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The Companion
Falling for the wounded solider!
Wounded on the field of battle, Captain Kit Armstrong, the Earl of Hawthorne, has lost the will to care about what happens to him—or anyone else, for that matter.
But then impoverished aristocrat Miss Chloe Gibbons is tricked into becoming Kit's companion and nurse…and soon she's determined to bring the reclusive earl back to life!
A charming Regency novella by Deborah Simmons, originally published in 2001 as part of The Officer's Bride collection
Wounded on the field of battle, Captain Kit Armstrong, the Earl of Hawthorne, has lost the will to care about what happens to him—or anyone else, for that matter.
But then impoverished aristocrat Miss Chloe Gibbons is tricked into becoming Kit's companion and nurse…and soon she's determined to bring the reclusive earl back to life!
A charming Regency novella by Deborah Simmons, originally published in 2001 as part of The Officer's Bride collection
288 pages, ebook
First published March 23, 2001
About the author
Deborah Simmons
158 books207 followersDeborah Simmons is the author of twenty-five historical romances and novellas, published by Avon, Berkley, and Harlequin.
A native midwesterner, Simmons graduated cum laude from Wittenberg University and was a journalist before turning to fiction. Her first book, Heart's Masquerade, was published by Avon in 1989 and was followed by a number of Harlequin Historicals, including a USA Today Bestselling anthology. Her 2003 release, A Man of Many Talents, was a launch title for Berkley's Sensation imprint.
Two of her books have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America's annual RITA competition for excellence: The Gentleman Thief in 2001 and A Lady of Distinction in 2005.
Simmons has sold two million books in North America, and her work has been translated and published in twenty-four foreign countries, including illustrated editions in Japan. She is a member of RWA, Novelists Inc., and the Author's Guild.
"I like to think of my stories as adventures," Simmons says. Most take place in Regency or Medieval England, such as her popular series on the thirteen century de Burgh family. But no matter what the setting, you'll find interesting characters, romance, humor, and mystery.
A native midwesterner, Simmons graduated cum laude from Wittenberg University and was a journalist before turning to fiction. Her first book, Heart's Masquerade, was published by Avon in 1989 and was followed by a number of Harlequin Historicals, including a USA Today Bestselling anthology. Her 2003 release, A Man of Many Talents, was a launch title for Berkley's Sensation imprint.
Two of her books have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America's annual RITA competition for excellence: The Gentleman Thief in 2001 and A Lady of Distinction in 2005.
Simmons has sold two million books in North America, and her work has been translated and published in twenty-four foreign countries, including illustrated editions in Japan. She is a member of RWA, Novelists Inc., and the Author's Guild.
"I like to think of my stories as adventures," Simmons says. Most take place in Regency or Medieval England, such as her popular series on the thirteen century de Burgh family. But no matter what the setting, you'll find interesting characters, romance, humor, and mystery.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 13, 2022
I generally liked Ms. Simmons books but this one was just meh to me. I didn't really feel the connection to the main characters. Maybe it would have worked better if this was a full-length novel instead of a novella.
June 22, 2018
Kit is wounded in the Napoleon wars, but his problems after returning to civilian life are more about survivors guilt. He thankfully doesn't try to deal with these issues in the cliched manly way by drinking / gambling or womanizing. Kit is depressed, and behaves more like a lion roaring because he has a thorn in his paw. His backstory of having a grandfather with "melancholic" temperament, which because of the events in his life has triggered something similar in him make sense.
Chloe is an calm woman, a poor baron's daughter (aren't they peers too?), so is an aristocrat by birth, however behaves more like a vicar's daughter (poor casting / backstory). I guess she was made a baron's daughter to make it more plausible for Kit's grandmother to consider Chloe in her match making scheme. When she is left without money and nowhere to go after her father dies, Chloe thinks she is hired as a companion to Kit's grandmother, but soon learns she is instead a companion / marriage bait for Kit instead. She thankfully is not a chirpy cliched teen, but a spinster of 26 with a calm temperament. But she does not have anything else going for her.
The story of Kit's and Chloe's HEA is an easy read. No wrenching drama or sob story. Of course, there are a few cliches. Kit is handsome. Chloe is not beautiful, passably pretty, apparently intelligent (however she doesn't get to show it in the story, and it is just mentioned in passing), and of course an innocent / virgin.
"I liked it" rating is essentially because of the hero behaving as a decent person even when he is lost emotionally / is in emotional pain and confusion. He is rude and hurtful, i.e. he is not perfect, but not completely oblivious or careless with others. Why don't we have more of this kind of hero in good romance stories?
Chloe is an calm woman, a poor baron's daughter (aren't they peers too?), so is an aristocrat by birth, however behaves more like a vicar's daughter (poor casting / backstory). I guess she was made a baron's daughter to make it more plausible for Kit's grandmother to consider Chloe in her match making scheme. When she is left without money and nowhere to go after her father dies, Chloe thinks she is hired as a companion to Kit's grandmother, but soon learns she is instead a companion / marriage bait for Kit instead. She thankfully is not a chirpy cliched teen, but a spinster of 26 with a calm temperament. But she does not have anything else going for her.
The story of Kit's and Chloe's HEA is an easy read. No wrenching drama or sob story. Of course, there are a few cliches. Kit is handsome. Chloe is not beautiful, passably pretty, apparently intelligent (however she doesn't get to show it in the story, and it is just mentioned in passing), and of course an innocent / virgin.
"I liked it" rating is essentially because of the hero behaving as a decent person even when he is lost emotionally / is in emotional pain and confusion. He is rude and hurtful, i.e. he is not perfect, but not completely oblivious or careless with others. Why don't we have more of this kind of hero in good romance stories?
February 5, 2019
The author's own take on a fairly common concept of a battered in conscience with survivor's guilt and wracked with nightmares war veteran and his love~hate relationship with his nurse who mistakenly thought she was there as a companion for the Earl's cantankerous grandmother. A well thought of rendition of an old theme which is the mark of a good Timeless storyteller.
December 24, 2017
Okay she didn't do that much nursing - okay, any nursing. He wasn't that injured. His problem was more deep depression than a lame leg. And okay so I suppose she nursed his depression a bit. And his dick. Book was mostly angst and lust, with a nice view of Yorkshire.
January 4, 2019
This book was a tad bit dull. The hero was an ass in the beginning. The ending was a little nice. That’s all.
December 10, 2023
Romance curto entre um soldado com um ferimento de guerra e uma dama de companhia.
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March 29, 2018
A simple, uncomplicated romance.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews