When the dowager duchess of Marcross insists he accompany her niece, Ginny, into the country for the day to execute a special task, Sir Anthony is appalled, to say the least. Ginny, who thinks little of the fashionable Sir Anthony, is as eager to be done with the chore as he, but before they arrive at their destination they are stranded by highwaymen and launched into adventure. Forced into each other's company, Ginny begins to sense the passionate nature beneath Sir Anthony's mask of ennui, while his exasperation with the forthright Ginny turns into admiration of her wit and charm. Then beautiful Lucinda Barrington and Lord Avery, a poet, come onto the scene, sparking Ginny's imagination and revealing a way to unmask the true man behind Sir Anthony's frivolous facade. Meanwhile, the dowager duchess has plans of her own for this pair, and her special task turns into a battle of words, wills, and wit.
Award-winning, best-selling author Heidi Ashworth lives with her husband and three children in the San Francisco Bay Area. She writes sweet, traditional, Regency-era romance, romantic comedy, and mystery. She is the author of the Miss Delacourt series, published by Montlake Romance. The third book in The Lord Trevelin Mysteries releases October 2019.
Okay, I confess, I have read this book--about sixteen times (which was two or three too many) but I figure I ought to say good things about my own book. I mean, really, the first twelves times through were great fun! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I am very glad I was put onto this book. It was a fun, light-hearted, funny, romantic (but clean) and a refreshing regency romance. Will the head-strong and out-spoken Miss Ginny Delacourt be able to discover the man behind the mask of the overly-polite, but dashing, Sir Anthony Crenshaw?
With great characters, interesting twists in the plot, lots of mishaps and misunderstanding, I leave you in suspense of duels, games of "hide the slipper" that turn into romantic confusion, wrong turns that end in books being thrown at heads, heroines nearly falling out of windows, "betrayal", masquerades, headstrong comments answered with takes-the-heroines-breath-away kisses, soliloquies that reveal pent-up feelings, weeping poets, run-away couples, stolen roses and lots of comedy and confusion!
It is definitely worth a read; I think it was the fastest I had read a book in a while when I read it. Once I started, I didn't want to put it down as I had to see what was going to happen next.
This book had a few funny moments and a clean plot, otherwise it was completely ridiculous. The character motivation made absolutely no sense! Miss Delacourt walks around being extremely rude to Sir Anthony and no one else for no apparent reason. Sir Anthony in turn is equally rude and raging mad 80% of the time but somehow we are told he comes across as full of ennui. The other characters were ridiculous and there were so many romantic misunderstandings and miscommunications in this contrived plot that I can't believe anything ever got solved. But really, I should have known better from a book that recommends titles like "Adieu, My Love", "Sweet Tilly" and "Ada's Heart" on the back.
This was a most delightful read! It reminded me of a Regency-era version of the old Clark Gable Movie, It Happened One Night...a roadtrip story of two perfectly-matched, polar-opposite people thrown together on a journey, only to be subjected to a dizzying array of misadventures which ultimately force them together. The characters are clever and well-crafted, the scenarios are fun and unpredictable, the chemistry between the protagonists is evident early on, and the subtext is laced with sarcasm and dry wit.
Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind was reminiscent of the "classic" Regency romances that I grew up with. A delightful comedy of errors, filled with sparkle and wit. I read the bulk of this novel during a flight from Arizona to Utah, and literally fell into a giggling fit during one section of this book. Thankfully, the flight wasn't full and the seat next to me was empty, so I didn't have to explain my embarrassing outburst. A book that literally makes me laugh out loud is rare these days. Brava, Ms Ashworth! I look forward to her next Regency!
It took me awhile to get through this one. Maybe it’s because my baby was fussy or maybe the story just didn’t grab me. Ginny and Anthony are stuck for a couple weeks with Lucinda and Avery and a few others. When a maid breaks out in chickenpox the entire household is put under quarantine. Lots and lots of misunderstandings happen, all of which could have been easily resolved if people could just speak their minds. A small pet-peeve of mine is when the POV changes randomly between main characters. I don’t mind if it’s done by chapter, but during the book it would often change from one paragraph to the next. To me it’s confusing and distracts from the story.
The story was lighthearted and was enjoyable, it just wasn’t my favorite and I hate to say it, but it was a little forgettable. I think Heidi Ashworth is a good author and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.
Ah, a delightful little regency-ish romance. Miss Delacourt (aka Ginny) is being escorted to check on her Grandaunt's roses by Sir Anthony when they are overtaken by bandits. They seek shelter at the home of Lucinda, who is just recovering from the chicken pox. When her love interest shows up and Ginny's maid comes down with the pox, the whole household is quarantined and the adventures and misunderstandings commence. I loved all the misunderstandings--they totally added to the humor of the situation and had me giggling.
I'm excited to read the next book to find out what can possibly happen next.
This comedy of manners story is very much in the line of the old Signet and Zebra Regencies. It's nice to see that drawing room comedies and clean romances are still being published. The writing quality isn't quite as good as some of the Heyer wannabes who wrote back in the 80s and 90s. It's not terrible though. At least the author refrains from attempting to sound like Jane Austen. The story is amusing; I even giggled at parts. It's cute, it's light and fluffy and the heat factor is close to nothing. (A couple of kisses, including a passionate angry kiss). The romance develops over the course of less than two weeks but because the characters were forced to spend 24/7 together, it's mostly believable. Plus, Ginny and Sir Anthony already knew each other. I liked Ginny because I value speaking my mind, however, she is not very period correct. The whole story hinges on Sir Anthony giving up his code of honor in a time period when a strict social code prevailed. Giving it up would mean social suicide and Sir Anthony would be an outcast. We see evidence of that in Ginny so why she would encourage anyone to go against the social code, I don't know. If you're not a high sticker and enjoy the light drawing room comedies of Marion Devon, Emily Hendrickson, etc. you will like this novel. I'll read the sequel though it's not necessary.
reread 3/26-3/27/2019--- 3.5 stars
I seem to have enjoyed this more upon the reread. I would have bumped it to 4 stars if not for the angry, passionate kiss and Sir Anthony's caveman attitude at the end. This light, fun romp was just what I was in the mood for. It's mostly forgettable, despite the chicken pox quarantine.
I really like Ginny and how forthright she is. She feels comfortable speaking her mind with Sir Anthony. They never state they are cousins but if Ginny's mother was the niece of Anthony's Grandmama, then they must be second cousins. They've known each other for a few years so I don't mind the way she speaks to him. She is a bit out of line with her first few comments but once he takes her to a seedy inn, all bets are off. Then he goes low with his The Taming of the Shrew comments. I really like how the romance develops between them over the course of their quarantine. Meeting Lucinda and Avery helps Ginny and Anthony figure out what they DON'T want in a partner. They both want a partner who can be a true partner, an intellectual equal, someone to have conservations and even arguments with. That's much more than the admiration and romantic drama Lucinda requires in a mate.
Lucinda is a ninnyhammer. She almost ruins the story. Lucinda is seriously annoying. She's young and spoiled and not yet ready for adulthood. Lucinda's love of drama drove me crazy but it makes the plot zany like a P.G. Wodehouse story. Lucinda is the way she is because her parents have indulged her. She seems to be an only child. Her rose-obsessed father barely takes an interest in his daughter. Squire Barrington is a terrible father. He does come through at the end, though. Mrs. Barrington also wants to further her own interests and doesn't do anything to correct her daughter's silly behavior. They seem to have a loving relationship as far as two selfish people can love each other. Lord Avery is a nodcock. He's almost as dumb as Lucinda. I feel sorry for the way she manipulates him and the situation to suit her own entitlement. Some of the secondary characters Sir Anthony and Ginny come across are almost worthy of Georgette Heyer.
This is a fun, funny romp reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse, Georgette Heyer and similar to Marion Chesney's Regency romps. Don't read this if you expect realism or any depth to the plot.
Giving this two stars is probably generous. The characters are wooden and unlikable, the plot is non existent, and the hero and heroine don't really speak to each other. Sir Anthony makes cold cutting remarks while Miss Delacort goes and cries. She cries a lot, by the way. A character gets chicken pox, thereby causing a quarantine, yet no one seems concerned about catching it. So either a) they've already had it, so why do they need to be quarantined? or b) they haven't had it, so why aren't they concerned about it? And there's a secondary character that sometimes lisps and sometimes does not. It's irritating as hell. At no point does the author attempt to give us any kind of motivation or inner thoughts for any of these characters. I see them doing things, but it's difficult to say why, or to care one way or the other. Halfway through, after the hero had made the heroine cry (again) over something completely ridiculous, I gave up. I kept hoping it would get better, and it did not.
A few weeks ago I mentioned I had been reading a great book by a new author. Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind, by Heidi Ashworth, was such an enjoyable read -- I blazed through it within a day -- that I thought I would share a little more about it.
I first stumbled on Heidi's blog last summer through reading some of the Segullah featured entries. Her writing was clever, but what caught my eye was that she was coming out with Miss Delacourt (her first book) this winter. Myself being a newbie to the publishing industry, and an instant fan of her witty writing style, I began to be a regular reader. The more I heard about Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind as a Regency-style romance the more I wanted to read it (I am an easy target when it comes to a good love story). So I pre-ordered it from Amazon and was excited when it came earlier than expected.
The plot of Miss Delacourt starts with the disastrous journey Ginny (Miss Delacourt) and Sir Anthony take to check on the precious roses of Sir Anthony's take-charge grandmother. I found myself laughing out loud several times at Sir Anthony's perfectly composed behavior (despite an amazing downward spiral of events) and Ginny's quick-witted tongue. Eventually Ginny and Sir Anthony end up as quarantined house guests where the secondary characters help their romance to blossom and really bring the story to life. Ashworth even includes a small plot twist at the end which adds to the believability of the characters.
Since I liked Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind so much I took time to have Heidi answer a few questions about her book to share with you. Here are her responses:
1. How long did it take you to write Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind? "I wrote it when I was expecting my second child, every Tuesday for eight hours at a time, when my oldest was at his Grandma's house. Twenty four chapters divided by roughly four weeks per month means it took about six months. I don't think I could have done it any faster--I simply couldn't write when anyone was in the house making noise or even threatening to require a speck of attention. Blogging has helped me to learn how to write surrounded by chaos. It's a good thing."
2. Are any of the characters based on people you know? If yes, who? "No. And yes. Miss Delacourt and Sir Anthony were born as fully realized people and entirely their own persons like Athena from Zues's forehead--however once I was done writing and took an objective step back, I realized the central conflict was informed by a relationship challenge my husband and I dealt with when we first started dating (and which continues to make itself known now and then to this day). The secondary couple are loosely based on characters I have seen in some favorite movies, something about which I was perfectly aware at the time. They all just sort of came to me and told me their story. It was a very instinctual way to write, rather than an intellectual endeavor, and it was really fun."
3. Of which scene/portion of the book are you most fond or pleased about? "As many times as I have read Miss D, there are bits and pieces that make me chuckle or think "hey, that was a great idea!" Since, like I said, I wrote this via my instincts rather my intellect (which is in very short supply) (chocolate helped) I can enjoy it from the perspective as if it is (almost) someone else's work. However, I would have to say that I am most proud of the last 65 pages or so of the book because I had to rework those pages at the eleventh hour under a time constraint. It was the most difficult writing I have ever done because I wasn't able to write instinctively--for the first time I had to think about how I was going to believably get from point A to point B. In fact, it was so painfully difficult that I actually told my husband that writing as a profession no longer sounded like fun."
4. I can tell from your blog, and from the repeating theme in Miss Delacourt, that you are very fond of roses; did you write with this symbolism in mind from the beginning or did you add it in later? "They say that the best way to write a book is to just get the story down and then go back and put in the details, etc. That is not the way this book was written. Maybe I was subconsciously writing it in the back of my brain for years, I don't know, but it is pretty much exactly as it was the day I wrote each chapter (except for the changes I had to make throughout the last quarter of the book). It is hard to explain, but everything wove itself together. I had no ending or details in mind, I literally sat down and wrote a chapter a week and it all worked out (well, I got in trouble towards the end which is why I had to rework the last bit of it). To this day, it still amazes me how this story just came together and all the roses is a perfect example. I didn't start out intending for roses to be a big player in the story--they just appeared and just kept appearing until they made themselves almost their own character in the story. Like I said, it was a lot of fun to write this book because I didn't have any better idea of what was going to happen next than the reader does (well, except that the hero and the heroine would end up madly in love)."
5. What is the likelihood we will see another Miss Delacourt adventure (or a completely new Ashworth work)? "I have never thought about making Miss D a character in another book nor do I see how she has much more to say, however, I suppose if she insisted, I would do it. I do have two other romance novels in the works, one a comedy like Miss D while the other is more serious and a bit gothic. I have to carve time out of blogging before they are ready to send out, though. I'm working on it!"
I don't know, Heidi, Ginny promised Lucinda Barrington and Lord Avery she would come and visit them... Maybe Miss Delacourt has more to say--or at least another house party to attend. And in their newlywed state I am sure Sir Anthony would be certain to tag along.
What a fun and light book. I enjoyed the 2nd half much more than the 1st part, maybe Sir Anthony was a bit aloof and Ginny was a bit too young (I wonder about their age gap?) and Nan, her Abigail, seemed like a doll.. she didn't speak nor moved, I was honestly imagining she was Ginny's doll.
But once both of them arrived at the Barrington's house and have to stay there in quarantine because of chicken pox, it started to be fun. In Barrington's house there are Lucinda, the pretty yet silly daughter, and Lord Avery, her suitor but also very dim-witted. Between both of them it is all poems and tears, it was all very ridiculous :D So ridiculous Ginny thinks Sir Anthony falls for Lucinda, and at the same time, Sir Anthony thinks Ginny falls for Lord Avery. There are silly but short misunderstandings, a ball (can we call them a ball? one is without proper attires, and both are with less than 10 guests), a duel (can we call that a duel? , super low-angst; overall, a comedy of manners, very well written and entertaining.
I don't mind farce, but have no taste for the nonsensical. The MC were alright for most part, and thankfully, did not indulge in too much of misunderstanding with each other. But I found the heroine's characterization somewhat contradictory - Ginny is depicted as intelligent and witty at the beginning, but spends a considerable time weeping, and the soliloquy she recites towards the end did not fit in at all. The hero, Sire Anthony, is quite likeable for most part, but hurts Ginny more than once with his unkind words. The secondary pair was too stupid and loud. They occupied a lot of space, and as it was the crux of the plot-line, the reader has to put up with an excess of Lucinda's idiocy.
For some time now, I have wanted to read Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind. Admittedly, I know the author rather well and so wanted to read her book. But I was always frantically reading other books for book clubs and things about Samantha's condition, that books-to-read from my own list never quite happened. Recently, I decided it was time to put everything else aside, sit down, and read this book from my books-to-read list, and I'm happy for it, as it really was delightful to read. Miss Delacourt is considered Regency Romance. What's that?! Really, I didn't know and assumed it wasn't for me. I usually don't equate my reading preferences with books in the "Romance" genre. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that I do, in fact, like regency romance. ("I do so like green eggs and ham. I do, I like them Sam-I-am!") So, if you like images such as ...Hugh Grant against a lush green English landscape and (I do), and young women primping with ringlets framing their face hoping to meet their next true love (I do), and the one young woman who resists the traditions of the time and so begrudgingly puts on her gown for the ball (I do), then perhaps you like regency romance too (Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer) and just don't realize it.
I read Miss Delacourt rather quickly. Going from reading about neurons and recovering brain function to a regency romance took me some time to adjust. I enjoyed what I read, but it wasn't until page 100 that I was quite hooked. (page 100 came quickly). You cringe at what some of the characters do, you laugh out loud, and you are happy in the end. It was really just the entertainment that I think I needed. I felt whisked away to another time period and it has made me want to read more in this genre...or at least put Pride and Prejudice in the dvd player! There's something about those stories, isn't there? The secret love that can't be expressed, the decorum of the time interfering with true love. I love it. Based on my small regency exposure, it follows the pattern of this genre. I knew, or thought I knew, what would happen in the end, but I didn't know how we'd get there...and that's fun for me. Kind of like sports movies. I LOVE sports movies. The underdogs usually win...but each of them have a different journey, and I like watching that.
So, Miss D Speaks Her Mind...it's a fast read and worth reading for all you secret romantics out there.
I've been a regency romance fan for a long time. I still remember the first I ever read: Regency Gold by Marion Chesney. It didn't take itself too seriously and was laugh out loud funny. A charming heroine, a gorgeous hero, and a bunch of mischief. I was 12 and I was hooked. Good clean fun.
Not too long after my introduction to the genre, I ran into the works of Jane Austen. "Hey," thought I, "these are just like regencies. Only not quite so funny." Still I happily devoured Austen's works and every other novel set in the England's Regency era that I could get my hands on, nearly twenty years of delightful escapism. Sadly, those two decades have also included a dreadful decline. The regency genre has been dying and the few regencies that I've read in recent years have been disappointing. Not good, not clean, and not fun. Frankly, I have missed them.
Then along comes Heidi Ashworth with her book, Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind. A new regency? A clean regency? Gimme! Her countdown until the book came out was driving me crazy. [FOUR MORE MONTHS?:] So I begged. Gimme, please.
Ms. Ashworth was kind enough to send me a galley proof, so that I could be among the privileged first to read it. I love being first. However, as I awaited the book's arrival, I began to worry. What if it was crap? What would I say? "Um, thanks for lending me a copy." "Loved the cover. What kind of rose is that anyway?" Uh...awkward.
No need for worries! I can whole-heartedly recommend Miss Delacourt. It is a delightful romp, everything I'd hoped for: an outspoken (yet lovable) heroine, a dashing (but repressed) hero, and all the impediments to true love I could ever want, all neatly resolved within a gorgeous hardback. It's fresh, funny, filled with love, Shakespeare, some rose patent infringement, and a lot of fun!
So now it's your turn. Sure I cheated, cut in line and read it first, but you can now order your own copy of Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind through Amazon with a pleasant little discount, or you can ask your library to order it so you can read it for free. I did both, but I'm betting Amazon will get it to me first. By a long shot.
--Originally published on my blog Superfluous Miscellany ( www.supermisc.blogspot.com ), December 6, 2008
Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind is a delightful romantic farce in the glorious tradition of Georgette Heyer.
When Ginny Delacourt's great-aunt sends her on a mission to inspect some rosebushes and orders Sir Anthony Crenshaw to be Ginny's escort, some pesky highwaymen, a stolen carriage, and a two-week quarantine (for fear of chicken pox) at a nobleman's house all conspire to throw the young people together for a much longer period of time than was originally intended. Ginny, a young lady who is perpetually forthright, is determined to awaken something "real" in Sir Anthony, to startle him out of his urbane manners, but when her words and actions begin to bear fruit, she finds that their is far more depth to the polite Sir Anthony that she could ever imagine.
A conniving debutante, a lord who writes poetry, and some matchmaking parents complete the cast of characters, and the story plays all the right notes with fainting, duels, stolen kisses, preposterous misunderstandings, and a plethora of witty banter. The clever tie-ins to the work of Shakespeare make this a very clever story indeed, and I look forward to reading more about the world of Miss Delacourt from the talented Heidi Ashworth.
I really liked this cute story by Heidi Ashworth. The style seemed to me like a cross between Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde. I thought the humor and some of the outrageous personalities in this book were hilarious. There were times I found myself giggling and couldn't imagine what bizarre farcical situation would come up next. I loved the fact that this is a clean read and depends on the intelligence and humor of the writing rather than a lot of physical expression. It's a light, funny, classic regency romance.
The story begins with Miss Delacourt's aunt who is a tour de force and has arranged for her grandson to take Miss Delacourt to her home to check on her beloved roses. Sir Anthony Crenshaw is a very polite handsome gentleman who seems to never have an opinion beyond what is polite and always does what polite society dictates. Miss Delacourt is a spitfire who is not afraid to speak her mind. Putting these two together is destined to cause problems especially when everything around them seems to be going wrong and forces them into each other's company.
Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind was an enjoyable, fast read, reminiscent of a Jane Austen story.
Miss Delacourt is a head-strong woman, who loathes that most people defer to impeccable manners instead of saying what they really feel. She would much rather tend her to grandaunt's rose garden than attend balls with other members of high society.
Sir Anthony Crenshaw (grandson to Ginny Delacourt's grandaunt) is told by his grandmother to escort Ginny from the city back home to tend to her rose garden. Anthony and Ginny initially find each other detestable, but they are forced to spend much more time together than anticipated. They come to see each other in a new light, but the other characters in the story are in the way.
I wasn't nearly as emotionally connected to the characters in this story as I have been with Jane Austen's characters, but I did like the story. I will definitely try to read the sequel, Miss Delacourt Has Her Day.
This is a light-hearted romance set in a Jane Austen climate. I really liked the characterization of the four main players, which is a feat for any author. I also felt that the author stayed true to the time period and stayed immersed in it with description and dialog. The only thing that took me out of the story, and I didn't know if it was the publisher's style or the writer's style, was the transitions (or lack of transitions) when a scene would change or a character's pov would change. Regardless, it was an enjoyable and quick summer read. I look forward to the next installment from this author.
Wouldn't it be nice to be transported to a safe place in a simpler time for a cup of tea and a chat? Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind, with its delightful but flawed characters, can transport you to that cozy world. Miss Delacourt and her dashing hero are waylaid by thugs and confined to their rescuers home due to an outbreak of pox. It takes a bit of imagination to maintain decorum and defy boredom. The traditional Regency is distilled to a small cast in a house-bound setting full of wit and charm.
Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind is a masterfully written Regency-era romance. Its prose and dialoge are strongly reminiscent of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. With great skill, Heidi Ashworth spins a delightful and satisfying romance filled with strong and consistent characterization, extraordianry wit, and a clever and unique storyline. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately had to read its sequel, Miss Delacourt Has Her Day, and equally engaging book. Check out my review for it as well!
This was such a cute book. I thought it was well-written and clever. It is of the regency romance genre. The characters in it are entertaining. I checked it out at the library--but it is one I'd like to own and read again and again. Did I mention it was super clean...no bad language? Extra bonus points for that little tidbit.{FYI: My cousin read it and did not have a great love for it...so it is not for everyone. But, I for one liked this fun bit of reading.}
A departure for me genre-wise but such fun! I devoured it in a day! I especially enjoyed the repartee and wit between her fun characters - not that I'm hoping to be quarantined with them anytime soon...
A big plus: I got to enjoy the "feel" of Austen without having to trudge through her more difficult writing!
I needed something light and fluffy and this book hit the spot! I finished it in pretty much one sitting. It was everthing I hoped it would be: smart, funny and romantic. Absolutely delightful!
This is a regency romance book. When I first started reading it I thought it was going to be a pretty boring, unsurprising book where you know immediately what the outcome will be. However, as I read mayham breaks loose and the situation becomes pretty ridiculously funny. It was a cute, fun read.
Too contrived for me. The most enjoyable character was the ridiculous girl with the affected lisp. You know the main characters are going to end up together, but the ride wasn't nearly as fun as I would have liked (or written as well as it should have been).