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Douglas Trilogy #3
To Catch A Countess
The most outrageous and reckless of the Douglas sisters, Victoria marries Alexander Emerson, the Earl of Winchester. She curbs her wild ways and tries to be a devoted wife. Everything would be perfect if not for her shameful secret. Victoria cannot read or write. She is determined to overcome her disability because she fears her sophisticated husband's former mistresses will lure him away.
Alexander agreed to marry Victoria to right a grievous wrong that his late father perpetrated on the Douglas family. He soon realizes Victoria will make the perfect wife. Her sensual beauty and bright spirit captivate him. Could their marriage be a love match after all?
Ugly rumors and a malicious plot threaten to tear them apart. Can their marriage withstand the vicious ton? Will their love survive the scandal?
Alexander agreed to marry Victoria to right a grievous wrong that his late father perpetrated on the Douglas family. He soon realizes Victoria will make the perfect wife. Her sensual beauty and bright spirit captivate him. Could their marriage be a love match after all?
Ugly rumors and a malicious plot threaten to tear them apart. Can their marriage withstand the vicious ton? Will their love survive the scandal?
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2004
68 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Grasso
62 books156 followersI'm a dog person. Who lives with 10 cats. Get the picture?
My first brush with the romance genre happened in my high school junior year. I discovered Gone With the Wind and hid it behind my American history book to read during class. (The Civil War is American history.) The ambiguous ending left me dissatisfied, though. Rhett and Scarlet needed a happily-ever-after. Believing in happily-ever-afters positively screams romantic-at-heart.
On the other hand, I love murder and mayhem as much as happily-ever-after. My usual television fare is fiction and nonfiction crime shows, not love stories. Which accounts for the mysteries I sneaked into my historical romances. Now I'm trying my hand at writing a humorous mystery, sans historical and sans emphasis on the love interest. I even prepared for my mystery-in-progress by attending the local NRA's Pistol School. Shooting pistols is great fun. I adore the .22 semiautomatics.
After graduating from high school without distinction, I earned both Bachelor and Master degrees at a state college. Again, without distinction. I held several part-time jobs during my college days: file clerk in an insurance company, long-distance telephone operator, kimono-wearing waitress in a Japanese restaurant.
And then I began my teaching career, eighteen years in the eighth grade and thirteen years at the high school. Weary with the same old routine, I decided I needed a creative outlet. So I decided to write a romance novel but only managed to talk about writing one. After five years of listening to me, a friend said to stop talking and start writing.
So I did.
I made every mistake known to man. Blunder would be a more appropriate word, but I did learn using the trial and error method. As well as studying the works of authors I admired.
After five years of writing for nothing but love, I sold my first novel. Since then, I've sold eighteen novels and won several awards--- National Readers' Choice Award New England Readers' Choice Award, Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice and KISS Awards, B. Dalton and Bookrak Awards for best-selling author. My novels have been translated into fifteen languages and sold in twenty countries.
If I had my life over, would I become a writer? Nope. I would enjoy being a Victoria Secret model. Perhaps in my next incarnation I won't be too old, too short, or too unphotogenic.
My first brush with the romance genre happened in my high school junior year. I discovered Gone With the Wind and hid it behind my American history book to read during class. (The Civil War is American history.) The ambiguous ending left me dissatisfied, though. Rhett and Scarlet needed a happily-ever-after. Believing in happily-ever-afters positively screams romantic-at-heart.
On the other hand, I love murder and mayhem as much as happily-ever-after. My usual television fare is fiction and nonfiction crime shows, not love stories. Which accounts for the mysteries I sneaked into my historical romances. Now I'm trying my hand at writing a humorous mystery, sans historical and sans emphasis on the love interest. I even prepared for my mystery-in-progress by attending the local NRA's Pistol School. Shooting pistols is great fun. I adore the .22 semiautomatics.
After graduating from high school without distinction, I earned both Bachelor and Master degrees at a state college. Again, without distinction. I held several part-time jobs during my college days: file clerk in an insurance company, long-distance telephone operator, kimono-wearing waitress in a Japanese restaurant.
And then I began my teaching career, eighteen years in the eighth grade and thirteen years at the high school. Weary with the same old routine, I decided I needed a creative outlet. So I decided to write a romance novel but only managed to talk about writing one. After five years of listening to me, a friend said to stop talking and start writing.
So I did.
I made every mistake known to man. Blunder would be a more appropriate word, but I did learn using the trial and error method. As well as studying the works of authors I admired.
After five years of writing for nothing but love, I sold my first novel. Since then, I've sold eighteen novels and won several awards--- National Readers' Choice Award New England Readers' Choice Award, Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice and KISS Awards, B. Dalton and Bookrak Awards for best-selling author. My novels have been translated into fifteen languages and sold in twenty countries.
If I had my life over, would I become a writer? Nope. I would enjoy being a Victoria Secret model. Perhaps in my next incarnation I won't be too old, too short, or too unphotogenic.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 3, 2016
Arrant Nonsense..
This book was a HUGE disappointment. Normally, I wouldn't post a negative review about a book but this was atrocious. The heroine was okay but she just behaved like a child, and though I liked her, I do not see how she classifies as a hellion when the hero would say jump and she would say, "how high Alex?" Ridiculous, the story was not developed well but had high potential. I did not like the family members manipulating the heroine and making fun of her in everything she did. Now the hero deserves to whipped. Worst hero I have ever read, and I have read many books with shitty heroes. I did not like the fact that he had 3 by-blows from three women at the same time yet he has the audacity to misjudge the heroine. I also disliked how the author just fed a load of crap about how the hero rules everything and the heroine must obey. He humiliated her publicly throughout the book and even dragged her name through the mud in public. The author expected us to just forgive the hero because men are flawed and can't control themselves. I didn't like aunty Roxie either because her advice were rubbish. The book got interesting towards the end from the trial but the heroine forgave the "hero" too easily after the insults and public humiliation while she was pregnant. At the end I wanted Victoria NOT to end up with Alexander because all he said was, "I apologise" and "I love you" then expects everything to be fine. After what he put Victoria through, he should have grovelled and kissed her feet. She too, should never have forgiven him so easily. The ending felt so rushed and left me dissatisfied. He was not even properly remorseful because the entire family kept meddling and manipulating the heroine in his favor.
I only gave this 2 stars for the heroine because I liked her, but this is one of the worst book I have read from the author.
I like Patricia Grasso books but this was not good at all..
This book was a HUGE disappointment. Normally, I wouldn't post a negative review about a book but this was atrocious. The heroine was okay but she just behaved like a child, and though I liked her, I do not see how she classifies as a hellion when the hero would say jump and she would say, "how high Alex?" Ridiculous, the story was not developed well but had high potential. I did not like the family members manipulating the heroine and making fun of her in everything she did. Now the hero deserves to whipped. Worst hero I have ever read, and I have read many books with shitty heroes. I did not like the fact that he had 3 by-blows from three women at the same time yet he has the audacity to misjudge the heroine. I also disliked how the author just fed a load of crap about how the hero rules everything and the heroine must obey. He humiliated her publicly throughout the book and even dragged her name through the mud in public. The author expected us to just forgive the hero because men are flawed and can't control themselves. I didn't like aunty Roxie either because her advice were rubbish. The book got interesting towards the end from the trial but the heroine forgave the "hero" too easily after the insults and public humiliation while she was pregnant. At the end I wanted Victoria NOT to end up with Alexander because all he said was, "I apologise" and "I love you" then expects everything to be fine. After what he put Victoria through, he should have grovelled and kissed her feet. She too, should never have forgiven him so easily. The ending felt so rushed and left me dissatisfied. He was not even properly remorseful because the entire family kept meddling and manipulating the heroine in his favor.
I only gave this 2 stars for the heroine because I liked her, but this is one of the worst book I have read from the author.
I like Patricia Grasso books but this was not good at all..
January 10, 2018
I read this when I was younger and had been searching for the title for awhile so I could read again. Alex was a real piece of work and I thought he should have had to grovel a lot more. I also thought he should have the made women who made him believe heroine had cheated face tougher consequences.
But I guess since it was one of the first “romances” I read I will always like it.
But I guess since it was one of the first “romances” I read I will always like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2010
Better than the first two, but the same cruel arrogant hero. And this author even has the heroine entire family making fun of her disability. I am done with this series, thank goodness, and will not read another book by this author.
September 23, 2020
Yikes.... I do not remember this book being this bad. I re-read because I decided to read a book later in the series. I am hoping the other books I have decided to read are better than this but I'm not holding out much hope since the others in this series I re-read are just as bad.
The hero is a jerk and the heroine is a living breathing carpet for people to walk on. He treats her worse than crap and she forgives him way too easily. Seriously, his sister (not by blood) tried to kill the heroine's sister in a previous book & she shows back up & he can't comprehend the possibility that she is the one stirring up all the trouble. Everyone thinks the heroine is stupid because she is dyslexic but I think the hero is the one that is stupid.
I have a lot of the same problems with this book as the other books about the Douglas sisters. Too much was just cut & pasted from one story to the next. The whole I have an illegitimate child theme gets carried to the extreme with not 1 but 3 illegitimate children dropped off by their mothers. Even the food is a repeat....I am not kidding...dandelion with a sharp vinaigrette somehow makes it into the menu in ALL 3 books.
Here's crossing my fingers that somehow the stories about the other Kasanovs are an improvement.
The hero is a jerk and the heroine is a living breathing carpet for people to walk on. He treats her worse than crap and she forgives him way too easily. Seriously, his sister (not by blood) tried to kill the heroine's sister in a previous book & she shows back up & he can't comprehend the possibility that she is the one stirring up all the trouble. Everyone thinks the heroine is stupid because she is dyslexic but I think the hero is the one that is stupid.
I have a lot of the same problems with this book as the other books about the Douglas sisters. Too much was just cut & pasted from one story to the next. The whole I have an illegitimate child theme gets carried to the extreme with not 1 but 3 illegitimate children dropped off by their mothers. Even the food is a repeat....I am not kidding...dandelion with a sharp vinaigrette somehow makes it into the menu in ALL 3 books.
Here's crossing my fingers that somehow the stories about the other Kasanovs are an improvement.
January 2, 2018
Esta autora no sólo desconoce la época de la que está escribiendo sino que carece de la capacidad narrativa para escribir una novela. La verdad es que pensé en dejar la novela en sus primeros capítulos pero como era bastante corta me propuse terminar este desaguisado.
May 2, 2014
This was the third book of the trilogy and let me say I loved them all. I think this was my favorite. I feel like I knew what to expect or what was going to happen but I really enjoy these types of stories. I can remember reading this last night and I was near the end and could feel the emotional pain the character was going through. I highly recommend this book.
January 5, 2021
Yes!
Among the three stories of the Douglas series this may just be my favorite and that is saying a lit because all three are remarkable in its own right.
The heroine is my favorite. She has dyslexia but she fought against all odds to live with it and even try overcome it. She is young and might be too innocent at times but she is just endearing. The hero sometimes I want to backhand slap. But he did redeemed himself in a major way so all is good. There is a lot of rollercoaster events here. Just when things are okay something turns up. And the hero can be just ——aaaargh. Anyway, in the end justice and love and groveling prevailed. Haha. I did enjoy reading this and would probably reread it.
Among the three stories of the Douglas series this may just be my favorite and that is saying a lit because all three are remarkable in its own right.
The heroine is my favorite. She has dyslexia but she fought against all odds to live with it and even try overcome it. She is young and might be too innocent at times but she is just endearing. The hero sometimes I want to backhand slap. But he did redeemed himself in a major way so all is good. There is a lot of rollercoaster events here. Just when things are okay something turns up. And the hero can be just ——aaaargh. Anyway, in the end justice and love and groveling prevailed. Haha. I did enjoy reading this and would probably reread it.
January 13, 2019
Conflicting characterizations
Spoiler alert: At times the heroine seemed unbelievably naive and ignorant. The author attempts to portray her dyslexia by having her ignorant of some words knowledge equally educated terms. The hero is dismayed at her rashness and then acts just as impulsively and immaturely. The heroine’s self esteem is sacrificed to enable the dramatic courtroom scenes. It is implausible that a nineteen year old could recover from her public humiliation.
Spoiler alert: At times the heroine seemed unbelievably naive and ignorant. The author attempts to portray her dyslexia by having her ignorant of some words knowledge equally educated terms. The hero is dismayed at her rashness and then acts just as impulsively and immaturely. The heroine’s self esteem is sacrificed to enable the dramatic courtroom scenes. It is implausible that a nineteen year old could recover from her public humiliation.
Read
July 21, 2019Lord Alexander Emerson & Lady Victoria/Tory Douglas's story was fragile & tender. Alex's life have been shaped by betrayal. He fell compelled to repay an old debt. Tory held a devastating secret which defined the way she saw herself. Despite an unimaginable betrayal they fought all to reach happiness, family & love. Enjoyed this story very much. Highly Recommend. Happy Reading.
October 11, 2019
Three little words
It's been awhile since I've read a Grasso book.
I forgot how much I enjoy reading them.
Victoria considers herself stupid because she gets confused with numbers and letters changing. After her marriage to Alex, she seeks help from her nephews and nieces tudors, because she doesn't want to be an embarrassment as a countess. Jealousy from several corners and harsh judgement and misunderstandings creates pain and a marriage that may end. I laughed and cried and laughed and cried, I really didn't want it to end. This one deserves more than 5 Stars!
It's been awhile since I've read a Grasso book.
I forgot how much I enjoy reading them.
Victoria considers herself stupid because she gets confused with numbers and letters changing. After her marriage to Alex, she seeks help from her nephews and nieces tudors, because she doesn't want to be an embarrassment as a countess. Jealousy from several corners and harsh judgement and misunderstandings creates pain and a marriage that may end. I laughed and cried and laughed and cried, I really didn't want it to end. This one deserves more than 5 Stars!
October 10, 2019
Ugh, so much to dislike. H an arrogant prig, h an immature twit. There relationship seemed so uneven, only level field was sex. Also, the wrap up was weak. I’m sorry, it’s all better now. Um, no. The only character I liked throughout the whole book was Tinker. Not trying this author again, once was enough.
March 30, 2022
The prose is very stilted and the characters are charmless. The conflict is drawn out far too long (it feels like the couple’s problems stretch throughout the entire book) and then resolved abruptly and unconvincingly in the last chapter. Reading this book was a waste of time. It has no redeeming features.
January 25, 2020
Excellent
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Romance and adventure throughout. The characters of Alex and Tory both showed wonderful courage and forgiveness which really suited their story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Romance and adventure throughout. The characters of Alex and Tory both showed wonderful courage and forgiveness which really suited their story.
August 16, 2020
Be ready to laugh and 😢
Heart wrenching tale of generous, compassionate young woman with a reading disability attempting to overcome her difficulties when her husband's family plots to destroy the family by causing her husband to mistrust and finally divorce her.
Heart wrenching tale of generous, compassionate young woman with a reading disability attempting to overcome her difficulties when her husband's family plots to destroy the family by causing her husband to mistrust and finally divorce her.
September 19, 2024
I gave this book three stars — mostly because of Mr. Bundles. He is the GOAT. The others who stood by Victoria's side were also neat. If it weren't for them, the book would just have one.
Victoria's husband doesn't deserve her.
Victoria's husband doesn't deserve her.
April 2, 2018
Ending was too rushed...but books was good
August 17, 2020
It was entertaining but I hated the characters, especially the men. Every single one of them.
September 14, 2020
Loved everything about this book
couldnt put it down
couldnt put it down
October 8, 2019
Reviewed by Jen
Reviewer purchased by Jen
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I first read this book years ago and when asked what my favorite romance novel is, this title often came to mind. I recently picked up the first book in the Douglas Trilogy as a free read and once I was done with it, I knew I had to revisit To Catch a Countess to see if it was as good as I remembered… and it was.
I absolutely adored Victoria. She’s the youngest of three and after watching both her older sisters find love, she’s ready for her turn. But she’s afraid it’s not going to happen if anyone outside her family learns her secret. She’s dyslexic, but of course in at the time of this story, it’s mostly unknown, so Victoria feels she’s stupid. She can’t read or do math, she can’t tell left from right. My heart broke for her throughout the book as she tried to navigate society and a new marriage without spilling secrets. But unfortunately, because of her marriage, she’s made a couple enemies determined to bring her down.
Alexander ran hot and cold for me. One minute he’s super loving and tender with young Victoria. Then he’s all of the sudden “obey me, you’re my property”. As the story unfolds, the reader learns why he’s untrusting and afraid to give his heart, which does explain a lot. He’s a very flawed man and turns out he’s easily manipulated. Alexander was a little harder for me to really like. BUT, this book wouldn’t have been the same if he was any different.
This book touched all my emotions. I laughed out loud when Victoria was trying to prove she was well-read and up to date on current events and was talking about Napoleon being “banished to Elbow” or when playing croquet and after being teased about starting the wrong direction, she nails Alexander in the leg with one of the balls. But I also shed a lot of tears. I was touched whenever Victoria talked about being “stupid” and could barely read the last couple chapters through my tears.
I love that Ms Grasso took a chance to tackle dyslexia in 1814. And while on the ride, she took some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming (obviously the first time I read the book). She brought back characters from the first two books in the series, which was nice to see. The book does stand alone, but having read those books do make the characters and their actions a little more understandable.
All in all, I’m glad that I had stumbled across book one to make me want to revisit this tale. I highly recommend this story to all historical romance fans.
Reviewer purchased by Jen
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I first read this book years ago and when asked what my favorite romance novel is, this title often came to mind. I recently picked up the first book in the Douglas Trilogy as a free read and once I was done with it, I knew I had to revisit To Catch a Countess to see if it was as good as I remembered… and it was.
I absolutely adored Victoria. She’s the youngest of three and after watching both her older sisters find love, she’s ready for her turn. But she’s afraid it’s not going to happen if anyone outside her family learns her secret. She’s dyslexic, but of course in at the time of this story, it’s mostly unknown, so Victoria feels she’s stupid. She can’t read or do math, she can’t tell left from right. My heart broke for her throughout the book as she tried to navigate society and a new marriage without spilling secrets. But unfortunately, because of her marriage, she’s made a couple enemies determined to bring her down.
Alexander ran hot and cold for me. One minute he’s super loving and tender with young Victoria. Then he’s all of the sudden “obey me, you’re my property”. As the story unfolds, the reader learns why he’s untrusting and afraid to give his heart, which does explain a lot. He’s a very flawed man and turns out he’s easily manipulated. Alexander was a little harder for me to really like. BUT, this book wouldn’t have been the same if he was any different.
This book touched all my emotions. I laughed out loud when Victoria was trying to prove she was well-read and up to date on current events and was talking about Napoleon being “banished to Elbow” or when playing croquet and after being teased about starting the wrong direction, she nails Alexander in the leg with one of the balls. But I also shed a lot of tears. I was touched whenever Victoria talked about being “stupid” and could barely read the last couple chapters through my tears.
I love that Ms Grasso took a chance to tackle dyslexia in 1814. And while on the ride, she took some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming (obviously the first time I read the book). She brought back characters from the first two books in the series, which was nice to see. The book does stand alone, but having read those books do make the characters and their actions a little more understandable.
All in all, I’m glad that I had stumbled across book one to make me want to revisit this tale. I highly recommend this story to all historical romance fans.
November 9, 2015
MAGNIFICENT
The best one of the three. Dyslexia is not a laughing matter and I loved how Tory coped with hers. This brought laughter and tears and of course the three girls and the pixie were adorable. I recommend this book to anyone who has a family or wants one to read this book.
The best one of the three. Dyslexia is not a laughing matter and I loved how Tory coped with hers. This brought laughter and tears and of course the three girls and the pixie were adorable. I recommend this book to anyone who has a family or wants one to read this book.
July 19, 2014
I love each book in this series! A very talented writer that keeps you captivated from beginning to end. I read one book and had to go find the rest in the series because I couldn't put the book(s) down.
Read
June 5, 2023A struggle to read; held very little appeal.
April 7, 2015
Excellent
What a wonderful story and a heart warming ending. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good love story.
What a wonderful story and a heart warming ending. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good love story.
March 21, 2021
Read my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 22, 2015
Loved it
I just loved the Douglas sisters. All of them had challenges in life and they overcame them. The laughter in each story was great too. Everyone needs to read this series.
I just loved the Douglas sisters. All of them had challenges in life and they overcame them. The laughter in each story was great too. Everyone needs to read this series.
May 3, 2017
Absolutely loved this story!
Victoria (Tory) and Alexander in an arranged marriage which Tory is livid about and when she finds out that she has been betrothed for about a year she is really not impressed.
Both are very strong in their own ways and they both fall in love with each other but neither will acknowledge this to the other.
You will read about some good people and also some very conniving and bad intentioned ones, all of whom make this a wonderfully told story that is not only very easy to read, but is totally enjoyable and full of some very funny scenes.
Patricia Grasso has outdone herself with this book and I can happily recommend it.
Victoria (Tory) and Alexander in an arranged marriage which Tory is livid about and when she finds out that she has been betrothed for about a year she is really not impressed.
Both are very strong in their own ways and they both fall in love with each other but neither will acknowledge this to the other.
You will read about some good people and also some very conniving and bad intentioned ones, all of whom make this a wonderfully told story that is not only very easy to read, but is totally enjoyable and full of some very funny scenes.
Patricia Grasso has outdone herself with this book and I can happily recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews