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Lord Glenraven's Return
Danger in Disguise
Beautiful young widow Claudia Carstairs did not mourn her late husband. During their brief marriage she had learned to loathe him. That nightmare ended with his sudden death--and Claudia was left with the freedom she longed for and the estate of Ravencroft that she loved.
Now Claudia had to defend her independence and her inheritance from a handsome stranger. This magnetic man of mystery claimed to be Jem January, an impoverished wayfarer seeking a humble job. But one look at the passionate hunger in his gaze, and Claudia knew he wanted much, much more. Was he out to steal her heart? Was he out to steal her home? After his first stolen kiss, Claudia had to fight not only his desire but her own as he reached out to seize both....
Beautiful young widow Claudia Carstairs did not mourn her late husband. During their brief marriage she had learned to loathe him. That nightmare ended with his sudden death--and Claudia was left with the freedom she longed for and the estate of Ravencroft that she loved.
Now Claudia had to defend her independence and her inheritance from a handsome stranger. This magnetic man of mystery claimed to be Jem January, an impoverished wayfarer seeking a humble job. But one look at the passionate hunger in his gaze, and Claudia knew he wanted much, much more. Was he out to steal her heart? Was he out to steal her home? After his first stolen kiss, Claudia had to fight not only his desire but her own as he reached out to seize both....
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1994
19 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Anne Barbour
25 books17 followersAnne Barbour developed an affection for the Regency period while living in England. She now lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband, a retired lieutenant colonel. She is the mother of six children, all grown, and she loves to boast of her five grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 5, 2025
A lovely and quite unusual story of a young widow fighting to keep her independence. Modern Regencies that feature a spirited and feisty heroine who doesn’t need a man to run her life, thank you very much, are two a penny, but this one is definitely out of the usual mould.
Here’s the premise: Mrs Claudia Carstairs is a widow struggling to make ends meet on the estate left to her by her abusive husband. There are a few sheep, and she’s trying to build a horse-breeding business, doing as much of the stable work as the hands. But one day a stranger appears in the village, asking questions about Ravencroft, and a couple of days later he turns up and asks for a job. He’s willing to work in the stables, but he’s also able to act as butler, an odd combination. But he’ll work for board and a bed, and she’s desperate, so she takes him on, and it isn’t long before one of the grooms recognises him as Lord Glenraven, whose father used to own the estate. Jem confesses that it was stolen by Carstairs and he’s come to reclaim it, but he needs proof which is hidden somewhere in the house. He swears the groom to secrecy.
So the whole plot is revealed at quite an early stage. All Jem has to do is find the proof he needs and he can turf out the widow and reclaim his property. But Claudia soon cottons on to what he’s up to, and since she doesn’t want to be turfed out, and loves Ravencroft just as much as he does, the race is on to outwit him. I’m going to be honest here - I disapproved of Claudia’s methods here. I understood why she did it, and in a way it got everyone what they wanted, but it was dishonest and it was hardly surprising that it caused so many problems later.
Along the way, there’s Claudia’s downtrodden sister and her husband, a pair who just want Claudia to accept that a woman can’t manage an estate all by herself and that she needs another husband so that she can retreat to the drawing room and be a lady as she’s supposed to, not to mention a rumbustious boy and dog. After a lot of angry stubbornness from the principals, the ending is a bit contrived, but it does feature one of the best declarations of love I’ve ever come across. Lots of minor Americanisms which didn’t bother me too badly (apart from ‘taffy-coloured’ hair! We don’t have taffy in Britain). Five stars.
Here’s the premise: Mrs Claudia Carstairs is a widow struggling to make ends meet on the estate left to her by her abusive husband. There are a few sheep, and she’s trying to build a horse-breeding business, doing as much of the stable work as the hands. But one day a stranger appears in the village, asking questions about Ravencroft, and a couple of days later he turns up and asks for a job. He’s willing to work in the stables, but he’s also able to act as butler, an odd combination. But he’ll work for board and a bed, and she’s desperate, so she takes him on, and it isn’t long before one of the grooms recognises him as Lord Glenraven, whose father used to own the estate. Jem confesses that it was stolen by Carstairs and he’s come to reclaim it, but he needs proof which is hidden somewhere in the house. He swears the groom to secrecy.
So the whole plot is revealed at quite an early stage. All Jem has to do is find the proof he needs and he can turf out the widow and reclaim his property. But Claudia soon cottons on to what he’s up to, and since she doesn’t want to be turfed out, and loves Ravencroft just as much as he does, the race is on to outwit him. I’m going to be honest here - I disapproved of Claudia’s methods here. I understood why she did it, and in a way it got everyone what they wanted, but it was dishonest and it was hardly surprising that it caused so many problems later.
Along the way, there’s Claudia’s downtrodden sister and her husband, a pair who just want Claudia to accept that a woman can’t manage an estate all by herself and that she needs another husband so that she can retreat to the drawing room and be a lady as she’s supposed to, not to mention a rumbustious boy and dog. After a lot of angry stubbornness from the principals, the ending is a bit contrived, but it does feature one of the best declarations of love I’ve ever come across. Lots of minor Americanisms which didn’t bother me too badly (apart from ‘taffy-coloured’ hair! We don’t have taffy in Britain). Five stars.
January 18, 2017
Not bad
This is reasonably entertaining. At least one glaring anachronism, however.......Vichssoise soup wasn't invented until the early 20th century!! Doesn't really matter, though, it is only supposed to entertain!!!
This is reasonably entertaining. At least one glaring anachronism, however.......Vichssoise soup wasn't invented until the early 20th century!! Doesn't really matter, though, it is only supposed to entertain!!!
May 23, 2020
Excellent
Recipe for a five star review: take several well drawn characters, adding room for said character development, and place them in a context both realistic and fraught with complications. Mix in a blustering villain,his downtrodden wife and bumbling friend. Season with clever dialogue, a good pinch of tragic backstory and place in a patriarchal era often oppressive to women. Allow the plot to come to the boil, skimming off the scum. Let the heat dissolve conflict the pour into HEA mould to set. The kind of novel that begs for a series so you can share more of the characters stories.
Recipe for a five star review: take several well drawn characters, adding room for said character development, and place them in a context both realistic and fraught with complications. Mix in a blustering villain,his downtrodden wife and bumbling friend. Season with clever dialogue, a good pinch of tragic backstory and place in a patriarchal era often oppressive to women. Allow the plot to come to the boil, skimming off the scum. Let the heat dissolve conflict the pour into HEA mould to set. The kind of novel that begs for a series so you can share more of the characters stories.
October 27, 2022
Wonderful read
Loved this book. It was full of surprising twists and turns, well written with delightful dialogue. The emotions and feelings portrayed by the characters were relatable and justified. There were some typos and grammatical errors but they were not so numerous as to detract from the story. The characters themselves were well developed and authentic. They were easy to relate to and empathize with. The storyline was somewhat original, and well developed. I’ve read several of Anne Barbour’s books and have greatly enjoyed them. Thank you for another great read.
Loved this book. It was full of surprising twists and turns, well written with delightful dialogue. The emotions and feelings portrayed by the characters were relatable and justified. There were some typos and grammatical errors but they were not so numerous as to detract from the story. The characters themselves were well developed and authentic. They were easy to relate to and empathize with. The storyline was somewhat original, and well developed. I’ve read several of Anne Barbour’s books and have greatly enjoyed them. Thank you for another great read.
March 19, 2024
Good plot
Claudia is a deserving female lead and strong. Glenraven had a lot of hardship to overcome for a twelve year old boy. Author didn't sugar coat their lives and so this couple truly deserved the HEA outcome.
Claudia is a deserving female lead and strong. Glenraven had a lot of hardship to overcome for a twelve year old boy. Author didn't sugar coat their lives and so this couple truly deserved the HEA outcome.
May 23, 2025
An emotional and heartfelt story, with some nice character arcs. And a satisfying conclusion. The final dispute was a tad overdone but still a lovely romance.
November 14, 2025
Dnf, not for me
September 16, 2014
Meh, not bad, but also not interesting, because the main villain is already dead at the beginning, the awful brother-in-law is not bad, just misogynistic, the "mystery" of Jem was revealed within the first few pages, the estate is in rightful hands 1/3 into the book and the tension between the main characters is super contrived
By taking the previous Lord Glenraven gambling, plying him with alcohol, forging his signature on a fake collateral, then arranging his "accidental" death, Emmeral Carstairs stole Ravencroft from the Standish family. To escape Emmeral's attentions, Lady Glenraven runs away with her two daughters and son in the middle of the night. She dies, one of the sisters dies, the other is kidnapped (We never find out what happens to her) Eventually, by pick pocketing, gambling, and investing, the wealthy Jeremy (Jem) Standish returns to the crumbling Ravenscroft, only to find that Emmeral has died and Mrs. Claudia Carstairs is kind, beautiful, and loves Ravenscroft fiercely. Jeremy poses as a stable hand/butler to find further evidence of Emneral's plots to support his claim, but Claudia finds it first, then willingly hands over the estate...book should have ended there, but to fill the pages....because Claudia doesn't tell Jem of the evidence she finds, when he does find out, he decides she is untrustworthy. Claudia takes the abuse for a few pages, before finally waking up and accuses him of also lying when posing as a stable-hand. They make up, HEA!
By taking the previous Lord Glenraven gambling, plying him with alcohol, forging his signature on a fake collateral, then arranging his "accidental" death, Emmeral Carstairs stole Ravencroft from the Standish family. To escape Emmeral's attentions, Lady Glenraven runs away with her two daughters and son in the middle of the night. She dies, one of the sisters dies, the other is kidnapped (We never find out what happens to her) Eventually, by pick pocketing, gambling, and investing, the wealthy Jeremy (Jem) Standish returns to the crumbling Ravenscroft, only to find that Emmeral has died and Mrs. Claudia Carstairs is kind, beautiful, and loves Ravenscroft fiercely. Jeremy poses as a stable hand/butler to find further evidence of Emneral's plots to support his claim, but Claudia finds it first, then willingly hands over the estate...book should have ended there, but to fill the pages....because Claudia doesn't tell Jem of the evidence she finds, when he does find out, he decides she is untrustworthy. Claudia takes the abuse for a few pages, before finally waking up and accuses him of also lying when posing as a stable-hand. They make up, HEA!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2014
What a satisfying read! This kept my attention all the way through. Lord Glenraven's subterfuge in hiding his identity from the current owner of his childhood home & family's ancestral estate, the widow Claudia Carstairs, leads to a series of events involving his going undercover as a stable hand and butler. The story progresses nicely even after she discovers his true identity from Jem January to Jeremy Standish, Lord Glenraven. There is a sub-plot involving Claudia's sister, Rose, and her husband, Thomas, who is hoping to wrest control of Ravencroft away from Claudia. There is tension, a twist or two, some action, and, of course, romance. This is a well-rounded story that is compelling from beginning to end. I appreciated the depth of characters, the dialogue and being pulled into each scene. The only bewildering thing involves Jem's long-lost sister. He explains the history which sets things up nicely for a reunion but nothing ever comes of it. Oh well, other than that, this is another winner from this author.
February 15, 2016
A wonderful read
I completely loved this story. I enjoyed the storyline and the personalities of the cast of characters. I relished the nasty relatives getting their comeuppance and the devoted family and friends their reward. I enjoyed so much I am gifting and rereading again. This is the first book by this author I have read. It will not be the last.
I completely loved this story. I enjoyed the storyline and the personalities of the cast of characters. I relished the nasty relatives getting their comeuppance and the devoted family and friends their reward. I enjoyed so much I am gifting and rereading again. This is the first book by this author I have read. It will not be the last.
July 1, 2014
Charming! A delightful story about a young man hoping to regain his inheritance after his father was cheated out of it, and a young widow hoping to restore the home she inherited from her late, unlamented husband to its former glory. Neither is looking for love, but...
June 18, 2014
Claudia had so much to lose by letting Jem January into her heart and her life. She came from an abusive family and her deceased husband was also abusive. I didn't like how Jem was initially abusive to her too! And she accepted it. Ugh. Need some female power here.
May 14, 2016
Un 'romance' leggero, piacevole, sufficientemente strutturato, anche se, forse, il finale (con i suoi perduranti malintesi) viene tirato un po' troppo per le lunghe...
December 31, 2018
I liked it. It was well written and kept me interested through my own dramas.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews