Toblethorpe Manor

by Carola Dunn

Richard Carstairs discovers a young woman who has suffered a riding accident and cannot remember even her own name, let alone the circumstances from which she came. Christened Clara Fell by the Carstairs family, the mysterious lady proves herself not only charming but talented. Can Richard take her at face value? And can Miss Fell trust that she will not disgrace him, when position in society is so necessary to his well-being? Regency Romance by Carola Dunn; originally published by Warner

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

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Carola Dunn is the author of more than 30 Regency romances, as well as 16 mysteries (the Daisy Dalrymple mystery series is set in England in the 1920s). Ms. Dunn was born and grew up in England, where she got a B.A. in Russian and French from Manchester University. She travelled as far as Fiji before returning to settle in California. After 30 years in the US, she says she still sounds as if she arrived a month ago.

Prior to writing, Ms. Dunn’s various jobs included market research, child-care, construction--from foundation trenches to roofing--and writing definitions for a dictionary of science and technology. She wrote her first novel in 1979, a Regency which she sold to Warner Books.

Now living in Eugene, Oregon, Ms. Dunn has a son in California who has just made her a grandmother, and a large black dog named Willow who takes her for a walk by the Willamette River each morning. (www.belgravehouse.com)

Reviews

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The hero is a snob, the heroine has amnesia for two separate blocks of time, and it felt like their importance in the narrative got usurped over and over again by secondary characters--the hero's best friend, the hero's sister and her love interest, the hero's best friend's younger brother.

[Gerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars

[GG · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a rule, I enjoy Carola Dunn's books. Not so much this one. There was so much going on and so many characters, there was enough for 3 books. And they kept changing personalities. Eventually the H/h got there HEA, as did the secondary characters.

Trigger alert: heroine is beaten by family member off page. Talked about but not seen.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmm....nope, not going to read anymore of this author's works........ too predictable, poor character development.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another highly enjoyable read. Can't wait for more.

[Bre]

Trigger warnings please? Dunn's regencies are usually safe but we are halfway in and already have a rumour of an attempted rape and a rake with a browbeaten wife....is there any more? Thank you.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread. Regency romance. When Richard Carstairs find an amnesiac young woman near his home he has no idea just how much it will change his life.

[Moumita Laha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet!

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the book that introduced me to the "regency" genre when I was in eighth grade. Currently rereading and am enjoying in the ??th reading as much as the first.

It is very different from a modern romance, in that so much of the story as well as the thoughts and feelings are told to the reader, rather than shown. This is not my favorite style, but it gives the flavor of a Jane Austen, or Georgette Heyer novel, so it is fitting.

By the end of the book, you just love the characters and hate to see the happy ending because you will have to leave them.

[Ariana Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rich cast makes for an entertaining story in this traditional Regency. A mysterious young woman is discovered unconscious and the nearby family takes her in. With her memory gone, she must remain under their care, which of course gives her plenty of time to fall in love with the lord of the manor.

This was my introduction to Carola Dunn, and won't be my last book of hers by far! Her characters are filled with flaws and quirks making them so lovable. The plot twists keep the story interesting and the pages turning. A very enjoyable read!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story hinges on Miss Fell's memory loss.
Amnesia resulting from both trauma and injury removes her memory so the Carstairs family call her Miss Fell, for Daws Fell where she was found. Lady Annabel of Toblethorpe Manor takes the young woman as a lady while her son Richard worries they might be elevating a runaway servant out of her class.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of Carola Dunn’s regency books I have read so far. They are a nice, quick, easy read and they have a Jane Austen feel to them. Each book is different enough from the others to feel fresh and her enjoyable writing style is consistent.

[Kel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun summer re-read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read about a man who falls in love with a woman he ends up caring for after she has an awful fall from her horse. She remembers nothing of who she is, and becomes part of the Caratairs household for a while. I liked both Richard’s and his sister, Lucy’s, storylines.