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Regency Royal #4
Lady Margery's Intrigue
The petite Lady Margery Quennell at age twenty-three has graced the rows of wallflowers for many a Season. Except for Charles, the Marquess of Edgecombe, the only man who ever danced with her, Lady Margery has nothing to do with men; what's more, she does not even like Charles, Marquess of Edgecombe.
Bored beyond words, she firmly decides this to be the end of it and returns to the comfort of her only love, Chelmswood, her home. But comfort she does not find. For her once-handsome, middle-aged father has taken himself a dim-witted brat of nineteen as his bride.
Forced into virtual bankruptcy by his child-wife's lust for luxury, Margery's father decides to sell Chelmswood. But Margery will not hear of it and launches an all-out, military-like campaign to ensnare herself a wealthy usband and save her ancestral home.
Everything seems to be going well with three proposals of marriage -- only to find that the head cannot always rule the heart. Until the unforeseen intervention of Charles sabotages her plan, only to give her a run for her money... and his!
Bored beyond words, she firmly decides this to be the end of it and returns to the comfort of her only love, Chelmswood, her home. But comfort she does not find. For her once-handsome, middle-aged father has taken himself a dim-witted brat of nineteen as his bride.
Forced into virtual bankruptcy by his child-wife's lust for luxury, Margery's father decides to sell Chelmswood. But Margery will not hear of it and launches an all-out, military-like campaign to ensnare herself a wealthy usband and save her ancestral home.
Everything seems to be going well with three proposals of marriage -- only to find that the head cannot always rule the heart. Until the unforeseen intervention of Charles sabotages her plan, only to give her a run for her money... and his!
Audible Audio
First published June 12, 1980
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About the author
Marion Chesney
143 books756 followersMarion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 56 reviews
May 19, 2019
Ok, ok ( I was going to say 2 stars maybe 1 1/2 stars because of the "hero")
3 stars because the h was constantly outwitting the H and she had so much pluck in the face of adversity and worse.
I could NOT stand Charles, the hero, from the moment he snubbed Margery for simply speaking her mind and telling the truth. He was an unsympathetic character and a total jerk. Margery should have married Freddie. Say what you will, he was genuinely the nicest of the group.
Lastly, I cannot see this marriage working out once Margery finds out what Charles has done. He may have confessed his feelings but he didn't come clean which makes him the worst. Also, yes, I will admit, the fact that he does not confess to his trifling mistakes is true to his small, vindictive personality. Still, Margery is formidable.She may be little but she is fierce!
As always, the narrator for this series is top-notch! Makes the words and all the characters come to full blown OTT life.
My sojourn into the Regency Royal series continues...
3 stars because the h was constantly outwitting the H and she had so much pluck in the face of adversity and worse.
I could NOT stand Charles, the hero, from the moment he snubbed Margery for simply speaking her mind and telling the truth. He was an unsympathetic character and a total jerk. Margery should have married Freddie. Say what you will, he was genuinely the nicest of the group.
Lastly, I cannot see this marriage working out once Margery finds out what Charles has done. He may have confessed his feelings but he didn't come clean which makes him the worst. Also, yes, I will admit, the fact that he does not confess to his trifling mistakes is true to his small, vindictive personality. Still, Margery is formidable.She may be little but she is fierce!
As always, the narrator for this series is top-notch! Makes the words and all the characters come to full blown OTT life.
My sojourn into the Regency Royal series continues...
January 29, 2020
The hero is a jerk throughout the whole book except the last few pages, including cheating on the heroine after they're married midway into the book. The story also includes abduction and attempted rape of the heroine. A very strange and disturbing turn into dark melodrama for a romance novel that started out as comedy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2022
Another fast and entertaining reading.
Freddie, Toby and Perry reminded me of Gil, Ferdy and George from Friday's Child. If you read this Heyer's novel you know what I mean ;-) So, it was quite funny.
Through characters one could see different types of people who lived in those times. Most of them were described in a witty way, some of them brought rather sad conclusion about human nature (or at least about some types of people).
The love story had also a few nice moments.
In short, there were all elements of a good Heyer-ish romance.
I had to only swallow two weak things to really enjoy this novel. When I think of them I want to lower the rating. But I am ignoring it now and I give it 4 stars.
[If you want to know these two weak things read a short review by Amanda.]
Freddie, Toby and Perry reminded me of Gil, Ferdy and George from Friday's Child. If you read this Heyer's novel you know what I mean ;-) So, it was quite funny.
Toby thought. It was a painful process, since he was not in the habit of thinking very much about anything.
Through characters one could see different types of people who lived in those times. Most of them were described in a witty way, some of them brought rather sad conclusion about human nature (or at least about some types of people).
The love story had also a few nice moments.
“The most damnable thing had happened,” he said suddenly in his light husky voice without looking at her. “I have fallen in love with you and I don't know what to do about it."
In short, there were all elements of a good Heyer-ish romance.
I had to only swallow two weak things to really enjoy this novel. When I think of them I want to lower the rating. But I am ignoring it now and I give it 4 stars.
[If you want to know these two weak things read a short review by Amanda.]
July 25, 2014
He was an irredeemable hero. He was emotionally abusive, a cheater, and horrible to her from the beginning. I found this depressing to read. To be redeemed, he would have had to do a lot make up for it, and I didn't feel he did that... unless we want to assume it's in the part of the book the author didn't write.
August 2, 2015
Occasionally Team Margery, but mostly Team Nobody, and particularly Team Fuck Off, Hero, You're Horrible.
March 20, 2014
This was TERRIBLE. I like Lady Margery - she was entertaining and smart and strong. But the Marquess was a shit to her. He cheated on her and treated her terribly and set her up to be raped by his friend - and just because he did it all in the name of love doesn't excuse his behavior. When he admitted he loved her, I wanted her to do nothing else except slap him and divorce him. But telling him she loved him was the first real mistake she made.
Being treated like shit by the man you love isn't romance - is domestic abuse.
Being treated like shit by the man you love isn't romance - is domestic abuse.
August 31, 2017
Terrible
I usually like M.C. Beaton's books and there are a few that I loved. But this particular book was so bad that I rushed through the second half. The characters all seemed to be incredibly stupid to the point of being ridiculous. And the lead male character even cheated on his wife so easily. The same writer has a book called The Ghost and Lady Alice and, even if it had an 18th century ghost, it seemed far more believable than this drivel. If this is your first book by this author, don't get discouraged. She has much better ones.
I usually like M.C. Beaton's books and there are a few that I loved. But this particular book was so bad that I rushed through the second half. The characters all seemed to be incredibly stupid to the point of being ridiculous. And the lead male character even cheated on his wife so easily. The same writer has a book called The Ghost and Lady Alice and, even if it had an 18th century ghost, it seemed far more believable than this drivel. If this is your first book by this author, don't get discouraged. She has much better ones.
February 28, 2021
2.5 stars. Marion Chesney’s study of the double standard held between men and women. It being perfectly acceptable and commendable for a man to do one thing, but unseemly for the roles to be reversed.
Margery was great being clever and spunky. The secondary characters were entertaining as well.
The first half of the book was a complete joy to read, but the second half was ruined by Charles being an absolute jerk. I cannot stand a cheating husband and even less one that justifies his actions because he thinks his wife is. I don’t care that it perfectly shows the hypocrisy of the double standard, it is heart wrenching to read.
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend a book that makes me feel depressed for half of it.
Margery was great being clever and spunky. The secondary characters were entertaining as well.
The first half of the book was a complete joy to read, but the second half was ruined by Charles being an absolute jerk. I cannot stand a cheating husband and even less one that justifies his actions because he thinks his wife is. I don’t care that it perfectly shows the hypocrisy of the double standard, it is heart wrenching to read.
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend a book that makes me feel depressed for half of it.
August 7, 2024
Not sure if it was the virus I was fighting or the narrators great work but I definitely found some of the scenes in this book hilarious. I needed a quick listen so that I wouldn't be repeating chapters for the next year of my life and it turns out you can do this one in about one night of insomnia.
January 4, 2016
I would have given this four stars if not for 2 main problems with the story.
1. Margery was smart, tactful, had a plan that was working and smart then she agrees to go along with one pretty terrible plan without even thinking it through and agrees to marry all three who are best friends think no one will talk YAH RIGHT TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE AND OUT OF CHARACTER
2. Her husband who is likable all of a sudden thinks she's a whore cuz she ended up enjoying and being excited at sex WHAT THE ACTUAL F@#%
Other than these two things which are actually pretty big I loved the characters, the interactions, the constant pranking the main characters did to each other and most people's happily ever after in the book.
1. Margery was smart, tactful, had a plan that was working and smart then she agrees to go along with one pretty terrible plan without even thinking it through and agrees to marry all three who are best friends think no one will talk YAH RIGHT TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE AND OUT OF CHARACTER
2. Her husband who is likable all of a sudden thinks she's a whore cuz she ended up enjoying and being excited at sex WHAT THE ACTUAL F@#%
Other than these two things which are actually pretty big I loved the characters, the interactions, the constant pranking the main characters did to each other and most people's happily ever after in the book.
December 16, 2018
Review - Definitely not one of Beaton's best, but enjoyable nonetheless. I've taken to listening to her regency romances on audiobook because I don't have to concentrate on them - they're just enjoyable romps through Regency England. I didn't really connect with any of the characters in this one, however, which did make it difficult to really engage with the story, as both Margery and Edgecombe were selfish and unwilling to accept the truth which I found really annoying, even though they both realised it fairly early on.
Genre? - Historical / Romance
Characters? - Margery Quennell / Charles Marquess of Edgecombe / Lady Amelia / Freddy / Toby / Perry
Setting? - London (England)
Series? - Regency Royal #4
Recommend? – Maybe
Rating - 15/20
Genre? - Historical / Romance
Characters? - Margery Quennell / Charles Marquess of Edgecombe / Lady Amelia / Freddy / Toby / Perry
Setting? - London (England)
Series? - Regency Royal #4
Recommend? – Maybe
Rating - 15/20
September 28, 2018
I feel a need to amend my star rating from 3 to 2
The farther I get from reading this one, the more I realize that whole plot near the end was really bad. It taints my view of this book.
Not recommended for anyone
The farther I get from reading this one, the more I realize that whole plot near the end was really bad. It taints my view of this book.
Not recommended for anyone
May 26, 2018
The “hero”was too cruel.
July 24, 2019
Enjoyed this even tho so the main events were predictable. The writing was charming tho. All very much a la Jane Austen. I do want to try some of the others in the series tho.
December 12, 2019
Charles is an idiot...should have talked to his wife first before doing something stupid.
October 12, 2021
I could not believe she could forgive him.
January 31, 2026
Quote from early in the book: “Battersby knew she was the best, but society ladies were inclined to favor those frivolous Frenchwomen, which was disgraceful when you considered the war was just over. Downright unpatriotic, that’s what it was.” That made me smile.
Was looking for another predictable but cute read. I was having fun for a while. I liked Margery and her aunt, the butler and the brusque but talented ladies maid. I even like the earl���s friends who were silly but likable, with one notable exception. I liked watching Margery and the earl try to outwit each other and her mostly winning. Then she makes a silly mistake. I was scratching my head when she accepted three proposals in one night. It was pretty out-of-character for the clever person she had been presented as up to that point. It was pretty much down hill from there.
Hated the Earl. Of course, I was hoping he would redeem himself. Enemies to lovers is one of my faves. That is NOT what this is.
He is petty, but apparently well-liked and well respected by his friends. Amazing what a title will do. His friends were presented as regency caricatures, but this guy is an absolute skirt-chasing man-child in a nice suit. No redeeming qualities that I found. He was on the cusp of redeeming himself and then dove into becoming the worst possible version of himself.
Miscommunication after the wedding followed by infidelity. Zero percent on board with any of that. And then he’s forgiven without any groveling. I don’t even think he apologized much. Just said “I fell in love with you sometime between the wedding and crawling out of this random hookup’s bed.”
The end.
He is the character the heroine should be saved FROM, not by. Apparently the only way to make this guy seem likable was to throw a kidnapping would-be-rapist into the mix. Yep. That is where we have set the bar. So stupid.
This was written in a different era - like the 1990’s originally. But I need to remember to never be tricked again.
Was looking for another predictable but cute read. I was having fun for a while. I liked Margery and her aunt, the butler and the brusque but talented ladies maid. I even like the earl���s friends who were silly but likable, with one notable exception. I liked watching Margery and the earl try to outwit each other and her mostly winning. Then she makes a silly mistake. I was scratching my head when she accepted three proposals in one night. It was pretty out-of-character for the clever person she had been presented as up to that point. It was pretty much down hill from there.
Hated the Earl. Of course, I was hoping he would redeem himself. Enemies to lovers is one of my faves. That is NOT what this is.
He is petty, but apparently well-liked and well respected by his friends. Amazing what a title will do. His friends were presented as regency caricatures, but this guy is an absolute skirt-chasing man-child in a nice suit. No redeeming qualities that I found. He was on the cusp of redeeming himself and then dove into becoming the worst possible version of himself.
Miscommunication after the wedding followed by infidelity. Zero percent on board with any of that. And then he’s forgiven without any groveling. I don’t even think he apologized much. Just said “I fell in love with you sometime between the wedding and crawling out of this random hookup’s bed.”
The end.
He is the character the heroine should be saved FROM, not by. Apparently the only way to make this guy seem likable was to throw a kidnapping would-be-rapist into the mix. Yep. That is where we have set the bar. So stupid.
This was written in a different era - like the 1990’s originally. But I need to remember to never be tricked again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2025
**Spoiler alert*
I enjoyed the majority of this book - the characters were great and Margery's conundrum was very real. I grew to like Edgecombe less and less as the book went on and just wished he and Margery would be thrown together to talk about things. Why he didn't confront his friends about his suspicions, I don't know. I would expect an alpha male to do that instantly, not just give up on his wife after the very first night. I liked Margery's efforts to thwart him taking up with someone else - the fact that he did sleep with someone else after their marriage was a downward slope for me. I couldn't forgive him for that and his declaration of love at the end just seemed flippant and insincere.
3.5 stars for me, saved by the great job the audio book narrator did.
I enjoyed the majority of this book - the characters were great and Margery's conundrum was very real. I grew to like Edgecombe less and less as the book went on and just wished he and Margery would be thrown together to talk about things. Why he didn't confront his friends about his suspicions, I don't know. I would expect an alpha male to do that instantly, not just give up on his wife after the very first night. I liked Margery's efforts to thwart him taking up with someone else - the fact that he did sleep with someone else after their marriage was a downward slope for me. I couldn't forgive him for that and his declaration of love at the end just seemed flippant and insincere.
3.5 stars for me, saved by the great job the audio book narrator did.
October 11, 2020
Fast reading.
I liked the heroine. And I know it's a historical romance but I somehow wished she was less focused on marriage. But whatever.
And I didn't like Charles.
It's the second book I read from this author and seems to me that all the males protagonist are always so dumb, temperamental and with too much mood swings.
There was so much jealousy that was irritating to watch. Made me feel sorry for the heroines. I wish they had better men besides them. Or no man at all.
I guess I'm just a person of the XXI century after all. It's hard to me bear such levels of possessiveness towards woman, this extremely jealousy or the lack of woman's freedom in society.
I liked the heroine. And I know it's a historical romance but I somehow wished she was less focused on marriage. But whatever.
And I didn't like Charles.
It's the second book I read from this author and seems to me that all the males protagonist are always so dumb, temperamental and with too much mood swings.
There was so much jealousy that was irritating to watch. Made me feel sorry for the heroines. I wish they had better men besides them. Or no man at all.
I guess I'm just a person of the XXI century after all. It's hard to me bear such levels of possessiveness towards woman, this extremely jealousy or the lack of woman's freedom in society.
December 26, 2025
Hated this one
Maybe it's just me because I've loved all of Beaton's other novels of this era. But this one felt scattered, inconsistent and repetitive. The romantic pair get together too soon, but to push them apart, Beaton throws a random bunch of nonsensical junk at them, none of which works. The story and its characters are all over the place. The heroine wants to save her home but then forgets about it. Simple mistakes could have too easily and obviously avoided or corrected. It's as if some trainee not Beaton, wrote this awful mess. At least it serves as a caution to other writers that a bad novel can happen to any of us.
Maybe it's just me because I've loved all of Beaton's other novels of this era. But this one felt scattered, inconsistent and repetitive. The romantic pair get together too soon, but to push them apart, Beaton throws a random bunch of nonsensical junk at them, none of which works. The story and its characters are all over the place. The heroine wants to save her home but then forgets about it. Simple mistakes could have too easily and obviously avoided or corrected. It's as if some trainee not Beaton, wrote this awful mess. At least it serves as a caution to other writers that a bad novel can happen to any of us.
May 21, 2018
I love this author so much. She puts in all sorts of interesting historical tibit bits that if you read closely you will spot. They are quick reads but such a refreshing romance book because the while there are hints of scandals our heroine doe not allow herself to join the "modern" ranks. aka. no sleeping around etc. before marriage or after for the heroine. Pretty clean romance. (the gents do get up to no good with ladies of the night before and after marriage.)
July 12, 2022
The plot had nothing remarkable about it, the narrative was average though with some witty dialogs. The hero was an absolute jerk - his lack of understanding about women was stupid, his insulting her in the prince's party was cruel, but his unjust and thoughtless remarks that landed her in peril were unpardonable. The heroine was spunky until the end when she forgives the hero too easily. One of these 2 stars is for her spirit and being able to get the better of him in his petty schemes.
October 4, 2025
Read at your own risk. Hero constantly seeks and successfully cheats under the guise of revenge, his pea-sized brain decided. I feel sorry for the heroine. She tried so hard to not have that happen. She has some memorable scenes and lines but neither main characters were fully developed. They don’t have much interaction. The romance has no depth.
May 15, 2020
Fluffy romance of Lady Margery. She is forced to find a husband when her father marries a young, dim-witted bride. The only person she's ever danced with is Charles, a marquess.
Okay. Easy to read.
Okay. Easy to read.
January 5, 2021
this is a nice story and enjoyable reading. I think the characters are slightly caricatures rather than fully developed personalities - this makes them shallow and predictable sometimes. Also the plot is quite predictable.
March 12, 2024
Another historical romance by MC Beaton, which was kinda lame, and I really hated the male protagonist (a total a-hole). But listening to the audiobook helped me fall asleep better than my sound machine. Hence the 3 stars instead of 2.
October 7, 2017
2.5 stars. Not one of her best.
January 6, 2018
Lots of twists and turns in this regency romance.
November 9, 2019
Shakespearen plotting!
What an enjoyable tale of cunning and plotting! Margery has refreshing self awareness and buoyancy. The twists and turns of 2 equal game players are explored.
What an enjoyable tale of cunning and plotting! Margery has refreshing self awareness and buoyancy. The twists and turns of 2 equal game players are explored.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 56 reviews