The Earl's Return

by Emma Lange

Years after she had broken Damon Ashford's heart, the now-widowed Alyson Haydon is horrified when Damon returns to town to claim her late husband's title and manor. Original.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1993

Reviews

[Lyuda · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my younger days I've read many Emma Lange's regency stories and liked them a lot. This book was a 5-star rating for me but it didn't hold on re-read. There were so many misunderstandings between characters that put in doubt their eventual long term happiness.
Seventeen years old Alyson Haydon fell in love with Damon Ashford but their love was brutally squished by Alyson's awful stepfather who forced Alyson to marry Damon’s cousin. The marriage was actually pretty good one as the husband was kind and generous. Fast forward 6 years. Alison is now a widow and a mother to 5 years old daughter, her husband was killed in a horse riding accident, and Damon returns back as the new Earl of St. Albans- the title held by Alison’s late husband. Damon came back not as a happy man. “He returned to assume responsibility for an estate he was never trained to administer; to provide for a child who was not his; and to return to a woman he hoped never, ever to see again.” Both characters still love each other but do everything possible not to show it, not to act on it. They interpret each other motives and actions in the worst possible way, hence all these misunderstandings that were so annoying! This was not a bad story but it definitely left my keeper shelf on re-read.

[Spazfungus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A more serious regency romance. There wasn't the lighthearted witty verbal duels between the hero and heroine (though a few quips every now and then between the heroine and her rival) but you could feel tension, the mounting emotional strain between the main characters. Damon Ashford is a man obsessed, but in denial. Alyson Haydon is a woman falsely accused, but unwilling to speak out like a martyr. I found myself shaking the book in my hands, like how I wanted to shake the main characters, in the hopes they would just TALK to one another! I could scream my frustration when they always left things half-said. A very well written regency romance, completely draws the reader in.

*
*
*
****Spoiler Summary****
*
*
*

Six years ago, chance meeting, Alyson and Damon fall in love. Alyson then pressured to reject Damon's suit in favor of his cousin, Ned, an Earl. Ned dies. Damon, new earl, returns mad, thinks Alyson scheming money hungry wench, does not give her a chance to explain nor listens to her explanations, misinterprets her every action, thinks she is dangling for new rich husband. Eventually, finds out she was threatened and punished by self-righteous God's judgment dispensing stepfather, has reasons for her actions, is kind, loves animals and tenants, feels like an ass, begs her to stay. Kiss and makeup

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to rate this higher, but could not. The characters lack depth. She’s beautiful and nice, he’s handsome and reasonable, but the story could get me to rejoice in their relationship blossoming. Even the kid and dog weren’t particularly memorable. I love this type of plot normally and it wasn’t unpleasant to read, just nothing in the characters made it shine.

[Catsalive · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alyson Haydon had been a mere seventeen when she broke the heart of Damon Ashford. It had broken her heart as well when she was brutally commanded to wed another.

But that was years ago. Alyson was a young widow now, and Damon had returned to claim the title held by her late husband and the manor that was her home. He held her fate and fortune in his hands, and Alyson could not erase or escape the bitter anger in his burning dark eyes. For it was far too late to reveal to him the love she had been forced to hide... the love for a man whose own love had been turned into a need for revenge. Even though he would never believe it, she still loved him as much as she ever did...

Quite a good second-chance-at-love Regency romance. The pair were separated by her stepfather before they could make a match of it, leaving Damon believing it was Alyson's worldly choice that had caused the rift. I must say that Damon lost my regard in that respect, any man of that era must know that a seventeen year old woman had absolutely no choice in such matters, being a mere chattel, she did as her father directed or suffered the consequences.

If Damon had stopped thinking about himself for two seconds he might have realised this, the selfish cad! For an otherwise sensible, intelligent person, a leader of men during the Peninsular War, Damon behaved like a fool when he became reacquainted with Alyson. As Thackeray would have it, "Love makes fools of us all" and "People hate as they love, unreasonably."

Of course, after several trials & tribulations, love has its way, although I'm not sure Damon deserves it. I think they'll make a pretty good go at their HEA, though.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six years have passed since Alyson Haydon's stepfather forced her to break the heart of Damon Ashford. She made the best of her arranged marriage, but now she is a widow. Damon Ashford is back to take the title her husband held. She has nowhere to go but will staying under the roof of the man who despise her be more than she can take?

I'm not sure where I picked up this little paperback, but it made for a calm afternoon read. Through the whole story Alyson and Damon clash over one misunderstanding after another. He never lets her forget how she broke their attachment as a child and doesn't believe her when she insists her stepfather forced her to do so. While they do needle each other, their feelings toward each other have remained unchanged.

It is a simple tale and well told. My biggest complaint about the story is the times it would jump ahead only to flashback to things that had happened, instead of chronologically telling the story. It also ends right as the happy couple are about to spend some intimate time together before marriage, which I had to raise my eyebrow at.

Overall, it was a quick and easy read. I would recommend it to a reader looking for a Regency romance that is short.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.50 stars - pg13?

[Karen Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad.