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A Poor Relation
A Poor Relation by Joanna Maitland released on May 25, 2004 is available now for purchase.
296 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Maitland
64 books14 followersI am a Scot, born and raised in Glasgow, one of the friendliest places in the world. Unfortunately, there were not many career opportunities in Scotland at the time I left University, and so I migrated to London. Living in England didn't stop me from hankering after the glorious wildness of the Scottish mountains and lochs, but short visits were the best I could do.
I have always been a history fan, fascinated by the detail of how our ancestors lived. I try to imagine the effects of working by candlelight rather than electricity, and how they coped with all that coal and water carrying, all that horse dung in the smelly, unswept streets. I marvel at the idea of scythe men creating a bowling green lawn, or seamstresses hand-sewing every stitch of a spider gauze gown. And I shudder at the extravagances of the rich, who could gamble away tens of thousands of pounds at a sitting, while the working poor subsisted on only a few shillings a week.
Like most writers, I have always scribbled. At school, I concocted a handwritten magazine with tiny writing that hardly anyone could read. I wrote stories and poems for school magazines and competitions. As an exchange student in France, I wrote reams of letters filled with pretty wild imaginings and some bad poetry (in rather suspect French).
When we were living abroad, I started writing children's stories. My children liked them, of course, but the publishers didn't. Then one day, I found Mills & Boon historicals, and I was hooked. I used to write on the commuter train to London and back, for about two hours a day. It was very peaceful in those days; most commuters were hiding behind their newspapers, and mobile phones hadn't been invented. At one stage, I spent several journeys playing piquet against myself with a miniature pack of cards, in order to be sure that all the scores I was quoting in my story were possible. My fellow passengers looked curiously at me out of the corners of their eyes, but nobody ever broke the silence to ask what on earth I was doing. Just as well, probably. What could I have said?
It took me nearly nine years of rejections to get one of my manuscripts accepted. It was published in 2001, as A Penniless Prospect, and short-listed for the New Writer's Award of the Romantic Novelists' Association. I'm still writing Regencies, but I've been studying medieval history since I stopped working full-time, and I'm now planning stories set in that period, too.
When we moved away from London commuterland a few years ago, we did try to find a new home in Scotland, but it didn't work out. We settled near the Welsh border instead. It's an ideal location. The countryside is full of medieval history--ruined castles, Offa's Dyke, cathedrals and churches, black and white villages--and some of the scenery reminds me of Scotland.
I have now indulged my love of Scotland a little by writing a book set there — Bride of the Solway. When I was researching the story, I spent some time in the Border country, visiting the ruined castles and admiring the spectacular scenery. You can see pictures of some of the settings I used in the book here and read some of the romantic background. There are also tales about Gretna marriages and the perils of the Solway on my research snippets page. I found it all fascinating, and I plan to write more stories set in Scotland.
I have always been a history fan, fascinated by the detail of how our ancestors lived. I try to imagine the effects of working by candlelight rather than electricity, and how they coped with all that coal and water carrying, all that horse dung in the smelly, unswept streets. I marvel at the idea of scythe men creating a bowling green lawn, or seamstresses hand-sewing every stitch of a spider gauze gown. And I shudder at the extravagances of the rich, who could gamble away tens of thousands of pounds at a sitting, while the working poor subsisted on only a few shillings a week.
Like most writers, I have always scribbled. At school, I concocted a handwritten magazine with tiny writing that hardly anyone could read. I wrote stories and poems for school magazines and competitions. As an exchange student in France, I wrote reams of letters filled with pretty wild imaginings and some bad poetry (in rather suspect French).
When we were living abroad, I started writing children's stories. My children liked them, of course, but the publishers didn't. Then one day, I found Mills & Boon historicals, and I was hooked. I used to write on the commuter train to London and back, for about two hours a day. It was very peaceful in those days; most commuters were hiding behind their newspapers, and mobile phones hadn't been invented. At one stage, I spent several journeys playing piquet against myself with a miniature pack of cards, in order to be sure that all the scores I was quoting in my story were possible. My fellow passengers looked curiously at me out of the corners of their eyes, but nobody ever broke the silence to ask what on earth I was doing. Just as well, probably. What could I have said?
It took me nearly nine years of rejections to get one of my manuscripts accepted. It was published in 2001, as A Penniless Prospect, and short-listed for the New Writer's Award of the Romantic Novelists' Association. I'm still writing Regencies, but I've been studying medieval history since I stopped working full-time, and I'm now planning stories set in that period, too.
When we moved away from London commuterland a few years ago, we did try to find a new home in Scotland, but it didn't work out. We settled near the Welsh border instead. It's an ideal location. The countryside is full of medieval history--ruined castles, Offa's Dyke, cathedrals and churches, black and white villages--and some of the scenery reminds me of Scotland.
I have now indulged my love of Scotland a little by writing a book set there — Bride of the Solway. When I was researching the story, I spent some time in the Border country, visiting the ruined castles and admiring the spectacular scenery. You can see pictures of some of the settings I used in the book here and read some of the romantic background. There are also tales about Gretna marriages and the perils of the Solway on my research snippets page. I found it all fascinating, and I plan to write more stories set in Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 11, 2021
Regency (DTB edition) which I gave 3.5 stars. My book
said copyright 2001 & N0. American publication 2004
"Harlequin Historical" & the above Mills & Boon.
Leigh (a baron) & Isabella (a presumed "poor relation")
made assumptions about and acted prickly toward each
other.
The dialogue was witty and clever. And barbed at times.
The heroine's cousin Sophia found her own HEA. However
misconceptions took up too much of the story. If the H or
h paid closer attention, misconceptions would have gone
away sooner.
said copyright 2001 & N0. American publication 2004
"Harlequin Historical" & the above Mills & Boon.
Leigh (a baron) & Isabella (a presumed "poor relation")
made assumptions about and acted prickly toward each
other.
The dialogue was witty and clever. And barbed at times.
The heroine's cousin Sophia found her own HEA. However
misconceptions took up too much of the story. If the H or
h paid closer attention, misconceptions would have gone
away sooner.
Read
June 25, 2021Read 2021
February 9, 2014
While traveling to London, Lord Amburley rushes to the rescue of a lady he believes to be in distress. he is distressed to find that not only is the lady a servant of some sort, she doesn't need his help. Instead, she snaps at him and comforts the supposed accuser. Amburley leaves in a huff, angry at this sharp-tongued woman. Isabella Winstanley, dressed in shabby clothing, is traveling to London with her young relative, Sophia. Along the way, Isabella stopped to visit the poor soldiers and orphans for whom she is a benefactress, when Lord Amburley, misinterpreting the situation, attempted his rescue. When they next meet, sooner than Isabella had hoped, his charming manner disarms Isabella. Aburley is confused and angry at Isabella for her deception, only he misunderstands the situation and believes her to be a poor companion masquerading as a member of the ton. He's determined to ferret her out and punish her for her deception. What he doesn't know is
that Isabella is a really a wealthy woman, but to discourage fortune hunters, she and her great-aunt, with whom she lives, have put it out that Isabella is a poor relation. During the social whirl of the Season, Amburley attempts to win her confidence so he can finally expose her for the liar he believes her to be. They battle wits in a high-stakes card game and challenge each other to a daring race through the London streets. As they prepare for the race, Lord Amburley comes to see Isabella for the lovely woman she is. He also decides to help his friend Lewiston in his pursuit of Sophia. Isabella loses her heart completely to Amburley but she fears he's courting Sophia. The outcome of the curricle race will be the final showdown between these strong willed individuals before the happy ending can be decided for one of the lovely ladies.
I really couldn't like this story as much as I wanted to. I couldn't stand Lord Amburley. Isabella believes him to be an honorable man, while he's scheming and plotting against her. He's a Mr. Darcy wannabe without Mr. Darcy's honesty. Amburley listens too much to gossip and pre-prejudges Isabella based on her appearance. If Amburley hadn't been so sure of himself and sneaky, I probably would have liked this take on Pride and Prejudice a lot more. Isabella is an interesting character and I would have liked more of the story from her point of view. Much of the plot borrows from classics like P&P and Georgette Heyer's Arabella and Regency Buck but without the sparkle and fun of the originals. The romance is clean, with one serious kiss and Isabella's feelings about the kiss.
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November 23, 2018Wonderful story
Well written, true classical Recency romance. All the characters are well described and pleasant. I truly enjoyed the story and would thoroughly recommend it.
Well written, true classical Recency romance. All the characters are well described and pleasant. I truly enjoyed the story and would thoroughly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews