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Noble #3

The Trouble with Harry

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Enjoy unforgettable characters and irreverent laughs in the Regency series that launched the career of New York Times bestselling author Katie MacAlisterYou think you've got troubles? As a spy for the Crown, Lord Harry Rosse faced clever and dangerous adversaries-but it's his five offspring who seem likely to send him to Bedlam. At his wits' end, he's advertised for a wife and found one, but perhaps he should have been a bit more forthcoming on certain points...Wait till you meet Harry and Plum... Frederica Pelham, affectionately known as Plum, spent years avoiding the scandals of her past, and is desperate for quiet security and a chance to make a family. What she finds is a titled husband and five little devils who seem bent on their own destruction, not to mention hers. And while all kinds of secrets are catching up with them, Plum knows the real trouble with Harry... is that he's stolen her heart."Memorable characters, witty dialogue and suspense...in MacAlister's unique style." -RT Book Reviews

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 30, 2004

78 people are currently reading
1248 people want to read

About the author

Katie MacAlister

122 books5,976 followers
For as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn't think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.

Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.

Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
Profile Image for Lakshmi C.
346 reviews107 followers
January 10, 2018
Let's start with what I didn't like -

Harry and Plum were entertaining at times but I could not take them seriously for long. Both were drama queens with no normal reactions. At all.
Plum is a ruined woman and Harry is a widowed father of five....active, enterprising children.
These two were obsessed with their problems, they waxed lyrical and needed no audience.
Plum is fixated on a scandal which happened ages ago but she wont forget it.
She isn't trying to find a way out either.

You do seem to have the habit of talking to yourself, Aunt Plum, so if I weren't here, you'd probably be right where you are, telling the room that you're going to marry Mr. Harris.

His lordship has found that a strict policy of unenlightenment is the best for all concerned.

Now is completely out of the question, wife. You killed me. I am dead. I am deceased. I am a former Harry.

What I liked :

Thom and her burglar
These two captured my attention and I really need their book. If they were the leads, this could have easily been a four star read.
Chemistry, banter, warmth, kindness, secrets - these two had it all. Fudgy brownie points.

But that would take all the enjoyment out of you attempting to sway me from my sinful path. You were going to try to sway me, weren't you?"
"Oh, yes," Thom said guiltily, dragging her mind away from the pleasing contemplation of his eyes. "Of course I am. It is my duty. Er ... I'm not quite sure how to begin. I've never had to sway a burglar before. How would you advise me to proceed?"

5 gifted kids
They were always involved in some risky project and they could handle most of the plot problems better than the adults.

Lots of laughs
Call it silly, slapstick, wacky - no matter what you label it, I laughed a lot. Result delivered.
Profile Image for Cyn.
111 reviews2 followers
November 22, 2018
Es del estilo de los dos libros anteriores, una historia romántica con tintes de comedia y un pequeño misterio, pero para mi el peor de los tres que he leído.

Acepto que la novela romántica suele ir rápido en cuanto a enamoramientos y estos libros son rapidísimos, pero este ya ha sido lo máximo. Según se conocen ya hay atracción física, pero es que se dicen te amo unas 48 horas después cuando la noche de bodas ni la pasan juntos 🤦‍♀️ Son súper empalagosos y eso se hace pesadisimo. Pero el mayor problema para mi ha sido la protagonista, no la soporto 🤷‍♀️ Hubo un escándalo en su pasado que no fue culpa suya pero ha pagado las consecuencias, así que ahora tiene 40 años y su sueño es casarse y ser madre. Para casarse con Harry le oculta su pasado pero exige que él no tenga secretos (la noche de bodas ya empieza movidita) 🙄 El pobre hombre tiene ya cinco hijos que son unos demonios pero ella asume que no quiere más hijos por que ella es mala madre y no sabe cuidarlos, no puede ser que simplemente no quiera más, así que se dedica a justificar cualquier burrada que hagan y a sobornarlos 🙄 Eso sí, sueña con ser madre pero de primeras cuando se encuentra con los niños (entre 5 y 13 años) lo primero que piensa es que ella sabe cuidar bebés y ya está, que como va a cuidar de estos 🤦‍♀️ ¡¿Pero esta se cree que los bebes son solo para mirarlos y que estén bonitos?! ¡¿Es que no crecen?! 😤 Que bueno, cuando descubre lo que es el parto también se asombra, culpa a quienes no la avisaron y dice que nunca más, ni ella ni su hija, que no tendrá hijos por que ya lo decide ella 😤🙄 ¡Es que no la soporto y punto!

No tengo nada mejor que decir del libro así que mejor lo dejo así. No volveré a leer esta serie, no ha cuajado conmigo 🤷‍♀️
Profile Image for Laura V..
734 reviews58 followers
March 6, 2015
EL (verdadero) PROBLEMA CON HARRY (y Plum)

(con spoilers)

Harry: Viudo, de cuarenta y cinco años, padre de cinco niños de edades comprendidas entre doce y cuatro años. Título de nobleza. Ex espía de la corona (?). Busca desesperadamente una esposa para imponer disciplina que hace falta a sus hijos y que ocupe el papel de madre que les hacen falta. Extraña de igual modo, la intimidad conyugal.

Plum: Federicka de nombre, de unos cuarenta años, pobre, que vive de la asignación de su sobrina para pasar el día. Arrastra escándalo acontecido hace veinte años. Anhela ser madre y asegurar algún futuro a Thom (la sobrina/20 años).

Harry y Plum, se conocen un par de días antes de casarse. Comparten un par de palabras y ambos quedan convencidos de que hacen bien en casarse con el otro.

Harry y Plum quedan enamorados a primera vista. Lo que más desean es arrancarse la ropa con los dientes y saltar al cuello del otro. Pero las frecuentes intervenciones de los hijos de Harry impiden la consumación del matrimonio.

Bien, MI problema es este:

1. Los hijos: Continuamente están llamando la atención y pidiendo a gritos un poco de compañia. Se han vuelto salvajes y continuamente están metidos en travesuras.

Plum sabe que, para ver realizado su deseo de ser madre, primero debe ganarse a los hijos. Pero estos no son fácile, y en ningún momento vemos que Plum se haya ganado de verdad la confianza de los críos. Como dice luego, Plum soborna a los muchachitos consintiendo cada capricho para que fingieran "comportarse bien" frente a Harry y así este, viera lo bien que Plum lo hace y la "dejara" tener uno propio.

Harry no desea tener más hijos, pero lo menos desea es que Plum, su adorable Plum, pase por el traumático suceso del parto en el que su anterior esposa falleció luego de parir a su último hijo. Dicho de otra forma, está cagado hasta las patas y no quiere que Plum se muera.

Pero Plum malinterpreta esto que Harry le dice y aclara, y piensa que lo de verdad Harry cree, es que como la ve tan incompetente con los hijos que ya tiene, no sea lo suficientemente buena para tener otro más.

(Es agotador estar en la cabeza de Plum)

2. Los sirvientes: En los libros anteriores, había una constante muy sonada, esto era empleados muy particulares que se volvían entrañables con el tiempo. Acá, como figura repetida, solo tenemos a Juan ,el mayordomo español, de habla muy florida y ademanes muy dramáticos que continuamente declara su amor a la patrona. Lejos de ser gracioso, es soso. Plano. Al menos los otros gozaban de un poco de personalidad, pero Juan solo está ahí para ocupar espacio.

3. La gracia: Si algo he visto, es que la autora se caracteriza de hacer libros divertidos y aunque resulten malos (como el primero de esta serie) no puedes evitar reirte. Pero aquí le faltó esa parte para compensar los fallos. No es gracioso, es aburrido, largo, denso, pensé en dejarlo pero me faltaba muy poco.

4. La muy obvia adoración de Harry por Plum y viceversa: A los ojos de cada uno, el otro es perfecto y lo saben desde el comienzo. Son increíblemente cursis, increíblemente empalagosos. Pesados, densos, bañados en una pegajosa capa de cursilería. Están tan absortos en el otro que en un par de ocasiones, sus sirvientes quieren comunicarle alguno de los incidentes (graves) de los niños y ellos los ignoran por mirarse a los ojos con amor. Se supone que sería gracioso, PERO NO LO ES. ES ABSURDO. Hasta Gillian (del primer libro) era capaz de sostener tres conversaciones al mismo tiempo sin perder el hilo, ESO era gracioso.

5. Thom: LA Sobrina de Plum, es todo menos convencional. Insiste en usar pantalones, corretear detrás de sus animales y lo que menos quiere es casarse. Plum no entiende esto, y le niega la libertad de ser ella misma. Lo que resulta ironica siendo Plum la escritora del libro "más escandaloso de Inglaterra". Si Plum se hubiera dejado llevar por las convenciones sociales Thom no estaría con ella, pero cuando tiene la posibilidad de asegurarle un futuro a Thom, uno que Thom sí desea, se vuelve obtusa. Es tan hipócrita.

6. Nick: Lo MEJOR de este libro. Mi niño, este niño del primer libro, que no hablaba a raíz de un suceso traumático con su madrastra ahora es todo un hombre hecho y derecho del cual Gillian y Noble pueden estar muy orgullosos. Cuando Nick y Thom se conocen en circunstancias peculiares, pensé que sería el comienzo de un romance que compensara la pesadez del principal. Pero deja esa línea tirada y retoma a los tortolitos. Yo sé que Thom y Nick son perfectos pero nada vemos al respecto. Sería un romance muy divertido y lindo, pero se desperdicia al no desarrollarlo. Me decepciona tanto.


En fin, ni Harry ni Plum tienen más corazón que para el otro. Los niños jamás aprenden a convivir con Plum sin destrozar la casa con sus travesuras. Plum jamás se hace escuchar. Harry difícilmente sea el padre del año y me quedo con la terrible intriga de Nick y Thom y si algún día podré leerlo al completo.

Gillian será muy cabeza hueca, pero esa mujer hizo muchas más cosas de las que Plum jamás hará y cuidó mejor de Nick de lo que Plum con su cabeza de paja jamás podrá comprender con sus propios hijastros.

Reto A Contrareloj: Libro con historia de "amor"
Profile Image for Pam.
177 reviews
March 27, 2011
This book is Absolutely wonderful!!! I love the humor and the way Katie writes. Her sex scenes are just enough. All through the book Harry (H) and Plum (h) talk to each other about what they what to do to each other from the sex guide, that Plum wrote, but...Harry doesn't know that until the end. The positions have crazy names but we...the reader never get any details how to do them....your imaginations have to step in. LOL

The children (5 of them) and their antics are so funny. Plum is always telling Harry what the children "did" when they went to ie. the fruitery and made all the fruit roll around or the glass place and now the children will be paying for it out of their allowances their father gives them. She is always trying to keep the children in line. I could just picture her getting ready to pull her hair out.

One of the scenes was so funny.....Nick (Harry's Godson who is dresed as a beggar in disguise) rescues the children in the Serpentine....only to find out what needed rescuing was little white mice sitting on the boats the children were sailing and started to sink. Sooo funny when he says, "Mice? I jumped into the water fully clothed to rescue mice?
"No one asked you to," Thom ( Plum's niece she's raised since she was 15..now 20)said indignantly.
"I distinctly heard you say, 'Save them, they're drowning.' If that isn't asking me to save them--"
"Them being the mice," Thom interrupted.
"I didn't know you were screaming about the mice. I thought you meant the children were drowning. it was a logical mistake, considering the evidence."

I giggled out loud through this whole book. At the end when Plum gives birth she tells Harry, "You can't imagine the sort of pain you feel in labor. It's indescribable, it's absolutely indescribable, it's so bad you want to set your hair on fire just to distract yourself from the consuming, absolute horribleness of it all......" Then she tells Harry, "If you impregnate me again, I will take your scrotum, pull it over your head, and --" LOL.............soooo good.
Profile Image for AH.
2,005 reviews387 followers
July 8, 2014
Initial Thoughts: This book was a hoot! This book focuses on Harry and Plum. Harry, feeling lonely after the death of his wife 5 years earlier, advertises for a wife. Plum, ostracized by the ton after an unfortunate marriage to a bigamist, answers the ad and finds herself married to Harry, the Marquis Rosse. Both have a few secrets - he, his 5 hellion accident-prone children, and she - her past marriage and her very popular book Guide to Connubial Calesthenics. Lots of wacky situations, coitus interruptus (kids seems to know), and an eccentric cast of characters made this an entertaining read.

The Review:
Katie MacAlister writes the funniest historical romance.

The Trouble With Harry is the third book in her Noble series. You really don’t have to read the previous books to enjoy The Trouble With Harry. Each book can be read as a stand alone book.

The Trouble With Harry focuses on Harry, the Marquis Rosse. Harry has been a widower for five years and decides that it’s time he remarried. His five children run amock and they need a mother. Harry longs for companionship. Being the practical sort, Harry places an ad for a wife. Enter Plum, a woman with a scandalous past. Her previous marriage was a sham and she was ostracized by the ton. Plum has nothing to lose, so she applies to be Harry’s wife. The two hit it off immediately and Harry arranges a quick marriage. Harry has not told Plum about the children and she withholds the secrets of her past.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Harry and Plum were perfect together. There’s some serious chemistry between these two, unfortunately five mischievous children have a way of interrupting those tender moments. Plum has a pretty interesting secret about her past. She’s written a best selling scandalous book Guide to Connubial Calesthenics. I had to chuckle at some of the names of the “exercises:” Heron Alighting Upon a Still Pond and Leda and the Swan are some of the creative names. Just trying to visualize some of them made me giggle. The funny thing is, Harry has read the book and is waiting for an opportune moment to introduce Plum to some of the *ahem* exercises.

Plum takes everything in stride and jumps into her role as mother to the five hellions head first. The children are a force to be reckoned with. I loved all of their pranks. It’s kind of hard to imagine livestock traipsing through a stately mansion, but the kids pulled it off. Harry takes a different approach to parenting. When the kids are in trouble, Harry hides in his office. The kids warm up to Plum quite quickly and Harry is amazed.

For added comic relief, the books in this series always seem to have a strange eccentric character (or two, or three.) This book has Juan who outdoes himself with his overly dramatic protection of Plum. For some reason, I kept picturing him in a toreador outfit. Oh, Noble’s pirate butler Crouch makes an appearance as well.

The Trouble With Harry was a lot of fun to read. If you enjoy some slapstick comedy with your historical romance, then this book would be right for you. The series is being re-released by Sourcebooks Casablanca.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a review copy of this book.

Review posted on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!
Profile Image for Carmen.
765 reviews76 followers
October 5, 2018
Creo que le daría 2,5 estrellas porque tiene algunos diálogos divertidos y una trama más o menos entretenida; de todas maneras no ha sido una buena lectura para mí. La acción iba muy, muy rápida; los detalles que hacen que una historia esté bien construía, brillaban por su ausencia; él y ella son unos buenos personajes a pesar de que todo se precipita, lo que es una pena. En conjunto se me ha quedo un mal sabor porque me parecía una historia más como un "quiero y no puedo" que otra cosa, y ya os digo que es una pena porque la premisa de la que parte me gustaba mucho: mujer en torno a cuarenta años, deshonrada y engañada, con más de un secreto, acepta casarse con un marqués con cinco hijos para solucionar todos sus problemas; dicho marqués también esconce algún que otro secreto.

Quizá la mejor parte se la lleven esas escenas sexuales divertidas y atrevidas que la autora crea alrededor de esta pareja y el uso de un libro que ha escrito la protagonista bajo seudónimo.

Una pena, la verdad
Profile Image for Ronda.
580 reviews3 followers
April 30, 2024
So ridiculously funny!
Profile Image for Dianne.
1,843 reviews158 followers
June 25, 2020
The Trouble With Harry –by Katie MacAlister

Harry has had it trying to bring up his 5 boisterous children all by himself. He is lonely and at sea since the death of his wife during childbirth 5 years ago. He is not one to leave the country nor is he one to go shopping for a wife amongst the ‘ton’. Sp he has his man of affairs put an add in the newspaper advertising for a wife.

Who he finally ends up with is someone who has a lot of secrets and a true love for connubial calisthenics. Probably because she wrote the book on them…literally!

This is another delightful entry into Katie’s historical series and one I wish she would extend to more entries. We have well thought out characters, an interesting story, mystery (who is trying to harm Harry’s children?) and a whole bunch of laughs.

I highly recommend this book along with “Noble Intentions” another of my very favorite ‘Katie’ historical romance books!
Profile Image for StMargarets.
3,204 reviews630 followers
January 14, 2016
Should be 2 1/2 stars. While I like fluff in its place, I had trouble with this one. Maybe a little too wacky? The set up is a little absurd - but I went with it - a widower advertises for a wife. The heroine needs a place to live and answers the ad. There's instant attraction. Plum is just eccentric enough to fit into Harry's very eccentric household, but she is justifiably angry when she keeps discovering more and more children that she's supposed to mother. (Harry isn't a details guy). I enjoyed the opening very much, but when the novel shift to Harry's adventures as spy and the family is put in danger, I lost interest.
Profile Image for Willow Brook.
388 reviews28 followers
October 5, 2011
Annoying characters (half way through I pretty much hated Harry's children and the heroine was an idiot), a very silly plot and choppy writing (repeatedly telling important developments instead of showing) made this book increasingly something I just wanted to be over. The humor was broad, generally missed its mark, and overpowered the weak mystery subplot, destroying any real interest I had in the story. I did finish the book and there were moments where the story was interesting, saving this from a one star rating.
Profile Image for Patty McKenna Van Hulle.
779 reviews8 followers
June 29, 2014
The Trouble with Harry by Katie MacAlister
Katie MacAlister

WARNING: Don't eat or drink while reading this crazy, mixed up, Brady Bunch on steroids MISadventure!

Frederica Pelham, Plum, was ruined her first Season, when she married the deceitful Charles de Spencer. For 6 weeks, Plum lived in his bed and then learned that his was already married. She was called his whore, banished from her family and she never did anything wrong. Plum did learn about passion, so she wrote the scandalous book, Guide of Connubial Calisthenics, under the pen name of Vyvyan LaBlue and was able to support herself and her niece, Thom. Now she is 40, near poverty and has no rent money, when her dearest friend, Del, talks her into answering the advertisement for a wife. Plum decides what does she have to lose and she still wants a child of her own!

Harry Haversham, the Marquis of Rosse, is a widow with 5 hellions, India, Digger (his heir apparent), twins Anne and Andrew and last, but not least McTavish. His staff is full of kooky and quirky characters, like the flamboyant butler, Juan. He needs a zoo keeper or a wife for his clan and with the help of his trusted man of affairs, Temple, an advertisement is put in the local paper. Harry just needs to interview Temple's top choices, easy right!

Harry loves Plum's body and Plum loves having a roof over her and her niece's heads, so they agree to tie the knot, after a 5 minute interview. He never tells her about his family and she never tells him about Charles or her book. On their wedding night, they are so close to ripping the clothes off one another, when McTavish runs in to the room with his dead animal and then all Hades breaks loose, as each hellion interrupts them, one by one. Poor Harry never gets his wedding night and Plum just gets a headache. Plum is shocked the next morning, when all 5 kids, are watching her wake up and she decides she will be the best mom and wife in the world.

This whole family is one accident after another, animals, large and small, wander through the house, mashed potatoes fly at dinner and Harry hides in office, with government business. Plum does tell him about Charles and he is very understanding and says his title will protect her. Harry and Plum have an amazing "Calisthenics" relationship, but he does NOT want anymore children, but Plum will just keep him busy with their "Calisthenics!" Harry packs up his clan and they head out to London for his government work and Plum prays her scandalous past would bite Harry in the bootie. In London, a mysterious nemesis of Harry is afoot and causing all kinds of mischief and danger. Poor Plum's past comes back and threatens her new family, and this mother bear will protect all her cubs, even to her own death. How can Plum make Harry understand that not all women die in childbirth? Can Harry's title protect Plum's past? Will Plum be unmasked as Vyvyan LaBlue? Can Harry discover who wants his family hurt or dead? Will Plum and Harry's love be enough to save them all? How long will it take for Vyvyan LaBlue's next book?

This book had me ROF and hyperventilating with laughter. Ms. MacAlister writes one outrageous situations after another. Her cast of hellions were such troublemaking, energetic and loveable kids. Plum is such a great and understanding mom and she always leads with her heart. Poor Harry was so burned out and Plum is his little energize bunny. The book of Calisthenics had positions like, "Bull elephant at Hadrian wall" and "Acolyte worshipping the High Priest," I have to ask, where can I get one from? All her characters are special to her, no matter how small or large, they are. This tale she weaved made me laugh, cry, SNAUGH, cough up my spleen (I didn't need it anyway), get that tingling feeling that makes my toes curl, stab my Kindle, throw pillows at imaginary foes and just have an absolutely freaky fantastic Friday night. Ms. MacAlister receives my highest score of 5 fingers up and 10 toes and I am throwing in my slightly moldy pompoms, too!

NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.
Profile Image for Claudia.
Author 77 books266 followers
February 3, 2018
Ha sido una lectura agradable, pero un poco extraña, Plum y su familia me han recordado a Los locos Adams, lo que no es malo, son divertidísimos; entiendo el estilo de la autora, y podría decir que me ha parecido muy simpático, pero creo que no es para mí. De cualquier forma, no descarto leer algún otro de sus libros a futuro.
Profile Image for Marielle.
735 reviews2 followers
July 17, 2018
Sadly this wasn’t for me.
It started out quite refreshingly hilarious, the widower advertising for a wife. I started to get a little worried when the heroine had apparently written a quite scandalous sex-book, but I hoped to take it in stride. This was just too slapstick-y for me.
I must admit I haven’t been able to finish. So if I missed the story taking another turn, please tell me.
Profile Image for Desi.
664 reviews106 followers
April 13, 2020
I don't remember reading it, but it's on the last page and I have it shelved as "Unsatisfying romance, stupid plot", sooo... I guess that's done.
1,153 reviews16 followers
May 24, 2014
This was a funny book. Mactavish is just adorable all around.
The story is centred around Plum and Harry. Plum is a woman of ill-repute. She mistakenly married an already married man and is perceived to be his mistress. When the truth came out, he was exiled while she was left in England with a ruined reputation. Oh, she also wrote a popular pornographic book.
Harry, is a widower of five years. He advertised for a wife to help him with his five hellions and also his sexual needs. He interviewed women, young, old, beautiful, and ugly and none passed until Plum met Harry.
Plum, destitute and desperate, concealed her past so she can have a chance at marriage. Harry, wary of scaring his new wife, sought to hide his children. Fortunately for them both, Harry fell in love with her and Plum loves children.
There is no great drama in the book because this is a comedy. Thus misunderstandings that fuel romantic novels are not mean to divide the couple but merely used for comedic effect. That is why when Plum, desiring a child of her own, discovered that Harry had no plans of having any more children, took his plans as merely his lack of trust in her mothering skills. And so, she endeavoured to be a better mother, which is a hard task to the devilish kids.
The story is as follows: Plum is taking care of her friend's baby. Her friend tells her about the advertisement and they discuss why she should not tell this prospective husband of her past. They meet. He has a hard on and so does not dismount from his horse while talking to her. They agree to marry two days later. She meets the kids. His plan is foiled. She tries to bond with the kids but they play pranks on her. Mactavish begs for kittens. They have a food fight. She discovers he does not want kids. She takes this as a lack of confidence in her mothering skills and not, as he said, a danger to her health, as his wife he believed died due to birthing a baby. They love each other. She confides in him about her past but not her literary endeavours. Harry has to go back to investigate a possible criminal from his old case. They travel to London. She is wary of being in a ball but nobody remembers her. Tony meets Nick and believes he is a burglar. Plum meets Charles. Plum wants to go home. There is a lot of accidents involving the children. Plum decides to murder Charles. She confides in Tom, who confides in Nick, who relays the message to his godfather, Harry. Plum arranges a meeting with Nick. Nick calls in Harry, who pretends to be the hired murderer. Plum changed her mind and instead moved from murder to scandal. Harry discovers her identity as Vivien La Blue. He wants to call out Charles. The children are kidnapped. They save the children. Charles breaks in the house to leave a threatening note. We discover he likes young girls. He falls in a trap set by the children and is almost set in fire. He escapes. He is approached by Harry's enemy. Charles dies. Harry comes home and an officer wants to arrest Plum for Charles' murder. The children protest because they like Plum. The officer lets slip that he knows of Vivien La Blue's true identity, which is a closely guarded secret. They discover he killed Charles. He shoots Plum. Months later, Plum gives birth to a baby girl named Vivien.
The story was a usual funny one. I love that the characters are so whacky. I loved the part of Plum thinking of how to murder Charles. It was so funny when she was listening to Harry's past and how he had to kill people as part of his job. Harry took it as a wifely interest. In truth, she is trying to learn how to kill. I love that the women are unconventional. Romance heroines usually don't entertain the idea of murder as a passing whim. In Macalister's book however, it is used for comedic effect and successfully so.
The characters are written so well. They are entertaining and endearing in their own way. It still doesn't top the first book in the series but it was a great addition to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for eyes.2c.
3,108 reviews111 followers
July 2, 2014
...a madcap romp!

Entertains, occasionally saucy, with a delightful, if somewhat wild cast.
Mind you I did think I'd fallen into the set of St Trinians with the antics of Harry's children. An out-of-control group of 'wild things', hell bent on wreaking havoc and careening all over the pages throughout chapters and definitely into Plum's heart, if not ours.
Harry, the Marquis of Rosse, and formerly a spy for the English Government and Plum (Lady Frederica Pelham) are an arranged marriage. Arranged by themselves that is, to meet their specific and rather particular needs. Even that has it's humorous side. Harry needs a mother for his raggedy bunch of children. Tormentors and monsters to a fine degree. Plum needs a roof over her head and a home for herself and her rather delightful niece Thom. She desperately wants a husband and a family and finds herself with all in no short order.
Years ago Plum has been unknowingly married to a bigamist, and then scorned by polite society. To earn a living she took the nom de plume of Vyvyan La Blue and wrote a very shocking book, The Guide to Connubial Calisthenics. This was considered so obscene it was banned. I imagine it as equivalent to, if not more daring than, The Joy of Sex I it's day. Plum gave wonderful sounding titles to the various positions, like Gallant Knight at a Blind Maiden's Mercy.
What a hoot this story is. I particularly like Juan the hot headed Spanish butler.
Thom her niece is a gem and Nick the burglar is great. But Harry is a whirlwind of activity. Knowledgable yet winning, he and Plum both get so much more than they bargained for.
With blackmailing, death attempts, the antics of the children and Plum's endeavouring to hide some of her past, all descends into mayhem that might or might not be sorted.

A NetGalley ARC
Profile Image for Ariana.
303 reviews24 followers
May 25, 2016
I gave this book three stars but it's more like a 2.75 kind of book, to me at least. I read this book because someone on a FB group I'm part of posted an excerpt that I thought was amusing. I'd never read this author so I thought I'd give it a shot. There were moments, though few and far between, that I enjoyed the book. But mostly I just couldn't wait to finish, there is just something in me that can't leave a book unfinished no matter how much I dislike it. I found it all to be outlandish and silly. The heroine was extremely annoying and hero okay at best. Don't get me started on the ridiculous butler. Oh, and the children, were in no way wild but loveable, which I think the author was trying to make the reader think. The only characters I was at all interested in was Thom and Nick, but that was completely left unresolved. Is there a book for them? Oh, and the names of the "calisthenics." That was so irritating! But the thing that really got me was the scandal. I understand why the heroine is considered ruined, considering the time period. But I don't understand how it's her fault, unless she did it against her parent's wishes (not that we would know because we were never given any real background on how it came about). But if not and she did what was expected of her, marry a man and then go to his bed, how is it her fault when she finds out he lied? Shouldn't her father have looked into it? When the truth came out shouldn't he have called this guy out? If she married him and there are records and witnesses then how did she do anything wrong? I don't know, I'm just babbling now. It just bothered me. Not a great read for me but I know others found it funny and enjoyable.
Profile Image for Pamela Shropshire.
1,455 reviews72 followers
June 19, 2016
This is the 3rd book in the Noble series. I have a distinct weakness for the marriage of convenience trope and this one was spectacular.

Harry needs a mother for his five hellion children and a wife for his bed, so he places an advertisement.

Frederica Pelham, better known as Plum, is in grave financial difficulties. 20 years ago, she married Charles de Spenser, only to find out within 6 weeks that he was already married with a family, and that he perpetrated the fraud upon her because he knew she would never agree to be his mistress. Her family has cut her because of the scandal. Now she is the guardian of her orphaned niece, Thomasine, or Thom, and she's down to her last few shillings. The marriage advertisement is an answer to prayer.

Harry deliberately fails to inform her he has five children. She deliberately fails to inform him of her scandalous past and the fact that she is the author of the Guide to Connubial Calisthenics, aka Vyvyan Le Blue.

There are so many LOL scenes in this book. The Stuart Little-esque scene with the sailing mice in Hyde Park, the bull in the hallway, the snake in the carriage . . . Plus, Juan the butler! OMG, he reminds me so much of John Turturro's portrayal of the butler in Mr. Deeds.

If you're a fan of slapstick comedies like Bringing Up Baby (K Hepburn & C Grant) or Arsenic and Old Lace, you'll find this book entertaining!

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
Profile Image for Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew.
1,366 reviews152 followers
November 1, 2014
Terrific fun.  You either go for MacAlister's brand of humour (which can be hit & miss) or you don't  - on the basis of this, I certainly do. The plot (what plot?) is nothing more than an excuse to string some farcical scenes together.  So move quickly over the H & H falling in lust/love at first sight, and just enjoy the rare pleasure of a couple who do love uncomplicatedly from the start, who trust each other, and who spend most of the book trying out the extravagantly named positions from the heroine's book - the Guide to Connubial Calisthenics.

Harry believed her to be a shy bride, not a virgin, but virginal, unlearned, and inexperienced... Thus it would be necessary for her to not take the initiative, nor to attempt anything beyond Leda and the Swan. "Which is a shame, because ....Heron Alighting Upon a Still Pond is extremely fascinating, particularly when the heron in question has legs as long as Harry's."

Profile Image for Suzan Tisdale.
Author 88 books663 followers
September 16, 2012
I didn't think it possible to laugh as hard as I did with Ms. MacAlister's first two books in the Noble Series, but I was wrong. The Trouble With Harry, had me laughing until I had hyperventilated! Without spoiling anything, one of my most favorite parts was the threat of castration involving two egg cups and a dull knife!

Ms. MacAlister has a writing style that I envy! Beyond witty, beyond funny. This is the type of writing that has you rolling with laughter. The storyline itself if full of intrigue and excitement, and the love that Plum and Harry have for one another is sweet, sexy, and beautiful; simply put, this is a wonderfully written story.

And the five children! Adorable little devils that you can't help but love! And Juan, oh my stars, Juan was hilarious beyond description. ;o) I truly hope Ms. MacAlister writes Nick and Thom's story soon!

This is beyond a five star read and worth every penny. I cannot wait to read more from Ms. MacAlister.
Profile Image for Julie (jjmachshev).
1,069 reviews292 followers
March 29, 2008
This delightful frolic is a comedy of errors. The heroine ends up with exactly what she needs, but is sure, at first, that she doesn't want. You will get caught up in the steps of their courtship dance and root for both of them. Another one on my keeper shelf!
Profile Image for Cornelia.
Author 87 books142 followers
July 28, 2010
This is a charming book, so funny and heart warming. It's set in the regency period. The children in the story are absolutely hilarious, they are trying to say the least. These kids are pretty bad. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes comedy/romances - you'll love this.
Profile Image for Alison.
10 reviews
February 21, 2011
I would like to see a story about Thom and Nick. I was more interested in their story than Plum and Harry....
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