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Lords and Ladies #1
Lord St. Claire's Angel
Celestine Simons was past the age when a woman could hope to marry. Still, she counted herself blessed, for she held a good position as governess in the household of tine Marquess of Ladymead. But when the Marquess's brother, the handsome Lord Justin St. Claire, arrived for the Christmas season, Celestine's lonely heart caught fire. He was so sweet and understanding. Yet, a marriage proposal from a pleasure-seeking aristocrat had to be merely cruel joke, if not pity for a poor spinster...
Love was a game for the devil-may-care Lord Justin St. Claire -- until he met Miss Celestine Simons. Justin never thought he could be felled by cheerful good sense and intelligent conversation. He'd set out to give the plain, timid miss an innocent thrill under the kissing bough -- becoming smitten with the gray-eyed beauty was the least of his intentions. But the more he denied his aching heart, the more he yearned to make Celestine his
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1999
30 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Donna Lea Simpson
45 books113 followersDonna Lea Simpson is a nationally bestselling romance and mystery novelist with over twenty titles published in the last ten years. An early love for the novels of Jane Austen and Agatha Christie was a portent of things to come; Donna believes that a dash of mystery adds piquancy to a romantic tale, and a hint of romance adds humanity to a mystery story. Besides writing romance and mystery novels and reading the same, Donna has a long list of passions: cats and tea, cooking and vintage cookware, cross-stitching and watercolor painting among them. Karaoke offers her the chance to warble Dionne Warwick tunes, and nature is a constant source of comfort and inspiration. A long walk is her favorite exercise, and a fruity merlot is her drink of choice when the tea is all gone. Donna lives in Canada.
The best writing advice, Donna believes, comes from the letters of Jane Austen. The author wrote, in an October 26th, 1813 letter to her sister, Cassandra, “I am not at all in a humor for writing; I must write on till I am.”
The best writing advice, Donna believes, comes from the letters of Jane Austen. The author wrote, in an October 26th, 1813 letter to her sister, Cassandra, “I am not at all in a humor for writing; I must write on till I am.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 6, 2019
This poor, plain, arthritis ridden heroine is saddled with the callowest cad in H-dom and a future snobby SIL from hell.
The SIL from hell hires the heroine to be governess because she is so plain and won’t attract the BIL. She had to fire the last one because her BIL engaged in an inappropriate flirtation. It’s the Regency so it’s always the woman’s fault.
The H ignores the heroine because..plain, until the SIL from hell warns him off. So the game is on. Plus, and this is the real kicker, the hero plans on giving the heroine just a few kisses so she will have a thrill to relive in her later still plain, spinsterish years. What. A. Guy.
The heroine has a brain and tries to push him away, but to no avail. It gets uglier when the h is saved from rape by the hero and he wants her gratitude in the form of a kiss. Her pointed comment that he is little better than the rapist angers him and he throws out why he’s been hounding her. Cruel and caddish.
Ultimately his heart is won by her honor and inner beauty, but as Danielle The Book Huntress wrote, she is in need of a better hero and family to marry into.
Overall a solid read especially if you like the Regency.
The SIL from hell hires the heroine to be governess because she is so plain and won’t attract the BIL. She had to fire the last one because her BIL engaged in an inappropriate flirtation. It’s the Regency so it’s always the woman’s fault.
The H ignores the heroine because..plain, until the SIL from hell warns him off. So the game is on. Plus, and this is the real kicker, the hero plans on giving the heroine just a few kisses so she will have a thrill to relive in her later still plain, spinsterish years. What. A. Guy.
The heroine has a brain and tries to push him away, but to no avail. It gets uglier when the h is saved from rape by the hero and he wants her gratitude in the form of a kiss. Her pointed comment that he is little better than the rapist angers him and he throws out why he’s been hounding her. Cruel and caddish.
Ultimately his heart is won by her honor and inner beauty, but as Danielle The Book Huntress wrote, she is in need of a better hero and family to marry into.
Overall a solid read especially if you like the Regency.
December 20, 2017
4.5 stars rounded up- read for the December 2017 TBR Challenge.
For December’s prompt of a Holiday Read, I went with Lord St. Claire's Angel, a Traditional Regency which is, on the surface, your basic fairy-tale type story of a plain-Jane who finds love with a handsome rake. But Donna Lea Simpson has turned that familiar plotline into something that transcends the trope. Our sometimes not-at-all likeable hero really IS a rake; a self-absorbed, all-round selfish bastard, until he falls in love with a young woman whose goodness and unconditional love set him on the path to becoming a better man. Ms. Simpson took quite a chance in making him so unpleasant at times; prone to self-deception, he will always take the easy path if there is one – but St. Claire’s many faults somehow make him more real, even though there were times I wanted to smack him around the head. Our heroine, Celestine Simons, is one in a long line of down-on-their-luck ladies forced to take employment who has learned to expect little from life. It’s once again a tribute to the author’s storytelling and her ability to create complex, believable characters that while Celestine does occasionally seem bent on martyrdom, there’s more to her than a stereotypical goody-two-shoes; she’s come down in the world, but is determined to make her own way in life and stand on her own two feet, no matter how hard it may be.
Lord St. Claire Richmond, younger brother of the Marquess of Langlow, is handsome, charming, wealthy and, at the age of thirty-two, has managed to avoid the marital noose and intends to keep it that way. He’s not damaged or brooding, but as a second son, he wasn’t brought up to have responsibilities or any purpose in life, so he devotes his time to pleasure. He is making his annual Yuletide visit to the family estate for the weeks-long Christmas house-party and anticipates the usual round of respectable games and activities – and hopes for some not so respectable ones with some of the widows and bored wives likely to be in attendance. He is fond of his brother, although he regards the marquess as somewhat hen-pecked by his wife, Elizabeth, and certainly doesn’t envy him his social position and attendant responsibilities.
Gently-born Celestine Simons found herself in straightened circumstances around a year earlier after the death of her father, and took a position as governess to the Langlows. At twenty-eight, she is unprepossessing and suffers with an arthritic condition that can badly affect her hands, Celestine recognises she’s destined to remain a spinster and that working with children is the closest she will ever come to having a family of her own. Even so, she is somewhat hurt when she overhears the Marchioness telling her husband that one of the main reasons she hired Celestine was because she is plain and therefore unlikely to attract the attentions of Lord St. Claire when he visits – unlike the previous governess who plainly set her cap at the handsome devil the year before and had to be dismissed.
St. Claire may be many things, but he’s not stupid. As soon as he sees the drab Celestine, he is immediately wise to his sister-in-law’s machinations and, refusing to be outmanoeuvred, decides to strike up a flirtation with the governess anyway. In one of the most condescendingly obnoxious thought processes I’ve ever read in a romance hero, he reasons to himself that she will be grateful for the attention from a handsome lord, and that if he can steal a few kisses, he’ll be giving her something pleasant to look back on in the long years of spinsterhood ahead.
But Celestine isn’t stupid either. While she isn’t blind to St. Claire’s charms, and in fact comes to realise that there is an intelligent, thoughtful man behind the rakish exterior, she also suspects he’s playing a game with her when he markedly singles her out - and really wishes he wouldn’t. She can’t afford to lose her position, and St. Claire shows no sign of realising just what damage his notice of her could do.
But when, out of devilment, he accompanies Celestine and a couple of the other servants to a choir practice at the local church, he suddenly finds himself out of his depth. He is utterly spellbound by the unexpected beauty of Celestine’s singing voice; by the passion and the strength of spirit on display, and is profoundly affected by it. It’s an important turning point for him – although, I hasten to add, he doesn’t become a reformed character overnight. But from that point onwards, the reader is with him on his journey towards that reformation, a journey on which he makes mistakes, doesn’t always follow through on his decisions and sometimes deliberately sets out to sabotage his own good intentions. Ms. Simpson does a superb job of showing the reader that he’s falling in love without being aware of doing so – all St. Claire knows is that Celestine is far from the dowd he initially thought her and that she is possessed of great inner beauty and strength. It’s not until fairly late in the book that he finally wakes up to the truth – and his brutal honesty and determination to fight for the woman he loves go a very long way towards mitigating his earlier immaturity and thoughtless actions.
Both central characters are very well drawn, and even when St. Claire is acting like an idiot, there is still something about him that is engaging and that draws the reader to him. The same is true of Celestine – without the idiocy! – she’s an intelligent, generous and loving young woman who wants to do what she can to help the people in her life, and the author really does get to grips with exactly what life was like for a woman in her position, neither servant nor family and completely dependent on the goodwill of her employers.
There are lots of stories out there featuring rakish heroes who finally turn their lives around when they meet the right woman, but Lord St. Claire’s Angel is one of the best examples I’ve read. I said at the outset that making St. Claire selfish and unlikeable was a risk, but it contributes to the overall believability of the tale; had he not been like that, his transformation would not have been so dramatic and we wouldn’t be rooting so hard for him to see the error of his ways.
While the festival itself doesn’t play a large part in the story, the ideas of love and redemption that are so strongly associated with Christmas are major themes throughout the novel. Combined with a tender, deeply-felt romance, well-drawn secondary characters and a lovely, wintry feel, Lord St. Claire’s Angel is the perfect seasonal read.
Note: This book was originally published in 1999, and then reissued with some revisions by the author in 2013. Just a tad annoyingly – and the author has done this in some of her other books – some of the names have been changed; the hero in the old print version is named Lord Justin St. Claire, whereas in the new version, he’s Lord St. Claire Richmond. His brother, Lord Langlow was originally Lord Ladymead, and the heroine’s aunt Emily is now Lady Sedgley rather than, as she was originally, Lady Delafont. (Incidentally, Emily’s book, Lady Delafont’s Dilemma, has been reissued as Married to a Rogue.)
I have referred to the characters by the names they have been given in the 2013 version.
For December’s prompt of a Holiday Read, I went with Lord St. Claire's Angel, a Traditional Regency which is, on the surface, your basic fairy-tale type story of a plain-Jane who finds love with a handsome rake. But Donna Lea Simpson has turned that familiar plotline into something that transcends the trope. Our sometimes not-at-all likeable hero really IS a rake; a self-absorbed, all-round selfish bastard, until he falls in love with a young woman whose goodness and unconditional love set him on the path to becoming a better man. Ms. Simpson took quite a chance in making him so unpleasant at times; prone to self-deception, he will always take the easy path if there is one – but St. Claire’s many faults somehow make him more real, even though there were times I wanted to smack him around the head. Our heroine, Celestine Simons, is one in a long line of down-on-their-luck ladies forced to take employment who has learned to expect little from life. It’s once again a tribute to the author’s storytelling and her ability to create complex, believable characters that while Celestine does occasionally seem bent on martyrdom, there’s more to her than a stereotypical goody-two-shoes; she’s come down in the world, but is determined to make her own way in life and stand on her own two feet, no matter how hard it may be.
Lord St. Claire Richmond, younger brother of the Marquess of Langlow, is handsome, charming, wealthy and, at the age of thirty-two, has managed to avoid the marital noose and intends to keep it that way. He’s not damaged or brooding, but as a second son, he wasn’t brought up to have responsibilities or any purpose in life, so he devotes his time to pleasure. He is making his annual Yuletide visit to the family estate for the weeks-long Christmas house-party and anticipates the usual round of respectable games and activities – and hopes for some not so respectable ones with some of the widows and bored wives likely to be in attendance. He is fond of his brother, although he regards the marquess as somewhat hen-pecked by his wife, Elizabeth, and certainly doesn’t envy him his social position and attendant responsibilities.
Gently-born Celestine Simons found herself in straightened circumstances around a year earlier after the death of her father, and took a position as governess to the Langlows. At twenty-eight, she is unprepossessing and suffers with an arthritic condition that can badly affect her hands, Celestine recognises she’s destined to remain a spinster and that working with children is the closest she will ever come to having a family of her own. Even so, she is somewhat hurt when she overhears the Marchioness telling her husband that one of the main reasons she hired Celestine was because she is plain and therefore unlikely to attract the attentions of Lord St. Claire when he visits – unlike the previous governess who plainly set her cap at the handsome devil the year before and had to be dismissed.
St. Claire may be many things, but he’s not stupid. As soon as he sees the drab Celestine, he is immediately wise to his sister-in-law’s machinations and, refusing to be outmanoeuvred, decides to strike up a flirtation with the governess anyway. In one of the most condescendingly obnoxious thought processes I’ve ever read in a romance hero, he reasons to himself that she will be grateful for the attention from a handsome lord, and that if he can steal a few kisses, he’ll be giving her something pleasant to look back on in the long years of spinsterhood ahead.
But Celestine isn’t stupid either. While she isn’t blind to St. Claire’s charms, and in fact comes to realise that there is an intelligent, thoughtful man behind the rakish exterior, she also suspects he’s playing a game with her when he markedly singles her out - and really wishes he wouldn’t. She can’t afford to lose her position, and St. Claire shows no sign of realising just what damage his notice of her could do.
But when, out of devilment, he accompanies Celestine and a couple of the other servants to a choir practice at the local church, he suddenly finds himself out of his depth. He is utterly spellbound by the unexpected beauty of Celestine’s singing voice; by the passion and the strength of spirit on display, and is profoundly affected by it. It’s an important turning point for him – although, I hasten to add, he doesn’t become a reformed character overnight. But from that point onwards, the reader is with him on his journey towards that reformation, a journey on which he makes mistakes, doesn’t always follow through on his decisions and sometimes deliberately sets out to sabotage his own good intentions. Ms. Simpson does a superb job of showing the reader that he’s falling in love without being aware of doing so – all St. Claire knows is that Celestine is far from the dowd he initially thought her and that she is possessed of great inner beauty and strength. It’s not until fairly late in the book that he finally wakes up to the truth – and his brutal honesty and determination to fight for the woman he loves go a very long way towards mitigating his earlier immaturity and thoughtless actions.
Both central characters are very well drawn, and even when St. Claire is acting like an idiot, there is still something about him that is engaging and that draws the reader to him. The same is true of Celestine – without the idiocy! – she’s an intelligent, generous and loving young woman who wants to do what she can to help the people in her life, and the author really does get to grips with exactly what life was like for a woman in her position, neither servant nor family and completely dependent on the goodwill of her employers.
There are lots of stories out there featuring rakish heroes who finally turn their lives around when they meet the right woman, but Lord St. Claire’s Angel is one of the best examples I’ve read. I said at the outset that making St. Claire selfish and unlikeable was a risk, but it contributes to the overall believability of the tale; had he not been like that, his transformation would not have been so dramatic and we wouldn’t be rooting so hard for him to see the error of his ways.
While the festival itself doesn’t play a large part in the story, the ideas of love and redemption that are so strongly associated with Christmas are major themes throughout the novel. Combined with a tender, deeply-felt romance, well-drawn secondary characters and a lovely, wintry feel, Lord St. Claire’s Angel is the perfect seasonal read.
Note: This book was originally published in 1999, and then reissued with some revisions by the author in 2013. Just a tad annoyingly – and the author has done this in some of her other books – some of the names have been changed; the hero in the old print version is named Lord Justin St. Claire, whereas in the new version, he’s Lord St. Claire Richmond. His brother, Lord Langlow was originally Lord Ladymead, and the heroine’s aunt Emily is now Lady Sedgley rather than, as she was originally, Lady Delafont. (Incidentally, Emily’s book, Lady Delafont’s Dilemma, has been reissued as Married to a Rogue.)
I have referred to the characters by the names they have been given in the 2013 version.
October 26, 2021
Emily Delafont is a dim-witted and wishy-washy dunce!
And Elizabeth St. Claire is an all-out Bitch!!
Never have I detested two secondary characters as much as I do them. No wonder these two matrons/marchionesses are chums since school.
Now, you may well ask - who are they?
And Elizabeth St. Claire is an all-out Bitch!!
Never have I detested two secondary characters as much as I do them. No wonder these two matrons/marchionesses are chums since school.
Now, you may well ask - who are they?
December 20, 2023
I love when a rake slowly processes valuing a woman as a person and how it makes him feel. He’s bewildered and fascinated and we are walked through his thought process, with each realization.
I never read this author before and was pleasantly surprised. It’s simple prose, some conversations had would not have been appropriate during the time period but that added to the drama and I was okay with it.
What I did not expect here, was the conversation on the intersectionality of feminism and class… oop! It was well done and didn’t seem anachronistic, more like incidental.
I never read this author before and was pleasantly surprised. It’s simple prose, some conversations had would not have been appropriate during the time period but that added to the drama and I was okay with it.
What I did not expect here, was the conversation on the intersectionality of feminism and class… oop! It was well done and didn’t seem anachronistic, more like incidental.
July 7, 2014
I love this book so much! I cried, laughed, and adored St. Claire's transformation from that of a cynical, sadist and hardened rake to one of guardian and protector of Celestine. I am off to get more of Mrs. Simpson's books.
March 18, 2017
Very annoying shallow Hero through most of the book! But ............. finished well enough!
December 13, 2021
This is a re-read for me as I think it's one of Simpson's best works. I enjoy her books and my only complaint is that she has very few full length novels but A LOT of short stories/novellas and that's a shame.
I think this is my favorite Simpson because the H and h are likable. The H, St. Claire, is at a point in his life where he is on the cusp of going from flirt/rake to dissolute roue. His initial attempts to seduce the h, Celestine, is based on arrogance and thoughtlessness (it's a gift to give a little romance to someone whose life is so dreary so that they have this lovely memory to take them into old age). Yeah, it's like that. And yet, you can't hate him. You can really only shake your head at him. But as with any romance story worth its salt, he comes to find himself in love with the plain governess. What made this a bit different is that the h is arthritic (and I couldn't help but feel for her knowing that it's most likely rheumatoid arthritis...at least my uneducated guess...and that her future is going to be one of pain without the benefits of modern medicine).
It's lovely reading about their growing feelings for each other and the H's "come to Jesus moment" when he realizes what he is and what he could potentially become if he doesn't change his ways. Because this is set around Christmas time I always feel like it's a holiday read though it's not really.
It's a story that I occasionally pull out and read because it is touching. HOWEVER, there is another book in the series that follows Celestine's very likable aunt Emily. And that book is another kettle of fish as Emily's estranged husband is such a huge asshat. Like, I wanted Emily to go off and live a wild and free life without that useless appendage known as her husband. I feel irritated just thinking about it BUT I'll most likely read it after this one. It's like a two-fer.
I think this is my favorite Simpson because the H and h are likable. The H, St. Claire, is at a point in his life where he is on the cusp of going from flirt/rake to dissolute roue. His initial attempts to seduce the h, Celestine, is based on arrogance and thoughtlessness (it's a gift to give a little romance to someone whose life is so dreary so that they have this lovely memory to take them into old age). Yeah, it's like that. And yet, you can't hate him. You can really only shake your head at him. But as with any romance story worth its salt, he comes to find himself in love with the plain governess. What made this a bit different is that the h is arthritic (and I couldn't help but feel for her knowing that it's most likely rheumatoid arthritis...at least my uneducated guess...and that her future is going to be one of pain without the benefits of modern medicine).
It's lovely reading about their growing feelings for each other and the H's "come to Jesus moment" when he realizes what he is and what he could potentially become if he doesn't change his ways. Because this is set around Christmas time I always feel like it's a holiday read though it's not really.
It's a story that I occasionally pull out and read because it is touching. HOWEVER, there is another book in the series that follows Celestine's very likable aunt Emily. And that book is another kettle of fish as Emily's estranged husband is such a huge asshat. Like, I wanted Emily to go off and live a wild and free life without that useless appendage known as her husband. I feel irritated just thinking about it BUT I'll most likely read it after this one. It's like a two-fer.
October 16, 2013
I love 'plain Jane' stories. This one goes a bit further. The heroine is a twenty-eight-year-old governess suffering from arthritis. More than once you'll read something like 'gnarled fingers'. I didn't mind that, but I think her character should have been more developed. The things she does for people she loves, the physical pain she endures to finish something she's started is only a small part of what she could have been in this story. I don't think she will annoy readers, but not many will really love her either. I still liked her, but that could just be 'I love plain Jane stories' thing in my case.
The hero is another matter. I hoped he would suffer. He did. I can't decide if he suffered enough. His sister-in-law hired Celestine because she is plain. The book starts with "Thank God she is so plain", because marquise's brother, Justin St. Claire, is coming to visit. He, of course, decides to annoy his sister-in-law doing exactly what she wanted to prevent.
I can't remember reading a romance where so many characters were left unredeemed. I won't bother with the hero too much, because he was full of himself for almost two thirds of the story. He was the one who redeemed himself in the end, at least a bit. The lady of the house, Lady Elizabeth St. Claire, Marchioness of Ladymead is one of the worst people I've read about in any romance. Her husband is a cardboard character who was used to have that first conversation about their governess's plainness and to welcome her in the end.
The rest are the same. We have one good aunt bent on helping Celestine, one wild widow bent on seducing our hero and, my favourite, one vicar bent on marrying her. Look at this gem: "I would protect you from women's inherent weakness of morality." Who wouldn't want to marry this humble protector of our weakness of morality?
The hero is another matter. I hoped he would suffer. He did. I can't decide if he suffered enough. His sister-in-law hired Celestine because she is plain. The book starts with "Thank God she is so plain", because marquise's brother, Justin St. Claire, is coming to visit. He, of course, decides to annoy his sister-in-law doing exactly what she wanted to prevent.
I can't remember reading a romance where so many characters were left unredeemed. I won't bother with the hero too much, because he was full of himself for almost two thirds of the story. He was the one who redeemed himself in the end, at least a bit. The lady of the house, Lady Elizabeth St. Claire, Marchioness of Ladymead is one of the worst people I've read about in any romance. Her husband is a cardboard character who was used to have that first conversation about their governess's plainness and to welcome her in the end.
The rest are the same. We have one good aunt bent on helping Celestine, one wild widow bent on seducing our hero and, my favourite, one vicar bent on marrying her. Look at this gem: "I would protect you from women's inherent weakness of morality." Who wouldn't want to marry this humble protector of our weakness of morality?
November 30, 2010
Horrible hero!
From the back cover:
An on-the-shelf miss...
Celestine Simons was past the age when a woman could hope to marry. Still, she counted herself blessed, for she held a good position as a governess in the household of the Marquess of Ladymead. But when the Marquess's brother, the handsom Lord Justin St. Claire, arrived for the Christmas season, Celestine's lonely heart caught fire. He was so sweet and understanding. Yet, a marriage proposal from a pleasure-seeking aristocrat had to be merely a cruel joke, if not pity for a poor spinster...
A libertine rogue...
Love was a game for the devil-may-care Lord Justin St. Claire--until he met Miss Celestine Simons. Justin never though he could be felled by cheerful good sense and intelligent conversation. He'd set out to give the plain, timid miss an innocent thrill under the kissing bough--becoming smitten with the gray-eyed beauty was the least of his intentions. But the more he denied his aching heart, the more he yearned to make Celestine his!
And my review:
I absolutely love the Regency period, so I'll buy pretty much any book from set in this time period. Unfortunately, that means I end up with a lot of books that aren't so great.
The rake falling in love with the plain spinster is an old storyline, and one of my personal favorites. But in this case, the rake wasn't charming enough. I like my rake heros to be bluster on the outside hiding a sensitive heart of gold on the inside. That wasn't the case here. Instead, this hero was totally high on himself. He sees a plain woman past her prime, hands crippled with arthritis, and decides that he will give her the thrill of her life--he will pretend to be interested in her. Yeah, leading a woman on, that's so kind of you. Not only that, but his main motivation in doing this is to annoy his sister, who purposely set out to hire a woman he'd have no interest in so that she wouldn't have to lose yet another governess to scandal. How is raising the hopes of a woman you have no intention of offering for (and doing so only to tick off your sister) romantic? It's not. It's cruel!
The last straw was when the hero sees that the town vicar might be interested in our heroine. You would think he would then back off and let her have a chance at happiness with a good man, right? Nope! He figures that it just adds an extra challenge to the game. Now he'll really be able to show his sister! (Not very mature behavior for a grown man.) Never mind that he might be ruining the heroine's one chance for a happy marriage. Never mind that he has no intention of ever marrying our heroine. Again, this is just plain cruel. I was unable to cheer for them to be together. I felt that she was far too good for him.
I would have much preferred to see him not at all interested in her, but then fall in love with her in spite of himself because her mind, intellect and spirit were so amazing. (Kind of like Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.) I guess I was expecting too much of a book which is basically the equivalent of a Harlequin romance in the Regency world. Not recommended by this reader.
From the back cover:
An on-the-shelf miss...
Celestine Simons was past the age when a woman could hope to marry. Still, she counted herself blessed, for she held a good position as a governess in the household of the Marquess of Ladymead. But when the Marquess's brother, the handsom Lord Justin St. Claire, arrived for the Christmas season, Celestine's lonely heart caught fire. He was so sweet and understanding. Yet, a marriage proposal from a pleasure-seeking aristocrat had to be merely a cruel joke, if not pity for a poor spinster...
A libertine rogue...
Love was a game for the devil-may-care Lord Justin St. Claire--until he met Miss Celestine Simons. Justin never though he could be felled by cheerful good sense and intelligent conversation. He'd set out to give the plain, timid miss an innocent thrill under the kissing bough--becoming smitten with the gray-eyed beauty was the least of his intentions. But the more he denied his aching heart, the more he yearned to make Celestine his!
And my review:
I absolutely love the Regency period, so I'll buy pretty much any book from set in this time period. Unfortunately, that means I end up with a lot of books that aren't so great.
The rake falling in love with the plain spinster is an old storyline, and one of my personal favorites. But in this case, the rake wasn't charming enough. I like my rake heros to be bluster on the outside hiding a sensitive heart of gold on the inside. That wasn't the case here. Instead, this hero was totally high on himself. He sees a plain woman past her prime, hands crippled with arthritis, and decides that he will give her the thrill of her life--he will pretend to be interested in her. Yeah, leading a woman on, that's so kind of you. Not only that, but his main motivation in doing this is to annoy his sister, who purposely set out to hire a woman he'd have no interest in so that she wouldn't have to lose yet another governess to scandal. How is raising the hopes of a woman you have no intention of offering for (and doing so only to tick off your sister) romantic? It's not. It's cruel!
The last straw was when the hero sees that the town vicar might be interested in our heroine. You would think he would then back off and let her have a chance at happiness with a good man, right? Nope! He figures that it just adds an extra challenge to the game. Now he'll really be able to show his sister! (Not very mature behavior for a grown man.) Never mind that he might be ruining the heroine's one chance for a happy marriage. Never mind that he has no intention of ever marrying our heroine. Again, this is just plain cruel. I was unable to cheer for them to be together. I felt that she was far too good for him.
I would have much preferred to see him not at all interested in her, but then fall in love with her in spite of himself because her mind, intellect and spirit were so amazing. (Kind of like Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.) I guess I was expecting too much of a book which is basically the equivalent of a Harlequin romance in the Regency world. Not recommended by this reader.
January 24, 2023
Okay, so this is a sweet and cheesy historical romance, but I can't help myself. I loved it! It may not be the most original or the most complex, but I thought it did a good job of showing the progression both characters went through. It really focuses on the hero over the heroine, but shows him go from cynical to truly falling for the heroine.
While the heroine is a little too-good-to-be-true and perfect, she is endearing and I identified with her struggle to find her place in the world as she struggles with a debilitating physical ailment. You really feel for her as she wants to find happiness and love, but feels it's beyond her grasp.
The hero is a great example of how a jerk and a rake can make a turn around believable, if the author spends enough time developing his character. Too often, I find these types of character never really change their ways or their change isn't set up well enough to be believable.
One thing I really liked about this story is that the supporting cast has lives of their own, but those stories don't take focus away from the main story line. That might sound weird, but the author hints at the backstories of other characters, giving us glimpses that the other characters have these full lives that exist outside of the book, but without spending a lot of time telling us about it and pulling away focus from the main characters.
I wouldn't say this book is incredibly well done, but it's solid writing and it really touched me. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be reading it again. And again. I can see it being a book I pick up when I crave a light romance.
UPDATE / CONTENT WARNING: So, I don't know if I just didn't notice it before, but this had just a touch more content than I remember. I'll blame it on the fact that I don't always comb through the make-out scenes for details. Either way, this has just a touch more graphic detail that I like for a clean romance. No, they don't sleep together. There isn't any sex, but there's a bit of groping and description of the lust between the characters that made me uncomfortable. Still, a cute story, but I felt like I needed to put a tiny disclaimer on there, just in case you are someone who likes squeaky clean.
While the heroine is a little too-good-to-be-true and perfect, she is endearing and I identified with her struggle to find her place in the world as she struggles with a debilitating physical ailment. You really feel for her as she wants to find happiness and love, but feels it's beyond her grasp.
The hero is a great example of how a jerk and a rake can make a turn around believable, if the author spends enough time developing his character. Too often, I find these types of character never really change their ways or their change isn't set up well enough to be believable.
One thing I really liked about this story is that the supporting cast has lives of their own, but those stories don't take focus away from the main story line. That might sound weird, but the author hints at the backstories of other characters, giving us glimpses that the other characters have these full lives that exist outside of the book, but without spending a lot of time telling us about it and pulling away focus from the main characters.
I wouldn't say this book is incredibly well done, but it's solid writing and it really touched me. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be reading it again. And again. I can see it being a book I pick up when I crave a light romance.
UPDATE / CONTENT WARNING: So, I don't know if I just didn't notice it before, but this had just a touch more content than I remember. I'll blame it on the fact that I don't always comb through the make-out scenes for details. Either way, this has just a touch more graphic detail that I like for a clean romance. No, they don't sleep together. There isn't any sex, but there's a bit of groping and description of the lust between the characters that made me uncomfortable. Still, a cute story, but I felt like I needed to put a tiny disclaimer on there, just in case you are someone who likes squeaky clean.
December 31, 2008
This was a good book, but well into the book I couldn't help thinking that Celestine deserved a much better hero than Lord St. Claire. He really is a rather debauched rake, and also came off as shallow. It takes him some time to see what a gem Celestine is, in spite of her crippling arthritis in her hands and her plain looks. Finally he does come around. I like the book for the heroine, so that's why I gave it four stars.
Read
June 17, 2017LORD ST. CLAIRE'S ANGEL by Donna Simpson
In May Victoria Hamilton messaged me and told me that when she started her writing career in the Regencies, she wrote under her real name... Donna Simpson. Her first novel was Lord St. Claire's Angel. These days, Donna writes traditional mysteries under the pseudonym .. Victoria Hamilton and Amanda Cooper. I decided I really wanted to read her first Regency novel.
LORD ST. CLAIRE'S ANGEL is Lord Justin St.Claire (Richmond) and Celestine Simons story.
Celestine was from a very good family but when her father died the estate went to a distant cousin, she was without money or a home. She took a position of governess with the St. Claires (Marquess and Marchioness of Ladymead).
Lord Justin St. Claire was the Marquess' brother. He spent his time in London. He was handsome and a born flirt. He liked to romance the debutantes but never commit. He was coming to Ladymeads for the Christmas holidays. It was not beyond him to have a little flirtation going with the help.
The holidays were quickly coming upon them. Celestine was walking by the drawing room when she heard Lady and Lord St. Claire talking about her.
'She is so plain and homely that Justin will not force his attentions on an aging, plain, arthritic spinster governess. It will definitely save us all from having the problem we had last year with Miss Chambly.
Celestine hung her head, too stunned by the cruel accuracy of the words to retreat, listened while they spoke of her. Embarrassed at having lingered long enough, she began to ascend the great curved staircase.
H Justin St. Claire found her ladyship with his two nieces in the parlor. The two little girls shrieked with delight and pestered their uncle until they found the treats he had brought for them. Lady St. Claire introduced Miss Simons their new governess. Justin saw a drab little creature in an ugly gray gown. "What happened to the little charmer you had here last Christmas? He asked. You know very well what happened. When Celestine took hold of the children's hands, he noticed her hands were malformed.
As the door closed behind her, he gave his sister in law a knowing look. "making sure I don't dally with the governess,, Elizabeth"
Justin decided that he was going to give this little brown mouse of a governess some romance for Christmas.
Celestine was not immune to Justin's charms. Even though she was a daughter of an untitled gentleman, she knew Lord St. Clair was above her touch but she figured she could dream couldn't she? She knew she was but one of the many women who have been drawn to him.
When the book ended I really did not want to leave this story. I found the story riveting. I read it in one day. And to think this was her first book I liked the book very much and as they say " Well done, Miss Simpson, well done!" Donna Lea Simpson has put out a new edition of this book in digital format .The book;s new cover page is beautiful.
Happy Reading!
In May Victoria Hamilton messaged me and told me that when she started her writing career in the Regencies, she wrote under her real name... Donna Simpson. Her first novel was Lord St. Claire's Angel. These days, Donna writes traditional mysteries under the pseudonym .. Victoria Hamilton and Amanda Cooper. I decided I really wanted to read her first Regency novel.
LORD ST. CLAIRE'S ANGEL is Lord Justin St.Claire (Richmond) and Celestine Simons story.
Celestine was from a very good family but when her father died the estate went to a distant cousin, she was without money or a home. She took a position of governess with the St. Claires (Marquess and Marchioness of Ladymead).
Lord Justin St. Claire was the Marquess' brother. He spent his time in London. He was handsome and a born flirt. He liked to romance the debutantes but never commit. He was coming to Ladymeads for the Christmas holidays. It was not beyond him to have a little flirtation going with the help.
The holidays were quickly coming upon them. Celestine was walking by the drawing room when she heard Lady and Lord St. Claire talking about her.
'She is so plain and homely that Justin will not force his attentions on an aging, plain, arthritic spinster governess. It will definitely save us all from having the problem we had last year with Miss Chambly.
Celestine hung her head, too stunned by the cruel accuracy of the words to retreat, listened while they spoke of her. Embarrassed at having lingered long enough, she began to ascend the great curved staircase.
H Justin St. Claire found her ladyship with his two nieces in the parlor. The two little girls shrieked with delight and pestered their uncle until they found the treats he had brought for them. Lady St. Claire introduced Miss Simons their new governess. Justin saw a drab little creature in an ugly gray gown. "What happened to the little charmer you had here last Christmas? He asked. You know very well what happened. When Celestine took hold of the children's hands, he noticed her hands were malformed.
As the door closed behind her, he gave his sister in law a knowing look. "making sure I don't dally with the governess,, Elizabeth"
Justin decided that he was going to give this little brown mouse of a governess some romance for Christmas.
Celestine was not immune to Justin's charms. Even though she was a daughter of an untitled gentleman, she knew Lord St. Clair was above her touch but she figured she could dream couldn't she? She knew she was but one of the many women who have been drawn to him.
When the book ended I really did not want to leave this story. I found the story riveting. I read it in one day. And to think this was her first book I liked the book very much and as they say " Well done, Miss Simpson, well done!" Donna Lea Simpson has put out a new edition of this book in digital format .The book;s new cover page is beautiful.
Happy Reading!
February 25, 2014
LORD ST. CLAIRE'S ANGEL by Donna Lea Simpson is an exciting Regency Historical Romance. #5 in the "Classic Regency Romance" series, but can be read as a stand alone. *A Re-release*
Meet Celestine Simons, a lady of good bred but forced to work, due to funds, as the governess of Lord Langlow and his wife. And Lord Langlow's scandalous brother, Lord St. Claire Richmond. He is a rogue of the first water and a seducer of many a woman.
While, Celestine is either beautiful or rich, but considered plain, and comely, she is intelligent, older than most young women, smart, and witty. Oh and a challenge for St. Claire! But what St. Claire soon learns is Celestine is more than expected. She is what he wants. Follow passion, love and a sweet romance as these two unlikely couple learn to deal with their feelings. If you enjoy classic Regency as Miss Jane Austen wrote it, than this is a story for you to pick up, I promise you will not regret your choice.
Fast paced and filled with learning about yourself as well as falling in love with more than seduction but with life. A wonderful tale of a notorious nobleman and an older governess. Not some debutante. I enjoyed this story!
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
Meet Celestine Simons, a lady of good bred but forced to work, due to funds, as the governess of Lord Langlow and his wife. And Lord Langlow's scandalous brother, Lord St. Claire Richmond. He is a rogue of the first water and a seducer of many a woman.
While, Celestine is either beautiful or rich, but considered plain, and comely, she is intelligent, older than most young women, smart, and witty. Oh and a challenge for St. Claire! But what St. Claire soon learns is Celestine is more than expected. She is what he wants. Follow passion, love and a sweet romance as these two unlikely couple learn to deal with their feelings. If you enjoy classic Regency as Miss Jane Austen wrote it, than this is a story for you to pick up, I promise you will not regret your choice.
Fast paced and filled with learning about yourself as well as falling in love with more than seduction but with life. A wonderful tale of a notorious nobleman and an older governess. Not some debutante. I enjoyed this story!
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
July 29, 2016
This story began promisingly. I like novels with plain Janes, and I am even of the opinion that the beauty of the characters in the books is unnecessarily exaggerated.
Celestine Simons is not only plain, she also suffers from arthritis. Her personality is described as being witty, but I confess that in the text it does not transpired. The great features that underscore are essentially a subjugation and acceptance of her living conditions. As a character I couldn't like her much. Her constant downtime bother me.
Lord St. Claire Richmond is a very well characterized scoundrel. However, I feel that I read a lot about the internal dilemmas of these characters and very little about their interaction. And even when they interacted, I felt no spark between them.
I would just like to mention two characters: Lady Elizabeth St. Claire , which in my opinion represent the arrogance of the aristocracy, and her husband, who strangely only appears twice in the book .
I can't say I enjoyed much of this historical romance. For me it was an acceptable but not memorable read .
#I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review#
Celestine Simons is not only plain, she also suffers from arthritis. Her personality is described as being witty, but I confess that in the text it does not transpired. The great features that underscore are essentially a subjugation and acceptance of her living conditions. As a character I couldn't like her much. Her constant downtime bother me.
Lord St. Claire Richmond is a very well characterized scoundrel. However, I feel that I read a lot about the internal dilemmas of these characters and very little about their interaction. And even when they interacted, I felt no spark between them.
I would just like to mention two characters: Lady Elizabeth St. Claire , which in my opinion represent the arrogance of the aristocracy, and her husband, who strangely only appears twice in the book .
I can't say I enjoyed much of this historical romance. For me it was an acceptable but not memorable read .
#I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review#
October 12, 2019
This was a little too overly sweet and dramatic for my tastes, but talk about an insecure heroine! St. Claire seemed like kind of a jerk and then did an about-face, which felt a little random. But overall I did like it.
On re-read, bumping it up from 2.5 to 3 stars. It’s defin saccharine, but that comes with the territory (Clean Romance). If you’re looking for odes to love and whatnot, and no sex, this is for you. I did like the characters more than on first read, particularly the secondary characters who are the heroines of the next two books, so I may end up reading those (one heroine is plump and the other is plain, but nothing from their book descriptions indicate that factors into their stories, so we’ll see). I still could have done with a bit more angst though - there were a couple good setups, but they weren’t really well utilized, leaving me feeling that the hero is a jerk and the heroine absurdly naive.
On re-read, bumping it up from 2.5 to 3 stars. It’s defin saccharine, but that comes with the territory (Clean Romance). If you’re looking for odes to love and whatnot, and no sex, this is for you. I did like the characters more than on first read, particularly the secondary characters who are the heroines of the next two books, so I may end up reading those (one heroine is plump and the other is plain, but nothing from their book descriptions indicate that factors into their stories, so we’ll see). I still could have done with a bit more angst though - there were a couple good setups, but they weren’t really well utilized, leaving me feeling that the hero is a jerk and the heroine absurdly naive.
May 9, 2017
It was a strange mixture of conventional and unconventional. I liked how Justin persevered in his pursuit, full of dubious intention and hasty rationalization - it's sad that a questionable motive and practice of immorality should be such a novelty - but alas, such is the state of romance these days, everything has to be a pattern card of respectable sentiments.(Staying quite true to the era it is depicting in more ways than one it seems). Annnd it is quite delicious that Celestine IS a plain doormat(although she does possess prerequisitefine eyes and angelic voice), yet again going against the modern pressure for heroines to be uniformly equipped with strong backbones, cheeky wit and sassy mouth. In short, we have got humans here, preferably slightly closer to the 19c.
The rest of the book was so steeped in the mannerisms of the genre so they are not worth mentioning
. 3.5.
November 29, 2020
Man this book was a hard one to rate. It kept on going back and forth between sweet moments and frustration with the story and the characters. It’s also written well overall.
However, most of the book is written with the internal dialogue of the h and H. This meant that the two of them hardly speak with each other, so misunderstandings and assumptions are made instead. It also meant that the h and H both go back and forth with their feelings repeatedly because the internal dialogue is just so much and there is nothing else for them to do but ruminate continuously. This got really frustrating for me.
The H was also acting a lot like a spoilt brat for most of the book. But, fortunately he has some character growth and changes. What was also interesting was that the h had arthritis which added to her character nicely.
An okay read overall but not great.
However, most of the book is written with the internal dialogue of the h and H. This meant that the two of them hardly speak with each other, so misunderstandings and assumptions are made instead. It also meant that the h and H both go back and forth with their feelings repeatedly because the internal dialogue is just so much and there is nothing else for them to do but ruminate continuously. This got really frustrating for me.
The H was also acting a lot like a spoilt brat for most of the book. But, fortunately he has some character growth and changes. What was also interesting was that the h had arthritis which added to her character nicely.
An okay read overall but not great.
February 11, 2019
Sweet romance with much to love
This is a lovely, kisses only romance with just the right period feel. Our hero isn’t very heroic to start with - selfish would be a better description! But his better self surfaces under Celestine’s influence and once he stops thinking just through his pantaloons , we like him better. I was rather charmed by what is a very innocent read, I bought it after seeing other positive reviews and I hope others do the same
This is a lovely, kisses only romance with just the right period feel. Our hero isn’t very heroic to start with - selfish would be a better description! But his better self surfaces under Celestine’s influence and once he stops thinking just through his pantaloons , we like him better. I was rather charmed by what is a very innocent read, I bought it after seeing other positive reviews and I hope others do the same
November 14, 2017
When you write a romance about a governess falling in love with (the Brother of) the lord of the house you are competing with Jane Eyre. Quite a challenge. This novel is however a joy to read and being perfect in small details.
November 5, 2019
Sweet, tender and touching. 4.5 stars rounded up. I loved the interactions and contemplations of St Clair and Celestine. I was moved by Celestine alongside St Clair. The children were adorable, and the secondary characters involved just enough to keep my interest in them too.
Read
February 21, 2022I wanted to like this one. The style and voice of the writing I enjoyed, the budding romance is believable, and I relate very much to the heroine. But the head hopping drove me up the wall. Also TW: attempted assault
April 26, 2022
I thought it was cute. I liked that the hero was such a scumbag in the beginning. It was nice seeing his transformation. I also appreciated a heroine with a chronic condition. You don't see that often and I relate to it strongly.
November 12, 2024
Between a 3 and a 4. The story was wonderful. But I confess I compare many of these types of historical romances to the writing of Mary Balogh and find them wanting. There just wasn't the depth of character to bury your heart into each character. So it came off a little too watery.
December 30, 2017
The hero was a schmuck! No redemption possible.
March 26, 2024
It was fine. Forgettable and not that unique, but fine. Definitely went on too long and had boring parts. Would have been better half the length. I was skimming parts.
August 28, 2016
A New Look at a Familiar Genre
This is a wonderful take on the popular storyline of the plain governess and the handsome nobleman. If you want to read a Regency romance with some weight to it instead of going through the standard plot lines of the genre than get this book. The lead characters are drawn with a realism that goes beyond the usual stereotypes. This includes letting the hero, St. Claire be very unlikable for a large part of the story and lets the heroine, Celestine, occasionally verge on martyrdom. What draws you to them is realizing how the era they live in plays such a part in who they are and watching as their developing love for each other inspires them to be more than they thought they were capable of.
St. Claire doesn't have a dark secret or wounded psyche hiding behind his rakish ways. He is a wealthy second son, his brother is the Marquise and has two young sons. At 32, St. Claire has never been responsible for anything or anyone. He is not a fool or a wastrel but he's made a lifestyle of having a good time, particularly with women, which is why his snobbish sister-in-law has hired Celestine several months earlier as a preemptive strike against her brother-in-law's usual flirtations with her staff when he visits at Christmas.
Celestine is genuinely plain, (not just a hidden beauty waiting to be revealed) and her hands are gnarled with the severe arthritis she has suffered from since childhood. From a good family, the death of her father leaving her penniless but refusing the help of her wealthy aunt, Celestine takes the position of governess with a friend of her aunt's because she is determined to earn her own way in the world while being useful to others. She has no experience or interest in the superficial upper level Polite Society of the time. She loves working with children and at 28, Celestine sees this as the only way she'll ever have the chance to be near children as she has long ago realized her age, looks, health and lack of fortune will most certainly add up to spinsterhood for her. Still Celestine is intelligent, generous, open and has a positive attitude towards those around her. She refuses to dwell on the negatives of her life and finds happiness in the children she cares for and participating in life in the local village.
When the two first meet it is not love or hate at first sight. St. Claire realizes the plain little governess has been put in place by his sister-in-law and is determined to ruin her scheme by starting a flirtation with Celestine anyway obnoxiously rationalizing that a few kisses from a handsome lord like himself will brighten the years of spinsterhood ahead for her. Celestine, however, is aware of her employer's intent and while finding St. Claire quite handsome has no intention of losing a job she loves for his amusement.
The story steps up as after hearing Celestine's angelic singing voice during a choir practice, St. Claire finds himself unusually moved by the beauty of her voice and in her spirit and begins to question himself and how he leads his life. The more he gets to know Celestine, the more he, unknowingly, is falling in love with her. The reader gets to go along with St. Claire as he finally starts to grow up and learn to think of someone else's comfort and happiness besides his own. Love truly makes him a better man.
Celestine is not unaffected either. We cheer her on as her own self confidence builds and she stands up for herself, physically as well as verbally. It is a joy to watch Celestine stop being a shrinking violet and learn to broaden her own horizons by broadening her own expectations of what she is deserving of.
The story and characters are so well written and strong that it has the reader wondering how these two characters so far apart in every way can realistically overcome themselves as well as Society mores to be together. Yet, the author manages to show each of them changing for the better through their feelings for the other even when they aren't ready to admit the depth of their feelings even to themselves. This is definitely worth reading for a change of pace in a often duplicated genre.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is a wonderful take on the popular storyline of the plain governess and the handsome nobleman. If you want to read a Regency romance with some weight to it instead of going through the standard plot lines of the genre than get this book. The lead characters are drawn with a realism that goes beyond the usual stereotypes. This includes letting the hero, St. Claire be very unlikable for a large part of the story and lets the heroine, Celestine, occasionally verge on martyrdom. What draws you to them is realizing how the era they live in plays such a part in who they are and watching as their developing love for each other inspires them to be more than they thought they were capable of.
St. Claire doesn't have a dark secret or wounded psyche hiding behind his rakish ways. He is a wealthy second son, his brother is the Marquise and has two young sons. At 32, St. Claire has never been responsible for anything or anyone. He is not a fool or a wastrel but he's made a lifestyle of having a good time, particularly with women, which is why his snobbish sister-in-law has hired Celestine several months earlier as a preemptive strike against her brother-in-law's usual flirtations with her staff when he visits at Christmas.
Celestine is genuinely plain, (not just a hidden beauty waiting to be revealed) and her hands are gnarled with the severe arthritis she has suffered from since childhood. From a good family, the death of her father leaving her penniless but refusing the help of her wealthy aunt, Celestine takes the position of governess with a friend of her aunt's because she is determined to earn her own way in the world while being useful to others. She has no experience or interest in the superficial upper level Polite Society of the time. She loves working with children and at 28, Celestine sees this as the only way she'll ever have the chance to be near children as she has long ago realized her age, looks, health and lack of fortune will most certainly add up to spinsterhood for her. Still Celestine is intelligent, generous, open and has a positive attitude towards those around her. She refuses to dwell on the negatives of her life and finds happiness in the children she cares for and participating in life in the local village.
When the two first meet it is not love or hate at first sight. St. Claire realizes the plain little governess has been put in place by his sister-in-law and is determined to ruin her scheme by starting a flirtation with Celestine anyway obnoxiously rationalizing that a few kisses from a handsome lord like himself will brighten the years of spinsterhood ahead for her. Celestine, however, is aware of her employer's intent and while finding St. Claire quite handsome has no intention of losing a job she loves for his amusement.
The story steps up as after hearing Celestine's angelic singing voice during a choir practice, St. Claire finds himself unusually moved by the beauty of her voice and in her spirit and begins to question himself and how he leads his life. The more he gets to know Celestine, the more he, unknowingly, is falling in love with her. The reader gets to go along with St. Claire as he finally starts to grow up and learn to think of someone else's comfort and happiness besides his own. Love truly makes him a better man.
Celestine is not unaffected either. We cheer her on as her own self confidence builds and she stands up for herself, physically as well as verbally. It is a joy to watch Celestine stop being a shrinking violet and learn to broaden her own horizons by broadening her own expectations of what she is deserving of.
The story and characters are so well written and strong that it has the reader wondering how these two characters so far apart in every way can realistically overcome themselves as well as Society mores to be together. Yet, the author manages to show each of them changing for the better through their feelings for the other even when they aren't ready to admit the depth of their feelings even to themselves. This is definitely worth reading for a change of pace in a often duplicated genre.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 7, 2014
Celestine Simons was past the age when a woman could hope to marry. Still, she counted herself blessed, for she held a good position as governess in the household of tine Marquess of Ladymead. But when the Marquess's brother, the handsome Lord Justin St. Claire, arrived for the Christmas season, Celestine's lonely heart caught fire. He was so sweet and understanding. Yet, a marriage proposal from a pleasure-seeking aristocrat had to be merely cruel joke, if not pity for a poor spinster...
Love was a game for the devil-may-care Lord Justin St. Claire -- until he met Miss Celestine Simons. Justin never thought he could be felled by cheerful good sense and intelligent conversation. He'd set out to give the plain, timid miss an innocent thrill under the kissing bough -- becoming smitten with the gray-eyed beauty was the least of his intentions. But the more he denied his aching heart, the more he yearned to make Celestine his.
Very nice and sweet Regency to read.
At the beginning Justin Lord St. Claire is on the edge of the unbearable, he seems a bit vanesio and superficial, his reputation as a rake is well deserved and the worst was his will to start courting the poor Celestine for the reason more futile and wrong: do a spite to his sister-in-law.
Celestine is a wonderful character, sweet, simple and naive, but proud, she prefers to work as a guardian in a family of The high society, rather than being maintained by a dear relative.
She is not beautiful, but intelligent, generous and affectionate and all her qualities slowly are the reasons in a changing Lord St. Claire, without that not even he undestands immediately the strength of feelings for her and the responses she provokes in him.
St. Claire shows a gentleness to Celestine and surprising attention they do overcome prejudices that I initially felt against him.
Truly a beautiful story I recommend it to anyone who likes a reading full of romance.
Thank to Netgalley and Beyond The Page for Publishing the book.
Rating: 4 stars
TITKE: Lord St. Claire's Angel
AUTHOR: Donna Lea Simpson
PUBLISHER: Beyond The Page Publishing
Regency molto carino e dolce da leggere.
All'inizio Lord Justin St. Claire è al limite dell'insopportabile, sembra un po' vanesio e superficiale, la sua reputazione di libertino senz'altro più che meritata e inizia a corteggiare la povera Celestine per il motivo più futile e sbagliato: fare un dispetto alla cognata.
Celestine è invece un personaggio meraviglioso, dolce, semplice e ingenua, ma orgogliosa, tanto da preferire di lavorare come tutrice in una famiglia dell'alta società, piuttosto che farsi mantenere da una cara parente.
Non è bella, ma intelligente, generosa e affezionata e tutte le sue qualità piano piano riescono a far cambiare l'atteggmento di Lord St. Claire, senza che neanche lui se ne renda subito conto, mettendo,o in difficoltà di fronte alla forza dei sentimenti e delle risposte che provoca in lui.
St. Claire mostra una dolcezza verso Celestine e delle attenzioni sorprendenti, che fanno superare i pregiudizi che inizialmente ho provato nei suoi confronti.
Veramente una bellissima storia che consiglio a chi ama letture piene di romanticismo.
Ringrazio Netgalley e la Beyond The Page Publishing per il libro.
VOTO: 4 stelle
TITOLO: Lord St. Claire's Angel
AUTRICE: Donna Lea Simpson
EDITORE: Beyond The Page Publishing
Love was a game for the devil-may-care Lord Justin St. Claire -- until he met Miss Celestine Simons. Justin never thought he could be felled by cheerful good sense and intelligent conversation. He'd set out to give the plain, timid miss an innocent thrill under the kissing bough -- becoming smitten with the gray-eyed beauty was the least of his intentions. But the more he denied his aching heart, the more he yearned to make Celestine his.
Very nice and sweet Regency to read.
At the beginning Justin Lord St. Claire is on the edge of the unbearable, he seems a bit vanesio and superficial, his reputation as a rake is well deserved and the worst was his will to start courting the poor Celestine for the reason more futile and wrong: do a spite to his sister-in-law.
Celestine is a wonderful character, sweet, simple and naive, but proud, she prefers to work as a guardian in a family of The high society, rather than being maintained by a dear relative.
She is not beautiful, but intelligent, generous and affectionate and all her qualities slowly are the reasons in a changing Lord St. Claire, without that not even he undestands immediately the strength of feelings for her and the responses she provokes in him.
St. Claire shows a gentleness to Celestine and surprising attention they do overcome prejudices that I initially felt against him.
Truly a beautiful story I recommend it to anyone who likes a reading full of romance.
Thank to Netgalley and Beyond The Page for Publishing the book.
Rating: 4 stars
TITKE: Lord St. Claire's Angel
AUTHOR: Donna Lea Simpson
PUBLISHER: Beyond The Page Publishing
Regency molto carino e dolce da leggere.
All'inizio Lord Justin St. Claire è al limite dell'insopportabile, sembra un po' vanesio e superficiale, la sua reputazione di libertino senz'altro più che meritata e inizia a corteggiare la povera Celestine per il motivo più futile e sbagliato: fare un dispetto alla cognata.
Celestine è invece un personaggio meraviglioso, dolce, semplice e ingenua, ma orgogliosa, tanto da preferire di lavorare come tutrice in una famiglia dell'alta società, piuttosto che farsi mantenere da una cara parente.
Non è bella, ma intelligente, generosa e affezionata e tutte le sue qualità piano piano riescono a far cambiare l'atteggmento di Lord St. Claire, senza che neanche lui se ne renda subito conto, mettendo,o in difficoltà di fronte alla forza dei sentimenti e delle risposte che provoca in lui.
St. Claire mostra una dolcezza verso Celestine e delle attenzioni sorprendenti, che fanno superare i pregiudizi che inizialmente ho provato nei suoi confronti.
Veramente una bellissima storia che consiglio a chi ama letture piene di romanticismo.
Ringrazio Netgalley e la Beyond The Page Publishing per il libro.
VOTO: 4 stelle
TITOLO: Lord St. Claire's Angel
AUTRICE: Donna Lea Simpson
EDITORE: Beyond The Page Publishing
March 5, 2019
When I first read this many years ago, I don't have anything to remark on and rated it 5 stars. Mayhap I was young and a tad innocent, but now I'm more matured and after reading it for the second time, I was able to pinpoint plenty of things.
Despite of what I have identified, I still couldn't give this novel a rating less than 4 stars because in spite of Celestine's shortcomings, she wasn't a doormat nor a male hunter. Moreover, the writing skill wasn't vexing and I like it when it was the male leading character who does the chasing and grovelling. Thus, in the end, I decided on 4.5 stars.
Lastly, I think it would be better if someone will give Elizabeth the dressing down she deserves. The reprimands weren't enough.
1. While it is true that the charity of Christmas is giving to the less fortunate, St. Claire should have made it sure if that was what Celestine wanted. Who was he to assume that Celestine wanted a romantic Christmas eve? I really dislike it when a jerk or jerkette justifies his or her wrongdoings or stupid logic. I also disdain it when someone presumes what is best for another person or if that is what the other person wants.
2. All of St. Claire's decisions to stop flirting Celestine were always short-lived.
3. It was apparent that the author didn't know the real definition of lovemaking. St. Claire wanted to make love to Celestine but didn't have the intention to bed her?? Perhaps it was a misinterpretation on my part because it wasn't really mentioned that St. Claire wanted to make love to her but there were a few allusions and the word "lovemaking" was mentioned many times.
4. The setting is in Regency period, right? So, they don't have pens then but quills.
5. Inconsistency in age or math error. Celestine was eight and twenty, and Emily was seven years older than her. Hence, Emily was five and thirty. So, how can she be fours year older than St. Claire when he was two and thirty?
6. St. Claire shouldn't got angry when Elizabeth and Emily thought the worst of him. He was the one who cultivated his reputation, so if he wanted to get irritated, he should had annoyed with himself.
7. I really find it distasteful and rude when a man is flirting with another woman infront of the woman he set his sights on or ex-girlfriend. It was like telling her that she is dispensable. Actually, the same thing also goes to women.
8. St. Claire was holier-than-thou for accusing Celestine of playing him and the vicar like fish on hooks when he was misleading every woman in his sphere.
9. Celestine was fine with being deluded? What practical woman would do that? I cannot credit it to being a spinster who still yearns to have a romantic story because I am one but I don't allow myself to be mislead as I don't tolerate disrespect.
10. Celestine may be many things but she lacked self-worth. Yes, she didn't have the looks, she was arthritic yet she had many talents and qualities that she should be proud of and get her confidence from.
11. Too many hypocrites in this story. Celestine was too nice to consider Grishelda as a friend even after her feeling know-it-all disapproval.
12. Emily was an imbecile; she chose not to defend her niece from Elizabeth.
Despite of what I have identified, I still couldn't give this novel a rating less than 4 stars because in spite of Celestine's shortcomings, she wasn't a doormat nor a male hunter. Moreover, the writing skill wasn't vexing and I like it when it was the male leading character who does the chasing and grovelling. Thus, in the end, I decided on 4.5 stars.
Lastly, I think it would be better if someone will give Elizabeth the dressing down she deserves. The reprimands weren't enough.
October 30, 2018
"Celestine Simons was of good family, but an untimely death and a shortage of funds forces the homely spinster to take a position as governess at the estate of Lord Langlow and his wife."
On the other hand..."Lord St. Claire Richmond, Langlow's brother, is a rogue and seducer, content to while away his days pursuing pleasure - and driving his brother and sister-in-law mad by reducing their female staff to lovelorn fools with his flirtations."
The two main characters are drastically different from each other. Celestine is a pure soul with morals and cares about her charges. While, Lord St. Claire cares not for others, just himself. He is a man whore and only seeks to fulfill his every whim.
Celestine has trouble with her hands that "are malformed, the knuckles swollen and red, the fingers crook'd in an awkward-looking manner." Her hands cause her pain and she struggles to hide her condition that causes her embarrassment.
Lord St. Claire is warned to stay away from the governess but this only serves as a challenge to him. He seeks out her company and even bothers her. Gains her trust and begins to seduce her.
This story was very strange for me. I can see what the author was intending; the hero falls for a plain girl who intrigues him with herself and not what she looks like. But the book rambled and tried to justify how the author calls her heroine ugly and deformed. The author then tries to recover by dedicating a whole chapter on how good a person Celestine is. How she's the best of people.
There were a lot of characters in this book. I didn't bother to keep up. Also, there's little to no chance that their last name would be spelled Claire. More likely to be St. Clare.
Overall, I didn't care for the delivery of this book. I got the message but this was a tricky subject and I don't think the author did a very good job with it. The hero came off too much as a selfish ass. "I thought when you were old, it would be pleasant for you to look back and be able to say that once you were kissed by a lord! I felt sorry for you, but I see my pity was wasted. I will bother you no more!" The book talks a bit about the women's movement. The ending is pure crap. Elizabeth, who is a horrible character, and there was no redemption for her, but the author didn't agree. The story was too long. It could have been trimmed down. I didn't love how it started out either. The ending was better once the author stopped harping on Celestine's looks.
Content: mild language, surprisingly clean
On the other hand..."Lord St. Claire Richmond, Langlow's brother, is a rogue and seducer, content to while away his days pursuing pleasure - and driving his brother and sister-in-law mad by reducing their female staff to lovelorn fools with his flirtations."
The two main characters are drastically different from each other. Celestine is a pure soul with morals and cares about her charges. While, Lord St. Claire cares not for others, just himself. He is a man whore and only seeks to fulfill his every whim.
Celestine has trouble with her hands that "are malformed, the knuckles swollen and red, the fingers crook'd in an awkward-looking manner." Her hands cause her pain and she struggles to hide her condition that causes her embarrassment.
Lord St. Claire is warned to stay away from the governess but this only serves as a challenge to him. He seeks out her company and even bothers her. Gains her trust and begins to seduce her.
This story was very strange for me. I can see what the author was intending; the hero falls for a plain girl who intrigues him with herself and not what she looks like. But the book rambled and tried to justify how the author calls her heroine ugly and deformed. The author then tries to recover by dedicating a whole chapter on how good a person Celestine is. How she's the best of people.
There were a lot of characters in this book. I didn't bother to keep up. Also, there's little to no chance that their last name would be spelled Claire. More likely to be St. Clare.
Overall, I didn't care for the delivery of this book. I got the message but this was a tricky subject and I don't think the author did a very good job with it. The hero came off too much as a selfish ass. "I thought when you were old, it would be pleasant for you to look back and be able to say that once you were kissed by a lord! I felt sorry for you, but I see my pity was wasted. I will bother you no more!" The book talks a bit about the women's movement. The ending is pure crap. Elizabeth, who is a horrible character, and there was no redemption for her, but the author didn't agree. The story was too long. It could have been trimmed down. I didn't love how it started out either. The ending was better once the author stopped harping on Celestine's looks.
Content: mild language, surprisingly clean
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