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Double Deception
Lenore Andrews is determined to expose the identity of her secret admirer, an intriguing gentleman who leaves messages within her journal, captivating her heart with his words, but her admirer, Eric Ramsdell, must rid his life of scandal before he can come forward and profess his love. Original.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2004
15 people want to read
About the author
Maria Greene
52 books26 followersI have always been fascinated by historical events, especially British and French. Most of my stories are set in Georgian and Regency England. Some deal with the Jacobite rebellion, and my very first published book was set in Louis XIV's France. I like lots of action and intrigue. The romances set in the Regency period have a bit of intrigue and lots of humor. This year look for the first installment of my fantasy series, TRIALS OF HALLION, Two of Swords, book 1.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 9, 2018
The romance by diary part was alright, but the murder mystery family/feud plot was as awkward as a broken cart hitched to a lame border collie in a field of blind rabbits.
April 8, 2016
3.5 stars-- above average but not in the top tier
Eric Ramsdell is reduced to having tea in public with his grandmama after a scandal makes him persona non grata in polite society. A chance encounter locking eyes with a beautiful woman changes his life forever. When he finds the woman's diary, he can't resist reading what she wrote. He's outraged at her scathing comments about men and feels the need to write back. This starts a correspondence between the two unknowns that leads Eric down the path of changing his behavior to accept the inevitable - that true love does exist! Lenore Andrews, a young widow, is devastated to discover the loss of her diary. She's outraged at the shocking things her unknown correspondent has to say. She's devastated at the betrayal of her late husband and though she enjoys her independence and isn't eager to give it up, she hopes to find love again. When her friend Sir Charles Minion introduces her to "Eric Ramsey," Lenore thinks she's found a friend and Eric knows there's something more between them, but if she discovers the shocking double deception he is perpetuating, she will never forgive him. Will he ever achieve happiness with his true love?
The plot of this story is different. It's unusual because the hero and heroine become pen-pals of a sort and also because of the hero's backstory. Most of the book is from Eric's point-of-view. My rating was brought down by the ridiculous ending that would never hold up in court. It was just a bit too easy and convenient to be believable. Also, the story is a bit darker than I normally prefer. My biggest complaint is the love story. There's a few scenes of passionate kissing, the first of which happens early on. I felt the quick falling in love and misunderstanding dragged the story a bit in the middle. However, the plot was interesting enough to keep reading late into the night to find out how these two lovers would come together in the end. I also wanted an answer to the murder mystery. The ending was a bit too simple and rushed for me.
The characters are very well drawn. Eric's character development is especially excellent. He starts off as a typical rakehell but since the death of his friend Cedric, he has sobered up considerably. He's in limbo- of polite society but not in it. He's content with learning to run his estate but longs for something more. When he meets Lenore, he feels an instant connection. I'm not a fan of love at first sight and didn't quite get the attraction to Lenore. They do become friends but they're friends + kissing benefits and I thought that the story could have built up to that a little more slowly and a bit better. I really felt for Eric though. His correspondence and attempt to understand women's minds would make any heroine swoon! Lenore was a bit difficult to like as a Regency heroine. I admired her independence and her attitude but she just didn't really understand the rules of Regency society. She was too modern to be fully believable. Her brother Edward, a man the reader will love to hate, is actually in the right here. He knows the rules and how to play by them while Lenore shuns propriety.
The secondary characters are also enjoyable. I liked Sir Charles. He's sweet and friendly, like Mr. Bingley but his romance subplot was so tedious. Davinia is a bimbo, a word I don't toss around lightly. She's spoiled and headstrong and can't hold an intelligent conversation, not does she want to. Her chief aim in life is to be admired. Belinda, Lenore's unhappily married friend, is a better 19th century heroine. She knows the rules of polite society and tries to follow them. She's torn between duty and friendship and longs for love. Her revelations were surprising and made me feel very bad for her. The villain is quite an interesting character. His motivation was rather weak though. I felt like the reader was missing out on something, perhaps in another novel, that led to Cedric's death.
If you're looking for a Regency that's a little different and a little less "light, bright and sparkling" you should try this one. I don't regret the 25 cents I spent at the library book sale!
Eric Ramsdell is reduced to having tea in public with his grandmama after a scandal makes him persona non grata in polite society. A chance encounter locking eyes with a beautiful woman changes his life forever. When he finds the woman's diary, he can't resist reading what she wrote. He's outraged at her scathing comments about men and feels the need to write back. This starts a correspondence between the two unknowns that leads Eric down the path of changing his behavior to accept the inevitable - that true love does exist! Lenore Andrews, a young widow, is devastated to discover the loss of her diary. She's outraged at the shocking things her unknown correspondent has to say. She's devastated at the betrayal of her late husband and though she enjoys her independence and isn't eager to give it up, she hopes to find love again. When her friend Sir Charles Minion introduces her to "Eric Ramsey," Lenore thinks she's found a friend and Eric knows there's something more between them, but if she discovers the shocking double deception he is perpetuating, she will never forgive him. Will he ever achieve happiness with his true love?
The plot of this story is different. It's unusual because the hero and heroine become pen-pals of a sort and also because of the hero's backstory. Most of the book is from Eric's point-of-view. My rating was brought down by the ridiculous ending that would never hold up in court. It was just a bit too easy and convenient to be believable. Also, the story is a bit darker than I normally prefer. My biggest complaint is the love story. There's a few scenes of passionate kissing, the first of which happens early on. I felt the quick falling in love and misunderstanding dragged the story a bit in the middle. However, the plot was interesting enough to keep reading late into the night to find out how these two lovers would come together in the end. I also wanted an answer to the murder mystery. The ending was a bit too simple and rushed for me.
The characters are very well drawn. Eric's character development is especially excellent. He starts off as a typical rakehell but since the death of his friend Cedric, he has sobered up considerably. He's in limbo- of polite society but not in it. He's content with learning to run his estate but longs for something more. When he meets Lenore, he feels an instant connection. I'm not a fan of love at first sight and didn't quite get the attraction to Lenore. They do become friends but they're friends + kissing benefits and I thought that the story could have built up to that a little more slowly and a bit better. I really felt for Eric though. His correspondence and attempt to understand women's minds would make any heroine swoon! Lenore was a bit difficult to like as a Regency heroine. I admired her independence and her attitude but she just didn't really understand the rules of Regency society. She was too modern to be fully believable. Her brother Edward, a man the reader will love to hate, is actually in the right here. He knows the rules and how to play by them while Lenore shuns propriety.
The secondary characters are also enjoyable. I liked Sir Charles. He's sweet and friendly, like Mr. Bingley but his romance subplot was so tedious. Davinia is a bimbo, a word I don't toss around lightly. She's spoiled and headstrong and can't hold an intelligent conversation, not does she want to. Her chief aim in life is to be admired. Belinda, Lenore's unhappily married friend, is a better 19th century heroine. She knows the rules of polite society and tries to follow them. She's torn between duty and friendship and longs for love. Her revelations were surprising and made me feel very bad for her. The villain is quite an interesting character. His motivation was rather weak though. I felt like the reader was missing out on something, perhaps in another novel, that led to Cedric's death.
If you're looking for a Regency that's a little different and a little less "light, bright and sparkling" you should try this one. I don't regret the 25 cents I spent at the library book sale!
September 25, 2009
Regency
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews