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Three Lords for Lady Anne

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The governess of two children at a remote estate, Anne Hemsworth must contend with the rakish Creighton Trussell and her employer, the handsome Lord Bronson Leatham

222 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1991

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316 people want to read

About the author

Charlotte Louise Dolan

10 books53 followers
Charlotte Louise Dolan earned a bachelors degree from Eastern Illinois University and a masters degree in German from Middlebury College. She has lived throughout the United States and in Germany, the Soviet Union, Canada, Taiwan, and Austria. A bookworm since the age of four, she fell in love with Regency England when she read her first Georgette Heyer book. Besides writing, she has worked as a high school Germany teacher, a toymaker, a tech editor, a genealogist, and a craft designer. She is the mother of three children.

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5 stars
137 (28%)
4 stars
175 (36%)
3 stars
136 (28%)
2 stars
25 (5%)
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8 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Profile Image for Amy.
3,052 reviews622 followers
November 8, 2022
2021 Review
Like, it is bad, but here I am again reading it?

2020 Review
And I read it again.
Something about this book keeps me coming back and I think I can finally put my finger on what it is. Despite and yet because of how horrendously '90s feminist this book comes across, it manages to provide a (pseudo) Regency romance without the usual alpha-asshole hero. Or heroine who goes weak in the knees because a guy gave her a second look. I mean, it is borderline there for the heroine. But she remains strong and in command throughout. And the hero somehow pulls off tall, dark, and brooding while still remaining likable, kind, and shrewd. And even with the insta-romance, the fact that both characters manage to come across as flawed yet perfect for one another makes it...swoon worthy.
I am not excusing this book. It probably deserves its 3 star rating. But I am rapidly finding this book holds a special place in my heart and it is mostly because of the very things that drive me crazy about it.

2019 Review
I can't honestly give a good reason for re-reading this book except...I wanted to. The main characters are perfect and progressive., the insta-love overwhelming, and the plot itself somewhat corny. By my usual standards, I ought to want to shred this book to pieces.
But I enjoyed my re-read immensely. For all its faults, the book manages to capture the spark of a good, dreadful romance novel without stooping to the same bedroom levels. I feel quite ridiculous giving it another read and yet at the same time, don't regret it in the slightest!

2018 Review
What an unexpected romp! The book started off somewhat vulgarly and maintained a slightly ribald tone throughout that only slowly tailored off as the story concluded. However, despite that, it remained "clean" throughout and had a couple plot elements that actually saved the story.
The title is "Three Lords for Lady Anne"...but that doesn't mean three lords are throwing themselves at her feet. Or rather, two of those lords are 10, and pretty dang adorable.
The actual love interest doesn't meet "Lady Anne" till almost halfway through the story. The author really builds up the tension. She also creates some predictable misunderstandings and then undercuts the one and downplays the other
The villain and accompanying cast are rather stupid and some of the POVs are definitely borderline unneeded...but overall a pleasant story. I kind of expected to tear it to shreds but it improved as the story went, and even engaged my interest. Not one I'd go out of my way to recommend, or probably ever re-read, but if you stumble upon a free copy and find yourself in the mood for something light hearted and not very historical, could be worth a try.

I SHOULD ADD THOUGH: this books suffers horrendously from '90s progressive feminism. Well, I guess it could be worse, but Anne barely opens her mouth without raging about men or giving some modern day speech to her charges. She's teaching servants to read, hobnobbing with Native Americans, and scorning marriage most of the book. I recommend skimming those portions.
Profile Image for Mary - Buried Under Romance .
369 reviews181 followers
June 2, 2017
Traditional regencies are simply not complete with a generous helping of comedy, and thankfully there is plenty of that in this story. The opening was slightly confusing, but true to this genre, it had a great comedic effect.

Lady Letitia was visiting her widow friend in the country with a side mission to see her distant relative (greatniece, I believe) Lady Gloriana Hemsworth. Gloriana and her mother, the Countess of Faussley, had been living with some atrocious relatives, mushrooms as they were known (for wanting to gain entree to the haut ton through noble connections), and after her mother's death Gloriana had a very poor upbringing by these people. At the tender age of 15, she was seen as a giantess (5 ft 9 in height) and sensing that she needed rescue, Lady Letitia packed her off to an independent spinster aunt with whom she received an education befitting an intelligent woman.

Twelve years later, Lady Gloriana is now Miss Anne Hemsworth, esteemed governess searching for a new position. Under much pleading from her contractor, she accepted a post to the Marquess of Wylington and his brother, twin boys of age ten who have been called the devil incarnate. They, of course, do not prove as devastating as their guardian, Lord Letham, who had returned after his travels to investigate if his manager is embezzling funds from the twins, and can't take his eyes off of the alluring governess.

Woven like a web, none of the characters in this story make an appearance for no reason. There are murder plots afoot, rather bad ones at that, and Anne's grasping relations appear as well to further their own machinations. The twins' antics are especially adorable, and incredibly ingenious, as they come to love Anne so much they threaten the household with pranks in case she leaves. Lord Letham doesn't actually make his acquaintance with Anne until past 1/3 of the book, but their attraction is developed nicely and with much delight.

This was a great read and similar to books by Barbara Metzger, contain much humor in inter-woven plot lines and ploys (especially Lady Letitia's matchmaking) along with romance and heroic justice to the villains. If nothing else, read this book for the twins, who are truly a most ingenious pair for all of their antics and wisdom.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,376 reviews28 followers
September 6, 2016
"She was the most magnificent woman Bronson had ever encountered."
3.75 stars. Lady Gloriana 'Anne' Hemsworth is taller than most men, but inches alone won't win over the angelic little devils at Wylington Manor, not to mention their devoted guardian. Our fair Juno, standing 6'3, is slightly shorter than the hero, Bronson. It almost feels like love at first sight, but the heroine doesnt even meet the hero till 39% into the story (a pacing problem). Things warm up rapidly from then on, with mischief, secret hidden passageways, stargazing, and some evil plotting (but no mystery, since the author tells us everything. We know who is doing what, and why).

Characters sometimes shift out of character, including Gloriana (forgetting about Martha??), Creighton and the merry widow (her characterization was the weakest). The groom, Harry, is also weak -- highly improbable, the scene at the pub.

Boring epilogue. It did not focus on the main characters. Why should I care about near strangers?

Unfinished thread: The nanny who was unjustly fired. What ho??

But still, a fun story! For me, the twin imps added a lot.

I also enjoyed Dolan's "Bah Humbug" regency Fallen Angel.
Profile Image for Megzy.
1,193 reviews70 followers
May 11, 2015
4.5 stars

This one reminded me so much of Georgette Heyer's books and what I love about them. Perfect blend of comedy and romance. I fell in love with the twins. I really liked the cast of characters, both primary and secondary.. each was so well developed and fit the plot perfectly. As I finished the last word, I realized I had a big smile on my face.
Profile Image for Miranda Davis.
Author 7 books278 followers
July 29, 2016
Well, this was fun, well-told and well-written. 3.5

Gist: a noblewoman sick of singing for her supper with social-climbing Cit relatives who've taken her and her mother in for their own advantage has struck out on her own and become a much-in-demand governess. She's hired to bring twin hellions into line before they're packed off to Harrow by their guardian in absentia, a baron who served in the navy as a captain. His wards, a young marquis and his twin brother, raise rumpuses in the isolation of their Devon home but it's time to civilize them. Anne, the governess, has just the knack needed, challenging them with unorthodox lessons in survival, natural history and scientific observation. She also develops a strong antipathy for the feckless, no-show guardian.

The captain has yet to meet with the purported governess, but he regards her with distaste, assuming she is a light-skirt hired by his useless fribble of a cousin(?) for his own pleasure. This dandy has been hiring and firing staff in his absence with his tacit permission. He has also been gambling and spending money so freely, the good captain has hired runners to determine if he's embezzling income from the young marquis' estates. So H/h are on a collision course and each is supremely well equipped to raze the other to the ground if need be.

By chance, the very tall governess lays eyes on a very, very tall man in town and is smacked upside the head by love at first sight. Ditto for him. This bit was the only thing I wished wasn't so. But they have yet to meet officially. When they do, sparks fly.

So the three lords of the title are not rivals for her (there are two friends of the captain introduced in the beginning that led me astray) but rather the two young boys who charm and challenge her and the third, big lord she can't seem to ignore.

There are several baddies stirring up trouble to add to the plot. The beginning was delightful, the rest fine but not up to the great start for me.

Overall impression, I enjoyed reading this but I'm not tempted to re-read it, so not a 5-star book for me.
Profile Image for Shabby Girl ~ aka Lady Victoria.
541 reviews82 followers
November 15, 2013
From the title of this book you may, like me, be a little concerned it is an erotic, kinky sort of historical book. But not to worry, it’s actually a cute little regency story from the early ‘90s and not a skerrick of bed play to be seen, kisses all the way, perfect for readers who do not like a whiff of smex in their books.

Two of the lords are little scamps that help make this a very amusing story. I enjoyed this very much. I laughed out loud numerous times and it had a lot do with the two little lords. What a couple of naughty little imps! A very enjoyable book, which did descend on occasion into silliness, which prevented me from giving it a higher score, but very, very enjoyable. If you’re looking for a well-written, cute, amusing, enjoyable little book, this is the one to pick up.
455 reviews159 followers
September 18, 2014
Quite a decent read, surprisingly so. I had no idea this was published by Signet. Such a sad day this line ended.

My only quibble was that the first chapter ran on and on about the background of Lady Gloriana, with the conversation taking place between two entirely unrelated people who just like to gossip. It was filled with information that was unnecessary (since I skipped it and didn't feel the lack). I thought all that was necessary was to say that Lady Anne was the daughter of some dissipated Earl who did some dastardly deeds and was ostracized. That's really all that was needed. But there was background as to why Lady Anne was residing with these Cits and the whole history of the Cits, how all the women are named Rosa-something, etc. etc. All turned out to be unimportant, because in the following chapter, it's years later, and Lady Gloriana is now Miss Anne, governess exemplar and of independent means.
Profile Image for Judith Hale Everett.
Author 11 books67 followers
October 31, 2024
Absolutely delightful! Charlotte Louise Dolan is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. This story starts a bit cryptically but quickly resolves into a fast-moving machine of many parts, all converging into one delightfully satisfying happily ever after. Wonderful characters, excellent chemistry, swoony romance. Perhaps a few too many “innocent” kisses for propriety, but they were so enjoyably set up that I could allow the indulgence. A great read!
232 reviews11 followers
March 23, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved Anne's character and her relationship with the twins. I usually don't like stories where kids are a big part of it, but the twins added much fun to the plot. In a way, I would have preferred to read more about Anne's transformation when she moved in with her aunt and her antics with the twins and the servants than the romance. The romance itself wasn't bad but it takes a while for the H and h to meet. In addition, it was an insta-love, which I dislike immensely. The H was an okay character and I appreciate that he acknowledged his shortcomings and decided to do better but I wasn't really feeling their relationship. Overall though, this is a fun book and the protagonists were all intelligent beings (no big misunderstandings and doing stupid things just for the sake of being contrary), which is always a plus. I thought about giving it 3 stars but added an extra one because it's a story that leaves one feeling good after reading it.
Profile Image for Adrianna.
215 reviews23 followers
June 5, 2014
This was actually painful to read. The first thing I noticed was the lack of commas- it was quite bewildering. Also, it was glaringly obvious that Ms. Dolan was attempting a pastiche of Georgette Heyer's novels by the use of terms that I have only read in Heyer's work, but it was so common (though poorly used) as to stray in plagiarism. I was constantly distracted by turns of phrase that I would have worded differently to make it flow better, or information that I would have let the reader wonder about to make the book less ridiculously predictable. In fact, you knew everything before it happened; who did it, and why. It was almost as if the author wrote the book in one sitting without any kind of planning outline, and then decided to forgo the post-written editing as well, leaving no room to concoct plot twists of any kind.
Profile Image for Mandi Ellsworth.
Author 15 books31 followers
Read
November 27, 2013
Anne is a very tall governess hired for a summer to teach twin boys before they go to Harrow in the Fall. She quickly loves the twins, but their guardian isn't quite so lovable, despite his good looks and all-around appeal. After a series of misunderstandings and mishaps, Anne comes to realize where her heart lies.

I worried throughout the whole book that this was one of those that sucked me in and then gave me WAY too much information between love interests. You know the type. But, it just gave good kissing scenes. And no stupid people to really muck things up, which I always appreciate.

The beginning was reminiscent of a Georgette Heyer novel, but the style of writing and research was closer to Carla Kelly. If you like either of those writers, as I do, you'll like this book.
Profile Image for Saadia Y.
433 reviews5 followers
August 2, 2018
I enjoyed this book for the most part but there were a few minor annoyances that prevented me from giving this a 4 star rating. I'm usually not a fan of books where the male and female protagonist don't meet until around 30% in but I didn't mind too much because there were some interesting narratives afoot at the beginning.

The best parts for me were when the twins were around. I'm a fan of children in books (which I know is not to everyone's liking) but when done properly, it can really help push the narrative along. There's a plot, however, to set up Lord Leatham which I didn't really like. I also felt there where some random narratives that were started but didn't really go anywhere.

All in all, it was a quick read and if you're a fan of 'governess brings the good out in her charges and the male protagonist can't see their lives without her' kind of stories, give this one a go.
Profile Image for MissKitty.
1,747 reviews
July 1, 2025
This was very charming.

I liked the heroine, she was kind of an ugly duckling that turned into a swan. She was the daughter of an Earl, but fell on hard times. She was living with relatives who were “mushrooms” and only took her in because of her elevated status, but otherwise neglected her. Thankfully a relative rescues her and she is able to re-invent her life.

The heroine is now a respected governess, and although a very tall woman, is very attractive. She gets hired to tutor young twin boys who have been allowed to run wild. They actually turn out to be quite charming and they love the heroine.

The Hero is their guardian, at first he is suspicious when the heroine is hired by the other uncle of the boys, but he is smitten as soon as he sees her.

Many other adventures ensue, and someone is trying to cast suspicions on the Hero, the guardian of the twins, untill all is resolved in the end.

Just an all around fun read.

❤️❤️❤️



Profile Image for Bree Lewandowski.
Author 26 books910 followers
March 5, 2025
Blech.

This book is only two stars because it wasn't offensive enough to be one. It wasn't anything, in fact. No character development. A lot of head hopping. Zero character connections. Every problem was conveniently taken care of in five to ten pages. The romance was paper thin. The inner dialogue of the FMC was childish. The villains had that Snidley Whiplash vibe except it wasn't campy and fun.

Nothing about this book was fun. You might ponder why I finished reading it. I also pondered this. Except I paid money for this book. So, I finished what I purchased. It was a poor purchase and a poor book.
150 reviews
February 25, 2022
Satisfying and heartwarming

Sometimes - most times - watching someone along the journey of discovering joyful things about the one they are falling in love with, along with discovering their own perhaps unexpected or unappreciated qualities, is more satisfying than the more graphic stories. Add to that Dolan's always well described and characterized secondary players - for no real romance is complete unto itself - and you have something well worth spending your time on.
Excellent fun!
Profile Image for Eliza Baum.
530 reviews34 followers
May 15, 2022
This book wasn't bad, but I liked Anne's relationship with the twins far more than the romance between her and their guardian. It wasn't bad, but the only development of it seemed to be the fact that and that he actually got to know the children. It wasn't terrible, but kind of bland overall. I did enjoy the meddlesome old lady frame story, though, even if it meant there were a ton of names that were hard to keep straight.
931 reviews41 followers
January 8, 2024
This was cute-ish. Not the most engaging, most riveting, most amusing book there is, actually it could even be described as a tiny bit boring. The idea was more fun than the execution. Great for days when you’re feeling over the top anxious or high strung and need white noise. I wish there was a writer who could bring these characters to life, it needed more show than tell you know. And much, much wittier banter. It was a nice book. There it is, the perfect word : NICE.
Profile Image for Carrie.
1,013 reviews25 followers
January 17, 2017
Took me awhile to figure the three lords were the ten-year-old twins and Bronson. I kept looking for one more older lord. I particularly loved the scene of when all three lords rap on her door to ask if they can go see the baby horses.

Cute story, great characters (though the twins got a tad too precocious at times), and a good sense of place.
Profile Image for Meggie.
588 reviews85 followers
January 10, 2022
The hero and the heroine don't meet until almost halfway through the book, the villains are (again) pretty cartoonish, but I was impressed by how Dolan resolved or sidestepped most of the misunderstandings.
Profile Image for April.
15 reviews2 followers
January 16, 2022
This is all about the plot, action and Character

Clean, light and amusing Historical romance, With An unlikely but lovable Heroine who is it's over 6' tall. A quick and enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Angela.
591 reviews3 followers
November 18, 2017
Lady Anne is true heroine and you can't help but like her. Her relationship with the twins will keep you laughing. A real page turner.
Profile Image for P..
1,486 reviews10 followers
October 8, 2018
Fairly uneven in character and plot, but a decent read, even as it wobbles.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
114 reviews6 followers
February 24, 2019
Lady Anne is a "special" Regency heroine, a bookish girl, kind, though she has memory problems, especially about the books she borrows from the house's library. Humorous story warmed my heart.
224 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2019
Anne is incredibly likable and original. The story does not fall into any cliche'd tropes. Overall, very good.
491 reviews
February 7, 2023
this book took way too long to get to the point and by the time that happened I was no longer interested
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews

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