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Reckless Angel
She turned his life into chaos even as she melted his heart…
The injured “boy” Sir Daniel Drummond rescues from a British battlefield is no boy at all, but a vivacious young enchantress fleeing her tyrannical father. Moved by her plight, her spirit, and her mesmerizing beauty—and his own young daughters’ need for a mother—the dashing nobleman impulsively offers towed Henrietta “Harry” Ashby, who promptly throws his life and household into disarray.
Headstrong, impetuous, wildly unconventional, “Harry” knows precious little about wifely duties. But the irrepressible misunderstands the importance of unwavering loyalty when danger threatens. And she knows daringways to set a man’s passions aflame—and the sensuous secret to transforming a marriage of convenience into a union of everlasting ecstasy and love.
The injured “boy” Sir Daniel Drummond rescues from a British battlefield is no boy at all, but a vivacious young enchantress fleeing her tyrannical father. Moved by her plight, her spirit, and her mesmerizing beauty—and his own young daughters’ need for a mother—the dashing nobleman impulsively offers towed Henrietta “Harry” Ashby, who promptly throws his life and household into disarray.
Headstrong, impetuous, wildly unconventional, “Harry” knows precious little about wifely duties. But the irrepressible misunderstands the importance of unwavering loyalty when danger threatens. And she knows daringways to set a man’s passions aflame—and the sensuous secret to transforming a marriage of convenience into a union of everlasting ecstasy and love.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
32 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Jane Feather
170 books628 followersJane Feather (born Jane Robotham) is a popular British–American writer of historical romance novels. In 1984 she wrote five contemporary romances under the pseudonym Claudia Bishop. She is a New York Times-bestselling, award–winning writer, and has more than ten million romance novels in print.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 7, 2022
Read: 2016
Rerea: 7/29/20
Loved! She is so cute but foolhardy. I loved her. She would do anything for the people she loves. Her poor husband 😢
Warning: in the beginning she's 15 and he's 23 ..so age gap
Rerea: 7/29/20
Loved! She is so cute but foolhardy. I loved her. She would do anything for the people she loves. Her poor husband 😢
Warning: in the beginning she's 15 and he's 23 ..so age gap
April 3, 2024
The adage that you should not judge a book by its cover was true of Jane Feather's Reckless Angel, a book that was compelling and enjoyable despite its cheesy cover. Henrietta Ashby, aka "Harry", is a smart and courageous heroine who is caught in the cross-hairs of England's Civil War in the seventeenth century. We first meet 15 year old Harry on the battlefield, where she is dressed as a boy in order to blend in with the Royalist soldiers, and fights fiercely alongside them against Cromwell's Roundheads.
When Harry is injured on the battlefield, Lord Daniel Drummond, a Royalist officer, rescues her, thinking at first she is a mere child not much older than his own daughter. What follows is a series of swashbuckling adventures that take Harry and Daniel across the continent and on the high seas, during which they fall in love, despite many obstacles.
It was very easy to like Harry, and not so easy to like Daniel, truly a man of his times, with all his chauvinist, patriarchal attitudes towards women. But this is what made Harry's gargantuan task of overcoming his prejudices and earning his respect as well as his love all the more satisfying. Many readers will have BIG issues with how callous and cruel Daniel is towards Harry, and how he initially unfavorably compares her to his first, deceased wife, a "real" lady of the era. But I never had any worries about Harry remaining second best and she definitely didn't, imho :)
When Harry is injured on the battlefield, Lord Daniel Drummond, a Royalist officer, rescues her, thinking at first she is a mere child not much older than his own daughter. What follows is a series of swashbuckling adventures that take Harry and Daniel across the continent and on the high seas, during which they fall in love, despite many obstacles.
It was very easy to like Harry, and not so easy to like Daniel, truly a man of his times, with all his chauvinist, patriarchal attitudes towards women. But this is what made Harry's gargantuan task of overcoming his prejudices and earning his respect as well as his love all the more satisfying. Many readers will have BIG issues with how callous and cruel Daniel is towards Harry, and how he initially unfavorably compares her to his first, deceased wife, a "real" lady of the era. But I never had any worries about Harry remaining second best and she definitely didn't, imho :)
November 30, 2021
Все пак си личи, когато пише истинска англичанка, познаваща историята на страната си, и подмятаща с доза английска небрежност и суховат хумор по някой факт от войните на Кромуел. Да, и не бърка аристократичните титли, като дори безцеремонно отказва да включи херцог сред героите (само американките не знаят друга титла), а само барон.
Много приятен сюжет с доста хумор, без особена драма. Просто един брак, почнал малко несериозно, накрая става сериозен и малките и недотам малки житейски неприятности укрепват съюза. Няма световни катаклизми и мелодрами, отвличания, бивши и настоящи ухажори - психопати. Просто неприятностите, свързани с управлението на домакинство и военната обстановка насвсякъде. Наистина вече не ги пишат така. 😆
Много приятен сюжет с доста хумор, без особена драма. Просто един брак, почнал малко несериозно, накрая става сериозен и малките и недотам малки житейски неприятности укрепват съюза. Няма световни катаклизми и мелодрами, отвличания, бивши и настоящи ухажори - психопати. Просто неприятностите, свързани с управлението на домакинство и военната обстановка насвсякъде. Наистина вече не ги пишат така. 😆
January 23, 2012
I reviewed this novel for Romance Reader At Heart website (http://romancereaderatheart.com/)
RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:
The only reason I chose to review this novel is the low, and I mean a very, very low score it received from the readers on Amazon. I’ve just recently discovered this author and from only a handful of books read so far, that score bothered me.
Here is the original 1989 Book Blurb:
She turned his life into chaos as she melted his heart...
Sir Daniel Drummond had amazed himself by offering to marry Henrietta Ashby to save her from her tyrannical father. Now the little hoyden had turned his household topsy-turvy with her unconventional ways. Yet he had to admit that his impetuous "Harry" brought a unique ardor to their bedchamber, making each night a glorious celebration of silken skin and satin caresses...snaring his world-weary heart.
Henrietta had learned much from her bold, cynical husband whose skilled lovemaking sent the blood singing through her veins. But as they followed their deposed king into exile, she wondered if she had enough courage, enough love, to face the perils of court intrigue... and save her beloved Daniel from a traitor's death!
This book was originally published in 1989 (the age of Bodice Rippers) with an interesting setting of England right before Charles I had been executed, during Cromwell’s rule as well as Charles II’s attempt to return to England. I am surprised it went unnoticed by me. Yet, reading the blurb, I’m not so surprised. The blurb actually doesn’t do the book justice, and in my opinion, is atrocious and aims to titillate rather than draw a reader to the story. It misrepresents the hero as a “bold, cynical husband whose skilled lovemaking sent the blood singing through her veins,” and misses the mark by leagues in talking about the heroine as “impetuous 'Harry' brought a unique ardor to their bedchamber, making each night a glorious celebration of silken skin and satin caresses.” The hero was never bold or cynical, and the heroine, while impetuous, was still very young and could never have acted ‘ardently’. As much as I was happy to see Avon rewrite the blurb, in my opinion, it still misrepresents the hero and heroine.
Sir Daniel Drummond is twenty-nine; Baronet of Glebe Park in the village of Cranston, in the county of Kent; His Majesty’s most loyal servant; a widower who was faithful and loved his wife, until she died birthing their second child; and a father who adores his children, yet always tries to apply gentle discipline. He is the epitome of the word 'hero'. A hero, from Wikipedia, describes one as "(male) and heroine (female) came to refer to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice—that is, heroism—for some greater good of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence.” That is exactly who Daniel was.
Only a hero would stop at the end of battle to help a young girl, wounded and helpless; only a hero would attempt to return her to her father; and only a hero would save her in the end from that retched man by offering her safe haven as his wife. He was aware of her tender years; aware of her ignorance in regards to marital relations, and for a man that went four years after his wife’s death without the said relations, had the forethought and great restraint not to take any chance in leaving his young wife with child until he thought her ready to be. It bothers me when people use the age difference in the characters as an excuse not to finish the book. For goodness' sake, this is 1649 and the age difference between these two was acceptable and preferable. Did you know that “between 1625 and 1649, life expectancy at birth in England and Wales was 38.7 years for males and 37.6 for females”? Both of these people were already middle-aged, so, get a grip people.
Henrietta Ashby is a fifteen-year-old young woman that has never known love of any kind, yet she knew how to give it. Her father and stepmother were willing to give her in marriage to a man twice her age, only because they owed him money and would never even consider allowing her to marry Will, a young man she deeply cared for and thought herself so much in love with, that she ran away from home and willingly followed him on the battle field at Preston, which Royalists lost to the Puritans. This girl was pure of heart, and what some might see as selfish and manipulative, I saw as too eager to help and make herself irreplaceable, therefore worth keeping, worth loving. She also embodies the term ‘heroine’ as much as our hero, Daniel. Everything she does is motivated by her love of others and her loyalty to those that have shown her affection. Her willingness to help them may not always, or most of the time, be the right course, but the motivation behind it is pure.
My favorite paragraph is at the end of this tale, as Daniel is watching her sleep, thinking... ”Daniel gazed upon his sleeping wife and wondered how such a wondrous, magical creature has been shaped, how such a loving and giving spirit could have emerged from the arid soil of her childhood. And he had wondered what he had done to deserve the gift of her love, the measurable joy of her self to inform his life.”
RECKLESS ANGEL is a romance with sensual overtones that should make Ms. Feather proud. She has achieved a perfect balance of romance and history by introducing us to England as it was at the time of civil strife, and gifting us with characters that were three-dimensional. Combined with a very plausible plot and a quick pace, this makes for a wonderful, extremely entertaining and fun read. I would go so far as to even recommend it to sixteen-year-olds! There are no overly explicit scenes in this book that would make it inappropriate for this generation, or for that matter, any generation. I highly recommend it, and strongly urge you to ignore the negative reviews of this delightful romance story.
Melanie
RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:
The only reason I chose to review this novel is the low, and I mean a very, very low score it received from the readers on Amazon. I’ve just recently discovered this author and from only a handful of books read so far, that score bothered me.
Here is the original 1989 Book Blurb:
She turned his life into chaos as she melted his heart...
Sir Daniel Drummond had amazed himself by offering to marry Henrietta Ashby to save her from her tyrannical father. Now the little hoyden had turned his household topsy-turvy with her unconventional ways. Yet he had to admit that his impetuous "Harry" brought a unique ardor to their bedchamber, making each night a glorious celebration of silken skin and satin caresses...snaring his world-weary heart.
Henrietta had learned much from her bold, cynical husband whose skilled lovemaking sent the blood singing through her veins. But as they followed their deposed king into exile, she wondered if she had enough courage, enough love, to face the perils of court intrigue... and save her beloved Daniel from a traitor's death!
This book was originally published in 1989 (the age of Bodice Rippers) with an interesting setting of England right before Charles I had been executed, during Cromwell’s rule as well as Charles II’s attempt to return to England. I am surprised it went unnoticed by me. Yet, reading the blurb, I’m not so surprised. The blurb actually doesn’t do the book justice, and in my opinion, is atrocious and aims to titillate rather than draw a reader to the story. It misrepresents the hero as a “bold, cynical husband whose skilled lovemaking sent the blood singing through her veins,” and misses the mark by leagues in talking about the heroine as “impetuous 'Harry' brought a unique ardor to their bedchamber, making each night a glorious celebration of silken skin and satin caresses.” The hero was never bold or cynical, and the heroine, while impetuous, was still very young and could never have acted ‘ardently’. As much as I was happy to see Avon rewrite the blurb, in my opinion, it still misrepresents the hero and heroine.
Sir Daniel Drummond is twenty-nine; Baronet of Glebe Park in the village of Cranston, in the county of Kent; His Majesty’s most loyal servant; a widower who was faithful and loved his wife, until she died birthing their second child; and a father who adores his children, yet always tries to apply gentle discipline. He is the epitome of the word 'hero'. A hero, from Wikipedia, describes one as "(male) and heroine (female) came to refer to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice—that is, heroism—for some greater good of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence.” That is exactly who Daniel was.
Only a hero would stop at the end of battle to help a young girl, wounded and helpless; only a hero would attempt to return her to her father; and only a hero would save her in the end from that retched man by offering her safe haven as his wife. He was aware of her tender years; aware of her ignorance in regards to marital relations, and for a man that went four years after his wife’s death without the said relations, had the forethought and great restraint not to take any chance in leaving his young wife with child until he thought her ready to be. It bothers me when people use the age difference in the characters as an excuse not to finish the book. For goodness' sake, this is 1649 and the age difference between these two was acceptable and preferable. Did you know that “between 1625 and 1649, life expectancy at birth in England and Wales was 38.7 years for males and 37.6 for females”? Both of these people were already middle-aged, so, get a grip people.
Henrietta Ashby is a fifteen-year-old young woman that has never known love of any kind, yet she knew how to give it. Her father and stepmother were willing to give her in marriage to a man twice her age, only because they owed him money and would never even consider allowing her to marry Will, a young man she deeply cared for and thought herself so much in love with, that she ran away from home and willingly followed him on the battle field at Preston, which Royalists lost to the Puritans. This girl was pure of heart, and what some might see as selfish and manipulative, I saw as too eager to help and make herself irreplaceable, therefore worth keeping, worth loving. She also embodies the term ‘heroine’ as much as our hero, Daniel. Everything she does is motivated by her love of others and her loyalty to those that have shown her affection. Her willingness to help them may not always, or most of the time, be the right course, but the motivation behind it is pure.
My favorite paragraph is at the end of this tale, as Daniel is watching her sleep, thinking... ”Daniel gazed upon his sleeping wife and wondered how such a wondrous, magical creature has been shaped, how such a loving and giving spirit could have emerged from the arid soil of her childhood. And he had wondered what he had done to deserve the gift of her love, the measurable joy of her self to inform his life.”
RECKLESS ANGEL is a romance with sensual overtones that should make Ms. Feather proud. She has achieved a perfect balance of romance and history by introducing us to England as it was at the time of civil strife, and gifting us with characters that were three-dimensional. Combined with a very plausible plot and a quick pace, this makes for a wonderful, extremely entertaining and fun read. I would go so far as to even recommend it to sixteen-year-olds! There are no overly explicit scenes in this book that would make it inappropriate for this generation, or for that matter, any generation. I highly recommend it, and strongly urge you to ignore the negative reviews of this delightful romance story.
Melanie
January 29, 2015
Enjoyed the history lesson. I was mildly disturbed by the "normal for the period" age gap between the leads but my modern sensibilities in no way took away from my enjoyment of the story. Especially when I remembered people tended to die by the age of forty in the 1600s. So one had better hop to it early o'clock. Both main characters were well fleshed out and interesting. Henrieta was charming (when she wasn't being annoying and incredibly asinine) and Daniel certainly had the patience of Job. There was a lot of jumping around in terms of the setting, in that they were stationed in several countries, not all of which necessarily felt distinct from one another.
I quite liked most of the secondary characters including his kids and old nurse. Will and Henrieta's relationship was cute and served well as comic relief. I particularly liked that his first wife was represented as loving and having been loved by him and his family. I really dislike the demonizing of previous spouses that books sometimes do. As if it is impossible to have loved truly before if you are in love now. I like that Daniel talked about her and mentioned her casually on occasion to his second wife, and that the book did not pretend she never existed as is sometimes done.
I would give this four stars but I am going for five because of the sheer amount of work and research that clearly went into its construction. Feather, Virginia Henley and Elizabeth Thornton were all quite good at interweaving predominantly accurate historical detail into their works. They paint very vivid pictures of what actually living in a certain time was like. You always come away feeling like you learned something new. Seeing as there is often actual 'history' in the historical romance for a change.
I quite liked most of the secondary characters including his kids and old nurse. Will and Henrieta's relationship was cute and served well as comic relief. I particularly liked that his first wife was represented as loving and having been loved by him and his family. I really dislike the demonizing of previous spouses that books sometimes do. As if it is impossible to have loved truly before if you are in love now. I like that Daniel talked about her and mentioned her casually on occasion to his second wife, and that the book did not pretend she never existed as is sometimes done.
I would give this four stars but I am going for five because of the sheer amount of work and research that clearly went into its construction. Feather, Virginia Henley and Elizabeth Thornton were all quite good at interweaving predominantly accurate historical detail into their works. They paint very vivid pictures of what actually living in a certain time was like. You always come away feeling like you learned something new. Seeing as there is often actual 'history' in the historical romance for a change.
January 1, 2016
A wonderful, well-researched historic romance with an age-gap frisson.
Reckless Angel deserves a far better blurb than the vague, generically florid one here. It's a surprisingly interesting and moving book set in a very eventful historical era (English Civil War/Roundheads vs Cavaliers).
Fifteen-year-old Henrietta "Harry" Drummond is rescued by 29-year-old widower Sir Daniel Drummond. He ends up marrying her partly to save her from her abusive father and being sold in matrimony to some horrible elderly man.
As the civil war intensifies and King Charles is execute, they travel to the Netherlands and then to Spain, seeking support from foreign powers. The ending is perhaps a little unrealistic and over-dramatic, but still, it's an exciting read and nice to see the damsel-in-distress theme completely inverted!
In terms of the erotic content of the book: the sex is very realistic because it's not instant heights of passion from the get-go. In fact it takes a good while for the couple to get that side of things sorted out. There's a touching and believable defloration scene on the wedding night.
All in all a sensual and romantic story, full of adventure and period detail. It's nice to see how Daniel eventually comes round to realising that he can't expect to control or curb his young wife's spiritedness but instead embraces it. The only thing I would have liked would have been a happier ending for his sister.
Reckless Angel deserves a far better blurb than the vague, generically florid one here. It's a surprisingly interesting and moving book set in a very eventful historical era (English Civil War/Roundheads vs Cavaliers).
Fifteen-year-old Henrietta "Harry" Drummond is rescued by 29-year-old widower Sir Daniel Drummond. He ends up marrying her partly to save her from her abusive father and being sold in matrimony to some horrible elderly man.
As the civil war intensifies and King Charles is execute, they travel to the Netherlands and then to Spain, seeking support from foreign powers. The ending is perhaps a little unrealistic and over-dramatic, but still, it's an exciting read and nice to see the damsel-in-distress theme completely inverted!
In terms of the erotic content of the book: the sex is very realistic because it's not instant heights of passion from the get-go. In fact it takes a good while for the couple to get that side of things sorted out. There's a touching and believable defloration scene on the wedding night.
All in all a sensual and romantic story, full of adventure and period detail. It's nice to see how Daniel eventually comes round to realising that he can't expect to control or curb his young wife's spiritedness but instead embraces it. The only thing I would have liked would have been a happier ending for his sister.
January 9, 2011
This is one of the more "unconventional" historical ones where a lady masquerades as boy. Although honestly, weren't there more women that did this? I find it hard to believe an entire society is filled with women all following the party line. Then again with them completely financially dependent on a man with no way to support themselves w/o selling their body, I should be more understanding.
In this one, "Henry" is cute and it's easy to see why the hero falls for her and saves her. Sweet uncomplicated plot - nice guilty pleasure read.
In this one, "Henry" is cute and it's easy to see why the hero falls for her and saves her. Sweet uncomplicated plot - nice guilty pleasure read.
June 8, 2022
I'm sorry but I can't over the fact that Henrietta is only 16 :/ Plus the book borders on the ridiculous .
Read
January 7, 201815 yr old Henrietta Ashby ran away from her abusive father and stepmother following her neighbor and friend, Will Osbert, into a battle. She was found wounded and unconscious on the battlefield by Daniel Drummond and Tom. They carried her off the field and took her to the nearest cottage they could find. The woman their cared for Henrietta, who was called Harry, until Will arrived and told them all her true name. Harry had thought Will dead.
They left the woman's house and headed to London. Daniel sent a note to Harry's father asking to meet him there. She showed up and hit Will and started beating Harry. Daniel arrived and asked for permission to marry her and her father agreed. Harry was to be the payment for a debt as bride to the man he owed. Daniel accepted the debt as payment for Harry. On Sept. 27, 1648, Henrietta Ashby became the wife of Sir Daniel Drummond, Baronet, of Glebe Park.
Daniel took Harry home to care for his daughters, Lizzie and Nan. Their governess wasn't happy about Harry taking the girls from their lessons to traipse about in the woods around their home. She complained to Daniel. Daniel had expected Harry to know how to run a house and wanted her to teach his children. She was afraid to tell him how little she knew of household duties but he eventually found out. He told her that he would help her learn. Daniel received a note from the man who Daniel now owed money to for Harry. Daniel was worried about how to pay the debt and mentioned this to Harry. She told Daniel that she had money that was left to her by her mother and they went to London to see her father's attorney about obtaining the funds. They stayed with a former nurse of Daniel's.
The attorney delivered a notice to Harry's father regarding the funds and he came to see them along with Will had his parents. They were fighting when Daniel arrived home one evening. Gerald hit his daughter and Daniel hit him. Will took her out of the room to deal with her swelling face while Daniel and Gerald settled their money matters. Daniel received Harry's inherited money. They remained in London after they all left because they wanted to find out if the fine imposed upon Daniel would be reduced for his taking part in the battle where they found Harry. It was reduced by $1,000 pounds. They continued to stay because the King Charles the I of England was on trial. They stayed until he was beheaded. Charles II was in exile and Daniel told Harry that they were going to see Charles II and swear their allegiance to him and would also live in exile. Daniel thought to go alone but Harry insisted that she and the children would go with him. Daniel was still learning the value and determination of Harry as a good wife to him.
They all relocated to The Hague and helped those who put themselves into exile as they did. After a year of being there, King Charles II asked them to go to Madrid, Spain to speak to their ruler and ask assistance in raising an army to take back his throne. The Parliament was running England and the country was not a good place to be. Celebrations such as Christmas were no longer allowed. People were afraid to speak to others in fear of their lives and possessions. Will also left and came to find them in The Hague and he stayed in their house with the girls and their governess. He also met Julia while he was there. She was Harry's best friend. Harry had never had a girl as a friend before. Julia was about the same age as Harry but she hadn't married yet.
While they were traveling to Spain, Harry was seasick for a while. Daniel took care of her until it passed. A Turkish ship approached their Dutch merchant ship and they pretended that their ship was only there guarding the merchant ships and the Turks believed them. Harry was told to stay in her room but paid the cabin boy for his clothes and got out. As cabin boy, she was asked to take a pouch of Dutch tobacco to the Turkish captain. Daniel was frightened for her when he found out that it was her on the other ship. Harry was frightened that Daniel would punish her and she knew that she deserved it. She was also scared and he realized that she came out of their cabin due to her love for him and wanting to be with him so he didn't punish her.
They were in Spain for 5 months. Daniel was frustrated in trying to get an audience with the King of Spain. Harry wanted to help and found an audience with the queen but she was asked to obtain information that her husband had received from The Hague. Daniel caught her reading the missive and got so upset that he didn't talk to her for days. She wanted to explain why she was trying to read the information. It was so that she could give realistic information to the queen while not giving away everything. She knew nothing and didn't know what to lie about. Daniel didn't give her a chance to explain until she was caught trying to leaving Spain with their neighbors to go back home. That is what it took for Daniel to listen and Harry did help him get an audience with the king. They left for The Hague the day after he spoke with the Spanish King.
They arrived back at The Hague and Harry learned that Will had been refused by Julia's parents as an acceptable marriage partner. They were both upset and Harry arranged for them to meet at her house. They didn't tell Daniel but he felt something was up and he found out. By the time he found out, Julia was pregnant. Daniel went to speak to Julia's parents in an attempt to gain their consent for a marriage without telling them that Julia was pregnant and disgracing her. During the conversation, Daniel told Julia's parents of his love for Harry and she was pleasantly surprised to find out how loved she was.
King Charles II had declared his intention to return to the Scots to form an army to reclaim England. Daniel was to remain at The Hague waiting for the King's command to join him. Daniel told Harry that it wouldn't be long before they would be returning to England. They arrived back in England in the middle of the night with Will, Julia and the girls. Henrietta was 4 months pregnant and Julia was close to being due. Harry drove them to their house to find it in disarray. Tom had met the boat and he, Daniel and Will went to meet the king's army.
Harry straightened out the running of the household. Julia went into labor and had a baby boy she named Robert. Will's mother arrived the next afternoon. She would take Julia and the baby to her home when Julia was well enough to travel. Harry packed up the girls and took them to London. She was on her way to the battlefield to be with Daniel.
She arrived to find the battle over and King Charles II had been defeated. Daniel had been wounded and his wrist smashed. Will and Tom had left him behind and headed to Will's home. Harry went to Cromwell's headquarters to ask about the prisoners but gave a fictitious name to locate. She ended up passing out at the entrance and was taken inside and fed by the soldiers there. Cromwell had already left. She decided to pretend to sleep and listen to see what she could learn. A group of prisoners soon arrived and Daniel was among them. She found out that their names would be taken in the morning and she went to see him telling the soldiers that she was headed to use the toilet. Harry told Daniel to use an incorrect name and that she would see him later to help him escape.
The prisoners were herded out the next morning and it was a couple days later when she found him again. She told his guard that she was a friend of the family and asked if they could travel to her cottage to spend the night. He could come too. They knocked the guard unconscious and Harry dressed as a boy and Daniel was disguised as an old lady. They traveled to Will's house and stayed there for a week. Tom and Will were there and Julia, the baby and Will's mother all soon arrived. Tom went to London and picked up the girls and brought them to Will's place. Daniel told them all that he was through fighting. His arm was no longer of good use. He loved Harry and they were going to raise their child together. They were going home. This happened all during the month of September, the month of their second anniversary.
They left the woman's house and headed to London. Daniel sent a note to Harry's father asking to meet him there. She showed up and hit Will and started beating Harry. Daniel arrived and asked for permission to marry her and her father agreed. Harry was to be the payment for a debt as bride to the man he owed. Daniel accepted the debt as payment for Harry. On Sept. 27, 1648, Henrietta Ashby became the wife of Sir Daniel Drummond, Baronet, of Glebe Park.
Daniel took Harry home to care for his daughters, Lizzie and Nan. Their governess wasn't happy about Harry taking the girls from their lessons to traipse about in the woods around their home. She complained to Daniel. Daniel had expected Harry to know how to run a house and wanted her to teach his children. She was afraid to tell him how little she knew of household duties but he eventually found out. He told her that he would help her learn. Daniel received a note from the man who Daniel now owed money to for Harry. Daniel was worried about how to pay the debt and mentioned this to Harry. She told Daniel that she had money that was left to her by her mother and they went to London to see her father's attorney about obtaining the funds. They stayed with a former nurse of Daniel's.
The attorney delivered a notice to Harry's father regarding the funds and he came to see them along with Will had his parents. They were fighting when Daniel arrived home one evening. Gerald hit his daughter and Daniel hit him. Will took her out of the room to deal with her swelling face while Daniel and Gerald settled their money matters. Daniel received Harry's inherited money. They remained in London after they all left because they wanted to find out if the fine imposed upon Daniel would be reduced for his taking part in the battle where they found Harry. It was reduced by $1,000 pounds. They continued to stay because the King Charles the I of England was on trial. They stayed until he was beheaded. Charles II was in exile and Daniel told Harry that they were going to see Charles II and swear their allegiance to him and would also live in exile. Daniel thought to go alone but Harry insisted that she and the children would go with him. Daniel was still learning the value and determination of Harry as a good wife to him.
They all relocated to The Hague and helped those who put themselves into exile as they did. After a year of being there, King Charles II asked them to go to Madrid, Spain to speak to their ruler and ask assistance in raising an army to take back his throne. The Parliament was running England and the country was not a good place to be. Celebrations such as Christmas were no longer allowed. People were afraid to speak to others in fear of their lives and possessions. Will also left and came to find them in The Hague and he stayed in their house with the girls and their governess. He also met Julia while he was there. She was Harry's best friend. Harry had never had a girl as a friend before. Julia was about the same age as Harry but she hadn't married yet.
While they were traveling to Spain, Harry was seasick for a while. Daniel took care of her until it passed. A Turkish ship approached their Dutch merchant ship and they pretended that their ship was only there guarding the merchant ships and the Turks believed them. Harry was told to stay in her room but paid the cabin boy for his clothes and got out. As cabin boy, she was asked to take a pouch of Dutch tobacco to the Turkish captain. Daniel was frightened for her when he found out that it was her on the other ship. Harry was frightened that Daniel would punish her and she knew that she deserved it. She was also scared and he realized that she came out of their cabin due to her love for him and wanting to be with him so he didn't punish her.
They were in Spain for 5 months. Daniel was frustrated in trying to get an audience with the King of Spain. Harry wanted to help and found an audience with the queen but she was asked to obtain information that her husband had received from The Hague. Daniel caught her reading the missive and got so upset that he didn't talk to her for days. She wanted to explain why she was trying to read the information. It was so that she could give realistic information to the queen while not giving away everything. She knew nothing and didn't know what to lie about. Daniel didn't give her a chance to explain until she was caught trying to leaving Spain with their neighbors to go back home. That is what it took for Daniel to listen and Harry did help him get an audience with the king. They left for The Hague the day after he spoke with the Spanish King.
They arrived back at The Hague and Harry learned that Will had been refused by Julia's parents as an acceptable marriage partner. They were both upset and Harry arranged for them to meet at her house. They didn't tell Daniel but he felt something was up and he found out. By the time he found out, Julia was pregnant. Daniel went to speak to Julia's parents in an attempt to gain their consent for a marriage without telling them that Julia was pregnant and disgracing her. During the conversation, Daniel told Julia's parents of his love for Harry and she was pleasantly surprised to find out how loved she was.
King Charles II had declared his intention to return to the Scots to form an army to reclaim England. Daniel was to remain at The Hague waiting for the King's command to join him. Daniel told Harry that it wouldn't be long before they would be returning to England. They arrived back in England in the middle of the night with Will, Julia and the girls. Henrietta was 4 months pregnant and Julia was close to being due. Harry drove them to their house to find it in disarray. Tom had met the boat and he, Daniel and Will went to meet the king's army.
Harry straightened out the running of the household. Julia went into labor and had a baby boy she named Robert. Will's mother arrived the next afternoon. She would take Julia and the baby to her home when Julia was well enough to travel. Harry packed up the girls and took them to London. She was on her way to the battlefield to be with Daniel.
She arrived to find the battle over and King Charles II had been defeated. Daniel had been wounded and his wrist smashed. Will and Tom had left him behind and headed to Will's home. Harry went to Cromwell's headquarters to ask about the prisoners but gave a fictitious name to locate. She ended up passing out at the entrance and was taken inside and fed by the soldiers there. Cromwell had already left. She decided to pretend to sleep and listen to see what she could learn. A group of prisoners soon arrived and Daniel was among them. She found out that their names would be taken in the morning and she went to see him telling the soldiers that she was headed to use the toilet. Harry told Daniel to use an incorrect name and that she would see him later to help him escape.
The prisoners were herded out the next morning and it was a couple days later when she found him again. She told his guard that she was a friend of the family and asked if they could travel to her cottage to spend the night. He could come too. They knocked the guard unconscious and Harry dressed as a boy and Daniel was disguised as an old lady. They traveled to Will's house and stayed there for a week. Tom and Will were there and Julia, the baby and Will's mother all soon arrived. Tom went to London and picked up the girls and brought them to Will's place. Daniel told them all that he was through fighting. His arm was no longer of good use. He loved Harry and they were going to raise their child together. They were going home. This happened all during the month of September, the month of their second anniversary.
December 17, 2025
I started this book either the night before or on the way to the airport for our end destination of Athens, Greece. It had been on my tbr for a while, ever since my Goodreads friend Lauren reviewed it. Thankfully, I was able to borrow it not once, but twice (I missed the return date of Dec. 16), from Libby.
Sir Daniel Drummond discovers a wounded young lad on the battlefield. To his surprise, the injured isn't a boy, but a girl on the cusp of womanhood, 15-year-old Henrietta, who is determined to flee her overbearing father, Sir Gerald, and marry her childhood friend. The friend isn't able to marry her, and Sir Daniel needing a wife for his 2 daughters and wanting to rescue Henrietta from her plight, offers for her.
The book takes place during England's Civil War. Daniel is a loyal subject of King Charles II and does his utmost best to serve the king.
Henrietta is certainly a "reckless angel". She's wild, impetuous, headstrong, stubborn, and loves to meddle, getting herself into sticky situations in the aim of aiding her husband. It was amusing, but also ridiculously irritating at times. Some of her actions seemed pretty stupid and thoughtless.
Only until the very end did I see how the author tried to redeem their relationship, but it was nearly too late for me. I was surprised when Daniel told Henrietta that he loved her as he seemed to constantly be exasperated by her actions. I felt that he viewed her more as a wayward, younger sister not related to him, so he could swive her, than a true equal. (At the start of the novel, I think he was 29 to her 15. Or maybe 23 to her 15? That would certainly be more appropriate.) I was also surprised when he admitted that he loved Henrietta more than his first wife, Nan. I remember at the beginning of their relationship, he thought that his lovemaking with Henrietta was inferior to that which he shared with Nan; his sex with Henrietta lacked passon.
Though there was a lot I liked about the story, the characters and the bones of the plot, it had a hard time keeping my attention. I think the book might have fared better being shorter and more concise.
Sir Daniel Drummond discovers a wounded young lad on the battlefield. To his surprise, the injured isn't a boy, but a girl on the cusp of womanhood, 15-year-old Henrietta, who is determined to flee her overbearing father, Sir Gerald, and marry her childhood friend. The friend isn't able to marry her, and Sir Daniel needing a wife for his 2 daughters and wanting to rescue Henrietta from her plight, offers for her.
The book takes place during England's Civil War. Daniel is a loyal subject of King Charles II and does his utmost best to serve the king.
Henrietta is certainly a "reckless angel". She's wild, impetuous, headstrong, stubborn, and loves to meddle, getting herself into sticky situations in the aim of aiding her husband. It was amusing, but also ridiculously irritating at times. Some of her actions seemed pretty stupid and thoughtless.
Only until the very end did I see how the author tried to redeem their relationship, but it was nearly too late for me. I was surprised when Daniel told Henrietta that he loved her as he seemed to constantly be exasperated by her actions. I felt that he viewed her more as a wayward, younger sister not related to him, so he could swive her, than a true equal. (At the start of the novel, I think he was 29 to her 15. Or maybe 23 to her 15? That would certainly be more appropriate.) I was also surprised when he admitted that he loved Henrietta more than his first wife, Nan. I remember at the beginning of their relationship, he thought that his lovemaking with Henrietta was inferior to that which he shared with Nan; his sex with Henrietta lacked passon.
Though there was a lot I liked about the story, the characters and the bones of the plot, it had a hard time keeping my attention. I think the book might have fared better being shorter and more concise.
April 13, 2013
Full review/Цялото ревю - Bla bla bla
Книгата предимно ме отечи, най-вече заради главната героиня, която намерих за изключително досадна. Сър Даниел не беше зле, което още повече подсилваше чувството ми за съжаление към него, особено след като се ожени. Като история също не можа да ме заинтригува, с изключение на първата, и на последните няколко глави.
The book reather bored me, especially the main female lead, which I found quite annoying. Sir Daniel, was actually not a bad call, but you can't help feeling sorry for him for ending up with her. The plot I didn't find interesting exept for the first and the last few chapters.
Книгата предимно ме отечи, най-вече заради главната героиня, която намерих за изключително досадна. Сър Даниел не беше зле, което още повече подсилваше чувството ми за съжаление към него, особено след като се ожени. Като история също не можа да ме заинтригува, с изключение на първата, и на последните няколко глави.
The book reather bored me, especially the main female lead, which I found quite annoying. Sir Daniel, was actually not a bad call, but you can't help feeling sorry for him for ending up with her. The plot I didn't find interesting exept for the first and the last few chapters.
November 4, 2013
I really tried to finish this, but only got half way. I could not get past the age of the main character in this Commonwealth themed romance. She was just too young, it made me feel uncomfortable even though i knew that's how old girls were when they got married back then.
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January 10, 2021a little uncomfortable reading about a 15 year old getting married and having sex.
February 1, 2025
I seriously need to start DNFing books because this was HORRENDOUS. The FMC is a 15 year old who who has been abused all her life by her stepmother and father, she is then taken as a bride by a 29 year old who does it because he has a creepy saviour complex and thinks a 15 year old will be the perfect mother to his motherless daughters. He then proceeds to treat her in the same way she's been treated by her parents but it's ok because he didn't mean it 🤦♀️. By his own admission she's a child-bride but he gets angry when she continue to behave like a child might. Also this was supposed to be a romance but there's nothing romantic about a sexual relationship between a 15 and 29 year old. Yes marriages between teenagers and older men were common during the time but that's no excuse to make the FMC a literal child and MMC old enough to be her father. Felt horrible for the FMC at times but she didn't really make it easy for herself, especially when she put the lives of more than 200 people at risk because she needed to be by the side of her paedo soldier husband in case he got hurt, when her presence did more harm than good for both her, the husband and the 200+ people just because she had a not like other girls complex. Seriously disappointed as just came from reading Beloved Enemy and while I also had some problems with it, it wasn't completely terrible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2023
I could not get past the fact that our heroine, Harrietta, was 15 and the hero, Daniel, was 32. It ruined the book for me.
Harrietta a.k.a. Harry grew up unloved and abused. She was reckless, stubborn, incorrigible, impetuous, and brilliant.
Daniel comes across an injured girl on the battlefield. One thing leads to another and he ends up married to the girl to protect her from her violent father.
Throughout the book Harry disobeys Daniel and ends up both causing chaos and/or saving the day.
Daniel's two daughters are adorable.
Harry's relationship with her best friend and intended (in Harry's mind), Will, was engaging (no pun intended).
Much of the book revolved around English politics, not my cup of tea. I found the ending very abrupt.
Harrietta a.k.a. Harry grew up unloved and abused. She was reckless, stubborn, incorrigible, impetuous, and brilliant.
Daniel comes across an injured girl on the battlefield. One thing leads to another and he ends up married to the girl to protect her from her violent father.
Throughout the book Harry disobeys Daniel and ends up both causing chaos and/or saving the day.
Daniel's two daughters are adorable.
Harry's relationship with her best friend and intended (in Harry's mind), Will, was engaging (no pun intended).
Much of the book revolved around English politics, not my cup of tea. I found the ending very abrupt.
August 17, 2017
It was suggested to me when I first search on book based on certain theme.
I find it surprisingly freshing although not really giving me wow effect but I enjoy it immensely :)
I love how strong-headed the heroine is and how kind-hearted, compromising, considerate the hero is.
And I love the children characters in it. Overall it's a good book although it could be better.
I find it surprisingly freshing although not really giving me wow effect but I enjoy it immensely :)
I love how strong-headed the heroine is and how kind-hearted, compromising, considerate the hero is.
And I love the children characters in it. Overall it's a good book although it could be better.
May 26, 2017
Couldn't finish it. This girl is more stupid than reckless. Too uncomfortably painful to read the escapades and since there were so many disasters, it started to seem pretty artificial. If I were the hero, I'd have strangled her after too long.
August 5, 2018
Well written and interesting story line
This is set during the English Civil War. I had a hard time appreciating the heroine. It was in many ways an absurd plot line. The heroine was an intrepid teenager and very irritating.
This is set during the English Civil War. I had a hard time appreciating the heroine. It was in many ways an absurd plot line. The heroine was an intrepid teenager and very irritating.
December 28, 2017
Satisfying bodice ripper.
March 12, 2012
Nicely written story full of adventure. The heroine, young Henrietta Ashby, AKA, "Harry", is found wounded on a battlefield by the handsome Sir Daniel Drummond. He nurses her back to health and with all good intentions escorts her back to London and her father, all-be-it against her will. He soon after understands the terrible treatment she has suffered at the hands of this father and heroically comes to her rescue with an offer of marriage. She is nothing like his deceased first wife in manners or appearance, but he needs a mother/companion for his two young daughters, and in all truth is not so averse to her. He soon finds to his dismay she is not so easily ruled. Regardless, romantic feelings emerge that are beyond his control. He realizes in her rashness and disobedience that she is all-sacrificing to those she loves. Sweetly written story, although the romance scenes do lack the steamy descriptions that so often draw the reader into the ardor. However, it is cleanly written for those who are drawn to the less physically detailed romances.
February 13, 2013
English Civil War tale of adventure and sweet love. A true Feather romance with a well-researched historical background. From the 80s, I read the book when it came out again in the mid-90s. Modern romance readers typically do not like the age difference between the hero and the heroine.
A word on this: folks have made the valid point that society in the seventeenth century would not have looked in askance at a fifteen-year-old wedding a much older man. Readers as late as the 90s did not look in askance either. So this development has been rather recent, perhaps coinciding with the decline in historical romance popularity.
While this book is not particularly a stand-out, the difference in age among other things makes this romance work in the historical context the story takes place.
A word on this: folks have made the valid point that society in the seventeenth century would not have looked in askance at a fifteen-year-old wedding a much older man. Readers as late as the 90s did not look in askance either. So this development has been rather recent, perhaps coinciding with the decline in historical romance popularity.
While this book is not particularly a stand-out, the difference in age among other things makes this romance work in the historical context the story takes place.
May 16, 2012
Henrietta Ashby, known to her friends as“Harry”, dresses as a boy and joins a battle to escape her abusive father. On the battlefield she’s rescued by Sir Daniel Drummond who then feels responsible for taking her home. Escorting her to safety proves more hazardous than the war, however, as she works her charms on him. The only way he figures to save her is to marry her. Henrietta accepts, liking her champion and hoping she can live up to his expectations. But can she shed her impulsive nature to become a proper wife? This intriguing story takes place during Cromwell’s time and will give you a bit of history as well as a classic romance.
May 4, 2012
This one is a little tame, to be honest. The man is so confident and easy going that he fails to be an arse, which makes him imminently likeable, but also keeps the fireworks from happening on any grand scale. That said, the story happens during the English Civil War and Parliament's/Cromwell's ruthless regime, so there's some interesting history going on in the background. And the heroine's complete inability to observe social proprieties keep things from being too easy. In all, a good early book.
August 14, 2013
Overall I enjoyed this book. It was more focused on the historical time period, which was pretty fascinating, and the interpersonal relationships, which progressed in a satisfying way, than the bedroom, which made me like the book more. An entertaining read, but not the best I've read.
February 25, 2012
An okay historical romance of the early 1600's in England.
April 2, 2015
i really enjoyed this book!
September 11, 2013
Good story. I laugh a lot with Harry ways.
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