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Lord Courtney's Lady
Society whispered knowingly of Lord Courtney's abrupt marriage to a girl of no social standing. And, though he tolerated no slurs on her dignity, his chronic carousing left less than bliss in their marriage bed. So Susan's spiteful flight with a conniving French court seemed like grounds for a scandalous divorce... Until she found herself held captive -- for a ransom more precious than gold....
- GenresHistorical Romance
280 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 5, 2018
Major spoilers. Sorry. No way around it.
Welp...this one was...um...a refreshing surprise. This happy little nugget starts with a nice crunchy scene with baby rabbits getting run over by the hero's (an earl so happen) carriage. His squeamish driver/groom/valet gets squicked out and ends up driving off the road and breaking an axle.
Along comes a jolly little squire who cordially allows the Earl to come and stay with him and is family while repairs are being made. The squire has three lovely daughters, the middle of which falls hard for the Earl. After days and days of puppy love devotion, our hero takes our young blossom out into the woods to give her a goodbye cherry pop. Unfortunately for them, daddy came home early and caught the little lust birds and took a horse whip to our dashing hero, who faints as a results of the trauma. The dude's scarred (literally and figuratively) all the way through the book, having nightmares of daddy and his whip. Somehow or another, the Earl's injured pride as a result of the whipping required that he marry the little miss, who was pretty but provincial.
The Earl travels back home with his new bride but requires her to keep their matrimony a secret until he has a chance to tell his family. However, he's a pouty, self-centered dickwad who creates all these scenarios that causes little sweeties to unknowingly bring all the attention of London onto her head. Unsurprisingly words gets back to mum and dad that sonny boy tied the knot with a little nobody after years and years of bopping little chickadees just like her without ever needing to save their virtue. Nothing really comes of his family knowing except one scene where mom tries to bribe the h to leave and we find out that the Earl's apple didn't fall far from his dad's tree.
There is scene after scene of our hero being a total dick, looking down on poor little wifey who knows nothing of the ways of "people of quality." He also unabashedly continues to whoredog as if nothing's changed and is quite unapologetic about it. Yes, our little country bumpkin turns a blind eye (mostly) and doesn't bash in his head in his sleep, but you can't really call her a doormat. She makes excuses and gets on with her life, making her own friends and bettering herself. She's sad and discouraged but she doesn't wait around for him to come home. She does so well for herself that Mr. Manwhore starts getting jealous, which only makes him meaner.
Our hero continues to deteriorate into being a drunken ass who stays gone much of the time. There's a misunderstanding where asshat thinks he's dreaming (he's drunk off his gourd) but actually goes and does the deed with the Mrs. This is after months of wetting his noodle in everyone's pot but her's. Dad comes and after a fun night of of hitting the whorehouses together, he talks his mini-me into spending more time at home working on heirs instead of errors. He still goes out every night but he dips his proboscis into honey's blossom more regularly, but there was good month in between then and the dream boink. You can already tell where this is going, cant' you?
Our little darling ends up with a bun in the oven that jerkwad thinks belongs to someone else. He would usually be fine and dandy with her porking other men but it's unforgivable that it's before he has an heir. I guess I could understand that...if he wasn't wrong. Well, he flips the eff out, smacks her across the face, tells her to get rid of it, and threatens her and her dad (who could've hanged for the whipping because he's an important Earl and her dad's just a lowly squire) if she doesn't agree to a divorce. Good stuff here, folks!
He sent her off to the country but she runs off with this French dude (who got recently dumped by the sis-in-law) and goes to live in a convent while she figures out what she's going to do. Asshole finds out she took off to France with the Count and there's a dual. Frenchy cheats and our hero faints again after getting shot in the leg. Heh.
Now, I just don't know about the next part. The Count has been part of the London scene forever and has gobs of money of his own and even owns a convent. For some reason or other, he feels the need to throw it all away by trying to force the SIL to run off with him to New Orleans in exchange for our little flower's life. He thinks he's gotten his way, but decides to have her killed regardless. Why the hell not, right? Well, he doesn't get the chance because daddy and bubs catch up with them before they even cross the channel and plugs the Count and leaves his corpse in the bushes. Yeah...ok. Meanwhile, our sweet girl and her handmaiden escape a cluster of killer nuns at the Count's convent and conveniently end up at the same hotel with the hero.
This is the most touching moment in the whole story: The happy couple have a joyous reunion up in her room where he admits that he was wrong about the baby and promises to take a break screwing around (because he's currently not in the mood) but practically guarantees that he'll "have another woman in his life" at some point. The stuff of fantasies, don't you think? Don't despair, she's ok with him having a little entertainment on the side as long as it's nothing serious and he's discreet. I had to flip ahead to make sure I was really at the end of the story and, yep, that was the happy ending.
Too bad she didn't listen to the cook back home and kept her legs closed, hmm? She might not have married a rich earl but she would've been well enough off with someone, maybe a nice preacher, who would've valued her and not shared his goodies with all and sundry.
So...there's value here, just maybe not in our traditional make-my-heart-pitter-patter kind of way, unless it's with rage, of course. I totally found it entertaining. This was a nice mix of wtfery that was just enough over the top without making me bust my tablet against the wall. I can't wait to see what other little insane little gems with author might have out there.
Welp...this one was...um...a refreshing surprise. This happy little nugget starts with a nice crunchy scene with baby rabbits getting run over by the hero's (an earl so happen) carriage. His squeamish driver/groom/valet gets squicked out and ends up driving off the road and breaking an axle.
Along comes a jolly little squire who cordially allows the Earl to come and stay with him and is family while repairs are being made. The squire has three lovely daughters, the middle of which falls hard for the Earl. After days and days of puppy love devotion, our hero takes our young blossom out into the woods to give her a goodbye cherry pop. Unfortunately for them, daddy came home early and caught the little lust birds and took a horse whip to our dashing hero, who faints as a results of the trauma. The dude's scarred (literally and figuratively) all the way through the book, having nightmares of daddy and his whip. Somehow or another, the Earl's injured pride as a result of the whipping required that he marry the little miss, who was pretty but provincial.
The Earl travels back home with his new bride but requires her to keep their matrimony a secret until he has a chance to tell his family. However, he's a pouty, self-centered dickwad who creates all these scenarios that causes little sweeties to unknowingly bring all the attention of London onto her head. Unsurprisingly words gets back to mum and dad that sonny boy tied the knot with a little nobody after years and years of bopping little chickadees just like her without ever needing to save their virtue. Nothing really comes of his family knowing except one scene where mom tries to bribe the h to leave and we find out that the Earl's apple didn't fall far from his dad's tree.
There is scene after scene of our hero being a total dick, looking down on poor little wifey who knows nothing of the ways of "people of quality." He also unabashedly continues to whoredog as if nothing's changed and is quite unapologetic about it. Yes, our little country bumpkin turns a blind eye (mostly) and doesn't bash in his head in his sleep, but you can't really call her a doormat. She makes excuses and gets on with her life, making her own friends and bettering herself. She's sad and discouraged but she doesn't wait around for him to come home. She does so well for herself that Mr. Manwhore starts getting jealous, which only makes him meaner.
Our hero continues to deteriorate into being a drunken ass who stays gone much of the time. There's a misunderstanding where asshat thinks he's dreaming (he's drunk off his gourd) but actually goes and does the deed with the Mrs. This is after months of wetting his noodle in everyone's pot but her's. Dad comes and after a fun night of of hitting the whorehouses together, he talks his mini-me into spending more time at home working on heirs instead of errors. He still goes out every night but he dips his proboscis into honey's blossom more regularly, but there was good month in between then and the dream boink. You can already tell where this is going, cant' you?
Our little darling ends up with a bun in the oven that jerkwad thinks belongs to someone else. He would usually be fine and dandy with her porking other men but it's unforgivable that it's before he has an heir. I guess I could understand that...if he wasn't wrong. Well, he flips the eff out, smacks her across the face, tells her to get rid of it, and threatens her and her dad (who could've hanged for the whipping because he's an important Earl and her dad's just a lowly squire) if she doesn't agree to a divorce. Good stuff here, folks!
He sent her off to the country but she runs off with this French dude (who got recently dumped by the sis-in-law) and goes to live in a convent while she figures out what she's going to do. Asshole finds out she took off to France with the Count and there's a dual. Frenchy cheats and our hero faints again after getting shot in the leg. Heh.
Now, I just don't know about the next part. The Count has been part of the London scene forever and has gobs of money of his own and even owns a convent. For some reason or other, he feels the need to throw it all away by trying to force the SIL to run off with him to New Orleans in exchange for our little flower's life. He thinks he's gotten his way, but decides to have her killed regardless. Why the hell not, right? Well, he doesn't get the chance because daddy and bubs catch up with them before they even cross the channel and plugs the Count and leaves his corpse in the bushes. Yeah...ok. Meanwhile, our sweet girl and her handmaiden escape a cluster of killer nuns at the Count's convent and conveniently end up at the same hotel with the hero.
This is the most touching moment in the whole story: The happy couple have a joyous reunion up in her room where he admits that he was wrong about the baby and promises to take a break screwing around (because he's currently not in the mood) but practically guarantees that he'll "have another woman in his life" at some point. The stuff of fantasies, don't you think? Don't despair, she's ok with him having a little entertainment on the side as long as it's nothing serious and he's discreet. I had to flip ahead to make sure I was really at the end of the story and, yep, that was the happy ending.
Too bad she didn't listen to the cook back home and kept her legs closed, hmm? She might not have married a rich earl but she would've been well enough off with someone, maybe a nice preacher, who would've valued her and not shared his goodies with all and sundry.
So...there's value here, just maybe not in our traditional make-my-heart-pitter-patter kind of way, unless it's with rage, of course. I totally found it entertaining. This was a nice mix of wtfery that was just enough over the top without making me bust my tablet against the wall. I can't wait to see what other little insane little gems with author might have out there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2018
A very different Hero and a very non pc HEA.
December 4, 2010
This is one of my all time favorite historical romances. I wish that Ms. Morgan had written a dozen more. It is romantic. A rake receives his comeuppance when he is caught flagrante delicto with the innocent daughter of his host.
February 14, 2022
The way this book is written is rather tongue-in-cheek, so I think the author meant it to be a sort of satire on HR novels, not to be taken seriously. Therefore, you can overlook the rather unappealing seduction of the h, Susan followed by her father (literally) horsewhipping the H, Lord Courtney, the marriage that follows, their not sleeping together for a time, as Susan thinks he regrets their marriage and doesn't want him without love, while Courtney thinks she doesn't care for lovemaking, Courtney's infidelity (not surprising, since he's not getting any action, and this rakish guy has screwed almost every woman in London and apparently a few men too, so he's not likely to be patient), which he doesn't bother to keep secret, his drunken lovemaking with Susan that he later can't remember, then, several weeks later, after a short space of time where they have fun in bed, despite his treating her during the day either like an amusing child or else not paying her much attention at all, Susan's telling Courtney she's pregnant, and Courtney hitting her, angry that the child's not his!
Yes, he hit her, and that (along with his infidelity) makes him more an anti H, not helped by his insistence that she's cheated on him, assuming it happened during the time they weren't having sex, not remembering his drunken lust. Then, in typical 18thc aristocratic fashion, hw states that it wouldn't have mattered if it had been her second or third pregnancy, but the first, who could be the son and heir!!! The upper class doesn't care about infidelity or who's the daddy, as long as there's no doubt about the bloodline of the heir! Such charming people, weren't they?
Poor Susan really tried to make something of her marriage, wanting to better herself by studying art and languages, learning about history and politics, mingling with society, and never sure if she fit in or could ever be the right wife for Courtney. She wanted his love and got the worst of his nature in stead. He refuses to believe the baby's his, and while he can't remember the drunk sex, he does remember her going out earlier (she went for a drive, just to make him think she had plans, since he was always leaving her home while he gallivanted) and assumes she was meeting a lover. Then, he tells her to leave!
And leave she does, and soon he regrets his outburst, realizes what a jerk he was, and the search begins!
won't reveal anymore, except to say that the HEA left a bit to be desired, as Courtney can't promise he'll be faithful, but does promise he'll never have a serious mistress, only flings. And she accepts this!
Of course, when he remembers telling her it's okay if the second or third kids aren't his, it's possible his words may come back to haunt him!
Yes, he hit her, and that (along with his infidelity) makes him more an anti H, not helped by his insistence that she's cheated on him, assuming it happened during the time they weren't having sex, not remembering his drunken lust. Then, in typical 18thc aristocratic fashion, hw states that it wouldn't have mattered if it had been her second or third pregnancy, but the first, who could be the son and heir!!! The upper class doesn't care about infidelity or who's the daddy, as long as there's no doubt about the bloodline of the heir! Such charming people, weren't they?
Poor Susan really tried to make something of her marriage, wanting to better herself by studying art and languages, learning about history and politics, mingling with society, and never sure if she fit in or could ever be the right wife for Courtney. She wanted his love and got the worst of his nature in stead. He refuses to believe the baby's his, and while he can't remember the drunk sex, he does remember her going out earlier (she went for a drive, just to make him think she had plans, since he was always leaving her home while he gallivanted) and assumes she was meeting a lover. Then, he tells her to leave!
And leave she does, and soon he regrets his outburst, realizes what a jerk he was, and the search begins!
won't reveal anymore, except to say that the HEA left a bit to be desired, as Courtney can't promise he'll be faithful, but does promise he'll never have a serious mistress, only flings. And she accepts this!
Of course, when he remembers telling her it's okay if the second or third kids aren't his, it's possible his words may come back to haunt him!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews