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Highly Respectable Marriage
Pandora Carlyon is unimpressed by the arrogant Duke of Heron. In turn, he suspects her motives in applying to be governess to the young orphans in his charge ...
Pandora has greater worries when she must sell her beloved late mother's necklace to help support her young brothers. But the intervention of Heron in the sale has surprising and far reaching consequences.
As Heron observes Pandora in society, he finds himself attracted to the capable and strong-willed young woman. What would she make of a proposal of a highly respectable marriage?
Meanwhile, Lady Sarah Bingly has set her sights on becoming Duchess of Heron. And it is clear that she will stop at nothing to make sure Pandora doesn't stand in her way.
Pandora has greater worries when she must sell her beloved late mother's necklace to help support her young brothers. But the intervention of Heron in the sale has surprising and far reaching consequences.
As Heron observes Pandora in society, he finds himself attracted to the capable and strong-willed young woman. What would she make of a proposal of a highly respectable marriage?
Meanwhile, Lady Sarah Bingly has set her sights on becoming Duchess of Heron. And it is clear that she will stop at nothing to make sure Pandora doesn't stand in her way.
Mass Market Paperback
First published October 5, 1982
58 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Walsh
28 books10 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Born Sheila O'Nions in 1928 in Birmingham, England, UK. During the Second World War, her family moved to Southport, Lancashire, where she met Des Walsh, son of the Thomas Walsh, who had a jewelry store at 39 Chapel Street since 1926. In 1950, Sheila married with Des Walsh, and they had two daughters, Fran Walsh and Tess Walsh. Sheila worked during years in her husband's familiar jewelry store, with her husband, her husband elder brother Gerard and his wife Dorothy[2].
In 1971, Sheila joined the Southport Writers' Circle, and years later, in 1986 was elected life president. In 1980 she became the vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and later elected Chairman (1985-1987).
Her debut novel, The Golden Songbird, won the Netta Muskett award for new writers from the Romantic Novelists' Association, and in 1984, her novel, A Highly Respectable Marriage won the Elizabeth Goudge award.
Sheila Walsh died on 20 January 2009, at 80.
Born Sheila O'Nions in 1928 in Birmingham, England, UK. During the Second World War, her family moved to Southport, Lancashire, where she met Des Walsh, son of the Thomas Walsh, who had a jewelry store at 39 Chapel Street since 1926. In 1950, Sheila married with Des Walsh, and they had two daughters, Fran Walsh and Tess Walsh. Sheila worked during years in her husband's familiar jewelry store, with her husband, her husband elder brother Gerard and his wife Dorothy[2].
In 1971, Sheila joined the Southport Writers' Circle, and years later, in 1986 was elected life president. In 1980 she became the vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and later elected Chairman (1985-1987).
Her debut novel, The Golden Songbird, won the Netta Muskett award for new writers from the Romantic Novelists' Association, and in 1984, her novel, A Highly Respectable Marriage won the Elizabeth Goudge award.
Sheila Walsh died on 20 January 2009, at 80.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 26, 2013
A HIGHLY RESPECTABLE MARRIAGE is a little more somber than most regencies but it still proved to be interesting. Miss Pandora Carlyon is near the end of her ropes: her parents are deceased, she has little money and two brothers who are counting on her, one for schooling and the other for respectable employment. She has some jewels that she inherited but they are her last resort. Her elder half-sister is both jealous and bitter and is of little help. Left to her own devices, she visits the Duke of Heron, under the impression he needs a governess for his wards. Little does she know.
When they first meet Pandora's intentions are misunderstood and Heron treats her shoddily. Boredom and routine have become embedded in his life. This is not the usual romance where the hero falls madly in love. Age is a problem, Heron is 35 and Pandora is 19. Use to women who are exquisite beauties, Pandora is both boyishly slim and plain in looks. But she speaks her mind, something that is rare in females of this time and Heron is attracted to ....what? Even he is unsure why he starts to visit her but he does.
Slowly Heron learns to see everything through Pandora's eyes which is refreshing. Pandora's earlier life was influenced by her father who was a soldier. She continues to be concerned about her father's troops when they start to return home. Some are injured and most have no jobs. Heron, who has never had to worry about money, now begins to help others on the sly.
What makes this regency good is the manner in which Ms. Walsh allows us to see the changes in the Duke of Heron. Honestly, I didn't care for his character at first. The author does a wonderful job of depicting all the worries that Pandora experiences. She is neither immature or whiny for a 19 year old. On the whole, A HIGHLY RESPECTABLE MARRIAGE was satisfying with believable characters. Published in 1982 it is not dated. If you enjoy the traditional regency genre you should enjoy this romance.
When they first meet Pandora's intentions are misunderstood and Heron treats her shoddily. Boredom and routine have become embedded in his life. This is not the usual romance where the hero falls madly in love. Age is a problem, Heron is 35 and Pandora is 19. Use to women who are exquisite beauties, Pandora is both boyishly slim and plain in looks. But she speaks her mind, something that is rare in females of this time and Heron is attracted to ....what? Even he is unsure why he starts to visit her but he does.
Slowly Heron learns to see everything through Pandora's eyes which is refreshing. Pandora's earlier life was influenced by her father who was a soldier. She continues to be concerned about her father's troops when they start to return home. Some are injured and most have no jobs. Heron, who has never had to worry about money, now begins to help others on the sly.
What makes this regency good is the manner in which Ms. Walsh allows us to see the changes in the Duke of Heron. Honestly, I didn't care for his character at first. The author does a wonderful job of depicting all the worries that Pandora experiences. She is neither immature or whiny for a 19 year old. On the whole, A HIGHLY RESPECTABLE MARRIAGE was satisfying with believable characters. Published in 1982 it is not dated. If you enjoy the traditional regency genre you should enjoy this romance.
January 11, 2025
3.5 stars out of 5
April 20, 2021
A nicely written slow-burn regency romance.
I loved this particular quote, where Pandora has a revelation about the duke:
"‘Why have you come to me?’
Pandora opened her mouth to reply ‒ and closed it again.
Because turning to you has become as natural to me as breathing! She wanted to shout the words aloud. Because you are the pivot of my life, my friend and confidant, my strength ‒ and if you were not there, I should be a rootless plant doomed to wither away!"
While most of the content seemed rather historically accurate, I cannot help but wonder about Pandora's first visit to Clearwater with no chaperone. Surely it would be remarked upon?
Overall it's another pleasant story from Sheila Walsh. Strong 3.5 stars.
I loved this particular quote, where Pandora has a revelation about the duke:
"‘Why have you come to me?’
Pandora opened her mouth to reply ‒ and closed it again.
Because turning to you has become as natural to me as breathing! She wanted to shout the words aloud. Because you are the pivot of my life, my friend and confidant, my strength ‒ and if you were not there, I should be a rootless plant doomed to wither away!"
While most of the content seemed rather historically accurate, I cannot help but wonder about Pandora's first visit to Clearwater with no chaperone. Surely it would be remarked upon?
Overall it's another pleasant story from Sheila Walsh. Strong 3.5 stars.
July 3, 2020
Not great, but an ok traditional regency.
Heroine was too naive. But the growth of hero from a bored aristocrat yo a loving husband was nicely done, can’t say same for heroine. She was bit blind to hero.
Unwanted misunderstanding and miscommunication irritated towards the end. But then that is usual regency.
Felt the book to be a mix of Frederica and Arabella by Heyer, but not that well written.
Heroine was too naive. But the growth of hero from a bored aristocrat yo a loving husband was nicely done, can’t say same for heroine. She was bit blind to hero.
Unwanted misunderstanding and miscommunication irritated towards the end. But then that is usual regency.
Felt the book to be a mix of Frederica and Arabella by Heyer, but not that well written.
March 25, 2023
A very nice book. It reminds me a bit of Georgette Heyer's Frederica.
May 24, 2024
Written exactly like I wanted to read, clean and suitable for the period. However, it was too predictable and far from original. The plot has:
- rich Hero who is bored of everything, even his latest mistress. Except this new girl in town.
- sweet, orphaned heroine who is not so pretty and just wants to help everyone. She is also impulsive but innocent.
- large age gap (H is at least twice her age)
- Hero cannot admit he is in love with her, but still proposes to her bc why not.
- his Grandmother, who is cold and senile, likes the heroine almost instantly
- Hero is "amused" with heroine's little brother, who can't stop talking and getting scrapes.
- Hero is always there to help heroine, not only financially.
- Hero's ex mistress is the most beautiful widowed in the city, she is jealous of this poor, plain girl and thinks of nothing else than getting revenge **eyerolling**
- of course after some moments of jealousy and after the kidnapping, Hero confesses his true feelings.
- HEA with heroine being pregnant, the end.
Yawn.
- rich Hero who is bored of everything, even his latest mistress. Except this new girl in town.
- sweet, orphaned heroine who is not so pretty and just wants to help everyone. She is also impulsive but innocent.
- large age gap (H is at least twice her age)
- Hero cannot admit he is in love with her, but still proposes to her bc why not.
- his Grandmother, who is cold and senile, likes the heroine almost instantly
- Hero is "amused" with heroine's little brother, who can't stop talking and getting scrapes.
- Hero is always there to help heroine, not only financially.
- Hero's ex mistress is the most beautiful widowed in the city, she is jealous of this poor, plain girl and thinks of nothing else than getting revenge **eyerolling**
- of course after some moments of jealousy and after the kidnapping, Hero confesses his true feelings.
- HEA with heroine being pregnant, the end.
Yawn.
April 24, 2023
georgette heyer lit
I don’t often review books but must agree with others that this a complete steal from several Heyer novels - principally Arabella and Frederica. All regency HEAs are derivative but this one takes the biscuit.
I don’t often review books but must agree with others that this a complete steal from several Heyer novels - principally Arabella and Frederica. All regency HEAs are derivative but this one takes the biscuit.
August 21, 2023
best book I’ve read in a while.
Good storyline, good characters. Would have liked a few things a tad different but overall a very good book. I would have liked her a couple of years older or him a few years younger but I guess it doesn’t matter.
Good storyline, good characters. Would have liked a few things a tad different but overall a very good book. I would have liked her a couple of years older or him a few years younger but I guess it doesn’t matter.
January 24, 2022
Highly enjoyable
Loved the plot,and the historical information, and I loved Pandora, I am so glad she got her happily ever after
Loved the plot,and the historical information, and I loved Pandora, I am so glad she got her happily ever after
December 6, 2022
Lovely and Delightful!
Beautifully written with finely wrought characters. The Dukes love of honesty and how it shines in Pandora is rare in Regencies.
Beautifully written with finely wrought characters. The Dukes love of honesty and how it shines in Pandora is rare in Regencies.
May 5, 2024
3.5 stars
December 23, 2020
Weakly drawn characters in a patched together story.
October 18, 2008
THE OFFICER’S DAUGHTER
Lovely young Pandora Carlyon was the daughter of a gallant colonel--but now her father was dead, and Pandora was left unprotected in London, far from the battlefields of Europe where she had been raised.
It was up to Pandora to map out a campaign of survival for herself and her two brothers in this strange and scandalous world of English society. It was also up to her to defend her reputation and honour with every weapon at her command when the maddeningly handsome, shockingly notorious Duke of Heron proposed a most unthinkable alliance.
Pandora was about to learn that in love as in war, all was considered fair, every move was fraught with peril, and surrender could be so very tempting....
This book features a young and outspoken heroine and an older jaded rake. It's not that I don't like these types of stories but sometimes it seems to me a bit unbelievable the love story between such different people.
Pandora is an orphan and lives with her brother in the house of her half sister. They are treated like a charity case and since her young brother is always in trouble there's talk of sending him to a severe school. To avoid that Pandora decides to find employment . After a conversation with her godmother, she decides to visit the Duke of Heron who is apparently looking for a governess for his charges. Heron has no idea what Pandora is talking about and thinks she is proposing to become his wife thus creating a misunderstanding and some harsh words are spoken. On learning the truth he finds Pandora and starts to feel attracted to her. His attraction is almost immediate and maybe that is what made it a bit unbelievable to me.
Pandora was a nice girl, very trusting, naive and wanting to help everyone around her while Heron is the consummate rake. In a way I felt he rushed her a bit towards marriage and she might need more time to adjust to marriage, to him and to her new station.
Grade: B-
Lovely young Pandora Carlyon was the daughter of a gallant colonel--but now her father was dead, and Pandora was left unprotected in London, far from the battlefields of Europe where she had been raised.
It was up to Pandora to map out a campaign of survival for herself and her two brothers in this strange and scandalous world of English society. It was also up to her to defend her reputation and honour with every weapon at her command when the maddeningly handsome, shockingly notorious Duke of Heron proposed a most unthinkable alliance.
Pandora was about to learn that in love as in war, all was considered fair, every move was fraught with peril, and surrender could be so very tempting....
This book features a young and outspoken heroine and an older jaded rake. It's not that I don't like these types of stories but sometimes it seems to me a bit unbelievable the love story between such different people.
Pandora is an orphan and lives with her brother in the house of her half sister. They are treated like a charity case and since her young brother is always in trouble there's talk of sending him to a severe school. To avoid that Pandora decides to find employment . After a conversation with her godmother, she decides to visit the Duke of Heron who is apparently looking for a governess for his charges. Heron has no idea what Pandora is talking about and thinks she is proposing to become his wife thus creating a misunderstanding and some harsh words are spoken. On learning the truth he finds Pandora and starts to feel attracted to her. His attraction is almost immediate and maybe that is what made it a bit unbelievable to me.
Pandora was a nice girl, very trusting, naive and wanting to help everyone around her while Heron is the consummate rake. In a way I felt he rushed her a bit towards marriage and she might need more time to adjust to marriage, to him and to her new station.
Grade: B-
March 6, 2019
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery- or is that plagiarism
While I quite enjoyed the story I found that large parts of it were directly lifted from various Georgette Heyer stories sometimes even word for word. Most of it is Frederica with odd bits of Devils Cub and The Spanish Bride plus several others and I found myself reading it more as a 'name that book' game than as a story. Still it made me go back to re-read the originals which I hadn't done for a while and thoroughly indulged myself in wonderful, amusing originals.
While I quite enjoyed the story I found that large parts of it were directly lifted from various Georgette Heyer stories sometimes even word for word. Most of it is Frederica with odd bits of Devils Cub and The Spanish Bride plus several others and I found myself reading it more as a 'name that book' game than as a story. Still it made me go back to re-read the originals which I hadn't done for a while and thoroughly indulged myself in wonderful, amusing originals.
December 22, 2015
Another cute book by Sheila Walsh. The age gap bothered me, more from the perspective that if it wasn't for the fact that it was all about love and romance he would have basically been a predator.
Rating: PG-13
Rationale: Adult themes, reference to violence and sex
Rating: PG-13
Rationale: Adult themes, reference to violence and sex
December 2, 2019
Too derivative
It felt like reading a badly written mish mash of Georgette Heyer books. It started off as Frederica , followed as Arabella with a little The Grand Sophy thrown in
It felt like reading a badly written mish mash of Georgette Heyer books. It started off as Frederica , followed as Arabella with a little The Grand Sophy thrown in
August 26, 2013
Good story with strong h. There is a villain but doesn’t get in a way of the story.
February 2, 2016
Sweet trad regency..
November 11, 2019
Classic regency
I am glad Walsh books are available in ebook form. Loved Pandora and her little brother William,reminded of Heyers' Frederica.
I am glad Walsh books are available in ebook form. Loved Pandora and her little brother William,reminded of Heyers' Frederica.
April 1, 2017
This is my absolute favourite of Sheila Walsh novel when I read it back in the 1980s.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews