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The Hapgoods of Bramleigh #3
School for Love
Hugh Hapgood, cousin to Squire Richard Hapgood of Bramleigh, finds himself alone after the death of his first wife and scrambling to care for his three motherless children. He must see to their care and education, and yet he feels he hardly knows them. Those around him believe he should choose a second wife to assist him with the burdens of life, and, it seems, nearly everyone has just the person in mind for him! But will the fates allow Hugh to have the woman his own heart chooses?
409 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2020
328 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Christina Dudley
28 books275 followersChristina Hwang Dudley is the author of clean historical and contemporary romance.
Her historical romances include the Hapgoods of Bramleigh and Ellsworth Assortment series of Regency romances, including THE NATURALIST and TEMPTED BY FOLLY.
In contemporary romance, her forthcoming PRIDE AND PRESTON LIN (Third State Books, 2024) riffs on Austen, but this time the story is set in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Asian American protagonists who hail from different ends of the economic spectrum.
Her historical romances include the Hapgoods of Bramleigh and Ellsworth Assortment series of Regency romances, including THE NATURALIST and TEMPTED BY FOLLY.
In contemporary romance, her forthcoming PRIDE AND PRESTON LIN (Third State Books, 2024) riffs on Austen, but this time the story is set in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Asian American protagonists who hail from different ends of the economic spectrum.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 3, 2023
The third in the Hapgoods of Bramleigh Series by Christina Dudley, this tells the story of Hugh Hapgood, cousin and heir to the Squire. With Elfrida having rejected his offer of marriage in the last book, Hugh turns his attention towards caring for and building proper relationships with his three children. However, when he meets Rosemary De Witt, he finds himself feeling lighter than he has in years, and to his utmost surprise his thoughts are soon consumed with her. Alas, but the road to a happy ending is far from simple though!
Another charming entry in the Hapgood series, this story had a slightly different feel to the previous two, perhaps because the hero and heroine are slightly older and maturer. Whilst the Squire and some of his daughters do still feature in the book, attention is firmly placed upon Hugh's branch of the family this time, together with many familiar faces from the last two books and a few new ones.
The children, especially Lionel and Hetty, were delightfully meddlesome in their matchmaking endeavours, and lent the story much humour. Rosemary was an easy to like heroine, practical and sensible. At her age, and never having been a great beauty, she has long resigned herself to spinsterhood, and as she begins to develop feelings for Hugh it was very easy to root for her.
It was pleasant to watch Hugh, who rather formal and stiff in the last book, appear more at ease and develop a closer relationship with his children, and we are afforded more of an understanding as to the reasons for his seriousness and distance from his children, relating to his prior marriage.
I wasn't that keen on the sub-plot related to the Parvills, as I thought it was pretty obvious something was not right with the pair, however, I suppose some sort of obstacle was required for the purposes of the story.
Overall, not my favourite of the series, (that would still be The Naturalist), however, another solid entry certainly. Christina Dudley continues to tell her stories with charm and I like the old-fashioned, gentle feel that this clean-cut historical Regency series continues to have.
Another charming entry in the Hapgood series, this story had a slightly different feel to the previous two, perhaps because the hero and heroine are slightly older and maturer. Whilst the Squire and some of his daughters do still feature in the book, attention is firmly placed upon Hugh's branch of the family this time, together with many familiar faces from the last two books and a few new ones.
The children, especially Lionel and Hetty, were delightfully meddlesome in their matchmaking endeavours, and lent the story much humour. Rosemary was an easy to like heroine, practical and sensible. At her age, and never having been a great beauty, she has long resigned herself to spinsterhood, and as she begins to develop feelings for Hugh it was very easy to root for her.
It was pleasant to watch Hugh, who rather formal and stiff in the last book, appear more at ease and develop a closer relationship with his children, and we are afforded more of an understanding as to the reasons for his seriousness and distance from his children, relating to his prior marriage.
I wasn't that keen on the sub-plot related to the Parvills, as I thought it was pretty obvious something was not right with the pair, however, I suppose some sort of obstacle was required for the purposes of the story.
Overall, not my favourite of the series, (that would still be The Naturalist), however, another solid entry certainly. Christina Dudley continues to tell her stories with charm and I like the old-fashioned, gentle feel that this clean-cut historical Regency series continues to have.
March 15, 2021
What a charming Regency novel this is! Though I haven't read the other books in this series, I was able to dive right into this romantic comedy. I've read others call it Heyer-esque, and perhaps that's a good description, for just as in the one Heyer novel I read, the characters in Dudely's novel learn that love is never a solitary pursuit; it always involves the community around the couple in question -- and that can lead to some delightful social satire. In the case of this book, the wit is perhaps aimed as much at romance tropes as it is aimed at Regency society and human nature.
Hugh Hapgood is a gentleman who, for all the wealth and power that comes with being a gentleman in Regency England, has very little control over his own circumstances. He's a widower to a woman who was ill-suited to him (as in, what if Edward Ferrars had ended up marrying Lucy Steele?). He's father to three children he hardly knows (as in, Captain von Trapp without any singing, and only three children instead of seven). He's a man who has a mischievous, passionate side he can't show others without causing dishonor or disrespect to others (an example of the patriarchy eating its own, I suppose).
Rosemary Dewitt is a woman who finds herself single and "on the wrong side of thirty" (Dudley, Chapter One). She's long been quite content with her life, for she has a small fortune of her own and a family who loves her (as in, Emma, but a little older and less conventionally pretty). Something about Hugh Hapgood strikes a chord in her. (Could it be his dark good looks and the surprises lurking under his serious mien?) Soon she--and he--find themselves drawn to each other, even if circumstances keep pulling them apart.
I was particularly impressed with Dudley's use of Hugh Hapgood's children as characters. Often children are mere vehicles of cuteness, or perhaps they are meant to show the single father's strengths as a man. In this case, Hugh's two oldest children regularly show us their father's flaws, even while making him a character I came to love. The children's actions also serve to poke fun at romance tropes (as in, the compromised woman scenario).
While I would have loved to have had more time just between the two main characters, I ultimately loved the comedy and community of this novel too much to feel cheated by the lack of romantic screen time for the main leads. Dudley's writing is crisp and engaging, and I highly recommend this novel to readers of Regency romances who want a great laugh and a delightful love story.
Hugh Hapgood is a gentleman who, for all the wealth and power that comes with being a gentleman in Regency England, has very little control over his own circumstances. He's a widower to a woman who was ill-suited to him (as in, what if Edward Ferrars had ended up marrying Lucy Steele?). He's father to three children he hardly knows (as in, Captain von Trapp without any singing, and only three children instead of seven). He's a man who has a mischievous, passionate side he can't show others without causing dishonor or disrespect to others (an example of the patriarchy eating its own, I suppose).
Rosemary Dewitt is a woman who finds herself single and "on the wrong side of thirty" (Dudley, Chapter One). She's long been quite content with her life, for she has a small fortune of her own and a family who loves her (as in, Emma, but a little older and less conventionally pretty). Something about Hugh Hapgood strikes a chord in her. (Could it be his dark good looks and the surprises lurking under his serious mien?) Soon she--and he--find themselves drawn to each other, even if circumstances keep pulling them apart.
I was particularly impressed with Dudley's use of Hugh Hapgood's children as characters. Often children are mere vehicles of cuteness, or perhaps they are meant to show the single father's strengths as a man. In this case, Hugh's two oldest children regularly show us their father's flaws, even while making him a character I came to love. The children's actions also serve to poke fun at romance tropes (as in, the compromised woman scenario).
While I would have loved to have had more time just between the two main characters, I ultimately loved the comedy and community of this novel too much to feel cheated by the lack of romantic screen time for the main leads. Dudley's writing is crisp and engaging, and I highly recommend this novel to readers of Regency romances who want a great laugh and a delightful love story.
May 30, 2022
Sometimes I wish Goodreads had more than five stars in its arsenal for books like this. I give a book five stars if it totally entertains me, even if it may have flaws, but there are books that rise above that level and this is definitely one of them.
Here’s the premise: the series is based around the Hapgood family of Bramleigh, the happy-go-lucky dog-mad squire, his permanently invalidish wife, and his four daughters. With one daughter safely (if eccentrically) married off in book 1 of the series, in book 2, the squire’s cousin, Hugh Hapgood, newly widowed and with three children to raise, arrived with the dutiful but sensible plan of marrying the oldest and rather beautiful daughter. She resolved that issue in spectacular style by eloping with a rakish but very charming young man, and with the two youngest daughters too young to marry, Hugh must think again. Without a wife, what is he to do with the children? He finds a place with a local clergyman for his son, Lionel, but the two girls, Hetty and Rosie, are sent away to school.
That lasts no more than a few weeks before scarlet fever and the girls’ homesickness force a rethink. They’ll do anything to avoid being sent back to school, Lionel’s very happy where he is, thank you very much, and Hugh isn’t keen to go back to his former home and the interference of his sister-in-law. The answer is to find himself another candidate for a wife, but there are different opinions on how to manage that, and the children are just as involved as anyone else.
There is one obvious candidate - thirty-one year old Rosemary deWitt, daughter of a man formerly in business but now knighted and living the life of a respected country gentleman. Rosemary isn’t a great beauty but she has a respectable portion and she’s had one or two offers. Not enticing enough to accept, however, and she doesn’t want to marry a man who’s only interested in her fortune. She contents herself with parish work and teaching a few local girls at a time the rudiments of reading and writing. It’s frustrating, though, when they learn a little and then drift away.
But children aren’t deterred by lack of beauty or interested in fortune, so Hugh Hapgood’s children take an immediate shine to her and decide that she’ll do very well as a new mama. And so they begin their plotting…
The children’s machinations are a big part of the plot, so if you don’t enjoy the scheming children trope, this is probably not the book for you. I suppose they’re a little mature for their years, but it wasn’t a problem for me and their devious little schemes were very funny (especially Lionel’s attempt to engineer a compromising situation so that his father would be obliged to marry Rosemary deWitt). But really, their schemes are hardly necessary, when the two principals are well on the way to matrimony already, without any help from anybody. Rosemary discovers the funny and charming man that thirteen years of unhappy marriage had all but suffocated, and Hugh has long since learnt to value qualities beyond appearance. They both discover that being in your thirties is no protection against the inner turmoil of falling in love.
And then disaster happens, which had me (literally) in tears. Even though I knew that of course these two were going to get their happy ending and I even suspected how it would happen, still the grief of the two lovers tore me apart. I punched the air with glee when Hugh had his mad moment and decided that… well, you’ll see. I won’t spoil the ending.
Here’s what I loved about this book: firstly, the characters. Not just the two leads, although Hugh, so serious and stern-faced initially and so passionate at the end, was especially delightful. Rosemary, the dutiful spinster who seems so past the age of matrimony but still has a wilful heart, was also easy to love. Then there were the children: Hugh’s three, Lionel, Hetty and Rosie, and also the Bramleigh girls, Margaret and Edith, who were all delightful.
But really, it’s all of them. This is an ensemble cast, set deep in the English countryside, far away from the usual Regency haunts of London, Hyde Park, Almack’s and so on. This is a setting and a group of people who might have existed any time from the middle ages onwards. The gentry, like the Hapgoods, the deWitts, the Porterworths and the Birdlows. The clergy, like Mr and Miss Benfield. And the shadowy, but still vibrant, characters of the servants. Every one of them feels alive and active and very, very real.
There are no actual villains in this all-too-believable world, but equally there are no saints either, just ordinary people doing what they can to get by and acting in whatever manner seems fit to them, pursuing their own ends without treading too much on other people’s toes. And sometimes that works and sometimes it just makes things worse, and they have to do whatever they can to fix things, or put up with the consequences. One review compared this with Middlemarch, both in the range of characters and the way that they are all likeable in their different ways, even when they’re self-absorbed or unobservant, and I can see that.
And, just as in real life, the characters ping off each other and cause actual changes. For instance, when Lionel first comes to the Benfields for tuition, he tells Rosemary that he doesn’t need to study or go to university because he’s going to be a country gentleman like the squire and spend his days doing sporty, outdoorsy things. But when he tells Rosemary that he plans to marry his cousin Edith, she asks him if he really thinks she would want to marry an uneducated man. And so gradually he changes his opinion. Such a small detail, but so true to life.
I’ve waxed lyrical about this book for a multitude of paragraphs, but was there anything I disliked about it? There was, but I have to say that it was not enough to knock a star off my rating. It was a repeated irritation, but everything else was so exceptional that I can let it go. I’m talking about the Americanisms[*]. I know there are a number of authors who deliberately choose to write with American style and spellings, and that’s fine. That’s a creative choice, and I would never quibble over an author’s right to do that. Besides, there are plenty of Regencies where there’s so much suspension of disbelief required that a few gottens and a chipmunk or two is neither here nor there. But when an author has created such a beautifully crafted Regency, where every element is utterly convincing, the use of gotten drops me instantly out of my immersion in the story. The two that tripped me up most were ‘write someone’ instead of ‘write to someone’, and the jarring overuse of ‘shall’. A phrase like ‘Lionel shall miss his sisters’ just sounds wrong to me, although I couldn’t even explain why. And these little tripwires, and a few others, are dotted throughout the book. [*] The author tells me these have been fixed.
But that is, for me, the only conceivable grumble about the book, and it’s a very minor one. Don’t let it put you off, because otherwise this book is as near to perfect as it’s possible to be. It could just about be read as a standalone, but why would you want to? Start with The Naturalist and then read the whole series. I’m going straight on to Margaret’s story, and then Edith’s. The chores can wait. Five hundred stars.
Here’s the premise: the series is based around the Hapgood family of Bramleigh, the happy-go-lucky dog-mad squire, his permanently invalidish wife, and his four daughters. With one daughter safely (if eccentrically) married off in book 1 of the series, in book 2, the squire’s cousin, Hugh Hapgood, newly widowed and with three children to raise, arrived with the dutiful but sensible plan of marrying the oldest and rather beautiful daughter. She resolved that issue in spectacular style by eloping with a rakish but very charming young man, and with the two youngest daughters too young to marry, Hugh must think again. Without a wife, what is he to do with the children? He finds a place with a local clergyman for his son, Lionel, but the two girls, Hetty and Rosie, are sent away to school.
That lasts no more than a few weeks before scarlet fever and the girls’ homesickness force a rethink. They’ll do anything to avoid being sent back to school, Lionel’s very happy where he is, thank you very much, and Hugh isn’t keen to go back to his former home and the interference of his sister-in-law. The answer is to find himself another candidate for a wife, but there are different opinions on how to manage that, and the children are just as involved as anyone else.
There is one obvious candidate - thirty-one year old Rosemary deWitt, daughter of a man formerly in business but now knighted and living the life of a respected country gentleman. Rosemary isn’t a great beauty but she has a respectable portion and she’s had one or two offers. Not enticing enough to accept, however, and she doesn’t want to marry a man who’s only interested in her fortune. She contents herself with parish work and teaching a few local girls at a time the rudiments of reading and writing. It’s frustrating, though, when they learn a little and then drift away.
But children aren’t deterred by lack of beauty or interested in fortune, so Hugh Hapgood’s children take an immediate shine to her and decide that she’ll do very well as a new mama. And so they begin their plotting…
The children’s machinations are a big part of the plot, so if you don’t enjoy the scheming children trope, this is probably not the book for you. I suppose they’re a little mature for their years, but it wasn’t a problem for me and their devious little schemes were very funny (especially Lionel’s attempt to engineer a compromising situation so that his father would be obliged to marry Rosemary deWitt). But really, their schemes are hardly necessary, when the two principals are well on the way to matrimony already, without any help from anybody. Rosemary discovers the funny and charming man that thirteen years of unhappy marriage had all but suffocated, and Hugh has long since learnt to value qualities beyond appearance. They both discover that being in your thirties is no protection against the inner turmoil of falling in love.
And then disaster happens, which had me (literally) in tears. Even though I knew that of course these two were going to get their happy ending and I even suspected how it would happen, still the grief of the two lovers tore me apart. I punched the air with glee when Hugh had his mad moment and decided that… well, you’ll see. I won’t spoil the ending.
Here’s what I loved about this book: firstly, the characters. Not just the two leads, although Hugh, so serious and stern-faced initially and so passionate at the end, was especially delightful. Rosemary, the dutiful spinster who seems so past the age of matrimony but still has a wilful heart, was also easy to love. Then there were the children: Hugh’s three, Lionel, Hetty and Rosie, and also the Bramleigh girls, Margaret and Edith, who were all delightful.
But really, it’s all of them. This is an ensemble cast, set deep in the English countryside, far away from the usual Regency haunts of London, Hyde Park, Almack’s and so on. This is a setting and a group of people who might have existed any time from the middle ages onwards. The gentry, like the Hapgoods, the deWitts, the Porterworths and the Birdlows. The clergy, like Mr and Miss Benfield. And the shadowy, but still vibrant, characters of the servants. Every one of them feels alive and active and very, very real.
There are no actual villains in this all-too-believable world, but equally there are no saints either, just ordinary people doing what they can to get by and acting in whatever manner seems fit to them, pursuing their own ends without treading too much on other people’s toes. And sometimes that works and sometimes it just makes things worse, and they have to do whatever they can to fix things, or put up with the consequences. One review compared this with Middlemarch, both in the range of characters and the way that they are all likeable in their different ways, even when they’re self-absorbed or unobservant, and I can see that.
And, just as in real life, the characters ping off each other and cause actual changes. For instance, when Lionel first comes to the Benfields for tuition, he tells Rosemary that he doesn’t need to study or go to university because he’s going to be a country gentleman like the squire and spend his days doing sporty, outdoorsy things. But when he tells Rosemary that he plans to marry his cousin Edith, she asks him if he really thinks she would want to marry an uneducated man. And so gradually he changes his opinion. Such a small detail, but so true to life.
I’ve waxed lyrical about this book for a multitude of paragraphs, but was there anything I disliked about it? There was, but I have to say that it was not enough to knock a star off my rating. It was a repeated irritation, but everything else was so exceptional that I can let it go. I’m talking about the Americanisms[*]. I know there are a number of authors who deliberately choose to write with American style and spellings, and that’s fine. That’s a creative choice, and I would never quibble over an author’s right to do that. Besides, there are plenty of Regencies where there’s so much suspension of disbelief required that a few gottens and a chipmunk or two is neither here nor there. But when an author has created such a beautifully crafted Regency, where every element is utterly convincing, the use of gotten drops me instantly out of my immersion in the story. The two that tripped me up most were ‘write someone’ instead of ‘write to someone’, and the jarring overuse of ‘shall’. A phrase like ‘Lionel shall miss his sisters’ just sounds wrong to me, although I couldn’t even explain why. And these little tripwires, and a few others, are dotted throughout the book. [*] The author tells me these have been fixed.
But that is, for me, the only conceivable grumble about the book, and it’s a very minor one. Don’t let it put you off, because otherwise this book is as near to perfect as it’s possible to be. It could just about be read as a standalone, but why would you want to? Start with The Naturalist and then read the whole series. I’m going straight on to Margaret’s story, and then Edith’s. The chores can wait. Five hundred stars.
August 5, 2021
Lessons About Children, Family, and Duty
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Author
TYPE OF NOVEL: Regency Romance
SERIES: The Hapgoods of Bramleigh #3 (Note: each book is standalone and can be read out of order)
THE PREMISE: Hugh Hapgood, widower, successful bank partner, and father of three, is heir to his cousin’s estate Bramleigh. And following in the footsteps of Mr. Collins, he travels to Bramleigh to intentionally seek a new wife from amongst his fair cousins in an effort to atone for the entail…
WHAT I LOVED:
- I ❤️ the Hapgoods: I completely adore everything about this traditional Regency series! The Hapgoods are such a quirky, endearing, and diverting family. And I thoroughly enjoy how Christina Dudley is constructing this multi-installment family saga that spotlights various Hapgoods and builds a whole world around their estate in Somerset. For those who are unfamiliar with this series, the Hapgoods are an almost impoverished gentry family of four independently-minded daughters, a blustery and unsophisticated squire who prefers to spend all his time enjoying outdoor pursuits, and an often indisposed and indolent mother.
- Rosemary DeWitt: Daughter of the Hapgoods’ neighbor, is on “the wrong side of thirty,” unmarried despite receiving several proposals, and not regarded as a great beauty. Sounds like Charlotte Lucas a little, doesn’t she? But unlike Charlotte, Rosemary believes in love matches and did not want to marry someone who was just attracted to her wealth. Rosemary is such a likable heroine whom I’d love to be best friends with. I admired how she interacted with children and her advocacy and efforts for education amongst the village children. And I loved witnessing her heart grow fond for Hugh Hapgood even though she believes it is very unlikely that he would consider her in any way.
- Hugh Hapgood: Poor Hugh had a very unhappy and cold first marriage, and as a result has grown into a distant and too-serious father. But now as a widower, he sets about taking care of his children by finding them proper schooling and a new mother. What an admirable and sympathetic hero! I loved seeing Hugh interact with his children and struggle with making decisions and winning their regard. I also loved his “pirate grin” and fascination with a black-haired mermaid…
- Inner Thoughts: Every interaction between Hugh and Rosemary is full sparks, shimmers, and satire. I loved all the chemistry and tension swirling around them. But what I loved even more was seeing their inner thoughts and yearnings for each other, and how both are so completely unaware that their interest and regard is returned in full measure. Christina Dudley creates such a believable, rewarding, and swoon-worthy romance in this story.
- Mischief, Matchmaking, and Speculation: There is plenty to excite in this tale – Hugh Hapgood’s children decide to take some matters into their own hands and their schemes and pranks are uproariously funny! I love how each and every one did not go according to plan and all the mix-ups and mishaps they manufactured! In addition, some attractive newcomers arrive on the scene, and their actions and behaviors incite no small amount of curiosity…
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
Nothing!
CONCLUSION:
For any reader that loves traditional Regency romances full of dynamic and singular heroes and heroines, lovable secondary characters, and excessively diverting romantic capers, I entreat you to acquaint yourselves with the Hapgoods of Bramleigh. This series is thoughtfully-composed, tightly-constructed, and infinitely entertaining. I eagerly await my next encounter with the endearing and eccentric Hapgood clan!
Austenesque Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Author
TYPE OF NOVEL: Regency Romance
SERIES: The Hapgoods of Bramleigh #3 (Note: each book is standalone and can be read out of order)
THE PREMISE: Hugh Hapgood, widower, successful bank partner, and father of three, is heir to his cousin’s estate Bramleigh. And following in the footsteps of Mr. Collins, he travels to Bramleigh to intentionally seek a new wife from amongst his fair cousins in an effort to atone for the entail…
WHAT I LOVED:
- I ❤️ the Hapgoods: I completely adore everything about this traditional Regency series! The Hapgoods are such a quirky, endearing, and diverting family. And I thoroughly enjoy how Christina Dudley is constructing this multi-installment family saga that spotlights various Hapgoods and builds a whole world around their estate in Somerset. For those who are unfamiliar with this series, the Hapgoods are an almost impoverished gentry family of four independently-minded daughters, a blustery and unsophisticated squire who prefers to spend all his time enjoying outdoor pursuits, and an often indisposed and indolent mother.
- Rosemary DeWitt: Daughter of the Hapgoods’ neighbor, is on “the wrong side of thirty,” unmarried despite receiving several proposals, and not regarded as a great beauty. Sounds like Charlotte Lucas a little, doesn’t she? But unlike Charlotte, Rosemary believes in love matches and did not want to marry someone who was just attracted to her wealth. Rosemary is such a likable heroine whom I’d love to be best friends with. I admired how she interacted with children and her advocacy and efforts for education amongst the village children. And I loved witnessing her heart grow fond for Hugh Hapgood even though she believes it is very unlikely that he would consider her in any way.
- Hugh Hapgood: Poor Hugh had a very unhappy and cold first marriage, and as a result has grown into a distant and too-serious father. But now as a widower, he sets about taking care of his children by finding them proper schooling and a new mother. What an admirable and sympathetic hero! I loved seeing Hugh interact with his children and struggle with making decisions and winning their regard. I also loved his “pirate grin” and fascination with a black-haired mermaid…
- Inner Thoughts: Every interaction between Hugh and Rosemary is full sparks, shimmers, and satire. I loved all the chemistry and tension swirling around them. But what I loved even more was seeing their inner thoughts and yearnings for each other, and how both are so completely unaware that their interest and regard is returned in full measure. Christina Dudley creates such a believable, rewarding, and swoon-worthy romance in this story.
- Mischief, Matchmaking, and Speculation: There is plenty to excite in this tale – Hugh Hapgood’s children decide to take some matters into their own hands and their schemes and pranks are uproariously funny! I love how each and every one did not go according to plan and all the mix-ups and mishaps they manufactured! In addition, some attractive newcomers arrive on the scene, and their actions and behaviors incite no small amount of curiosity…
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
Nothing!
CONCLUSION:
For any reader that loves traditional Regency romances full of dynamic and singular heroes and heroines, lovable secondary characters, and excessively diverting romantic capers, I entreat you to acquaint yourselves with the Hapgoods of Bramleigh. This series is thoughtfully-composed, tightly-constructed, and infinitely entertaining. I eagerly await my next encounter with the endearing and eccentric Hapgood clan!
Austenesque Reviews
May 27, 2023
Traditional Regency aptly titled ****
The Hapgood extended family’s lives continue and evolve with new characters introduced as the Hero and heroine, but we get to see enough of the previous characters still living ay Bramliegh and other estates nearby, with the introduction of a new one. This is definitely a series and I believe the most enjoyment of this book would come from reading the previous two, which I also enjoyed reading very much.
Our Hero Mr Hugh Hapgood, is nearly an anti-hero in the beginning of the story. Rejected by his original choice of brides he begins a long journey of transformation in his life. He’s a grim, stone faced, workaholic, yet he had hoped to make one momentous change in his life by taking a new wife. His proposal was pretty grim, he wanted a new mother for his estranged children and felicity for himself without the bother of courting the cousin, when he considered his proposal was doing her and her family a great service due to the entailment of their home coming to him someday. He wasn’t mean or rude, just clueless. And it actually did do his cousin a good service. Wink.
Rosemary DeWitt is by most standards plain and on a down hill slope to spinsterhood. Early in the book she meets Mr Hapgood once and takes him to task for his children’s sake in the very next meeting.
It doesn’t take any time to figure out these two would be perfect for each other. But it takes the rest of the 80% of the book to get them together. Monumental Obstacles and Scandals. Scheming despairing hi jinx from Mr Hapgoods children. A new Curate and his over-the-top beautiful sister move into the area causing angst for a handful of people.
I saw what was going to happen a long time before the action in the plot confirmed it. So for me it dragged a little. And the love story part of the book didn’t get as much page time as I hoped it would, especially since the two main characters went through so much to get to their HEA. But that is the hallmark of the Traditional Regency. Heyer-esque. Kiss on the last page. Well luckily there were a couple of really ‘Woo-Hoo!’ Kisses before the last page, and before the Hero kicks himself into high gear.
This was your typical ‘does she love me or not?’ and ‘does he love me or not?’ plots too. Both protagonists being so excessively shy. It brought frustration. But I think the thing I like the most about Christina Dudley’s writing, besides the charm and the heart, is the inner dialogue and background stories where we learn much more than we might the cardboard cutout characters we could’ve been presented. This is more of what makes me root for the H&h. It’s important that I remind myself that Regency Romance rarely sticks with propriety and the rules that bound people so tightly to the behavior guidelines of the day.
I recommend for Heyer readers and those looking for sweet and clean romance.
The Hapgood extended family’s lives continue and evolve with new characters introduced as the Hero and heroine, but we get to see enough of the previous characters still living ay Bramliegh and other estates nearby, with the introduction of a new one. This is definitely a series and I believe the most enjoyment of this book would come from reading the previous two, which I also enjoyed reading very much.
Our Hero Mr Hugh Hapgood, is nearly an anti-hero in the beginning of the story. Rejected by his original choice of brides he begins a long journey of transformation in his life. He’s a grim, stone faced, workaholic, yet he had hoped to make one momentous change in his life by taking a new wife. His proposal was pretty grim, he wanted a new mother for his estranged children and felicity for himself without the bother of courting the cousin, when he considered his proposal was doing her and her family a great service due to the entailment of their home coming to him someday. He wasn’t mean or rude, just clueless. And it actually did do his cousin a good service. Wink.
Rosemary DeWitt is by most standards plain and on a down hill slope to spinsterhood. Early in the book she meets Mr Hapgood once and takes him to task for his children’s sake in the very next meeting.
It doesn’t take any time to figure out these two would be perfect for each other. But it takes the rest of the 80% of the book to get them together. Monumental Obstacles and Scandals. Scheming despairing hi jinx from Mr Hapgoods children. A new Curate and his over-the-top beautiful sister move into the area causing angst for a handful of people.
I saw what was going to happen a long time before the action in the plot confirmed it. So for me it dragged a little. And the love story part of the book didn’t get as much page time as I hoped it would, especially since the two main characters went through so much to get to their HEA. But that is the hallmark of the Traditional Regency. Heyer-esque. Kiss on the last page. Well luckily there were a couple of really ‘Woo-Hoo!’ Kisses before the last page, and before the Hero kicks himself into high gear.
This was your typical ‘does she love me or not?’ and ‘does he love me or not?’ plots too. Both protagonists being so excessively shy. It brought frustration. But I think the thing I like the most about Christina Dudley’s writing, besides the charm and the heart, is the inner dialogue and background stories where we learn much more than we might the cardboard cutout characters we could’ve been presented. This is more of what makes me root for the H&h. It’s important that I remind myself that Regency Romance rarely sticks with propriety and the rules that bound people so tightly to the behavior guidelines of the day.
I recommend for Heyer readers and those looking for sweet and clean romance.
March 5, 2021
Between writing, editing, revisions, and revisits, I've probably read this book twenty times by now. Instead of writing a review, I'll refer you to a couple 5-star reviews I am thrilled to pieces to have garnered, from Austenprose.com:
https://austenprose.com/2020/12/28/sc...
and from Austenesque Reviews:
https://austenesquereviews.com/2021/0...
https://austenprose.com/2020/12/28/sc...
and from Austenesque Reviews:
https://austenesquereviews.com/2021/0...
January 17, 2021
Just read it!
This is my favorite yet of the series. It was so so cute!! Heyer would be proud. I will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a regency that is cute, well-written, a well-paced story with wit and romance. I just loved it.
When I finished all of Heyer’s books, I spent endless time searching for similar feeling books. Most of them are way too cheesy or just sorta sweet and simple with no tension in the plot. I will recommend this to everyone!
This is my favorite yet of the series. It was so so cute!! Heyer would be proud. I will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a regency that is cute, well-written, a well-paced story with wit and romance. I just loved it.
When I finished all of Heyer’s books, I spent endless time searching for similar feeling books. Most of them are way too cheesy or just sorta sweet and simple with no tension in the plot. I will recommend this to everyone!
January 19, 2026
The Hapgoods of Bramleigh continue to entertain with the hijinks that ensue when each one is on their way to the altar. Stayed and serious widower, Hugh Hapgood is no exception. The neighborhood is still buzzing from his cousin’s elopement when he gets tangled in his own romantic adventures with the aid of his mischievous children and a woman who thinks she’s plain and plainly on the shelf. Christina Dudley’s Regency era romcoms sparkle with mayhem and wit.
School for Love is the third in a connected series of historical romantic comedies that shade toward the classics written by Jane Austen or more recent classic-styled Georgette Heyer. The hero and heroine of School for Love were introduced in the previous book, A Very Plain Young Man.
Hugh, the heir to Squire Hapgood of Bramleigh, has been recently widowed. He holds to himself that he is not mourning his wife and, in fact, was stuck in an unhappy marriage for years and, even now, is stuck with her shrewish sister berating and attempting to hen-peck him into doing her bidding for his home, children, and possible second marriage. And, other neighborhood matchmaking mothers are on the catch for a wealthy son-in-law, making his decision to grab up his children and vacate to his cousin’s estate a smart one. He thought to do that cash poor family a good turn by marrying one of his cousins so she could eventually be the mistress of her family estate, but that didn’t turn out as expected. Between his middle child sabotaging his efforts and his oldest cousin eloping, he is at sixes and sevens.
It’s time to focus on building a relationship with his children and looking to their educational needs. But, when he stops looking for a match, that is when cupid laughs and sends an unexpected romance his way.
Rosemary DeWitt had her offers when she was younger and she knew the interest was in her dowry and not her personal charms. She’s given up on marriage and is focused on teaching the village girls and honing her future old-maid aunt skills. Then the Hapgood heir puts his son in tutoring with her local vicar- and partner in educating the poor villagers. She finds Hugh Hapgood an interesting man when others are put off by his serious demeanor. He thinks she’s a busybody at first because a few embarrassing misunderstandings and then his children settle on her for a future mama and the mischief begins.
School for Love is my favorite of the series so far. I adored Hugh and Rosemary. Their more mature age, yet their tentative approach to love was tender and charming. The conflict came mostly from the outside. The hilarity caused by the children and a few awkward moments added a fun balance especially when a shocking twist puts a distressing barrier between them and dialed up the drama. I had a suspicion about how they would solve the difficulty and I was right.
All in all, a light-hearted romp that delighted me thoroughly. Next, the blunt, outspoken Margaret gets her tale and I’m all eagerness to see how it comes about. Those who like sweet, humor-laced Regency romance need to try the Hapgoods of Bramleigh series.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy 12.29.25.
School for Love is the third in a connected series of historical romantic comedies that shade toward the classics written by Jane Austen or more recent classic-styled Georgette Heyer. The hero and heroine of School for Love were introduced in the previous book, A Very Plain Young Man.
Hugh, the heir to Squire Hapgood of Bramleigh, has been recently widowed. He holds to himself that he is not mourning his wife and, in fact, was stuck in an unhappy marriage for years and, even now, is stuck with her shrewish sister berating and attempting to hen-peck him into doing her bidding for his home, children, and possible second marriage. And, other neighborhood matchmaking mothers are on the catch for a wealthy son-in-law, making his decision to grab up his children and vacate to his cousin’s estate a smart one. He thought to do that cash poor family a good turn by marrying one of his cousins so she could eventually be the mistress of her family estate, but that didn’t turn out as expected. Between his middle child sabotaging his efforts and his oldest cousin eloping, he is at sixes and sevens.
It’s time to focus on building a relationship with his children and looking to their educational needs. But, when he stops looking for a match, that is when cupid laughs and sends an unexpected romance his way.
Rosemary DeWitt had her offers when she was younger and she knew the interest was in her dowry and not her personal charms. She’s given up on marriage and is focused on teaching the village girls and honing her future old-maid aunt skills. Then the Hapgood heir puts his son in tutoring with her local vicar- and partner in educating the poor villagers. She finds Hugh Hapgood an interesting man when others are put off by his serious demeanor. He thinks she’s a busybody at first because a few embarrassing misunderstandings and then his children settle on her for a future mama and the mischief begins.
School for Love is my favorite of the series so far. I adored Hugh and Rosemary. Their more mature age, yet their tentative approach to love was tender and charming. The conflict came mostly from the outside. The hilarity caused by the children and a few awkward moments added a fun balance especially when a shocking twist puts a distressing barrier between them and dialed up the drama. I had a suspicion about how they would solve the difficulty and I was right.
All in all, a light-hearted romp that delighted me thoroughly. Next, the blunt, outspoken Margaret gets her tale and I’m all eagerness to see how it comes about. Those who like sweet, humor-laced Regency romance need to try the Hapgoods of Bramleigh series.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy 12.29.25.
November 18, 2020
In the midst of a whole bunch of heavy reading, this book was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits. The characters were delightful, and the story was fun!
December 28, 2020
Fresh and fast-paced, this is my favorite in the Hapgoods of Bramleigh series. Anxiously awaiting Book Four!
November 15, 2020
LOVED this book. I really like the use of the children to tell this story. I am always amazed in the style of writing, so old but really fresh.
January 15, 2025
Entertaining but utterly predictable.
June 12, 2022
Enjoyed the two leads and the children, but I wish the author chose a less lame plot to solve the Parvills' masquerade. Forced marriage due to losing the way, really..?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2026
Always a good, deliciously period appropriate, hilarious time with this author.
Hilarious. Had me smiling almost each time thoughts of it popped into my mind when I was not reading it.
Family love and the complex relating that come with it are warmly documented and make you really relate in a way that endears you to the story.
Multi POV thus adding so much loveliness to the story. We really get to enjoy so many characters' uniqueness because of this as well as their character growth. Makes you feel quite attached to the story.
Characters seem so real and are hilarious in a delightful wholesome way that tickles you so and just warms the heart.
The writing and English is so clever and perfect!! My language loving brain just joyously ate it all up!!
The love story develops in such a sweet tasty way. It comes off as natural, adorable and mature! To be honest I have come to learn that after reading several Regency period romances, the ones with a maturer main pair (25 and up) are my favourites! ("Minta In Spite of Herself"-- also by this author being among the exception. It was delightful!!)
I do wish though that there was more on page interaction between Hugh and Rosemary. Their conversations were adorable and more was needed.
Thankful also that it was 99.9% clean, though there is some talk of desire here and there but not deeply explored. As well as some passionate kisses though also not overly described.
One thing about Christina Dudley is she really seems to understand the mannerisms and cultures of the time period. It comes out so beautifully and naturally in how her characters behave in these stories. It's always so delightful to spend time in her 19th century stories!! I can't get enough of her books.
Hilarious. Had me smiling almost each time thoughts of it popped into my mind when I was not reading it.
Family love and the complex relating that come with it are warmly documented and make you really relate in a way that endears you to the story.
Multi POV thus adding so much loveliness to the story. We really get to enjoy so many characters' uniqueness because of this as well as their character growth. Makes you feel quite attached to the story.
Characters seem so real and are hilarious in a delightful wholesome way that tickles you so and just warms the heart.
The writing and English is so clever and perfect!! My language loving brain just joyously ate it all up!!
The love story develops in such a sweet tasty way. It comes off as natural, adorable and mature! To be honest I have come to learn that after reading several Regency period romances, the ones with a maturer main pair (25 and up) are my favourites! ("Minta In Spite of Herself"-- also by this author being among the exception. It was delightful!!)
I do wish though that there was more on page interaction between Hugh and Rosemary. Their conversations were adorable and more was needed.
Thankful also that it was 99.9% clean, though there is some talk of desire here and there but not deeply explored. As well as some passionate kisses though also not overly described.
One thing about Christina Dudley is she really seems to understand the mannerisms and cultures of the time period. It comes out so beautifully and naturally in how her characters behave in these stories. It's always so delightful to spend time in her 19th century stories!! I can't get enough of her books.
May 22, 2022
Another excellent clean historical romance from Christina Dudley in the Hapgoods of Bramleigh series.
Squire Hapgood's heir Hugh Hapgood has been introduced to us before in some of the previous books in this series. He is a boring, serious man with 3 kids and a grasping wife who just comes to check their future inheritance. At least that is what the Squire Hapgoods family thinks of them.
Hugh's wife just passed away (in the previous book) and as the heir he determines to marry one of the Hapgood sisters. He considers this his duty to ensure that the Hapgood sisters have a roof over their heads after their father passes away.
Rosemary DeWitt is a on-the-shelf spinster who is ordinary to look at. While with five thousand pounds as her dowry she could expect to marry, she has been content to remain unwed until she finds the man wants her more than her money.
With such two uninspiring characters at the center of a book, I really wondered how Miss. Dudley would make an interesting romance novel?
Oh, she manages very well and how!
We are introduced to Hugh Hapwood's three children who would do anything to stay close to their home and father. They want a mother of their choosing.
Their antics are engaging, even the mischievous Hetty who drove away a promising wife for her father in the previous book. The children plot like mad, and don't give up even when their plans get completely overset by circumstances.
A very well-written book in this series, that encompasses all the ups and downs of life - love, laughter, despair, hope and more.
4 star rating! Recommended reading for those who enjoy clean historical romances
Squire Hapgood's heir Hugh Hapgood has been introduced to us before in some of the previous books in this series. He is a boring, serious man with 3 kids and a grasping wife who just comes to check their future inheritance. At least that is what the Squire Hapgoods family thinks of them.
Hugh's wife just passed away (in the previous book) and as the heir he determines to marry one of the Hapgood sisters. He considers this his duty to ensure that the Hapgood sisters have a roof over their heads after their father passes away.
Rosemary DeWitt is a on-the-shelf spinster who is ordinary to look at. While with five thousand pounds as her dowry she could expect to marry, she has been content to remain unwed until she finds the man wants her more than her money.
With such two uninspiring characters at the center of a book, I really wondered how Miss. Dudley would make an interesting romance novel?
Oh, she manages very well and how!
We are introduced to Hugh Hapwood's three children who would do anything to stay close to their home and father. They want a mother of their choosing.
Their antics are engaging, even the mischievous Hetty who drove away a promising wife for her father in the previous book. The children plot like mad, and don't give up even when their plans get completely overset by circumstances.
A very well-written book in this series, that encompasses all the ups and downs of life - love, laughter, despair, hope and more.
4 star rating! Recommended reading for those who enjoy clean historical romances
July 18, 2022
When Hugh Hapgood’s ill-suited wife is struck down by a carriage in the streets, he makes the difficult decision to remarry in order to provide a mother for his three children. But while twelve-year-old Lionel and six-year-old Rosie are accepting of the idea, ten-year-old Hetty is incensed, doing her best to drive away any prospects. After realizing how unpleasant it is to be sent away to boarding school, Hetty turns her formidable powers to matchmaking, settling on Rosemary DeWitt, a well-educated and well-to-do spinster who, though considered plain, is the soul of kindness. Unaware of his children’s matchmaking schemes, Hugh begins to find Miss DeWitt’s advice about his children’s education invaluable, and discovers that she is not so plain after all. But just when Hugh makes up his mind to propose, events conspire to thrust an insurmountable obstacle between them….
Hugh Hapgood was a delightful hero, dutiful and romantic at the same time. The unhappiness of his marriage with his first wife makes the reader feel deeply for him, and his fumbling attempts to gain the hearts of his children is endearing. Rosemary’s sensible, self-effacing patience reminded me of Anne Elliot from Persuasion.
Hugh Hapgood was a delightful hero, dutiful and romantic at the same time. The unhappiness of his marriage with his first wife makes the reader feel deeply for him, and his fumbling attempts to gain the hearts of his children is endearing. Rosemary’s sensible, self-effacing patience reminded me of Anne Elliot from Persuasion.
October 4, 2022
I have read three books in this series so far, and this might be my favorite. Characters are a huge part of a book for me. It can be a great plot idea but if the characters aren't well developed or act way outside the norm, then it doesn't do much good. Two characters who are mentioned in the other books - one who doesn't really get any page time - our heroine - and one who is kind of an in the way person - our hero. I was surprised when I saw they were the leads in this one but they are well developed and I love watching the interaction with Hugh and his children! By the way I think Hetty and Lionel stole the show. I love Hetty.
I also love the author's use of unlimited perspective. It is a nice change of pace to get things from multiple angles and not just the 2 main characters which seems to be the standard in regency fiction.
I also love the author's use of unlimited perspective. It is a nice change of pace to get things from multiple angles and not just the 2 main characters which seems to be the standard in regency fiction.
September 7, 2024
Wonderful read
I totally enjoyed every book in this series, including this one. The characters are delightful, so realistic, portrayed with warts and all! The storyline is original and innovative. The dialogue is so entertaining and humorous, especially the internal dialogue, and gives us a glimpse of the characters’ thoughts and motivations. The writing is excellent; there were no typos that I remember and few grammatical errors, except for the ubiquitous « so-and-so and me » rather than the correct « so-and-so and I ». Although the writing was not all regency-era appropriate, there were no glaring Americanisms and slangs. All in all, a thoroughly entertaining and captivating book.
I totally enjoyed every book in this series, including this one. The characters are delightful, so realistic, portrayed with warts and all! The storyline is original and innovative. The dialogue is so entertaining and humorous, especially the internal dialogue, and gives us a glimpse of the characters’ thoughts and motivations. The writing is excellent; there were no typos that I remember and few grammatical errors, except for the ubiquitous « so-and-so and me » rather than the correct « so-and-so and I ». Although the writing was not all regency-era appropriate, there were no glaring Americanisms and slangs. All in all, a thoroughly entertaining and captivating book.
June 4, 2022
Delightfully complicated!
Even though the main characters, Rosemary and Hugh, are put through incredible strain and stress before they can reach their happy ever after, the truly delightful players are the children!
Lionel, Hetty, and Rosalie, Hugh's children by his first marriage, scheme and connive and blatantly deceive the adults in their efforts to bring Hugh and Rosemary together.
The author has an admirable sense for what is absurd and often downright funny in the lives of those who are pursuing love.
Even though the main characters, Rosemary and Hugh, are put through incredible strain and stress before they can reach their happy ever after, the truly delightful players are the children!
Lionel, Hetty, and Rosalie, Hugh's children by his first marriage, scheme and connive and blatantly deceive the adults in their efforts to bring Hugh and Rosemary together.
The author has an admirable sense for what is absurd and often downright funny in the lives of those who are pursuing love.
August 19, 2022
Rosemary DeWitt was one and thirty and definitely on the shelf. She was no beauty in fact, she was plain. She had a good dowry and had been offered for but they had been interested in her dowry, not her. So she refused suitors and lived a peaceful life with her parents. She taught girls the fundamentals of education so they could read and do basic math. It wasn't necessary but she enjoyed it.
Hugh Hapgood was a widower with three children. He had worked hard and made a fortune. He needed a helpmate to raise his family and be a companion.
Hugh Hapgood was a widower with three children. He had worked hard and made a fortune. He needed a helpmate to raise his family and be a companion.
December 17, 2022
loved it
This is a wonderful series. The quotations at the beginning of each chapter are a fore gleam of what is coming up in the chapters ahead, and are such a delight, offering insight in such a unique way. I liked Rosemary a lot, and especially because she was older and considered plain. She was a very kind and practical person. And I am glad that Hugh got his own book He was refused in the last book by his cousin. The other characters are lovely. Hetty is hilarious, and the squire continues to be a great source of comic relief. Well written , sweet clean romance.
This is a wonderful series. The quotations at the beginning of each chapter are a fore gleam of what is coming up in the chapters ahead, and are such a delight, offering insight in such a unique way. I liked Rosemary a lot, and especially because she was older and considered plain. She was a very kind and practical person. And I am glad that Hugh got his own book He was refused in the last book by his cousin. The other characters are lovely. Hetty is hilarious, and the squire continues to be a great source of comic relief. Well written , sweet clean romance.
November 5, 2025
What an eloquent and deliciously tortuous love story! And there couldn’t be two kinder or more dutiful characters than Rosemary and Hugh- you can’t help wanting each of them to have a happily-ever-after. His children were a lively and crucial part of this story, too. I appreciate how Dudley made them each so real and multi-dimensional (Lionel is my favorite). Katherine Anderson’s narration of this audiobook is, as always, perfect. This book was exactly my cup of tea, and it might be a few days before I can start another!
February 8, 2026
This is not my favorite of Christina Dudley's writing, but I felt the writing was good enough to give it four stars.
My biggest complaints are these:
Dudley just keeps harping on and on about how old and plain Rosemary is. Why won't she let us forget and move on?
It was pretty obvious what was going on with the Parvills long before the big reveal, so the Parvill part of the story (which was the major plot point for quite a bit of it) didn't carry a whole of interest, thus the second half was a little bit lackluster.
But . . . loved the kids. Especially Hettie - great character.
My biggest complaints are these:
Dudley just keeps harping on and on about how old and plain Rosemary is. Why won't she let us forget and move on?
It was pretty obvious what was going on with the Parvills long before the big reveal, so the Parvill part of the story (which was the major plot point for quite a bit of it) didn't carry a whole of interest, thus the second half was a little bit lackluster.
But . . . loved the kids. Especially Hettie - great character.
January 17, 2021
Just read it!
This is my favorite yet of the series. It was so so cute!! Heyer would be proud. I will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a regency that is cute, well-written, a well-paced story with wit and romance. I just loved it.
When I finished all of Heyer’s books, I spent endless time searching for similar feeling books. Most of them are way too cheesy or just sorta sweet and simple with no tension in the plot. I will recommend this to everyone!
This is my favorite yet of the series. It was so so cute!! Heyer would be proud. I will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a regency that is cute, well-written, a well-paced story with wit and romance. I just loved it.
When I finished all of Heyer’s books, I spent endless time searching for similar feeling books. Most of them are way too cheesy or just sorta sweet and simple with no tension in the plot. I will recommend this to everyone!
July 19, 2022
favorite so far
This series gets better and better! Book one was nice, two a bit more fun and better character development. Book three is a farcical delight. Scheming children, lies, damn lies, secrets and misunderstandings. But not the trope misunderstandings that make you want to shake people but terrible societal misunderstandings that make you weep for those involved. Lovely characters whom you fall for as they do one another.
This series gets better and better! Book one was nice, two a bit more fun and better character development. Book three is a farcical delight. Scheming children, lies, damn lies, secrets and misunderstandings. But not the trope misunderstandings that make you want to shake people but terrible societal misunderstandings that make you weep for those involved. Lovely characters whom you fall for as they do one another.
August 11, 2022
This installment focuses on Hugh Hapgood, heir to Bramleigh. In the previous book, his wife, Harriet, suddenly dies, leaving him with their three children: Lionel, Hetty, and Rosalie. Rejected by Elfrida, Hugh places Lionel under the care and tutelage of Mr. Benfield and sends Hetty and Rosalie to school. However, when Rosalie catches scarlet fever, he decides to bring Hetty back to Bramleigh as Rosalie recovers. Hetty takes it upon herself to become her father's matchmaker and ensure that she and her sister will never again be sent away to school. She settles on Rosemary DeWitt, a 31-year-old spinster who has a fondness for teaching children. I really loved this book because of the relationship Hugh develops with his children after being emotionally closed off due to his former marriage.
May 4, 2022
Favorite of this series so far
The character development and story telling are so good by this author who refrains from pointless filler and sexual situations. Rosemary and Hugh are deserving of their romance, as Lionel,Hetty and Rosie their chance of a happy loving family. This story is all about second chances and what throws at you, highly recommend!
The character development and story telling are so good by this author who refrains from pointless filler and sexual situations. Rosemary and Hugh are deserving of their romance, as Lionel,Hetty and Rosie their chance of a happy loving family. This story is all about second chances and what throws at you, highly recommend!
July 19, 2022
Best so far
I think I have enjoyed this volume the best so far. Henry and Rosemary are more mature, which makes their romance more heartwarming to watch unfold. I particularly liked the twists and turns that threatened to keep them apart. And the children, especially Hetty, are a delight.
I think I have enjoyed this volume the best so far. Henry and Rosemary are more mature, which makes their romance more heartwarming to watch unfold. I particularly liked the twists and turns that threatened to keep them apart. And the children, especially Hetty, are a delight.
July 31, 2022
I do like this author…such well described and living characters; it’s the third book mostly about the same interesting family. But there’s just something, not sure how to put it, that seems a little forced, almost as though the author is making the story up as she’s goes along, and arranges things to fit the characters. Not that I’m put off much by that, I enjoy these books very much!
October 1, 2022
That was such a good book!
I had such a good time reading this book. We were in the middle of a tropical storm and the power went out, but I had this book to keep me calm. I loved Hetty above all, and her brother and sister were next. Hugh was surprisingly passionate. Ros was so level headed. The ending started to be painful but ended delightfully.
I had such a good time reading this book. We were in the middle of a tropical storm and the power went out, but I had this book to keep me calm. I loved Hetty above all, and her brother and sister were next. Hugh was surprisingly passionate. Ros was so level headed. The ending started to be painful but ended delightfully.
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