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The Waverly Women #3
The Love Match
No young lady was more devoted to the teachings of that infamous bluestocking Mrs. Waverley than her adopted daughter Felicity. Unlike her mentor, she vowed to stay unmarried and true to the cause. In fact, she was the secret author of a scandalous new novel--the tale of a lady "rake" and her romantic exploits.
Unfortunately, there was one titled gentleman who learned her identity and grew intrigued with the headstrong young lady who was taking the ton by storm. With the handsome Marquess of Darkwater spurring her on, Felicity would soon learn that real life could be infinitely more interesting than mere fiction.
Unfortunately, there was one titled gentleman who learned her identity and grew intrigued with the headstrong young lady who was taking the ton by storm. With the handsome Marquess of Darkwater spurring her on, Felicity would soon learn that real life could be infinitely more interesting than mere fiction.
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 30, 1989
21 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Marion Chesney
144 books754 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 43 reviews
November 6, 2022
And Felicity decided at that point that she really must escape to her bedchamber and burst into tears.
Definitely, it had great (funny) moments. Agnes' fantasies were hilarious (although one can see the longing that was hidden behind them). I liked also how the main plot (of the whole series) turned out - it was really interesting. And I must mention Bernard - a rare character in the genre.
But, although, the love story was nice, it wasn't as charming as I hoped, especially after the end of Silken Bonds.
March 23, 2022
The best of the series in that there is a slightly richer variety of characters, feelings and mystery. Felicity is put in an impossible situation at the beginning, but by the end everything about her past finally makes sense. The writer uses many of the same ideas and passages in all three books, which makes them quick to read but also unnecessarily samey!
March 30, 2024
Final entry in a Regency trilogy from 1989
Simon, the Marquis of Darkwater, is in his 30s. It is never specifically stated how far into his 30s he is, but given that the MMC of the other two books is around 32, I'm assuming that this is his age as well. He owns a huge plantation in the West Indies, where he has lived for an unspecified number of years. He raised quite a stink among the other aristocratic plantation owners, because he freed his slaves, pays them a reasonable salary, and they are far more productive than their peers, who are still enslaved. He became a widower about a year ago. His wife only lived a few months after they married, when she died from a tropical disease. He has come to London looking for a replacement wife with a sturdy constitution, who can tolerate intense heat, humidity and exotic maladies. It is never explained why Simon prefers to avoid all of the inevitable responsibilities of his title and estates in England in order to spend his life in the West Indies.
Felicity is currently 19, and two years have passed since the events of the initial book of this series, The First Rebellion. She has written a racy novel about a female rake and is determined to publish it under a pseudonym. Quite by accident, Simon is in the back room of the publisher's office where Felicity brings her manuscript to sell. She has not worn a veil or any kind of disguise, so it is very easy for Simon to memorize her face. Out of curiosity, and no little attraction to the beautiful Felicity herself, he makes it his business to find out who she is by discreetly following her back to her home after she contracts a deal and exits the publisher's office. From there it is a simple matter for him to inquire as to who lives in her house. He discovers that she is the daughter of a wealthy woman, who no longer lives with Felicity, but who has transferred the title to Felicity of the huge mansion she inhabits, as well as provided her with a king's ransom worth of jewels. Soon after, Felicity's novel is published and becomes a huge success, but she is well aware that if anyone ever finds out she wrote it, she will be in disgrace.
Similar to the other two novels in this trilogy, this story offers a complete resolution of the romance plot with an HEA. In addition, it provides, at the very end, the answer to the central mystery of the series, who the birth parents of Mrs Waverly's three adopted daughters are. I confess that this solution took me by surprise, but it was believable and well motivated, so the book is a success in that regard.
Sadly, similar to Frederica, Felicity is a jerk in the first two books and is only slightly better in this novel. Simon is much too old for her, because she is emotionally immature and still quite brainwashed by the man-hating principles of her adoptive mother, Mrs Waverly. In addition, though Simon is not the worst Chesney MMC I've ever read (she created some really mean ones), he is nowhere near being in the delightful league of her two Lord Harry MMCs (see my review of the second book in this series). The other thing this novel has going for it is that it is not overpowered by a melodramatic murder mystery plot, as so many of her Regencies are.
As is typical of short Regency romances of the 1980s, there is no sensuality in this story beyond kissing, and no foul language.
I obtained access to the audiobook version of this novel through Hoopla. The same voice talent, Vanessa Benjamin, narrates all three books in this trilogy, and she does a good job.
I rate this novel 2.5 stars, which I have rounded up to 3 stars.
Simon, the Marquis of Darkwater, is in his 30s. It is never specifically stated how far into his 30s he is, but given that the MMC of the other two books is around 32, I'm assuming that this is his age as well. He owns a huge plantation in the West Indies, where he has lived for an unspecified number of years. He raised quite a stink among the other aristocratic plantation owners, because he freed his slaves, pays them a reasonable salary, and they are far more productive than their peers, who are still enslaved. He became a widower about a year ago. His wife only lived a few months after they married, when she died from a tropical disease. He has come to London looking for a replacement wife with a sturdy constitution, who can tolerate intense heat, humidity and exotic maladies. It is never explained why Simon prefers to avoid all of the inevitable responsibilities of his title and estates in England in order to spend his life in the West Indies.
Felicity is currently 19, and two years have passed since the events of the initial book of this series, The First Rebellion. She has written a racy novel about a female rake and is determined to publish it under a pseudonym. Quite by accident, Simon is in the back room of the publisher's office where Felicity brings her manuscript to sell. She has not worn a veil or any kind of disguise, so it is very easy for Simon to memorize her face. Out of curiosity, and no little attraction to the beautiful Felicity herself, he makes it his business to find out who she is by discreetly following her back to her home after she contracts a deal and exits the publisher's office. From there it is a simple matter for him to inquire as to who lives in her house. He discovers that she is the daughter of a wealthy woman, who no longer lives with Felicity, but who has transferred the title to Felicity of the huge mansion she inhabits, as well as provided her with a king's ransom worth of jewels. Soon after, Felicity's novel is published and becomes a huge success, but she is well aware that if anyone ever finds out she wrote it, she will be in disgrace.
Similar to the other two novels in this trilogy, this story offers a complete resolution of the romance plot with an HEA. In addition, it provides, at the very end, the answer to the central mystery of the series, who the birth parents of Mrs Waverly's three adopted daughters are. I confess that this solution took me by surprise, but it was believable and well motivated, so the book is a success in that regard.
Sadly, similar to Frederica, Felicity is a jerk in the first two books and is only slightly better in this novel. Simon is much too old for her, because she is emotionally immature and still quite brainwashed by the man-hating principles of her adoptive mother, Mrs Waverly. In addition, though Simon is not the worst Chesney MMC I've ever read (she created some really mean ones), he is nowhere near being in the delightful league of her two Lord Harry MMCs (see my review of the second book in this series). The other thing this novel has going for it is that it is not overpowered by a melodramatic murder mystery plot, as so many of her Regencies are.
As is typical of short Regency romances of the 1980s, there is no sensuality in this story beyond kissing, and no foul language.
I obtained access to the audiobook version of this novel through Hoopla. The same voice talent, Vanessa Benjamin, narrates all three books in this trilogy, and she does a good job.
I rate this novel 2.5 stars, which I have rounded up to 3 stars.
August 24, 2021
Enjoyed this last of the Regency romance trilogy about the Waverley sisters the most. Perhaps this was because it resolved some of the mystery about their origins. The novel was well researched as to the time period without being tedious and detracting from the story. And, of course, they lived happily ever after. 😊
October 30, 2015
This is not only Felicity's story, but also the culmination of the mystery surrounding Mrs Waverley and the Prince Regent. I enjoyed see the three sisters find their dream partners and Felicity and her Marquess are wonderful together, especially because they take their time in falling in love. I enjoyed the blend of irony and satire, especially about the blue stockings in society. I also enjoyed seeing the politics of the day like slavery being brought into the plot, even just as a passing reference.
October 14, 2015
I have got to stop reading these. I took a break from them because I was sick of the formula and the style - and I saw one at the library and thought "It's been 6 months" (actually about a year) "lets try again". But no. I've read too many, I'm sick of them. It's not actively bad - I've just had my fill of them.
May 20, 2018
It's just so difficult for me to read a Regency romance without comparing it with Georgette Heyer's books!
This one kept me reading and left me mildly amused, so it was worth a read.
This one kept me reading and left me mildly amused, so it was worth a read.
February 15, 2013
A little old fashioned but still enjoyable.
October 17, 2021
Felicity is the last of the adopted Waverly girls and has been deserted by them all including her adoptive mother. She uses her skill as a writer to publish a scandalous book that is taking London by storm. However, she is lost and lonely. She comes up with a scheme to introduce herself to London society and through that scheme she meets up with cons, thieves, attempted murderers and a handsome stranger who helps her find her roots. All is revealed about her and her sister’s heritage and the scandalous past of Mrs. Waverly.
January 23, 2022
I was so excited for this last novel because I needed closure, and only this one could give it.
Mrs Ricketts shined bright in this novel. We all need someone like that in our corner. Agnes was a good addition, she gave me some chuckles with her wild imaginings. This was a very enticing story. I loved that they started out as friends and both were comfortable with each other. This hero seemed to have more character development than the other heroes in this series and it made for a good read. I liked how everything was wrapped up nicely.
Mrs Ricketts shined bright in this novel. We all need someone like that in our corner. Agnes was a good addition, she gave me some chuckles with her wild imaginings. This was a very enticing story. I loved that they started out as friends and both were comfortable with each other. This hero seemed to have more character development than the other heroes in this series and it made for a good read. I liked how everything was wrapped up nicely.
June 16, 2019
Love does find a way
Felicity was the youngest of the daughters left the house and the jewels she has an urge to write! Lord Darkwater has properties in the West Indies and came home to England to find a bride! Intrigued by Felicity and present when she presents her manuscript he has no idea how his life will change! Will they resolve the mystery of Mrs Waverly and her sisters? Will someone get shot and runaway with the famous jewels? This story made me laugh out loud! Enjoy!
Felicity was the youngest of the daughters left the house and the jewels she has an urge to write! Lord Darkwater has properties in the West Indies and came home to England to find a bride! Intrigued by Felicity and present when she presents her manuscript he has no idea how his life will change! Will they resolve the mystery of Mrs Waverly and her sisters? Will someone get shot and runaway with the famous jewels? This story made me laugh out loud! Enjoy!
April 3, 2021
It was all right. Chesney/Beaton's writing was quite funny and there was some good banter between the romantic leads. Felicity was enterprising, which I appreciated, and I liked the whole secret author and dressing up as an old lady to chaperone herself subplots. Unfortunately, the secret author storyline didn't go anywhere and only really existed to get the hero interested in Felicity, which was disappointing. Some of the book's commentary about women was less than 'feminist.' Perhaps it was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, but if so it wasn't obvious to me. (Though, to be fair, it does make some good points about i.e. the (gendered) double standards surrounding age gaps in relationships.) Maybe it's a product of its time because, for me, a lot of the humor fell flat The character of Agnes was also a mixed bag. On the one hand, her fantasies about Darkwater were quite funny, but on the other hand she was such a caricature. The 'mystery' of Felicity's origins was also a bit of a let down. 'The Love Match' is fine for a quick light read, but it's nothing to write home about.
November 13, 2021
#3 in The Waverley Women series. This 1989 series entry by Marion Chesney (also published as by M.C. Beaton) continues the story of the young women in Mrs. Waverley's household, following Silken Bonds. The youngest sister, Felicity, has no desire to follow her sisters into marriage, instead she follows her mother's vocation as a bluestocking and winds up as an anonymous author of novels about a predatory female. This leads to hilarious sequences.
August 23, 2018
A bluestocking wants to experience romance, even though she has never been to a ball but the popular authoress of a scandalous novel about a female rake... a rakess? What is one to do when you have a house and jewels and desires to be a part of the Season? Become your own chaperone, of course. This book was quite a fun read with Marion Chesney's unique way of coming to perfect conclusion.
July 23, 2020
The final chapter
A great end to the Waverley trio of books. Felicity is refreshingly undaunted at the prospect of living alone and writing and this trait makes the true Love Match to finish the trilogy.
A great end to the Waverley trio of books. Felicity is refreshingly undaunted at the prospect of living alone and writing and this trait makes the true Love Match to finish the trilogy.
November 10, 2021
AUDIOBOOK: Read 9 November 2021
5hrs 7min
Narrator: Vanessa Benjamin still does a great job.
I did like it. Like the running around the country to find the story behind the girls adoption but I didn't like the plot. Did return the book.
5hrs 7min
Narrator: Vanessa Benjamin still does a great job.
I did like it. Like the running around the country to find the story behind the girls adoption but I didn't like the plot. Did return the book.
October 30, 2022
Another hit!
The final book in the Waverly women series did not disappoint! Romantic entanglements were untangled, with intriguing main characters and even more intriguing minor characters along the way.
The final book in the Waverly women series did not disappoint! Romantic entanglements were untangled, with intriguing main characters and even more intriguing minor characters along the way.
December 14, 2022
Felicity is confused. Raised to snub men and marriage, she nonetheless is convinced, like her sisters were, to melt for kisses of a rich older Lord. Chesney, like Heyer, expands with humor, mystery, even murder and threats. Eccentric "minor" characters affect plot in major ways.
April 24, 2020
I finished up the series but wasn't very impressed with this last one. While it did tie up some loose ends, it didn't add much for me.
September 22, 2020
Just a lovely little story!
January 31, 2021
Really enjoyed this Trilogy.
May 19, 2021
Not bad.
June 5, 2021
Pleasant story
This the 3rd book in the series. It would make sense to read or listen in sequence. Lighthearted, twists and turns. All frivolous love stories with a happy ending.
This the 3rd book in the series. It would make sense to read or listen in sequence. Lighthearted, twists and turns. All frivolous love stories with a happy ending.
March 9, 2022
*2.5 stars*
What a silly little book.
There was so much potential :( but still quite enjoyable
What a silly little book.
There was so much potential :( but still quite enjoyable
June 21, 2023
Lovely ending
Oh what a lovely ending to the tale of the three sisters! And the issue with the prince was solved quite marvellously.
Oh what a lovely ending to the tale of the three sisters! And the issue with the prince was solved quite marvellously.
October 1, 2023
And the trilogy ends with a sad, but satisfactory conclusion to the over-arching mystery that we started trying to unravel in the first book.
And to borrow from Oscar Wilde, the good end happily.
And to borrow from Oscar Wilde, the good end happily.
March 18, 2024
The best of the series. This was a delight
January 14, 2026
Interesting but weird ass denouement. PAID for this - hate it when the final in a series isn't KU. Poop
July 6, 2025
I picked up the first book of The Waverly Women when I vacationed in the UK last Christmas, mostly on a whim but also just wanted a UK romance to take home. I absolutely adored this little series and would recommend if you like period romance!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews