Yvonne Goes to York

The Traveling Matchmaker #6

by Marion Chesney, M.C. Beaton

No coach journey is ever dull with Miss Pym aboard, and this one proves no Hannah meets Yvonne Grenier, fleeing the Horror in France, and very soon determines to find a suitable match for this beautiful and charming Frenchwoman.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance, Fiction, Audiobook

182 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.

Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.

Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great ending to this excellent series. At this rate I am going to burn through every one of the 91 Marion Chesney books on Audible Escape within the year, because they are such absolutely delightful fun and total comfort books. In Hannah and Benjamin's final adventure, they get up to a lot of intrigue involving spies and the French Revolution. Not the best of the series as far as the action goes, but entertaining, and the best part was the long awaited happy ending with Sir George and at last the missing Mrs. Clarence is located. Loved this series!

[Lisa Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Nicely narrated; many character voices differentiated and accents done well, too. Silly at times, but very strong sense of of time and place.

[Mela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely ending of the series (although not as wonderful as of e.g. Poor Relation or The School For Manners series).

The plot of this story was a bit different - in a good way. I enjoyed it.

[HR-ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this series, with the exception of book #2. This
one had romance, mystery, humor, adventure. And some
danger.

Yvonne's French sire originally supported the French
Revolution, but no longer. She traveled toward York to
join him. Hannah Pym (the traveler featured in each bk
of the series) took Yvonne under her wing. Also on this
stagecoach ride was mysterious, well-dressed Giles
(Marquis of Ware/ hero) + 2 men with an air of menace.
Ware worked undercover for the War Office. Han's foot-
man Benjamin added humor and bravery.

Ware intended to track traitors, but on whose side was
Yvonne and her sire? Would the French kidnap dtr & sire?
I liked the scene where the MCs compared English &
French men and women in attitudes and behavior.

Yvonne + Hannah each got her HEA beau. I must comment
on a tiny snafu. An upside down fleur de lis (flower symbol)
noted the space between scenes in the story. This ruined the
simplicity.

[MissKitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Culmination of a very fun series.

The main couple of course get their happy ever after.

Does the intrepid Miss Pym get her own happy ever after?

Does she find out what happened to her beloved Mistress Mrs. Clarence?

All is answered quite delightfully in this last installment.

Enjoy! ❤️

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most perfectly predictable ending to a perfectly delightful series!

[Charlotte Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you read the first five books in The Travelling Matchmaker series? If you haven't, stop right here, find Emily Goes to Exeter, and read it first. Then read the rest. That way you'll be able to root for Miss Pym, keep fingers crossed for Benjamin, and see a new romance blossom.

This is a traditional Regency, with all that entails. You know the destination; how you get there is the fun. This book is most satisfactory and the perfect end to the series.

I'd suggest this series for anyone who enjoys traditional Regencies.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021. bk 6. When her former boss is spotted in York, Miss Pym and Benjamin head north hoping to find her. Miss Pym is also suffering from a broken heart, caused by rumor and misunderstanding. This time romance is harder to achieve as the coach is filled with spies and one petit French woman who is the target of said spies. A fun romp to complete the Traveling Matchmaker series.

[Oldbookishwoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final adventure for the amazing Miss Hannah Pym and her fabulous footman Benjamin Stubbs.
This time it's off to York. It's full of coaches, spies, kidnapping, gossip all this and still time for a spot of match making. This time though it's not just Miss Pym who is trying to do some matching.
As faces from the past are found what will become of our Heroine....

[Kate McMurry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of the Audiobook version

This sixth and final book in the Travelling Matchmaker series is set in 1800 England at the beginning of Napoleon’s ascension to power. Though technically the Regency period is 1811-1820, this series is marketed as a Regency Romance. In reality, it is a mostly humorous spy-adventure story with two separate romances woven within the spy-versus-spy shenanigans.

Though each novel in this series derives its title from the name of the heroine of the romantic subplot, in each book it is the intrepid, ex-housekeeper, Hannah Pym, who is the star of the show. And ever since her footman, Benjamin, arrives on the scene in Book 3, Penelope Goes to Portsmouth, he has run a close second in stardom. I love both of them. They consistently provide heart and humor to these books because they are some of the most sympathetic characters Marion Chesney has ever written. It is well worth reading all of the novels in this series, not just for the romance in each book, but to be able to spend extended time with this hilarious, buddy-comedy duo.

In this story, as in all the books of this series, Hannah continues to be a dedicated matchmaker and also very assertive and brave in her defense of others against evil villains. This time around, the main villain is Jacques Petit, the most merciless inquisitor of the Paris Tribunal. He is in England, not simply to act as a spy, but in order to kidnap Yvonne and her father and bring them back to France for execution as traitors to the current brutal phase of the French Revolution.

Rupert, Marquis of Ware, is Yvonne’s romantic counterpart. He has been sent by the British Home Office to be a counterspy against Jacques Petit and figure out the precise extent of the treachery he is engaged in. Both he and Petit are on the stagecoach to York, along with Yvonne, Hannah, and Benjamin. The Marquis is calling himself, “Mr. Giles,” and Petit is calling himself, “Mr. Smith.” As the Marquis comes to know the beautiful Yvonne, over the course of a series of hair-raising adventures, his feelings toward the lovely, virginal, young émigré gradually evolve from suspicion, to attraction, to full-blown romance.

I’m not normally a big fan of spy plots, but rather than being heavy on melodrama, as MC’s romance novels too often tend to be, this novel leans more toward comedy of errors.

I really like the Marquis. He is strong, athletic, handsome and rich, but not an arrogant, mean jerk, as many of MC's lordly heroes, unfortunately, tend to be. Yvonne is not as intrepid a romance heroine as I, personally, prefer. But it would be difficult for her to be extremely forceful, as it would not be in keeping with the theme of this series, which involves Hannah riding to the rescue of multiple characters in every one of these books, especially the frequently hapless heroines.

After a slow progress in their romance over these six books, I was delighted to see Hannah get a satisfying HEA with her love interest, Sir George Clarence.

As always, the romantic portions of this novel are G-rated, with no overt sexuality on the page.

All in all, this sixth novel provides a fun and fulfilling conclusion to one of the best historical romance series MC ever wrote.

The narrator of the audiobook version of this novel is the outstanding voice talent, Helen Lisanti. She narrates all six books in this series. She does an excellent job, not just reading, but acting out all the characters. She offers compelling and believable renditions of both genders and all ages of characters, as well as various national and regional accents. In particular, she is terrific with the French accents of Yvonne, her father, and Petit, and the Cockney accent of Benjamin. She also reads the narrative portions of the novel in a natural, smooth manner, avoiding the stiff, staccato styling of less competent narrators.

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine (Hannah): 5 stars
Heroine (Yvonne): 3 stars
Hero (Sir George): 4 stars
Hero (Marquis): 5 stars
Sidekick (Benjamin): 5 stars
Romance Plots: 4 stars
Spy Plot: 3 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars
Overall: 4 stars

8/5/23 Reread: I enjoyed this novel just as much today as I have in the past.

[Diane Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just delightful. Perfect ending to the series.

I’ve read this entire series in about a week. So enjoyable! This last one was particularly well done, and the perfect ending to the adventures of Miss Pym and Benjamin the footman. I’m going to miss them. Now I’m hooked on this genre. I’m going to start another of this author’s series. I’ve been reading Agatha Rain and Hamish MacBeth for decades and never knew one of my favorite authors was so prolific. Now I know and there’s no going back. I’m going to have to read them all!

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm rating this based on what it is. If you are expecting Jane Austen-quality writing, this is not it. And if you are expecting an enlightened couple, well, this was written in the 1980s and the relationships reflect that. There's also stuff about the importance of virginity, and issues of social class are a big driver of the story. Also, the plot is basically nonsense, with a fairly muddled plot involving escapees from the French Revolution and a marquis who attempts to go undercover with a fake name and fails almost immediately when he is recognized everywhere because a change of clothes and a fake name don't fool anyone . So if any of that stuff annoys you this is probably not for you. But I read Marion Chesney in my middle school years in the 1980s when her books first came out and, following Jane Austen and Bridgerton, am reading these to my daughter, who revels in making fun of them and yelling at the characters when they do stupid or problematic things. There is a lot of humor to the books as well. I suppose you could describe some of the below as spoilers but these books are from the 1980s so just skip the next few paragraphs if you want a surprise.
This is the last book in a six book series called The Travelling Matchmaker. Hannah Pym is a housekeeper for a depressed, wealthy man named Mr. Clarence, who dies and leaves her a substanial legacy. She decides to use it to travel England on the stage-coaches, as she has watched them speed along past Mr. Clarence's house for the past 20 years, dreaming of travel. Mr. Clarence's brother, Sir George Clarence, inherits the estate. He is kind to Hannah and interested in hearing her stories about her travels and as the storyline in the books moves along she becomes more confident and secretly falls in love with Sir George, knowing that the difference in social class is uncrossable (which, it becomes obvious to the reader as the books progress, it is clearly not, although Sir George is incredibly clueless). In this book she goes to York and her other companions are Mr. Smith (actually a disguised judge from the Paris Tribunal who wants to use Yvonne to track down her father and drag him back to France to stand trial), Mr. Ashton (a no-good "Fribble" who will do pretty much anything for money and is working with Mr. Smith), Yvonne Grenier (a lovely young French refugee from the French Revolution who is traveling to meet her father) and Mr. Giles (actually the Marquis of Ware, who is tracking Mr. Smith to find out what he is up to and Yvonne in case her father is a French spy). Hannah immediately deduces that something strange is going on around Yvonne and determines to act as her chaperone. Mr. Giles tries to get Yvonne alone. Mr. Smith tries to get Yvonne alone. Mr. Giles turns out to be the Marquis of Ware. Yvonne tells Hannah her father was involved in the French Revolution but is now a refugee. Hannah tells the Marquis of Ware. The Marquis of Ware secretly hires a carriage to sneak the three of them away before Ashton and Smith wake up to speed them to York. But instead of speeding all the way, he turns off at the home of a nobleman with two daughters who will welcome him so he will romance them. He passes off Yvonne as a distant cousin and Hannah as a family friend. Ashton and Smith speed past, missing Yvonne on their way to York. Yvonne and the marquis kiss, but their difference in social class complicates things. Everyone goes to York. Yvonne goes to the address her father has given her but he is gone and his room is trashed. Hannah hopes to find Mrs. Clarence, the wife of her former employer who ran off with a footman but the marquis insists they have to leave town to keep Yvonne safe. They go to another nobleman's house who also has a marriageable daughter Lo and behold, Smith and Ashton are already there.

In a previous book, Hannah rescued a young man who was about to be hanged for a crime he didn't commit, named Benjamin. Benjamin has attached himself to her as her footman and he is one of the best parts of the book. Wanting to push Sir George Clarence along, he started a rumor in London that Hannah was Sir George's mistress. Nobody who meets Hannah believes this for a second, but when she learns of it she is embarrassed and thinks she cannot meet Sir George again. However, in London, Sir George has quashed the rumor after recieiving an apologetic letter from Benjamin. He decides to go to York, does not run into Hannah because she is at the nobleman's estate, but immediately runs into Mrs. Clarence. Hannah, Yvonne, and the marquis are kidnapped by Ashton and Smith and tied up in a fishing hut with Yvonne's father. Sir George figures out where they are by pure chance and rescues them. The plot is foiled and everybody goes to Mrs. Clarence's house where the marquis realizes he loves and wants to marry Yvonne and Yvonne, after misunderstandings regarding whether he wants her or wants to marry her, agrees. Yvonne's father makes Sir George jealous of Hannah even though he's never thought about her romantically and he finally proposes to her. Everybody gets married and lives happily ever after.

The one loose end that does not get tied up in this book is where Benjamin, Hannah's footman, came from, and what happens to him. This, to my daughter, was the most important thing in the book. She doesn't like how Hannah changes from no-nonsense to kinda sappy over Sir George over the course of the series but Benjamin is funny, vulgar, impulsive, a poor decision maker, thoughtful and thoughtless by turns, incredibly optimistic, and obviously is loyal and loves Hannah, although not romantically. He is the only one who doesn't get a romantic happy ending.

So the series wraps up, we know what happened to Mrs. Clarence, all the villains are captured or dead, and Hannah's journeys are over, and probably her matchmaking too, as she's now made her own match. We just want more of Benjamin.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah Pym decides to go on one last adventure on the stage to York, where her former employer Mrs. Clarence may be residing. Also traveling on the coach and beautiful French emigre Yvonne Grenier, searching for her father, the friendly Mr. Giles, and the sinister looking Mr. Smith. Not everyone is who they seem and soon Hannah is smack in the middle of another adventure involving French spies and a budding romance between her traveling companions, as well as her very own romantic adventure. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion tying up loose ends and romantic entanglements. The plot was a little slow to get going and not as interesting as previous plots. The ending felt rushed and I wished it was a little longer. Still, if you've read the whole series, you must read this one to find out how it all ends!

[Moira Fogarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfactory ending to the series. Returning to the heat of summer and the thrills and chills of spy subplots, this connection between a French lady and an English lord is playful and fun and allows Chesney to wedge in some facts about the grim realities of the Revolution. Alas, the reader -who has done a lovely job of English voices- struggles mightily with French accents, marring the audiobook experience slightly. The reader is rewarded with the resolution of three long story arcs - the evil Lady Carsey gets her just desserts, the lost Lady Clarence is found, and Miss Pym and Footman Benjamin receive their respective happy endings, in love and in London. Nice wrap up read to conclude the holiday season indulgence of regency romance. Will now try to turn my head to slightly more serious books, after wrapping up some mystery author reads.

[Aarathi Burki · Rating 5 out of 5]

First if all I felt sad that this series ended but it had the best ending possible with the author giving a most suitable conclusion to the whole thing.

Miss pym will remain one of the most memorable characters to me always and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her progress through the entire series.
This has been one of my favourite series- it had a mixture of many elements like romance, friendship, adventure, gratitude,.

Having read so many books of MC Beaton, I found this series very charming,at times witty, humorous and attractive.

This regency series will appeal to all regency romance lovers and I for one will cherish this series by reading it again and again

[ShoSho · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book wasn't what I was expecting. It was different from the books I usually read.
At first I didn't like the writing I only got used to it after reading more than half of the book.
The plot was Okay and silly at times but it was funny and enjoyed reading it.
In the HR books it's usally said that the English Misses are proper and the French ones are ...well "not proper". but it was the exact opposite in this one.
I might go back and read the other 5 books in series.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is on the "Traveling Matchmaker" series as a whole. The Chesney Regency romances are like those little petit-fours you get sometimes: sweet, light, and addictive. Before you know it, you've eaten the whole box. Following the adventures of Miss Hannah Pym, her eccentric footman Benjamin, and all of the couples that she manages to put together is light and fun. Try them if your brain needs a little break.

[Kimberly Bizzanelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great series!

Do not read this book first! This series must be read in order to get the full effect. I am so thankful I read from book one all the way through because all together they are amazing! Each story shows intrepid Miss Pym on an adventure which brings some odd couple towards a romantic (and wedded) finish. This final book nearly concludes her adventures. So much fun!!

[Kate Copeseeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely my favorite book of the series. Such a great resolution to the whole thing. Seeing Hannah end up with her Sir George is of course, extremely gratifying! Such a wonderful and funny series.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great ending to the traveling matchmaker series. In a time when people married only in their “class” I love that Ms Beaton always mixes it up. If you’ve read the others with Miss Pym u may be partial to her as I am. Loved it.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely last story in the series: really quite different from the rest of this series. A well written fun read!

[Patricia Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful end to a great series

Love the books by M C Beaton that are interesting, inspiring and entertaining. A great way to learn history. Thanks

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect ending to the series.

[Raechel Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this conclusion to this wonderfully quirky series. That we could all be like Miss Hannah Pym!

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE: I decided to listen to YVONNE GOES TO YORK again after completing the other books in the series. I grew to enjoy this slightly outrageous series more with each book -filled with antics and light humor and sweet (but perhaps unrealistic) HEAs. The series is both dialogue and character driven with historical facts and information woven into the background effortlessly. In the end, I found this good fun and a needed Pick Me Up for these troubling times.

ORIGINAL POST:
MY RATING GUIDE: 4 Stars. I enjoyed this one (the final episode) more than any of the previous titles (so far). I found it a satisfying conclusion to the series. Intrigue and danger are as integral as Hannah’s matchmaking efforts.

1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed this; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT!; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).

Former housekeeper and now an independent gentle woman, Miss Hannah Pym and her faithful footman, Benjamin, commence upon their 6th and final stagecoach journey to York. Miss Pym has heard that her former employer’s vivacious wife has been seen there and Hannah hopes to visit her. On this final adventure, Miss Pym meets 4 new strangers - 2 single men (possibly foreigners), a quite young French lady and a tall, broad-shouldered man. Miss Pym and her footman, Benjamin complete the company. This last journey includes scandal, danger and international intrigue - nothing out of the ordinary for Miss Hannah Pym.

Comments ~
1) YVONNE GOES TO YORK takes place during the French Revolution. This story includes brief details that bring to mind the terrors of that time.
2) I have been working my way through Miss Pym’s adventures and did feel compelled to jump ahead to see how she personally fares. Now I shall return to the title that precedes this and complete this rather interesting series. (Quite different than my usual read).
2) Helen Lisanti is wonderful with the voices, male and female, as well as accents. Her choice of voice for Miss Hannah threw me in the first book, but now I can see that it was the perfect selection for her. Excellent work!

READER CAUTION ~ IMO entirely suitable for any reader.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used on occasion.
VIOLENCE - PG.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None. Simple kisses.

[Michelle Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful end to the series.

When housekeeper turned traveling matchmaker, Hannah Pym sets off for York it isn't because she wants to see the Minister. No, she's gotten word that the wife of her recently deceased employer has been spotted in the city, and she wants to track her old friend/employer down. But that isn't going to stop her from matchmaking if the opportunity presents itself. After all, it's a lovely distraction from her own romantic woes. So when the lovely Yvonne steps aboard the carriage and is soon followed by a handsome gentleman, Miss Pym starts hearing wedding bells.

But her matchmaking is confounded because Yvonne is on the run from people from France who want to use her to find her father. While the gentleman, the Marquis of Ware, is on the same hunt, but for a different reason. He's working for the government and is to ascertain if Yvonne and her father are French Spies.

It's an exciting end to a fun little series.

--

So I love this book. Love it. It's the perfect end to the series. While Chesney continues her theme of having two romances per book, this time the beta couple includes Miss Pym herself.

This book has probably the tightest plot of the series and some of the best characters. I sped my way through all 150 pages of this book in only a few hours. And I know I'm going to read it again.

It's just beautiful and the ending is *Chef's Kiss*.

Five stars.

[Leila Anani · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 6th and final volume of The travelling matchmaker we have the usual adventure where Miss Pym takes a coach trip and ends up matchmaking two of the characters on her journey - in this volume beautiful young emigree Yvonne and the unattached Marquis of Ware. However we also have the conclusion of the series plot arc, where Miss Pym and her beloved George Clarence also find a happy resolution.

Again this one's loads of fun - we bring in French spies as Yvonne ansd her father have fled the Terror and are being hunted down to be taken back and sent to the guillotine! We also have some more of footman Benjamin's antics and see what became of Lady Clarence.

I enjoyed this one as much as the rest of the series. My only niggle is that when George finally says he loves Hannah but doesn't know what to do, she replies 'well you could try marrying me for a start' - I know she has a romantic streak, but this just felt totally out of character for our sensible Miss Pym - For the 6 books she's been aware of theie difference in station and I just felt that she wouldn't have been the one to mention marriage first.

Otherwise for a fun light regency romp without all the boddice ripping - these are a wonderful bit of escapism.

[Jacquelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like with all of Marion's books, the speech and dialogue of the characters is odd and stilted. The stories, plots and "scenes" are not very thought out and a bit confusing. But, overall, the the stories are cute and they have happy endings. The last three books are significantly better than the first three. Her writing definitely matured as the stories went on. I was going to give this book 3 stars but decided against it since, again, her writing had gotten a lot better. However the ending was disappointing. Not in the story, but in the execution. Of course Hannah Pymm gets her happy ending (I don't think I'm spoiling anything in here) . However I felt utterly and completely robbed. After six books I would have thought the writer would have given any reader who had stuck with her for six books more of a payoff. It was very very disappointing to Simply have an end in a mere two pages after all I've been through with the main character. Makes me shake my head

[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a happy ending when all loose threads are gathered up, and in this last installment of the 'Travelling Matchmaker' series, the protagonist, ex-housekeeper of Thornton Hall, Miss Hannah Pym reaches all of her dreams. After several successful matches made, she herself ends up marrying her much admired Sir George, the heir of Thornton Hall.

In all there are six books about Miss Pym's daring adventures, travelling by stage coach through the English countryside during the year 1800. Miss Pym has a way of attracting strange happenings, chance encounters and in general getting people together.

The books are short, funny and charmingly written brimming with cleverly wrought characters, but also full of English history and Regency trivia.

Highly commendable!