Francesca

by Joan Smith

When Lady Camden learns of her husband's shocking infidelities following his untimely death, she turns to Lord Davene in her grief--a rogue who could ruin her reputation and her life. Original.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance

Mass Market Paperback

First published June 22, 1992

About the author

Joan Smith is a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and the Ontario College of Education. She has taught French and English in high school and English in college. When she began writing, her interest in Jane Austen and Lord Byron led to her first choice of genre, the Regency, which she especially liked for its wit and humor.
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant

Reviews

[Jani M · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't enjoy a book where the "hero" is a slimy predator who suddenly changed his stripes in the last few chapters.

[Beebs · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well written enough and the plot was interesting enough that I'll give 2.5 stars.

HOWEVER. And I'm no prude at all, but: the MMC "hero" was absolutely as immoral and rakish as the MMC's late husband. The fact that he's a bachelor and not married does not negate or justify the fact that he's had almost every medium to high class 'lightskirt' in town. And he is SO warped, depraved, conceited, and negative-focused that he straight up ignores every single blatant hint that his 'lightskirt' is a lady with very little actual experience. He insults her past forgiveness on numerous occasions and based on nothing but his own prejudices, assumes the worst about her at every turn.

He is not worthy of her, and not in the 'I'm not good enough for you' way of most Hs in romance- like, his mind is so much in the gutter that he genuinely is not worthy of her. He absolutely will cheat, and make her life miserable because he doesn't even value the same things as she does.

Very frustrating. Poor Frankie. She deserved way better. No one who showed up in this actual novel, but someone.

[Julia Hebner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome diversion

Joan Smith writes smoothly and her characters are consistent and appealing. The plot and setting is novel and predictable simultaneously, just what I need to whisk me out of this incomprehensible world.

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-

[Shanze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm.. Smith’s books are always well written and they tend to make you smile but this one lacked the warmth of her usual romances.

3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Andi · Rating 2 out of 5]

As another reviewer noted, this lacked Ms. Smith’s usual warmth, and even fell short on the humour. Worse perhaps, I didn’t care for either the h or H. The H is pretty awful but at least he’s not useless. I had no patience for the none-too-bright h who, more often than not, acted like a petulantly rebellious teenager (she’s 25). I’ve read a good number of JS’s works, and of all of them, she probably ranks as one of the main characters I’ve most disliked.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find myself smiling when I read Joan Smith. Cute, quick, sometimes very predictable stories!