The Incomparable Miss Brady

by Sheila Walsh

THE AMOROUS ARISTOCRATS

Miss Clementina Brady had heard that Paris was for lovers. But when this bold and beautiful young American crossed the channel from restrained Regency London to the pleasure-mad French capital, she found too many promising possibilities for comfort.

There was her elegant if insufferably arrogant English cousin, the Marquis of Cadogon. There was the incredibly handsome though notoriously rakish Comte de Tourne. And there was the ravishingly rich if irrepressibly ribald Russian Prince Alexis.

Never had a proper young lady been besieged by such an enticing international set of temptations. Never had an innocent from the New World been forced to wrestle with such an array of Old World experience. But then, never had even her suavest and most seductive suitors encountered anyone quite like

Genres: Regency, Romance

248 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 3, 1980

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Born Sheila O'Nions in 1928 in Birmingham, England, UK. During the Second World War, her family moved to Southport, Lancashire, where she met Des Walsh, son of the Thomas Walsh, who had a jewelry store at 39 Chapel Street since 1926. In 1950, Sheila married with Des Walsh, and they had two daughters, Fran Walsh and Tess Walsh. Sheila worked during years in her husband's familiar jewelry store, with her husband, her husband elder brother Gerard and his wife Dorothy[2].

In 1971, Sheila joined the Southport Writers' Circle, and years later, in 1986 was elected life president. In 1980 she became the vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and later elected Chairman (1985-1987).

Her debut novel, The Golden Songbird, won the Netta Muskett award for new writers from the Romantic Novelists' Association, and in 1984, her novel, A Highly Respectable Marriage won the Elizabeth Goudge award.

Sheila Walsh died on 20 January 2009, at 80.

Reviews

[Deborah KV · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overbearing and interminable

Too many characters. Too long. Too drawn out. No romance. Too few interactions between the hero and heroine. Absolutely ignorant and ironically oxymoronic attitudes toward slavery given when this was written. Idiotic heroine- obeying the "trope" of stubborn, mulish woman who thinks she's strong but is really a fool who muddles everything. I generally like this author but I would recommend staying away from this one.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss Clementina Brady from Baltimore, Maryland, USA arrives on the doorstep of the home of the Marquess of Cadogan expecting to reconcile with her estranged grandfather, instead, she learns her grandfather has died and a distant cousin has taken his place and the new Marquess has a very low opinion of Clementina, whom he labels as a managing female. That's fine with Clemmy, who doesn't care what others think of her. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself and her younger brother Patrick. Clemmy and Patrick instantly adapt to life in London and Clemmy catches the eye of a dashing French comte whom the Marquess knows to be a fortune hunter. Clemmy, Patrick and their aunt Seraphina head to Paris and take Parisian society by storm and experience the pleasures and dangers Paris has to offer. Used to managing her American grandfather's estates, Clemmy turns her energy into managing everyone else's lives but fails to notice that some events are beyond her control, including her own future. The Marquess is also in Paris and he suspects the Bradys are not as capable of looking after themselves as they seem and decides to keep an eye on them, just in case they need help and finds himself strangely drawn to his unusual cousin.

This book started off wonderfully. I loved the interactions between Clemmy and the Marquess and Clemmy's determination to throw off convention and remain in control. Once the characters head to Paris, the story becomes more about everyone else than Clemmy. There were way too many characters to keep track of and too many titled characters to keep straight. I would have preferred more witty banter between Clemmy and Lord Cadogan instead of Clemmy's scrapes and adventures, that would have made for a much better story.

[Patrizia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Avevo letto qualche recensione negativa, legata soprattutto alla presenza di uno 'schiavetto' nero al seguito dell'ereditiera americana. Ma nulla mi aveva preparato alla totale mancanza di etica, che viene presentata come 'normale' in questo romanzo, quasi come se l'ambientazione nella Parigi post-napoleonica potesse giustificare tutto. Che l'eroe (già di per sé, in realtà, piuttosto irritante) tenesse come amante la moglie dell'amico defunto per garantire a lei e alla figlia una casa ("ma non l'ho mai amata!", si giustificherà con l'eroina, "fin dall'inizio i patti erano stati chiari!") forse non avrebbe dovuto scandalizzarmi più di tanto; ma che poi a sua volta la "passi" a un amico quando riesce finalmente a dirimere le incomprensioni con la futura sposa, questo è diventato decisamente meno accettabile... Che l'eroina "salvi" una prostituta di strada dalle grinfie di un bullo e la porti a casa sua, cercando di domarne gli istinti di seduttrice, ci può forse stare; ma che poi se ne liberi affidandola a un 'protettore', questo decisamente no, non va. E così la mia lettura ha proceduto a salti, tra fastidi e irritazioni: tanto più forti ed esasperate quanto meno attese, da un'autrice da cui avevo finora avuto solo ore di gradevole e divertita lettura

[AM · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book contains one of the most offensively racist depictions of a Black person I've seen outside of Gone with the Wind. In fact, that movie may be the basis of Ms. Walsh's entire conception of Black people. Joshua is a huge man with the mentality of a child, big white teeth, rolling white eyes, and absolutely no realistic thoughts or emotions.

Did I mention that it was written in 1980??? It's truly awful.

Aside from that, the book suffers from too many characters and some long stretches of just plain boring plot.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some disturbing parts to the story and inconsistencies by the author when she was dealing with the heroine.

[Donnalee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good author; stinko-to-me heroine--sometimes the brash tacky pushy Americans don't come off well in this genre

[Marya · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given it 3 stars because there are m0ments that are enjoyable but I felt it went on a bit to long for the story really and I think there should have been more moments between the 2 main characters as their feelings developed to make it more realistic. Personally this novel is not as good as her earlier ones.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one. It was rather predictable and the ending seemed a bit contrived and unoriginal. But it was an enjoyable bit of fluff.