False Steps

by Sandra Heath

Sent to the untamed land of Weymouth by the Queen of England, Cassian Stratford, the Marquess of Lansdale, finds his boredom cast by the wayside when he encounters an enigmatic beauty who steals his heart. Original.

Genres: Regency, Historical Romance

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 7, 2003

About the author

Sandra Heath is the ever-popular author of numerous Regencies, historical romances, novellas, and short stories. Among other honors, she has won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards for Best Regency Author and for Best Regency Romance. She lives in Gloucester, England, and can be contacted at sandraheath@bluey onder.co.uk.

Reviews

[Wednesday · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all an engaging read with good plot lines and great characters.

Miss Freddie Smith meets the handsome Marquess of Lansdale in the streets of Weymouth. The pair are instantly attracted but Freddie knows a relationship can never be. Her mother keeps a lodging house and Freddie has no opportunity of moving in Lonsdale's society circles. But when invited to accompany her friend Lavinia, to London for that young lady's season, Freddie is excited.
However, circumstances create the need for Freddie to assume the persona of Lavinia's cousin and she finds herself in Lord Lansdale's company once more. With several crimes to solve and her true identity to reveal, Freddie and Lansdale's relationship gets plenty of opportunity to develop.

If it wasn't for the over emphasis and anthropomorphism of Thomas the cat, I would have given this 5 stars but he just contributed a little too much to the action.

[Donnalee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much dumb crime etc. for my taste

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cassian Stratford, Marquess of Landsdowne has been sent to the small seaside town of Weymouth by Queen Charlotte, who believes her granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, has formed a tendre for Cassian. Enployed annotating the king's letters, Cassian is bored to death until he spies a beautiful, fashionably dressed, redheaded girl and her cat in the fish market. Intrigued by her beauty,Cassian is confused when the girl dons an old gray cloak and disappears in the warren of old streets. He follows her until he has an opportunity to make her aquaintance. They fall instantly in love but the lady continues to be mysterious. All Cassian knows is that her name is Miss Smith and she has a black and white cat. Miss Smith manages to elude him and return home to where her mother runs a lodging house. The fashionable clothes are cast offs from Winnifred "Freddie's" best friend Lavinia Thorogood, an heirhess who is staying at Mrs. Smith's lodging house while her father recovers from a carriage accident. Lavinia is shortly to be taken to London for the Season where negotiations for her marriage to a Lord Kerswell. Lavinina believes herself to be in love with a Byronic poet, a Mr. Andrew Beaumont and does not wish to go to London. Freddie dreams of a London season and waltzing with Lord Lansdale. The two girls accidentially overhear a conversation with Lord Lansdale and his friend, who is none other than Lord Kerswell, who is as excited about the prospect of marriage to Lavinia as she is to the idea of marriage to him. The girls overhear the men speak of Lord Kerswell's kept woman in a villa on the Holland estate. Lord Lansdale seems to think the lady is Kerswell's mistress, but Kerswell intimates that there is more to the story but refuses to speak of it. Lavinia is shocked and tells her father what she heard. He refuses to cancel the engagement based on speculation but promises that if any scandal comes to light, Lavinia will not have to marry Lord Kerswell. Lavinia decides to take Freddie to London with her so they can uncover Kerswell's secret. They travel in the company of a Mrs. Shaw, an army widow, whom Freddie suspects is not what she seems. The friends find themselves thrust into the London Season and in the company of Lord Byron, Lady Caroline Lamb and Lords Lansdale and Kerswell. Lansdale takes it upon himself to save the young ladies from danger and ruined reputations and help his friend on the path to happily ever after.

I liked this story well enough but it wasn't the comedy of manners I enjoy. The mystery was well developed and kept me guessing. The details seemed well researcherd but sometimes the author steps out of the story to relate description or historic information which could have been better in narrative form. Real life historic figures play minor roles and even Jane Austen herself makes a cameo! The romances develop too quickly and are too unrealistic. Lavinia and Lord Kerswell were far more interesting than Cassian and Freddie. I recommend this book to cat fans and fans of Regency adventure novels. If you're looking for brilliant writing or sparkling wit look elsewhere.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overly dramatic, and everything wraps up super neatly with a little bow around it. Still....I did enjoy reading.

[Jen Boone]

read it too long ago to remember