A Second Spring

by Carola Dunn

Four Regency

'The Dower House', 'A Conformable Wife', 'The Aunt and the Ancient Mariner', and 'Pirate Pendragon' (the last named originally titled 'The Pirate').

Widows and spinsters find love at last.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Anthologies, Fiction

Nook

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Carola Dunn is the author of more than 30 Regency romances, as well as 16 mysteries (the Daisy Dalrymple mystery series is set in England in the 1920s). Ms. Dunn was born and grew up in England, where she got a B.A. in Russian and French from Manchester University. She travelled as far as Fiji before returning to settle in California. After 30 years in the US, she says she still sounds as if she arrived a month ago.

Prior to writing, Ms. Dunn’s various jobs included market research, child-care, construction--from foundation trenches to roofing--and writing definitions for a dictionary of science and technology. She wrote her first novel in 1979, a Regency which she sold to Warner Books.

Now living in Eugene, Oregon, Ms. Dunn has a son in California who has just made her a grandmother, and a large black dog named Willow who takes her for a walk by the Willamette River each morning. (www.belgravehouse.com)

Reviews

[Katie Kofemug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four Regency Novellas: Widows and spinsters find love at last.
[Originally published by Zebra in A Mother's Joy, Flowers for the Bride, A June Bride and Wonderful and Wicked]

Carola Dunn is one of my favorite authors. My keeper file has 20 of her delightful romances. Her writing is always well-paced and subtly humorous. Her characters are real people and though she writes the standard tropes, they feel refreshed under her hand. That she took time to consider the mature lovers makes my happy place very sunny indeed.

The Dower House
Despite this being a novella, time was allowed for romance to develop. How I adore stories that allow for interest to transform to romance! Alas, because it is a novella, 88% of this happens off page. Topping that, we find two romances in this story, so the romance is mostly focused on the younger folks. There are circumstances, internal drama and a bit of eye-rolling trope nonsense but overall it is a well done novelette. Totally a comfy read without stress or angst. Well, except, there is a bit of math involved at the end, you might have a flash back to painful elementary school moments.

A Conformable Wife
There was excellent background for the characters of this story. Plenty of time for romance to begin, but they spent it apart with only 2 letters between them. One day and night on the road and they were in love. I enjoyed the Much Ado references and the dialog when they finally spent time together but it just wasn't enough, even in a novella, for the grand declaration. The wedding scene was pricelessly perfect. Not bad, just not enough.

The Aunt and the Ancient Mariner
This is a favorite of mine. I loved it the first time I read it and still do the hundredth time. Poetry, music, and excellent dialog, plus a man that recognizes the value of a gentle spirit meeting a woman that is loving and finds joy in many little things is just about the most perfect recipe for romance. This is one of the few novellas I don't end up feeling was too short. It seemed just right to me.

Pirate Pendragon
This is a nice flashback story of childhood friendship that blossomed to love but was thwarted, so it isn't really a mature lovers romance. It's pleasantly told, makes you laugh and sigh, but the actual romance is all "Previously, on Pirate Pendragon." I would've enjoyed it more if the story focused on the people they became rather than the children they were, but it's a novella, so there you go. There's also a big secret that gets revealed and is left ... emotionally unexplored and that didn't set well with me. It's an enjoyable read but I suspect after the Aunt and Ancient Mariner, no story would seem as well done.

You can read an expanded review of this and other books at link: Page Traveler E-Book Reviews

[Pauline Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compilation of four novellas, all featuring older couples, which is a refreshing change from the usual teens-and-early-twenties of so many Regency romances. Despite their short length, each story features a full array of side characters and a nuanced romance with plenty of emotional tug, set in a well-researched Regency. Highly recommended. Five stars.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Dower House." When you marry at seventeen, as does your daughter, you can find yourself a grandmother in your forties. That's Catriona's position when her husband dies and she and her daughter and her daughter's children move into the dower house. There's no telling what the new baron will be like, after all. This was sweet and predictable, and fairly slight. What made it different was referring to the daughter's fear of physical intimacy following a husband who treated her roughly.
"A Conformable Wife." Benedict, having had eccentric parents, is painfully staid and in search of a conformable wife. His sister suggests a friend, a spinster of 26 living with her brother and his new wife. Eleanor is desperate to escape her sister-in-law, and even the boring Benedict seems preferable. However, when it comes to it, she can't do it, and escapes into an inadvertent adventure--followed by Benedict, who isn't really as staid as he seemed. This one was fun and more like a Heyer romp with highwaymen and escaping through windows and so forth.
"The Aunt and the Ancient Mariner." Chloe is a spinster aunt, living with her irascible and domineering brother and his children. She gets a despairing letter from her niece, up in London for the only Season her father will allow her (he's a pennypincher), saying that her father is going to force her to marry someone really old. Taking her courage in both hands, Chloe goes up to town and finds that Sir Lionel, far from being old, is only fortysomething, and...well, he's rather nice. This was also predictable and fun. I liked Chloe finding her courage and standing up to her brother, and getting the happy ending she deserves.
"Pirate Pendragon." Alicia, the widowed Lady Ransome, is up in London for the Season with her two lovely and sensible daughters. At Almack's, she sees a ghost from her past--a boy she grew up with and planned to marry. What went wrong? What will happen next? This one is an unusual format for a regency, going back and forth in time to tell Alicia's story. It got a bit too suspenseful for me, so I read it backwards to make sure it would work out (well, I knew it would work out, but I didn't know how).
Overall, these novellas are fun for regency lovers, being intelligent, frothy, honest, and full of evocative world-building details.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful collection of short stories. Although nicely written, it would not nomally be enough to warrant 4 stars from me. However, in this case, there is an "extra" in the form of its fond treatment of women "of a certain age".

[Judithpn · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the novellas are simply charming. They’re the perfect feel good stories, definitely made a good enough impression to deserve 5 stars.

[Tina]

Would reread. Short stories, historical romance, older heroines

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includes four novellas all featuring older heroines – some are widows others are spinsters – all finding live when they least expect it. I enjoyed these poignant feel good stories with their touch of humour. If you’ve read all of Georgette Heyer’s Regency novels then this book would be a good substitute.

The Dower House – widowed mother and widowed daughter find themselves falling for distant relatives and realise that love is possible.

A Conformable Wife – an arranged marriage provides surprises for both bride and groom

The Aunt and the Ancient Mariner – Aunt Chloe is asked to rescue her niece from an arranged marriage and finds a totally different situation from what she had been led to believe.

Pirate Pendragon – can a lost love be resurrected?

I think my favourites were A Conformable Wife and The Aunt and the Ancient Mariner as they have all the ingredients of the best light Regency romances – wit, adventure and far from perfect heroes and heroines. Overall this book is an entertaining read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of Carola Dunn’s regency books I have read so far. They are a nice, quick, easy read and they have a Jane Austen feel to them. Each book is different enough from the others to feel fresh and her enjoyable writing style is consistent.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of romance novellas, these are entirely predictable and that is perfectly fine. Carola Dunn is a writer I really enjoy and her writing style takes these tales of second chances at romances from silly duds to enjoyable romps.

[☆Ruth☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four sweet stories set in the regency period. All concerning second chances at love for the various heroines... Great for a short bedtime read.