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Herberts #3
Drusilla's Downfall
A Healing Heart
Sent to attend the ailing Marchioness of Brentford, practical Drusilla Herbert hardly believes she'll become entangled in any intrigues of the ton. After all, what adventures could a rector's daughter happen on in the seclusion of a country estate? That is, unless the wild stories she's heard about her ladyship's son have any truth to them...
Adrian Richmond usually cares fir more for the goings-on of the Season than for the affairs of his mother. But from the moment he learns of Drusilla's presence in his family home, he is convinced the clever chit is buttering up the older woman in the hope of a generous bequest. He vows to send the young interloper packing only to find himself falling hopelessly in love with the beguiling miss.
Sent to attend the ailing Marchioness of Brentford, practical Drusilla Herbert hardly believes she'll become entangled in any intrigues of the ton. After all, what adventures could a rector's daughter happen on in the seclusion of a country estate? That is, unless the wild stories she's heard about her ladyship's son have any truth to them...
Adrian Richmond usually cares fir more for the goings-on of the Season than for the affairs of his mother. But from the moment he learns of Drusilla's presence in his family home, he is convinced the clever chit is buttering up the older woman in the hope of a generous bequest. He vows to send the young interloper packing only to find himself falling hopelessly in love with the beguiling miss.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2003
11 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Emily Hendrickson
59 books22 followersDoris Emily Hendrickson lives in Reno, Nevada, with her husband, a retired airline pilot. Of all the many places she has traveled around the world, England is her favorite, and the most natural choice as the setting for her novels. In addition to her Regency romances, she has written a Regency Reference Book.
She is also the recipient of the Romantic Times award for the Best Regency of 1993 for Elizabeth's Rake and the Colorado Romance Writers 1997 Award of Excellence for The Debonair Duke. She is a nominee for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Regency Romance.
Emily also enjoys stamps and stamping, and several of her flower designs, originally created for bookmarks for her Regencies, have been made into stamps.
Many of my books were re-published in England by Robert Hale Publishing House of London. My publisher requested that I use three pseudonyms for my English hard cover books. I chose the names: Emily Hendrickson, Emily Johnson, and Emily Harland.
She is also the recipient of the Romantic Times award for the Best Regency of 1993 for Elizabeth's Rake and the Colorado Romance Writers 1997 Award of Excellence for The Debonair Duke. She is a nominee for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Regency Romance.
Emily also enjoys stamps and stamping, and several of her flower designs, originally created for bookmarks for her Regencies, have been made into stamps.
Many of my books were re-published in England by Robert Hale Publishing House of London. My publisher requested that I use three pseudonyms for my English hard cover books. I chose the names: Emily Hendrickson, Emily Johnson, and Emily Harland.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 16, 2022
This book was good in parts. I liked the nature of the heroine drusilla, she is a very kind hearted, very helpful person who also has a sharp tongue and doesn't hesitate to speak her mind irrespective of who is in front of her. Storywise there was not much in it but just day to day happenings with parties and timepass.
June 17, 2009
The author has written a regency reference book, and it SHOWS. Certain things are described in minute detail, such as the etiquette of who leads who into dinner which most regency fans either already know or don't care about. "Let's play Diablo!", someone says. "Oh, that game with the two sticks and string where you have a double sided top and you throw it up and try to catch it with the strings? Yes, let's!" comes the reply.
InfoDump much?
There are other things, like the characters read a play out loud. I know this was a common past time, but it certainly makes for boring reading, as it has nothing to do with the plot. We just get to read about the ladies copying the play out, a rehearsal, and a performance for no reason.
The actual storyline isn't bad, I give it points for the heroine being kind of catty and for her disliking dogs (as opposed to a heroine made of perfect shining light). I just didn't feel satisfied. The hero is a jerk at the beginning, then boring for the rest.
InfoDump much?
There are other things, like the characters read a play out loud. I know this was a common past time, but it certainly makes for boring reading, as it has nothing to do with the plot. We just get to read about the ladies copying the play out, a rehearsal, and a performance for no reason.
The actual storyline isn't bad, I give it points for the heroine being kind of catty and for her disliking dogs (as opposed to a heroine made of perfect shining light). I just didn't feel satisfied. The hero is a jerk at the beginning, then boring for the rest.
May 26, 2023
3.5 stars
Adrian Richmond, the Marquess of Brentford, swears to get rid of his mother's new companion, Drusilla Herbert. When they finally meet, they start fighting, with Drusilla realizing that she is powerless if he really intends to dismiss her. Enter his would-be fiancée, Lady Felicia Tait, and his best friend Reginald, Lord Ives into a house party for his mother's birthday and things get interesting.
All right, so the plot is extremely simple to the point of...well...there is really nothing new. Boy meets girl, they fight, they decide to fall in love. Another girl wants the boy and starts doing stupid thing against the first girl. There is another guy...and so on.
Drusilla is OK, as far as a heroine goes, but she is a little bit too perfect. Brentford, on the other hand, is really annoying but also boring.
Despite, of because of, all the above, this is a fairly enjoyable and quick read. As long as you don't ponder too much.
Adrian Richmond, the Marquess of Brentford, swears to get rid of his mother's new companion, Drusilla Herbert. When they finally meet, they start fighting, with Drusilla realizing that she is powerless if he really intends to dismiss her. Enter his would-be fiancée, Lady Felicia Tait, and his best friend Reginald, Lord Ives into a house party for his mother's birthday and things get interesting.
All right, so the plot is extremely simple to the point of...well...there is really nothing new. Boy meets girl, they fight, they decide to fall in love. Another girl wants the boy and starts doing stupid thing against the first girl. There is another guy...and so on.
Drusilla is OK, as far as a heroine goes, but she is a little bit too perfect. Brentford, on the other hand, is really annoying but also boring.
Despite, of because of, all the above, this is a fairly enjoyable and quick read. As long as you don't ponder too much.
February 13, 2020
Really like it but editor flaws were distracting. Still worth reading
June 3, 2020
Man is callow suspicious jerk to nice woman and mother; mild, no real crime; okay
April 24, 2025
Not good
I finished it but it wasn't good. It just wasn't well written. Not much plot. Trite characters. Things that didn't make sense. It just wasn't good.
I finished it but it wasn't good. It just wasn't well written. Not much plot. Trite characters. Things that didn't make sense. It just wasn't good.
July 17, 2013
This was another Regency Romance I had on my bookshelf for some time, but had never read. I always think I'm going to be bored w/a true Regency, because the characters' manor of speaking is often so outdated...and sometimes I am bored, but this was not one of those times. I found myself lost in this book almost from the start. The heroine is a very pleasant young lady, and the hero a bit pompous at times, but I have nothing bad to say about this book. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes Historical Romance, especially the Regency type.
June 29, 2011
This was one of the stupidest books I have ever read. The characters lacked depth. She tried to make the Heroine perfect except it didn't fit with the story. She can't be deductive and brilliant in one scene and then so stupid in the next to not realize the "love" the hero has for her. Ridiculous and namby-pamby.
August 11, 2016
Really liked the characters, and was impressed with how well the fine lines of animosity and politeness was maintained between the heroine and one of the guests at the house party, that could have gone a dozen different directions and the author kept her hands on the reins quite well.
July 26, 2024
I love a good, quick read! I love Emily Hendrickson’s regency romances because she always includes a witty, strong FMC! If you haven’t read a regency romance before, I recommend starting out with one from Emily!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews