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The Heiress Companion
While Rowena Cherwood did not go around boasting of it, she had a tidy legacy from her parents. Free to choose the life she wanted, and unwilling to live with her overbearing aunt, she accepted a position as Lady Bradwell’s companion.
A spinster of twenty-seven, Rowena gave little thought to marriage — until Lyn Bradwell, Lady Bradwell’s long absent son, returned to England. Their chemistry was immediate — and fiery.
Love was the last thing on Rowena’s mind — or Lyn’s. Lady Bradwell, impatient for her companion’s happiness and her son’s, wondered how long it would be before her companion and her son would open their eyes.
A spinster of twenty-seven, Rowena gave little thought to marriage — until Lyn Bradwell, Lady Bradwell’s long absent son, returned to England. Their chemistry was immediate — and fiery.
Love was the last thing on Rowena’s mind — or Lyn’s. Lady Bradwell, impatient for her companion’s happiness and her son’s, wondered how long it would be before her companion and her son would open their eyes.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 1981
2 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Madeleine E. Robins
45 books125 followersWriting gives Madeleine Robins the chance to focus on many of her ruling passions: cities, history, swordplay, the history of disease, and the future of mankind–with a side order of historical costuming and infrastructure (urban plumbing is far more interesting than you’d think).
Born in New York City, the Author has been, in no particular order, a nanny, a teacher, an actor and stage-combatant, an administrator, a comic book editor, a baker, typist-clerk for Thos. Cook’s Houses of Parliament office, a repairer-of-hurt-books, an editorial consultant, and a writer. She holds a degree in Theatre Studies from Connecticut College, and attended the Clarion Science Fiction Workshop in 1981. She is a founding member of Book View Cafe (http://bookviewcafe.com) where most of her short fiction is available for free!
Born in New York City, the Author has been, in no particular order, a nanny, a teacher, an actor and stage-combatant, an administrator, a comic book editor, a baker, typist-clerk for Thos. Cook’s Houses of Parliament office, a repairer-of-hurt-books, an editorial consultant, and a writer. She holds a degree in Theatre Studies from Connecticut College, and attended the Clarion Science Fiction Workshop in 1981. She is a founding member of Book View Cafe (http://bookviewcafe.com) where most of her short fiction is available for free!
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 7, 2011
This novel of Regency England is a Book View Cafe ebook version of a book circa 1981, and would be called a Sweet Regency Romance in 2011. Robins’ skills as a writer continue to grow!
This is another frothy confection of a Regency romance. This time the plot is a little different from anything else I remember seeing, about a young woman who hasn’t found a man she wishes to marry and also can’t stomach remaining in the home of her aunt and uncle, who would really rather she’d marry an admiring nobleman and stop behaving in such an outlandish manner. But orphaned Rowena Cherwood is not any miss – she has both a comfortable inheritance and a history of following the drum, her diplomat father and his wife dragging her through Europe and the colonies as her introduction to life.
Too intelligent and creative to marry to oblige her relatives, wealthy enough to suit herself, but with no desire to hire companions and either plant herself in London or try Europe hemmed in by a pack of females to give her countenance, Rowena finds an invalid noblewoman in need of a companion. Being needed suits her, and Lady Bradwell is in great need of both support and protection, having survived scarlet fever by the skin of her teeth.
But the Regency world was very small for women, and into it drops her charming niece Margaret, fleeing her mother’s heavy-handed attempts to marry Margaret off to the same nobleman Rowena had refused seven years earlier. Add to this young Lord Bradwell’s failed engagement to an old friend of Rowena’s, and the return of the “prodigal son,” Lyn Bradwell, former soldier and would-be diplomat, and you have a comedy of romances brewing.
There will be many misunderstandings and cultural conventions to be hurdled before our couples find the promise of happiness, but Robins brings us through in fine form. We have no less than three engagements before all is through, and the villains, who are basically the worst of what was often seen in the upper crust at the time, will all be quite out of countenance from the results. Could we ask for more?
This one is recommended for serious regency lovers! Robins knows her period, so you won’t be jolted by modern manners and mores creeping into the tale.
This is another frothy confection of a Regency romance. This time the plot is a little different from anything else I remember seeing, about a young woman who hasn’t found a man she wishes to marry and also can’t stomach remaining in the home of her aunt and uncle, who would really rather she’d marry an admiring nobleman and stop behaving in such an outlandish manner. But orphaned Rowena Cherwood is not any miss – she has both a comfortable inheritance and a history of following the drum, her diplomat father and his wife dragging her through Europe and the colonies as her introduction to life.
Too intelligent and creative to marry to oblige her relatives, wealthy enough to suit herself, but with no desire to hire companions and either plant herself in London or try Europe hemmed in by a pack of females to give her countenance, Rowena finds an invalid noblewoman in need of a companion. Being needed suits her, and Lady Bradwell is in great need of both support and protection, having survived scarlet fever by the skin of her teeth.
But the Regency world was very small for women, and into it drops her charming niece Margaret, fleeing her mother’s heavy-handed attempts to marry Margaret off to the same nobleman Rowena had refused seven years earlier. Add to this young Lord Bradwell’s failed engagement to an old friend of Rowena’s, and the return of the “prodigal son,” Lyn Bradwell, former soldier and would-be diplomat, and you have a comedy of romances brewing.
There will be many misunderstandings and cultural conventions to be hurdled before our couples find the promise of happiness, but Robins brings us through in fine form. We have no less than three engagements before all is through, and the villains, who are basically the worst of what was often seen in the upper crust at the time, will all be quite out of countenance from the results. Could we ask for more?
This one is recommended for serious regency lovers! Robins knows her period, so you won’t be jolted by modern manners and mores creeping into the tale.
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November 1, 2011Madeleine Robins is reissuing the Regency romances that she published twenty or thirty years ago. This is one of them, offered through Book View Cafe.
The heroine, who actually is possessed of a fortune, has hired herself out as a companion. Her quiet life is considerably discommoded when her employer's younger son returns home, looking for a wife.
What makes it fun are the characters, who in their various pursuits of love (or of wealthy spouses) get up to some amusing shenanigans.
Robins does a good job with the Heyer universe, both in custom and in language, keeps the pacing moving briskly, and has an eye for comedy.
The heroine, who actually is possessed of a fortune, has hired herself out as a companion. Her quiet life is considerably discommoded when her employer's younger son returns home, looking for a wife.
What makes it fun are the characters, who in their various pursuits of love (or of wealthy spouses) get up to some amusing shenanigans.
Robins does a good job with the Heyer universe, both in custom and in language, keeps the pacing moving briskly, and has an eye for comedy.
December 3, 2011
What an old fashioned romance novel. I don't mean that because it's a historical romance, but because it is a sweet story, with no sex and almost no passion that is in almost every romance written in this decade (though it seems this story really was written several decades ago). I only gave the book 2 stars because even though it is a sweet story, it isn't anything special. It was hard for me to care about the characters or become personally involved with them because the author keeps them at arm's reach by continuously calling them by their titles. Our female lead is called Miss Cherwood more often than by her first name, Rowena. This makes the story difficult to follow at times since there is a Lady Bradwell, Lord Bradwell (Lady Bradwell's son), Mr. Bradwell(her other son), 2 Miss Cherwood's, a Mrs. Cherwood, and 3 Miss Ambercot's, and Mr. Ambercot (a son) and a Mrs. Ambercot. It gets confusing which Miss Ambercot or which Miss Cherwood I'm reading about sometimes. While a story doesn't need sex to be romantic, it does need some passion, which I find lacking in this novel. There are no lingering looks, no hearts set aflutter, nothing. In fact, if I hadn't know it was a romance novel, when our leading lady gets together with her man, I would have been surprised. Until they declare their love for each other (in a rather boring and uninspired way) they didn't seem to be interested in anything other than friends. I would recommend passing on this unless you want a blast from the past (I mean 1980s style writing, not the historical part of this novel) and read Lisa Kleypas' historical romances; she is my favorite for this genre.
October 28, 2018
Most of the characters were just lovely except one who appeared to be unpleasant just because the plot needed her to be, with no apparent underlying motivation. Still enjoyable!
May 5, 2021
Meh, most will not like this book. You really have to like period pieces.
March 3, 2021
Loved. Absolutely loved this
June 21, 2021
It’s an okay novel. There is little to show that it is actually set in Regency England. The setting could be Edwardian and work just as well. The chemistry between the leads is non-existent to minimal.
January 13, 2012
Mediocre.
I received a free review copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers and was disappointed to discover that it was originally published in 1981. It felt very much of its time, three love stories interwoven, old matriach, misunderstandings, etc, etc.
Rowena Cherwood is the heroine, in her late 20's and already considered a spinster. She is the heiress of the title, yet choses to become the companion to aging Mrs Ambercot, rather then live with her Aunt and Uncle who wish to marry her off to an unattractive nobleman. When we later meet the Aunt, it quite understandable that Rowena would make this choice.
Lady Bradwell has two sons, one of whom is awaited from 'the wars' at the start of the novel. The other is heir to the estate, which he has taken over since his father's death.
Margaret Cherwod arrives on Rowena's doorstep seeking escape from the same Aunt, Margaret's mother.
And so the scene is set for the sort of shennanigans that would be better presented on stage as a farce.
Readable but nothing special, in fact, a bit of a waste of time.
2 1/2 stars.
I received a free review copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers and was disappointed to discover that it was originally published in 1981. It felt very much of its time, three love stories interwoven, old matriach, misunderstandings, etc, etc.
Rowena Cherwood is the heroine, in her late 20's and already considered a spinster. She is the heiress of the title, yet choses to become the companion to aging Mrs Ambercot, rather then live with her Aunt and Uncle who wish to marry her off to an unattractive nobleman. When we later meet the Aunt, it quite understandable that Rowena would make this choice.
Lady Bradwell has two sons, one of whom is awaited from 'the wars' at the start of the novel. The other is heir to the estate, which he has taken over since his father's death.
Margaret Cherwod arrives on Rowena's doorstep seeking escape from the same Aunt, Margaret's mother.
And so the scene is set for the sort of shennanigans that would be better presented on stage as a farce.
Readable but nothing special, in fact, a bit of a waste of time.
2 1/2 stars.
March 21, 2013
An uncomplicated novel, aimed to entertain and condemned to be forgotten the moment you turn the last page.
But of course, not all the books need to leave an imprint on the reader, some of them are born without big aspirations, their only purpose, to offer some pleasant time to those who enjoy regency romances (or attempts at regency novels, such as this case).
Three love stories intertwined, the heroine, Rowena, a rich "spinster" who's only 27 who prefers being some Lady's companion than to live a life of luxury (I know, quite unbelievable). But, surprise, the old Lady has a couple of marriageable sons, who will provide fair game for the feminine characters of the story.
This is a simple novel, and that's maybe what I most liked about it, its unpretentious tone. The author knew what she was writing and she didn't try to give a superior air to the story: so, you get direct dialogues (although some of them were difficult to imagine in a real regency novel), plain characters and some light fun, especially suited for a rainy Sunday evening.
Good reading if you have no great expectations.
But of course, not all the books need to leave an imprint on the reader, some of them are born without big aspirations, their only purpose, to offer some pleasant time to those who enjoy regency romances (or attempts at regency novels, such as this case).
Three love stories intertwined, the heroine, Rowena, a rich "spinster" who's only 27 who prefers being some Lady's companion than to live a life of luxury (I know, quite unbelievable). But, surprise, the old Lady has a couple of marriageable sons, who will provide fair game for the feminine characters of the story.
This is a simple novel, and that's maybe what I most liked about it, its unpretentious tone. The author knew what she was writing and she didn't try to give a superior air to the story: so, you get direct dialogues (although some of them were difficult to imagine in a real regency novel), plain characters and some light fun, especially suited for a rainy Sunday evening.
Good reading if you have no great expectations.
September 28, 2011
Another excellent story from this author. I got this book, again, through the LTER scheme on LibraryThing, and I haven't yet regretted reading any of her stories. This one is good on two levels. One: the Hero isn't a titled gentleman, but one who hopes to go into politics AND one who isn't going to be immediately sponsored into a safe seat. Two: The heroine is believably rebellious, without being a-historical. Plus, the conflict element to the romance was believable and likely, yet also sensibly and rationally overcome. I hate manufactured conflict - every couple has conflict naturally, so it follows to me that conflict should also arise naturally, not have to be fed and developed by the author. Robins seems to understand that well, and I appreciate that. So, overall I liked it. Warning to those who like modern Romances - the nearest you'll get to sex scenes is a sneaked kiss or cuddle... :)
December 8, 2011
Yes, this is a sort of take on Heyer's Grand Sophy plot - with the capable and well-off young woman arranging things to help the family she has adopted. I really enjoyed the fact that the story centers on the women: Rowena herself, her cousin Margret and the kind employer lady Lady Bradwell and one of her best friends were well described and the antagonists - Rowena's Aunt and Margaret's mum, plus the youngest sister of Margaret's husband-to-be - were, too.
The men really were adjunct to the story and that's why I did not see the attraction between Rowena and Lyn grow, really. He said all the right things at the end, and the lover's spat worked as well, but WHY Rowena should love him and HOW he fell in love with her from his first impression being so negative wasn't shown - that's something that The Grand Sophy does better.
However no objectionable content in this book. I thought the one butt of the joke, a sort of Malvolio type, deserved what he had coming.
The men really were adjunct to the story and that's why I did not see the attraction between Rowena and Lyn grow, really. He said all the right things at the end, and the lover's spat worked as well, but WHY Rowena should love him and HOW he fell in love with her from his first impression being so negative wasn't shown - that's something that The Grand Sophy does better.
However no objectionable content in this book. I thought the one butt of the joke, a sort of Malvolio type, deserved what he had coming.
November 7, 2011
This reissue of a Regency romance is charming and a delight. The multiple romantic story lines and the wonderful assortment of characters ranging from delicious to despicable make it a fun read. Rowena, the heiress who decided she'd rather be a companion than be married off to an unfortunate swain or be forced to live with chaperones in order to be socially acceptable, is a managing, efficient young woman who brooks nonsense from none, and I found her attempts to manage the chaos around her most entertaining.
If you love Regency romance, you'll love this one!
If you love Regency romance, you'll love this one!
January 5, 2012
If you are looking for something spectacular, for something new something you have never seen before this books is probably not for you. With this book you get exactly what it say: a romance. You will get a bunch of people trying to find the perfect mate who all have different ideas about what makes a mate perfect. And you will see that even if you find someone who is perfect for you, you might still have obstacles to overcome. All this is told in a charming way, and if it is romance you are looking for this book might be exactly what you need.
January 28, 2012
I received this book through the Librarything's Early Reviewer program for free in exchange for a review.
It was...ok. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. It only took me a few hours to read, but those few hours seemed much longer. It's a fluffy, sorta historical romance. The characters are mostly flat and uninteresting. I have no idea if it was historically accurate, though I doubt it.
For those that like a light romance and happy endings, this might be a quick read on a rainy day. But there are many books that does what this book does and much more.
It was...ok. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. It only took me a few hours to read, but those few hours seemed much longer. It's a fluffy, sorta historical romance. The characters are mostly flat and uninteresting. I have no idea if it was historically accurate, though I doubt it.
For those that like a light romance and happy endings, this might be a quick read on a rainy day. But there are many books that does what this book does and much more.
August 2, 2022
Third rereading that i didn't finish and refuse to- cliche, overused tropes and 'arguments' that are profoundly silly. Great writing in any case, but the details of plot are tiresome.
Second Reading Review: I've been rereading books I can barely remember; I enjoyed this again! Of course, the conflict was kinda silly, along with the Aunt and the sister of the guy who marries the main character's cousin (who were just ridiculous) but it didn't last too long entonces..
Second Reading Review: I've been rereading books I can barely remember; I enjoyed this again! Of course, the conflict was kinda silly, along with the Aunt and the sister of the guy who marries the main character's cousin (who were just ridiculous) but it didn't last too long entonces..
December 28, 2013
Un altra piacevole "regency romance" di quest'autrice, senza troppe pretese di verosimiglianza di linguaggio e comportamento dei personaggi. Questa volta seguiamo ben tre coppie fino al lieto fine, con l'inevitabile pecca che la storia principale, quella tra i protagonisti, viene ben poco sviluppata: non si capisce perché si innamorino, ma nell'abbondanza di rosa si riesce anche a perdonarlo.
August 15, 2012
Another charming Regency Romance from the pen of Madeleine E. Robins. I very much enjoyed the characters and their interactions in this story. There is certainly little in the way of high adventure, but plenty of thoughtful character introspection reminiscent of the best of Austen.
December 18, 2011
Liking this traditional regency author. She's period-accurate, she has the voice, and her characters are fun. I also like that she gives me villains I love to hate, and they're not, like, crazed one-nostrilled serial killers, they're people in the heroine's own family.
April 30, 2014
Better than I expected! Not my normal genre, but entertaining nonetheless. Will appeal to fans of Austen or Bronte(s). I listened to the audiobook and Ione Butler (a/k/a Susannah Moyer) did a nice job with the narration.
December 17, 2011
An excellent early work by a writer who later grows in power. This would be a great book for people who have finished all of Georgette Heyer's Regency novels and are looking for more!
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October 26, 2012A Regency romance in which the heroine is not dependent on getting a husband for money or status -- what a joy!
March 7, 2013
The book, 'The Heiress Companion' by Madeleine Robins, was okay but nothing to write home about. It was lacking what I love in the regency romance genre, witty dialog.
August 31, 2014
Sweet romance, but I never quite engaged with the story - possibly the length was on the short side, with a few too many people.
January 30, 2016
It took me a little while to get into this one but once I did it was enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews