Practical Widow to Passionate Mistress

Transformation of the Shelley Sisters #1

by Louise Allen

From servants' quarters to master's bedroom!

Meg eloped to escape her reverend father's iron rule. Now widowed, she's desperate to return to her sisters. When Major Brandon is left unconscious on the Bordeaux docks, Meg grabs her chance—posing as his wife, she boards a ship to England.

Meg might have saved his life, but does she have to be so bossy—or downright irresistible? Years of killing weighing heavily on his soul, Ross has nothing to offer as a husband, but he can make Meg his housekeeper—with access to the master's bedroom!

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

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

This author also writes under the name Francesca Shaw.

I have had my nose buried in a history book - fact or fiction - for as long as I can remember, but even more important to me are the places and the objects that conjure up the past. My first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle.

With a degree in geography and archaeology I love to try and 'read' the landscape and the buildings in it for clues about the past. Virtually any place can trigger ideas for plots, but I am particularly inspired by Venice, Burgundy, Mediterranean islands and the Hertfordshire and Norfolk countryside.

I live in England in a village in Bedfordshire with my long-suffering husband. He is not sure whether to be flattered or alarmed to be told he is the inspiration for all my romantic heroes! Whenever possible we escape to our cottage on the North Norfolk coast where Percy, the bossy pheasant, allows us to share the garden.

My resolution every time I start on a new plot is to plan it carefully, make copious notes first and write lots of drafts in a disciplined and orderly manner. What inevitably happens is that the story starts to write itself in my head until it gets completely out of control - meanwhile my study floor becomes a sea of open books, prints and maps and I am found sitting in the car at traffic lights, muttering dialogue. At that point I have to start writing, knowing full well that the hero and heroine are going to take over and sabotage all my attempts at discipline. It is, after all, their story.

Reviews

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the first of three in the Transformation of the Shelley Sisters series, "Practical Widow to Passionate Mistress by new author, Louise Allen a very good read. Both the main characters, Ross Brandon and Meg Shelley were likeable characters. They had their share of baggage to overcome...Ross from a man who didn't care whether he lived or died as he felt he had "in his mind" killed his mother and brother. Meg on the other hand had a lifetime of hatred from her vicar father and then scandalized history with an already married man. I was glad they could get beyond their believed faults and build a relationship towards love. Only drawback I had with this first is the ending that was a bit off, but it was still an enjoyable historical romance that I was delighted to read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book. I liked Meg and Ross right from the beginning and enjoyed their banter. Louise Allen did a very good job of showing us character arcs, especially in Ross. He transformed from a melancholy shell who didn’t really care whether he lived or died, to a happy, hopeful man by the end. And I really liked the way Meg understood Ross right from the beginning and cared about him being happy, even after she’d gone. The way she systematically changed his family mansion from a dark, depressing prison filled with the demons of his childhood into a bright, welcoming home filled with possibilities neatly mirrored what she was doing to heal Ross himself.

There were some problems with the book, however. Meg was in danger of being raped by random men no less than three times in the story and that got pretty far-fetched. The smugglers side-plot was very weak and felt like nothing more than a plot contrivance to facilitate Meg and Ross’s first time sleeping together. It was also extremely unbelievable that Meg not only decided to go for a solo swim in the ocean in the middle of the night in her petticoat but also managed to pick the night the smugglers were coming AND chose to swim at the exact spot where their hidden cave was located out of the whole shoreline. The middle part of the book dragged a wee bit as nothing much was happening. But these were small complaints because I liked Ross and Meg and their relationship so much.

[Mandygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-

[Bettie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strandsatt i Frankrike och ivrig att få återförenas med sina systrar får Meg Shelley plats på en seglats till England tillsammans med den sårade officeren Ross Brandon. En farligt oemotståndlig man, men med en dysterhet i de mörka ögonen som om han bar upp världens alla bekymmer på sina axlar ...

Det skulle inte vara rätt att falla för Ross. Men när han erbjuder henne en tillfällig tjänst som hans hushållerska på sitt gods kan hon inte tacka nej. Och snart är den romantiska Meg skamligt frestad att flytta från tjänarnas kammare till lordens sovrum!

Meg är fantastisk, hon är drömmande men ändå fast bestämd att få vara självständig och att kunna stå på sina egna ben oavsett vad. Något som känns uppfriskande i en bok som ska utspela sig under början av 1800-talet. Ross är "typisk man" som inte är i kontakt med sina känslor och lider av ett traumatiskt förflutet. Fast även om den typen av karaktär lätt kan bli tråkig och något frustrerande så gillade jag Ross mycket. Troligtvis då jag inte frossar i historisk romantik.

Huvudfokuset i den här boken är på deras relation, deras känslor och hur den utvecklas. Jag gillar att det går långsamt fram och inte är "pang på röbetan", utan de lär känna varandra samtidigt som det finns en underliggande gnista.

Ytterligare ett fokus är Megs sökande efter sina systrar. Jag hade tyckt det varit oerhört spännande att få höra om hur Meg skulle ha kunnat resa kors och tvärs genom landet för att finna dem. Fast jag kommer få veta hur systrarna har det så småningom då de andra två böckerna handlar om dem. Förhoppningsvis så hamnar de i kontakt med varandra igen. Ser framemot att få läsa om deras relation.

[Mahareni Sukadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sebenarnya saya suka cerita buku ini. Tapi saya gemeeeeezzz coz terjemahannya acakadut gak keruan semrawut, berasa baca gugel translate aja. Jadi kayak kehilangan nyawa gimana gitu buku ini. Ya Tuhan pliiiisss...moga-moga buku keduanya ganti penerjemah. Sayang sama bukunyaaa...

[Karyn Gerrard · Rating 5 out of 5]

QUICK TAKE:

A smashing good read, I have a soft spot for Harlequin historicals, and Louise Allen delivers here with an emotional, romantic story.

I loved the hero, Ross Brandon. Imagine a hero that is not drop dead handsome, how refreshing. But he is am imposing presence physically. On his way back to Cornwall from serving in Spain, Major Brandon finds himself tended by a penniless widow needing passage back to England. I love their time spent on the ship, how their relationship grows and unfolds. Ross is carrying a lot of baggage and inner scars. Can the pretty widow help heal him? Meg is a delight. Generous in spirit, she is also determined she will not be 'owned'. Ross offers her an opportunity to be his mistress, she takes the housekeeping job in his house instead. Wonderful characters with a sparkling romance, Highly recommend!

[Ilze · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was rolling along very nicely until the last 50 pages or so, when it went right off the rails and turned into a trainwreck, with an unnecessarily sugary sentimental ending (although this might be a Harlequin requirement rather than the author's preference) and one of the main threads of the story, the heroine's search for her sisters, completely unresolved. (IMHO, if the author had not made so much of this subplot of the missing sisters, she would have had a lot more room in the allotted page count to resolve the other parts of the story in a satisfactory way.)

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book that I enjoyed through Harlequin Historicals. I had forgotten why I love them so much. They are such a quick read and have the spicy romance that I love to read.

[Yunita Taman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saya selalu suka kisah pahlawan perang yang pulang ke tanah airnya dalam keadaan terluka dan putus asa. Ekspektasi romance levelnya sungguh melampaui harapan saya. Rasanya saya benar-benar bisa menyayangi kedua tokoh fiksi dalam novel ini. Sebagai seorang perwira yang telah dibebastugaskan, Ross Brandon merasa kehampaan akan menyambut tugas dan tanggung jawabnya yang baru sebagai pewaris kekayaan orang tuanya di Inggris. Meg Shelley alias Mrs. Halgate pun merasa demikian, namun alasannya berbeda dengan Mayor Brandon. Meg merasa perlu pulang setelah kenyataan hidup yang pahit telah mengubahnya dari seorang pemimpi nan romantis menjadi janda yang praktis dan mandiri. Semua demi bersatu lagi dengan adik-adiknya. Mereka berdua dipertemukan dalam suatu ketidakmujuran yang kebetulan dimana Meg terpaksa harus berpura-pura mengaku sebagai istri dari seorang perwira yang terluka dan tidak sadarkan diri demi bisa menumpang kapal pulang ke Inggris, namun siapa bisa menyangka bahwa justru pertemuan itu menjadi penyembuhan bagi jiwa mereka yang masing-masing terluka karena kehidupan yang keras. Saya suka cara author menuturkan kisahnya dengan mengalir, rapi, dan urut. Tidak bertele-tele dalam mengisahkan detail yang tidak perlu. Sepanjang cerita fokus selalu pada kedua tokoh utamanya. Karakternya juga dibangun dengan baik. Walau endingnya sedikit mudah ditebak tetapi semua diselesaikan dengan apik. Beberapa twist kecil dalam cerita juga disajikan dengan baik. Jadi secara umum saya sangat menyukai kisah ini.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting off my year with a cheesy romance kick, and this is a premium example of the genre. This is exactly what you (or at least I) want to see in a smutty novel. Characters who are not perfect, feel mostly legitimate to the time period, have actual chemisty and conversations, and are fairly witty. I was immediately interested in this one when within the first few pages, the male lead is introduced with the period equivalent of "oh he's kinda ugly". There's no insta love and the main couple freely call each other out on their bullshit, and we love to see that.

The only reason it doesn't get a full 5 star from me is because the final resolution/inevitable marriage proposal felt rushed and out of character for both characters. You can't give me a full 250 pages of mutual pining and then stuff the conflict, the mystery, the proposal, and the wedding into like 10 pages. That's my one gripe in an otherwise quite enjoyable novel.

[Priscilla Waller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Her Best

I love Louise Allen books and have read 30? or so of them. I loved the plot and the characters. I guess my favorite theme is strong women, dealt a bad hand but still trying to persevere.
We all know it's gonna end well but the way forward is not always clear. This is a 3? book series so you really need to read them all.
My first Allen book was "The Earls Intended Wife". That book started me on to try to find any of her books I could locate.
Another one of my favorite Allen book is "The Marriage Debt"

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a bit of a misnomer, since Meg spends most of the book telling James she won't BE his mistress, despite the chemistry between them.

I loved the setting as I think this is one of the few Regency romances I've come across to acknowledge the Napoleonic wars were happening, as well as how awful the actual fighting was. I also loved all the side characters and hope to see more of them in the series.

[Laphalene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Previously reviewed on www.laphalene.com

Sometimes a really good book is hidden behind a god awful title, and a sexy regency lady undressing cover- here something that's jacketed in a way that makes it look embarrassing to read in public delivers a hidden delight. Part of a trilogy about three hapless sisters who escape their abusive father by venturing out in the world, Practical Widow does what it says on the tin and then gives you a good story in the bargain. I can honestly say I enjoyed this book enough to want to find out other works by the author. It also has some interesting developments in convenient plot tropes, showing how the relentless shifts in modern morals effect what is acceptable to show going on in the past. Gone are the dear old ancient dukes with their sexless marriages so we can have mid-twenties virgins when marrying at seventeen was not-uncommon, and Allen also gives us a heroine who seems to be relatively true to period without being too much a niave waif. The bigamy was also an entertaining complication.

Miss Megan Shelley (Meg), daughter of the despotic, physically and emotionally abusive Reverend Shelley, elopes to escape her untenable situation and finds herself going from romantic girl to overworked under appreciated wife to a soldier in the Napoleonic wars, and from thence to widow, only discover her irresponsible husband was a bigamist, so she doesn't even have her in laws to fall back on. Allen captures a great deal of the restrictive feeling of the era without glorifying it, as a penniless and morally dubious widow, trying to get back home provides the hook to match her with the hero, Ross. All Meg wants is her sisters and avoiding starving to death, and we first meet our heroine looking to work to earn passage across the channel. All Ross wants to do is come to terms with his secret guilt and recover from a serious case of privilege guilt on top of mild PTSD.

Ross, a wounded war hero with a title, is then further incapacitated by trying to act as an amateur lifeguard, and when Meg helps save his life, she uses Ross's convenient unconsciousness to inform the ship's crew she's a wife and get aboard. Meaning to make it up to Ross she proves herself useful as a nurse; after the flighty husband died she'd ended up under the protection of a gay surgeon who needed a beard. I mention this because it's a nice shift from the time when romance novels, by and large, used male homosexuality to make a villain seem more twisted. One assumes that gay surgeons did happen, and probably more frequently than the steady supply of non-grabby geriatric Dukes to marry penniless young women to save their hymens, but Dr. Convenient is not a human chastity belt, Meg is not a virgin (thank god, the perpetual sexless heroines were getting a bit grating) and really serves to remind readers that this was an era where the morals were far too much like modern Sharia law and women were legal and social non-entities without men.

On board with Ross, they develop a small touch of sexual tension and Meg is given reason to decide that the veteran she's looking after seems to be a nice person. Meg usefully tends his injury and gets her honour protected. They reach England and thanks to a quickly wrote in bit of lost money at the docks to keep the heroine unsettled, and Meg's lack of references (something she realizes only at the employment office, which is one of the few flaws in the book, sort of like a modern adult only realizing they need a resume part way into the job application process, the character who has otherwise shown to have a great deal of good sense has brief lapses.Without references, this means that she takes a job with Ross as his housekeeper. Only at this point does he reveal he's a titled lord, not just a respectable member of the gentry, who ran off to the military after the guilt of accidentally shooting his beloved brother and the reality of his father being an entitled bully drive Ross to escape his empty and haunted youth. Meg agrees to work for him until she can locate her missing sisters, and clings fervently to respectability while Ross goes from thinking he's in lust to the inevitable love. As a housekeeper, Meg is given plenty to do giving the family mansion a woman's touch, and through patience and superior interior decorating Ross starts to get over his issues. Lest the latter sound sarcastic, Allen has a good descriptive eye and makes the house come alive- as well as giving Meg's wardrobe a chance for some comfortable costume porn, not ball gowns, but the sumptuous fun of her nice work dresses. The pretty, maidenly ruffled dress on the cover lies; Meg is much more likely to be in a lace cap and apron, and making that look good than falling out of lemon muslin with rosettes.

When Meg's bigamy is revealed, in a sort of reverse Jane Eyre, she flees back to the home parish of her father in a last ditch effort to find her sisters. The climax is set and without fear of spoilers, everything comes together nicely in a satisfying conclusion (this is romance, bastion of happy endings), ready for the next two books in the trilogy. The author is consistent, did her research and creates characters who would be nice to have as neighbours. The sexuality is tasteful and believable, and the story is put together to make the events come alive.

[Susan Sachon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So enjoyable

I’ve read all the books in this series, and loved each of them, and the sisters’ story thread that binds them. All told with Louise Allen’s powerful skill, and this one ranging from Portugal, to a sea setting on board ship, to London and ending in a breathtaking Cornish coastline. I couldn’t put the book down.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mix feeling about this book. Like it but the story is not solid enough, like floating and never reach the bottom. The relationship between Ross and Meg is developing too soon and too strong to believe. Also the bad translation is not helping things.

[Karen Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Good story.

[Kbee]

Audible Romance Package

AUDIOBOOK: Read 29 & 30 January 2020
8hrs 24min

Narrator: Jilly Bond does a good enough job.
It was easy and a bit dreamatic at times.fun

[Ashleighloveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very competent and satisfying.

[Lisa Butterworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute and satisfying romance novel.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it even with the drama

[Sinead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the characters of Meg and Ross, they had great chemistry. Plus the plot was good.

[Joann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good book

[Kamilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gostei bastante da história de Meg e Brandon, a história saiu do lugar comum da mocinha pura e inocente e trouxe uma heroína que já levou umas boas pancadas da vida e precisa voltar para a Inglaterra e recomeçar do zero. Já Brandon precisa voltar para casa para lidar com a sua herança e com assuntos de família dos quais ele passou anos fugindo.

Meg tem uma personalidade mais prática, mas ao mesmo tempo não conseguiu enterrar completamente o romantismo que existe dentro dela, gostei que Brandon se mostrou um homem forte e protetor ao contrário do primeiro amor dela.

Também achei a questão do passado dele bem interessante, creio que o trauma de ser responsável pela morte do próprio irmão - mesmo que acidentalmente - é realmente um motivo forte o bastante para alguém se afastar da família e se isolar emocionalmente. Já Meg se afastou da família esperando viver um sonho e teve as suas esperanças assassinadas de uma maneira cruel. De certa forma, os dois tem fantasmas no passado que os tornam mais compreensivos para as falhas e os erros do outro, o que fez que mesmo a briga deles no ato final não tenha se arrastado muito.

Os personagens secundários são interessantes, mas não roubam a cena, mas o mistério criado em volta do sumiço das irmãs e bastante intrigante.

Ps: Achei o conto no final bem desnecessário, não acrescentou em nada a história principal.

[Dewiyani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suka baca Harlequin? Pasti suka baca yg satu ini.

Margareth Shelley, Meg, adalah anak kedua dari reverend Shelley yg mempunyai sifat memberontak. Tak tahan dengan perlakuan ayahnya ia pun kabur ke Perancis bersama James, pujaan hatinya. Setelah lima tahun di Perancis, James yg seorang tentara meninggal karena penyakit. Saat Meg kabur dari rumah, ayahnya mencoretnya dari daftar keluarga. Sedangkan keluarga James tidak mengakuinya karena Meg dianggap telah menggoda anak laki-laki mereka dan memaksanya kawin lari, meninggalkan istri James yg sah. Terombang-ambing di negeri yg asing dan tanpa memegang uang yg cukup, pikiran Meg hanya satu... bagaimana caranya pulang ke Inggris dan berkumpul lagi dgn saudarinya. Dan kesempatan itupun terbuka saat Ross Brandon, seorang tentara yg akan pulang ke Inggris, jatuh pingsan setelah menolong seorang anak kecil yg tercebur ke laut. Dengan mengaku sebagai istri Brandon, Meg diijinkan naik ke kapal dan ikut berlayar ke Inggris. Akankah Meg berhasil sampai di Inggris? Bagaimanakah reaksi Brandon saat terbangun dari pingsan dan menemukan seorang wanita yg tak dikenal di dalam kabinnya?

[Patacaisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il était une fois, trois jeunes filles qui vivaient avec leur père dans la campagne anglaise.
Leur père, pasteur, était un homme sévère, violent, voyant les femmes comme des pécheresses devant tout le temps être remises dans le droit chemin. Elles avaient une vie triste et fade avec aucune perspective d’avenir.
Meg, la cadette, avait un tempérament vif et romantique et dès que son ami d’enfance fut de retour elle s’enfuya avec.
Ils partirent sur les fronts en Espagne car James était soldat et Meg se retrouva veuve.
Elle décida de retourner en Angleterre pour avoir des nouvelles de ses soeurs et pour cela se fait passer pour la femme du général Branson.
C’est la rencontre de la Belle et la Bête.
Meg n’est pas une superbe héroïne mais elle est vive, débrouillarde et courageuse.
Brandon est un personnage sombre, ombrageux avec un physique très impressionnant.
Leur histoire est très très compliquée et passionnée. Le développement de leur histoire, la connaissance de chacun, le passé, les obstacles dus à leur différence de condition ont rendu cette histoire très attractive et ça a été un très bon moment de lecture.

[Gabrielle Prendergast · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard for me to find adult books that appeal to me enough for me to make the commitment so many of them entail. So many are so long and ponderous and the premises so dire that I jut can’t face it. So this month, to satisfy both the adult and historical categories I read this rather charming Harlequin romance. I liked the feisty heroine, Meg, her heartbreak and her pragmatism. She has a very clear goal, to find her sisters, and will (almost) anything to achieve it. The dark antihero, Brandon, is also enchantingly damaged and his transformation in Meg’s eyes from disfigured ogre to dashing gentleman is one of the driving forces in this book. People mock romance books in general and Harlequin in particular for being cheap and shoddily written, but readers soon learn that this is not the case – not any more. Louise Allen is a skilled writer who embues this book with just enough historical style and content to create the setting, without getting overly detailed and forced. A fun, fast and quite sexy read.

[Andreia Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg, a irmã Shelley romântica e sonhadora, parte para longe da tirania do pai, procurando pelo destino que pensa que merece, um futuro onde ela própria tomará as rédeas da sua vida. Depois de o marido morrer numa batalha, em tempos de Napoleão, salva o capitão Brandon de um afogamento e faz-se passar... por sua esposa, durante uma viagem de barco até Inglaterra.

Gostei muito da primeira parte do livro, durante a viagem do barco e nesse momento a autora cria uma afinidade muito interessante e genuína entre a Meg e o Ross que faz com que este romance tenha credibilidade, sem ser forçado. Digamos que a autora começa bem! O resto do livro é bom igualmente, mas gostei do inicio diferente de outros livros do género.

Gostei do primeiro livro da autora e este não ficou aquém das minhas expectativas. É um livro divertido e romântico com uma tensão entre os protagonistas bem construída, bem estruturada, assente num enredo que vai além de um mero envolvimento amoroso. É uma escrita simples mas que entretém e faz-nos sorrir com os finais típicos!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have developed a real enjoyment in reading Regency Romance. This is a wonderful romance
Margaret Shelly is the oldest daughter of the Vicar. She elopes at 17 with her true love James Halgate.
Five years later she is on the docks of Bordeaux trying to find a job helping another passenger to pay her way to England. She stops to offer her help to a Lady with energetic children when one runs by, Jose, and fall off the dock. A tattered rugged officer,Major Brandon, dives into the water to save the boy. He does but he can't seem to save himself and is sinking when he is saved by a young woman. She gets him to his cabin and with the help of some sailors gets him settled. She cleans and removes metal and bone chips from his wound dresses it and settles herself in for the trip as Mrs. Brandon.
Their romance and the search for her sisters and the gossip about her marriage makes a wonderful read.

[Jasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Transformation of the Shelley Sisters -- book 1 of 3


Meg eloped to escape her father's abuse. After she is widowed, she finds out that it was a bigamous marriage and James was already married when he married her. She wants to return home to her two sisters. She comes across unconscious Major Brandon and poses as his wife and they board a ship to England. She has been acting as an army nurse when "married' to James and she cleans Brandon's wound and nurses him. She finds out that Major Brandon is also a "Lord" and becomes his housekeeper while trying to search for her sisters. She ends up marrying Lord Brandon and in this book, never finds her sisters. 4*

[Annalise Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got the audio book version from my library because listening to audio books makes cleaning, etc. so much easier. The narrator is really why I gave this one a less than stellar rating. I enjoyed the storyline and characters very much - reminiscent of Jane Eyre in reverse. But the narrator DID NOT know how to create a man's voice without sounding like she was a super creepy protect-your-wives-and-children sort of "man". It made the "adult" scenes just awkward at best and downright uncomfortable at worst. So my conclusion is this: it's a great story, especially if you like historical romances. But DON'T listen to it on audio. *shudders*