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A Proper Romance #2
La locura de lord Fenton
¿Por qué casarse con alguien que solo te quiere por conveniencia? ¿Puede eso cambiar?
Lord Fenton es un jugador, un dandi y un presumido, pero tiene que casarse porque, de no hacerlo, lo desheredarán y perderá su dinero y su posición. Elige a Alice Stanbridge por dos motivos: porque la conocía de jovencita y porque no le ve objeciones. Sin embargo, Alice siempre lo ha querido y cree que su propuesta de matrimonio es sincera. Al descubrir que no es así, se siente engañada y herida. Pero debe aceptar, porque el matrimonio con el soltero más deseado de Londres le servirá no solo para asegurar su futuro sino el de su familia. Y mientras ambos se acercan a lo que será un matrimonio de conveniencia que parece destinado a convertirse en cualquier cosa menos en una unión feliz, van saliendo a la luz secretos familiares que... hacen a Alice dudar. ¿Será capaz de arriesgar su corazón una segunda vez?
Lord Fenton es un jugador, un dandi y un presumido, pero tiene que casarse porque, de no hacerlo, lo desheredarán y perderá su dinero y su posición. Elige a Alice Stanbridge por dos motivos: porque la conocía de jovencita y porque no le ve objeciones. Sin embargo, Alice siempre lo ha querido y cree que su propuesta de matrimonio es sincera. Al descubrir que no es así, se siente engañada y herida. Pero debe aceptar, porque el matrimonio con el soltero más deseado de Londres le servirá no solo para asegurar su futuro sino el de su familia. Y mientras ambos se acercan a lo que será un matrimonio de conveniencia que parece destinado a convertirse en cualquier cosa menos en una unión feliz, van saliendo a la luz secretos familiares que... hacen a Alice dudar. ¿Será capaz de arriesgar su corazón una segunda vez?
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2015
90 people are currently reading
2688 people want to read
About the author
Josi S. Kilpack
82 books2,047 followers I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child in 1998 and haven't stopped. My most recent books have been Historical Romance through the Proper Romance line with Shadow Mountain Publishing.
I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.
I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews
May 26, 2015
Should have been packing for my trip, cleaning my house and getting some sleep but none of those things happened. Instead I stayed up until 1:30 reading this book. That meant packing was rushed, things were forgotten, my house was left messy and I drove with little sleep but sometimes sacrifices are necessary when reading a book that just can't be put down until you get to the last page. This was that kind of book for me.
I loved Lord Fenton's Folly as did my 15 year old daughter. We both enjoy marriage of convenience stories and love bantering so this was a good fit. If you enjoy squeaky clean romance add this to your to-read list.
Content: Squeaky clean
I loved Lord Fenton's Folly as did my 15 year old daughter. We both enjoy marriage of convenience stories and love bantering so this was a good fit. If you enjoy squeaky clean romance add this to your to-read list.
Content: Squeaky clean
March 22, 2022
Oh, this one sneaks up on you.
I was quite dismissive of the book (and the H) for more than half of the book but then it takes on a wisdom, a level of sensibility that tugs at the heart.
And the author writes beautifully.
The mcs are a bit off (deliberately so) to begin with and it is up to the reader to decode them and then decide on accepting them and their interactions.
Especially the H.
I have read a few fops and dandies and fastidious dressers but this H is the real thing, consciously so. And his dress sense and mannerisms jar. He's almost effeminate!
*Spoilers*
I was quite dismissive of the book (and the H) for more than half of the book but then it takes on a wisdom, a level of sensibility that tugs at the heart.
And the author writes beautifully.
The mcs are a bit off (deliberately so) to begin with and it is up to the reader to decode them and then decide on accepting them and their interactions.
Especially the H.
I have read a few fops and dandies and fastidious dressers but this H is the real thing, consciously so. And his dress sense and mannerisms jar. He's almost effeminate!
*Spoilers*
May 2, 2018
Alice met Lord Charles Fenton when she was ten. He was about 14 years old and running mad dash away from a grass fire he had set on purpose, as a science experiment.
Fortunately it rained. And fortunately for Lord Fenton, Alice agreed to hush it up, for a price. In recompense, he talked the Powers That Be into giving her a garden where she could dig.
Years later, and Charles is still in trouble. Determined not to emulate his controlling and philandering father, young Lord Fenton is a dandy, making a mockery of proper society and fast developing into an alcoholic.
When his father threatens to cut him off, Charles realizes he may have gone too far. He agrees to a deal. One that includes the proviso that in order to inherit, he will clean up his act. And find a wife.
Naturally this all comes down the pipeline precisely at the same time Alice arrives in London for her first season. And Charles's mother likes Alice.
Lord Fenton's Folly is a sweet offering for the latest installment of the Proper Romance series. Charles is, indeed, deeply flawed; and Alice, rushing headlong after a childhood crush, has quite an awakening in store. But his flaws derive from valid events in his family history, some of them not to be revealed until the final pages, and the relationships in this story feel real. Despite all their mistakes, I did, indeed, root for Charles, Alice, and their relationship.
Fortunately it rained. And fortunately for Lord Fenton, Alice agreed to hush it up, for a price. In recompense, he talked the Powers That Be into giving her a garden where she could dig.
Years later, and Charles is still in trouble. Determined not to emulate his controlling and philandering father, young Lord Fenton is a dandy, making a mockery of proper society and fast developing into an alcoholic.
When his father threatens to cut him off, Charles realizes he may have gone too far. He agrees to a deal. One that includes the proviso that in order to inherit, he will clean up his act. And find a wife.
Naturally this all comes down the pipeline precisely at the same time Alice arrives in London for her first season. And Charles's mother likes Alice.
Lord Fenton's Folly is a sweet offering for the latest installment of the Proper Romance series. Charles is, indeed, deeply flawed; and Alice, rushing headlong after a childhood crush, has quite an awakening in store. But his flaws derive from valid events in his family history, some of them not to be revealed until the final pages, and the relationships in this story feel real. Despite all their mistakes, I did, indeed, root for Charles, Alice, and their relationship.
June 2, 2016
I love Shadow Mountain's Proper Romance line. Seriously love them. Okay, I just had to get that out of the way.
I enjoyed this regency from Ms. Kilpack. I know she typically writes contemporary mystery and have been curious to see what her historicals would be like. I thought she wrote the regency setting well, I was sucked into the story and had to keep reading to see how it would all play out. I enjoyed the plot for this one, a bit different than your usual Regency. Alice fell for Lord Fenton when she was a child. Ten years later they are reunited and thrown into an engagement-of-convenience when he is forced to marry to prevent being disinherited. Lord Fenton has spent the past ten years attempting to vex his father in the best way he knew how, by being an irresponsible dandy.
I liked Alice, I thought it was great that she didn't fall all over Lord Fenton, even though she had harbored a crush on him for such a long time. Lord Fenton I never really warmed up to. I did like the idea for his character, I don't know if I've ever read a regency from a dandy's point of view. It was fun seeing them banter and to watch his feelings change for Alice and see him come to appreciate her and all she has to offer. They do have a sweet romance.
Overall, a fun regency. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Kilpack.
Content: Clean!
I enjoyed this regency from Ms. Kilpack. I know she typically writes contemporary mystery and have been curious to see what her historicals would be like. I thought she wrote the regency setting well, I was sucked into the story and had to keep reading to see how it would all play out. I enjoyed the plot for this one, a bit different than your usual Regency. Alice fell for Lord Fenton when she was a child. Ten years later they are reunited and thrown into an engagement-of-convenience when he is forced to marry to prevent being disinherited. Lord Fenton has spent the past ten years attempting to vex his father in the best way he knew how, by being an irresponsible dandy.
I liked Alice, I thought it was great that she didn't fall all over Lord Fenton, even though she had harbored a crush on him for such a long time. Lord Fenton I never really warmed up to. I did like the idea for his character, I don't know if I've ever read a regency from a dandy's point of view. It was fun seeing them banter and to watch his feelings change for Alice and see him come to appreciate her and all she has to offer. They do have a sweet romance.
Overall, a fun regency. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Kilpack.
Content: Clean!
April 6, 2019
This is second in a series and Lord Fenton is present in the first as the hero's best friend. You don't have to read these in order, though, and not least because Fenton's character changes a bit between books. I mean, this Fenton isn't the kind of guy Thomas could be such good friends with, I don't think. Fortunately, Thomas isn't present in this one (besides an inconsequential letter or something), so you don't have to deal with any retroactive changes in him to fit this story.
This one is kind of a reversal of the first book in that Alice is the virtuous, kind character and Fenton (Charles, but most people call him by his title, including himself, often enough) is the one who needs to pull his head out of his nethers. Alice is a bit naïve for her age, but since her parents haven't been able to afford a London season until now, it makes sense that she'd make the mistakes (and discoveries) that she does. I liked her acceptance of her situation and how willing she was to make the best out of her (much diminished) circumstances despite the expectations of her youth. I totally get her falling for present-day Fenton and her initial rose-colored glasses.
Kilpack shows her skill, once again, by setting these two realistically at loggerheads and still deciding to go through with their betrothal. Indeed, half of the story takes place after their marriage and I actually buy the excuses for why they're still not physically intimate, keeping this a chaste book (and not just because they're not intimate in any other ways, either, and haven't even a modicum of trust between them). The only problem with the story is how tedious Fenton becomes as we learn that his initial instability and flaws run deeper than we knew. Okay, it doesn't help that the origin and continuation of his insecurity doesn't actually work if you know anything about male sexuality*, either.
That said, I was never tempted to put the story down and was fully engaged throughout. Most of that is Alice and her backbone as she pulls up her stays and does her best given her circumstances. But part of it, too, is the sense of how compatible they really are and that they can come together if they can learn to forgive and be tolerant of one another. And Kilpack manages to make you believe that they can get there by sprinkling in the lighter moments and almost-connections in ways that were believably fragile but still hope-inducing.
So this ends up being 3½ stars that I'm rounding down just because Fenton was so wearying and I had to rewrite the basis of his hang-ups in my head*. Not a bad story, and certainly engaging, but Kilpack can do, and has done, better.
* A note about male sexuality: I'm spoiler-tagging this not so much because it's a spoiler (though it is, a little bit) but because many readers probably don't care. Also, it's going to be squirmingly frank about male sexuality so don't go there if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
A note about Chaste: The main couple in this story are very chaste and there is no sex anywhere near present during the narrative. Which I consider very chaste. That said, much of the story deals with marital infidelity and the consequences of adultery in Regency England with Fenton's father centrally featured. The hurt and pain and lasting damage to others is dealt with in some detail so if you're sensitive to the kinds of discussions that arise around that kind of thing, then you might want to give this a pass.
This one is kind of a reversal of the first book in that Alice is the virtuous, kind character and Fenton (Charles, but most people call him by his title, including himself, often enough) is the one who needs to pull his head out of his nethers. Alice is a bit naïve for her age, but since her parents haven't been able to afford a London season until now, it makes sense that she'd make the mistakes (and discoveries) that she does. I liked her acceptance of her situation and how willing she was to make the best out of her (much diminished) circumstances despite the expectations of her youth. I totally get her falling for present-day Fenton and her initial rose-colored glasses.
Kilpack shows her skill, once again, by setting these two realistically at loggerheads and still deciding to go through with their betrothal. Indeed, half of the story takes place after their marriage and I actually buy the excuses for why they're still not physically intimate, keeping this a chaste book (and not just because they're not intimate in any other ways, either, and haven't even a modicum of trust between them). The only problem with the story is how tedious Fenton becomes as we learn that his initial instability and flaws run deeper than we knew. Okay, it doesn't help that the origin and continuation of his insecurity doesn't actually work if you know anything about male sexuality*, either.
That said, I was never tempted to put the story down and was fully engaged throughout. Most of that is Alice and her backbone as she pulls up her stays and does her best given her circumstances. But part of it, too, is the sense of how compatible they really are and that they can come together if they can learn to forgive and be tolerant of one another. And Kilpack manages to make you believe that they can get there by sprinkling in the lighter moments and almost-connections in ways that were believably fragile but still hope-inducing.
So this ends up being 3½ stars that I'm rounding down just because Fenton was so wearying and I had to rewrite the basis of his hang-ups in my head*. Not a bad story, and certainly engaging, but Kilpack can do, and has done, better.
* A note about male sexuality: I'm spoiler-tagging this not so much because it's a spoiler (though it is, a little bit) but because many readers probably don't care. Also, it's going to be squirmingly frank about male sexuality so don't go there if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
A note about Chaste: The main couple in this story are very chaste and there is no sex anywhere near present during the narrative. Which I consider very chaste. That said, much of the story deals with marital infidelity and the consequences of adultery in Regency England with Fenton's father centrally featured. The hurt and pain and lasting damage to others is dealt with in some detail so if you're sensitive to the kinds of discussions that arise around that kind of thing, then you might want to give this a pass.
October 7, 2015
Lord Fenton's Folly tells the story of Alice, an unmarried young woman from a poor noble family who never felt needed or wanted, and of Charles, Lord Fenton himself, a young man, also single, who will one day inherit a title plus a rich and vast patrimony. They met when Alice was only 10 and Fenton 16, and he helped her get a garden just for herself, since then Fenton has been Alice's knight in shining armor, her love, the man she wishes she could marry, but of course she has no hope that could ever happen. Besides, they haven't even seen each other since they were kids, apart from all their differences regarding status and money, Alice grew up in the country surrounded by her beloved plants and flowers, living the simple life, meanwhile Fenton turned into this city dandy who wastes time and money in all kinds of futile, eccentric, over the top activities, clothes, carriages and the likes.
So that's the set up for this story, a kind of classic Cinderella + unrequited love plot, though it's hard for me to call it 'love' since Alice and Fenton haven't seen each other for years and then when they do they bicker for like 90% of the time. But, yeah 'love' is the idea.
For me this book was just mediocre, mostly because I could never really connect with Alice or care about her, and then there's Lord Fenton who is just too ridiculous for my taste in leading men. I won't deny, his behaviour is amusing at first, but it quickly gets tiresome because it's too much and he doesn't stop.
One more thing about Alice, at some point she meets a man with a mental disability who smiles and says 'hello' to her and her immediate response is to assume he's going to harm her and quickly gets away from him. When she later finds out he lives and works at the house and that her mother-in-law allows it, she's appalled. She *really* dropped in my consideration after that.
The romance didn't give me the warm fuzzies, on the contrary, it gets pretty annoying after a while. The thing is, Alice and Fenton annoy each other all the time on purpose and they're both aware of what the other one is doing. It's almost a competition for them. But for me it was very tiresome and at some point I just wanted to skip their scenes together because every interaction was more of the same silly, immature bickering. (I didn't, though.) I kind of understand Alice and her need to fight Fenton along the way though, because, seriously, who wouldn't? He's ridiculous, BUT she knew what she was getting herself into, so it's not like she's a victim.
Also, this is clean historical romance, and, well, there's nothing going on between them at all throughout the story.
For me, the last chapters focused too much on Fenton's family secrets and his mother, when he and Alice needed that time to make things right with each other. This also means I feel like the way they get together in the end was too rushed.
Can't recommend this one.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
So that's the set up for this story, a kind of classic Cinderella + unrequited love plot, though it's hard for me to call it 'love' since Alice and Fenton haven't seen each other for years and then when they do they bicker for like 90% of the time. But, yeah 'love' is the idea.
For me this book was just mediocre, mostly because I could never really connect with Alice or care about her, and then there's Lord Fenton who is just too ridiculous for my taste in leading men. I won't deny, his behaviour is amusing at first, but it quickly gets tiresome because it's too much and he doesn't stop.
One more thing about Alice, at some point she meets a man with a mental disability who smiles and says 'hello' to her and her immediate response is to assume he's going to harm her and quickly gets away from him. When she later finds out he lives and works at the house and that her mother-in-law allows it, she's appalled. She *really* dropped in my consideration after that.
The romance didn't give me the warm fuzzies, on the contrary, it gets pretty annoying after a while. The thing is, Alice and Fenton annoy each other all the time on purpose and they're both aware of what the other one is doing. It's almost a competition for them. But for me it was very tiresome and at some point I just wanted to skip their scenes together because every interaction was more of the same silly, immature bickering. (I didn't, though.) I kind of understand Alice and her need to fight Fenton along the way though, because, seriously, who wouldn't? He's ridiculous, BUT she knew what she was getting herself into, so it's not like she's a victim.
Also, this is clean historical romance, and, well, there's nothing going on between them at all throughout the story.
For me, the last chapters focused too much on Fenton's family secrets and his mother, when he and Alice needed that time to make things right with each other. This also means I feel like the way they get together in the end was too rushed.
Can't recommend this one.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
March 12, 2016
For a book with a dandy for the hero, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! The backstory to Alice and Lord Fenton's connection is seriously sweet, but their reunion leaves much to be desired... Their struggles with each other, family, and society are so real and because we learn the motivations behind their choices, it's easier to understand their characters. The way Alice and Fenton finally bond and let go of antagonizing each other is worth the wait. Their romance is then allowed to flourish amid personal tribulation and surprising revelations. I don't want to give anything away! Really, what made this story come alive for me is how the mannerisms, strength, and compassion of both Alice and Fenton is shown through their actions rather than described in the narrative. Moments of humor and heart touching scenes round out the balance for a highly recommended read!
(Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and Ebooks for Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
(Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and Ebooks for Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
January 2, 2016
3.5 stars
Clean historical romance.
Eccentric Alice and dandy extreme Lord Fenton reunite through a chance meeting some 10 years after they were acquainted as children. His sweet mother helps move the relationship along, but it seems all parties are not equally informed. Tensions and hurt feelings occur but Alice & Charles hang in there. They spend lots of their time together fussing and misunderstanding, unfortunately. There are several unresolved secrets in Lord Fenton's family's past which eventually have to come to light. I was invested in the story and wanted to keep reading, but some of the characters were not my favorite.
Recommended to clean romance readers :)
Clean historical romance.
Eccentric Alice and dandy extreme Lord Fenton reunite through a chance meeting some 10 years after they were acquainted as children. His sweet mother helps move the relationship along, but it seems all parties are not equally informed. Tensions and hurt feelings occur but Alice & Charles hang in there. They spend lots of their time together fussing and misunderstanding, unfortunately. There are several unresolved secrets in Lord Fenton's family's past which eventually have to come to light. I was invested in the story and wanted to keep reading, but some of the characters were not my favorite.
Recommended to clean romance readers :)
June 28, 2015
This story fit my mood exactly. I love a good, proper romance, especially one filled with anticipation and little subtle hints of romance--those moments kept me reading and left me wanting more.
Lord Fenton (Charles) and Alice had met when they were a lot younger and the encounter always left Alice a bit in awe of Fenton. He's an eligible man, but he's a silly dandy and when he's forced to settle down and make a match, Alice is the one he chooses--and not for the reasons that she hopes for.
Alice is a spunky young woman and is determined not to let Fenton hurt her. They are both very strog personalities and I love the witty banter they had between them. I can't imagine living in a time when loveless marriages are the norm. I've always thought it's possible for two people to make a marriage work, when both are determined and have that common goal, and this story showed that it's not as easy to do as I believed. The journey this couple takes is necessary to get to where they ended up, with a lot of misunderstandings and hardships along the way. Sometimes growth means thinking outside of your own needs and wants and all growth is hard to go through.
The secrets that are revealed are tough to deal with and I enjoyed the way the characters came together. I especially loved Fenton's mother. What an example of selflessness and charity! The lessons taught are priceless. I loved the setting and was able to visualize it. I recommend this for clean Regency romance lovers.
Content: mild romance; nothing else of note. Clean!
*I received an ARC and my received no compensation for my review*
Lord Fenton (Charles) and Alice had met when they were a lot younger and the encounter always left Alice a bit in awe of Fenton. He's an eligible man, but he's a silly dandy and when he's forced to settle down and make a match, Alice is the one he chooses--and not for the reasons that she hopes for.
Alice is a spunky young woman and is determined not to let Fenton hurt her. They are both very strog personalities and I love the witty banter they had between them. I can't imagine living in a time when loveless marriages are the norm. I've always thought it's possible for two people to make a marriage work, when both are determined and have that common goal, and this story showed that it's not as easy to do as I believed. The journey this couple takes is necessary to get to where they ended up, with a lot of misunderstandings and hardships along the way. Sometimes growth means thinking outside of your own needs and wants and all growth is hard to go through.
The secrets that are revealed are tough to deal with and I enjoyed the way the characters came together. I especially loved Fenton's mother. What an example of selflessness and charity! The lessons taught are priceless. I loved the setting and was able to visualize it. I recommend this for clean Regency romance lovers.
Content: mild romance; nothing else of note. Clean!
*I received an ARC and my received no compensation for my review*
November 2, 2015
I LOVE a good regency and Lord Fenton's Folly was just what I had been looking for. I've really enjoyed Ms. Kilpack taking on this genre and I hope she continues.
We are first introduced to Lord Fenton in the first book by the author, A Heart Revealed, but the story definitely stands on its own and doesn't necessarily need to be read in order.
A dandy to the extreme, our Hero starts out completely ridiculous, and at times for me, utterly unlikable...but as you come to find out the reasons behind why this future earl is the way he is...my heart went out to him and I began to find him endearing, rather than wanting to knock him over the head. :) The heroine of the story, Alice, was for me, completely loveable. I adored her strength and her romantic heart. I enjoyed every page and loved watching their friendship grow.
This was a sweet clean read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a good regency.
We are first introduced to Lord Fenton in the first book by the author, A Heart Revealed, but the story definitely stands on its own and doesn't necessarily need to be read in order.
A dandy to the extreme, our Hero starts out completely ridiculous, and at times for me, utterly unlikable...but as you come to find out the reasons behind why this future earl is the way he is...my heart went out to him and I began to find him endearing, rather than wanting to knock him over the head. :) The heroine of the story, Alice, was for me, completely loveable. I adored her strength and her romantic heart. I enjoyed every page and loved watching their friendship grow.
This was a sweet clean read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a good regency.
November 13, 2015
In need of a light read, I chose Josi Kilpack for her reputation for clean fiction. While it was squeaky clean, I was disappointed. The dialog where sarcastic insults flung at each other is passed off as invigorating intellect was upsetting to me. And the idea that the scent of cologne is suddenly a distraction/attraction in the middle of being belittled is kind of insulting. I really couldn't connect with the characters, but his slow transformation is more believable than her sudden wisdom sparked by (predictable) family secrets.
July 20, 2016
2.5-2.75 stars
Lord Fenton has a perfectly maintained reputation as a London dandy. Though his style is close to being foppish, he's still considered god ton everywhere. Only his mother knows that his foppish demeanor is a careful facade designed to annoy his cold father and hide his true sensitive soul. When Lord Chariton threatens to disinherit his only son in favor of a cousin, Lord Fenton agrees to do anything to save his inheritance. He must agree to agree to a certain set of conditions, including marrying a suitable future Countess in 6 months time! Charles is reluctant to agree but he can not give up his inheritance. Society's belles have never interested him much; they're all as empty-headed as he pretends to be. Only Alice Stanbridge seems to have enough spunk to interest him, plus he knew her when she was a child and his mother adores her - problem solved! Alice is the youngest daughter and middle child of her family. Her mother died when Alice was born. She feels unloved. She's happiest when working in her garden- a garden Lord Fenton helped secure for her when she was 10 years old. She has adored him ever since and is thrilled at his marriage proposal. When she discovers Lord Fenton's true reason for marrying her, she resolves to harden her heart unless he can show her his true self. The two engage in a battle of wills determined to win at any cost but then there comes a time when Lord Fenton truly needs Alice. Does he have the courage to go through a great trial and open his heart to his bride?
This is not my favorite of the Proper Romance series so far. It was slow to begin with. The Foxcroft section improves the plot but it's full of predictable plot lines and the message is not heavy handed but almost a bit too strong. Though I did almost get teary eyed at the end. The ending is a bit rushed. I would like to know what happens with Alice and Charles after that.
I really did not like Lord Fenton for the majority of the book. He hides behind a foppish facade and alcohol to avoid his problems and emotions. He was kind to Amber and extended himself to try to help his old school friend Thomas in A Heart Revealed. I found him charming then but not in his own story. He is an alcoholic - not in danger of becoming a drunkard as he thinks. He is mean to Alice. In the last few chapters, as secrets are revealed and he goes through a great trial, his character improves. He learns why his parents are the way they are. He has to learn to trust Alice and trust himself to reveal his true self to her. He's a very sensitive man for all he plays the carefree fop. He feels very deeply and he fears feeling and facing his emotions. He's so determined NOT to be his father, he drives Alice away the same way Lord Chariton drove Lady Chariton away.
I really liked Alice. Her character growth is excellent. She is still a young girl in the beginning of the novel - 10 years old- and in danger of becoming a hoyden. All she wants is a place to belong. Later, when she's grown and "out", she's still a naive, young girl. She just wants to be loved. I liked how she could hold her own when Charles taunted her. Then as the story progresses, she learns the meaning of love and how to give it. She learns how to be a friend, a wife and an adult. The one thing I didn't like was her initial reaction to Adam and even Mrs. Gage. It's accurate but it's distasteful.
My favorite character is Lady Chariton. My heart broke for her as her secrets were revealed. She was always a loving mother no matter what. Her husband is, of course, my least favorite character. He's a bully and a cruel man. He chose to harden his heart so I really don't have sympathy for him.
I think Christian romance lovers will enjoy this story but you don't have to be Christian to like it. The moral is only mildly Christian. There isn't any overt preaching and only an occassional mention of God and the grace of God.
Lord Fenton has a perfectly maintained reputation as a London dandy. Though his style is close to being foppish, he's still considered god ton everywhere. Only his mother knows that his foppish demeanor is a careful facade designed to annoy his cold father and hide his true sensitive soul. When Lord Chariton threatens to disinherit his only son in favor of a cousin, Lord Fenton agrees to do anything to save his inheritance. He must agree to agree to a certain set of conditions, including marrying a suitable future Countess in 6 months time! Charles is reluctant to agree but he can not give up his inheritance. Society's belles have never interested him much; they're all as empty-headed as he pretends to be. Only Alice Stanbridge seems to have enough spunk to interest him, plus he knew her when she was a child and his mother adores her - problem solved! Alice is the youngest daughter and middle child of her family. Her mother died when Alice was born. She feels unloved. She's happiest when working in her garden- a garden Lord Fenton helped secure for her when she was 10 years old. She has adored him ever since and is thrilled at his marriage proposal. When she discovers Lord Fenton's true reason for marrying her, she resolves to harden her heart unless he can show her his true self. The two engage in a battle of wills determined to win at any cost but then there comes a time when Lord Fenton truly needs Alice. Does he have the courage to go through a great trial and open his heart to his bride?
This is not my favorite of the Proper Romance series so far. It was slow to begin with. The Foxcroft section improves the plot but it's full of predictable plot lines and the message is not heavy handed but almost a bit too strong. Though I did almost get teary eyed at the end. The ending is a bit rushed. I would like to know what happens with Alice and Charles after that.
I really did not like Lord Fenton for the majority of the book. He hides behind a foppish facade and alcohol to avoid his problems and emotions. He was kind to Amber and extended himself to try to help his old school friend Thomas in A Heart Revealed. I found him charming then but not in his own story. He is an alcoholic - not in danger of becoming a drunkard as he thinks. He is mean to Alice. In the last few chapters, as secrets are revealed and he goes through a great trial, his character improves. He learns why his parents are the way they are. He has to learn to trust Alice and trust himself to reveal his true self to her. He's a very sensitive man for all he plays the carefree fop. He feels very deeply and he fears feeling and facing his emotions. He's so determined NOT to be his father, he drives Alice away the same way Lord Chariton drove Lady Chariton away.
I really liked Alice. Her character growth is excellent. She is still a young girl in the beginning of the novel - 10 years old- and in danger of becoming a hoyden. All she wants is a place to belong. Later, when she's grown and "out", she's still a naive, young girl. She just wants to be loved. I liked how she could hold her own when Charles taunted her. Then as the story progresses, she learns the meaning of love and how to give it. She learns how to be a friend, a wife and an adult. The one thing I didn't like was her initial reaction to Adam and even Mrs. Gage. It's accurate but it's distasteful.
My favorite character is Lady Chariton. My heart broke for her as her secrets were revealed. She was always a loving mother no matter what. Her husband is, of course, my least favorite character. He's a bully and a cruel man. He chose to harden his heart so I really don't have sympathy for him.
I think Christian romance lovers will enjoy this story but you don't have to be Christian to like it. The moral is only mildly Christian. There isn't any overt preaching and only an occassional mention of God and the grace of God.
December 29, 2020
ok this book was going fine until what can only be described as the worst attempt at representation for the disabled i have ever had the misfortune of coming across. Adams portrayal was absolutely ableist and nothing short of disgusting. if only i could give 0 stars.
August 11, 2016
Hmmm...it was just okay. Lord Fenton has issues. A LOT of issues. I just wasn't feeling it for him. I get that he hates his father, but really, his life wasn't all that bad.
3 whiny poor me stars
3 whiny poor me stars
September 27, 2023
|3.8 stars| Ages 13+| Ya/Regency|
I know it's an oddly specific rating, but a full four stars just didn't feel quite right. And to mark it as 3 stars also didn't feel quite right, so it's 3.8 rounded up to 4.
It was a cute read, gave me the fluff I've been in need of.
I know it's an oddly specific rating, but a full four stars just didn't feel quite right. And to mark it as 3 stars also didn't feel quite right, so it's 3.8 rounded up to 4.
It was a cute read, gave me the fluff I've been in need of.
October 3, 2015
The Skinny: You have to read this book. Ugh, I felt so many emotions and I ugly cried at the end of the book and there are twists and turns so don’t think you will figure it out because you won’t see it coming! It is also a tender romance that builds over time. I didn’t think they would ever find love together!
The Fat: We start off with a scene with Alice and Lord Fenton as children. I thought Lord Fenton was such a great kid with a little mischief in him and great kindness. Then we go to their present time as adults. Unfortunately, when Lord Fenton grows up we find that Lord Fenton is an embarrassment. He dresses with bright colored clothes. He drinks. He disrespects his father (on a side note, I would have been disrespectful too. Cruel man!). Lord Fenton doesn’t even really do anything responsible. I didn’t like what I saw in him as an adult. He ends up playing a prank, of which he likes to do to goad his father that goes so far that his father decides to disinherit him, which would be devastating to his current lifestyle. Lord Fenton runs to his mother for help. She tells him that she loves him and that he has been acting out. She says she will talk to his father. The result is that if he takes some responsibility and gets married and soon, he will stay in inheritance mode!
Lord Fenton doesn’t want a wife. In fact, he can flirt but doesn’t want anything to do with a woman. His father had been unfaithful to his wife and Lord Fenton had once caught his father in his indiscretion. He is scared of the act of intimacy. He doesn’t want to be like his father. So when it comes time to choosing a wife. He let his mother decide. She chooses Alice.
Alice is kind and sweet. She has a loving family. He once made a deal with Alice in childhood. In exchange for not telling on him (for a prank), he would help her with anything. Alice wanted a garden of her own. She loved to garden. Lord Fenton arranged it and she has been in love with Lord Fenton ever since.
When Alice finds out that he only chose her because it is a marriage of convenience and no love on his part, she is embarrassed and sad. There will be no intimacy either, but maybe someday. Her embarrassment and pride causes her to lash out at him. They continue to send insults and hurting words to each other. Alice understands that maybe she shouldn’t be that way if she is to ever get him to want her.
I loved the characters. Well, I didn’t like Lord Fenton at the beginning. He was acting out as an adult and it bothered me. But as time went on, we learn more about his actions and I wanted him to love Alice and let her in. But then he grew on me and I fell in love with him. Lord Fenton’s father on the other hand? I hated him. He was cruel to his family. He never changed at all in the whole book. There was no love in his heart for anyone. Lord Fenton’s mom is a gem! She is a class act woman to put up with her husband and her son. She is charitable as well. We learn just how charitable she is as the time passes.
Alice is so good for Lord Fenton! She is devastated at the position she finds herself in, having a husband who does not love her back. She even tries to flirt and seduce him. But Lord Fenton’s father has put fear that if he loves a woman intimately, he will be unfaithful and end up like his father and he won’t have anything to do with that. There is one scene that my heart went out to Lord Fenton and to see the damage his own father did to him. That one part has bothered me so much! I had to stop reading for a minute to get my rage at his father in control. A parent can damage a child so easily and this father did a whammy on his son causing anxiety and pain that has lasted most of Lord Fenton’s life. And Alice is the one who can fix him, if he ever lets her in.
At the very end, the tenderness that passes there has me in tears. It was love that was so utterly sweet and amazing! I have read that part several times. This is my latest favorite book!
If you love a proper romance, marriage of convenience, gardening, dandy, historical fiction, clean reads, loving mothers, family secrets, forgiving others, overcoming things in your life, finding love, then this would be for you.
The Fat: We start off with a scene with Alice and Lord Fenton as children. I thought Lord Fenton was such a great kid with a little mischief in him and great kindness. Then we go to their present time as adults. Unfortunately, when Lord Fenton grows up we find that Lord Fenton is an embarrassment. He dresses with bright colored clothes. He drinks. He disrespects his father (on a side note, I would have been disrespectful too. Cruel man!). Lord Fenton doesn’t even really do anything responsible. I didn’t like what I saw in him as an adult. He ends up playing a prank, of which he likes to do to goad his father that goes so far that his father decides to disinherit him, which would be devastating to his current lifestyle. Lord Fenton runs to his mother for help. She tells him that she loves him and that he has been acting out. She says she will talk to his father. The result is that if he takes some responsibility and gets married and soon, he will stay in inheritance mode!
Lord Fenton doesn’t want a wife. In fact, he can flirt but doesn’t want anything to do with a woman. His father had been unfaithful to his wife and Lord Fenton had once caught his father in his indiscretion. He is scared of the act of intimacy. He doesn’t want to be like his father. So when it comes time to choosing a wife. He let his mother decide. She chooses Alice.
Alice is kind and sweet. She has a loving family. He once made a deal with Alice in childhood. In exchange for not telling on him (for a prank), he would help her with anything. Alice wanted a garden of her own. She loved to garden. Lord Fenton arranged it and she has been in love with Lord Fenton ever since.
When Alice finds out that he only chose her because it is a marriage of convenience and no love on his part, she is embarrassed and sad. There will be no intimacy either, but maybe someday. Her embarrassment and pride causes her to lash out at him. They continue to send insults and hurting words to each other. Alice understands that maybe she shouldn’t be that way if she is to ever get him to want her.
I loved the characters. Well, I didn’t like Lord Fenton at the beginning. He was acting out as an adult and it bothered me. But as time went on, we learn more about his actions and I wanted him to love Alice and let her in. But then he grew on me and I fell in love with him. Lord Fenton’s father on the other hand? I hated him. He was cruel to his family. He never changed at all in the whole book. There was no love in his heart for anyone. Lord Fenton’s mom is a gem! She is a class act woman to put up with her husband and her son. She is charitable as well. We learn just how charitable she is as the time passes.
Alice is so good for Lord Fenton! She is devastated at the position she finds herself in, having a husband who does not love her back. She even tries to flirt and seduce him. But Lord Fenton’s father has put fear that if he loves a woman intimately, he will be unfaithful and end up like his father and he won’t have anything to do with that. There is one scene that my heart went out to Lord Fenton and to see the damage his own father did to him. That one part has bothered me so much! I had to stop reading for a minute to get my rage at his father in control. A parent can damage a child so easily and this father did a whammy on his son causing anxiety and pain that has lasted most of Lord Fenton’s life. And Alice is the one who can fix him, if he ever lets her in.
At the very end, the tenderness that passes there has me in tears. It was love that was so utterly sweet and amazing! I have read that part several times. This is my latest favorite book!
If you love a proper romance, marriage of convenience, gardening, dandy, historical fiction, clean reads, loving mothers, family secrets, forgiving others, overcoming things in your life, finding love, then this would be for you.
October 7, 2015
It’s a curious thing that I managed to finish this book considering that I found the main characters intolerably stupid. It started off so well, with the precocious young Alice demanding a garden from young Charles in return for not telling his father that he burned a meadow. Admittedly, my early opinion of Charles wasn’t too high, but I liked little Alice.
And then they both grew up, with Charles become a ridiculously childish waste of space whose only aim in life seems to be taking part in silly wagers in the hope of pissing off his father. As for Alice, well, despite all her constant assertions that she’s a practical girl who doesn’t read silly romances, because she’s not an idiot – well, turns out that she is an idiot. What else can she be after she somehow convinces herself that she’s marrying Charles for love when he proposed by letter? It wasn’t even addressed to her, he was asking her father for permission and she somehow decides it’s love! She must accept! It is a grand romance!
Even worse, it takes her several weeks of him not talking to her or looking at for her to even suspect that actually this might not be such a great love story after all. Then Charles tells her everything and they turn into a squabbling pair of brats who do their absolute best to drive each other nuts. Charles by being an irritating fop and Alice by scolding him whenever she gets the chance.
If the proposal hadn’t been by letter and Charles hadn’t been so obvious in avoiding her, I might have felt bad for Alice – because I really, really disliked Charles. There is nothing likeable or mildly redeeming about him. He's rude and silly and irritating and childish, all while believing himself to be so very clever. The fact that he bows to his father’s dictates after everything made it all worse. Why bother living his life such a way, if he's just going to turn all meek and mild when he threatens to disinherit him? Surely, since Charles’ behaviour is down to his father lying about his own honourable character the scandal of disinheriting his heir would have been perfect fodder for Charles. If he'd said go ahead and blast the scandal I might have even liked Charles a bit.
Instead I didn’t like him at all. On top of everything, the idea of a sixteen year old coming home from Eton and being shocked to find his father paying off a mistress was totally unbelievable to me. The idea that Charles was that naive quite frankly baffled me. I know that his mother doted on him, but boys talk and the aristocracy wasn’t exactly quiet about its scandalous behaviour, so I really don’t understand why it shocked Charles so much that he wasted the next ten years of his life being ridiculous to irritate his father.
As for Alice, I was ready to change my mind about her until she started throwing her weight around in the country house and decided Adam had to go when the poor man had done nothing to frighten her, he was just different to what she knew. As someone who frequently laments about how she doesn’t fit in anywhere and spends a lot of time out in the garden enjoying a simple life, I would have expected more compassion from her. Yes, she does sort of redeem herself towards the end, but she also insists on loving Charles when he does nothing but run away and get drunk, which just made me disappointed.
And that's how I felt about this book overall. The Regency setting is well enough told, if a little sparse on actual detail, while the idea of Adam watching a blue jay made me twitch (as great as it is to include wildlife, please ensure that it’s actually native to the country you're writing about), and I was sad about the lack of any real country in the country setting. Mostly this is a tale about a bunch of not particularly likeable characters going through the motions and dragging things out with an added twist of family drama to make Charles stomp about like an even more spoiled brat than usual.
In short this book didn't work for me, but I actually managed to finish it which is why it has two stars instead of one.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
And then they both grew up, with Charles become a ridiculously childish waste of space whose only aim in life seems to be taking part in silly wagers in the hope of pissing off his father. As for Alice, well, despite all her constant assertions that she’s a practical girl who doesn’t read silly romances, because she’s not an idiot – well, turns out that she is an idiot. What else can she be after she somehow convinces herself that she’s marrying Charles for love when he proposed by letter? It wasn’t even addressed to her, he was asking her father for permission and she somehow decides it’s love! She must accept! It is a grand romance!
Even worse, it takes her several weeks of him not talking to her or looking at for her to even suspect that actually this might not be such a great love story after all. Then Charles tells her everything and they turn into a squabbling pair of brats who do their absolute best to drive each other nuts. Charles by being an irritating fop and Alice by scolding him whenever she gets the chance.
If the proposal hadn’t been by letter and Charles hadn’t been so obvious in avoiding her, I might have felt bad for Alice – because I really, really disliked Charles. There is nothing likeable or mildly redeeming about him. He's rude and silly and irritating and childish, all while believing himself to be so very clever. The fact that he bows to his father’s dictates after everything made it all worse. Why bother living his life such a way, if he's just going to turn all meek and mild when he threatens to disinherit him? Surely, since Charles’ behaviour is down to his father lying about his own honourable character the scandal of disinheriting his heir would have been perfect fodder for Charles. If he'd said go ahead and blast the scandal I might have even liked Charles a bit.
Instead I didn’t like him at all. On top of everything, the idea of a sixteen year old coming home from Eton and being shocked to find his father paying off a mistress was totally unbelievable to me. The idea that Charles was that naive quite frankly baffled me. I know that his mother doted on him, but boys talk and the aristocracy wasn’t exactly quiet about its scandalous behaviour, so I really don’t understand why it shocked Charles so much that he wasted the next ten years of his life being ridiculous to irritate his father.
As for Alice, I was ready to change my mind about her until she started throwing her weight around in the country house and decided Adam had to go when the poor man had done nothing to frighten her, he was just different to what she knew. As someone who frequently laments about how she doesn’t fit in anywhere and spends a lot of time out in the garden enjoying a simple life, I would have expected more compassion from her. Yes, she does sort of redeem herself towards the end, but she also insists on loving Charles when he does nothing but run away and get drunk, which just made me disappointed.
And that's how I felt about this book overall. The Regency setting is well enough told, if a little sparse on actual detail, while the idea of Adam watching a blue jay made me twitch (as great as it is to include wildlife, please ensure that it’s actually native to the country you're writing about), and I was sad about the lack of any real country in the country setting. Mostly this is a tale about a bunch of not particularly likeable characters going through the motions and dragging things out with an added twist of family drama to make Charles stomp about like an even more spoiled brat than usual.
In short this book didn't work for me, but I actually managed to finish it which is why it has two stars instead of one.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
December 6, 2020
Me estreno con esta autora, había leído muy buenas opiniones de ella y por fin la "conozco". Es el segundo de la saga 'A proper romance' aunque se pueden leer por separado, porque el protagonista del primer libro (El secreto de Amber) sale una vez de refilón, en una conversación donde Charles (lord Fenton) le nombra.
Nuestros protagonistas son Charles y Alice. Y creo que la clave son precisamente ellos, el enganche que tienen. Por un lado, lord Fenton uno de los personajes más extravagantes que he conocido, un dandi con todas las letras, le encanta ir vestido lo más cantoso posible, destacar entre la multitud. Algo que no suele ver con buenos ojos la sociedad, sobre todo los más mayores.
Al comienzo es una persona sin sustancia, en el sentido de que no sabes cómo es verdaderamente, ya que no se muestra, vende humo y una fachada hecha durante años. Ni él mismo sabe quién es ni tiene ningún propósito en la vida. Solo destaca, va de fiesta en fiesta y mete en líos, sus amigos no son tan amigos como él cree y su consejero es el whisky.
Se le da bien camuflarse y hacerse querer: que si un guiño por aquí, una broma por allá, una sonrisa y su tono aflautado. El problema es que en la intimidad se acaba desmoronando. Cierto es que su infancia le marcó mucho sobre todo la relación con su progenitor.
Por otro, tenemos a Alice. Al principio parecía la típica muchacha inocente, callada y sumisa, tan comunes este tipo de novelas, pero... en cuanto se le cae la venda de los ojos, bastante rápido por cierto, hay una evolución bestial y sale su verdadero yo. Es una mujer de armas tomar que tiene muy claro lo que quiere y que será un pilar fundamental para Charles.
Me hizo mucha gracia el rifirrafe entre ellos, sobre todo cuando Alice se metía con el vestuario tan excéntrico de él.
Sí que me pareció que el tira y afloja dura demasiado porque al poco la novela termina. Y es en plan ¿pero ya lo he acabado? eché en falta más interacción entre ellos estando bien, sin tantas pullas y desencuentros de por medio.
En cuanto al estilo de la autora, no sé explicarlo bien es sencillo dentro del rigor histórico, aunque para la novela clásica-blanca suelo estar acostumbrada a algo más detallado. En este libro se centra más en las relaciones de los protagonistas que en el contexto social por así decirlo. No aporta un plus de conocimiento que es algo que me fascina de autoras contemporáneas como Julie Klassen o Elizabeth Camden. Se acerca a Julianne Donaldson en el sentido de que básicamente se centra en la relación romántica, pero sí que es cierto que el lenguaje de Julianne y sus descripciones en el plano sentimental son más elaboradas y cuidadas, más rimbombantes. Así que, siguiendo con las comparativas, podría decirse que el estilo es similar a Julia London (autora que adoro) pero sin ir más allá del casto beso.
Ha sido un buen comienzo para conocer a Josi S. Kilpack, sin duda leeré pronto El secreto de Amber, para llegar al sobresaliente necesitaba unos capítulos más de interacción entre los protagonistas. Es una pena porque la autora consigue meterte de lleno en la historia y piel de los personajes. Así que lo dejaremos en notable alto.
Nuestros protagonistas son Charles y Alice. Y creo que la clave son precisamente ellos, el enganche que tienen. Por un lado, lord Fenton uno de los personajes más extravagantes que he conocido, un dandi con todas las letras, le encanta ir vestido lo más cantoso posible, destacar entre la multitud. Algo que no suele ver con buenos ojos la sociedad, sobre todo los más mayores.
Al comienzo es una persona sin sustancia, en el sentido de que no sabes cómo es verdaderamente, ya que no se muestra, vende humo y una fachada hecha durante años. Ni él mismo sabe quién es ni tiene ningún propósito en la vida. Solo destaca, va de fiesta en fiesta y mete en líos, sus amigos no son tan amigos como él cree y su consejero es el whisky.
Se le da bien camuflarse y hacerse querer: que si un guiño por aquí, una broma por allá, una sonrisa y su tono aflautado. El problema es que en la intimidad se acaba desmoronando. Cierto es que su infancia le marcó mucho sobre todo la relación con su progenitor.
Por otro, tenemos a Alice. Al principio parecía la típica muchacha inocente, callada y sumisa, tan comunes este tipo de novelas, pero... en cuanto se le cae la venda de los ojos, bastante rápido por cierto, hay una evolución bestial y sale su verdadero yo. Es una mujer de armas tomar que tiene muy claro lo que quiere y que será un pilar fundamental para Charles.
Me hizo mucha gracia el rifirrafe entre ellos, sobre todo cuando Alice se metía con el vestuario tan excéntrico de él.
Sí que me pareció que el tira y afloja dura demasiado porque al poco la novela termina. Y es en plan ¿pero ya lo he acabado? eché en falta más interacción entre ellos estando bien, sin tantas pullas y desencuentros de por medio.
En cuanto al estilo de la autora, no sé explicarlo bien es sencillo dentro del rigor histórico, aunque para la novela clásica-blanca suelo estar acostumbrada a algo más detallado. En este libro se centra más en las relaciones de los protagonistas que en el contexto social por así decirlo. No aporta un plus de conocimiento que es algo que me fascina de autoras contemporáneas como Julie Klassen o Elizabeth Camden. Se acerca a Julianne Donaldson en el sentido de que básicamente se centra en la relación romántica, pero sí que es cierto que el lenguaje de Julianne y sus descripciones en el plano sentimental son más elaboradas y cuidadas, más rimbombantes. Así que, siguiendo con las comparativas, podría decirse que el estilo es similar a Julia London (autora que adoro) pero sin ir más allá del casto beso.
Ha sido un buen comienzo para conocer a Josi S. Kilpack, sin duda leeré pronto El secreto de Amber, para llegar al sobresaliente necesitaba unos capítulos más de interacción entre los protagonistas. Es una pena porque la autora consigue meterte de lleno en la historia y piel de los personajes. Así que lo dejaremos en notable alto.
December 29, 2017
4.5 GLORIOUS STARS
Firstly, before I get into my review. Can we just take a moment to discuss this God-awful cover? It does not even MATCH the other 2! AND YOU ARE SHOWING THEIR FACES?!
Let's not.
Now.
As for the ACUTAL book. Lord Fenton's Folly goes back and forth between the perspective of Lord Fenton and Alice Stanbridge.
Fenton is a gambler, drunk, dandy, and a macaroni man. (I just learned what this macaroni term means and I love it. A Macaroni man is an English dandy of the 18th century who affected Continental mannerisms, clothes, etc.)
Alice is a young woman who is practical in every way, except that she has loved Fenton from afar since their youth. She is the middle child and often overlooked, even though she has a loving family. So when the most eligible bachelor of all of London proposes , she accepts immediately.
Of course it's not all sunshine and roses because our Alice is a tough lady. She doesn't accept being treated badly or inconsequentially. When she finally confronts Fenton and finds out that he only proposed because she was "," she was obviously and rightly infuriated.
Lord Fenton's Folly is all about a marriage of convenience, filled to the brim with witty raillery, not always in good humor. While Alice and Charles are tied to each other, they really begin to lean on one another while each maintaining their sense of independence. I literally have only one grievance for this entire beautiful book. OK, two if you count the cover.
READER BEWARE! I am marking my distress as a spoiler.
Firstly, before I get into my review. Can we just take a moment to discuss this God-awful cover? It does not even MATCH the other 2! AND YOU ARE SHOWING THEIR FACES?!
Let's not.
Now.
As for the ACUTAL book. Lord Fenton's Folly goes back and forth between the perspective of Lord Fenton and Alice Stanbridge.
Fenton is a gambler, drunk, dandy, and a macaroni man. (
Alice is a young woman who is practical in every way, except that she has loved Fenton from afar since their youth. She is the middle child and often overlooked, even though she has a loving family. So when the most eligible bachelor of all of London proposes , she accepts immediately.
Of course it's not all sunshine and roses because our Alice is a tough lady. She doesn't accept being treated badly or inconsequentially. When she finally confronts Fenton and finds out that he only proposed because she was "," she was obviously and rightly infuriated.
Lord Fenton's Folly is all about a marriage of convenience, filled to the brim with witty raillery, not always in good humor. While Alice and Charles are tied to each other, they really begin to lean on one another while each maintaining their sense of independence. I literally have only one grievance for this entire beautiful book. OK, two if you count the cover.
READER BEWARE! I am marking my distress as a spoiler.
October 6, 2015
This book really brought together so many of the things I love about reading.
I love regency romances done well, and this one is done well. The setting, the attitudes of the time, the clothing- everything was done so well and tastefully.
The characters were so clear and had a depth that made them human and real to me. I loved the progression of the book- the characters learn and show growth- especially Lord Fenton. Even though I was frustrated with Lord Fenton, I couldn't help but love him and want the best for him. The road to change and love isn't usually easy or pretty. Lord Fenton had a lot of not so pretty moments. But then, so did Alice. Hurt can bring out the worst in people. Love can bring out the best. I was glad we got to see both ends of that spectrum. It was so satisfying.
I read through this one so quickly and was sad to see it come to an end. I love this new genre for Josi Kilpack. It feels really good. :)
I love regency romances done well, and this one is done well. The setting, the attitudes of the time, the clothing- everything was done so well and tastefully.
The characters were so clear and had a depth that made them human and real to me. I loved the progression of the book- the characters learn and show growth- especially Lord Fenton. Even though I was frustrated with Lord Fenton, I couldn't help but love him and want the best for him. The road to change and love isn't usually easy or pretty. Lord Fenton had a lot of not so pretty moments. But then, so did Alice. Hurt can bring out the worst in people. Love can bring out the best. I was glad we got to see both ends of that spectrum. It was so satisfying.
I read through this one so quickly and was sad to see it come to an end. I love this new genre for Josi Kilpack. It feels really good. :)
January 6, 2016
Totally loved this one. Josi's regency romances have a way of sucking me in instantly and never letting me go. This was a forget-the-dishes-and-the-laundry-and-READ type of book for me! I did not fully understand some of Lord Fenton's behaviors regardless of his fears and motives, but every person is different in real life just as in fiction and each reacts differently to various situations--he still became the hero I was rooting him on to be! Characters felt real. Setting, time and place came to life for me. And what a sweet romance!
October 26, 2015
I really, really wanted to love this, but sadly it fell short. That said, I still enjoyed it. I wish that it would have had more intrigue/conflict... Something. It felt like it was building to something then just leveled out. I wanted to like the hero more and see him become less selfish and immature in a grander way. It seems a shame that he did so well creating this false persona and never got to use it to truly bennifit anyone. Just a bit disappointed.
November 30, 2020
Ha sido una grata sorpresa. Una historia muy realista, donde no predomina el romanticismo sino los secretos familiares.
Hay varios misterios a descubrir que te mantienen enganchada toda la lectura. Perfecta para desconectar.
Hay varios misterios a descubrir que te mantienen enganchada toda la lectura. Perfecta para desconectar.
May 21, 2020
El primer libro que leí de esta autora me encanto. Fue una lectura muy linda y reflexiva y romántica. Así que estaba deseando leer más de esta autora. Tristemente este libro no me gusto.
No encontré el unto hacia donde quería llevar la historia la autora y los personajes no despegan nunca, no tienen desarrollo. Se la pasan más del 75% discutiendo, pensando cosas del otro y sin llegar a conocerse. Luego cuando la autora empieza a mostrar cosas previsibles y acercamiento entre los protas fue poco creíble. Porque de donde sale el sentimiento de amor si no se han tomado el tiempo de hablar y conocerse?
Acabe la lectura sintiendo que los protas eran desconocidos porque no tuvieron desarrollo o mostraron como eran sus caracteres, gustos, personalidad etc. A Alice le gustaba cultivar flores, plantas pero esa faceta se vio muy poco o toco y además no mostró que más era aparte de eso. Por momentos sentí que solo estaba para hacerle la vida fácil a Fenton. Este personaje tampoco mostró que podía ser algo más que un dandi sin responsabilidades y vividor. Se la pasaba muy pegado a su mamá esperando que resolviera las cosas sin resolverlas él por su propio pie que sentí que era un hijo de mamá. Incluso cuando se casa con Alice queda ella haciendo lo que hacia su suegra.
De verdad no le entendí al punto a esta historia o qué quería mostrar la autora con estos personajes.
No encontré el unto hacia donde quería llevar la historia la autora y los personajes no despegan nunca, no tienen desarrollo. Se la pasan más del 75% discutiendo, pensando cosas del otro y sin llegar a conocerse. Luego cuando la autora empieza a mostrar cosas previsibles y acercamiento entre los protas fue poco creíble. Porque de donde sale el sentimiento de amor si no se han tomado el tiempo de hablar y conocerse?
Acabe la lectura sintiendo que los protas eran desconocidos porque no tuvieron desarrollo o mostraron como eran sus caracteres, gustos, personalidad etc. A Alice le gustaba cultivar flores, plantas pero esa faceta se vio muy poco o toco y además no mostró que más era aparte de eso. Por momentos sentí que solo estaba para hacerle la vida fácil a Fenton. Este personaje tampoco mostró que podía ser algo más que un dandi sin responsabilidades y vividor. Se la pasaba muy pegado a su mamá esperando que resolviera las cosas sin resolverlas él por su propio pie que sentí que era un hijo de mamá. Incluso cuando se casa con Alice queda ella haciendo lo que hacia su suegra.
De verdad no le entendí al punto a esta historia o qué quería mostrar la autora con estos personajes.
August 20, 2018
Ok I know I will be shunned by some haha but I just didn't find this book as compelling as I wanted to. It was great witty banter and I loved Alice and Lady Chariton. I liked being able to see Lord Fenton grow into a responsible man but why, why, why leave the kiss to the last page. It was like a Hallmark movie and I was sooo irritated by it. Not cool Kilpack not cool!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2021
Al final ha conseguido engancharme algo más, pues la pareja protagonista era demasiado dispar.
July 12, 2021
ummmmm... was that supposed to be romance??? I'm not even gonna put it on the romance shelf. it was more like: whiny, bratty, spoiled rotten girl falls in love with cocky, obnoxious "man" who dresses like he's in the circus. literally.
"'every time you leave your rooms you are a spectacle,' his mother said, nodding toward the turquoise coat and bright yellow waistcoat with embroidered hummingbirds he had worn today."
AND THEN HE GOES ON TO DESCRIBE HOW AMAZING HIS FASHION SENSE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"the claret-colored suit with the green and red striped waistcoat seemed appropriate for today's meeting....."
those are just the examples I could find. somewhere in this horrid book, he describes his green and pink trousers. GREEN AND PINK PANTS CAN YOU IMAGINE????????? I mean they prolly wouldn't be so astounding now-a-days but like in the 18th century you better bet they were scandalous. don't even get me started on his woe-is-me attitude. he's all WAHHHHH I HAVE TO MARRY WAHHHHH. on top of that, there is absolutely NO chemistry between alice and lord fenton. none. at all. its disgusting. alice is all like "ahhhhhh! he's totally in love with me! we talked once and it was the most awkward conversation in the history of ever but now he just wrote my father a marriage proposal in a letter and now I'm gonna marry him and were gonna have adorable babies and live happily ever after!!!!!!!! yay!" and then there's the fact that like his mom was like bruh she's pretty you should go marry her so you can have money 🤑🤑🤑. ewwwwwwwww. don't even get me started on the fact that she lets him walk all over her and is totally ok with it. Mr idiot has a drinking problem, so she locks away all his alcohol and is like bro you can't drink this without my permission hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha AS SHE SHOULD and then he's like no you can't do that I'm gonna yell at you and treat you like your a bug on the bottom of my shoe and walk all over you and just expect you to be ok with it. AND THEN SHE GIVES HIM BACK ALL HIS WINE LIKE BRUH HES AN ALCOHOLIC OF COURSE HES GONNA BE MAD IF YOU TAKE AWAY HIS BRANDY BUT YOU CANT JUST LET HIM WALK ALL OVER YOU AND TREAT YOU LIKE CRAP AND THEN GIVE IN!!!!!!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMON SENSE AT ALL????????? WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING???????
ok. as you can probably tell, this book is not my friend and I would not recommend it. I was glad when his mom died. if it wasn't a library book it would be ash by now. have a good day.
"'every time you leave your rooms you are a spectacle,' his mother said, nodding toward the turquoise coat and bright yellow waistcoat with embroidered hummingbirds he had worn today."
AND THEN HE GOES ON TO DESCRIBE HOW AMAZING HIS FASHION SENSE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"the claret-colored suit with the green and red striped waistcoat seemed appropriate for today's meeting....."
those are just the examples I could find. somewhere in this horrid book, he describes his green and pink trousers. GREEN AND PINK PANTS CAN YOU IMAGINE????????? I mean they prolly wouldn't be so astounding now-a-days but like in the 18th century you better bet they were scandalous. don't even get me started on his woe-is-me attitude. he's all WAHHHHH I HAVE TO MARRY WAHHHHH. on top of that, there is absolutely NO chemistry between alice and lord fenton. none. at all. its disgusting. alice is all like "ahhhhhh! he's totally in love with me! we talked once and it was the most awkward conversation in the history of ever but now he just wrote my father a marriage proposal in a letter and now I'm gonna marry him and were gonna have adorable babies and live happily ever after!!!!!!!! yay!" and then there's the fact that like his mom was like bruh she's pretty you should go marry her so you can have money 🤑🤑🤑. ewwwwwwwww. don't even get me started on the fact that she lets him walk all over her and is totally ok with it. Mr idiot has a drinking problem, so she locks away all his alcohol and is like bro you can't drink this without my permission hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha AS SHE SHOULD and then he's like no you can't do that I'm gonna yell at you and treat you like your a bug on the bottom of my shoe and walk all over you and just expect you to be ok with it. AND THEN SHE GIVES HIM BACK ALL HIS WINE LIKE BRUH HES AN ALCOHOLIC OF COURSE HES GONNA BE MAD IF YOU TAKE AWAY HIS BRANDY BUT YOU CANT JUST LET HIM WALK ALL OVER YOU AND TREAT YOU LIKE CRAP AND THEN GIVE IN!!!!!!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMON SENSE AT ALL????????? WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING???????
ok. as you can probably tell, this book is not my friend and I would not recommend it. I was glad when his mom died. if it wasn't a library book it would be ash by now. have a good day.
October 27, 2015
Lord Fenton lives a carefree life and has a father who foots the bill. His father gets tired of Lord Fenton's ways and gives him an ultimatum. One of the conditions he needs to meet so he won't lose everything is to get married. His mother likes Alice and they met briefly in the past so he proposes. She starts to wonder at his behavior towards her and when she learns the truth, she shows him that she's not going to cower in his presence, which, of course, makes for some great drama and dialogue! As the story unfolds, family secrets are revealed which create huge changes in their relationship.
This is one of those books that was hard to put down once I started reading it! Lord Fenton is not very likable at first but he's charming enough that I wanted to give him a chance. Alice, on the other hand, is very likable from the beginning. I liked that she also showed how tough she was and that she wasn't going to let him walk all over her. Both characters grew throughout the story and so did their relationship.
This is the second book Ms. Kilpack has written in this genre and I have loved them both! They are different from the regency "norm" and I have enjoyed her unique take on characters and situations from that time period. I know there will be a happy ending but the road isn't easy so I have no idea how it will unfold. I'm hoping that she will stick with this genre for many years to come!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
This is one of those books that was hard to put down once I started reading it! Lord Fenton is not very likable at first but he's charming enough that I wanted to give him a chance. Alice, on the other hand, is very likable from the beginning. I liked that she also showed how tough she was and that she wasn't going to let him walk all over her. Both characters grew throughout the story and so did their relationship.
This is the second book Ms. Kilpack has written in this genre and I have loved them both! They are different from the regency "norm" and I have enjoyed her unique take on characters and situations from that time period. I know there will be a happy ending but the road isn't easy so I have no idea how it will unfold. I'm hoping that she will stick with this genre for many years to come!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
March 3, 2016
Have you ever read a book because you liked the story line and the whole feeling of the book you even liked the supporting characters, but not the main characters. I liked the heroine a little and really tried to like the hero and man was I hoping that they would change over the course of the book and thankfully they do. Don't get me wrong I liked this book but the main characters drove me a little mad. I just don't do the dandy guy thing and the nasty snapping between the two:{ So I don't understand how I could like it so much but I did, weird! Maybe there is some subliminal message in the pages:} SO I would recommend it, but its weird:}
Read
April 23, 2019Ok, went to the library and didn’t have a lot of time to look for anything, but I remembered liking ‘a heart revealed ok’ soo grabbed 4 available kilpack books.
The 3 I read so far I wasn’t really impressed with. I’m pretty sure I will remember nothing about them in about a week. They weren’t bad, just not that good. They were clean as far as language and sex and stuff.
It’s not that they were vanilla...I like vanilla—subtlety, understatement. It was more like they were, I don’t know, generic store-bought pie crust? Maybe I was just not in the right mood. Sometimes we need the convenience of a store-bought pie crust.
The 3 I read so far I wasn’t really impressed with. I’m pretty sure I will remember nothing about them in about a week. They weren’t bad, just not that good. They were clean as far as language and sex and stuff.
It’s not that they were vanilla...I like vanilla—subtlety, understatement. It was more like they were, I don’t know, generic store-bought pie crust? Maybe I was just not in the right mood. Sometimes we need the convenience of a store-bought pie crust.
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