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The Lady Travelers Society #1
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen
Embark on the breathtaking romantic adventures of The Lady Travelers Society in the brand-new series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander
Really, it's too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders's favourite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what's a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he's escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative.
While India Prendergast only suspects his organisation defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart.
Edition also contains the short story "The Proper Way to Stop a Wedding (in Seven Days or Less)
Really, it's too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders's favourite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what's a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he's escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative.
While India Prendergast only suspects his organisation defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart.
Edition also contains the short story "The Proper Way to Stop a Wedding (in Seven Days or Less)
538 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 23, 2017
450 people are currently reading
1996 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Alexander
64 books1,323 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out.
Since the publication of her first book in 1995, she has written thirty-one full length novels and six novellas. The Perfect Wife—originally published in 1996 and reissued in March 2008—hit #1 on the New York Times list. Sixteen of her books are bestsellers hitting the New York Times, USA Today and/or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. With books translated into more than a dozen different languages she has readers around the world and has twice been nominated for Romance's Writers of America prestigious RITA award. In 2009 she was given a Career Achievement Award from RT Bookclub and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. In 2008 she was the keynote speaker for the Romance Writers of American annual conference in San Francisco. Victoria credits much of her writing success to her experiences as a reporter.
Her years as a broadcast journalist were spent in two radically different areas of the country: Nebraska and West Virginia. In West Virginia, she covered both natural and manmade disasters. She was on the scene when a power plant construction accident in a small town left 52 men dead. She once spent the night on a mountain waiting to learn of the fate of coal miners trapped in a mine collapse. Victoria was producing a newscast when her husband (who worked at the same television station) and several other journalists were held hostage by a disturbed Vietnam veteran. In Nebraska, she reported on the farm crisis and watched people lose land that had been in their families for generations. She covered the story that was the basis of the movie BOYS DON’T CRY and once acted as the link between police and a gunman who had barricaded himself in his home. Her investigative work exposed the trucking of New York City garbage to a small town dump in rural Nebraska.
During her journalism career, Victoria covered every president from Ford to Clinton. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by rising floodwaters and inside a burning building. She’s interviewed movie stars including Kevin Costner, ridden an elephant and flown in a governor’s helicopter. She’s covered a national political convention and Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Denver as well as small town festivals celebrating everything from walnuts to Glen Miller. Her work was honored by numerous organizations including the Associated Press who called a feature about a firefighter’s school "story telling genius". It was the encouragement she needed to turn from news to fiction. She’s never looked back.
Victoria claims her love of romance and journalism is to due to the influence of her favorite comic book character: Lois Lane, a terrific reporter and a great heroine who pursued Superman with an unwavering determination. And why not? He was extremely well drawn.
Victoria grew up traveling the world as an Air Force brat. Today, she lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and her dogs. Victoria had two bearded collies, Sam and Louie (named from characters in one of her books). Sam (on the left), the best dog in the world for 13 ½ years, passed away in September 2010. Louie took on the position of loyal companion and did a fine job even though he doesn't understand that kitchen counter surfing is not allowed!
Now he's been joined by Reggie, also a faithful companion.
They all live happily ever after in a house under constant renovation and the accompanying parade of men in tool belts. And never ending chaos. Victoria laughs a great deal—she has to.
New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out.
Since the publication of her first book in 1995, she has written thirty-one full length novels and six novellas. The Perfect Wife—originally published in 1996 and reissued in March 2008—hit #1 on the New York Times list. Sixteen of her books are bestsellers hitting the New York Times, USA Today and/or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. With books translated into more than a dozen different languages she has readers around the world and has twice been nominated for Romance's Writers of America prestigious RITA award. In 2009 she was given a Career Achievement Award from RT Bookclub and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. In 2008 she was the keynote speaker for the Romance Writers of American annual conference in San Francisco. Victoria credits much of her writing success to her experiences as a reporter.
Her years as a broadcast journalist were spent in two radically different areas of the country: Nebraska and West Virginia. In West Virginia, she covered both natural and manmade disasters. She was on the scene when a power plant construction accident in a small town left 52 men dead. She once spent the night on a mountain waiting to learn of the fate of coal miners trapped in a mine collapse. Victoria was producing a newscast when her husband (who worked at the same television station) and several other journalists were held hostage by a disturbed Vietnam veteran. In Nebraska, she reported on the farm crisis and watched people lose land that had been in their families for generations. She covered the story that was the basis of the movie BOYS DON’T CRY and once acted as the link between police and a gunman who had barricaded himself in his home. Her investigative work exposed the trucking of New York City garbage to a small town dump in rural Nebraska.
During her journalism career, Victoria covered every president from Ford to Clinton. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by rising floodwaters and inside a burning building. She’s interviewed movie stars including Kevin Costner, ridden an elephant and flown in a governor’s helicopter. She’s covered a national political convention and Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Denver as well as small town festivals celebrating everything from walnuts to Glen Miller. Her work was honored by numerous organizations including the Associated Press who called a feature about a firefighter’s school "story telling genius". It was the encouragement she needed to turn from news to fiction. She’s never looked back.
Victoria claims her love of romance and journalism is to due to the influence of her favorite comic book character: Lois Lane, a terrific reporter and a great heroine who pursued Superman with an unwavering determination. And why not? He was extremely well drawn.
Victoria grew up traveling the world as an Air Force brat. Today, she lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and her dogs. Victoria had two bearded collies, Sam and Louie (named from characters in one of her books). Sam (on the left), the best dog in the world for 13 ½ years, passed away in September 2010. Louie took on the position of loyal companion and did a fine job even though he doesn't understand that kitchen counter surfing is not allowed!
Now he's been joined by Reggie, also a faithful companion.
They all live happily ever after in a house under constant renovation and the accompanying parade of men in tool belts. And never ending chaos. Victoria laughs a great deal—she has to.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews
February 23, 2018
London, 1889
The newly established Lady Travelers Society, catering to the whims and dreams of women "longing to throw off the shackles of everyday existence and live an adventurous life of travel", may be a place where ladies are given the opportunity to expand their interests and learn their way at globetrotting, but if Miss India Prendergast is not mistaken, it may also be a cover for illegal activities swindling the unsuspecting and naive members out of their money. And her suspicions have grown even stronger after her cousin disappeared during her whereabouts on the Continent. The three sweet elderly ladies, founders of the Society, cannot surely be law breakers in disguise... and this leaves only Mr. Derek Saunders! Why, he must be the mastermind behind all the frauds, so India has no other choice but to follow him all the way to Paris and see for herself whether the handsome and infuriating man is friend or foe...
Book 1 in a new series, The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen is in equal parts a gentle Victorian romance and a witty comedy of manners, and it showcases all the trademark scintillating humour and polished writing I’ve come to expect from this author.
The descriptions of Paris during the World Exhibition were delightful and truly added an atmospheric touch to the plot, but most of the charm relied on the characterisations and the tongue-in-cheek banter. India and Derek were an intriguing case of opposites attracting each other and, even if it was India who had to work harder on herself in order to evolve, they both had well-rounded personalities striking a nice chemistry that leaped off the pages.
Also the entire cast of characters was deftly fleshed-out and I was anticipating their antics as much as those of the leads. And if the pace of the story felt definitely relaxed, the exuberant dialogues and some zany situations more than made up to keep me engaged in the reading.
Surely a series I’ll look forward to and oh, I really hope Val, Derek’s brother, gets his own book, he was scrumptiously naughty!
Buddy-read with Anna :)
May 16, 2017
It took awhile for the plot to get there, but when it finally did, it was worth the wait!
More than the first half of the book drags, presumably because the main character, India Prendergast, is extremely unlikable. However, when the story began to (finally!) unfold, there were several sweet and laugh out loud scenes which were highly entertaining. I absolutely loved the characters of Val, who was hilarious, and Mother, who always knew best (of course).
I highly recommend this books prequel novella The Proper Way to Stop a Wedding in Seven Days or Less.
3.5 stars
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
More than the first half of the book drags, presumably because the main character, India Prendergast, is extremely unlikable. However, when the story began to (finally!) unfold, there were several sweet and laugh out loud scenes which were highly entertaining. I absolutely loved the characters of Val, who was hilarious, and Mother, who always knew best (of course).
I highly recommend this books prequel novella The Proper Way to Stop a Wedding in Seven Days or Less.
3.5 stars
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2017
I've given this a B- at AAR, so that's 3.5 stars rounded up
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen might well win an award for being the longest title in historical romance! The first book in Victoria Alexander’s new Lady Travelers Guide series, it’s a light-hearted romantic comedy, set mostly in Paris around the time of the Great Exposition, in which a starchy spinster comes up against a charming scoundrel and discovers perhaps her previously held, deeply entrenched opinions aren’t as set in stone as she’d believed them to be.
Miss India Prendergast has come to a meeting of The Lady Travelers Society in an attempt to ascertain the whereabouts of her cousin, Lady Heloise Snuggs, who recently set off on an extended journey which, India has been given to understand, was organised by the society. But she hasn’t received a letter or other communication from Heloise for some weeks and has become concerned for her safety. Further investigation has revealed that the society has done precisely nothing for Heloise; there is no record of their reserving hotel rooms or making any travel arrangements on her cousin’s behalf. India is convinced the organisation is a fraud, taking money from unwitting women whose dreams of exotic travel and desire to throw off the shackles of everyday existence and live an adventurous life blind them to the fact they are being swindled.
Derek Saunders has lived the life of a rakish young bachelor, kicking up a storm in society and enjoying a reputation as a scoundrel of the first order. Or he did, until his uncle, the Earl of Danby told him that he’d cut him off without a penny if he didn’t change his carefree, frivolous ways and start acting a bit more like the heir to an earldom should. Oddly enough, Derek finds he has a talent for numbers and business and he quite enjoys working with the earl’s estate and business managers. But the discovery that his great aunt Guinevere and a couple of her friends seem to be running some sort of scam is something he hadn’t banked on having to deal with. Deciding that his uncle won’t look kindly upon Derek's abandoning his duties in order to pursue a missing traveller and work out what his aunt is up to, Derek apprises the earl of the situation, and is surprised when he comes up with a plan to both find Lady Heloise and keep aunt Guinevere and her friends out of prison.
Derek had already decided that it’s his responsibility to find Heloise, and that as her most recent letters came from Paris, that he’s going to start looking for her there. When India insists on accompanying him, he already knows enough about her to know that she won’t brook a refusal, but his uncle takes that news in his stride. He undertakes to employ a firm of private investigators to find Heloise while Derek keeps India otherwise occupied and out of the way in Paris… it’s a good idea, and although Derek isn’t completely happy about keeping Miss Prendergast in the dark, he recognises it’s the most likely way to find her cousin.
So the stage is set. The prim and proper spinster and the dashing rogue – accompanied by Professor and Mrs. Greer, who are acting as India’s chaperones – arrive in Paris and start to make the rounds of all the hotels at which Heloise might have stayed, and continue the bickering and verbal sparring they’d begun at their initial meeting. India is stiff and unyielding in her attitude and outlook and makes it very clear that she doesn’t trust Derek as far as she could throw him. Fortunately, however Ms. Alexander saves her from being a complete prig by having her be able to admit when she’s wrong and hinting at the vulnerability that lies beneath her unbending exterior.
Derek is handsome, charming and clever, and while India infuriates him, she intrigues him, too. During the time they spend together in the course of their search for Heloise, he discovers a different side to her, one she rarely allows to come to the surface, but one he likes very much. India has thought herself ordinary all her life, and while she isn’t exactly a great beauty, there’s no doubt that she’s striking and intelligent, and Derek likes that she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She’s practical, sensible, self-assured and annoying; in short she’s the exact opposite of everything he has ever wanted in a woman, and yet he finds himself wanting rather desperately to kiss her and, in a few short days, feels as though she has become a part of his life.
As their search continues, India has to admit to herself that she truly likes Derek and is attracted to him, but there’s still the pesky matter of whether she can bring herself to trust the man when she believes him to be responsible for the fraudulent activities of the Lady Travelers Society.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed in other books I’ve read by this author is the dry humour and witty dialogue, and both those things are present in abundance here. The verbal thrust and parry between India and Derek is delightful, and there’s plenty of banter between them and other characters, too, most notably between Derek and his step-brother Val, the Marquess of Brookings (who I hope is going to get his own book at some point), whose relationship is obviously one of deep affection and frequent exasperation. The author has a splendidly deft touch and the dialogue never feels forced or too drawn out; it’s not laugh-out-loud, but it’s wry, funny and clever.
But while this is all lovely and light and frothy, the problem is that there’s not a great deal of substance beneath the surface. While India’s growth – from a woman who believes herself to be content with her narrow horizons and who thinks that efficiency, practicality and being well-organised are all she needs to be – into a woman who realises that there is more to life and has the courage to reach for what she wants, is nicely done, there isn’t a great deal of chemistry between her and Derek; there’s no question they like each other, but there are none of those spine-tingling moments of sexual tension and awareness that are hallmarks of a really good romance.
The book boasts a colourful supporting cast, including Derek’s stepbrother, and his mother, a grande dame in the truest sense; and I really enjoyed the author’s depiction of Paris, the street cafés, the grand hotels, the wide boulevards, all of it putting the reader right there on the viewing platform of the Eiffel Tower or among the crowds strolling along the Champs Elysées.
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen is not going to find its way onto my keeper shelf, but it is an entertaining, easy read, and is exactly the sort of thing you might want to pick up when you’re in the mood for a non-angsty, funny and well-written historical.
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen might well win an award for being the longest title in historical romance! The first book in Victoria Alexander’s new Lady Travelers Guide series, it’s a light-hearted romantic comedy, set mostly in Paris around the time of the Great Exposition, in which a starchy spinster comes up against a charming scoundrel and discovers perhaps her previously held, deeply entrenched opinions aren’t as set in stone as she’d believed them to be.
Miss India Prendergast has come to a meeting of The Lady Travelers Society in an attempt to ascertain the whereabouts of her cousin, Lady Heloise Snuggs, who recently set off on an extended journey which, India has been given to understand, was organised by the society. But she hasn’t received a letter or other communication from Heloise for some weeks and has become concerned for her safety. Further investigation has revealed that the society has done precisely nothing for Heloise; there is no record of their reserving hotel rooms or making any travel arrangements on her cousin’s behalf. India is convinced the organisation is a fraud, taking money from unwitting women whose dreams of exotic travel and desire to throw off the shackles of everyday existence and live an adventurous life blind them to the fact they are being swindled.
Derek Saunders has lived the life of a rakish young bachelor, kicking up a storm in society and enjoying a reputation as a scoundrel of the first order. Or he did, until his uncle, the Earl of Danby told him that he’d cut him off without a penny if he didn’t change his carefree, frivolous ways and start acting a bit more like the heir to an earldom should. Oddly enough, Derek finds he has a talent for numbers and business and he quite enjoys working with the earl’s estate and business managers. But the discovery that his great aunt Guinevere and a couple of her friends seem to be running some sort of scam is something he hadn’t banked on having to deal with. Deciding that his uncle won’t look kindly upon Derek's abandoning his duties in order to pursue a missing traveller and work out what his aunt is up to, Derek apprises the earl of the situation, and is surprised when he comes up with a plan to both find Lady Heloise and keep aunt Guinevere and her friends out of prison.
Derek had already decided that it’s his responsibility to find Heloise, and that as her most recent letters came from Paris, that he’s going to start looking for her there. When India insists on accompanying him, he already knows enough about her to know that she won’t brook a refusal, but his uncle takes that news in his stride. He undertakes to employ a firm of private investigators to find Heloise while Derek keeps India otherwise occupied and out of the way in Paris… it’s a good idea, and although Derek isn’t completely happy about keeping Miss Prendergast in the dark, he recognises it’s the most likely way to find her cousin.
So the stage is set. The prim and proper spinster and the dashing rogue – accompanied by Professor and Mrs. Greer, who are acting as India’s chaperones – arrive in Paris and start to make the rounds of all the hotels at which Heloise might have stayed, and continue the bickering and verbal sparring they’d begun at their initial meeting. India is stiff and unyielding in her attitude and outlook and makes it very clear that she doesn’t trust Derek as far as she could throw him. Fortunately, however Ms. Alexander saves her from being a complete prig by having her be able to admit when she’s wrong and hinting at the vulnerability that lies beneath her unbending exterior.
Derek is handsome, charming and clever, and while India infuriates him, she intrigues him, too. During the time they spend together in the course of their search for Heloise, he discovers a different side to her, one she rarely allows to come to the surface, but one he likes very much. India has thought herself ordinary all her life, and while she isn’t exactly a great beauty, there’s no doubt that she’s striking and intelligent, and Derek likes that she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She’s practical, sensible, self-assured and annoying; in short she’s the exact opposite of everything he has ever wanted in a woman, and yet he finds himself wanting rather desperately to kiss her and, in a few short days, feels as though she has become a part of his life.
As their search continues, India has to admit to herself that she truly likes Derek and is attracted to him, but there’s still the pesky matter of whether she can bring herself to trust the man when she believes him to be responsible for the fraudulent activities of the Lady Travelers Society.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed in other books I’ve read by this author is the dry humour and witty dialogue, and both those things are present in abundance here. The verbal thrust and parry between India and Derek is delightful, and there’s plenty of banter between them and other characters, too, most notably between Derek and his step-brother Val, the Marquess of Brookings (who I hope is going to get his own book at some point), whose relationship is obviously one of deep affection and frequent exasperation. The author has a splendidly deft touch and the dialogue never feels forced or too drawn out; it’s not laugh-out-loud, but it’s wry, funny and clever.
But while this is all lovely and light and frothy, the problem is that there’s not a great deal of substance beneath the surface. While India’s growth – from a woman who believes herself to be content with her narrow horizons and who thinks that efficiency, practicality and being well-organised are all she needs to be – into a woman who realises that there is more to life and has the courage to reach for what she wants, is nicely done, there isn’t a great deal of chemistry between her and Derek; there’s no question they like each other, but there are none of those spine-tingling moments of sexual tension and awareness that are hallmarks of a really good romance.
The book boasts a colourful supporting cast, including Derek’s stepbrother, and his mother, a grande dame in the truest sense; and I really enjoyed the author’s depiction of Paris, the street cafés, the grand hotels, the wide boulevards, all of it putting the reader right there on the viewing platform of the Eiffel Tower or among the crowds strolling along the Champs Elysées.
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen is not going to find its way onto my keeper shelf, but it is an entertaining, easy read, and is exactly the sort of thing you might want to pick up when you’re in the mood for a non-angsty, funny and well-written historical.
June 28, 2017
I am wavering between 3 and 4 stars here. I enjoyed it, but there were a few plot points that I felt, as the listener, that I was expected to suspend judgement and trust it would all come right in the end. It did, but just. It was superbly narrated, though.
India is a very prickly heroine, and it took me at least an hour to even start to like her. She did come around, and by midway, I liked and felt for her quite a lot. Her prickliness was very understandable. Derek is a sweet, well-meaning hero. He is supposedly charming, but I didn't feel we saw that much. His aunt and her friends, his mother, India's cousin, basically all of the characters of an older generation are very entertaining, great cast of supporting characters.
Edit: I decided to bump this up to four stars. The way the never-wrong uber-competent India transforms after finding herself in an untenable situation that causes her to rely on others was well done, and it is sticking with me. I also think if/when I visit this one again I will like it even more, seems to be one that grows on you.
India is a very prickly heroine, and it took me at least an hour to even start to like her. She did come around, and by midway, I liked and felt for her quite a lot. Her prickliness was very understandable. Derek is a sweet, well-meaning hero. He is supposedly charming, but I didn't feel we saw that much. His aunt and her friends, his mother, India's cousin, basically all of the characters of an older generation are very entertaining, great cast of supporting characters.
Edit: I decided to bump this up to four stars. The way the never-wrong uber-competent India transforms after finding herself in an untenable situation that causes her to rely on others was well done, and it is sticking with me. I also think if/when I visit this one again I will like it even more, seems to be one that grows on you.
April 2, 2018
I gave this a shot, but in the end, the writing style just wore me down. And it wasn't really anything terrible. It's just that Victoria Alexander takes her own sweet time with things. You can kind of tell that's the case when you first pick up the book, just from the heft. That many closely-written pages means that either a lot of stuff happens or you're going to have to get down and savor every moment because the author surely has.
I got as far as I did (about halfway) because I liked both India and Derek quite a bit. Well, I hated that India's entire schtick was bad assumptions with poor extrapolation because that made her look both stupid and judgmental. And she wasn't really either of those things, so it felt like the author was cramming her into a shape to fit the story...
But that's beside the point because I stopped because I just bogged down and realized that it was taking forever to develop, well, everything. And once I noticed that, it felt like someone had strapped this book under an elephant's foot it was that hard to pick back up.
I got as far as I did (about halfway) because I liked both India and Derek quite a bit. Well, I hated that India's entire schtick was bad assumptions with poor extrapolation because that made her look both stupid and judgmental. And she wasn't really either of those things, so it felt like the author was cramming her into a shape to fit the story...
But that's beside the point because I stopped because I just bogged down and realized that it was taking forever to develop, well, everything. And once I noticed that, it felt like someone had strapped this book under an elephant's foot it was that hard to pick back up.
May 23, 2017
Victoria Alexander’s new story, The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentleman, is a pleasant romance adventure. India Prendergast is on a mission to find her missing cousin. She wants the Travel Society to help find her relative considering this group sent her out on a trip to the continent and apparently has lost her. Derek Saunders realizes this can’t be good when the person who is threatening his aunt arrives in person and demands resolution. His only choice is to go to Paris and look for her himself. With escorts in tow, Derek and India set out on this adventure and go from adversaries to lovers.
I love nothing more than to see characters that go through a total transformation over the course of a story like the heroine in this story. India was an uptight, sensible spinster who had a narrow view of things and those rigid views were never wrong. She was independent and had a job which wasn’t typical in those days. With each passing day in Paris and in the company of a carefree scoundrel, she realizes she was wrong about a lot of things. Her rigid stance, and even her hair, started to loosen and relax. She also sees Derek in a new light and sees a different and caring side to him. The journey she makes to become a new person yet the same was a delight to read and made the happy ending even sweeter.
Derek Saunders is a hero in the making as he tries to reform his wicked ways. His uncle wants him to clean up his act and start acting like the earl he is to be. He’s loyal to family and goes the extra mile to protect his aunt and takes on her problem to keep her from scandal. What isn’t easy for him is how India gets under his skin with her opinions and actions. Those moments were fun to read to see him work to get along with her. His mother and stepbrother enter into this story and support his efforts and even help with India’s transformation. He is definitely up to the challenge of keeping her in check while she keeps him on his toes.
I love Victoria Alexander’s writing style because it is descriptive and whimsical. She took me to Paris of 1889 and had me smiling and chuckling throughout. The main characters developed over the story and I found them very likeable. Even her secondary characters were a hoot when they were in the scene. It might have been slow in the beginning, but with every new series, you need to set the place and people and that takes time. Once that was complete the story took off. The ending wrapped up nicely and I loved how she tied up all the loose ends. Victoria Alexander is one of my favorites and I look forward to more stories in this new series.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
January 6, 2021
1.5 stars
November 9, 2017
This may be the first audio book I have given 5 stars. I read one other book by this author. I enjoyed it but not enough to seek out an entire series by her. I loved this one! The story is funny, and the narrator is great.
Unlike others, I did not dislike India. It was Lady Heloise who I did not like. To me, she was just as weak-willed at 50+ as she was at 17.
I definitely recommend giving this one a listen!
Unlike others, I did not dislike India. It was Lady Heloise who I did not like. To me, she was just as weak-willed at 50+ as she was at 17.
I definitely recommend giving this one a listen!
January 1, 2019
2.5 stars
takes forever (about chapter 18) for it to get anywhere - but worth it :)
takes forever (about chapter 18) for it to get anywhere - but worth it :)
July 20, 2018
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen started off a bit slowly, but I devoured the second half in one sitting. Funny, irreverent, and charming.
India Prendergast has lived a very correct, independent, and proper life. Though well-bred, she is not a member of high society, and she chooses to work so as not to be entirely dependent on the kindness of her aunt Heloise. The ever-organised and controlled India works as a secretary to a gentleman ten years her senior, essentially serving as both secretary and housekeeper. Her life is quiet and, while not the stuff of dreams, good.
That is, of course, until Heloise goes missing on a European vacation. No one, from the police to the lady's travel group that "arranged" her travel plans, cares, except for Derek, the greatnephew of one of the old ladies running the travel group. India, a fan of detective novels, suspects Derek is the mastermind behind the fleecing of her aunt, but she insists on traveling with him to Paris to locate Heloise.
The characterizations a bit clunky, mostly of India. The India of the beginning is difficult to reconcile with the India of the end. It's not that she changes so much but that some of how she's defined really doesn't line up with her actions. She's an intelligent and logical girl with a love of mysteries, but she comes up with hare-brained theories based on zero evidence and does nothing to revise them. I found it very difficult to believe that India would have blamed Derek, and even more difficult to believe that she wouldn't have figured out that she was wrong along the way.
That said, once she opens up, she's quite a fun heroine, and I love her responses to other people. The secondary cast almost steals the show in this novel, which is something I enjoy. Derek's mother and brother are entirely charming. The resolution of the second love interest plot is done very well and atypically. The flip of the reformation of a bad boy trope is delightfully done, and it's fucking adorably how much everyone else (except aforementioned second love interest) ships Derek and India. I also super love the reminder that the older people have romances too, both those currently wed and those about to.
This book was super cute, though it took a while to warm up.
India Prendergast has lived a very correct, independent, and proper life. Though well-bred, she is not a member of high society, and she chooses to work so as not to be entirely dependent on the kindness of her aunt Heloise. The ever-organised and controlled India works as a secretary to a gentleman ten years her senior, essentially serving as both secretary and housekeeper. Her life is quiet and, while not the stuff of dreams, good.
That is, of course, until Heloise goes missing on a European vacation. No one, from the police to the lady's travel group that "arranged" her travel plans, cares, except for Derek, the greatnephew of one of the old ladies running the travel group. India, a fan of detective novels, suspects Derek is the mastermind behind the fleecing of her aunt, but she insists on traveling with him to Paris to locate Heloise.
The characterizations a bit clunky, mostly of India. The India of the beginning is difficult to reconcile with the India of the end. It's not that she changes so much but that some of how she's defined really doesn't line up with her actions. She's an intelligent and logical girl with a love of mysteries, but she comes up with hare-brained theories based on zero evidence and does nothing to revise them. I found it very difficult to believe that India would have blamed Derek, and even more difficult to believe that she wouldn't have figured out that she was wrong along the way.
That said, once she opens up, she's quite a fun heroine, and I love her responses to other people. The secondary cast almost steals the show in this novel, which is something I enjoy. Derek's mother and brother are entirely charming. The resolution of the second love interest plot is done very well and atypically. The flip of the reformation of a bad boy trope is delightfully done, and it's fucking adorably how much everyone else (except aforementioned second love interest) ships Derek and India. I also super love the reminder that the older people have romances too, both those currently wed and those about to.
This book was super cute, though it took a while to warm up.
May 8, 2017
I generally love Victoria Alexander's stories so when I was offered a chance to read an ARC for review I jumped on it. Now I feel like I have been given an unpleasant assignment. There is no chemistry between the main characters, the story is stiff, the characters are unpleasant.
India Pendergrast has no desire to travel but instigates and then joins a search for her presumably missing older relative. She joins forces with a man she does not trust and indeed, one of the first things he does is to manipulate her in a terrible (but so far not damaging) act. So far in the book she does not know he manipulated her in this way, she thinks he is a thief, the mastermind behind a swindle.
I appreciate Ms. Alexander's gradual loosening of the very staid Miss Pendergrast, her revelation that Derek Saunders is not a complete jerk, perhaps just high handed and frustrated but kind at the core. When the story began I was concerned that Miss P's personality and appearance would have to be transformed before she caught the admiration of Mr. S but that also is a gradual discovery with respect slowly forming on both sides.
Slowly is a key word. I am more than half way through the book and am still not interested. If I didn't feel honor bound to read this I would have dropped it long before now.
Another point in favor is there is no premature sexual attraction. So many romances start with the characters practically panting after one another even before they grow to like one another. I call these C*ck Twitchers. I laughed out loud the first time I read about some fellow's nether regions twitching when catching sight of, or in close proximity, or when she glared at him or somesuch. C*ck Twitching at first sight, bodice ripping a few chapters after. Ms. Alexander is not guilty of purple prose.
I have not yet finished reading the book but, it is a romance, all will end well. I will keep reading if only to discover if Ms. Alexander can plausibly reconcile the characters after Derek confesses to or India discovers his manipulative betrayal.
India Pendergrast has no desire to travel but instigates and then joins a search for her presumably missing older relative. She joins forces with a man she does not trust and indeed, one of the first things he does is to manipulate her in a terrible (but so far not damaging) act. So far in the book she does not know he manipulated her in this way, she thinks he is a thief, the mastermind behind a swindle.
I appreciate Ms. Alexander's gradual loosening of the very staid Miss Pendergrast, her revelation that Derek Saunders is not a complete jerk, perhaps just high handed and frustrated but kind at the core. When the story began I was concerned that Miss P's personality and appearance would have to be transformed before she caught the admiration of Mr. S but that also is a gradual discovery with respect slowly forming on both sides.
Slowly is a key word. I am more than half way through the book and am still not interested. If I didn't feel honor bound to read this I would have dropped it long before now.
Another point in favor is there is no premature sexual attraction. So many romances start with the characters practically panting after one another even before they grow to like one another. I call these C*ck Twitchers. I laughed out loud the first time I read about some fellow's nether regions twitching when catching sight of, or in close proximity, or when she glared at him or somesuch. C*ck Twitching at first sight, bodice ripping a few chapters after. Ms. Alexander is not guilty of purple prose.
I have not yet finished reading the book but, it is a romance, all will end well. I will keep reading if only to discover if Ms. Alexander can plausibly reconcile the characters after Derek confesses to or India discovers his manipulative betrayal.
December 27, 2017
3.5 stars
This was a cute book. It's a cheesy premise - heroine's elderly cousin has gone missing on trip to Europe. Heroine blames hero because his great aunt runs the travel company that booked her now lost cousin so hero and heroine travel to Paris to find cousin and of course, romance and sheanegians ensure!
That said, I really liked it. I especially enjoyed the character of India and how she matures and grows over the course of the book. Her banter with Derek was great, I really enjoyed their back and forth. I liked how for the most part, both leads were open and honest with each other and the secondary characters. While they were keeping some secrets from each other, it made sense why and I liked
that. I did have to suspend my disbelief a few times over the way things fell into place but overall, this was a light, enjoyable read.
The only quibble I had was that Derek rarely apologized to India, she was often the one admitting she was wrong. Now granted, she was more judgemental than him and she did often jump to the wrong conclusions but still. Derek didnt explain/apologize for and that annoyed me. Apologize!
This was a cute book. It's a cheesy premise - heroine's elderly cousin has gone missing on trip to Europe. Heroine blames hero because his great aunt runs the travel company that booked her now lost cousin so hero and heroine travel to Paris to find cousin and of course, romance and sheanegians ensure!
That said, I really liked it. I especially enjoyed the character of India and how she matures and grows over the course of the book. Her banter with Derek was great, I really enjoyed their back and forth. I liked how for the most part, both leads were open and honest with each other and the secondary characters. While they were keeping some secrets from each other, it made sense why and I liked
that. I did have to suspend my disbelief a few times over the way things fell into place but overall, this was a light, enjoyable read.
The only quibble I had was that Derek rarely apologized to India, she was often the one admitting she was wrong. Now granted, she was more judgemental than him and she did often jump to the wrong conclusions but still. Derek didnt explain/apologize for and that annoyed me. Apologize!
June 2, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
This is my second book in a row where one of the main characters begins the story desperately requiring the surgical removal of a seemingly permanent stick shoved up their fundament. As in today’s story that’s the heroine rather than the hero, I’m being a bit more delicate in my language referring to the deformity.
India Prendergast is more than a bit of a prig. I’d say that she is a “stick in the mud” but as has been previously established, the stick has already been firmly lodged elsewhere. In today’s terms, we’d say that she needs to lighten up more than a bit.
She is also both extremely judgmental and an unbearable know-it-all, and not in the useful way that Hermione Granger was a know-it-all. Miss Prendergast’s version of omniscience is that she has made rather firm decisions on exactly how the world works, according to her designs, and that she is always right in all of her judgements. Which are very exacting.
She’s great at managing things and people, but not very lovable. Or even likeable. And she’s certainly not terribly forgiving. Or much fun.
And she’s not quite 30.
In the case that begins the story, she is both right and wrong, but not, as she discovers at the end, in any of the ways she expects.
Her cousin Heloise, the woman who raised her after her parents death, has gone missing. Or so it seems. Heloise, a middle-aged spinster with a small but secure income, has become a member of The Lady Travelers Society, and after consulting with the Society, has planned a solo (well, solo with her lady’s maid) European tour of indeterminate length and rather sketchy itinerary.
As the story begins, India has not heard from Heloise in over six weeks, and her inquiries to the Lady Travelers Society, increasingly frantic and belligerent, have gone unanswered. As the police have been thoroughly dismissive and unhelpful, India is taking matters into her own hands.
She has investigated the Lady Travelers Society and has discovered that there is a fraud afoot. In her decided opinion, the three elderly ladies who appear to be running the Society, using the term “running” very, very loosely, are covering a scam. They seem much too dithery to be the masterminds of such a pernicious scheme to separate women of limited means from both their pounds sterling and their dreams of travel.
India is certain she has discovered that mastermind in Derek Saunders. Mr. Saunders, on the other hand, has just discovered that his great aunt and her two friends are, in fact, perpetuating a fraud in order to maintain their independence as widows. He’s there to put a stop to what India believes he is the mastermind of.
But they both need to find cousin Heloise, both for India’s peace of mind and for Derek to keep his great aunt and her cronies out of jail, or at least free from scandal.
India’s distrustful nature won’t allow her to let Derek search for her wayward cousin, as she believes Heloise’s waywardness is ultimately his fault. And he can’t let India go off investigating on her own in Paris, because if anything happens to her, society will certainly hold him responsible, even if he was not responsible for the original scheme that got them all into this mess.
And his great aunt and her cronies are very definitely matchmaking. Not that India and Derek don’t need their guiding, if slightly guilty, hands.
It’s up to them to not screw up their best chance at happiness. Their escapades prove that they both need all the help that they can get.
Escape Rating B: This story is solidly good fun, but the portrayal of the heroine in the first half of the story does make the reader want to shake her. India at the outset, while extremely effective, is also intensely annoying. Her self-righteousness sets the reader’s teeth on edge, as it does that of nearly every character she meets in the story.
On that other hand, one of the terrific things about this story is the heroine’s journey. The hero has already gotten most of the way to where he needs to be, courtesy of a swift kick to the posterior delivered by his uncle several months before the story begins. Derek, while he has not lost his sense of fun and adventure, has grown up after being threatened with being cut off from his inheritance. And it’s been the making of him.
Meanwhile, none of India’s acquaintances nor her (very) few friends have been willing to risk her judgemental nature long enough to tell her that she generally goes well beyond holding up standards into outright rudeness. She never gives anyone the benefit of the doubt, and makes no allowances for any human frailty on anyone’s part, including her own. Because of course she believes she has none.
And that’s where the story really lies. India doesn’t so much need to grow up as to just grow. Or the wooden puppet needs to become a real girl. Not necessarily in the sense of enjoying fashion or shopping or any of the things that women were supposed to enjoy in the late Victorian era, although she does come to that, but grow in the sense of accepting others. She can be kind without being judge-y, if she can finally admit that no one, including herself, is right all the damn time.
The setting of this story is marvelous. It is Paris in 1889, at the beginning of the 1889 World’s Fair. Some of the best and most evocative scenes in the story take place at the top of the newly opened and still quite controversial Eiffel Tower.
All in all, this is a lovely story of wheels within wheels, featuring an intelligent (if bull-headed) heroine and set in a marvelous place and time. And there will be more! The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger is coming in November.
This is my second book in a row where one of the main characters begins the story desperately requiring the surgical removal of a seemingly permanent stick shoved up their fundament. As in today’s story that’s the heroine rather than the hero, I’m being a bit more delicate in my language referring to the deformity.
India Prendergast is more than a bit of a prig. I’d say that she is a “stick in the mud” but as has been previously established, the stick has already been firmly lodged elsewhere. In today’s terms, we’d say that she needs to lighten up more than a bit.
She is also both extremely judgmental and an unbearable know-it-all, and not in the useful way that Hermione Granger was a know-it-all. Miss Prendergast’s version of omniscience is that she has made rather firm decisions on exactly how the world works, according to her designs, and that she is always right in all of her judgements. Which are very exacting.
She’s great at managing things and people, but not very lovable. Or even likeable. And she’s certainly not terribly forgiving. Or much fun.
And she’s not quite 30.
In the case that begins the story, she is both right and wrong, but not, as she discovers at the end, in any of the ways she expects.
Her cousin Heloise, the woman who raised her after her parents death, has gone missing. Or so it seems. Heloise, a middle-aged spinster with a small but secure income, has become a member of The Lady Travelers Society, and after consulting with the Society, has planned a solo (well, solo with her lady’s maid) European tour of indeterminate length and rather sketchy itinerary.
As the story begins, India has not heard from Heloise in over six weeks, and her inquiries to the Lady Travelers Society, increasingly frantic and belligerent, have gone unanswered. As the police have been thoroughly dismissive and unhelpful, India is taking matters into her own hands.
She has investigated the Lady Travelers Society and has discovered that there is a fraud afoot. In her decided opinion, the three elderly ladies who appear to be running the Society, using the term “running” very, very loosely, are covering a scam. They seem much too dithery to be the masterminds of such a pernicious scheme to separate women of limited means from both their pounds sterling and their dreams of travel.
India is certain she has discovered that mastermind in Derek Saunders. Mr. Saunders, on the other hand, has just discovered that his great aunt and her two friends are, in fact, perpetuating a fraud in order to maintain their independence as widows. He’s there to put a stop to what India believes he is the mastermind of.
But they both need to find cousin Heloise, both for India’s peace of mind and for Derek to keep his great aunt and her cronies out of jail, or at least free from scandal.
India’s distrustful nature won’t allow her to let Derek search for her wayward cousin, as she believes Heloise’s waywardness is ultimately his fault. And he can’t let India go off investigating on her own in Paris, because if anything happens to her, society will certainly hold him responsible, even if he was not responsible for the original scheme that got them all into this mess.
And his great aunt and her cronies are very definitely matchmaking. Not that India and Derek don’t need their guiding, if slightly guilty, hands.
It’s up to them to not screw up their best chance at happiness. Their escapades prove that they both need all the help that they can get.
Escape Rating B: This story is solidly good fun, but the portrayal of the heroine in the first half of the story does make the reader want to shake her. India at the outset, while extremely effective, is also intensely annoying. Her self-righteousness sets the reader’s teeth on edge, as it does that of nearly every character she meets in the story.
On that other hand, one of the terrific things about this story is the heroine’s journey. The hero has already gotten most of the way to where he needs to be, courtesy of a swift kick to the posterior delivered by his uncle several months before the story begins. Derek, while he has not lost his sense of fun and adventure, has grown up after being threatened with being cut off from his inheritance. And it’s been the making of him.
Meanwhile, none of India’s acquaintances nor her (very) few friends have been willing to risk her judgemental nature long enough to tell her that she generally goes well beyond holding up standards into outright rudeness. She never gives anyone the benefit of the doubt, and makes no allowances for any human frailty on anyone’s part, including her own. Because of course she believes she has none.
And that’s where the story really lies. India doesn’t so much need to grow up as to just grow. Or the wooden puppet needs to become a real girl. Not necessarily in the sense of enjoying fashion or shopping or any of the things that women were supposed to enjoy in the late Victorian era, although she does come to that, but grow in the sense of accepting others. She can be kind without being judge-y, if she can finally admit that no one, including herself, is right all the damn time.
The setting of this story is marvelous. It is Paris in 1889, at the beginning of the 1889 World’s Fair. Some of the best and most evocative scenes in the story take place at the top of the newly opened and still quite controversial Eiffel Tower.
All in all, this is a lovely story of wheels within wheels, featuring an intelligent (if bull-headed) heroine and set in a marvelous place and time. And there will be more! The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger is coming in November.
August 15, 2017
3.5*
Review in Portuguese:http://pepitamagica.blogspot.co.uk/20...
First time I ever read anything by Victoria Alexander. It may be a bit too big – if had 50-100 pages less, it might have been better.
It was a bit slow to start, but when the plot starts to develop, it gains some strength. This “guide” is about a girl/woman who was always very serious and never enjoyed the good things in life – and a trip to Paris is going to change that.
I liked Derek Saunders from the very beginning, and India Pendergast as I started reading a bit more and more of the book, just like I think it was supposed to be. She starts to realize that she doesn’t treat people – and herself – very well, as well as understands that there is a place for everything in her world, be it a practical dress or a ruffled, very feminine dress.
India’s evolution is very well done and the mystery of Cousin Heloise, although a bit strange and too easily resolved in the end, also had its degree of interest.
In the end, it was a fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Review in Portuguese:http://pepitamagica.blogspot.co.uk/20...
First time I ever read anything by Victoria Alexander. It may be a bit too big – if had 50-100 pages less, it might have been better.
It was a bit slow to start, but when the plot starts to develop, it gains some strength. This “guide” is about a girl/woman who was always very serious and never enjoyed the good things in life – and a trip to Paris is going to change that.
I liked Derek Saunders from the very beginning, and India Pendergast as I started reading a bit more and more of the book, just like I think it was supposed to be. She starts to realize that she doesn’t treat people – and herself – very well, as well as understands that there is a place for everything in her world, be it a practical dress or a ruffled, very feminine dress.
India’s evolution is very well done and the mystery of Cousin Heloise, although a bit strange and too easily resolved in the end, also had its degree of interest.
In the end, it was a fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
June 5, 2017
Slow to start but pretty par for the course once it got going. Maybe slightly floofier than the standard historical romance fare -- at least what I've read of it -- but also less sexy-times. It was cute, though, and an enjoyable way to pass this dreary Monday.
Read
June 16, 2017Extremely slow-moving, and frankly, boring. A quarter of the way through and nothing has happened. Disappointing considering the title and blurb made it sound so delicious. I just don't have patience these days for books that don't grab me right off the bat. Moving on to the next.
July 6, 2017
This one, provided by the publisher in return for a review, really crept up on me. The story started at a steady pace, which was continued evenly throughout, but the character development really accelerated, making it a wonderfully entertaining read. Really enjoyable.
February 24, 2018
Fun book. It opens with India, spinster and assistant to Sir Martin, on a mission to discover what has happened to her cousin Heloise. Said cousin departed on a Continental tour supposedly planned and facilitated by the Lady Travelers Society. But when India stops receiving letters from Heloise, and her increasingly frantic inquiries to the Society go unanswered, she begins an investigation. She quickly concludes that the Society is, in fact, a fraud, designed to bilk older ladies with a taste for adventure out of their money. Since the three older ladies who run it seem too flighty to be behind it, India's eagle eye falls on Derek.
Derek is a young man who has enjoyed all the benefits of being the wealthy heir to an earldom. But when Derek's uncle makes it clear that it's time for him to grow up and take some responsibility, Derek turns over a new leaf. When he's asked to check on his favorite, though somewhat eccentric aunt, he's horrified to discover that she and her friends have formed a travelers society that has misplaced one of its members. In an attempt to keep the old dears out of jail and free of scandal, he's determined to track down the missing woman. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to take India with him.
I have to admit that I didn't care for India at first. She is judgmental, convinced of her infallibility, and rather obnoxious. She arrives at a Society meeting already convinced that there is something illegal going on and nothing is going to change her mind. A partially overheard conversation makes her believe that Derek is the mastermind behind the whole thing. Even though he has promised to find out what has happened to her cousin, she makes it clear that she doesn't trust him.
On the other hand, I liked Derek. He has buckled down quite nicely to becoming a more responsible man. He obviously cares quite deeply for his aunt and will do whatever he must to protect her, including taking the blame that India dishes out. I liked the way he immediately stepped up to find the missing Heloise and definitely felt his dismay at having to deal with the prickly India.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their relationship. Though Derek has matured into a better man thanks to his uncle's efforts, he still knows how to have fun. He has made it a personal mission to get India to lighten up a bit. While taking the time to check at various hotels for any sign of Heloise, Derek also manages to insist on doing some sightseeing as well. I loved seeing the "why on earth would anyone want to leave England to visit a foreign country" India get her eyes opened to the wonders of Paris. India also makes some rather disturbing discoveries about herself, and I enjoyed seeing her evolution. The encounters between Derek and India are full of witty back and forth banter. She makes no bones about her distrust of him and her determination to reform him. Underneath it all is a growing attraction that takes them both by surprise. Just as things are looking really good for them, they receive some information about Heloise. The old India makes a return, parting the two with some harsh words. I liked that Derek gave India a little space, enabling her to get over her anger. I loved his big moment at the end - it was quite cleverly done.
The mystery of Heloise's disappearance was a fairly mild one. I liked India's worry for her cousin and her determination to find her. I thoroughly enjoyed the Paris setting and how the sights and sounds were brought to life, from the cafes to experiencing the Eiffel Tower. Derek's deceptions are a little bothersome and I had a feeling they would come back to bite him. The story behind Heloise's disappearance was a bit of a surprise. I liked seeing Heloise confess the truth, but ached a little for India.
The secondary characters all added extra life to the story. First were the three old ladies, whose desire for financial independence started the whole mess. They were delightfully naïve about the ethics of what they were doing. Their explanations to Derek were pretty funny. My favorite was Derek's stepbrother Percy, Marquess of Brookings. He was quite the unrepentant rake, charming and full of fun. His scene with India that first morning was hilarious. I loved how close he was to Derek; some of the advice that he gave was spot-on. The chaperones, Professor and Estelle Greer, were sweet. I loved Estelle's willingness to loan India clothes when India's trunk was lost. She was also especially kind considering India's early attitude toward her. India's boss, Sir Martin, was also quite interesting. He seemed like the typical absent-minded professor as India kept his life organized for him. His surprise arrival in Paris created quite a stir, especially with his attitude toward Derek. I did like India's way of dealing with him. I loved Derek's mother and the way she embraced India. Her method of convincing India to go shopping with her was really sweet.
Derek is a young man who has enjoyed all the benefits of being the wealthy heir to an earldom. But when Derek's uncle makes it clear that it's time for him to grow up and take some responsibility, Derek turns over a new leaf. When he's asked to check on his favorite, though somewhat eccentric aunt, he's horrified to discover that she and her friends have formed a travelers society that has misplaced one of its members. In an attempt to keep the old dears out of jail and free of scandal, he's determined to track down the missing woman. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to take India with him.
I have to admit that I didn't care for India at first. She is judgmental, convinced of her infallibility, and rather obnoxious. She arrives at a Society meeting already convinced that there is something illegal going on and nothing is going to change her mind. A partially overheard conversation makes her believe that Derek is the mastermind behind the whole thing. Even though he has promised to find out what has happened to her cousin, she makes it clear that she doesn't trust him.
On the other hand, I liked Derek. He has buckled down quite nicely to becoming a more responsible man. He obviously cares quite deeply for his aunt and will do whatever he must to protect her, including taking the blame that India dishes out. I liked the way he immediately stepped up to find the missing Heloise and definitely felt his dismay at having to deal with the prickly India.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their relationship. Though Derek has matured into a better man thanks to his uncle's efforts, he still knows how to have fun. He has made it a personal mission to get India to lighten up a bit. While taking the time to check at various hotels for any sign of Heloise, Derek also manages to insist on doing some sightseeing as well. I loved seeing the "why on earth would anyone want to leave England to visit a foreign country" India get her eyes opened to the wonders of Paris. India also makes some rather disturbing discoveries about herself, and I enjoyed seeing her evolution. The encounters between Derek and India are full of witty back and forth banter. She makes no bones about her distrust of him and her determination to reform him. Underneath it all is a growing attraction that takes them both by surprise. Just as things are looking really good for them, they receive some information about Heloise. The old India makes a return, parting the two with some harsh words. I liked that Derek gave India a little space, enabling her to get over her anger. I loved his big moment at the end - it was quite cleverly done.
The mystery of Heloise's disappearance was a fairly mild one. I liked India's worry for her cousin and her determination to find her. I thoroughly enjoyed the Paris setting and how the sights and sounds were brought to life, from the cafes to experiencing the Eiffel Tower. Derek's deceptions are a little bothersome and I had a feeling they would come back to bite him. The story behind Heloise's disappearance was a bit of a surprise. I liked seeing Heloise confess the truth, but ached a little for India.
The secondary characters all added extra life to the story. First were the three old ladies, whose desire for financial independence started the whole mess. They were delightfully naïve about the ethics of what they were doing. Their explanations to Derek were pretty funny. My favorite was Derek's stepbrother Percy, Marquess of Brookings. He was quite the unrepentant rake, charming and full of fun. His scene with India that first morning was hilarious. I loved how close he was to Derek; some of the advice that he gave was spot-on. The chaperones, Professor and Estelle Greer, were sweet. I loved Estelle's willingness to loan India clothes when India's trunk was lost. She was also especially kind considering India's early attitude toward her. India's boss, Sir Martin, was also quite interesting. He seemed like the typical absent-minded professor as India kept his life organized for him. His surprise arrival in Paris created quite a stir, especially with his attitude toward Derek. I did like India's way of dealing with him. I loved Derek's mother and the way she embraced India. Her method of convincing India to go shopping with her was really sweet.
May 5, 2017
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by the author and NetGalley*
I love Ms. Alexander's writing style - it is light without being fluffy, funny, emotional and poignant. This book had all those elements plus a bit of steam, a missing cousin, a road trip to Paris and wonderful secondary characters!
India Prendergast is a no nonsense, independent, sensible woman. She is trying to find her missing cousin, Lady Heloise and all her inquires have been ignored by the Lady Travelers Society. India goes to the society - bent on getting answers and proving that the society is a scam and seeing justice done. This is where she meets the most annoying (and charming) Derek Saunders.
Derek has been told in no uncertain terms that he must curb his scandalous ways or his uncle (Edward, Earl of Danby) will make sure he does not inherit his fortune when he inherits the title. To prove that he is mending his ways, Derek agrees to look after his great-aunt Gwen while his mother is away - what he finds is a scandal in the making - his aunt and her friends have started a travel society - but they cannot actually provide the services they promise and to make matters worse - one of their members is missing and her relative is threatening to involve the police! Desperate to save his great-aunt Derek declares that he will hire investigators to find Heloise and will trace her travels himself to find her. This is when he meets the maddening (and intriguing) India Prendergast.
India informs Derek that she will accompany him to find Heloise, she is convinced that he is the mastermind behind the scheme to defraud the members and doesn't trust him at all. Gwen insists that they cannot travel alone and hires Professor and Mrs. Greer as chaperones. India lets Derek make their travel arrangements and the foursome sets off to Paris.
When they arrive in Paris, they are not staying at a hotel - but with Derek's step-brother Percival aka Val, Marquess of Brookings. The scene when India wakes up and Val invades her bedroom is hilarious! India is unsettled, first Val invades her room, then her luggage turns up missing, then she finds out that there are over 20 "Grand" hotels in Paris - can this get any worse? Why yes, yes it can and it does - much to this readers delight!
At the advice of his uncle Edward, Derek is going to stall India in Paris for as long as he can, giving Edward's investigators time to find Heloise and hopefully preventing India from having charges brought up against Gwen. He soon learns that India believes he is behind the scheme and to protect Gwen, he lets her. He and India spend a good deal of time together and slowly India begins to lighten up and starts to make some startling revelations about herself.
The journey to their happy ending is not smooth, but it is very entertaining. The book is well written, flows nicely, has an outstanding cast of secondary characters, a bit of steam, a bit of mystery and a lot of laugh out loud moments.
I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read the next one!
I love Ms. Alexander's writing style - it is light without being fluffy, funny, emotional and poignant. This book had all those elements plus a bit of steam, a missing cousin, a road trip to Paris and wonderful secondary characters!
India Prendergast is a no nonsense, independent, sensible woman. She is trying to find her missing cousin, Lady Heloise and all her inquires have been ignored by the Lady Travelers Society. India goes to the society - bent on getting answers and proving that the society is a scam and seeing justice done. This is where she meets the most annoying (and charming) Derek Saunders.
Derek has been told in no uncertain terms that he must curb his scandalous ways or his uncle (Edward, Earl of Danby) will make sure he does not inherit his fortune when he inherits the title. To prove that he is mending his ways, Derek agrees to look after his great-aunt Gwen while his mother is away - what he finds is a scandal in the making - his aunt and her friends have started a travel society - but they cannot actually provide the services they promise and to make matters worse - one of their members is missing and her relative is threatening to involve the police! Desperate to save his great-aunt Derek declares that he will hire investigators to find Heloise and will trace her travels himself to find her. This is when he meets the maddening (and intriguing) India Prendergast.
India informs Derek that she will accompany him to find Heloise, she is convinced that he is the mastermind behind the scheme to defraud the members and doesn't trust him at all. Gwen insists that they cannot travel alone and hires Professor and Mrs. Greer as chaperones. India lets Derek make their travel arrangements and the foursome sets off to Paris.
When they arrive in Paris, they are not staying at a hotel - but with Derek's step-brother Percival aka Val, Marquess of Brookings. The scene when India wakes up and Val invades her bedroom is hilarious! India is unsettled, first Val invades her room, then her luggage turns up missing, then she finds out that there are over 20 "Grand" hotels in Paris - can this get any worse? Why yes, yes it can and it does - much to this readers delight!
At the advice of his uncle Edward, Derek is going to stall India in Paris for as long as he can, giving Edward's investigators time to find Heloise and hopefully preventing India from having charges brought up against Gwen. He soon learns that India believes he is behind the scheme and to protect Gwen, he lets her. He and India spend a good deal of time together and slowly India begins to lighten up and starts to make some startling revelations about herself.
The journey to their happy ending is not smooth, but it is very entertaining. The book is well written, flows nicely, has an outstanding cast of secondary characters, a bit of steam, a bit of mystery and a lot of laugh out loud moments.
I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read the next one!
February 16, 2018
Series: The Lady Travelers Guide #1
Publication Date: June 1, 2017
Victoria Alexander’s first book in her new series is a delightfully entertaining, charming and witty tale featuring a straight-laced, uptight spinster and a trying-to-reform rogue. Then, when you add in the three old widows who cause all of the trouble, you just shake your head and smile! I was totally captivated and couldn’t put it down.
I have to admit that I never did really come to like India Prendergast, but I did admire her growth and willingness to change. Believe me, she had a lot of changing she needed to do!! She was one of those very judgmental, stick-up-the-rear, always right people that we all avoid at all costs. My mouth just dropped open when our hero began to show an attraction to her. Say what????? However, she does change and learn to be more flexible and less judgmental.
I loved Derek Saunders from the first word about him. He is so very sweet, caring and considerate and all he wanted to do was to save his elderly widowed aunt and her two friends from jail. Once he discovered what they were up to, he stepped in to try to make it right – even if that meant taking a shrewish spinster to Paris to find her missing cousin.
The three elderly widows just steal the show! They are life-long friends who are fiercely independent and determined not to turn to family for help. So, what do they do – why they start a travelers’ society for ladies and charge for their ‘expertise’. Of course, none of them have any actual expertise at travel. They are zany and funny and you just can’t help but love them.
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Publication Date: June 1, 2017
Victoria Alexander’s first book in her new series is a delightfully entertaining, charming and witty tale featuring a straight-laced, uptight spinster and a trying-to-reform rogue. Then, when you add in the three old widows who cause all of the trouble, you just shake your head and smile! I was totally captivated and couldn’t put it down.
I have to admit that I never did really come to like India Prendergast, but I did admire her growth and willingness to change. Believe me, she had a lot of changing she needed to do!! She was one of those very judgmental, stick-up-the-rear, always right people that we all avoid at all costs. My mouth just dropped open when our hero began to show an attraction to her. Say what????? However, she does change and learn to be more flexible and less judgmental.
I loved Derek Saunders from the first word about him. He is so very sweet, caring and considerate and all he wanted to do was to save his elderly widowed aunt and her two friends from jail. Once he discovered what they were up to, he stepped in to try to make it right – even if that meant taking a shrewish spinster to Paris to find her missing cousin.
The three elderly widows just steal the show! They are life-long friends who are fiercely independent and determined not to turn to family for help. So, what do they do – why they start a travelers’ society for ladies and charge for their ‘expertise’. Of course, none of them have any actual expertise at travel. They are zany and funny and you just can’t help but love them.
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
May 29, 2017
The Lady Traveler's Guide totally should have been my catnip. I love historical, and I love to travel, PLUS Paris on the cover? I was sold. But, unfortunately the book didn't quite live up to my expectations.
The Story-
Our heroine is concerned that her aunt hasn't recently corresponded with her while on a long trip through Europe and blames the Lady Traveler's Society for sending her off without better preparation or methods of contact. The hero's batty aunt is one of the founding society members, and he has to prove his worthiness to inherit by helping the old ladies out with this problem by finding the aunt.
My Thoughts-
I really disliked the heroine for most of the book, but she was redeemed, so I guess that was alright. The "mystery" of the book was a tad disappointing and much of it was drawn out with no little fun discoveries along the way. Many conversations felt like they were repeating themselves (even identical dialogue) over and over. I found myself skipping pages here and there because I had read the exact conversation before. That being said, I liked the hero and his "brother". They were fun rogues, and helped to elevate the book overall. The bits in Paris also added some enjoyment, although I feel more could have been done with this.
The Bottom Line-
I feel like this had some promise, but let me down in a couple of ways. This should have been a slam dunk for me, but in the end, it just fell mostly flat. Nice setting and a great hero saved it from being one I would never recommend. 3 stars
The Story-
Our heroine is concerned that her aunt hasn't recently corresponded with her while on a long trip through Europe and blames the Lady Traveler's Society for sending her off without better preparation or methods of contact. The hero's batty aunt is one of the founding society members, and he has to prove his worthiness to inherit by helping the old ladies out with this problem by finding the aunt.
My Thoughts-
I really disliked the heroine for most of the book, but she was redeemed, so I guess that was alright. The "mystery" of the book was a tad disappointing and much of it was drawn out with no little fun discoveries along the way. Many conversations felt like they were repeating themselves (even identical dialogue) over and over. I found myself skipping pages here and there because I had read the exact conversation before. That being said, I liked the hero and his "brother". They were fun rogues, and helped to elevate the book overall. The bits in Paris also added some enjoyment, although I feel more could have been done with this.
The Bottom Line-
I feel like this had some promise, but let me down in a couple of ways. This should have been a slam dunk for me, but in the end, it just fell mostly flat. Nice setting and a great hero saved it from being one I would never recommend. 3 stars
July 11, 2017
I enjoyed this book. I love Aunt Gwen and her friends from the novella, "How to Stop a Wedding in 7 Days or Less". I like Derek Saunders and his stepbrother Percival very much. Derek is a good man and trying to help his aunt with her somewhat fraudulent Lady Travelers Society and Assistance Agency. When India Prendergast threatens legal action for misleading her missing cousin Heloise, he decides to stall her by taking her to Paris to look for Heloise.
India is a hard heroine to like at first impression. As I read further, I started thinking about her living at a school as her parents travelled the world until their deaths, no relations but her older cousin and working as a secretary/assistant to make a living. Her life had not been easy and she protected herself with a hard shell.
While stalling her in Paris, they look for her cousin but Derek insists on her seeing the sights as well. Between her maid, her travelling companions and his mother she begins to look and feel better. She is enjoying the sightseeing as she falls in love with Derek. I enjoyed the descriptions of Paris and the new Eiffel Tower.
You'll have to read this to find out where Heloise was when India, Derek and others were looking for her. I won't spoil the many wonderful and sometimes funny things happening in this book. I don't like to ruin the story as I hope you'll read it. It is a very enjoyable read. Thank you Victoria Alexander for sending me an ARC.
India is a hard heroine to like at first impression. As I read further, I started thinking about her living at a school as her parents travelled the world until their deaths, no relations but her older cousin and working as a secretary/assistant to make a living. Her life had not been easy and she protected herself with a hard shell.
While stalling her in Paris, they look for her cousin but Derek insists on her seeing the sights as well. Between her maid, her travelling companions and his mother she begins to look and feel better. She is enjoying the sightseeing as she falls in love with Derek. I enjoyed the descriptions of Paris and the new Eiffel Tower.
You'll have to read this to find out where Heloise was when India, Derek and others were looking for her. I won't spoil the many wonderful and sometimes funny things happening in this book. I don't like to ruin the story as I hope you'll read it. It is a very enjoyable read. Thank you Victoria Alexander for sending me an ARC.
September 19, 2019
I just couldn’t get into this book. It wasn’t that it was an awful book, it was me. I just didn’t enjoy it.
The story was too slow and meandering, with too many tiny little details. I found myself losing interest very quickly and very often. It took a week to finish and I had to force myself to finally finish it.
I have two more books in this series that I bought and have to get through. I’m so disappointed because I really wanted to love this series.
The story was too slow and meandering, with too many tiny little details. I found myself losing interest very quickly and very often. It took a week to finish and I had to force myself to finally finish it.
I have two more books in this series that I bought and have to get through. I’m so disappointed because I really wanted to love this series.
July 30, 2017
As a lover of witty Regency Romances, it's no surprise that I enjoyed this late-Victorian historical romance too. India Prendergast is concerned about her cousin, supposedly on a trip to the Continent, but she hasn't heard from her in weeks. The trip was arranged by the Lady Travelers Society, and after going to a meeting, India decides this is a scam and plans to sue. The 70-year-old women running the society turn to great-nephew of one--and he comes to the rescue, feeling obligated to keep the women out of jail and find the missing traveler. The managing and terrifyingly well-organized India demands to accompany him, and the trip manages to melt the barriers between them. A standard plot, surely, but I appreciated the premise--that women could travel alone--and especially the witty dialog. They end of up Paris, and there are rich descriptions that add to the story. Well-developed characters and the three septuagenarians are a quirky delight! Chapters begin with advice from the Guide and add even more humor. I think historical romances with a lot of witty repartee benefit from a good narrator, and this is no exception. Light-hearted and heartwarming, it makes a diverting listen.
June 28, 2017
Unfortunately, this story just didn't work for me. The romance part of the story went VERY slowly. In fact, it really didn't even start to pick up until Derek's mother arrives on the scene about two-thirds through. And, I really didn't like the heroine, India. Not at all. She is a snooty, judgmental know-it-all (even though she doesn't know it all). In fact, pretty much every other character in the book, INCLUDING the hero Derek, discuss how annoying she is. Repeatedly. And there was my other problem - I really couldn't understand what Derek saw in India. It took a very long time for India to realize maybe she shouldn't be so judgmental, but that was after Derek decided he was halfway in love with her.
However, I LOVED all the secondary characters including Val, the Greers, Derek's mother, the three ladies who started the Lady Travelers Society, well, really anyone who wasn't India. So I may read the next book, especially if it is about Val and doesn't have much of India in it.
However, I LOVED all the secondary characters including Val, the Greers, Derek's mother, the three ladies who started the Lady Travelers Society, well, really anyone who wasn't India. So I may read the next book, especially if it is about Val and doesn't have much of India in it.
Want to read
July 30, 2019So far this book is hilarious! India (cute name!) is looking for her dear aunt, who decided to see the world and joined a Ladies Travelers Society (I like the idea!), I thought she went to Australia from the way India was worried about her but she's just in Paris and hasn't written for a few weeks. So she goes investigating the society, convinced that the people running it are cheats and criminals targeting lonely women.
dnf
June 1, 2017I really enjoyed the short story that started this series so I was greatly disappointed when I realize this book had jumped 30 years into the future and most of the characters we enjoyed, were either dead, or didn't show for more than a few scenes at the beginning. I could've dealt with that if it wasn't for the meh otp and our favourite ladies not being in the actual travelling adventure. I felt cheated..
Even after that I tried to continue the book but it was too boring and I couldn't connect with either of them.
It's a shame cause after that short story I was convinced I had a found a new enjoyable series. Maybe it's me, not the book, who knows..
Even after that I tried to continue the book but it was too boring and I couldn't connect with either of them.
It's a shame cause after that short story I was convinced I had a found a new enjoyable series. Maybe it's me, not the book, who knows..
April 30, 2017
When I saw the covers for Ms. Alexander’s new series I was instantly curious, even more so when I read the stories are set at the end of the 19th century when rules of conduct for women were not as strict as during the regency. I love most of Ms. Alexander’s previous books, so I requested an ARC, but was denied one through Netgalley and then won one anyway during a Facebook giveaway, while I never win anything. So yes, I was looking forward to this book.
This is very much the story of the ‘loosening’ of the very prim and proper character of the heroine, Miss Pendergast, in a setting of Paris during the World Exhibition. Next to the character growth of the heroine, and her falling in love, there’s a quest for a missing aunt, an opposite quest to keep Miss Pendergast in Paris, and an assorted cast of rather quaint, but endearing supporting characters, including, in my opinion, the hero. It’s mostly dual third person POV from hero and heroine, but since the character growth, to me, focused mostly on Miss Pendergast, even from the hero’s perspective, it still felt like her story. And it was a sweet story, and a fulfilling one, even though the rather overly rigid character of Miss Pendergast didn’t lend itself to instant endearment and made the story start out rather slow. The book is filled with banter, witty conversations, very dry humor and funny situations, without, somehow, becoming too over the top (although at times the situations get close). All in all, it’s a historical romantic comedy. The premise with the lady’s traveling association has room for all kinds of adventures in all sorts of exotic locations, and I can’t wait to see what Ms. Alexander will come up with next. This book is perfect for readers looking for a lighthearted, fun historical romance set in a different city than London.
With respect to my rating the following. I tend to reserve my higher ratings for books that lean more towards romantic drama (but of course with a HEA). Still, a romcom could get a four or five-star rating from me, provided the hero and heroine open up to each emotionally, and both show character growth. In this story, the heroine did loosen up, but mostly through actions, and admitted to personal demons mostly to the heroes mother. The hero was said to have been a rogue, but in this story, he had already mended his ways, and the only growth I saw was that he fell in love with an unlikely girl. He was just a nice guy, nothing wrong with such a guy in real life, but it doesn’t make much of an interesting character, which made the focus of the story one-sided, on the heroine. Also, and this is something I thought I would never say, the amount of banter was just too much for me. Reading at times felt like watching a tennis match; constantly having to pay attention to follow the rapid succession of all kinds of dry, witty, intentional or unintended silly remarks, never a pause or a serious moment to be found.
This is very much the story of the ‘loosening’ of the very prim and proper character of the heroine, Miss Pendergast, in a setting of Paris during the World Exhibition. Next to the character growth of the heroine, and her falling in love, there’s a quest for a missing aunt, an opposite quest to keep Miss Pendergast in Paris, and an assorted cast of rather quaint, but endearing supporting characters, including, in my opinion, the hero. It’s mostly dual third person POV from hero and heroine, but since the character growth, to me, focused mostly on Miss Pendergast, even from the hero’s perspective, it still felt like her story. And it was a sweet story, and a fulfilling one, even though the rather overly rigid character of Miss Pendergast didn’t lend itself to instant endearment and made the story start out rather slow. The book is filled with banter, witty conversations, very dry humor and funny situations, without, somehow, becoming too over the top (although at times the situations get close). All in all, it’s a historical romantic comedy. The premise with the lady’s traveling association has room for all kinds of adventures in all sorts of exotic locations, and I can’t wait to see what Ms. Alexander will come up with next. This book is perfect for readers looking for a lighthearted, fun historical romance set in a different city than London.
With respect to my rating the following. I tend to reserve my higher ratings for books that lean more towards romantic drama (but of course with a HEA). Still, a romcom could get a four or five-star rating from me, provided the hero and heroine open up to each emotionally, and both show character growth. In this story, the heroine did loosen up, but mostly through actions, and admitted to personal demons mostly to the heroes mother. The hero was said to have been a rogue, but in this story, he had already mended his ways, and the only growth I saw was that he fell in love with an unlikely girl. He was just a nice guy, nothing wrong with such a guy in real life, but it doesn’t make much of an interesting character, which made the focus of the story one-sided, on the heroine. Also, and this is something I thought I would never say, the amount of banter was just too much for me. Reading at times felt like watching a tennis match; constantly having to pay attention to follow the rapid succession of all kinds of dry, witty, intentional or unintended silly remarks, never a pause or a serious moment to be found.
July 25, 2017
I'm going to jot down some notes while I still remember this book and hopefully come back and write a real review in the future BUT, this book is ultimately forgettable. I will be surprised if I remember any details in a month, as I fully expect it to immediately blend with the next romances I read.
Good things:
- I liked the internal conflict India goes through
- The setting and circumstances were unusual.
- I liked India's characterization. Even in the beginning when she is supposedly unlikeable.
- the Hero's mother talks about how she's loved all three of her husbands, which sends a kind of "you aren't limited to a single soulmate!" lesson
- a different bid for one of the protagonists' affection is made and the point that it might have worked at a different time is made
Meh/bad things:
- the romance was weak. I didn't understand why the H/h fell in love. (Attraction? Yes, that was explained, but if our Hero was holding out for love, I should have believed he was in love)
- not enough growth/internal conflict for the Hero. Apparently he was perfect as he was and didn't need to grow at all for the relationship.
- too easy forgiveness of massive lies. Don't get me wrong, I get annoyed when characters hold petty grudges forever based on inconsequential things, but one of India's central conflicts was that she doesn't trust other people and then she's expected to just trust someone who lied to her almost the entire book about pretty significant things because "it was what was best"? REALLY?
- Generally it annoyed me that the hero could do no wrong and the heroine was the only character who had to learn and grow for the romance to work. I've already alluded to this above but it annoyed me enough to mention twice.
Also: the entire prequel novella is included at the end of this book. I cared so little that I didn't read more than a paragraph of it.
Good things:
- I liked the internal conflict India goes through
- The setting and circumstances were unusual.
- I liked India's characterization. Even in the beginning when she is supposedly unlikeable.
- the Hero's mother talks about how she's loved all three of her husbands, which sends a kind of "you aren't limited to a single soulmate!" lesson
- a different bid for one of the protagonists' affection is made and the point that it might have worked at a different time is made
Meh/bad things:
- the romance was weak. I didn't understand why the H/h fell in love. (Attraction? Yes, that was explained, but if our Hero was holding out for love, I should have believed he was in love)
- not enough growth/internal conflict for the Hero. Apparently he was perfect as he was and didn't need to grow at all for the relationship.
- too easy forgiveness of massive lies. Don't get me wrong, I get annoyed when characters hold petty grudges forever based on inconsequential things, but one of India's central conflicts was that she doesn't trust other people and then she's expected to just trust someone who lied to her almost the entire book about pretty significant things because "it was what was best"? REALLY?
- Generally it annoyed me that the hero could do no wrong and the heroine was the only character who had to learn and grow for the romance to work. I've already alluded to this above but it annoyed me enough to mention twice.
Also: the entire prequel novella is included at the end of this book. I cared so little that I didn't read more than a paragraph of it.
June 21, 2017
Finally a historical romance that isn't totally an adventure romance. I've read a lot of Stephanie Laurens recently and though she is a wonderful writer, traveling the high seas in every book can get tiresome.
I was quite happy that the traveling in this book was on "the continent".
India is the perfect heroine for this type of novel. She's spunky, smart, bookish and has no desire to wed, because she feels she's not attractive. Her cousin Heloise is traveling and gone missing.
Derek is the nephew of one of the lady's who run the semi-shady traveling group.
India and Derek end up looking for Heloise.
India is a bit hard to take at times. Not that she's unlikable, just more than a bit stuffy. She feels more like a Regency heroine, rather than one from Victorian England.
The time they spent in Paris is quite fun, as we see India becoming a little less proper. Trust me, she needed to be a little less proper. She becomes much more likable and even a little fun.
She's the type of woman that is prim, proper and doesn't care too much for fashion. How can you be in Paris and not care for fashion? And she didn't like the Eiffel Tower! Oh my!
I adored this story. It did start out a little slowly. (That seems to be the typical way Historical's seem to go these days, especially as they have to be 400 pages long these days)
Derek and India's relationship progressed slowly, but the pace was perfect for the type of book this was. What sets Derek apart from other romance heroes, is his genuineness. He has a bad reputation, but he is reforming, even before the whole situation with India and her cousin explodes. He loves his family and is doing his best to protect them.
When his mother arrives on the scene, you fall in love with her instantly. She's perfect, more a mother than a Lady, though she's every inch a lady too.
Then there's Martin, India's boss. In the first pages, I was almost on his side, waiting to see if she'd realize that he cared for her, but it was easy to see once Derek became a fixture in her life, you knew nothing was going to happen there.
The other focal character is Derek's step brother Val (Percy). He's the true rake, but he's so lovable. I hope he gets a story at some point, cos I'd like to see him reformed.
The characters are really such fun, and you'll even like India, once she pulls the stick out of her bum and starts to act a little freer.
The mystery with Heloise is quite interesting too, especially when things get resolved.
Victoria Alexander has another winner here.
I was quite happy that the traveling in this book was on "the continent".
India is the perfect heroine for this type of novel. She's spunky, smart, bookish and has no desire to wed, because she feels she's not attractive. Her cousin Heloise is traveling and gone missing.
Derek is the nephew of one of the lady's who run the semi-shady traveling group.
India and Derek end up looking for Heloise.
India is a bit hard to take at times. Not that she's unlikable, just more than a bit stuffy. She feels more like a Regency heroine, rather than one from Victorian England.
The time they spent in Paris is quite fun, as we see India becoming a little less proper. Trust me, she needed to be a little less proper. She becomes much more likable and even a little fun.
She's the type of woman that is prim, proper and doesn't care too much for fashion. How can you be in Paris and not care for fashion? And she didn't like the Eiffel Tower! Oh my!
I adored this story. It did start out a little slowly. (That seems to be the typical way Historical's seem to go these days, especially as they have to be 400 pages long these days)
Derek and India's relationship progressed slowly, but the pace was perfect for the type of book this was. What sets Derek apart from other romance heroes, is his genuineness. He has a bad reputation, but he is reforming, even before the whole situation with India and her cousin explodes. He loves his family and is doing his best to protect them.
When his mother arrives on the scene, you fall in love with her instantly. She's perfect, more a mother than a Lady, though she's every inch a lady too.
Then there's Martin, India's boss. In the first pages, I was almost on his side, waiting to see if she'd realize that he cared for her, but it was easy to see once Derek became a fixture in her life, you knew nothing was going to happen there.
The other focal character is Derek's step brother Val (Percy). He's the true rake, but he's so lovable. I hope he gets a story at some point, cos I'd like to see him reformed.
The characters are really such fun, and you'll even like India, once she pulls the stick out of her bum and starts to act a little freer.
The mystery with Heloise is quite interesting too, especially when things get resolved.
Victoria Alexander has another winner here.
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