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Willowmere #1
A Lady Never Tells
A New York Times Bestselling Author -- Marigold (Mary) Bascombe, the eldest of four sisters, is fiercely determined to keep her family together after her mother dies -- even if it means escaping to England to contact their distant grandfather. Although their English mother was estranged from her father, they must depend on old family ties to shelter them. But when the sisters are mugged on the London docks, Sir Royce Winslow -- who knew nothing of an American branch of the family -- rescues them.
641 pages, Hardcover
First published April 27, 2010
About the author
Candace Camp
128 books1,263 followersCandace Camp is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty books.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
May 6, 2010
Lacked any spark; definitely not a keeper
(1824, London and the Lake District)
This is my third Candace Camp book in recent memory and I am coming to realize that she will probably never be one of my favorite historical romance authors. To sum up my complaints of this book: it basically lacked spark. The main characters were inaccessible (hero), or even worse, annoying (heroine); the chemistry between them was nonexistent; the mystery subplot was contrived, hard to believe, and not well done. The lighter moments between the three brothers brought some humor and the supporting character of Lady Vivian was very interesting, but neither of these aspects could by any means save A Lady Never Tells.
WILLOWMERE SISTER SERIES
This is the first book in the Willowmere series and will be followed next month by A Gentleman Always Remembers , starring Fitzhugh, the Earl and Royce's half-brother, as the hero.
CAMP'S WRITING STYLE
I read The Marriage Wager (3 stars) and The Bridal Quest (4 stars) last year, Books 1 and 2 of her Matchmaker Series, and though I enjoyed the latter, I could not get beyond one aspect of her writing style: she always writes almost solely from the heroine's POV. Before reading The Marriage Wager, I'd never read a book by an author who does that and it drove me absolutely nuts! It leaves the hero a complete enigma and definitely stops you from being able to fully understand or appreciate either him or the developing romantic relationship.
Another thing that drove me crazy in this book is that you never know anyone's ages - it's more annoying than it sounds. We find out on page 176 that Mary is 25 years old (at least, that's what I'm assuming from what she says there), and we know the evil Lady Sabrina is in her early 30s; other than that, nothing! I thought that Lily was in her pre-teens or early teens (more on that later), but in one section of the book she says that she was 14 "ages ago."
THE SISTERS
I was not extremely fond of the Bascombe sisters - Mary, Rose, Camellia, and Lily. I found Mary to be too hot-headed, rash, emotional, and stubborn, and all of them could be extremely immature (them constantly being referred to as "the girls" probably didn't help). Throughout the first part of the book I enjoyed Lily and Camellia's antics, thinking that they were both in their pre-teens or early teens. When I found out they were much older, however, their actions quickly took on a new light; their shenanigans and over-the-top reactions border on the ridiculous sometimes (the encounter from which they acquire their dog, Pirate, comes to mind).
THE ROMANCE
As previously said, writing almost solely from the heroine's POV leaves the hero inaccessible to the reader, so Royce remained a mystery to me for much of the book. I also felt his relationship with and feelings towards Oliver were not fully explored - as they could have been if we knew his thoughts!!
I'm always wary of romance books that feature an instant attraction, and so was disappointed when that seemed to be the direction the book was heading in with the first interaction between Mary and Royce. Not only that, but throughout the book I just did not feel any chemistry between these two characters. We are told about their attraction, but we aren't shown it.
When Royce kisses Mary for the first time on page 20 and they are both full of wonder and amazement, I knew that this was just not going to be my cup of tea. They don't even know each other and have just met for the first time an hour ago, yet she's already all aquiver (I'm telling you, if I have to read one more time about Royce's "broad shoulders and muscular thighs" I'm going to shoot someone). Mary experienced so much quivering, trembling and tingling that I worried for her health and Royce's eyes darken and burn so often that I wanted to tell him to go see an optometrist.
FINAL CRITICISMS
As I mentioned at the beginning, the mystery subplot left much to be desired. The added story of Royce's history with Lady Sabrina ended up just annoying me, because why would Mary so completely believe whatever this woman tells her? Also, when Royce explains that it all happened 12 years ago, Mary is still hung-up on it (12 years is a LONG time). Then, that she reads the old private correspondence between the two was completely despicable - and something she sadly never has to answer for. Finally, although historical romances are not known for their stellar titles, they're usually at least relevant; here I'm not even sure what the book's title refers to.
[This review is of an advanced copy format of the book:]
RECOMMENDATIONS
Here are a list of enjoyable books whose heroine is the oldest sister of orphaned siblings as the heroine:
- The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie (Merridew Series, Book 1), 5 stars
- Scandalous by Karen Robards (Banning Sisters Trilogy, Book 1), 5 stars
- A Notorious Love by Sabrina Jeffries (Swanlea Spinsters, Book 2), 4 stars
- At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh (Huxtable Quintet, Book 3), 4 stars
- Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas (The Hathaways, Book 1), 4 stars
(1824, London and the Lake District)
This is my third Candace Camp book in recent memory and I am coming to realize that she will probably never be one of my favorite historical romance authors. To sum up my complaints of this book: it basically lacked spark. The main characters were inaccessible (hero), or even worse, annoying (heroine); the chemistry between them was nonexistent; the mystery subplot was contrived, hard to believe, and not well done. The lighter moments between the three brothers brought some humor and the supporting character of Lady Vivian was very interesting, but neither of these aspects could by any means save A Lady Never Tells.
WILLOWMERE SISTER SERIES
This is the first book in the Willowmere series and will be followed next month by A Gentleman Always Remembers , starring Fitzhugh, the Earl and Royce's half-brother, as the hero.
CAMP'S WRITING STYLE
I read The Marriage Wager (3 stars) and The Bridal Quest (4 stars) last year, Books 1 and 2 of her Matchmaker Series, and though I enjoyed the latter, I could not get beyond one aspect of her writing style: she always writes almost solely from the heroine's POV. Before reading The Marriage Wager, I'd never read a book by an author who does that and it drove me absolutely nuts! It leaves the hero a complete enigma and definitely stops you from being able to fully understand or appreciate either him or the developing romantic relationship.
Another thing that drove me crazy in this book is that you never know anyone's ages - it's more annoying than it sounds. We find out on page 176 that Mary is 25 years old (at least, that's what I'm assuming from what she says there), and we know the evil Lady Sabrina is in her early 30s; other than that, nothing! I thought that Lily was in her pre-teens or early teens (more on that later), but in one section of the book she says that she was 14 "ages ago."
THE SISTERS
I was not extremely fond of the Bascombe sisters - Mary, Rose, Camellia, and Lily. I found Mary to be too hot-headed, rash, emotional, and stubborn, and all of them could be extremely immature (them constantly being referred to as "the girls" probably didn't help). Throughout the first part of the book I enjoyed Lily and Camellia's antics, thinking that they were both in their pre-teens or early teens. When I found out they were much older, however, their actions quickly took on a new light; their shenanigans and over-the-top reactions border on the ridiculous sometimes (the encounter from which they acquire their dog, Pirate, comes to mind).
THE ROMANCE
As previously said, writing almost solely from the heroine's POV leaves the hero inaccessible to the reader, so Royce remained a mystery to me for much of the book. I also felt his relationship with and feelings towards Oliver were not fully explored - as they could have been if we knew his thoughts!!
I'm always wary of romance books that feature an instant attraction, and so was disappointed when that seemed to be the direction the book was heading in with the first interaction between Mary and Royce. Not only that, but throughout the book I just did not feel any chemistry between these two characters. We are told about their attraction, but we aren't shown it.
When Royce kisses Mary for the first time on page 20 and they are both full of wonder and amazement, I knew that this was just not going to be my cup of tea. They don't even know each other and have just met for the first time an hour ago, yet she's already all aquiver (I'm telling you, if I have to read one more time about Royce's "broad shoulders and muscular thighs" I'm going to shoot someone). Mary experienced so much quivering, trembling and tingling that I worried for her health and Royce's eyes darken and burn so often that I wanted to tell him to go see an optometrist.
FINAL CRITICISMS
As I mentioned at the beginning, the mystery subplot left much to be desired. The added story of Royce's history with Lady Sabrina ended up just annoying me, because why would Mary so completely believe whatever this woman tells her? Also, when Royce explains that it all happened 12 years ago, Mary is still hung-up on it (12 years is a LONG time). Then, that she reads the old private correspondence between the two was completely despicable - and something she sadly never has to answer for. Finally, although historical romances are not known for their stellar titles, they're usually at least relevant; here I'm not even sure what the book's title refers to.
[This review is of an advanced copy format of the book:]
RECOMMENDATIONS
Here are a list of enjoyable books whose heroine is the oldest sister of orphaned siblings as the heroine:
- The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie (Merridew Series, Book 1), 5 stars
- Scandalous by Karen Robards (Banning Sisters Trilogy, Book 1), 5 stars
- A Notorious Love by Sabrina Jeffries (Swanlea Spinsters, Book 2), 4 stars
- At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh (Huxtable Quintet, Book 3), 4 stars
- Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas (The Hathaways, Book 1), 4 stars
June 3, 2010
So, I got this book from Goodreads First Reads about--well, let's just say a long time ago since I can't remember when I got it. Suffice it to say, I've had it for quite a while and never got around to reading it. Honestly, I didn't think that I was going to like the book. However, I was wrong...
I really, really liked this book and I thought that it was hilarious a lot of the time. I loved all the characters: the 4 sisters--Mary, Rose, Camellia, and Lily, the 3 brothers--Royce, Oliver, and Fitz, Pirate the dog, Lady Vivian Carlyle, and Cousin Charlotte. They were all enjoyable in their own right, but the one that I enjoyed the most was Vivian and I look forward to reading about her and Oliver. I liked the plot, too, even if it wasn't completely and totally original, and I enjoyed reading it.
However, there is two things that I thought were especially dumb. I will start with the lesser of the two evils and then go into the dumbest part of all:
1. I know that as the reader, I am able to see things more circumspectly than the people actually in the book, but I could not believe that Mary couldn't see that Lady Sabrina was a bitch from the start. She was clearly a conniving snake who wanted to make sure that she was the best at everything, no matter what she had to do.
2. Now, the thing that I thought was the dumbest was that the girls never told Royce, Oliver, or Fitz about their vile stepfather, Cosmo, until page 401 (out 451 pages!). Don't you think that is someone has repeatedly tried to kidnap one of your sisters that you would tell everything to the people trying to help protect and take care of you? I don't know; it might just be me. But I found it completely illogical and irrational not to tell the men about the man! Just because it seemed unlikely that he would follow you across the pond from America to England doesn't mean that it's impossible! I don't know, for four seemingly intelligent women, that was an extraordinarily bad move.
Those two things are what brought the rating down to 3.75 stars.
Finally, I just want to say that I really love the cover of this book. I really, really do; the woman looks like she's got a secret. However, there is one thing that bothered me every single time I looked at the cover because, once I noticed it, my eye always went to it! On one of the eyes, there is a white spot, almost like a flash. It's a small thing that many may not have noticed. However, I did and it has been circled in the picture below because I need evidence to prove I'm not nuts. Alas, I am not, thank you very much!
3.75 stars
I really, really liked this book and I thought that it was hilarious a lot of the time. I loved all the characters: the 4 sisters--Mary, Rose, Camellia, and Lily, the 3 brothers--Royce, Oliver, and Fitz, Pirate the dog, Lady Vivian Carlyle, and Cousin Charlotte. They were all enjoyable in their own right, but the one that I enjoyed the most was Vivian and I look forward to reading about her and Oliver. I liked the plot, too, even if it wasn't completely and totally original, and I enjoyed reading it.
However, there is two things that I thought were especially dumb. I will start with the lesser of the two evils and then go into the dumbest part of all:
1. I know that as the reader, I am able to see things more circumspectly than the people actually in the book, but I could not believe that Mary couldn't see that Lady Sabrina was a bitch from the start. She was clearly a conniving snake who wanted to make sure that she was the best at everything, no matter what she had to do.
2. Now, the thing that I thought was the dumbest was that the girls never told Royce, Oliver, or Fitz about their vile stepfather, Cosmo, until page 401 (out 451 pages!). Don't you think that is someone has repeatedly tried to kidnap one of your sisters that you would tell everything to the people trying to help protect and take care of you? I don't know; it might just be me. But I found it completely illogical and irrational not to tell the men about the man! Just because it seemed unlikely that he would follow you across the pond from America to England doesn't mean that it's impossible! I don't know, for four seemingly intelligent women, that was an extraordinarily bad move.
Those two things are what brought the rating down to 3.75 stars.
Finally, I just want to say that I really love the cover of this book. I really, really do; the woman looks like she's got a secret. However, there is one thing that bothered me every single time I looked at the cover because, once I noticed it, my eye always went to it! On one of the eyes, there is a white spot, almost like a flash. It's a small thing that many may not have noticed. However, I did and it has been circled in the picture below because I need evidence to prove I'm not nuts. Alas, I am not, thank you very much!
3.75 stars
March 21, 2020
Bland but competent. Nothing new and exciting here, I liked the side characters more than the main. Romance was meh, mystery was meh, some tstl behaviour.
I feel like the male perspective is not covered sufficiently. I kept waiting for some insight into his thoughts or some chapters from his point of view. The whole book was Royce being "come here let me grope you".
They had few conversations we got to witness, I don't know of any interests they shared. And because their behaviour was so period inappropriate I kept thinking of Royce as the "Netflix and chill" guy who doesn't ask a woman out on a date, and wont be seen in public with her, but sends the "You up?" text at 2am. He was so disrespectful behaving like that to a pseudo family member, as she was.
I'm not much for fake love triangles and the like in novels but I sure wish the author had let her meet some more men and shown that poor girl that she had options. Because in real life a man who behaves like this is just not that into you and a big ole red flag displaying user.
But it is readable, and she builds interesting characters, they just never seem to be the ones you are currently supposed to be rooting for in that specific novel.
I feel like the male perspective is not covered sufficiently. I kept waiting for some insight into his thoughts or some chapters from his point of view. The whole book was Royce being "come here let me grope you".
They had few conversations we got to witness, I don't know of any interests they shared. And because their behaviour was so period inappropriate I kept thinking of Royce as the "Netflix and chill" guy who doesn't ask a woman out on a date, and wont be seen in public with her, but sends the "You up?" text at 2am. He was so disrespectful behaving like that to a pseudo family member, as she was.
I'm not much for fake love triangles and the like in novels but I sure wish the author had let her meet some more men and shown that poor girl that she had options. Because in real life a man who behaves like this is just not that into you and a big ole red flag displaying user.
But it is readable, and she builds interesting characters, they just never seem to be the ones you are currently supposed to be rooting for in that specific novel.
April 13, 2010
Historical Romance set in the early 1800's. A fabulous start to the Willowmere Sisters series!
Mary Bascombe and her sisters have just gotten off the boat in London when she is robbed of some very important papers ...
Enter "White Knight", Sir Royce Winslow who saves the day and gets the papers back!
From here, they cannot seem to stay away from each other. Royce helps them find lodging for the night, he introduces them to his step-brother, the Earl of Stewkesbury and he confronts evil villains who are out to do harm to Mary & her sisters.
Will all end well in the end? Who are the bad guys? Check out this book to see what happens!
Note: You may be surprised by the ending!
Mary Bascombe and her sisters have just gotten off the boat in London when she is robbed of some very important papers ...
Enter "White Knight", Sir Royce Winslow who saves the day and gets the papers back!
From here, they cannot seem to stay away from each other. Royce helps them find lodging for the night, he introduces them to his step-brother, the Earl of Stewkesbury and he confronts evil villains who are out to do harm to Mary & her sisters.
Will all end well in the end? Who are the bad guys? Check out this book to see what happens!
Note: You may be surprised by the ending!
February 17, 2010
Don't get me wrong I am a huge fan of Candace Camp's work, especially Mesmerized. However, I found this novel to be just okay. The four Willowmere sisters are fresh and new, if somewhat unbelievable characters for the time period in which this novel was set. They were spitfires, who lacked social training and basic etiquette. Camp describes them as the stereotypical American girls, rough around the edges but beautiful in their independence. However, it was quite annoying that these four sisters refused to listen to their cousins or any man. For example, they were constantly being attacked but still refused male advice to stay inside until the culprit was caught or until they could be accompanied. Moreover, even though they had some inkling of who was behind the attempted kidnappings, they refused to tell their cousins. It was frustrating reading about their stupidity and naivete.
Unfortunately, the romance side of the story did not help assauge my frustration with these sisters. Once again, I was bored by the story of a young woman who falls in love with a man, who clearly is not ready to commit or does not love her. However, this young woman blinded by love practically throws herself at this man, but when he asks her to marry him she refuses. If you're asking yourself, why the hell would she do that, join the club. Yet once again, a "heroine" of a historical romance novel refuses to marry the man she loves, after she has given herself to him. I'm so tired of this plot!
Overall I was disappointed. Candace Camp usually writes novels about independent young women, but the Willowmere sister's independence and pride went to a new level. And thrown in here was the typical plot - she loves him, he does not love her, she pursues him, she gives herself to him, he proposes, she refuses his marriage proposal, he pursues her, she relents once he tells her he loves her - THE END. It was simply just okay.
Unfortunately, the romance side of the story did not help assauge my frustration with these sisters. Once again, I was bored by the story of a young woman who falls in love with a man, who clearly is not ready to commit or does not love her. However, this young woman blinded by love practically throws herself at this man, but when he asks her to marry him she refuses. If you're asking yourself, why the hell would she do that, join the club. Yet once again, a "heroine" of a historical romance novel refuses to marry the man she loves, after she has given herself to him. I'm so tired of this plot!
Overall I was disappointed. Candace Camp usually writes novels about independent young women, but the Willowmere sister's independence and pride went to a new level. And thrown in here was the typical plot - she loves him, he does not love her, she pursues him, she gives herself to him, he proposes, she refuses his marriage proposal, he pursues her, she relents once he tells her he loves her - THE END. It was simply just okay.
April 11, 2011
This was one of those books where I got to the end and I thought to myself "Hmm. That was nice. I liked those girls and their wacky shenanigans." That might sound like an insipid thing to say- "That was nice" - but it totally summed up my feelings. I felt good after reading it. There were a lot of little things I liked about the book. It didn't blow me away or anything but it left me smiling when I read that last page.
And that's what it's all about, guys.
Things I liked: The relationship between the sisters. They were a unit, a team, a force to be reckoned it. They were ridiculously sefl-sufficient and could defend themselves in a pinch. I loved that the girls thought nothing about carrying a gun tucked away in their pocket or a knife strapped to their ankle. I loved everybody's reaction to them. Frankly, there are times when I'm reading historical romances where I want someone to explain to me why the rules always had to be followed. It was refreshing to have these girls ask those very questions. Just because something has always been done one way doesn't mean it always should be done that way.
I thought Royce and Mary were adorable together and I LOVED that she took responsibility for her actions. It was nice to have her tell him that he wasn't allowed to shoulder all the blame for their dalliances because she had been just as involved in their time together as he was.
All in all, I thought this was a fun read that had interesting characters and a breezy, light tone.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
And that's what it's all about, guys.
Things I liked: The relationship between the sisters. They were a unit, a team, a force to be reckoned it. They were ridiculously sefl-sufficient and could defend themselves in a pinch. I loved that the girls thought nothing about carrying a gun tucked away in their pocket or a knife strapped to their ankle. I loved everybody's reaction to them. Frankly, there are times when I'm reading historical romances where I want someone to explain to me why the rules always had to be followed. It was refreshing to have these girls ask those very questions. Just because something has always been done one way doesn't mean it always should be done that way.
I thought Royce and Mary were adorable together and I LOVED that she took responsibility for her actions. It was nice to have her tell him that he wasn't allowed to shoulder all the blame for their dalliances because she had been just as involved in their time together as he was.
All in all, I thought this was a fun read that had interesting characters and a breezy, light tone.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
October 14, 2014
Yazım tarzı çok güzeldi. Anlatımı ve karakterleri işleyişini de beğendim. Sadece bir iki noktanın daha sonuca bağlanmasını isterdim. Sanki Sabrina olayı havada kalmış gibiydi. Onun dışında, bir sonraki kitaplar Fitz ve Oliver'ın (Royce'un biri tam, biri yarı üvey kardeşleri) olacağından yazar onları sevdirmek için bol bol yazmış, o yüzden kitabı Royce'a ait hissedemedim. Daha çok Royce isterdim :D Arada Mary'i boğmak istemiş olabilirim...
Ama historical seven birinin beğeneceğini düşünüyorum.
Ama historical seven birinin beğeneceğini düşünüyorum.
July 28, 2022
“Me he dado cuenta de que el amor no es una idiotez que solo existe en la imaginación de bobos romanticones… y en caso de que lo fuera, yo mismo me he convertido en uno de esos bobos —le acarició la mejilla con los nudillos en un gesto lleno de ternura, y añadió—: Te amo”.
Me ha gustado leer la pluma de la autora, las cuatro hermanas Bascombe me han parecido muy interesantes y entretenidas. He disfrutado ver la manera en la que se enfrentan a su familia aristocrática y el romance entre Mary y Royce está lleno de chispa y encanto. 🥰
Me ha gustado leer la pluma de la autora, las cuatro hermanas Bascombe me han parecido muy interesantes y entretenidas. He disfrutado ver la manera en la que se enfrentan a su familia aristocrática y el romance entre Mary y Royce está lleno de chispa y encanto. 🥰
June 28, 2024
Ahhhh so good!! The banter! The wit! The uncouth Americans! Loved every minute of it!
July 5, 2018
(Seeing new releases by Candace Camp reminded me that I haven't added my Amazon reviews of older books of hers to my list here on Goodread. So here goes this one from 2010.)
I'm beginning to suspect that romance novelists have a finite number of good books in them and once they've reached that certain number, they offer us readers books like this one. Books like this have nothing new in them, and, worse, the authors make no attempt to present the re-hashed plots in entertaining or unusual ways.
In this book we have 4 orphaned, impoverished sisters coming from America to England to find their grandfather, the Earl of Stewkesbury, who had disowned their mother years ago. He is deceased and the new Earl, their cousin, takes them on as his responsibility. The girls, ranging in age from mid 20s to teen-aged, are unsophisticated, badly dressed and in need of training in the ways of society.
We are introduced, along the way, to many characters, some of whom will obviously have their romances in books to follow. In this one we manage to marry off Mary, the eldest, and Rose, who had left her heart in the U.S.A. There is a heavy-handed mystery, with attempted abductions of Rose, that only manage to exasperate, because of the silly, illogical way the girls react to everything. They expose themselves to danger stupidly, and think they are safe because they are knife- and pistol-packin' mamas. And as for the romances, oh, yuck.
Mary and "dashing" Sir Royce Winslow are so attracted to each other they can't get within a foot of each other before they start kissing passionately. And then what does good ol' Royce do each time but blow hot and cold, abruptly and brusquely pulling away, saying things like, "I beg your pardon. My behavior was inexcusable" or, my personal favorite, "Bloody hell! Get dressed." Then the next time they are alone together he's grabbing and groping again. Until they finally do the deed, after which he says to our poor deflowered Mary, "Bloody hell. What have I done?"
At about that time I was wishing Mary would use either the pistol or knife on him. Finally, by the end of the book, Royce manages to say something halfway romantic to Mary and she agrees to marry him.
So the romance fell flat for me, the mystery was uninspired and the characters pretty run-of-the-mill. If, in a future book, there is a romance between Oliver, the new Earl, and Lady Vivian, that might be interesting because they were the only characters in this book that appealed to me.
I'm beginning to suspect that romance novelists have a finite number of good books in them and once they've reached that certain number, they offer us readers books like this one. Books like this have nothing new in them, and, worse, the authors make no attempt to present the re-hashed plots in entertaining or unusual ways.
In this book we have 4 orphaned, impoverished sisters coming from America to England to find their grandfather, the Earl of Stewkesbury, who had disowned their mother years ago. He is deceased and the new Earl, their cousin, takes them on as his responsibility. The girls, ranging in age from mid 20s to teen-aged, are unsophisticated, badly dressed and in need of training in the ways of society.
We are introduced, along the way, to many characters, some of whom will obviously have their romances in books to follow. In this one we manage to marry off Mary, the eldest, and Rose, who had left her heart in the U.S.A. There is a heavy-handed mystery, with attempted abductions of Rose, that only manage to exasperate, because of the silly, illogical way the girls react to everything. They expose themselves to danger stupidly, and think they are safe because they are knife- and pistol-packin' mamas. And as for the romances, oh, yuck.
Mary and "dashing" Sir Royce Winslow are so attracted to each other they can't get within a foot of each other before they start kissing passionately. And then what does good ol' Royce do each time but blow hot and cold, abruptly and brusquely pulling away, saying things like, "I beg your pardon. My behavior was inexcusable" or, my personal favorite, "Bloody hell! Get dressed." Then the next time they are alone together he's grabbing and groping again. Until they finally do the deed, after which he says to our poor deflowered Mary, "Bloody hell. What have I done?"
At about that time I was wishing Mary would use either the pistol or knife on him. Finally, by the end of the book, Royce manages to say something halfway romantic to Mary and she agrees to marry him.
So the romance fell flat for me, the mystery was uninspired and the characters pretty run-of-the-mill. If, in a future book, there is a romance between Oliver, the new Earl, and Lady Vivian, that might be interesting because they were the only characters in this book that appealed to me.
May 25, 2010
I won this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
I'm sort of picky when it comes to historical romances. Sometimes I just don't like them for whatever reason, but this book I really happened to enjoy. If you like Lisa Kleypas' historical romances, you will most definitely enjoy this one as well.
A brief summary: Mary Bascombe and her three sisters: Rose, Camellia and Lily are on their way to London (from America) to find their grandfather The Earl of Stewkesbury. Their mother has recently died, and her last request was for them to find her estranged father in London and make a better life for themselves. All Mary wants to do is protect her sisters from their vile stepfather, but now that they have landed in London, she's not sure what to do. The last thing she expects is to be turned away by the Earl's servants because they don't believe she is truly related. And when Sir Royce Winslow offers to lend his assistance, Mary can't help but notice how attractive he is. To top off Mary and her sisters problems, it seems someone is out to harm them and Mary doesn't want to admit to Royce that she might know who it is.
I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the four sisters attitudes. Have you ever really wondered about some of traditions that you see in English society during this time period? Well Mary and her sisters often question why things are done, and it was rather amusing to see the responses they received. A lot of the humor in this book came from the sisters and their antics and behaviors and the reactions of their family (who were all pretty horrified by their behavior).
Mary and Royce were really great together, and they definitely burned up the pages with some of their love scenes. There was a nice amount of action and adventure as the sisters try to figure out who is trying to hurt them. Although it did get a little tiresome towards the end.
Overall, Camp's writing really drew me into the story and the cast of characters she created kept me glued to the pages. I found I wasn't distracted by the time period and was really able to enjoy the story which is something that doesn't happen often for me in this genre. I am already looking for the next book in the series so I can find out what happens to the other sisters.
I'm sort of picky when it comes to historical romances. Sometimes I just don't like them for whatever reason, but this book I really happened to enjoy. If you like Lisa Kleypas' historical romances, you will most definitely enjoy this one as well.
A brief summary: Mary Bascombe and her three sisters: Rose, Camellia and Lily are on their way to London (from America) to find their grandfather The Earl of Stewkesbury. Their mother has recently died, and her last request was for them to find her estranged father in London and make a better life for themselves. All Mary wants to do is protect her sisters from their vile stepfather, but now that they have landed in London, she's not sure what to do. The last thing she expects is to be turned away by the Earl's servants because they don't believe she is truly related. And when Sir Royce Winslow offers to lend his assistance, Mary can't help but notice how attractive he is. To top off Mary and her sisters problems, it seems someone is out to harm them and Mary doesn't want to admit to Royce that she might know who it is.
I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the four sisters attitudes. Have you ever really wondered about some of traditions that you see in English society during this time period? Well Mary and her sisters often question why things are done, and it was rather amusing to see the responses they received. A lot of the humor in this book came from the sisters and their antics and behaviors and the reactions of their family (who were all pretty horrified by their behavior).
Mary and Royce were really great together, and they definitely burned up the pages with some of their love scenes. There was a nice amount of action and adventure as the sisters try to figure out who is trying to hurt them. Although it did get a little tiresome towards the end.
Overall, Camp's writing really drew me into the story and the cast of characters she created kept me glued to the pages. I found I wasn't distracted by the time period and was really able to enjoy the story which is something that doesn't happen often for me in this genre. I am already looking for the next book in the series so I can find out what happens to the other sisters.
May 2, 2010
Having read just a small stack of historical romances I think I am beginning to understand the common plot elements that most novels in the genre possess. I have also begun to see what is unique to each story and I think in A Lady Never Tells that would be the strong sense of family.
Right away we are introduced to the four Bascombe sisters, headed by eldest sister Mary. They are right off the boat from America and aren't afraid to use their mouths and weapons (seriously) to stop a thief from taking a satchel of important papers. They are a refreshing family, unlike any I have seen so far in the historical romances I have read. They are a great match for the refined Sir Royce Winslow and his brothers. They are amused by each other because they are so very different. I never got tired of these characters! There are also secondary characters, cousins and friends that were really great as well!
The relationship between Mary and Royce while not an uncommon one in the genre is a lot of fun! It seems whenever these two are alone naughty things happen. So it should be said that A Lady Never tells is higher on the steamy scale. While their arguments were typical I still really enjoyed reading their story and carried it around with me everywhere I went most of the few days I was reading it.
I think this book is a great set up for the Willowmere trilogy and I simply cannot wait to read the next book, A Gentleman Always Remembers. I will be getting it as soon as it comes out!
Right away we are introduced to the four Bascombe sisters, headed by eldest sister Mary. They are right off the boat from America and aren't afraid to use their mouths and weapons (seriously) to stop a thief from taking a satchel of important papers. They are a refreshing family, unlike any I have seen so far in the historical romances I have read. They are a great match for the refined Sir Royce Winslow and his brothers. They are amused by each other because they are so very different. I never got tired of these characters! There are also secondary characters, cousins and friends that were really great as well!
The relationship between Mary and Royce while not an uncommon one in the genre is a lot of fun! It seems whenever these two are alone naughty things happen. So it should be said that A Lady Never tells is higher on the steamy scale. While their arguments were typical I still really enjoyed reading their story and carried it around with me everywhere I went most of the few days I was reading it.
I think this book is a great set up for the Willowmere trilogy and I simply cannot wait to read the next book, A Gentleman Always Remembers. I will be getting it as soon as it comes out!
November 20, 2012
:)
a minha estreia com a Candace Camp e foi uma estreia com muito gosto.
a historia é engraçada sendo que os personagens se envolvem muito bem o que torna bem apelativa a leitura.
nesta historia são nos apresentadas as 4 heroínas, irmãs que devido a algumas circunstancias familiares resolvem tomar uma atitude aventureira..
foi uma leitura muito agradável onde Mary Bascombe a irmã mais velha encontra a paixão e o amor para a vida....
a minha estreia com a Candace Camp e foi uma estreia com muito gosto.
a historia é engraçada sendo que os personagens se envolvem muito bem o que torna bem apelativa a leitura.
nesta historia são nos apresentadas as 4 heroínas, irmãs que devido a algumas circunstancias familiares resolvem tomar uma atitude aventureira..
foi uma leitura muito agradável onde Mary Bascombe a irmã mais velha encontra a paixão e o amor para a vida....
July 5, 2019
Lectura rápida, plano. No hay un climax. No se desarrollan bien los personajes. Descripciones gusto a poco. La historia es muy predecible. Ninguna sorpresa. El libro tiene 500 páginas, pero pudo haber sido de 250. 3 ⭐️ porque entretiene, pero gusto a poco. Continuaré con la saga para ver si cambio de opinión.
March 6, 2012
Somehow this book was buried on my To Be Read bookshelf and has been sitting, forgotten, for almost 2 years! When I discovered it again, I read the back book summary and happily dove into the tale.
Four sisters travel from America in search of their grandfather. Their mother has recently died and they no longer feel safe living above the tavern owned by their stepfather. They escape to find a new and a better life and a family connection. Mary, being the oldest, leads her three younger sisters, Rose, Camellia and Lily on this journey. When they find themselves on the docks in London they are out of their element, lost and more than discouraged. But when things seem to go from bad to worse, they meet an unlikely hero in Sir Royce Winslow. He takes the young and intriguing Bascombe girls under his wing and soon discovers an unexpected connection.
This book was really quite excellent. I am sorry that it sat collecting dust for so long. Immediately I was immersed in the story and invested in its characters. Mary and her crazy American sisters were humorous and they inspired affection. I really connected with the characters and I was only a few pages into the story when the author elicited the first tears from my eyes. I really got emotional with this story and when Mary gets her feelings hurt, I found myself sharing in her pain.
The chemistry between Royce and Mary is electric and watching them fight their feelings and flounder in their romance was an experience. The author wrote Royce as a compassionate, alpha male. He’s sexy and loveable, but at times completely clueless on how to deal with women and relationships. I found myself alternating between feeling sorry for him and wanting to smack him upside the head. But all the while I adored him.
I loved how these girls took on the aristocratic English world and made their place among them. They never strayed far from their spirited ways but learned to adapt without losing themselves. This book made me laugh and made me cry and mostly it made me want to read more. I went ahead and ordered the last two books in this series and I know they will not sit around long enough to collect dust.
Cherise Everhard, March 2012
Four sisters travel from America in search of their grandfather. Their mother has recently died and they no longer feel safe living above the tavern owned by their stepfather. They escape to find a new and a better life and a family connection. Mary, being the oldest, leads her three younger sisters, Rose, Camellia and Lily on this journey. When they find themselves on the docks in London they are out of their element, lost and more than discouraged. But when things seem to go from bad to worse, they meet an unlikely hero in Sir Royce Winslow. He takes the young and intriguing Bascombe girls under his wing and soon discovers an unexpected connection.
This book was really quite excellent. I am sorry that it sat collecting dust for so long. Immediately I was immersed in the story and invested in its characters. Mary and her crazy American sisters were humorous and they inspired affection. I really connected with the characters and I was only a few pages into the story when the author elicited the first tears from my eyes. I really got emotional with this story and when Mary gets her feelings hurt, I found myself sharing in her pain.
The chemistry between Royce and Mary is electric and watching them fight their feelings and flounder in their romance was an experience. The author wrote Royce as a compassionate, alpha male. He’s sexy and loveable, but at times completely clueless on how to deal with women and relationships. I found myself alternating between feeling sorry for him and wanting to smack him upside the head. But all the while I adored him.
I loved how these girls took on the aristocratic English world and made their place among them. They never strayed far from their spirited ways but learned to adapt without losing themselves. This book made me laugh and made me cry and mostly it made me want to read more. I went ahead and ordered the last two books in this series and I know they will not sit around long enough to collect dust.
Cherise Everhard, March 2012
June 9, 2010
Mary Bascombe is a woman on a mission. With her father died her mother confessing, moments before dieing, she is granddaughter to the Earl of Stewkesbury. Now Mary must cross the dangerous waters of the Atlantic with her three sisters in hopes for a better life. They leave behind all they know, including a sinister step-father who wishes to sell the girls for profit. The four young woman are an independent and wildly bunch who stick together when danger arises and someone tries kidnapping their sister, Rose.
Sir Royce Winslow is a man in the right place at the right time. When the girls papers are stolen, which will prove who they are to the Earl, Royce apprehends the culprit. He lays eyes on the four feisty woman but it is Mary that pulls at his heart. When he learns of their lineage, Royce brings them to see the predecessor to the Earl, whom is his step brother through marriage. The girls are then sent to Willowmere, the earl's country estate, to be polished and learn the ways of an English Lady. However, Royce can't help himself and he joins them. Mary is a welcomed relief to the stuffy and rule abiding ladies he's used to. Now, if only he can only keep the girls safe and win Mary's heart, the world would be perfect.
I was very submerged in this novel. Actually, today I looked for the followup to it so that I can put it on my TRL (to read list). Being one who has read very few historic novels, I found Ms. Camp's rendition of the time knowledgeable and believable. I could see the dresses and male attire clearly, hear their way of talk and understand what was expected of them during this age of time. The emotional and sexually pull between the two main characters was brilliantly played out and I didn't mind having to wait close to 230 pages for them to finally consummate their yearnings. I can fully admit, I appreciate a good sex scene and I wasn't disappointed. All and all, the book was a wonderful read which had me thirsting for more.
Sir Royce Winslow is a man in the right place at the right time. When the girls papers are stolen, which will prove who they are to the Earl, Royce apprehends the culprit. He lays eyes on the four feisty woman but it is Mary that pulls at his heart. When he learns of their lineage, Royce brings them to see the predecessor to the Earl, whom is his step brother through marriage. The girls are then sent to Willowmere, the earl's country estate, to be polished and learn the ways of an English Lady. However, Royce can't help himself and he joins them. Mary is a welcomed relief to the stuffy and rule abiding ladies he's used to. Now, if only he can only keep the girls safe and win Mary's heart, the world would be perfect.
I was very submerged in this novel. Actually, today I looked for the followup to it so that I can put it on my TRL (to read list). Being one who has read very few historic novels, I found Ms. Camp's rendition of the time knowledgeable and believable. I could see the dresses and male attire clearly, hear their way of talk and understand what was expected of them during this age of time. The emotional and sexually pull between the two main characters was brilliantly played out and I didn't mind having to wait close to 230 pages for them to finally consummate their yearnings. I can fully admit, I appreciate a good sex scene and I wasn't disappointed. All and all, the book was a wonderful read which had me thirsting for more.
February 6, 2013
After Mary's mother dies and she and her three sisters are left with their stepfather who wants to sell them, she takes herself and her sisters to seek refuge from their grandfather who is a Earl in England. Upon arriving however things are not what they expect, finding out their grandfather has passed away and they need to seek refuge from a cousin who is the current Earl of Stewkesbury. At first Mary is reluctant to do all that is required, to accept everything that are given to them because of their connection to the Earl. However she knows that she needs to do what is best for her and her sisters and their future. Sir Royce Winslow, when first seeing Mary and her sisters is very doubtful of their true identity, for they are a bit wild and nothing like any ladies he has ever met before. When the true identity is confirmed he is around Mary more and more, and he feels a pulling force toward Mary and her fiery spirit. But when danger comes lurking around the sisters, Royce is more protective of Mary than ever, and as desire sparks between Royce and Mary so does Love, and even though he has never wanted marriage before now he realizes that he does with only One woman...Its been quite some time since I have read Candace Camp, and so when I read the blurb on A Lady Never Tells I knew I just had to read it, and the cover definitely drew me in. A Lady Never Tells is the first installment of one of her more recent series, and I think from the first page I just fell in love with each and every one of the characters. Especially the sisters, they were charming and made me wish I had such sisters, that way I would never ever be bored. Even though I haven't read many books from this author, I always enjoy her stories, and they always tend to make me fall madly in love with plot and characters. One of my favorite things about A Lady Never Tells is how delectable it was, the characters beyond endearing and the plot utterly delightful!!! Just LOVED It!!!
July 29, 2010
I've really enjoyed some of Camp's previous books and I often think that in this genre books work best where they are in a series with some continuing characters, so I was looking forward to getting my teeth into the Willowmere series.
This is the first book in said series and although I didn't actively dislike it, I did find it a bit mediocre. A lot of plot elements seemed very reused and I always find the 'American girls coming over to England and catching eligible aristocratic batchelor' a bit too Mary-Sue-ish.
I didn't find it easy to like the heroine in this book all that much and it was difficult to see quite why the hero (who was likeable) would fall in love with her. Mary (or Marigold!) brings her sister to England to find their English family after their mother dies and they want to escape a somewhat unpleasant stepfather, but after this they all, but Mary in particular, do some pretty silly things. OK, they may not be up on British aristocratic ettiquette, but they seem to loose all common sense sometimes! Mary deliberately decides to conceal some important information and they go off on a jaunt whenever they feel like it, despite being attacked and suffering attempted abductions, and they seem to think it is unreasonable that the gentlemen taking responsibility for them want to try and stop them exposing themselves to danger!
Hopefully the next two books will be better.
This is the first book in said series and although I didn't actively dislike it, I did find it a bit mediocre. A lot of plot elements seemed very reused and I always find the 'American girls coming over to England and catching eligible aristocratic batchelor' a bit too Mary-Sue-ish.
I didn't find it easy to like the heroine in this book all that much and it was difficult to see quite why the hero (who was likeable) would fall in love with her. Mary (or Marigold!) brings her sister to England to find their English family after their mother dies and they want to escape a somewhat unpleasant stepfather, but after this they all, but Mary in particular, do some pretty silly things. OK, they may not be up on British aristocratic ettiquette, but they seem to loose all common sense sometimes! Mary deliberately decides to conceal some important information and they go off on a jaunt whenever they feel like it, despite being attacked and suffering attempted abductions, and they seem to think it is unreasonable that the gentlemen taking responsibility for them want to try and stop them exposing themselves to danger!
Hopefully the next two books will be better.
November 5, 2011
Okay, so far, not good: this book features not one, not two, not three, but four TSTL female characters. Are you freaking kidding me? It is going to be tough work getting through this book if the stupidity continues...
UPDATE: finished now. Meh. Definitely a dud from Ms. Camp. No chemistry between the hero and heroine whatsoever, and she continued to proudly wear the TSTL badge to the bitter end. I'll approach Ms. Camp's next with caution... A pity, as her novels are usually pretty good. This one, though, I will be putting up for resale: it definitely did not earn a precious spot on my already overstuffed keeper shelf.
UPDATE: finished now. Meh. Definitely a dud from Ms. Camp. No chemistry between the hero and heroine whatsoever, and she continued to proudly wear the TSTL badge to the bitter end. I'll approach Ms. Camp's next with caution... A pity, as her novels are usually pretty good. This one, though, I will be putting up for resale: it definitely did not earn a precious spot on my already overstuffed keeper shelf.
May 23, 2010
An Historical romance set in the early 1800's Mary Bascombe and her sisters have just gotten off the boat in London. When she is robbed of some important papers.Enter her White Knight, Sir Royce Winslow who gets her papers back for her and saves the day.From her on they cannot stay away from each other. He helps them find lodging and introduces them to stepbrother the Earl of Stewkesbury and he confronts villians who are out to harm Mary and her sisters .Will it end well? Why are the bad guys after them and who are they?
May 4, 2010
A really great first in a series. Mary and Royce were delightful and I loved their story. Great bit of suspense, also!
June 12, 2010
This was really more like 3.5 stars. The history was interesting but the romance was unrealistic. However, entertaining and definitely one of the better romance novels I've read recently
June 28, 2010
This book was overly predictable and quite irritating to read. Then again, it was a romance novel, which I feel are poorly written anyway and don't deserve to be considered literature in any way.
October 17, 2014
Bu yazarı çok seviyorum...Bu seri öncekinden güzel...Harikaydı..
March 17, 2016
Royce, Fitz ve Oliver'ı sevdim gerisini sallasak da olur :P
July 10, 2024
***MINOR SPOILERS ***
This book is the first in the Windemere trilogy. It can be read as a standalone.
Mary and her sisters come from the US to London after their mother dies to approach their grandfather. They are destitute and hope that he will take them in. When they arrive at the London docks, they meet Royce who stops a thief from stealing their bag. Royce happens to know their family but informs them that their grandfather died and their cousin is now the earl. Oliver, the new earl, checks their story and takes them in.
Mary and her sisters find their new life restrictive compared to their former life. Knowing they have little choice, they begin to try to assimilate into London society. They find support with Charlotte, the earl’s cousin, and her friend, Vivian, who is a leader of society. They all begin to form friendships which was nice. Seeing their reaction to London society is something I appreciated. Examples of this include them asking what people do other than go to parties or why women cannot go anywhere unescorted.
Mary is the oldest of the sisters and the rest all look up to her. She hides her legitimate concerns for their future and I admired her bravery. The sisters notice that an unknown man is following them and later the same man tries to kidnap one of them. They face this threat together and with aplomb. Their fortitude is surprising to others as they expect women to act as little more than children. I was glad that the sisters did not let others put them in a box.
I thought the book could have had more relationship development between Mary and Royce. They are attracted to each other and they lose more and more control with each other until they eventually make love, but the reasons for why they are right for each other is not exactly clear. Royce is charming and kind toward the sisters, but why is he the right match for Mary? Mary is independent. Why is that attractive to him? Mary has concerns early on about whether Royce would kiss and forget about it, i.e. that it would not have been special to him. It was not true, but it also did not seem that if she thought he felt that way, that he would not have been a good person to be attracted to. Royce kisses Mary very early on and it seemed like he would have had more restraint at the beginning. Their relationship was just starting and she was related to someone he knew well. The fact he did not should have been brought out more, perhaps in light of why he was attracted to her in general. He kisses her after she does something which showed natural confidence and an attitude to do it herself. Mary has a bit of a seesaw reaction to Royce, going hot and cold depending on where she thinks their relationship stands.
The point of view (POV) changes between Mary and Royce but most of the story is told from Mary’s point of view.
I did not really understand why the sisters did not tell the earl, Royce, and the others that Mary might have seen their stepfather. When they opened up about the man following him, it seemed like they could also have mentioned it. When someone visits from the US, I also wondered why they did not simply ask whether their stepfather was still in the US.
I may read another book by this author.
This book is the first in the Windemere trilogy. It can be read as a standalone.
Mary and her sisters come from the US to London after their mother dies to approach their grandfather. They are destitute and hope that he will take them in. When they arrive at the London docks, they meet Royce who stops a thief from stealing their bag. Royce happens to know their family but informs them that their grandfather died and their cousin is now the earl. Oliver, the new earl, checks their story and takes them in.
Mary and her sisters find their new life restrictive compared to their former life. Knowing they have little choice, they begin to try to assimilate into London society. They find support with Charlotte, the earl’s cousin, and her friend, Vivian, who is a leader of society. They all begin to form friendships which was nice. Seeing their reaction to London society is something I appreciated. Examples of this include them asking what people do other than go to parties or why women cannot go anywhere unescorted.
Mary is the oldest of the sisters and the rest all look up to her. She hides her legitimate concerns for their future and I admired her bravery. The sisters notice that an unknown man is following them and later the same man tries to kidnap one of them. They face this threat together and with aplomb. Their fortitude is surprising to others as they expect women to act as little more than children. I was glad that the sisters did not let others put them in a box.
I thought the book could have had more relationship development between Mary and Royce. They are attracted to each other and they lose more and more control with each other until they eventually make love, but the reasons for why they are right for each other is not exactly clear. Royce is charming and kind toward the sisters, but why is he the right match for Mary? Mary is independent. Why is that attractive to him? Mary has concerns early on about whether Royce would kiss and forget about it, i.e. that it would not have been special to him. It was not true, but it also did not seem that if she thought he felt that way, that he would not have been a good person to be attracted to. Royce kisses Mary very early on and it seemed like he would have had more restraint at the beginning. Their relationship was just starting and she was related to someone he knew well. The fact he did not should have been brought out more, perhaps in light of why he was attracted to her in general. He kisses her after she does something which showed natural confidence and an attitude to do it herself. Mary has a bit of a seesaw reaction to Royce, going hot and cold depending on where she thinks their relationship stands.
The point of view (POV) changes between Mary and Royce but most of the story is told from Mary’s point of view.
I did not really understand why the sisters did not tell the earl, Royce, and the others that Mary might have seen their stepfather. When they opened up about the man following him, it seemed like they could also have mentioned it. When someone visits from the US, I also wondered why they did not simply ask whether their stepfather was still in the US.
I may read another book by this author.
May 30, 2019
I'd read three disappointing historical romances in a row and was wondering if the genre was getting tired for me. Then I started reading A Lady Never Tells and thought, finally something different. I was so excited. And then...our "hero" starts hitting on our heroine with no thought of marrying her..and back to mediocre we are.
Royce is supposed to be looking out for his half-brother's four American, newly discovered cousins. So what does he do? After the wonderful beginning he sets out to seduce the eldest, Mary, with no intention of marrying her due to a bad experience 12 yrs ago! Get over it! To make it worse, he makes her feel badly after every encounter. Not my idea of a hero, personally.
Mary's sister, Rose, is the target of a kidnapper. Mary has relevant information but doesn't share it with her cousins or Rhys. (Is that why the book is called A Lady Never Tells?) The four sisters won't listen to reason and insist on traipsing around alone even though there is danger.
Mary is naturally upset about Rhys' behaviour but when he finally proposes she says no. This stupidity goes on for the remainder of the book and Rose reacts similarly to her beau.
What started out as a 5 ended up as a 2 so I decided on a 3 star rating.
Royce is supposed to be looking out for his half-brother's four American, newly discovered cousins. So what does he do? After the wonderful beginning he sets out to seduce the eldest, Mary, with no intention of marrying her due to a bad experience 12 yrs ago! Get over it! To make it worse, he makes her feel badly after every encounter. Not my idea of a hero, personally.
Mary's sister, Rose, is the target of a kidnapper. Mary has relevant information but doesn't share it with her cousins or Rhys. (Is that why the book is called A Lady Never Tells?) The four sisters won't listen to reason and insist on traipsing around alone even though there is danger.
Mary is naturally upset about Rhys' behaviour but when he finally proposes she says no. This stupidity goes on for the remainder of the book and Rose reacts similarly to her beau.
What started out as a 5 ended up as a 2 so I decided on a 3 star rating.
April 21, 2020
I’m glad that I gave this book a chance. I was immediately charmed by the Bascombe sisters from America especially with their scenes at the port where they were victimized by a robber. Instead of fainting or screaming helplessly, the three sisters ran after the robber and one stayed with their luggages with rifle in hand. It was funny and delightful. The whole fish-out-of-water-American-misses-in-England element continued its successful use throughout the novel. All the four sisters have distinct and delightful personalities. The scene with the snooty aunts was also a laugh-out-loud moment, and the author also succeeded in creating equally charming English characters with Royce, Oliver, Fitz and Vivian. I would normally find the drawn-out he-doesn’t-love-me-that’s-why-i-won’t-marry-him-but-he-really-does-love-her-he-just-doesn’t-know-it-yet plot between Mary and Royce irritating and boring but I did not. The sexual tension and the sizzling romance coupled with the charming layer of the sisters slowly fitting in with their new home and their new family made a delightful mix.
P.S.
Pirate and Oliver were fun and funny!
I also liked the author’s detailed descriptions of the dresses and accessories of that time.
P.S.
Pirate and Oliver were fun and funny!
I also liked the author’s detailed descriptions of the dresses and accessories of that time.
December 16, 2019
I adored this novel. I don’t read as much in the genre as I used to, but A Lady Never Tells is just how I love historical romance. An unconventional heroine— and she’s not struggling to run her own estates/saving her reputation, etc (and I’m not harping on the tropes, I’ve just read enough of them, lol), Victoria Daring is a member of a family of spies who can out-fence, out-run and out-think any man out there. Recruited by the Home Office in Regency London, she struggles to fit in with the ton even as she begins her investigations within their midst.
Lord Richard is bored with the same old thing, parties and gambling, horses and women, until an awkward encounter with a servant in a terrible wig. He cannot forget her blue eyes and when he encounters Lady Victoria, he has the answer to who she is but not really all of who she is. The more he finds out, the more she wants to run, but eventually she figures it all out with Richard’s help.
The characters are very well drawn, the situations with Regency society and the ton are well researched and believable and with a great plot and romance. I highly recommend this book.
Lord Richard is bored with the same old thing, parties and gambling, horses and women, until an awkward encounter with a servant in a terrible wig. He cannot forget her blue eyes and when he encounters Lady Victoria, he has the answer to who she is but not really all of who she is. The more he finds out, the more she wants to run, but eventually she figures it all out with Richard’s help.
The characters are very well drawn, the situations with Regency society and the ton are well researched and believable and with a great plot and romance. I highly recommend this book.
April 18, 2021
Técnicamente es un 3.9
Este es el primer libro de la trilogía, y como me gusto me desagrado. Mary nuestra heroína llega a Londres junto a sus hermanas despues de escapar de su padrastro, donde conoce a nuestro héroe Royce.
La historia tiene la esencia de Candice ,algo coqueto, ambientado en la época y lo que abunda sensualidad.La trama es buena, sin embargo ,muchas veces no se dio un cierre adecuado a los problemas o le dieron una solución un poco burda a mi gusto.
Llegamos a lo que más me molesto a lo largo de todoooo el libro, Mary nunca pero nunca se arrepintió de los errores que realizó, entendía que su carácter era distinto para cualquier londinense, pero por favor, su vida como la de sus hermanas estaban en riesgo y solo porque estaba enojada prefirio salir con ellas sin ningun cuidado y lo peor ( a mi parecer) es que realmente paso por algo ,pero cuando la regañaron, ella estaba indignada y lo remediaba con sexo ( cosa que esta bien para leer xd), pero siento que le falto eso, como su reprimienda ...
Pero, sacando de lado todo eso ,es un buen libro, fácil de leer y entretenido para pasar el rato.
Este es el primer libro de la trilogía, y como me gusto me desagrado. Mary nuestra heroína llega a Londres junto a sus hermanas despues de escapar de su padrastro, donde conoce a nuestro héroe Royce.
La historia tiene la esencia de Candice ,algo coqueto, ambientado en la época y lo que abunda sensualidad.La trama es buena, sin embargo ,muchas veces no se dio un cierre adecuado a los problemas o le dieron una solución un poco burda a mi gusto.
Llegamos a lo que más me molesto a lo largo de todoooo el libro, Mary nunca pero nunca se arrepintió de los errores que realizó, entendía que su carácter era distinto para cualquier londinense, pero por favor, su vida como la de sus hermanas estaban en riesgo y solo porque estaba enojada prefirio salir con ellas sin ningun cuidado y lo peor ( a mi parecer) es que realmente paso por algo ,pero cuando la regañaron, ella estaba indignada y lo remediaba con sexo ( cosa que esta bien para leer xd), pero siento que le falto eso, como su reprimienda ...
Pero, sacando de lado todo eso ,es un buen libro, fácil de leer y entretenido para pasar el rato.
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