What do you think?
Rate this book
Rebecca's Refusal
When Joshua Kelling proposes to Miss Rebecca Fossington, she refuses him. But meeting him again in London comes as a shock—even worse is discovering that her grandfather has made them joint owners of a cotton mill. Now she can no longer avoid her feelings for him, which grow everyday. Mysterious accidents follow, culminating in an attempt to burn down the mill.
242 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2002
About the author
Amanda Grange
45 books715 followersAmanda Grange was born in Yorkshire and spent her teenage years reading Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer whilst also finding time to study music at Nottingham University. She has had twenty-five novels published including six Jane Austen retellings, which look at events from the heroes' points of view. She has also had two books published under different names: Murder at Whitegates Manor (as Eleanor Tyler; a Regency cosy crime murder mystery) and The Rake (as Amy Watson; a very light and frothy Regency romance).
Woman said of Mr Darcy's Diary: "Lots of fun, this is the tale behind the alpha male," whilst The Washington Post called Mr Knightley's Diary "affectionate". The Historical Novels Review made Captain Wentworth's Diary an Editors' Choice, remarking, "Amanda Grange has hit upon a winning formula."
Austenblog declared that Colonel Brandon's Diary was "the best book yet in her series of heroes' diaries."
Amanda Grange now lives in Cheshire. Her profile photo was taken at the Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton. The museum is well worth a visit!
You can find out more by visiting her website at http://www.amandagrange.com You can also follow her on Twitter @hromanceuk and find her on Facebook
Woman said of Mr Darcy's Diary: "Lots of fun, this is the tale behind the alpha male," whilst The Washington Post called Mr Knightley's Diary "affectionate". The Historical Novels Review made Captain Wentworth's Diary an Editors' Choice, remarking, "Amanda Grange has hit upon a winning formula."
Austenblog declared that Colonel Brandon's Diary was "the best book yet in her series of heroes' diaries."
Amanda Grange now lives in Cheshire. Her profile photo was taken at the Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton. The museum is well worth a visit!
You can find out more by visiting her website at http://www.amandagrange.com You can also follow her on Twitter @hromanceuk and find her on Facebook
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 6, 2020
From the first few chapters of this book I knew I wasn't going to like this. I should have put it down but I really wanted to see if the author could make me like the leading man who is such a jerk. She didn't do it. It is a fine line to cross, Darcy says Elizabeth is not pretty but everything in his actions say otherwise. What Joshua does in the beginning of the book is never explained. He just acted like a jerk and not like any gentleman I have read about. He is also a Rake. It's hard to make me like a Rake. The book had a nice fast pace until 60% in. All the movement slows down and we get pages of shopping, dresses and hair do's???? WHy. Page filler. I started to skim and just ended up putting it down after he proposes. Just not for me.
This book is chaste. It has a lot of the men raking their eyes over the woman in what I think is a lustful way. SOme kisses that sadly have pore movement and lost me. He hold her around the waist and then holds her face and then he is drawing her closer with his hands on her back. This guy just couldn't make up his mind where he wanted his hands. No religious elements. Some violence. Attempted murders that everyone gets out of too easily.
This book is chaste. It has a lot of the men raking their eyes over the woman in what I think is a lustful way. SOme kisses that sadly have pore movement and lost me. He hold her around the waist and then holds her face and then he is drawing her closer with his hands on her back. This guy just couldn't make up his mind where he wanted his hands. No religious elements. Some violence. Attempted murders that everyone gets out of too easily.
October 12, 2012
Great book!
A different and interesting plot with a wonderful element of mystery, and historically interesting as well. With some great humorous and more dramatic passages, as well as some lovely secondary characters (and a secondary romance!) this is a great fun read.
Love the hero and heroine as well - the heroine in particular, she was so strong-willed!
Funny, light hearted and romantic! :)
A different and interesting plot with a wonderful element of mystery, and historically interesting as well. With some great humorous and more dramatic passages, as well as some lovely secondary characters (and a secondary romance!) this is a great fun read.
Love the hero and heroine as well - the heroine in particular, she was so strong-willed!
Funny, light hearted and romantic! :)
January 19, 2009
Good plot, but pretty predictable.
Moral Note: Some passionate kisses, and says dang and the "b" word a couple of times.
Moral Note: Some passionate kisses, and says dang and the "b" word a couple of times.
December 11, 2018
An interesting story
Joshua is a very intriguing character, and Rebecca an intelligent and strong lady. Together they are a couple to be reckoned with.
A thoroughly enjoyable and worthy book.
Joshua is a very intriguing character, and Rebecca an intelligent and strong lady. Together they are a couple to be reckoned with.
A thoroughly enjoyable and worthy book.
March 5, 2017
I was looking for some light prose when I picked up this one, and a Regency novel is always a good idea. And light prose this is - nothing more. In fact this is such a weak novel and the heroine has really been getting on my nerves. Most characters (aside from Joshua maybe) are shallow and dull. Rebecca has really strained my nerves, since she was more often than not called "intelligent", "spirited" and "stubborn". However, I've come to realize that the repeated use of these vocabularies are the only means for the author to render these characteristics to her protagonist. Not in one action does Rebecca show herself intelligent, in fact she's really rather plain-sighted. How often have I found myself wanting to scream out loud in anger - Come on, Ms. Grange - do you really have to repeat everything? We GOT IT. Do you really think your readers are that stupid, that we haven't long since figured out....
"Spirited" also seems to be a characteristic that the author doesn't know how to explain or show in action. Rebecca, at least, is not it. I'm sorry to say, but it's true: she's soooo boring. She "takes an active interest in the mill she inherits and the world around her"? Oh really? Where did I miss that? The only things she really does is going shopping and talking about fashion with her even more boring cousin.
And about her stubbornness and often praised courage - well, in most cases she was simply lucky and of course there was always something at hand, nearby, to help her out of her few (not really remotely) dangerous situations. Furthermore, mostly she is saved anyway. Where would that show a courageous, independent woman, please?
Aside from that the writing really isn't good. Far too repetitive. Boring in almost every way.
"Spirited" also seems to be a characteristic that the author doesn't know how to explain or show in action. Rebecca, at least, is not it. I'm sorry to say, but it's true: she's soooo boring. She "takes an active interest in the mill she inherits and the world around her"? Oh really? Where did I miss that? The only things she really does is going shopping and talking about fashion with her even more boring cousin.
And about her stubbornness and often praised courage - well, in most cases she was simply lucky and of course there was always something at hand, nearby, to help her out of her few (not really remotely) dangerous situations. Furthermore, mostly she is saved anyway. Where would that show a courageous, independent woman, please?
Aside from that the writing really isn't good. Far too repetitive. Boring in almost every way.
February 7, 2013
This is another enjoyable read from Amanda Grange. It's a clean regency romance/mystery. It begins with a mistake at an inn. Rebecca returns to her room at the inn only to find a man getting ready for bed. Rebecca demands to know what he is doing in her room and he does the same. Apparently, the owner has rented the room to both parties. After teasing her with a suggestive solution, Rebecca leaves in a huff to spend the night with her ex-governess/companion. When she arrives in London and attends the reading of her grandfather's will, she is surprised to meet again the stranger from the inn.
I liked the strong personality of Rebecca and her unwillingness to compromise. I also liked Joshua who was stubborn but not afraid of Rebecca's personality. I really liked the fact that he didn't try to change her and saw her as a true partner even in Regency England.
I liked the strong personality of Rebecca and her unwillingness to compromise. I also liked Joshua who was stubborn but not afraid of Rebecca's personality. I really liked the fact that he didn't try to change her and saw her as a true partner even in Regency England.
February 24, 2013
This was a great Regency romance that packed in both a lot of historical elements, plot, and characters. Rebecca and Joshua come to learn that they both have inherited a mill together. Joshua is determined to buy out Rebecca, while she is determined to become competent in her new endeavor. Rebecca is a stubborn woman who seems determined not to fall for Joshua, and he not for her. Little do the pair realize that after a chance meeting outside of London at an inn, they will be thrown together more and more.
When there is trouble and threats made on the inn and their lives, the two become passionate about saving the inn and each other. This was a romantic story that was chaste and appropriate for the time period. Quite refreshing.
When there is trouble and threats made on the inn and their lives, the two become passionate about saving the inn and each other. This was a romantic story that was chaste and appropriate for the time period. Quite refreshing.
March 2, 2013
Historical English Y/A romance with lots of deathly close calls for Mr. Joshua Kelling where coincidentally Miss Rebecca Foster is around each time.
There is one snowy night when Josh meets Becky while they are both on their way to the hearing of Miss Foster's grandfather's will. They are both stubborn. Josh asks quite a few times to marry Rebecca, but she is holding out for love which is cute because it is never a sure bet for a good marriage. There is a wild rider that almost runs them down, a sharp rock that missiles through a glass window, and a fire before they admit their feelings for each other.
Cute but not original in any way, although I did like reading about a 'friseur' which is some sort of old time-y hair stylist.
245 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
There is one snowy night when Josh meets Becky while they are both on their way to the hearing of Miss Foster's grandfather's will. They are both stubborn. Josh asks quite a few times to marry Rebecca, but she is holding out for love which is cute because it is never a sure bet for a good marriage. There is a wild rider that almost runs them down, a sharp rock that missiles through a glass window, and a fire before they admit their feelings for each other.
Cute but not original in any way, although I did like reading about a 'friseur' which is some sort of old time-y hair stylist.
245 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
July 16, 2014
I was a little dubious of this, I'll admit. Victorian style novels are not my thing. So I was surprised when I read it and enjoyed it.
This was a lovely book with the heroine having some balls for a change. She wasn't the typical 'oh woe is me, where is a man to save me' as so many women were like in that era. She was a 'don't tell me what to do because I'm capable and will do as I please' type of person. She reminded me of me, in fact.
Joshua was a loveable character from the beginning and while the story was very predictable it didn't ruin it for me. A great read and highly recommended.
If you're dubious about Victorian romances like me, this is a good place to start. :)
This was a lovely book with the heroine having some balls for a change. She wasn't the typical 'oh woe is me, where is a man to save me' as so many women were like in that era. She was a 'don't tell me what to do because I'm capable and will do as I please' type of person. She reminded me of me, in fact.
Joshua was a loveable character from the beginning and while the story was very predictable it didn't ruin it for me. A great read and highly recommended.
If you're dubious about Victorian romances like me, this is a good place to start. :)
June 5, 2013
Another entertaining read. However, I'm getting the feeling after reading several of these in a row that they are all basically the same story with basically the same main characters, just different plot lines thrown in. But I don't mind! Fun to read anyway. Still annoyed that they all seem to end so abruptly, right when it feels like they should just be beginning. I suppose it's the same reason why I devour so many Pride and Prejudice "sequels" for the satisfaction of extending the story.
November 3, 2013
A 2003 earlier work by Amanda Grange. Exceptionally clean and decent. Pretty basic plot with initial mistaken identities, a rakish but honorable hero, a marriage proposal offered to save reputation, and a stubborn heroine who insists on true love. An acceptable harlequin like read delivered in a standard fashion.
Not a bad read, just not a standout - especially given the wealth of well crafted historical romances written by seasoned authors that are already available.
Not a bad read, just not a standout - especially given the wealth of well crafted historical romances written by seasoned authors that are already available.
April 7, 2015
I've ready Grange's "Hero Diaries" based on Jane Austen's novels and loved them all. I just discovered that in addition, she has written a few Regency romances unrelated to Austen. This is the second that I have read. They are short, light and airy, nothing too complex, but they are very well written and have a very period feel.
April 8, 2015
An enjoyable read, with more to it than many of the romances I've read recently. I liked the feisty heroine and the tangle of the relationship. The notion of equality in business and relationships was refreshing and different especially in that historic setting.
January 16, 2017
Awesome book
I feel in love with these characters and just couldn't book down!! I spent the whole afternoon reading well into the night!! It has a marvelous storyline and a villain to go with it!! It is a must read!
I feel in love with these characters and just couldn't book down!! I spent the whole afternoon reading well into the night!! It has a marvelous storyline and a villain to go with it!! It is a must read!
August 23, 2008
Light airplane reading. It was more original than some of Grange's other early novels. I liked it though.
February 10, 2013
A cute clean romance :) It wasn't too long and I liked that the story was able to move along without any unnecessary events dragging it out.
October 13, 2013
This book was re-released as One Snowy Night. It was a fun story. I look forward to reading more from Amanda Grange.
August 11, 2014
I usually enjoy reading Grange's books, but something was off in this one. Maybe it was one of her earlier works?
November 19, 2014
Now called "A Snowy Night" -
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews