The Counterfeit Lady

by Daisy Vivian

When Susanna Archer receives an inheritance from the late Lady Wycombe, she decides to move to Cheyne Spa and find a suitable match

216 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1987

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Susanna Archer, the longtime faithful companion of old Lady Wycombe is shocked when her employer dies and leaves Susanna her entire fashionable wardrobe. Lady Wycombe loved clothes but rarely ever wore any of the beautiful gowns she had made. Susanna's friend Tibby, maid to Lady Wycombe, suggests Susanna could catch herself a rich husband by posing as a beautiful, wealthy widow in some watering hole. Susanna is tempted, she's a bit tired of not being noticed by handsome gentlemen such as Lady Wycombe's nephew Patrick, and tired of being dependent on cranky old ladies for a living. Finally, Susanna agrees to pose as Lady Kinsale, a widow of the Irish Lieutenant-General and settle in Cheyne Spa with Tibby posing as her lady's maid. Susanna is recognized almost right away by Lady Morphy whose nephew Gavin Marshall is the best friend of Patrick Wycombe. Lady Morphy decides she and her nephew can use Susanna to further their own ends by marrying her off to Lady Morphy's older brother, the Duke of Quince, a widower without children. In exchange for not revealing Susanna's true identity, Lady Morphy and Gavin endeavor to polish Susanna's manners to make her masquerade more convincing. The Duke is making is own plans for marriage. He's initially interested in young Cecily Fairfax, who has her eye on Patrick Wycombe though her mother desires her to marry the Duke. When Patrick Wycombe comes to town he is captivated by Susanna's beauty and gets to play the knight errant when another Duke takes an unhealthy interest in Susanna. All the while Susanna is confused about what to do. She isn't sure she wants to choose comfort and security over love or whether she can actually have both.

This is an unconventional Regency romance. For one thing, it's not modeled after any of the Georgette Heyer Regencies or Jane Austen! Secondly, it took me almost the whole book to figure out who Susanna was going to choose in the end. Also, I found myself leaning more towards a very unconventional suitor. I didn't really like the heroine or the hero. Susanna is a bit unnecessarily cold and mercenary, at least at first. I can understand her desire for independence but I'm not sure I would have made the choices she did. Once she makes a decision though she sticks to it and she does the right thing in the end though it may cost her. The hero is surprising and I didn't much care for him either. The romance is very light with no real development on either side. I felt that Susanna should have not chosen any of the gentlemen! The plot moves along a little slowly in the beginning and picks up a tiny bit later after Susanna's arrival in Cheyne Spa. The ending is rushed and I think another few chapters would have better completed the story. I didn't love this novel but I didn't hate it either. It's nice and light and good bedtime reading.