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Sydney Dovedale #4
Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction
Carver Danforthe, Earl of Everscham, has a reputation for being a wild rogue—not for indulging the ambitions of his sister's maid.
But Molly Robbins' unique dress designs have caught the eye of society's elite, and if it means her own dress shop, Molly will make a deal with the devil himself—or his proxy, the notoriously naughty earl.
But becoming his mistress is not a part of their arrangement. It's right there in the contract's small print: No Tomfoolery. Until he proposes a scandalous new addendum to their contract…
But Molly Robbins' unique dress designs have caught the eye of society's elite, and if it means her own dress shop, Molly will make a deal with the devil himself—or his proxy, the notoriously naughty earl.
But becoming his mistress is not a part of their arrangement. It's right there in the contract's small print: No Tomfoolery. Until he proposes a scandalous new addendum to their contract…
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 4, 2014
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430 people want to read
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July 25, 2016
I've given this a C+ at AAR, so 3.5 stars.
I confess that I was feeling a little jaded when I started reading this book. I’ve read or listened to several titles over the last few weeks which I’d classify as “fluff” – light-hearted, often comedic romances which, while enjoyable, are like the proverbial Chinese meal: Half an hour later you’ve forgotten all about it and want another one! I should also make it clear that I have nothing against “fluff” – in fact, I’m a fan when it’s done well, and when I started reading, I thought I’d stumbled across a better-class-of-fluff, because right from the start, Miss Molly felt a bit more substantial in terms of its characterisation and dialogue than some of my other recent reads.
The book opens with the eponymous Molly absconding from her own wedding. She had previously spent twelve years living in London as the lady’s maid and confidante of Lady Mercy Danforthe, and prior to departing the city to go home for her wedding, had been offered the money to set up her own dressmaking business instead of getting married. The offer, however, came not from Lady Mercy, but from her brother, Carver Danforthe, the Earl of Everscham – and Molly is heading back to London to take him up on the offer.
As this is the fourth book in a series and I haven’t read the others, I’m not aware of how Molly and the earl have interacted in the past, but when she shows up at the town house with a contract for the loan of a sum of money, it’s clear that there’s some history between them; he teases her, frequently using his nickname for her – “mouse” - and she treats him with the kind of resigned indulgence which is a dead giveaway; here we have a young woman rather desperately in love but with no hope or expectation of a return.
The way their relationship is presented in first part of the book worked very well. There is a lot of actual wit in the exchanges between them and a real sense that, despite their difference in rank, they have a strong affection for each other. Something else which also stuck with me, and for which I give props to the author, is the fact that she includes the odd detail here and there which one doesn’t often come across in historical romance. For example, as a young woman from a small village and a servant, Molly would not have been very well educated (and probably wouldn’t have been at all educated, had it not been for her association with Lady Mercy) and so the contract she presents to Carver (and seriously, what sort of name is that for a British aristocrat?) is littered with spelling mistakes, and her handwriting isn’t too good. Small things, but they nonetheless serve to add a bit of realism to a story which, by virtue of being a servant/aristocrat romance isn’t going to possess a great deal of it!
One of the things Molly has insisted upon and written into the contract is that there will be no hanky-panky, or “Tom Foolery”, as she calls it. The problem is, that Molly’s newly emerging confidence is proving annoyingly attractive to Carver – and well, she’s always found him attractive, but as a servant in his household, couldn’t allow herself to admit it. But now, she can’t stop thinking about him, even though she knows there’s likely nothing in it for her but eventual heartbreak.
But around the halfway point – and even with the addition of an anvil-heavy sub-plot – the pace starts to flag, and Carver starts to act like a complete arse. Many of the things he does for Molly are, he thinks, because he wants her to be comfortable, but which in fact seem more than a little controlling; and there comes a point at which he decides he wants to solve all her problems so that she can be free to concentrate fully on him. I hope the author was deliberately trying to show her hero at his arrogantly selfish worst, because that definitely felt a bit creepy. And then there’s the fact that Molly wants their association to be low-key and discreet, but he, being used to doing exactly as he likes, is like a kid with a new toy and clearly has trouble with the concept of discretion; so it’s no wonder that she soon becomes the subject of some very nasty gossip.
The pace picks up again towards the end, but despite my enthusiasm at the beginning of the book, I finished it feeling that it was merely okay and not a book I’d have a pressing need to re-read. Too many things were not properly developed or fully explored, and, as often happens with cross-class romances, the class issue was really not as much of an issue for the two protagonists as it should have been. The characterisation was uneven – both Molly and Carver are attractive, clearly drawn characters, but there’s an element of the stereotypical to them both; she’s intelligent and plucky, and he had an affection-starved childhood. He is presented as an unprincipled libertine, someone famed for his amours who also likes strong drink and plenty of it. Indeed, when Molly presents him with her contract, he’s three sheets to the wind, and it’s obviously not the first time she’s seen him like that. But in no time at all, he’s more often sober than not, getting out of bed before noon, surreptitiously seeing that Molly finds decent lodgings, finding her some trustworthy help as her business takes off, and secretly providing her landlady with funds for repairs to the lodging house and to provide better food. Actually, I was surprised that Molly, who is not unintelligent, couldn’t see through his schemes.
I was also completely unconvinced by the ease with which Molly sets up her dressmaking business. With one silly stunt and Carver’s behind-the-scenes influence, she finds herself with a thriving business within a few weeks, which was just too much of a stretch.
By a strange quirk of co-incidence, I was listening to the new audiobook of Loretta Chase’s Silk is for Seduction (which is set in the same year, and which also boasts a modiste and an aristocrat as the central characters) at around the same time I was reading this, so it was impossible to avoid making comparisons. In the Chase book, we get to see how hard the characters to work to maintain their business, how precarious their lives are and how carefully they have to tread to make sure they stay within the confines of what society expects of them. Molly just accosts a woman in the street, spins her some sort of yarn and is engaged to make her a dress.
Miss Molly Robbins ended up being a decent read, but it didn’t live up to my early expectations. The relationship between Molly and Carver had a real freshness to it at the beginning, and their exchanges were filled with wit and affection; but once they became involved, the freshness disappeared and they became just like any other couple in a romance.
I confess that I was feeling a little jaded when I started reading this book. I’ve read or listened to several titles over the last few weeks which I’d classify as “fluff” – light-hearted, often comedic romances which, while enjoyable, are like the proverbial Chinese meal: Half an hour later you’ve forgotten all about it and want another one! I should also make it clear that I have nothing against “fluff” – in fact, I’m a fan when it’s done well, and when I started reading, I thought I’d stumbled across a better-class-of-fluff, because right from the start, Miss Molly felt a bit more substantial in terms of its characterisation and dialogue than some of my other recent reads.
The book opens with the eponymous Molly absconding from her own wedding. She had previously spent twelve years living in London as the lady’s maid and confidante of Lady Mercy Danforthe, and prior to departing the city to go home for her wedding, had been offered the money to set up her own dressmaking business instead of getting married. The offer, however, came not from Lady Mercy, but from her brother, Carver Danforthe, the Earl of Everscham – and Molly is heading back to London to take him up on the offer.
As this is the fourth book in a series and I haven’t read the others, I’m not aware of how Molly and the earl have interacted in the past, but when she shows up at the town house with a contract for the loan of a sum of money, it’s clear that there’s some history between them; he teases her, frequently using his nickname for her – “mouse” - and she treats him with the kind of resigned indulgence which is a dead giveaway; here we have a young woman rather desperately in love but with no hope or expectation of a return.
The way their relationship is presented in first part of the book worked very well. There is a lot of actual wit in the exchanges between them and a real sense that, despite their difference in rank, they have a strong affection for each other. Something else which also stuck with me, and for which I give props to the author, is the fact that she includes the odd detail here and there which one doesn’t often come across in historical romance. For example, as a young woman from a small village and a servant, Molly would not have been very well educated (and probably wouldn’t have been at all educated, had it not been for her association with Lady Mercy) and so the contract she presents to Carver (and seriously, what sort of name is that for a British aristocrat?) is littered with spelling mistakes, and her handwriting isn’t too good. Small things, but they nonetheless serve to add a bit of realism to a story which, by virtue of being a servant/aristocrat romance isn’t going to possess a great deal of it!
One of the things Molly has insisted upon and written into the contract is that there will be no hanky-panky, or “Tom Foolery”, as she calls it. The problem is, that Molly’s newly emerging confidence is proving annoyingly attractive to Carver – and well, she’s always found him attractive, but as a servant in his household, couldn’t allow herself to admit it. But now, she can’t stop thinking about him, even though she knows there’s likely nothing in it for her but eventual heartbreak.
But around the halfway point – and even with the addition of an anvil-heavy sub-plot – the pace starts to flag, and Carver starts to act like a complete arse. Many of the things he does for Molly are, he thinks, because he wants her to be comfortable, but which in fact seem more than a little controlling; and there comes a point at which he decides he wants to solve all her problems so that she can be free to concentrate fully on him. I hope the author was deliberately trying to show her hero at his arrogantly selfish worst, because that definitely felt a bit creepy. And then there’s the fact that Molly wants their association to be low-key and discreet, but he, being used to doing exactly as he likes, is like a kid with a new toy and clearly has trouble with the concept of discretion; so it’s no wonder that she soon becomes the subject of some very nasty gossip.
The pace picks up again towards the end, but despite my enthusiasm at the beginning of the book, I finished it feeling that it was merely okay and not a book I’d have a pressing need to re-read. Too many things were not properly developed or fully explored, and, as often happens with cross-class romances, the class issue was really not as much of an issue for the two protagonists as it should have been. The characterisation was uneven – both Molly and Carver are attractive, clearly drawn characters, but there’s an element of the stereotypical to them both; she’s intelligent and plucky, and he had an affection-starved childhood. He is presented as an unprincipled libertine, someone famed for his amours who also likes strong drink and plenty of it. Indeed, when Molly presents him with her contract, he’s three sheets to the wind, and it’s obviously not the first time she’s seen him like that. But in no time at all, he’s more often sober than not, getting out of bed before noon, surreptitiously seeing that Molly finds decent lodgings, finding her some trustworthy help as her business takes off, and secretly providing her landlady with funds for repairs to the lodging house and to provide better food. Actually, I was surprised that Molly, who is not unintelligent, couldn’t see through his schemes.
I was also completely unconvinced by the ease with which Molly sets up her dressmaking business. With one silly stunt and Carver’s behind-the-scenes influence, she finds herself with a thriving business within a few weeks, which was just too much of a stretch.
By a strange quirk of co-incidence, I was listening to the new audiobook of Loretta Chase’s Silk is for Seduction (which is set in the same year, and which also boasts a modiste and an aristocrat as the central characters) at around the same time I was reading this, so it was impossible to avoid making comparisons. In the Chase book, we get to see how hard the characters to work to maintain their business, how precarious their lives are and how carefully they have to tread to make sure they stay within the confines of what society expects of them. Molly just accosts a woman in the street, spins her some sort of yarn and is engaged to make her a dress.
Miss Molly Robbins ended up being a decent read, but it didn’t live up to my early expectations. The relationship between Molly and Carver had a real freshness to it at the beginning, and their exchanges were filled with wit and affection; but once they became involved, the freshness disappeared and they became just like any other couple in a romance.
July 17, 2014
This is my favorite book out of Jayne Fresina's Sydney Dovedale series. I've long awaited Molly and Carver's story, ever since their fated meeting when Molly was just a young girl being employed by Carver's sister, Lady Mercy. Molly remains the practical, sensible, and sweet girl that she was, who slowly becomes tempted by Carver though he, too, gradually begins to have a conscience and learns not too late the important of Molly in his life. This was a truly enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.
*Review copy complimentary of the publisher for an honest review
Mini review
*Review copy complimentary of the publisher for an honest review
Mini review
December 15, 2013
Molly Robbins, former lady’s maid, has left her fiance at the altar to take her ex-employer’s brother, noted rake Carver Danforthe, up on a drunken offer to loan her the capital to start her own dress shop. In the twelve years in his employ, Molly has always been his Mouse, quiet, stern, and plain. But when she introduces a no tomfoolery clause to the contract, she’s suddenly forbidden. And Carver can’t get her out of his head.
I like that so much in summary! But again, there are too many plot details. Molly ends up rooming at a boarding house run by a kind old lady and her sister with a secret. Danforthe, not wanting Molly to fail, sends his mistress to her for a few new gowns on his dime. This leads to a rivalry between the two women as he pursues Molly more publicly. Meanwhile, Lady Mercy, Molly’s ex-employer, has moved to Sydney Dovedale to pursue Rafe, Molly’s ex-fiance. The scandal mirroring Carver’s pursual of Molly causes one of his evil rake buddies to bet that Carver can’t take Molly to bed.
Amending their contract to include the previously forbidden Tomfollerie, Molly becomes Carver’s mistress for 6 weeks, (I also just read that plot in Courtney Milan’s Unraveled.) She leads a double life, dowdy seamstress by day, wild seductress by night, but Carver’s still unsatisfied and decides to make it official, by displaying her as his mistress publicly. After a disastrous dinner party, Carver takes her to his family estates to ahem, ride out the length of their arrangement. There, he learns to be the Earl he’s been neglecting since his father’s death while Molly dazzles those around her with her natural Countess-ness. Big Mis, wrap up the beta romance, wrap up the secret, make up, HEA.
With my second Sydney Dovedale romance in the books, I think I can articulate what bothered me about both this novel and the first in the series. Despite being the same length as other historical romances, they feel over long, especially at the beginning. Partially it’s all the plot points. I could do with about half. Mercy’s romance is superfluous and the landlady’s secret didn’t work for me. Mostly, though, it’s because Fresina writes good dialogue, but her descriptions can be dry and overstuffed, which makes the frequent exposition scenes drag. The heroine’s deteriorating eyesight is mentioned so frequently, in such blurry detail, but it’s not important to the plot.
I did like Molly. She was a hard worker and determined, but not shrewish or holier than thou. She wasn’t perfect, but tried to be good and nice to everyone and that translated to being a good Countess. Carver’s growth was awfully fast, but it had some basis in the text, (his kind of weird collecting of homeless boys.) Despite both dealing with wealthy men seducing fallen women, Carver and Molly read very differently from Sophie and Russ, which is nice. I just wish the sense of fun in the dialogue came through in the rest of the narrative.
I like that so much in summary! But again, there are too many plot details. Molly ends up rooming at a boarding house run by a kind old lady and her sister with a secret. Danforthe, not wanting Molly to fail, sends his mistress to her for a few new gowns on his dime. This leads to a rivalry between the two women as he pursues Molly more publicly. Meanwhile, Lady Mercy, Molly’s ex-employer, has moved to Sydney Dovedale to pursue Rafe, Molly’s ex-fiance. The scandal mirroring Carver’s pursual of Molly causes one of his evil rake buddies to bet that Carver can’t take Molly to bed.
Amending their contract to include the previously forbidden Tomfollerie, Molly becomes Carver’s mistress for 6 weeks, (I also just read that plot in Courtney Milan’s Unraveled.) She leads a double life, dowdy seamstress by day, wild seductress by night, but Carver’s still unsatisfied and decides to make it official, by displaying her as his mistress publicly. After a disastrous dinner party, Carver takes her to his family estates to ahem, ride out the length of their arrangement. There, he learns to be the Earl he’s been neglecting since his father’s death while Molly dazzles those around her with her natural Countess-ness. Big Mis, wrap up the beta romance, wrap up the secret, make up, HEA.
With my second Sydney Dovedale romance in the books, I think I can articulate what bothered me about both this novel and the first in the series. Despite being the same length as other historical romances, they feel over long, especially at the beginning. Partially it’s all the plot points. I could do with about half. Mercy’s romance is superfluous and the landlady’s secret didn’t work for me. Mostly, though, it’s because Fresina writes good dialogue, but her descriptions can be dry and overstuffed, which makes the frequent exposition scenes drag. The heroine’s deteriorating eyesight is mentioned so frequently, in such blurry detail, but it’s not important to the plot.
I did like Molly. She was a hard worker and determined, but not shrewish or holier than thou. She wasn’t perfect, but tried to be good and nice to everyone and that translated to being a good Countess. Carver’s growth was awfully fast, but it had some basis in the text, (his kind of weird collecting of homeless boys.) Despite both dealing with wealthy men seducing fallen women, Carver and Molly read very differently from Sophie and Russ, which is nice. I just wish the sense of fun in the dialogue came through in the rest of the narrative.
May 29, 2022
My friends and I read this book (after finding it for 10¢ at our library) every other day on our carpool after school. Thank you Jayne, for writing such a hysterically disastrous novel to entertain us for our whole senior year!
Miss Molly Robbins is an incredibly inconsistent and confusing novel. At any given time Molly might be described as brave or modest, and two pages later she’s letting carver finger her with a feather. Throughout the book, she constantly flip flops on this cycle of either refusing the Earl’s advances or else saying she’d like him to punish her more. There would be pages upon pages of mind boggling plot followed by explosive sex scenes that were very hard to read.
I thought the ending was very disappointing and the “twist” was only involved in the last 50 pages and felt like a huge letdown. I was hoping she would kill him myself.
It was pretty hard to remember all of the minor characters, and only my friend Pam was able to keep track of them.
Our favorite scenes were the the bee dance, the Baroness’ tantrum, the (improbable) scooping up of Molly on horse-drawn carriage, and the story of Arthur Wakely’s tragic foot.
We had a great learning new words, most of which were just whore synonyms such as strumpet, hussy, and rum-doxy.
Thank you Jayne, please write a sequel we will be waiting xoxo
Miss Molly Robbins is an incredibly inconsistent and confusing novel. At any given time Molly might be described as brave or modest, and two pages later she’s letting carver finger her with a feather. Throughout the book, she constantly flip flops on this cycle of either refusing the Earl’s advances or else saying she’d like him to punish her more. There would be pages upon pages of mind boggling plot followed by explosive sex scenes that were very hard to read.
I thought the ending was very disappointing and the “twist” was only involved in the last 50 pages and felt like a huge letdown. I was hoping she would kill him myself.
It was pretty hard to remember all of the minor characters, and only my friend Pam was able to keep track of them.
Our favorite scenes were the the bee dance, the Baroness’ tantrum, the (improbable) scooping up of Molly on horse-drawn carriage, and the story of Arthur Wakely’s tragic foot.
We had a great learning new words, most of which were just whore synonyms such as strumpet, hussy, and rum-doxy.
Thank you Jayne, please write a sequel we will be waiting xoxo
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2014
Molly Robbins is a former ladies’ maid. She’s jilted her fiancé at her wedded and moved back to London to make a career as a dressmaker. Unfortunately, she has to gain the funds to start her business, which means taking her previous employer up on his (drunken) offer of help. Carver Danforthe, a notorious Earl, has always enjoyed sparring with Molly when she was his sister’s maid and, at the end of the day, not really all that upset to have Molly back in his life. However, Molly has one stipulation for their contract: no funny business. Naturally, this only makes Carver want to have what’s not being offered.
I liked the set up for the novel, and I’ve been interested in Molly and Carver since reading the previous two books in the series. And I liked that fact that, despite the unlikelihood of a business deal between Molly and Carver, some thought was put into the historical details, as Molly has a difficult time spelling when they wrote their contract. Molly, as a ladies’ maid, clearly didn’t have a proper education and at times this showed. I think this was a very important detail in the story, and I’m glad that it was included.
The story started off really strong and there was a lot of quirkiness and humour that I loved. The chemistry between Carver and Molly was great, and I thought both were well characterized. However, things just started to fall apart for me when Molly decides to become Carver’s mistress. Molly was a great character, and her strength was to be admired, and because of that I just wished she had turned the offer down. I’m not a fan of the ‘mistress’ trope in historical romance, and I just wish for once that the heroine would say ‘no’ and that be that. Overall, I wish things could have been a little different for the hero and heroine, but that’s just my opinion, and it hasn’t lessened my fandom for the author.
Ultimately, Miss Molly Robbins was a cute historical romance that was more on the steamier side of things. The situation was outrageous, and generally, that is something that works for me, but I wanted the characters (especially Carver) to have some realizations of what they want much sooner than they did.
Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
I liked the set up for the novel, and I’ve been interested in Molly and Carver since reading the previous two books in the series. And I liked that fact that, despite the unlikelihood of a business deal between Molly and Carver, some thought was put into the historical details, as Molly has a difficult time spelling when they wrote their contract. Molly, as a ladies’ maid, clearly didn’t have a proper education and at times this showed. I think this was a very important detail in the story, and I’m glad that it was included.
The story started off really strong and there was a lot of quirkiness and humour that I loved. The chemistry between Carver and Molly was great, and I thought both were well characterized. However, things just started to fall apart for me when Molly decides to become Carver’s mistress. Molly was a great character, and her strength was to be admired, and because of that I just wished she had turned the offer down. I’m not a fan of the ‘mistress’ trope in historical romance, and I just wish for once that the heroine would say ‘no’ and that be that. Overall, I wish things could have been a little different for the hero and heroine, but that’s just my opinion, and it hasn’t lessened my fandom for the author.
Ultimately, Miss Molly Robbins was a cute historical romance that was more on the steamier side of things. The situation was outrageous, and generally, that is something that works for me, but I wanted the characters (especially Carver) to have some realizations of what they want much sooner than they did.
Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
July 30, 2014
Set in Victorian days, this adult romance tale of two classes proves an enjoyable read. There is not much action but plenty of banter. A village girl turned lady's maid has taken her leave to marry, but she bows out and returns to London to design dresses for wealthy ladies. In order to set herself up she will need a loan.
Molly's employer's older brother, Carver Danforthe, is an Earl. He's drunk when he signs a contract to loan Molly money. The girl has learnt to read and sew, observed fashions, and doesn't wish to end in an early grave like her mother who bore eleven children. Carver would rather the mousy chit stayed around town, though he doesn't entirely approve of servants learning to read. Dressing more stylishly, Molly starts to blossom. Carver admits attraction to the creative, determined girl; she's not one of his own servants. There's a stop to his gallop however - written in the contract. No Tomfoolery!
I'm pleased that we see a class barrier being crossed for reasons other than impoverished estates and wealthy mill-owning families. Author Jayne Fresina has delved into the fashions of the day. She depicts Carver as a private reformer, sending London urchins to be taught a trade on his country estate. There is more than a touch of Shaw's 'Pygmalion' in Carver's complaint that Molly is an ingrate of the lower classes; like Henry Higgins, he is all bluster. I also liked the variety of secondary characters and entertaining frolics. I would point out that a man is called Sinjun when the spelling should be St.John, but otherwise the detail seems well researched.
Molly's employer's older brother, Carver Danforthe, is an Earl. He's drunk when he signs a contract to loan Molly money. The girl has learnt to read and sew, observed fashions, and doesn't wish to end in an early grave like her mother who bore eleven children. Carver would rather the mousy chit stayed around town, though he doesn't entirely approve of servants learning to read. Dressing more stylishly, Molly starts to blossom. Carver admits attraction to the creative, determined girl; she's not one of his own servants. There's a stop to his gallop however - written in the contract. No Tomfoolery!
I'm pleased that we see a class barrier being crossed for reasons other than impoverished estates and wealthy mill-owning families. Author Jayne Fresina has delved into the fashions of the day. She depicts Carver as a private reformer, sending London urchins to be taught a trade on his country estate. There is more than a touch of Shaw's 'Pygmalion' in Carver's complaint that Molly is an ingrate of the lower classes; like Henry Higgins, he is all bluster. I also liked the variety of secondary characters and entertaining frolics. I would point out that a man is called Sinjun when the spelling should be St.John, but otherwise the detail seems well researched.
March 18, 2014
Jayne FresinaI was looking forward to this book because Molly and Carver are such different people. Molly is the youngest of the 12 kids in her family. She comes from a poor family but she has always been a dreamer. She thought that more colors are in a cloud not just white. Her mom told her to stop dreaming. Carver was the 2nd son but his brother die before he was born but he was always an afterthought to his parents. Since his parents didn't expect anything from him or his life, he lived that way. He was lazy and let she sister run his life and house. Carver shows the world want they want to see. Molly became his sister, Lady Mercy, lady's maid but she was really her friend. Carver and Molly lived together for 12 years but were always maid and master. When Molly doesn't get married, she returns to London to open a dress shop. Who better to help with a loan but Carver. Carver starts to help Molly in anyway he can just to see her. He craves her and he doesn't know why. Molly does not want to be just another mistress to him. What starts as a chase ends in unexpected love. They both learn many things about themselves that they didn't know. Opposite attract in this sweet story. I didn't enjoy this story as much as I hoped I would. I give this book 3 fingers up and 6 toes.
February 25, 2014
MISS MOLLY ROBBINS DESIGNS A SEDUCTION by Jayne Fresina is a witty Victorian Historical Romance set in 1835 England. #4 in the "Sidney Dovedale" series, but can be read as a stand alone. Meet Carver Danforthe, Earl of Everscham and Molly Robbins, his sister's maid who wishes to designs dresses.
Filled with witty banter, passion, dress designs, a bit of romance and love. Carver is a charmer to say the least. Molly will do anything to open her own dress shop, but is she willing to become Carver's mistress? And then Molly designs a seduction. A lighthearted, fun romp in England. Ms. Fresina draws the readers into her fun, entertaining story with her engaging characters and their ideas of love, and fashion. A sassy, sweet, witty tale of seduction and love. A wonderful read that is fast paced as well as entertaining. Received for an honest review from the publisher and Net Galley.
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
Filled with witty banter, passion, dress designs, a bit of romance and love. Carver is a charmer to say the least. Molly will do anything to open her own dress shop, but is she willing to become Carver's mistress? And then Molly designs a seduction. A lighthearted, fun romp in England. Ms. Fresina draws the readers into her fun, entertaining story with her engaging characters and their ideas of love, and fashion. A sassy, sweet, witty tale of seduction and love. A wonderful read that is fast paced as well as entertaining. Received for an honest review from the publisher and Net Galley.
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
January 4, 2018
This was on my list for awhile and I was eagerly waiting to read it. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to my expectations. There are very few books that can really capture the romance between people of different classes falling in love, in a somewhat believable way (given the genre, a suspension of disbelief is almost a must) and a few books do it perfectly. I was hoping this book might be one of those few.
I began reading this a couple hours ago and was determined to finish it in one sitting (which I accomplished) but I can't say that I enjoyed it. The characters were not very compelling and in this genre, the characters really make a story. The romance and the chemistry between Carver and Molly felt off.
And that's when her character just completely fell apart for me. She became a completely different character and the sudden jump in personality--the sudden change took me unawares and I did not like it.
Carver is an unremarkable character. Very much a cliche. I'm fairly certain I won't remember him in a few weeks and struggle to remember his name. Speaking of his name, there's another thing that unsettled me. Molly decides to call him Danny. Danny? Why? Who knows! It seemed pretty ridiculous to me and it bothered me so much I just had to insert that tidbit into this review.
I briefly mentioned that I was disappointed by the romance, especially since it involved people of different classes. It's not something I come across all that often and when I do, it's not penned very well. The only book that I can recall right now being an exception to that is a Tessa Dare novel about a poor farm girl falling in love with a Duke and vice versa. I can't recall the name at this moment but the point is, it did a great job portraying the characters' own feelings to their class difference. It was a big deal! While I'm not saying that this novel didn't address the class difference, it did, but in a distinctly unsatisfying way. There was no clear resolution about the characters' feelings to their own predicament. Instead, another solution () came flying out of thin air to resolve their feelings about the matter for them. Like I said, distinctly unsatisfying.
Besides the issues mentioned above, I was hoping for more detail about the dresses and fashion, especially since this is about Molly being a dressmaker. It's even in the title. But apart for one page which detailed three dresses worn by her clients and the two articles of clothing worn by Molly herself, there is nothing else. For a romance about a dressmaker, that is extremely disappointing. This was especially a big blow for me because my thoughts about how the plot would go before reading the book was much different than how events played out. I'd thought Molly was an up and coming dressmaker who designed scandalous dresses that were meant for seduction. That's what I perceived from the title and going in with that perception severely limited my enjoyment of the book.
I began reading this a couple hours ago and was determined to finish it in one sitting (which I accomplished) but I can't say that I enjoyed it. The characters were not very compelling and in this genre, the characters really make a story. The romance and the chemistry between Carver and Molly felt off.
And that's when her character just completely fell apart for me. She became a completely different character and the sudden jump in personality--the sudden change took me unawares and I did not like it.
Carver is an unremarkable character. Very much a cliche. I'm fairly certain I won't remember him in a few weeks and struggle to remember his name. Speaking of his name, there's another thing that unsettled me. Molly decides to call him Danny. Danny? Why? Who knows! It seemed pretty ridiculous to me and it bothered me so much I just had to insert that tidbit into this review.
I briefly mentioned that I was disappointed by the romance, especially since it involved people of different classes. It's not something I come across all that often and when I do, it's not penned very well. The only book that I can recall right now being an exception to that is a Tessa Dare novel about a poor farm girl falling in love with a Duke and vice versa. I can't recall the name at this moment but the point is, it did a great job portraying the characters' own feelings to their class difference. It was a big deal! While I'm not saying that this novel didn't address the class difference, it did, but in a distinctly unsatisfying way. There was no clear resolution about the characters' feelings to their own predicament. Instead, another solution () came flying out of thin air to resolve their feelings about the matter for them. Like I said, distinctly unsatisfying.
Besides the issues mentioned above, I was hoping for more detail about the dresses and fashion, especially since this is about Molly being a dressmaker. It's even in the title. But apart for one page which detailed three dresses worn by her clients and the two articles of clothing worn by Molly herself, there is nothing else. For a romance about a dressmaker, that is extremely disappointing. This was especially a big blow for me because my thoughts about how the plot would go before reading the book was much different than how events played out. I'd thought Molly was an up and coming dressmaker who designed scandalous dresses that were meant for seduction. That's what I perceived from the title and going in with that perception severely limited my enjoyment of the book.
August 7, 2019
This was so incredibly mediocre in almost every way possible. I expected so much more from this story.
The writing read like something I would've written when I was 14. To be quite honest, I think the fanfiction I wrote when I was 14 was better than this and I didn't even know what the fuck I was talking about at that age. It was so juvenile and childish, there was a whole of telling and not showing, which normally wouldn't bother me but it didn't work for this story and it got on my nerves.
The characterization was weak, there wasn't much to the main characters or really any of the characters, they had all of two personality traits and that was what carried the whole story. Molly had literally nothing interesting about her other than the fact that she wanted to be a seamstress and Carver,,,,,,I guess the fact that he's a slut. They had nothing in common, and even Carver's best friend knew this when he literally asked the man what he and Molly even had in common.
The romance was also pretty weak, there wasn't really any reason for Carver and Molly to be together, why did they want to be together, where did their attraction come from. I understand that this is just supposed to be something easy to digest but there still needs to be something there. In all honesty, I'm not sure if this was supposed to be erotica or an actual romance, either way it failed in either category. The slow-burn aspect didn't really work, they went from acting like they couldn't stand each other and denying attraction to being all over each other in pages which didn't really make sense to me. Where is the slow burn, there was no connection between the two points.
And the smut scenes,,,,sucked. They read like it was written by someone who was a virgin and had never read any smut either so they had literally zero idea how it worked. Like if you're gonna write it at the very least, have some idea of what you're doing, don't just give us this mediocrity.
And I think what was probably the most irritating thing is the constant line of how Molly wasn't like other women and how different she was from other ladies when she literally wasn't!!!!!! I'm so tired of this being a trope, there are plenty of people exactly like you!!!! Trying "not to be like other girls" is not a personality trait stop this nonsense!!!!! It's easy for Molly to walk away from a marriage and start a business because she's already poor, she has literally nothing to lose. If you were a society lady, why would you abandon a comfortable life for a dress-making business? You wouldn't, it's stupid, it's smarter to just live with your riches.
And for the other characters, no one had any personality or they were just there to fit into a specific role. No one faced any sort of conflict or difficulty. This was just not it chief. It wasn't the worst thing out there, but instead of reading this, you could also read just about anything else.
The writing read like something I would've written when I was 14. To be quite honest, I think the fanfiction I wrote when I was 14 was better than this and I didn't even know what the fuck I was talking about at that age. It was so juvenile and childish, there was a whole of telling and not showing, which normally wouldn't bother me but it didn't work for this story and it got on my nerves.
The characterization was weak, there wasn't much to the main characters or really any of the characters, they had all of two personality traits and that was what carried the whole story. Molly had literally nothing interesting about her other than the fact that she wanted to be a seamstress and Carver,,,,,,I guess the fact that he's a slut. They had nothing in common, and even Carver's best friend knew this when he literally asked the man what he and Molly even had in common.
The romance was also pretty weak, there wasn't really any reason for Carver and Molly to be together, why did they want to be together, where did their attraction come from. I understand that this is just supposed to be something easy to digest but there still needs to be something there. In all honesty, I'm not sure if this was supposed to be erotica or an actual romance, either way it failed in either category. The slow-burn aspect didn't really work, they went from acting like they couldn't stand each other and denying attraction to being all over each other in pages which didn't really make sense to me. Where is the slow burn, there was no connection between the two points.
And the smut scenes,,,,sucked. They read like it was written by someone who was a virgin and had never read any smut either so they had literally zero idea how it worked. Like if you're gonna write it at the very least, have some idea of what you're doing, don't just give us this mediocrity.
And I think what was probably the most irritating thing is the constant line of how Molly wasn't like other women and how different she was from other ladies when she literally wasn't!!!!!! I'm so tired of this being a trope, there are plenty of people exactly like you!!!! Trying "not to be like other girls" is not a personality trait stop this nonsense!!!!! It's easy for Molly to walk away from a marriage and start a business because she's already poor, she has literally nothing to lose. If you were a society lady, why would you abandon a comfortable life for a dress-making business? You wouldn't, it's stupid, it's smarter to just live with your riches.
And for the other characters, no one had any personality or they were just there to fit into a specific role. No one faced any sort of conflict or difficulty. This was just not it chief. It wasn't the worst thing out there, but instead of reading this, you could also read just about anything else.
May 4, 2020
Miss Molly Robbins has a goal, start her dressmaker shop, and become successful. But, first, she has to get a loan from that annoying Earl she lived with for twelve years. With the deal sealed with a contract, the game is set for dressmaking and tomfoolery.
This was my first Regency novel and I wasn't disappointed. Molly was a sassy protagonist determined to make her dream of owning a dressmaker shop a reality. Armed with her wits and amazing sewing skills, she'll take the world by storm. But then there's Carver to worry about. Carver is the Earl of Everscham has feelings for his sisters ex-servant, Molly Robbins, but he doesn't quite know that yet. They are both pulled into each other's bantered filled romance, contract style! Overall, I decently enjoyed this romance; it even gave me a little twist at the end!
This was my first Regency novel and I wasn't disappointed. Molly was a sassy protagonist determined to make her dream of owning a dressmaker shop a reality. Armed with her wits and amazing sewing skills, she'll take the world by storm. But then there's Carver to worry about. Carver is the Earl of Everscham has feelings for his sisters ex-servant, Molly Robbins, but he doesn't quite know that yet. They are both pulled into each other's bantered filled romance, contract style! Overall, I decently enjoyed this romance; it even gave me a little twist at the end!
January 26, 2018
Entretenido.
Aunque Molly y Carver me han parecido pesados en ciertas ocasiones, el libro en general ha ido bien. Es cierto que en algunos momentos la historia se ralentiza pero en general es divertida y bastante rápida. Debo decir que ha sido mas que cliché, así que si eres de las personas que odian los clichés, este libro no es para ti. Si por otro lado, no te importa ese detalle y te gustan los romances predecibles, este libro es tuyo. Me hubiese gustado un epilogo de unos años mas allá para saber como van los personajes, pero eso no se consigue, con ningún libro. De cualquier forma ha sido una buena serie, no la mejor, pero buena al fin.
Sigo sin querer leer el primer libro. Aun no me llama.
Aunque Molly y Carver me han parecido pesados en ciertas ocasiones, el libro en general ha ido bien. Es cierto que en algunos momentos la historia se ralentiza pero en general es divertida y bastante rápida. Debo decir que ha sido mas que cliché, así que si eres de las personas que odian los clichés, este libro no es para ti. Si por otro lado, no te importa ese detalle y te gustan los romances predecibles, este libro es tuyo. Me hubiese gustado un epilogo de unos años mas allá para saber como van los personajes, pero eso no se consigue, con ningún libro. De cualquier forma ha sido una buena serie, no la mejor, pero buena al fin.
Sigo sin querer leer el primer libro. Aun no me llama.
August 11, 2019
This wasn't a terrible book, it just didn't hit the right notes for me. I found a lot of Carver's actions to be the opposite of what Molly wanted, even though he was trying to be kind, and there was some vague consent issues as well. Just not for me, really.
July 21, 2024
Great premise and opening scene, and the subplots are well-structured, though there are a lot of secondary characters to keep track of. Several aspects of the story are over the top, requiring much suspension of disbelief, but that leaves it a fun and steamy read.
September 28, 2025
The premise sounded like your standard kdrama which was intriguing to me, but I don’t think the leads had much chemistry or, all things considered, enough interactions. They were basically together within the first third. And there were too many superfluous side characters.
June 29, 2018
Bien pero no lo que esperaba
October 17, 2018
Need a book report
January 4, 2019
3.5 stars
September 4, 2021
I am such a sucker for English romances set in the 1800s -- in which the women _work_!
I also loved that she reforms him ... ish.
I also loved that she reforms him ... ish.
March 28, 2023
A light but entertaining read.
December 29, 2015
I wanted to like this book. Dear god, did I. It had so much potential.
The dialogue (whenever it did pop up, which was rare) was witty and even funny. The characters were each different and enjoyable and the plot was a stray from the usual HR tropes.
Only it wasn't.
All of this was hindered by TOO MUCH FUCKING PADDING.
Now, I haven't (and don't intend to) read the other books in the series and I'd never even heard of this author before but the premise was promising and I needed something fresh. Something interesting.
Instead I got this mess.
To put it simply this book had too much going on about absolutely NOTHING. Most of the time the character were inside their own head, reliving memories, thinking, pondering, sighing, wallowing in whatever thoughts they happened to conjure up to bore the reader (aka ME) next. I could skip PAGES to finally get to a short dialogue only to YET AGAIN come to even more pages of flashbacks and pondering .
This made a story that should have been witty(from what I'd gathered from the small bits of dialogue given) and intense (with the obvious class differences and the heroine's desire to work for a living) ended up being boring.
Whenever the story would start to pick up and become interesting, its immediately cut off by the hero or heroine retreating into their own head. By the time they even got OUT of their head, whatever interesting thing that had started to transpire would have either already happened while they were zoning out or was so poorly executed (and in the most boring way), I felt like I would start crying I became so frustrated by it.
There were two major "hurdles" the hero and heroine had to face to get their happily ever after. One, was the "mystery" of whether the hero was a bastard or not and the other was the fact that everyone and their mom was talking about how the hero would never marry the heroine cause she's a maid. And yet, these two problems were so underutilized I can explain it exactly as simply as this:
That's it.
These two things could take up about 3-4 pages, everything else was filler. Fluff. And not even the good kind of fluff. It's more like the really boring, mandatory lectures that college students have to take all the while trying to not stick pencils in their eyeballs from sheer BOREDOM. So more like dust bunny fluff: disgusting and best avoid touching.
The whole time I felt as if the story had been much shorter (and better) and had been padded to lengthen the original material. And none of it with anything interesting only needless adjectives and flashbacks and meanderings thoughts that spanned hundreds of pages
After reading this boring, mess of a book I don't even think I'll pick up another Jayne Fresina book ever again let alone finish with this series.
The dialogue (whenever it did pop up, which was rare) was witty and even funny. The characters were each different and enjoyable and the plot was a stray from the usual HR tropes.
Only it wasn't.
All of this was hindered by TOO MUCH FUCKING PADDING.
Now, I haven't (and don't intend to) read the other books in the series and I'd never even heard of this author before but the premise was promising and I needed something fresh. Something interesting.
Instead I got this mess.
To put it simply this book had too much going on about absolutely NOTHING. Most of the time the character were inside their own head, reliving memories, thinking, pondering, sighing, wallowing in whatever thoughts they happened to conjure up to bore the reader (aka ME) next. I could skip PAGES to finally get to a short dialogue only to YET AGAIN come to even more pages of flashbacks and pondering .
This made a story that should have been witty(from what I'd gathered from the small bits of dialogue given) and intense (with the obvious class differences and the heroine's desire to work for a living) ended up being boring.
Whenever the story would start to pick up and become interesting, its immediately cut off by the hero or heroine retreating into their own head. By the time they even got OUT of their head, whatever interesting thing that had started to transpire would have either already happened while they were zoning out or was so poorly executed (and in the most boring way), I felt like I would start crying I became so frustrated by it.
There were two major "hurdles" the hero and heroine had to face to get their happily ever after. One, was the "mystery" of whether the hero was a bastard or not and the other was the fact that everyone and their mom was talking about how the hero would never marry the heroine cause she's a maid. And yet, these two problems were so underutilized I can explain it exactly as simply as this:
That's it.
These two things could take up about 3-4 pages, everything else was filler. Fluff. And not even the good kind of fluff. It's more like the really boring, mandatory lectures that college students have to take all the while trying to not stick pencils in their eyeballs from sheer BOREDOM. So more like dust bunny fluff: disgusting and best avoid touching.
The whole time I felt as if the story had been much shorter (and better) and had been padded to lengthen the original material. And none of it with anything interesting only needless adjectives and flashbacks and meanderings thoughts that spanned hundreds of pages
After reading this boring, mess of a book I don't even think I'll pick up another Jayne Fresina book ever again let alone finish with this series.
February 24, 2014
Jayne Fresina continues her Sydney Dovedale series, with her latest book, Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction. This a series featuring a Victorian era setting and some very unconventional heroines. Fans of Fresina will love her use of humor and applaud her research. As the roles of women were strictly defined in this time period Fresina's Miss Robbins is a breath of fresh air in a society that is not inclined to change. A great addition to this engaging series.
What I liked:
This series has the best titles. They are about a mile long and so descriptive. I think the author must have a had a hand in that. Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction is both reflective of the story and a fun title. It shows the author's sense of humor and her idea of how to make even the titles of her books unconventional, much like her heroines. The Victorian area was a such a rigid time period for women. There were so many rules about what you could and couldn't do as a woman in the ton. I liked the fact that Fresina kind of turns that upside down with her lead characters in each of the books in this series.
Molly was a dream of a heroine. She was plucky and inventive and she knew what she wanted out of life. She is expected to marry a very well to do farmer, but she leaves him at the alter and follows her dreams of having her own dress shop and designing for the women of the ton. Unfortunately, at that time in history she couldn't do it on her own. She had to have help from a wealthy backer. I loved the fact that Molly was determined to make her idea a success. Fresina makes Molly a very free thinker. She gives her the guts to go to the Earl and ask for his financial backing. And that's how it all begins. Fresina does a great job with this character who is a little bit before her time. But there had to be a first didn't there?
Carver was not exactly an original in his own right. Many historical romances feature a Duke or an Earl that is a bit of a scoundrel and Carver certainly fits the description. He is a womanizer but he is very charitable. He has a heart of gold, he just doesn't want to give it to only one woman. Until he realizes that his drunken business deal with Molly may have been his undoing in more than one way. I loved the fact that though he is a rake of the first rate, he still honors his obligations and his business dealings. He might have liked to dabble with women but he was still a good person underneath. Fresina writes a character that readers want to read about. He is infectious.
One of the things that I found most enjoyable about this book was the idea that Molly could see the kind of man that Carver could be, if he only wanted to. She made him want to be a better man and that was such a perfect theme to this book. Not only does Molly want to better herself, but she sees the good in Carver as well. That's how romance should be. You should reflect the good qualities in each other and I think Fresina was really able to bring that across to the reader.
What I didn't like:
This book had a very fast pace. I think I would have preferred to have a few moments to catch my breath here and there. Molly is head strong and fast moving and her life is as well. It just seemed it ended all too quickly. I suppose that means it was a very good book!
Bottom Line:
I liked this one a lot. I may have been my favorite of the series, so far. Molly was a fantastic character and I liked the hero a lot too. I love the titles for these books and Fresina's use of humor is always fun.
What I liked:
This series has the best titles. They are about a mile long and so descriptive. I think the author must have a had a hand in that. Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction is both reflective of the story and a fun title. It shows the author's sense of humor and her idea of how to make even the titles of her books unconventional, much like her heroines. The Victorian area was a such a rigid time period for women. There were so many rules about what you could and couldn't do as a woman in the ton. I liked the fact that Fresina kind of turns that upside down with her lead characters in each of the books in this series.
Molly was a dream of a heroine. She was plucky and inventive and she knew what she wanted out of life. She is expected to marry a very well to do farmer, but she leaves him at the alter and follows her dreams of having her own dress shop and designing for the women of the ton. Unfortunately, at that time in history she couldn't do it on her own. She had to have help from a wealthy backer. I loved the fact that Molly was determined to make her idea a success. Fresina makes Molly a very free thinker. She gives her the guts to go to the Earl and ask for his financial backing. And that's how it all begins. Fresina does a great job with this character who is a little bit before her time. But there had to be a first didn't there?
Carver was not exactly an original in his own right. Many historical romances feature a Duke or an Earl that is a bit of a scoundrel and Carver certainly fits the description. He is a womanizer but he is very charitable. He has a heart of gold, he just doesn't want to give it to only one woman. Until he realizes that his drunken business deal with Molly may have been his undoing in more than one way. I loved the fact that though he is a rake of the first rate, he still honors his obligations and his business dealings. He might have liked to dabble with women but he was still a good person underneath. Fresina writes a character that readers want to read about. He is infectious.
One of the things that I found most enjoyable about this book was the idea that Molly could see the kind of man that Carver could be, if he only wanted to. She made him want to be a better man and that was such a perfect theme to this book. Not only does Molly want to better herself, but she sees the good in Carver as well. That's how romance should be. You should reflect the good qualities in each other and I think Fresina was really able to bring that across to the reader.
What I didn't like:
This book had a very fast pace. I think I would have preferred to have a few moments to catch my breath here and there. Molly is head strong and fast moving and her life is as well. It just seemed it ended all too quickly. I suppose that means it was a very good book!
Bottom Line:
I liked this one a lot. I may have been my favorite of the series, so far. Molly was a fantastic character and I liked the hero a lot too. I love the titles for these books and Fresina's use of humor is always fun.
August 13, 2016
Continuing to feed my addiction for historical romances, I was fortunate to be offered the opportunity to read this title before publication. The fourth in Jayne Fresenia’s Sydney Dovedale series, I had no problems following the characters or actions in the story at all.
Molly was a lady’s maid, and she left to marry. While her family and friends all believed her to have found a good catch, she wanted more – and ran from her wedding to London to start her own dressmaking business. Unfortunately, for a commoner and a woman, she would need someone of influence and money to both give her a start, and to help her establish a respectable business.
An early Victorian setting provides the rather rigid societal constraints on women, and provides our Molly with a wealth of options to show her strength and disregard for convention. I truly enjoyed her character: strong willed, determined and aware of the difficulties that she will face as a woman alone in the city, she is willing to deal with the censure and disapproval if she is allowed to follow her dreams to design for women of the ton.
Molly was not without resources in the city; in fact she boldly approaches the Earl of Eversham, brother to her former employer, and proposes a business deal. While Carver has a reputation as a less than upstanding member of society, he has always enjoyed the conversation and dealings that he had with Molly, and found her particularly to his type. Their audience is cleverly plotted, while Carver is more than slightly in his cups, Molly’s determination to get the loan and make a pure business transaction slips his notice.
Of course, there is a complicated seduction as Carver seeks to make Molly his mistress. And while she finds him attractive, she resists. She believes that she deserves more, and that Carver is not being all that he can or should be. For his part, Molly’s honest and often blunt approach to his unsavory behavior, and her lack of fear in telling an Earl that he is being an ass is refreshing and unique in his world. And she is making him want to be the man that she deserves, and the one that he should be.
Sweet and fun, this story was engaging and easy to follow. No, the tropes were expected, but Fresenia’s deft hand in characterization and dialogue brings a depth and honesty to the characters that Is fitting for their story and their time. I most certainly will seek out more of her titles, and have put the earlier books in this series into my list of titles to buy in the upcoming weeks.
I received an eGalley copy from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Molly was a lady’s maid, and she left to marry. While her family and friends all believed her to have found a good catch, she wanted more – and ran from her wedding to London to start her own dressmaking business. Unfortunately, for a commoner and a woman, she would need someone of influence and money to both give her a start, and to help her establish a respectable business.
An early Victorian setting provides the rather rigid societal constraints on women, and provides our Molly with a wealth of options to show her strength and disregard for convention. I truly enjoyed her character: strong willed, determined and aware of the difficulties that she will face as a woman alone in the city, she is willing to deal with the censure and disapproval if she is allowed to follow her dreams to design for women of the ton.
Molly was not without resources in the city; in fact she boldly approaches the Earl of Eversham, brother to her former employer, and proposes a business deal. While Carver has a reputation as a less than upstanding member of society, he has always enjoyed the conversation and dealings that he had with Molly, and found her particularly to his type. Their audience is cleverly plotted, while Carver is more than slightly in his cups, Molly’s determination to get the loan and make a pure business transaction slips his notice.
Of course, there is a complicated seduction as Carver seeks to make Molly his mistress. And while she finds him attractive, she resists. She believes that she deserves more, and that Carver is not being all that he can or should be. For his part, Molly’s honest and often blunt approach to his unsavory behavior, and her lack of fear in telling an Earl that he is being an ass is refreshing and unique in his world. And she is making him want to be the man that she deserves, and the one that he should be.
Sweet and fun, this story was engaging and easy to follow. No, the tropes were expected, but Fresenia’s deft hand in characterization and dialogue brings a depth and honesty to the characters that Is fitting for their story and their time. I most certainly will seek out more of her titles, and have put the earlier books in this series into my list of titles to buy in the upcoming weeks.
I received an eGalley copy from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
February 13, 2014
The benefits of reading Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction:
1. “She was no longer just a person to whom things happened; she made the happenings for herself.”
One major trait that makes Miss Molly Robbins stands out is perhaps its unlikely premise. Margaret “Molly” Robbins, a lady’s maid turned seamstress, starts her own business in London with nothing but her strong country bones and some reluctant financial backing by her ex-employer, the charming scoundrel Earl of Everscham. Molly Robbins does not require a man to solidify her own identity, but it does take a man for her to realize who she is truly comfortable with becoming. The plot throws two wonderful characters together in unpredictable ways, and the way Molly and Carver evolve and adapt to such spontaneity is incredibly well illustrated and exciting to read.
2. The writing is delightful.
If you’re a fan of Tessa Dare, you’re sure to love Jayne Fresina, for they share a similar cheerful humor and liveliness in their writing. Miss Molly Robbins chugs along like a well-oiled train, whipping the readers from scene to scene and character to character with excellent pacing and no loss of momentum. You’ll find yourself rooting for the characters, smiling at their joys and wincing at their pains as if they are family. You might even end up conversing with the book (or maybe that’s just me) at various pivotal moments in the story. When the story feels like it’s coming apart at the seams, Fresina swoops in and — much like her seamstress protagonist — tidily stitches it back up, and the reader can step back and admire the handiwork.
3. Molly Robbins, the Brave and Almost Harmless
The world needs more women like Molly Robbins. She is humble, hardworking, pragmatic, and unafraid to speak the truth as she sees it. She cares for others and is always considerate of those around her. She is painfully aware of her own shortcomings and works tirelessly to better her circumstances. Even when she falls in love, she is admirably stands up to the scrutiny of society and that of her own self-worth.
4. Carver Danforthe, the Earl of Everscham, Duke of Idiocy
A rake with a heart of gold, Carver Danforthe is a lot more than meets the eye of London’s higher society. He traipses from woman to woman, building a rambunctious reputation for himself, yet is impossibly kind and altruistic. He refuses to be shackled by matrimony and allow the fairer sex overpower him. His only enemy is himself and the bittersweet bond he shares with his cold and judgmental parents, and in this Carver is a lot more like ex-lady’s maid Molly Robbins than the Earl probably originally thought. The sparks that fly when these two come together are of the brightest and rarest kind.
*ARC Provided
1. “She was no longer just a person to whom things happened; she made the happenings for herself.”
One major trait that makes Miss Molly Robbins stands out is perhaps its unlikely premise. Margaret “Molly” Robbins, a lady’s maid turned seamstress, starts her own business in London with nothing but her strong country bones and some reluctant financial backing by her ex-employer, the charming scoundrel Earl of Everscham. Molly Robbins does not require a man to solidify her own identity, but it does take a man for her to realize who she is truly comfortable with becoming. The plot throws two wonderful characters together in unpredictable ways, and the way Molly and Carver evolve and adapt to such spontaneity is incredibly well illustrated and exciting to read.
2. The writing is delightful.
If you’re a fan of Tessa Dare, you’re sure to love Jayne Fresina, for they share a similar cheerful humor and liveliness in their writing. Miss Molly Robbins chugs along like a well-oiled train, whipping the readers from scene to scene and character to character with excellent pacing and no loss of momentum. You’ll find yourself rooting for the characters, smiling at their joys and wincing at their pains as if they are family. You might even end up conversing with the book (or maybe that’s just me) at various pivotal moments in the story. When the story feels like it’s coming apart at the seams, Fresina swoops in and — much like her seamstress protagonist — tidily stitches it back up, and the reader can step back and admire the handiwork.
3. Molly Robbins, the Brave and Almost Harmless
The world needs more women like Molly Robbins. She is humble, hardworking, pragmatic, and unafraid to speak the truth as she sees it. She cares for others and is always considerate of those around her. She is painfully aware of her own shortcomings and works tirelessly to better her circumstances. Even when she falls in love, she is admirably stands up to the scrutiny of society and that of her own self-worth.
4. Carver Danforthe, the Earl of Everscham, Duke of Idiocy
A rake with a heart of gold, Carver Danforthe is a lot more than meets the eye of London’s higher society. He traipses from woman to woman, building a rambunctious reputation for himself, yet is impossibly kind and altruistic. He refuses to be shackled by matrimony and allow the fairer sex overpower him. His only enemy is himself and the bittersweet bond he shares with his cold and judgmental parents, and in this Carver is a lot more like ex-lady’s maid Molly Robbins than the Earl probably originally thought. The sparks that fly when these two come together are of the brightest and rarest kind.
*ARC Provided
May 16, 2014
As reviewed for The Reading Cafe 01 May 14
http://www.thereadingcafe.com/miss-molly-robbins-designs-a-seduction-by-jayne-fresina-a-review
4 out of 5 for this reader folks!
Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction by Jayne Fresina is the fourth book of her Sydney Dovedale series. I was eager for this story as there were a few teasers in previous books and the pairing of our hero and heroine was a little unusual. Well I am happy to say that Jayne Fresina delivered.
We met Carver Danforthe, Earl of Everscham in previous novels. He is the older brother if Mercy Danforthe (she was the heroine of the previous novel), a notorious rake who recently was appointed his title and quite frankly does not care for the responsibility that comes with it. He does however enjoy the perks .... money, woman and living his life as he pleases.
Miss Molly Robbins was a lady's maid to his sister Mercy. She is a dull creature, dressed in drab and from a small town called Sydney Dovedale. When Carver had to retrieve his young sister after she ran away many years ago, she only came back on the condition that Molly join her. Right from the start Molly stirred something in Carver .. annoyance yet curiosity. As time passes Carver has gotten use to this maturing woman living in his home and when it is time for her to leave to marry, he is surprised about his negative reaction.
Mercy rescues Molly from her marriage and insists she returns to London from Sydney Dovedale to pursue a career as a shop owner and seamstress. When Molly confronts Carver about his offer to set her up financially, little does she know she is opening a romantic can of worms that would be considered quite improper for an Earl and a country lady. As Molly is no longer a servant, she begins to let her hair down and speak her mind, much to the surprise (be it both pleasant and unpleasant) of Carver. Where did this woman come from .. has she always been in there, and why is he feeling the need to sweep her up and call her his?
I adore this series. It isn't fast paced by any means, but the relationships between our characters are certainly complex yet complimentary in their own way. I loved reading about Carver being put in his place and called out on his rakish ways. I also enjoyed reading about Carver teaching Molly how to have some fun in life! These two offered many chuckles and ultimately a true romantic story! A sigh worthy historical romance for sure!
HAPPY READING! :)
http://www.thereadingcafe.com/miss-molly-robbins-designs-a-seduction-by-jayne-fresina-a-review
4 out of 5 for this reader folks!
Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction by Jayne Fresina is the fourth book of her Sydney Dovedale series. I was eager for this story as there were a few teasers in previous books and the pairing of our hero and heroine was a little unusual. Well I am happy to say that Jayne Fresina delivered.
We met Carver Danforthe, Earl of Everscham in previous novels. He is the older brother if Mercy Danforthe (she was the heroine of the previous novel), a notorious rake who recently was appointed his title and quite frankly does not care for the responsibility that comes with it. He does however enjoy the perks .... money, woman and living his life as he pleases.
Miss Molly Robbins was a lady's maid to his sister Mercy. She is a dull creature, dressed in drab and from a small town called Sydney Dovedale. When Carver had to retrieve his young sister after she ran away many years ago, she only came back on the condition that Molly join her. Right from the start Molly stirred something in Carver .. annoyance yet curiosity. As time passes Carver has gotten use to this maturing woman living in his home and when it is time for her to leave to marry, he is surprised about his negative reaction.
Mercy rescues Molly from her marriage and insists she returns to London from Sydney Dovedale to pursue a career as a shop owner and seamstress. When Molly confronts Carver about his offer to set her up financially, little does she know she is opening a romantic can of worms that would be considered quite improper for an Earl and a country lady. As Molly is no longer a servant, she begins to let her hair down and speak her mind, much to the surprise (be it both pleasant and unpleasant) of Carver. Where did this woman come from .. has she always been in there, and why is he feeling the need to sweep her up and call her his?
I adore this series. It isn't fast paced by any means, but the relationships between our characters are certainly complex yet complimentary in their own way. I loved reading about Carver being put in his place and called out on his rakish ways. I also enjoyed reading about Carver teaching Molly how to have some fun in life! These two offered many chuckles and ultimately a true romantic story! A sigh worthy historical romance for sure!
HAPPY READING! :)
January 20, 2018
Originally reviewed for: Historical Romance Lover blog
This is book 4 in the Sydney Dovedale Series.
Miss Molly Robbins has just walked away from her own wedding to start her dress shop in London. She has sent all her money home to her family while she was a lady's maid to Lady Mercy Danforthe (from Lady Mercy Danforthe Flirts with Scandal, book #3), so Molly goes to her former employer, Carver Danforthe, Earl of Eversham, to get a loan.
Having been woken up at an ungodly early hour, Carver agrees to Molly's proposition even with her clause of "No Tomfoolery." As time progresses, Carver would like to add an addendum to the contact. Will Molly accept their new agreement?
When I saw that this book was part of a series, I had to go and read the earlier books before starting this one. Book one, The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine, was a hard one to get into. The wording of it was just off and hard to understand. I looked at the author's website and saw that she was British and I wondered if that was the reason. About midway through it, I was finally sucked in. The characters had laugh out loud dialogue and continuing antics. Book two, The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne, features Ellie Vyne (best friend of Sophie) and James Hartley (Sophie's jilted lover). I loved the two of them in the first book and grew to love them even more in their own story. Book three, Lady Mercy Danforthe Flirts with Scandal, shows us the grown-up up Mercy (who we met in Ellie's book) and Rafe Hartley (who was introduced in Sophie's book).
This brings us up to this story. After meeting Molly as a young girl, I was intrigued to see how her story would turn out. After living with Mercy for so long, Molly is ready to spread her wings and make something of herself. She just needs a little help. We met Danforthe in book 2 and have gotten a certain impression about him (a rogue and a person that doesn't really care for others). Little did we all know, but Danforthe has been helping needy people his whole adult life. He is happy to help out Molly, but doesn't realize what he is in for.
I really hope that the author is not done with this series. This last novel introduced us to a whole new crop of possible characters to write about. I can't wait to see who she chooses next.
Thanks go to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
This is book 4 in the Sydney Dovedale Series.
Miss Molly Robbins has just walked away from her own wedding to start her dress shop in London. She has sent all her money home to her family while she was a lady's maid to Lady Mercy Danforthe (from Lady Mercy Danforthe Flirts with Scandal, book #3), so Molly goes to her former employer, Carver Danforthe, Earl of Eversham, to get a loan.
Having been woken up at an ungodly early hour, Carver agrees to Molly's proposition even with her clause of "No Tomfoolery." As time progresses, Carver would like to add an addendum to the contact. Will Molly accept their new agreement?
When I saw that this book was part of a series, I had to go and read the earlier books before starting this one. Book one, The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine, was a hard one to get into. The wording of it was just off and hard to understand. I looked at the author's website and saw that she was British and I wondered if that was the reason. About midway through it, I was finally sucked in. The characters had laugh out loud dialogue and continuing antics. Book two, The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne, features Ellie Vyne (best friend of Sophie) and James Hartley (Sophie's jilted lover). I loved the two of them in the first book and grew to love them even more in their own story. Book three, Lady Mercy Danforthe Flirts with Scandal, shows us the grown-up up Mercy (who we met in Ellie's book) and Rafe Hartley (who was introduced in Sophie's book).
This brings us up to this story. After meeting Molly as a young girl, I was intrigued to see how her story would turn out. After living with Mercy for so long, Molly is ready to spread her wings and make something of herself. She just needs a little help. We met Danforthe in book 2 and have gotten a certain impression about him (a rogue and a person that doesn't really care for others). Little did we all know, but Danforthe has been helping needy people his whole adult life. He is happy to help out Molly, but doesn't realize what he is in for.
I really hope that the author is not done with this series. This last novel introduced us to a whole new crop of possible characters to write about. I can't wait to see who she chooses next.
Thanks go to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
February 4, 2014
I'm a fan of dressmaker/dressmaking stories under the historical romance genre, so I instantly grabbed the chance to get a copy of the ARC via Netgalley. So how did this fare with this historical romance fan? Read on to find out.
Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction is light-hearted and entertaining romance. Carver Danforthe's thoughts and inner battles have been very fun to read. Molly Robbins is very admirable, being a determined young lass in London. She had a dream and she worked towards it, even if she had to create a little scandal along the way. The romance between the two has been a long time coming, and just like a typical male, Molly's physical absence from his presence suddenly made him realize that he actually wants her.
Between the two characters, only Carver Danforthe seemed to have character progression. From being a laid-back earl, with Molly's simple words, he transitioned to a more apparent caring individual. I wish there was a paragraph or two about the orphaned boys, especially if they eventually found employment in other households. Molly, on the other hand, is already an admirable character from start to finish.
The dresses described in the book, as designed by Molly, are so intriguing! I wish the book included some sketches to aid our imagination. It would have been interesting to see her deviation from the usual styles in that era, especially since I'm not really familiar with the dress styles during that era, except from what I have been reading in the books.
I was able to finish the book until the very end, but I cannot help compare the dressmaking and setting up shop angle to Loretta Chase's The Dressmakers series, only this time Molly handles it all by herself. Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction was a great book to pass the time but it lacked a little more spice to make it a truly exciting, heart-racing story. That being said, I think I'm going to go back a little in time and read Jayne Fresina's other books in the Sydney Dovedale series because I enjoyed her writing style!
Ciao!
Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction is light-hearted and entertaining romance. Carver Danforthe's thoughts and inner battles have been very fun to read. Molly Robbins is very admirable, being a determined young lass in London. She had a dream and she worked towards it, even if she had to create a little scandal along the way. The romance between the two has been a long time coming, and just like a typical male, Molly's physical absence from his presence suddenly made him realize that he actually wants her.
Between the two characters, only Carver Danforthe seemed to have character progression. From being a laid-back earl, with Molly's simple words, he transitioned to a more apparent caring individual. I wish there was a paragraph or two about the orphaned boys, especially if they eventually found employment in other households. Molly, on the other hand, is already an admirable character from start to finish.
The dresses described in the book, as designed by Molly, are so intriguing! I wish the book included some sketches to aid our imagination. It would have been interesting to see her deviation from the usual styles in that era, especially since I'm not really familiar with the dress styles during that era, except from what I have been reading in the books.
I was able to finish the book until the very end, but I cannot help compare the dressmaking and setting up shop angle to Loretta Chase's The Dressmakers series, only this time Molly handles it all by herself. Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction was a great book to pass the time but it lacked a little more spice to make it a truly exciting, heart-racing story. That being said, I think I'm going to go back a little in time and read Jayne Fresina's other books in the Sydney Dovedale series because I enjoyed her writing style!
Ciao!
October 20, 2014
Originally posted
HERE
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And right from the start, showing a touch of Northanger Abbey, I was won over with a bit of realism in this Regency romp!
It seems that, apart from the likes of Lisa Kleypas, my favourite historical romance authors tend to feature a little further down the scale of success. With this fourth instalment of the Sydney Dovedale series, Jayne Fresina has earned herself a new fan.
I’ve never read anything by this author before, but you certainly wouldn’t feel swamped by starting this series with the fourth book. I really appreciate how well the author has kept her storylines separate from each other. This could just as easily have been the first book.
I tend to prefer more serious books, and both the cover and title gave me pause before starting (also, why is it these men always seem to be losing their shirts?!), but I was quickly proven wrong. This book is so very, properly British, and so is a great deal of fun. It’s not silly from start to finish, however. I really loved the believable shift our heroine makes from plain country maid to the love interest of an earl.
I can’t say I love class-jumping in historical romance in most instances because I find it completely unbelievable, but somehow this author sold me on the story. I also can’t claim to be a big fan of Plain Jane gets the hot, rich guy storylines, but I was sold on that trope here, too.
This was a funny, sweet, completely engaging book. I will be reading more from this author.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
As one of eleven children born to poor but hardworking parents…
And right from the start, showing a touch of Northanger Abbey, I was won over with a bit of realism in this Regency romp!
It seems that, apart from the likes of Lisa Kleypas, my favourite historical romance authors tend to feature a little further down the scale of success. With this fourth instalment of the Sydney Dovedale series, Jayne Fresina has earned herself a new fan.
I’ve never read anything by this author before, but you certainly wouldn’t feel swamped by starting this series with the fourth book. I really appreciate how well the author has kept her storylines separate from each other. This could just as easily have been the first book.
I tend to prefer more serious books, and both the cover and title gave me pause before starting (also, why is it these men always seem to be losing their shirts?!), but I was quickly proven wrong. This book is so very, properly British, and so is a great deal of fun. It’s not silly from start to finish, however. I really loved the believable shift our heroine makes from plain country maid to the love interest of an earl.
The Mouse had drunk in every joking word he’d said and drawn up a contract in workmanlike fashion, also producing a copy so they could both keep one. Several misspellings and some odd punctuation, he noted, but for a country girl with no formal education, she had a neat hand.
I can’t say I love class-jumping in historical romance in most instances because I find it completely unbelievable, but somehow this author sold me on the story. I also can’t claim to be a big fan of Plain Jane gets the hot, rich guy storylines, but I was sold on that trope here, too.
This was a funny, sweet, completely engaging book. I will be reading more from this author.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
February 15, 2014
So I was reading this book while I was away at a training session where we had to delve into all our feelings about a lot of things and it was just the lightness I needed in those few moments I had for myself!
I really liked Molly! She knows what she wants and she's going after it wholeheartedly. I like that in a person. She's determined to make a living for herself and be a succesful modiste. She's also just a nice person and she cares about the people who live in the same building she does.
Carver is a bit of a stubborn man who doesn't really quite know what to do with feelings. He's not used to people praising him for the good he does, and he doesn't really know how to handle that either. And it was ADORABLE! I mean, most people think he's this scandalous person, but he's actually full of good deeds and kindness to a lot of people. I love how he sees the beauty in Molly and how he tries to find ways to do things for her without her finding out.
And these two defnitely had chemistry! Their story was sweet and made my heart happy and then it broke my heart a little, but only for a little while. So yes, I did very much like Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction, it was just that bit of light, cute reading that I needed while I was focusing on all these deep emotions!
My rating: 3,5 stars
I really liked Molly! She knows what she wants and she's going after it wholeheartedly. I like that in a person. She's determined to make a living for herself and be a succesful modiste. She's also just a nice person and she cares about the people who live in the same building she does.
Carver is a bit of a stubborn man who doesn't really quite know what to do with feelings. He's not used to people praising him for the good he does, and he doesn't really know how to handle that either. And it was ADORABLE! I mean, most people think he's this scandalous person, but he's actually full of good deeds and kindness to a lot of people. I love how he sees the beauty in Molly and how he tries to find ways to do things for her without her finding out.
And these two defnitely had chemistry! Their story was sweet and made my heart happy and then it broke my heart a little, but only for a little while. So yes, I did very much like Miss Molly Robbins Designs a Seduction, it was just that bit of light, cute reading that I needed while I was focusing on all these deep emotions!
My rating: 3,5 stars
May 23, 2016
Cute story, well-written and fun, if rather improbable. The heroine skips out on her wedding to go back to London and take the offer of her employer's brother to finance the dressmaking business she's always wanted. The hero is a rake--I'm not sure why-- but he's always been attracted to the heroine, though he denies it even to himself. Until she becomes his mistress. I did have a lot of problems with Fresina's disaster of the forms of address for the English aristocracy. The hero is the Earl of Everscham (which is a German spelling, not English. It should be Eversham, but never mind that) and his name is Carver Danforthe. He is referred throughout the book as Danforthe, however for and English noblemen, they might as well not have last names for as often as they're used. He would be addressed by his title, exclusively. Everscham. You never hear about the Duke of Wellington being called Wellesley, even though his last name was Wellesley (after it was changed). He was always Wellington. Same with this hero. It was a cute book, but the author's failure to do some of the most basic research kinda messed up my enjoyment. Still, I will be reading more in the series. It's worth reading.
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