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Angela
Angela's past keeps coming back to haunt her. When she meets a kindly and attractive farmer she explains that her rogue of a stepfather planned to force her into a loveless marriage with his nephew. Richard Bennet instantly believes her story. Who could not believe such an exquisite, but terrified creature? Now she has taken residence on his land and in his heart, but the doubts are beginning to develop. Could her stepfather be telling the truth about Angela Swan's shameful past, proving her tearful words a fraud, or is her story and her love genuine?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 12, 1982
3 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Chater
70 books22 followersElizabeth Chater (1910-2004) was the author of more than twenty-four novels and countless short stories. She received a B.A. from the University of British Columbia and an M.A. from San Diego State University and joined the faculty of the latter in 1963 where she began a lifelong friendship with science fiction author Greg Bear. She was honored with The Distinguished Teacher award in 1969 and was awarded Outstanding Professor of the Year in 1977. After receiving her Professor Emeritus, she embarked on a new career as a novelist with Richard Curtis as her agent. In the 1950s and 60s she published short stories in Fantastic Universe Magazine and The Saint Mystery Magazine, and she won the Publisher’s Weekly short story contest in 1975. At the age of sixty-eight, she began writing in the romance genre and published twenty-two novels over an eight-year period. She also wrote under the pen names Lee Chater, Lee Chaytor, and Lisa Moore. For more information, please visit: https://elizabethchaterbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 19, 2023
Clean Regency Romance. TW: mentions of domestic violence
Angela is a quiet even tempered young lady who's an heiress living under the control of an autocratic and cruel stepfather. The sudden death of her mother and the threat of forcible marriage to the unprepossessing nephew of her stepfather forces her to flee towards London without any plan or support and practically no money. A series of unfortunate events introduce the hero, Robert Bennet, a gentleman farmer of Scottish descent, to Angela. He steps in to save her from a dangerous and embarassing situation not of her own making. Without disclosing details of the ups and downs in Angela's story, there's a satisfying hea for Angela and Robert Bennet, a charismatic, intelligent, generous, loyal and loving friend and mate.
Angela is a quiet even tempered young lady who's an heiress living under the control of an autocratic and cruel stepfather. The sudden death of her mother and the threat of forcible marriage to the unprepossessing nephew of her stepfather forces her to flee towards London without any plan or support and practically no money. A series of unfortunate events introduce the hero, Robert Bennet, a gentleman farmer of Scottish descent, to Angela. He steps in to save her from a dangerous and embarassing situation not of her own making. Without disclosing details of the ups and downs in Angela's story, there's a satisfying hea for Angela and Robert Bennet, a charismatic, intelligent, generous, loyal and loving friend and mate.
July 31, 2016
Angela by Elizabeth Chater (1982, Ivy Books) is a clean Georgian romance, and is also available in the third Elizabeth Chater Regency Romance Collection. Elizabeth Chater is one of my favorite authors, so I’m a big fan of the collections. The hero in this book was a character in The Elsingham Portrait, but Angela is a standalone novel. Chater dedicated Angela “to all those friends of Richard Bennet who have demanded that he get the girl.”
4 1/2 stars
The Heroine
Angela Swann and her mother live under the thumb of Angela’s abusive stepfather. (Thank God we don’t live in an age when a husband is “legally within his rights and could not be called to account.”) Her deceased father’s estate Swanholme, now home to the three of them, will belong to Angela when she marries. Angela’s stepfather has a nephew about Angela’s age and coerces her to agree to marry him. Her stepfather has a plan to keep her under his thumb, even when she’s a married. When a rare opportunity arises, Angela flees her home, but ends up in some pretty difficult situations.
The Hero
Richard Bennet is a farmer and a true hero. He helps Angela even though they are strangers to one another, and I would look askance at any reader who does not think he is an awesome hero!
What I liked:
* Gilles Loring is very convincing as an abusive husband/stepfather. He metes out physical punishment for not bending to his will and engages in mental manipulation. It’s truly horrifying. Now strictly speaking, I can’t call this a “like,” but I think that Chater did an excellent job with this.
*This is a clean novel, but there is reference to “younger fresher bodies” by Giles Loring which is off-putting! I love that Richard Bennet is not a noble rake, but an inexperienced farmer. Even though I seek clean Regency books, the heroes are still frequently rakes.
What I didn’t like:
*Apparently, Richard has been silently pining for his “lost love” for nearly five years. Yes, Richard Bennet is a faithful man, but he is also wise and honorable. I don’t think he would allow himself to mourn for a woman who is someone else’s wife, especially when she was never Richard’s sweetheart to begin with! I realize I’m nitpicking since Richard’s pining was really only mentioned in passing.
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I’d recommend this book to those who like clean Regency/Georgian fiction/light romance. I’m sure Chater will remain on my to-read list until I’ve read all of her romances!
4 1/2 stars
The Heroine
Angela Swann and her mother live under the thumb of Angela’s abusive stepfather. (Thank God we don’t live in an age when a husband is “legally within his rights and could not be called to account.”) Her deceased father’s estate Swanholme, now home to the three of them, will belong to Angela when she marries. Angela’s stepfather has a nephew about Angela’s age and coerces her to agree to marry him. Her stepfather has a plan to keep her under his thumb, even when she’s a married. When a rare opportunity arises, Angela flees her home, but ends up in some pretty difficult situations.
The Hero
Richard Bennet is a farmer and a true hero. He helps Angela even though they are strangers to one another, and I would look askance at any reader who does not think he is an awesome hero!
What I liked:
* Gilles Loring is very convincing as an abusive husband/stepfather. He metes out physical punishment for not bending to his will and engages in mental manipulation. It’s truly horrifying. Now strictly speaking, I can’t call this a “like,” but I think that Chater did an excellent job with this.
*This is a clean novel, but there is reference to “younger fresher bodies” by Giles Loring which is off-putting! I love that Richard Bennet is not a noble rake, but an inexperienced farmer. Even though I seek clean Regency books, the heroes are still frequently rakes.
What I didn’t like:
*Apparently, Richard has been silently pining for his “lost love” for nearly five years. Yes, Richard Bennet is a faithful man, but he is also wise and honorable. I don’t think he would allow himself to mourn for a woman who is someone else’s wife, especially when she was never Richard’s sweetheart to begin with! I realize I’m nitpicking since Richard’s pining was really only mentioned in passing.
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I’d recommend this book to those who like clean Regency/Georgian fiction/light romance. I’m sure Chater will remain on my to-read list until I’ve read all of her romances!
January 26, 2015
A Very Sweet Story
I have been a fan of Regencies for 60 years. I fell in love with them when I read my first one, Georgette Heyers "Cotillion" when I was 15. It has taken me up to this year to discover Elizabeth Chater and I'm so glad she has such a wonderful backlist.
I love dark stories but this is far from that. Of course there is the requisite villain or else we wouldn't need a hero. There is also a brave and beset heroine and a stalwart friend. This is truly a sweet story that could be read by any age person in any place.
If you love a sweet romance please read any of this authors books. You will find them a real treat.
I have been a fan of Regencies for 60 years. I fell in love with them when I read my first one, Georgette Heyers "Cotillion" when I was 15. It has taken me up to this year to discover Elizabeth Chater and I'm so glad she has such a wonderful backlist.
I love dark stories but this is far from that. Of course there is the requisite villain or else we wouldn't need a hero. There is also a brave and beset heroine and a stalwart friend. This is truly a sweet story that could be read by any age person in any place.
If you love a sweet romance please read any of this authors books. You will find them a real treat.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews