was Brand, even though he seemed to be missing for half the book - when we did get him back, he was great.
Want to Read
February 15, 2016396p She needs to find a husband but in truth would rather not.
Miss Emily Sinclair has just answered the summons that will change her life. On the eve of spinsterhood, she is offered a month to find a willing gentleman or suffer a marriage to her stepmother's odious cousin. Neither choice seems palatable.
He wants to remain a bachelor and is weary of marriage-minded misses.
Lord Brandon Davenport has had more than enough of marriage--the infidelity, the gossip, the inconvenience. It has all reaffirmed his conviction to never involve himself in such a predicament.
Of course, need and want are very different matters...or are they?
When the two find themselves grudgingly paired in the ambush of highwaymen, temper is matched equally with desire, leading Emily to realize that Brand is the perfect prey for her husband hunt. But is Brand too cagey to be caught in her trap?
Miss Emily Sinclair has just answered the summons that will change her life. On the eve of spinsterhood, she is offered a month to find a willing gentleman or suffer a marriage to her stepmother's odious cousin. Neither choice seems palatable.
He wants to remain a bachelor and is weary of marriage-minded misses.
Lord Brandon Davenport has had more than enough of marriage--the infidelity, the gossip, the inconvenience. It has all reaffirmed his conviction to never involve himself in such a predicament.
Of course, need and want are very different matters...or are they?
When the two find themselves grudgingly paired in the ambush of highwaymen, temper is matched equally with desire, leading Emily to realize that Brand is the perfect prey for her husband hunt. But is Brand too cagey to be caught in her trap?
November 4, 2012
Omg where to begin?!?!
There were so many annoying things happening in this story that I would never have finished it were it not for my inability to leave books unfinished!
The relationship between Emily and Sophie is supposed to be that of best friends, however, they seem more like long time enemies. Terrible! The amount of judgement coming out of Sophie would be crazy coming from anyone, much much worse from someone supposed to be your best friend!!
Emily's actions are completely nonsense and the romance is very very boring to say the least.
I just cannot understand why on earth Emily, the heroine, would CUT HER HAIR as a disguise just because she couldn't find a hat to hide it! Just tooooo much to handle!
The reason why I gave it 2 stars and not 1 is because I think the overall story had potential...
There were so many annoying things happening in this story that I would never have finished it were it not for my inability to leave books unfinished!
The relationship between Emily and Sophie is supposed to be that of best friends, however, they seem more like long time enemies. Terrible! The amount of judgement coming out of Sophie would be crazy coming from anyone, much much worse from someone supposed to be your best friend!!
Emily's actions are completely nonsense and the romance is very very boring to say the least.
I just cannot understand why on earth Emily, the heroine, would CUT HER HAIR as a disguise just because she couldn't find a hat to hide it! Just tooooo much to handle!
The reason why I gave it 2 stars and not 1 is because I think the overall story had potential...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2014
I really liked the story itself: a young woman who craves adventure all set to embark on her freer life of spinsterhood when her father announces he's arranged a marriage for her to a man she can't stand. There's a nice subplot with her best friend, and some potential juicy conflict...
And that's my problem with the book. It's too superficial. The conflicts arise, but they evaporate without much difficulty. It was all the more frustrating because the conflicts could have been--indeed, should have been--really intense.
And that's my problem with the book. It's too superficial. The conflicts arise, but they evaporate without much difficulty. It was all the more frustrating because the conflicts could have been--indeed, should have been--really intense.
October 22, 2012
This wasn't a bad romance, but I'm glad that AG has moved towards contemporary settings. I would give this book more of a 2.5. I wasn't crazy about the friends Sophie and Colin--thought their story was unnecessary. But this was a first novel, so I don't want to overcritique it--I certainly could never have written it!
August 3, 2014
I liked it, as others have said it rings a bit Austenish. Fun & quick romp through Regency period. Could have been shorter, there was an over abundance of inner dialogue that slowed down the story at times but over all a pleasurable story. Enjoyed the humorous encounters between Miss Emily & her step-mother Beatrice. LOL.
April 17, 2012
Please check out the review on my blog:
http://readinhouston.blogspot.com/201...
November 24, 2012
I was enjoying it at first. Turned out to be very disappointed with some of the modern twist, I like things left to the imagination. Not to mention there were parts that just dragged on. I could not and would not recommend this to a friend.
September 20, 2012
What a delightful surprise!! I absolutely loved this! I was completely charmed by Emily and Brand. This was a really fun read. There were some things I didn't figure everything out until the very end. This was a wonderful romance with just a touch of suspense.
October 11, 2013
This was almost clean but slipped at the end some nevertheless I liked the story and the heroine's convictions. She stood her ground and got her way -- I thought it was a bit much. However the book was an enjoyable thing to read/
October 23, 2012
Very well written. I really enjoyed this book
October 15, 2014
Don't be fooled... This is not Austenish and poor Jane would be appalled at the comparison! It was long winded, overly (attempted) descriptive and predictable. Not worth the read.
October 4, 2012
Very well written first novel. I immensely enjoyed the story and fell for the characters.
February 19, 2018
The ending of this novel is predictable. How the plot unfolds to get to the end is kind of fun, but mostly I was impatient and irritated.
April 22, 2020
Not a clean read.
September 15, 2022
I thought this book was never going to end. The author spends way too much time in her characters heads instead of moving the story along.
January 4, 2017
"Charming" Brand 5 stars
Emily (she remind me of miss Bennett in some attitude) 4.5 stars
Colin and Sophie.......mmh 2 stars
Emily (she remind me of miss Bennett in some attitude) 4.5 stars
Colin and Sophie.......mmh 2 stars
April 19, 2017
The storyline is cute, but on the silly side and predictable. I read it thinking it would be perfect for a junior high aged girl... until I got to a racy, premarital sex scene. So I can't recommend it to anyone after all. The author also takes about 5 pages to say what could be said in 1/2 a page.... usually inner dialogue.
historical
January 7, 2019She needs to find a husband but in truth would rather not...
Miss Emily Sinclair has just answered the summons that will change her life. On the eve of spinsterhood, she is offered a month to find a willing gentleman or suffer a marriage to her stepmother's odious cousin. Neither choice seems palatable.
He wants to remain a bachelor and is weary of marriage-minded misses...
Lord Brandon Davenport has had more than enough of marriage-the infidelity, the gossip, the inconvenience. It has all reaffirmed his conviction to never involve himself in such a predicament.
Of course, need and want are very different matters...or are they?
When the two find themselves grudgingly paired in the ambush of highwaymen, temper is matched equally with desire, leading Emily to realize that Brand is the perfect prey for her husband hunt. But is Brand too cagey to be caught in her trap?
Miss Emily Sinclair has just answered the summons that will change her life. On the eve of spinsterhood, she is offered a month to find a willing gentleman or suffer a marriage to her stepmother's odious cousin. Neither choice seems palatable.
He wants to remain a bachelor and is weary of marriage-minded misses...
Lord Brandon Davenport has had more than enough of marriage-the infidelity, the gossip, the inconvenience. It has all reaffirmed his conviction to never involve himself in such a predicament.
Of course, need and want are very different matters...or are they?
When the two find themselves grudgingly paired in the ambush of highwaymen, temper is matched equally with desire, leading Emily to realize that Brand is the perfect prey for her husband hunt. But is Brand too cagey to be caught in her trap?
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews