A Proper Taming

Regency #4

by Joan Overfield

Frustrated by his huge size, unpolished manners, and attempts by his invalid mother to marry him off, the giant Earl of Doncaster, Lord Connor Dewhurst, appeals to his mother's companion, Portia Haverall, for help with his social graces. Original.

Genres: Regency, Historical, Romance, Traditional Regency, Historical Romance

217 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1994

About the author

AKA: Carolyn Madison

Joan Overfield (aka Carolyn Madison) has been a published author since winning the Golden Heart Award from Romance Writers of America in 1987 for her Regency, The Prodigal Spinster. Since then she has written a total of twenty-four novels. Along the way Joan has made several bestsellers lists and won numerous awards for her work, including 1998 Career Achievement in Regency Romance from Romantic Times magazine. Her Time Travel, The Door Ajar is in the list of Romantic Times magazine's 200 All-Time Reviewer Favorites.

Joan's varied career has included seven years as a 911 emergency operator. That experience contributed to her writing by training her to assess situations and people – skills she now uses as she develops plots and characters.

Joan uses her stories to showcase characters who reflect her life views. "All of my heroes operate from a strong sense of honor and duty," she says. "I admire that and I believe strongly in right and wrong." The goals of her characters can be summed up in the poem "Ulysses" – "To strive, to find, to seek, and not to yield."

She lives in Oregon with her golden retriever, Libby, and an ornery alley cat named Pounce. She is also a killer Trivial Pursuit player, and loves the smokey wail of a tenor sax and the icy bite of perfectly chilled champagne.

Reviews

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the boring cover, this was quite a charming read. I’ve enjoyed all the Overfield books I’ve read and look forward to finding some more of her clean ones. Portia was a very likable heroine. She has always been a bit feisty and after the sudden death of her father decides she is going to try and act more like a lady. Which is easier said than done. After an awkward meeting with Lord Connor, she comes to reside with him as his mothers companion. Sparks fly as the two buttheads. Portia doesn’t cower from his aggressive personality and the two ended up having great chemistry. I liked that they really become good friends throughout the story. Connor is a bit of an idiot though when it comes to his ex. There were a few times in the book that I caught myself smiling, and the overall feel was just lighthearted fun. It was a cute regency and one I would definitely read again.

Content: Clean.

(Joan Overfield also uses the pseudonym Carolyn Madison.)

[Morina Lanser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Clean romance , simple plot and well written. Her style is between barbara metzger and clara kelly, i'm on overfield's 2nd book now :)

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Rate, Traditional Regency Romance. Highly Recommend

This book is one of Joan Overfield’s well written, traditional regency romance books. I have been replacing her paperback books with Kindle versions because I enjoy her writing.

In this particular book, the author has created a hero and a heroine who have both experienced disappointments that have left them lacking in confidence. The hero’s response is to retreat from society while the heroine’s is to meet situations with bravado. The two meet under hilarious circumstances and the scene is set for an entertaining courtship and an equally hilarious marriage proposal.

The tone of the book is light and amusing, while still revealing instances of the H’s and h’s inner pain. The story is engaging and it held my interest. This was a clean read with no glaring anachronisms. Anyone who prefers well written traditional regencies in the vein of Georgette Heyer or Barbara Metzger will probably love this book. I highly recommend it.

[Kaitlin Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one made me cry a little, laugh out loud, and want to smack these two for being so obtuse. Loved the interplay between each of the characters, but (of course) most especially Portia and Connor, Lord Doncaster. This was a really fun one.

[Laine's Haven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, witty, overall delightful

[Kathryn Baron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe deserves a better rating. But don't remember it at all. OTOH I kept it.

[Anne Neville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Portia Haverall was raised by an academic and taught to be a thinking woman. Then, her father decided she was a bit too shrewish and outspoken–that she’d never marry unless she could be a proper lady. After one too many fights where he cut Portia out of his will, Haverall suddenly dies, leaving Portia alone and penniless. When she fails to find a relation to take her in, Portia spends the night unchaperoned at a public inn. In the middle of the night, a terrified woman pounds on her door for sanctuary. When the woman is pursued into the room by “the Beast”–a giant, uncouth looking man–Portia does the only sensible thing: she knocks him out with a bedwarmer.

http://www.numbersonthespines.com/201...

[Delacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is at least my second read of this book. I still enjoyed the novel and that we get to see the developing relationship between the H/h, without a bunch of tedious extras that newer historicals seem to have. This book will continue to have a home on my shelf and I hope I will be able to find more of Overfields books in my used book travels.

[RNDK · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've see this author's name around for a while now and I am amazed that this is the first book by her that I've read.
Two enjoyable strong characters in a historical that cleanse a palate that was saturated in romantic sci-fi. this year. I'm definitely going to check her back-list.

** I stand corrected, this is the 2nd book I've read by her.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regency