What do you think?
Rate this book
Victoire
A DELIGHTFULLY IMPUDENT IMPOSTOR
Sparkling young Victoire Duvernay made her first appearance in Regency England posing as her cousin who had been shamefully wronged by the dashing, devastatingly handsome rake, the Marquis of Tarn. But soon she emerged under her own name as the leading light of the London season, with the hot-blooded, hot-tempered Tarn dancing attendance upon her, and a host of gallants, fortune-hunters, and rogues swarming around her.
Victoire seemed such a defenseless innocent in this sophisticated world of elegant snobbery and cruel deception. But Victoire had no intention of becoming anyone's pawn or prey. Instead this captivating young lady was determined to give the most arrogant gentleman in all the realm an unforgettable lesson in love....
Sparkling young Victoire Duvernay made her first appearance in Regency England posing as her cousin who had been shamefully wronged by the dashing, devastatingly handsome rake, the Marquis of Tarn. But soon she emerged under her own name as the leading light of the London season, with the hot-blooded, hot-tempered Tarn dancing attendance upon her, and a host of gallants, fortune-hunters, and rogues swarming around her.
Victoire seemed such a defenseless innocent in this sophisticated world of elegant snobbery and cruel deception. But Victoire had no intention of becoming anyone's pawn or prey. Instead this captivating young lady was determined to give the most arrogant gentleman in all the realm an unforgettable lesson in love....
284 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1974
115 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Clare Darcy
28 books57 followersBorn in Ohio.
Widely considered the best of those inspired by Georgette Heyer, Darcy wrote a number of regency romances with intelligent, sparkling heroines.
A pseudonym for Mary Deasy
Information for place of birth from the jacket of one of Ms Darcy's books
Widely considered the best of those inspired by Georgette Heyer, Darcy wrote a number of regency romances with intelligent, sparkling heroines.
A pseudonym for Mary Deasy
Information for place of birth from the jacket of one of Ms Darcy's books
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 2, 2017
4.20 stars - pg13 heavy (most would consider this "clean", no details, but secular regency stories often include characters who are, or have been, mistresses, and some reference to such things)
Fun. Engaging. In the style of Georgette Heyer, but, of course, not nearly as good. Clare Darcy is the queen of extreme run-on sentences; a bit annoying at first, but I quickly adjusted. Most of her books I read years ago and if I were to re-read them now would perhaps give lower ratings? I believe my favorites back then were Lydia, Regina, and Elyza?
Fun. Engaging. In the style of Georgette Heyer, but, of course, not nearly as good. Clare Darcy is the queen of extreme run-on sentences; a bit annoying at first, but I quickly adjusted. Most of her books I read years ago and if I were to re-read them now would perhaps give lower ratings? I believe my favorites back then were Lydia, Regina, and Elyza?
September 24, 2022
Darcy has inherited much from Georgette Heyer.
Passionate attention to historical accuracy. To dialog. To strong characters. Especially to heroines.
If you love Regency romance, you'll love this one.
If you are new to Regency romance (by convention that excludes Austen as she lived/wrote in the Regency, it is used for later authors to whom Regency meant history) the very best is Heyer, but Darcy is not behind by more than a hair's breadth.
Passionate attention to historical accuracy. To dialog. To strong characters. Especially to heroines.
If you love Regency romance, you'll love this one.
If you are new to Regency romance (by convention that excludes Austen as she lived/wrote in the Regency, it is used for later authors to whom Regency meant history) the very best is Heyer, but Darcy is not behind by more than a hair's breadth.
November 1, 2018
Enjoyable, although I felt Clare Darcy tried too hard to emulate Heyer's character, Leonie, in her feisty French heroine, Victoire.
There were also too many far-fetched scenarios for one book. I can usually get behind a single elopement or duel, but there were two separate kidnappings, a plot to compromise the heroine into a forced marriage, as well as two attempted murders. That seems a little excessive in a 270 page novel... But then, I am picky when it comes to good regency romances.
Not her best, but likeable.
There were also too many far-fetched scenarios for one book. I can usually get behind a single elopement or duel, but there were two separate kidnappings, a plot to compromise the heroine into a forced marriage, as well as two attempted murders. That seems a little excessive in a 270 page novel... But then, I am picky when it comes to good regency romances.
Not her best, but likeable.
November 14, 2022
I have such a nice weekend thanks to this book. It was funny, amusing, enjoyable. Exactly how should be Regency romance. It is my second book of Clare Darcy and from now on, I will read her every book which I find.
I hesitate between three and four stars because I would like the story would go a little different. But Darcy had own idea. First part of the book deserves definitely four stars, then I was a little disappointed. And at the end there is "this end" which knows every fan of Heyer and such kind of romances ;-)
I like two main heroes. I like the main idea of the story. Other characters are well chosen and described. So, I will give four stars (but it is more like three and the half).
I hesitate between three and four stars because I would like the story would go a little different. But Darcy had own idea. First part of the book deserves definitely four stars, then I was a little disappointed. And at the end there is "this end" which knows every fan of Heyer and such kind of romances ;-)
"he looked down at Victoire with such tenderness on his dark face that it made her almost die with loveYou can only swoon when you read it ;-)
I like two main heroes. I like the main idea of the story. Other characters are well chosen and described. So, I will give four stars (but it is more like three and the half).
January 17, 2013
If you can't have Jane Austen have Georgette Heyer. If you can't have Georgette Heyer had Clare Darcy. This book was a fun and interesting regency romance. I will read more of Clare Darcy if they all are like this.
October 29, 2009
I have been curious about this author ever since a friend wrote a review of one of her books for a traditional regencies blog we both collaborate in. So when I had the opportunity to read one I was quite happy.
I did like the book although I felt the type of story asked for more banter, more witty and humorous dialogue to really work out.
Victoire is a french young lady, daughter of an officer in the Napoleon Wars, who, after her father dies and her mother remarries finds herself shipped to England to live with an Irish relative. Unfortunately the relative is not entirely comme i'l faut and leads Victoire to pretend to be her cousin Nancy, recently deceased, so they can blackmail Lord Tarn's relatives by telling he has broken a promise of marriage. The success of such ploy is based on the fact that Tarn is supposed to be out of the country and can't unmask her. But he does unexpectedly return and after a few adventures that include the relative kidnapping Tarn and Victoire saving him, the Marquess of Tarn decides that he owes a debt of gratitude to Victoire and to pay it he offers her marriage.
Now it maybe be because I recently read Heyer's The Convenient Marriage but I did feel that there were some similarities between the two stories - namely the older heroes who let no emotions show and the young and sometimes naive heroines who are constantly getting into trouble.
Being this one a regency romance we know that they are on their way to a happy end, however that path isn't always smooth and in this case several people are interested in breaking them apart. One of Tarn's cousin's and his portuguese mistress who both set different suitors on Victoire just to make trouble. Since Tarn and Victoire both are hot tempered and don't run from a good fight this could have been the perfect opportunity for showing some tension and their emotions towards one another but it is never fully explored. Even when Victoire is kidnapped in the end and Tarn rushes to save her I felt his proposal was a bit bland. I wanted more emotion in their courtship to make me believe that Tarn really had fallen for Victoire. As it was I felt it was a nice story but that it could have been better.
One detail that annoyed me was that Portuguese's mistress had a spanish name and spoke spanish instead of portuguese. Most of you wont probably notice it but for a native portuguese speaker it's totally distracting.
Grade: 3.5/5
I did like the book although I felt the type of story asked for more banter, more witty and humorous dialogue to really work out.
Victoire is a french young lady, daughter of an officer in the Napoleon Wars, who, after her father dies and her mother remarries finds herself shipped to England to live with an Irish relative. Unfortunately the relative is not entirely comme i'l faut and leads Victoire to pretend to be her cousin Nancy, recently deceased, so they can blackmail Lord Tarn's relatives by telling he has broken a promise of marriage. The success of such ploy is based on the fact that Tarn is supposed to be out of the country and can't unmask her. But he does unexpectedly return and after a few adventures that include the relative kidnapping Tarn and Victoire saving him, the Marquess of Tarn decides that he owes a debt of gratitude to Victoire and to pay it he offers her marriage.
Now it maybe be because I recently read Heyer's The Convenient Marriage but I did feel that there were some similarities between the two stories - namely the older heroes who let no emotions show and the young and sometimes naive heroines who are constantly getting into trouble.
Being this one a regency romance we know that they are on their way to a happy end, however that path isn't always smooth and in this case several people are interested in breaking them apart. One of Tarn's cousin's and his portuguese mistress who both set different suitors on Victoire just to make trouble. Since Tarn and Victoire both are hot tempered and don't run from a good fight this could have been the perfect opportunity for showing some tension and their emotions towards one another but it is never fully explored. Even when Victoire is kidnapped in the end and Tarn rushes to save her I felt his proposal was a bit bland. I wanted more emotion in their courtship to make me believe that Tarn really had fallen for Victoire. As it was I felt it was a nice story but that it could have been better.
One detail that annoyed me was that Portuguese's mistress had a spanish name and spoke spanish instead of portuguese. Most of you wont probably notice it but for a native portuguese speaker it's totally distracting.
Grade: 3.5/5
July 6, 2024
I've been a big fan of all of the Clare Darcy books I've read until this one. It's the story of an impetuous rake and an extremely gullible ingenue who end up in some actiony situations together before they get engaged. After this, their relationship is all jealousy and fighting until literally the last two pages. I liked the set-up of a marriage of convenience and their dynamic early on. However, this is a book that gets overtaken by ridiculous protracted scheming in the last act, where one unlikable character decides to take evil pills and become a crazy villain for no reason. And the main characters just go along with the scheming without a second of doubt.
I was very disappointed in Darcy's plotting in the second half. Usually, she's good at marrying action/conflict and romance, but not in this one. It's the kind of book with very little communication between the couple after the inciting incident. Rather than romance, Darcy centers danger and action from about 40% to 99% through the book. And the scenario leading to this conflict is absolutely braindead.
In short, too much of the main characters being uncommunicative idiots, too much of them jumping headfirst into schemes, too much forced conflict, and too little actual romance. By the end of this book, I seriously started agreeing with all the supporting characters who said that their marriage was a bad idea. If your romance book makes you question the basic premise of their romance, what are you even doing?
I was very disappointed in Darcy's plotting in the second half. Usually, she's good at marrying action/conflict and romance, but not in this one. It's the kind of book with very little communication between the couple after the inciting incident. Rather than romance, Darcy centers danger and action from about 40% to 99% through the book. And the scenario leading to this conflict is absolutely braindead.
In short, too much of the main characters being uncommunicative idiots, too much of them jumping headfirst into schemes, too much forced conflict, and too little actual romance. By the end of this book, I seriously started agreeing with all the supporting characters who said that their marriage was a bad idea. If your romance book makes you question the basic premise of their romance, what are you even doing?
February 2, 2021
Clare Darcy's books are like a Mad Libs version of Georgette Heyer. You take Vidal from Devil's Cub add Leonie from These Old Shades throw in a scheming relative from Regency Buck and cross them with vignettes from all three books plus Faro's Daughter too. Then stir to make a passably acceptable Regency romance. (The degree of acceptability probably depends on your familiarity with the Heyer oeuvre.)
January 10, 2021
3.5 ish. Clare Darcy is the next best thing to Heyer that I’ve yet found. Still, she doesn’t compare to the master. You can tell she is a Heyer fan because a lot of her language and characters are right out of Heyer. Victoire seemed to me like another version of Leonie from “These Old Shades,” and the Marquis called her “infant” and “brat,” a lot, just like the duke did to Leonie in “These Old Shades.” Made less sense that he did in this book, since he is only 7 years older than Victoire, so him calling her “infant” is kind of silly.
I didn’t like the marquis, he was a jerk for the most part, not as lovable as Heyer’s rakes. This book really was like a not-as-good-as-Heyer Heyer copycat. That being said, it was a lot better than most other regencies (apart from Heyer and Austen) that I’ve read. I’m reading “Elyza,” also by Darcy, now. So far it’s good.
I’d recommend this author. But read Georgette Heyer first!
I didn’t like the marquis, he was a jerk for the most part, not as lovable as Heyer’s rakes. This book really was like a not-as-good-as-Heyer Heyer copycat. That being said, it was a lot better than most other regencies (apart from Heyer and Austen) that I’ve read. I’m reading “Elyza,” also by Darcy, now. So far it’s good.
I’d recommend this author. But read Georgette Heyer first!
February 5, 2025
I very much enjoyed this light Regency romance novel. Clare Darcy is the closest writer I've found to Georgette Heyer, and this book is very much in Heyer's style. The heroine reminded me very much of one of Heyer's feisty French heroines, but the story is quite different from that one.
The rather bored, reckless and promiscuous Marquis of Tarn (Lewis) has a sense of responsibility and kindness underneath his somewhat harsh exterior, and I liked his sense of humour. I very much liked the young but determined Victoire too. It's a good story, full of excitement, fast-paced and with an entirely satisfactory ending.
Recommended if you like Heyer's style of writing. Possibly four and a half stars.
Longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
The rather bored, reckless and promiscuous Marquis of Tarn (Lewis) has a sense of responsibility and kindness underneath his somewhat harsh exterior, and I liked his sense of humour. I very much liked the young but determined Victoire too. It's a good story, full of excitement, fast-paced and with an entirely satisfactory ending.
Recommended if you like Heyer's style of writing. Possibly four and a half stars.
Longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
Read
August 23, 2020I was obsessed with the Clare Darcy books as a teenager. I can still see the shelf in the public library that held the books and that I visited over and over and over.
February 4, 2023
Very cute, Bridgerton-esque, light, and charming read.
April 30, 2023
almost as good as Georgette Heyer
Clare Darcy was a great find for me, who only ever really liked GH’s Regency romances. But this American author captures the spirit and humor of the original so well that I have to admit I was wrong. Good plotting, characters as they should be - if you like GG, you’ll enjoy Clare Darcy
Clare Darcy was a great find for me, who only ever really liked GH’s Regency romances. But this American author captures the spirit and humor of the original so well that I have to admit I was wrong. Good plotting, characters as they should be - if you like GG, you’ll enjoy Clare Darcy
September 14, 2023
Worst heroine ever
She’s an idiot. Somehow managed to do the dumbest possible thing in every scene. Could not root for her, which ruined the story for me.
She’s an idiot. Somehow managed to do the dumbest possible thing in every scene. Could not root for her, which ruined the story for me.
April 16, 2025
Fun, engaging and in the truly incomparable style of Georgette Heyer. I found the funny little French phrases and unique expressions of Victoire very much.
December 18, 2025
3.8/5. Closest in style but no match to Georgette Heyer. The heroine seemed based on Leonie from These Old Shades.
d-n-f
August 15, 2024I didn't like the heroine's sudden change of character at 40% from an independent individual to a submissive, obedient doormat who approved of whatever the hero did, no matter how outrageous.
July 15, 2022
This was just what I remembered from my teenage reading. A Georgette Heyer-alike reading experience. Light and amusing and silly.
June 14, 2019
Young Victoire Douvenay came to London posing as her cousin. The Marquis of Tarn, however, puts an end to the masquerade, which brings trouble for them both. He decides to marry Victoire and has his aunt bring her out so that there can be no suspicions about their marriage. Will these two find love when a member of Tarn's family tries to keep them apart?
This is one of my favorites by this author. Victoire is a fiery-tempered young lady, who is loyal to a fault. Tarn is a young but world-wise gentleman who has had more than his fair share of escapades in society. Together, they are so very entertaining.
The plot is easy to follow, although it is a bit far-fetched at times. The writing is a bit tedious at times (so many run-on sentences!) but still enjoyable. The characters are fun.
For Regency readers looking for a classic style tale, I would definitely recommend this one.
This is one of my favorites by this author. Victoire is a fiery-tempered young lady, who is loyal to a fault. Tarn is a young but world-wise gentleman who has had more than his fair share of escapades in society. Together, they are so very entertaining.
The plot is easy to follow, although it is a bit far-fetched at times. The writing is a bit tedious at times (so many run-on sentences!) but still enjoyable. The characters are fun.
For Regency readers looking for a classic style tale, I would definitely recommend this one.
June 6, 2012
This story was overly sentimental in places, but it broke from what could have easily turned into a predictable plot, and for that I am sincerely grateful. There was a little too much French and no few translations, but I loved this book.
July 11, 2015
A charming Regency romance between the French-speaking Victoire and the notorious Marquis of Tarn. Plenty of little historical details and some wonderful characterisation, particularly of Miss Amelia Standfield, Tarn's all-knowing aunt.
September 14, 2011
Light-hearted and quaint.
December 22, 2013
This could have been a 5 star but was written prosaically... Which I find I must gear myself up for. But just like reading the bible, it begins to flow and become a natural language.
August 26, 2015
I found the french phrases and the Victoire's manner of speech to be quite annoying. It was a clean romance but frankly I found it rather boring.
June 19, 2020
Hot tempered couple
A mad romp with a very engaging couple who quarrel a lot but don't hold grudges, don't sulk, makeup easily.
A mad romp with a very engaging couple who quarrel a lot but don't hold grudges, don't sulk, makeup easily.
January 30, 2024
Very enjoyable story, but editing errors abound, mostly missing apostrophes.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews