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Regency Intrigue #2
Regency Gold
With little to live on but her romantic daydreams - which frequently starred the dashing Marquess of Fleetwater - Jean Lindsay lived a rather dismal life with her nasty, drunken uncle.
Jean was always the object of ridicule, that is, until news of her unexpected inheritance spread. Suddenly her worn dresses became ''quaint'' and her forthright manner turned magically to ''charming,'' but to Jean's horror, someone wanted her dead!
With the marquess nearby to save her pretty neck, Jean felt quite safe . . . and quite smitten. As for her hero . . . how had an unsophisticated child from a Scottish manse turned his head and his heart askew?
Jean was always the object of ridicule, that is, until news of her unexpected inheritance spread. Suddenly her worn dresses became ''quaint'' and her forthright manner turned magically to ''charming,'' but to Jean's horror, someone wanted her dead!
With the marquess nearby to save her pretty neck, Jean felt quite safe . . . and quite smitten. As for her hero . . . how had an unsophisticated child from a Scottish manse turned his head and his heart askew?
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
81 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Marion Chesney
144 books753 followersMarion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 7, 2015
Jean Lindsay was so irritating that I found myself rooting for the would-be assassins, at times.
July 10, 2015
I've been enjoying Marion Chesney's Regency series but I have to say I found this particular book very disappointing. The back and forth, back and forth, yes or no, yes or no, propose or don't propose, being madly in love and then just being mad, etc. between Jean and John got not only very tedious but, by the end of the book, extremely annoying. I really don't mind the predictability of these books and, yes, they are extremely predictable, but I really didn't like how the book got to the end. I absolutely loved Ms. Chesney's Poor Relations and House for a Season series and would highly recommend any of the books in those series. This one, I would have to say "pass."
April 11, 2019
Another unchristian-like vicar a la Chesney but this time one who is a co-conspirator murderer so much worse than Daphne’s father in “Daphne.” Another dog infested, stinky estate like The Marquis Takes A Bride but with the added charm(?) of a terrible cook and godawful cuisine that tastes of “boiled Hessians with a side of toadstool.”
What I couldn’t abide in this one and made me long to just put it aside at least a dozen times was the vacillating snobbish hero who changed his mind about being in love with the heroine at the drop of a hat and the way he used a mean-spirited rival of the heroine to spur jealousy and anger in said heroine. As for the heroine, her perpetual daydream state feature gothic plots and places was quite quite old very early one but even that I could forgive if she had learned one lesson from all her mistakes. Instead she came off the same at the end as she did in the beginning which is very, very unfortunate.
What I couldn’t abide in this one and made me long to just put it aside at least a dozen times was the vacillating snobbish hero who changed his mind about being in love with the heroine at the drop of a hat and the way he used a mean-spirited rival of the heroine to spur jealousy and anger in said heroine. As for the heroine, her perpetual daydream state feature gothic plots and places was quite quite old very early one but even that I could forgive if she had learned one lesson from all her mistakes. Instead she came off the same at the end as she did in the beginning which is very, very unfortunate.
August 30, 2012
I will not be reading anything further by this author. What a poorly written story, with the most inconsistent characters.
March 13, 2015
Jean Lindsay is a blend of Cinderella, Elizabeth Bennett and Walter Mitty. Her daydreams sustain her through the years of drudgery and abuse at the hands of her uncle.
Jean acquires a reputation of being an heiress through servants' gossip, but not having had a proper upbringing, when she is introduced to Society by her godmother, she makes one drastic mistake after another and is soon sent to the country to rusticate.
There are several attempts on Jean's life but, because of her tendency to daydream, no one believes she is in danger . . . except the Marquess of Fleetwater who feels he must protect her since no one else will lift a finger.
I enjoyed this book very much.
Jean acquires a reputation of being an heiress through servants' gossip, but not having had a proper upbringing, when she is introduced to Society by her godmother, she makes one drastic mistake after another and is soon sent to the country to rusticate.
There are several attempts on Jean's life but, because of her tendency to daydream, no one believes she is in danger . . . except the Marquess of Fleetwater who feels he must protect her since no one else will lift a finger.
I enjoyed this book very much.
January 31, 2016
Another in the seemingly endless 'lust conquers all' regency or near regency installments by Beaton under one or another of her aliases in which a totally unsuitable young miss is hitched to a equally unsuitable much older peer, although I found this one [a kindle unlimited so nearly free but not worth it anyway] especially tiresome.
November 4, 2019
While not my usual type of book, Regency Gold - a Regency romance by prolific author Marion Chesney (I have read and enjoyed all of her Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin cozy mysteries written under the pseudonym M. C. Beaton) - was a very entertaining read. Unlike many reviewers, I appreciated main character Jean's naïveté and daydreamer persona.
Read
August 17, 2016Did Not Finish. The main character was a twit. I tried to finish, but just couldn't. It was worse than a junior high train wreck. Love the series, hated this one.
November 30, 2017
Too much like her other book titled the flirt only 95% worse. Did NOT like the main character at all.
July 14, 2020
2.5 stars. Tolerable enough that I listened to the whole thing, but overall there's not much to recommend this story. Annoying heroine and just not as engaging as most of this author's work. However, it's the 29th one of her books I've listened to since the pandemic started (thank you, Audible Escape!), and the first one that hasn't delighted me, so pretty good track record, Marion Chesney! Would only recommend reading this one for huge fans of the author (of which I now count myself among). Start with one of her interconnected series, particularly The Poor Relation.
February 24, 2015
This is a marvellously entertaining and at times laugh out loud funny Regency romance. Jean Lindsay has been brought up by her thoroughly unpleasant uncle. She is invited to a fashionable ball but has to make do and mend with a dress of her late mother's which she soon realises is completely out of fashion. In spite of her dowdiness she attracts the attention of the handsome Marquis of Fleetwood. Her uncle against his better judgement, finally sends her to London to her godmother to make her come out and hopefully meet a rich husband so that she will be off his hands for good.
What might seem a pretty run of the mill plot is rendered completely out of the ordinary by Jean's tendency to daydream in any and every situation and consequently act in some very strange ways. This leads to lots of misunderstandings and plenty of embarrassing and very funny incidents. But there is also danger for Jean when she is about to come into an inheritance and more than one person wants her dead. Fortunately the Marquis of Fleetwood is on hand to rescue her even though he finds her totally exasperating.
I fond myself laughing out loud at several of the scenes in this book and it really does keep you turning the pages to make sure Jean is all right. The characters are marvellous too - especially the outspoken Lady Frank and Freddie - The Marquis's closest friend. If you want a book to cheer you up and you enjoy Regency romances with a bit of mystery thrown in too then you may enjoy this one.
What might seem a pretty run of the mill plot is rendered completely out of the ordinary by Jean's tendency to daydream in any and every situation and consequently act in some very strange ways. This leads to lots of misunderstandings and plenty of embarrassing and very funny incidents. But there is also danger for Jean when she is about to come into an inheritance and more than one person wants her dead. Fortunately the Marquis of Fleetwood is on hand to rescue her even though he finds her totally exasperating.
I fond myself laughing out loud at several of the scenes in this book and it really does keep you turning the pages to make sure Jean is all right. The characters are marvellous too - especially the outspoken Lady Frank and Freddie - The Marquis's closest friend. If you want a book to cheer you up and you enjoy Regency romances with a bit of mystery thrown in too then you may enjoy this one.
July 20, 2022
I have read many M C Beaton books and have really enjoyed a majority of them. Of the more than 40 books I have read this is the absolute worst! The main characters are incredibly annoying. Jean Lindsey is clueless, even stupid. The Marquess, her love interest, is a pompous donkey (didn’t want to use the A word in a review.) I don’t know why I kept reading this. I think I was hoping, even expecting it to get better but alas, it didn’t. Don’t waste your time with this one!! The Agatha Raisin and Hamesh McBeth series are vastly better. Many of the romance novels are even good, but definitely not this one!
April 13, 2017
Make up your mind!
While I was interested to see what would happen, the characters were portrayed like caricatures, with exaggerated quirks and oscillating emotions. The hero changes his mind about the heroine every time she makes a mistake. The heroine is embarrassingly naive. I laughed at first but it went on and on.
I made it to the end by sheer willpower. Maybe if you like a more Gothic story this is for you.
While I was interested to see what would happen, the characters were portrayed like caricatures, with exaggerated quirks and oscillating emotions. The hero changes his mind about the heroine every time she makes a mistake. The heroine is embarrassingly naive. I laughed at first but it went on and on.
I made it to the end by sheer willpower. Maybe if you like a more Gothic story this is for you.
October 9, 2020
Love the Author, Abhor the Book
I've read over half of M.C. Beaton's books and have rated most of them four stars. This one left me seeing stars, and not the good ones. It's almost as if she didn't pen it.
The reason it so greatly let me down was simple. The female lead was inane. She acted like an idiot. That's just not my type of character. If someone starts out stupid but grows during the story, then I find that entertaining. But when someone starts out dim and ends up the same ( or worse), then I am always too frustrated to enjoy the plot. And unfortunately, my frustration was exacerbated, because the sweet young thing's love interest was nearly as empty-headed as she was.
The rest of the book was just fine, so if the lack of emotional and intellectual intelligence doesn't drive you nuts, you may the story.
Hope this helps.
I've read over half of M.C. Beaton's books and have rated most of them four stars. This one left me seeing stars, and not the good ones. It's almost as if she didn't pen it.
The reason it so greatly let me down was simple. The female lead was inane. She acted like an idiot. That's just not my type of character. If someone starts out stupid but grows during the story, then I find that entertaining. But when someone starts out dim and ends up the same ( or worse), then I am always too frustrated to enjoy the plot. And unfortunately, my frustration was exacerbated, because the sweet young thing's love interest was nearly as empty-headed as she was.
The rest of the book was just fine, so if the lack of emotional and intellectual intelligence doesn't drive you nuts, you may the story.
Hope this helps.
December 8, 2014
The main female character, Jean Lindsey, is such an embarrassment. You want to root for her because you sympathize with her plight but she makes it impossible. She has zero self-awareness and seems incapable of learning anything from one disastrous social mishap to the next. What's worse is her character is described as being "intelligent" (a trait that supposedly separates her from the other "silly women")yet she comes off as a complete simpleton. I could not at all buy into the story of the male lead actually falling in love with her.
I should've quit this book half way through but I was hoping that this Lindsey character would redeem herself. She seemed to gain to some sense towards the very end but by then I didn't really care anymore.
I should've quit this book half way through but I was hoping that this Lindsey character would redeem herself. She seemed to gain to some sense towards the very end but by then I didn't really care anymore.
May 3, 2018
I do enjoy books by MC and they can be truly comedic. However, the heroine of this story is just plain STUPID. I’ve never read about a character who is so completely oblivious that it is annoying. I kept reading because I was interested to see how a HeA could be penned for someone so ignorant. The hero was arrogant. All in all an ok book. But make no mistake the sheer stupidity, ignorance, unable to even call it naiivity, of the heroine makes it difficult to complete.
May 31, 2022
Jean and the Marquess
The penniless orphan and the marquess fall in love, but is it possible for them to marry? And the story takes us back and forth the different social stratas, various potential spouses, different parts of the country, the found inheritance, and on and on. The obstacles are of their own making. How does it end?
The penniless orphan and the marquess fall in love, but is it possible for them to marry? And the story takes us back and forth the different social stratas, various potential spouses, different parts of the country, the found inheritance, and on and on. The obstacles are of their own making. How does it end?
Read
September 17, 2022One of the dumbest books I have ever read. Stopped reading to save my brain cells. I completely agree with the person who commented that the main character was so irritating, they began rooting for the would-be assassins.
April 2, 2018
I love Jane Austen and have read most of her books and needed a new Author, Marion Chesney is working well although a little more provocative. I love a good regency romance but not smut.
January 23, 2022
A very charming novel, but as it went on it became a bit tedious. Not as entertaining as other books I’ve read from this author.
January 12, 2020
MC Beaton è stata una scrittrice seriale e molto prolifica. Io la conoscevo per la serie "crime" di Agatha Raisin; leggerina ma almeno il personaggio di Agatha è abbastanza originale. Cosa che purtroppo non succede con i personaggi di Regency Gold. Si tratta del primo libro della serie "Regency" dove la Beaton tenta una parodia di questo genere letterario. Gli ingredienti ci sono tutti: la ragazza non ricca sul mercato matrimoniale, lo scapolo di nobili natali bellissimo, ricchissimo, ambitissimo ma molto orgoglioso e pieno di pregiudizi, la "season" londinese, le dimore di campagna, i pic-nic e i balli. Per mettere un po' di pepe la Beaton aggiunge alcune improbabili scene di sapore vagamente sexy ed una trama gialla piuttosto ridicola. Insomma una cosa che scivola via facilmente ma senza lasciare alcuna traccia. **1/2
September 17, 2021
Jean Lindsay was raised by her cruel and spendthrift uncle who works as a parson. When fate steps in and she is able to leave her small village in Scotland for the London season, her whole world seems to turn upside down, especially when she is smitten with the rake and paragon, the Marquess of Fleetwater.
I have read and loved so many of Marion Chesney's books, but why, oh why didn't I read the reviews for this one before I listened to it?? The main character, Jean, whom had always been "clever" was an empty-headed shell of a character that drove me insane. the romance was contrived and unbelievable, and I really didn't like the Marquess either. Oh well. Sometimes I end up wasting my time with a book, and that's all there is to it.
I have read and loved so many of Marion Chesney's books, but why, oh why didn't I read the reviews for this one before I listened to it?? The main character, Jean, whom had always been "clever" was an empty-headed shell of a character that drove me insane. the romance was contrived and unbelievable, and I really didn't like the Marquess either. Oh well. Sometimes I end up wasting my time with a book, and that's all there is to it.
December 28, 2020
PG
I generally like Chesney’s books , but this one got on my nerves for some reason. I like main character Jean and wanted her to have a better life than what was illustrated in the beginning, living with her horrible, legalistic uncle. I did not like the love interest, Marquess Fleetwater at all. Why Jean kept pining after him, even after she became an heiress, is beyond me. She could have done better.
On a side note, the book had shoddy editing. I don’t think I’ll continue the series. I’m not giving up on Chesney altogether though. She has plenty of book series to choose from to get me through the long winter ahead.
I generally like Chesney’s books , but this one got on my nerves for some reason. I like main character Jean and wanted her to have a better life than what was illustrated in the beginning, living with her horrible, legalistic uncle. I did not like the love interest, Marquess Fleetwater at all. Why Jean kept pining after him, even after she became an heiress, is beyond me. She could have done better.
On a side note, the book had shoddy editing. I don’t think I’ll continue the series. I’m not giving up on Chesney altogether though. She has plenty of book series to choose from to get me through the long winter ahead.
April 24, 2025
I love MC Beaton’s books and am a huge fan. However, this book was a chore to read and I had a hard time continuing. I literally had to schedule time to remind myself to finish this book.
Jean Lindsay is a frustrating character and does not seem to grow or learn from her mistakes. In most books with young heroines, the reader will see growth or change within the character when disaster strikes. However, that was not the case. Jean was unchanging and portrayed as silly consistently. The heroine is not likable in my opinion due to this.
I will not be returning to this book nor recommending it.
Jean Lindsay is a frustrating character and does not seem to grow or learn from her mistakes. In most books with young heroines, the reader will see growth or change within the character when disaster strikes. However, that was not the case. Jean was unchanging and portrayed as silly consistently. The heroine is not likable in my opinion due to this.
I will not be returning to this book nor recommending it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2023
This book was annoying and boring. Annoying because of the unlikable characters. Jean, the main protagonist, was both annoying and silly. The focus of her love was way too arrogant, snobbish, and totally unromantic. The supporting characters were silly and stupid. I couldn't find one likable character in the whole story except for the lawyer, and he had a very, very smaller part in the story. Typical storyline. This is part of a series, and I hope the next book isn't as silly as this one. This is my first disappointment with the writing of Ms. Chesney.
September 6, 2018
Wait, this is the EXACT same book as "The Flirt". Girl's parents are jovial spend thrifts, they die in a tragic carriage accident and Girl is left with mean uncle who is a priest and has to put up with two undeserving empty-headed "step sisters". Her clothes are kept in a trunk in the attic.
I mean... Did the author just run out of time on her book contract, and change the character and town names of her last one? What the heck is this?
I mean... Did the author just run out of time on her book contract, and change the character and town names of her last one? What the heck is this?
May 9, 2020
Not one of her best. The main character is erratic in her emotions and behaviors. The other characters are stock good or evil and they all engage in massive passive aggressive behavior. A young orphan mistreated by her evil uncle falls in love with a handsome, wealthy man. While she is lost in daydreams, her uncle, knowing she is actually an heiress, plots to kill her.
April 11, 2021
Very similar in ways to "The Flirt", which is book #1. Not sure what the author's hang up with wicked Minister Uncles is, but this story began in much the same manner as the first one did, with a minister uncle who treated the girl badly. Again, this wasn't a terrible book, but it was often predictable, especially with having already ready book #1.
November 20, 2023
This Regency Intrigue series is Good (4 stars) to just okay (3 stars), but not as good as the Traveling Matchmaker (heart warming) or the A House for a Season series (funny and clever). There are lots of proofreading errors.
I will say one thing: MC Beaton/Marion Chesney uses many characters in her stories. She is a marvel at keeping track of them well.
I will say one thing: MC Beaton/Marion Chesney uses many characters in her stories. She is a marvel at keeping track of them well.
November 12, 2024
My rating system:
5 stars: The best I've read in a while & for sure will re-read in the future. Definitely recommending to friends.
4 stars: Still a great book, and will re-read in the future. Would possibly recommend.
3 stars: Good book, but probably too predictable.
2 stars: Finished the book, but didn't like it.
1 star: Hated it; wouldn't even finish it.
5 stars: The best I've read in a while & for sure will re-read in the future. Definitely recommending to friends.
4 stars: Still a great book, and will re-read in the future. Would possibly recommend.
3 stars: Good book, but probably too predictable.
2 stars: Finished the book, but didn't like it.
1 star: Hated it; wouldn't even finish it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews