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Purchas Family #3
Runaway Bride
A Regency novel
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
79 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Jane Aiken Hodge
54 books81 followersJane Aiken Hodge was born in the USA, brought up in the UK and read English at Oxford. She received a master's degree from Radcliffe College, Harvard University.
Before her books became her living she worked as a civil servant, journalist, publishers' reader and a reviewer.
She has written lives of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer as well as a book about women in the Regency period, PASSION AND PRINCIPLE. But her main output has been over twenty historical novels set in the eighteenth century, including POLONAISE, THE LOST GARDEN, and SAVANNAH PURCHASE, the beloved third volume of a trilogy set during and after the American War of Independence. More recently she has written novels for Severn House Publishers.
She enjoys the borderland between mystery and novel, is pleased to be classed as a feminist writer, and is glad that there is neither a glass ceiling nor a retiring age in the writers' world. She was the daughter of Conrad Aiken and sister of Joan Aiken.
Before her books became her living she worked as a civil servant, journalist, publishers' reader and a reviewer.
She has written lives of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer as well as a book about women in the Regency period, PASSION AND PRINCIPLE. But her main output has been over twenty historical novels set in the eighteenth century, including POLONAISE, THE LOST GARDEN, and SAVANNAH PURCHASE, the beloved third volume of a trilogy set during and after the American War of Independence. More recently she has written novels for Severn House Publishers.
She enjoys the borderland between mystery and novel, is pleased to be classed as a feminist writer, and is glad that there is neither a glass ceiling nor a retiring age in the writers' world. She was the daughter of Conrad Aiken and sister of Joan Aiken.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 30, 2024
The only book I had read by this author was the biography of Georgette Heyer that she wrote. I've been on a bit of a Regency bent at the moment so thought I'd try one of hers. I'm not sure what to think of it to be honest! I liked Jennifer, the heroine but she did a lot of running away and kept getting kidnapped. The first chapters were littered with the names of the Royals of the day and all the famous people around them. There was an awful lot happening all the time. Still, it kept me reading and I was interested in how it was all going to come together.
It says on the back 'for lovers of Georgette Heyer' but for me there were more Austen vibes in it.
It says on the back 'for lovers of Georgette Heyer' but for me there were more Austen vibes in it.
November 28, 2015
Georgette Heyer can make me accept one improbable event, but this Regency, by one of GH's biographers, was constructed on a string of them - starting with our wealthy heroine running away to be a governess rather than marry a man she didn't know. Since many 19th century governesses lived a life of drudgery, that is hard for me to accept, even for a very young heroine.
& that no one in Polite Society mentioned
Yet Aiken Hodge writes well. Just in this instance she can't construct a sensible plot.
& that no one in Polite Society mentioned
Yet Aiken Hodge writes well. Just in this instance she can't construct a sensible plot.
January 7, 2015
What a fun book. Surprises around every corner!
January 24, 2022
An odd one. This was almost a greatest hits compilation of all my least favourite tropes, it’s oddly written with some pseudo-Regency era language and the romance is very much an afterthought, as was common when it was first published, and yet I still read it avidly, despite all that. Maybe even a sub-par 70’s Regency makes for better reading than much of the modern stuff? Who knows.
Here’s the premise: Jennifer Purchas is a seventeen-year-old heiress whose father’s death leaves her in the hands of her uncle, who seems to be more interested in her fortune than in her welfare. When he informs her that she is to marry a stranger, a friend of her dead brothers who asked him to look after her, she runs away to her friend, who finds her a position as a governess. This goes on swimmingly until the children’s bad-tempered guardian appears, but just when Jenny has persuaded him that a beautiful and hoydenish girl of seventeen is, in fact, a perfectly sensible choice of governess (only in a Regency romance, methinks), her wicked uncle kidnaps her. She runs away again, this time to London, where she finds herself caught up in a riot and fortuitously rescued by the very same bad-tempered guardian, who deposits her with his eccentric grandmother (a duchess!). So Jenny, under a false name, is thrust into the whirlwind of the season, where her beauty and liveliness soon attract swarms of suitors. Of course they do. Sigh.
I almost bailed at this point, but somehow I kept going, wading through the positive swamp of tropes. Let me list some of the principal ones. The beautiful runaway heiress, check. The grumpy hero, check. The great misunderstanding, check (also known as not seeing what was blindingly obvious). The wicked guardian. The wicked rake. The manipulative aunt with a rival daughter. The mass of coincidences. The heroine who doesn’t spot danger (until it’s too late, naturally). The hero who doesn’t bother to tell the heroine that he loves her until the very last chapter. The secret note that draws the heroine to a secluded spot (yawn). And so on and so on.
Now some of this is great fun. I loved the moments where the heroine got herself out of trouble, although I have to confess that her propensity for running away got very tedious. I counted four separate occasions, which is at least two too many. I disliked it when she had to depend on the hero turning up at a vital moment to rescue her (which I think happened twice), but mostly Jenny looked after herself, and managed a certain amount of looking after other people, too. A resourceful lass.
I also liked the period in London, which slips straight into a very traditional form of Regency romance, with balls and masquerades and duels and the whole panoply that Georgette Heyer drew on. The author effortlessly weaves real people and events into the story (again, a Heyer trait), which adds a certain authenticity to proceedings. But the hero is also Heyer-esque, the grumpy, sneering, macho type that is really not my favourite type. I’m more of a Freddy Standen fangirl, myself - give me a gentle, understated hero every day of the week. And the hero’s bad temper gets him into trouble time after time (and gets the heroine into trouble, too).
There weren’t too many historical missteps, although (as so often in Regencies) the author takes liberties with the marriage laws. No, you can’t actually force anyone to marry against their will, not if you want the marriage to be legal, no, a guardian can’t marry off his ward to his own financial advantage, and no, you definitely can’t have anyone marry under a false name - that’s fraud and the marriage would be illegal to boot. But since none of these proposed irregularities actually came to pass, I can let them go.
One that I can’t let go is the question of Jenny’s guardian. It seems her father neglected to name a guardian in his will (or the named guardian had died, not sure about that). That does NOT mean that her uncle would automatically take over the role, and if he did, he wouldn’t have control of her finances as well as her person. There would have been trustees for the fortune and the Court of Chancery would appoint a guardian for Jenny herself. Since she was over 14, Jenny would legally be able to nominate her own choice of guardian. So she would never have been quite so helplessly under the control of her uncle (although of course that would have spoilt the story!).
This was a mixed bag for me. I liked the well-evoked Regency, the deft use of real history and the feisty and resourceful heroine, even if she made some stupid mistakes sometimes. I disliked the grumpily bad-tempered hero who is the very antithesis of Regency restraint. But even though it didn’t entirely work for me, it’s still a well-realised traditional-style Regency that I know many readers will absolutely love. I’d like to give it three and a half stars, but given the sheer weight of unlikable tropes, I’ll settle for three stars. But I’d like to try another of the author’s works that might suit me better.
Here’s the premise: Jennifer Purchas is a seventeen-year-old heiress whose father’s death leaves her in the hands of her uncle, who seems to be more interested in her fortune than in her welfare. When he informs her that she is to marry a stranger, a friend of her dead brothers who asked him to look after her, she runs away to her friend, who finds her a position as a governess. This goes on swimmingly until the children’s bad-tempered guardian appears, but just when Jenny has persuaded him that a beautiful and hoydenish girl of seventeen is, in fact, a perfectly sensible choice of governess (only in a Regency romance, methinks), her wicked uncle kidnaps her. She runs away again, this time to London, where she finds herself caught up in a riot and fortuitously rescued by the very same bad-tempered guardian, who deposits her with his eccentric grandmother (a duchess!). So Jenny, under a false name, is thrust into the whirlwind of the season, where her beauty and liveliness soon attract swarms of suitors. Of course they do. Sigh.
I almost bailed at this point, but somehow I kept going, wading through the positive swamp of tropes. Let me list some of the principal ones. The beautiful runaway heiress, check. The grumpy hero, check. The great misunderstanding, check (also known as not seeing what was blindingly obvious). The wicked guardian. The wicked rake. The manipulative aunt with a rival daughter. The mass of coincidences. The heroine who doesn’t spot danger (until it’s too late, naturally). The hero who doesn’t bother to tell the heroine that he loves her until the very last chapter. The secret note that draws the heroine to a secluded spot (yawn). And so on and so on.
Now some of this is great fun. I loved the moments where the heroine got herself out of trouble, although I have to confess that her propensity for running away got very tedious. I counted four separate occasions, which is at least two too many. I disliked it when she had to depend on the hero turning up at a vital moment to rescue her (which I think happened twice), but mostly Jenny looked after herself, and managed a certain amount of looking after other people, too. A resourceful lass.
I also liked the period in London, which slips straight into a very traditional form of Regency romance, with balls and masquerades and duels and the whole panoply that Georgette Heyer drew on. The author effortlessly weaves real people and events into the story (again, a Heyer trait), which adds a certain authenticity to proceedings. But the hero is also Heyer-esque, the grumpy, sneering, macho type that is really not my favourite type. I’m more of a Freddy Standen fangirl, myself - give me a gentle, understated hero every day of the week. And the hero’s bad temper gets him into trouble time after time (and gets the heroine into trouble, too).
There weren’t too many historical missteps, although (as so often in Regencies) the author takes liberties with the marriage laws. No, you can’t actually force anyone to marry against their will, not if you want the marriage to be legal, no, a guardian can’t marry off his ward to his own financial advantage, and no, you definitely can’t have anyone marry under a false name - that’s fraud and the marriage would be illegal to boot. But since none of these proposed irregularities actually came to pass, I can let them go.
One that I can’t let go is the question of Jenny’s guardian. It seems her father neglected to name a guardian in his will (or the named guardian had died, not sure about that). That does NOT mean that her uncle would automatically take over the role, and if he did, he wouldn’t have control of her finances as well as her person. There would have been trustees for the fortune and the Court of Chancery would appoint a guardian for Jenny herself. Since she was over 14, Jenny would legally be able to nominate her own choice of guardian. So she would never have been quite so helplessly under the control of her uncle (although of course that would have spoilt the story!).
This was a mixed bag for me. I liked the well-evoked Regency, the deft use of real history and the feisty and resourceful heroine, even if she made some stupid mistakes sometimes. I disliked the grumpily bad-tempered hero who is the very antithesis of Regency restraint. But even though it didn’t entirely work for me, it’s still a well-realised traditional-style Regency that I know many readers will absolutely love. I’d like to give it three and a half stars, but given the sheer weight of unlikable tropes, I’ll settle for three stars. But I’d like to try another of the author’s works that might suit me better.
January 21, 2019
This book would appeal to the fans of the older style English writing. There was a little too much of 1800's speech in this. The writer knew what she was doing and this would appeal to someone who wanted to immerse themselves in the speech of the time. The story was a fun one and really had me continuing reading when the feeling and language of the story turned me off a bit. It was too mater of fact and less emotion driven. It was very English. The Heroine in the story was great and I so enjoyed her journey. The romance was so flat I was pretty sad at how the author handled it. These two saw each other a handful of times and had three conversations with each other, but everyone else in the book talked too much! Oh my gosh the long winded speeches and drug out stories. The book doesn't even have a kiss......I was pretty disappointed. But again the writing of the end scene was well written and at this point in the story I saw it coming. I'm not sure I will read this author again unless I want a story exactly like this again but that is unlikely.
February 3, 2019
Jennifer Purchas has had the misfortune of her father and both brothers dying during the Napoleonic wars. Her acquistive uncle, Mr. Gurning, has seized control of her inheritance, and to make matters worse, he’s planning to marry her off to Mr. George Ferris, a friend of her late brother whom she’s never even met. Determined to take the reins of life into her own hands, Jennifer runs away to become a governess. But after a string of mishaps, she ends up in London under the nom de plume Miss Fairmont and under the protection of Lord Mainwaring’s grandmother. Jealous of her redheaded beauty, Jennifer’s rivals construct scheme after scheme to destroy her reputation, and it is only the timely intervention of the blunt and forceful Lord Mainwaring that saves her from becoming the scandal of the year.
George Ferris is an up and coming leader of the Whig party. He needs a society wife to help him advance his career, but he has made a promise to his dying friend Richard Purchas to look after his seventeen-year-old sister. When Ferris makes an offer for the girl, she has the temerity to run away rather than meet him. Meanwhile, at the death of his own father, George becomes Lord Mainwaring. Through a collection of inharmonious circumstances, when visiting some family friends, George becomes saddled with an unsuitable governess and foists her on his grandmother to save the girl’s reputation. But when the dowager duchess decides to launch the girl into society, it is all George can do to keep up with Miss Fairmont’s faux pas and stop her from ruining herself in front of the watching world.
This novel by Joan Aiken Hodge was originally published in 1976 and was re-released this month. The style is almost a direct copy of a Georgette Heyer romance, and Lord Mainwaring with his abominably bad temper and bullying ways fits nicely with Heyer’s “Mark 1” heroes. The inclusion of many famous society characters (Lady Caroline Lamb, Lady Cowper, Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, etc.) also mirrors Heyer’s work, as does the re-creation of nineteenth century dialogue (instead of using modern parlance). The plotting of the book was not quite as neat as the the inimitable Heyer (is it possible to believe that Jennifer went out in society and never realized that George Ferris and Lord Mainwaring were the same person?), but if the reader can suspend disbelief a little, this novel is a fine diversion in the style of older Regency romances.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
George Ferris is an up and coming leader of the Whig party. He needs a society wife to help him advance his career, but he has made a promise to his dying friend Richard Purchas to look after his seventeen-year-old sister. When Ferris makes an offer for the girl, she has the temerity to run away rather than meet him. Meanwhile, at the death of his own father, George becomes Lord Mainwaring. Through a collection of inharmonious circumstances, when visiting some family friends, George becomes saddled with an unsuitable governess and foists her on his grandmother to save the girl’s reputation. But when the dowager duchess decides to launch the girl into society, it is all George can do to keep up with Miss Fairmont’s faux pas and stop her from ruining herself in front of the watching world.
This novel by Joan Aiken Hodge was originally published in 1976 and was re-released this month. The style is almost a direct copy of a Georgette Heyer romance, and Lord Mainwaring with his abominably bad temper and bullying ways fits nicely with Heyer’s “Mark 1” heroes. The inclusion of many famous society characters (Lady Caroline Lamb, Lady Cowper, Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, etc.) also mirrors Heyer’s work, as does the re-creation of nineteenth century dialogue (instead of using modern parlance). The plotting of the book was not quite as neat as the the inimitable Heyer (is it possible to believe that Jennifer went out in society and never realized that George Ferris and Lord Mainwaring were the same person?), but if the reader can suspend disbelief a little, this novel is a fine diversion in the style of older Regency romances.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
February 5, 2019
#RunawayBride #NetGalley
Runaway Bride by Jane Aiken Hodge is written in a fashion that places you in an alternate time. The writing in old style is not once broken and adds a wonderful layer to the atmosphere of the book. Along with a web of motives, backstabbing, friendship, and the desire for a better life this book is phenomenal.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Runaway Bride by Jane Aiken Hodge is written in a fashion that places you in an alternate time. The writing in old style is not once broken and adds a wonderful layer to the atmosphere of the book. Along with a web of motives, backstabbing, friendship, and the desire for a better life this book is phenomenal.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
January 21, 2019
If you are in the mood for over-the-top drama and a plot built on far-fetched coincidences, Runaway Bride is the just the book for you! The author's writing style was interesting and easy to read, despite this being a somewhat longer book. I can easily imagine this being turned into a melodrama, where the audience gets to boo and hiss at the villains and cheer for the hero/heroine.
Thank you to NetGalley and Agroa books for providing a digital review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Agroa books for providing a digital review copy.
April 16, 2009
This was one of the first Hodge books I actually bought for myself, rather than getting from the library (I own most of them now) and I enjoyed it very much.
June 23, 2009
This is my favorite Jane Aiken Hodge book. I get a kick out of it every time I read it.
January 16, 2019
Prepare for a delightful Regency romp in the style of Georgette Heyer. The heroine, Jennifer is a heiress at 17 yrs old and pushed toward her suitor, George who was on the battlefield with her two brothers, made him promise to himself to marry her . But there are several problems with this because he waits a long time after their demise to come forward. She invents many reasons not to marry him and they actually do not meet at this point. Thus she becomes a runaway bride, determined not to wed him and in a line of adventures, ends up a governess for her friend Lucy's cousin. Not very probable but it happens and what would be next? Of course the hero shows up but neither of them know who the other is and she ends up in London with his grandmother using a false name. The story rolls on from there with a lot going on. Misunderstandings, some wanting Jennifer to be taken down a notch and many convenient happenings. But as the tale comes to an end, all wraps up to make this an entertaining read I think you will enjoy it too! I read this book through NetGallery
January 10, 2019
Prepare for a delightful Regency romp in the style of Georgette Heyer. The heroine, Jennifer is a heiress at 17 yrs old and pushed toward her suitor, George who was on the battlefield with her two brothers, made him promise to himself to marry her . But there are several problems with this because he waits a long time after their demise to come forward. She invents many reasons not to marry him and they actually do not meet at this point.
Thus she becomes a runaway bride, determined not to wed him and in a line of adventures, ends up a governess for her friend Lucy's cousin. Not very probable but it happens and what would be next? Of course the hero shows up but neither of them know who the other is and she ends up in London with his grandmother using a false name.
The story rolls on from there with a lot going on. Misunderstandings, some wanting Jennifer to be taken down a notch and many convenient happenings.
But as the tale comes to an end, all wraps up to make this an entertaining read I think you will enjoy it too! I read this book through NetGallery
Thus she becomes a runaway bride, determined not to wed him and in a line of adventures, ends up a governess for her friend Lucy's cousin. Not very probable but it happens and what would be next? Of course the hero shows up but neither of them know who the other is and she ends up in London with his grandmother using a false name.
The story rolls on from there with a lot going on. Misunderstandings, some wanting Jennifer to be taken down a notch and many convenient happenings.
But as the tale comes to an end, all wraps up to make this an entertaining read I think you will enjoy it too! I read this book through NetGallery
January 18, 2019
An old-fashioned Regency romance (originally published in 1976 and now available as an ebook).
George Ferris feels honor-bound to marry the sister of his friends who died at Waterloo. The fact that she is an heiress doesn't hurt either. But for various reasons, he waits a year before he proposes, by letter. Jennifer Purchas, enraged at the disrespect, rejects his suit and flees her overbearing uncle. She ends up as a governess, under an assumed name. When her charges' older brother attempts to assault her, she flees again. The children's guardian leaves her in the care of his grandmother in London. With the formidable duchess as a sponsor, Jennifer finds herself in the thick of the London Season, beset by jealousy, backbiting, rakes, and other hazards. And the man she wants--the duchess's grandson, is betrothed to another.
A fun romp.
George Ferris feels honor-bound to marry the sister of his friends who died at Waterloo. The fact that she is an heiress doesn't hurt either. But for various reasons, he waits a year before he proposes, by letter. Jennifer Purchas, enraged at the disrespect, rejects his suit and flees her overbearing uncle. She ends up as a governess, under an assumed name. When her charges' older brother attempts to assault her, she flees again. The children's guardian leaves her in the care of his grandmother in London. With the formidable duchess as a sponsor, Jennifer finds herself in the thick of the London Season, beset by jealousy, backbiting, rakes, and other hazards. And the man she wants--the duchess's grandson, is betrothed to another.
A fun romp.
May 28, 2016
La giovane protagonista (costretta, come si conviene al suo ruolo di eroina, a un matrimonio indesiderato) affronta con grande spregiudicatezza e coraggio fughe e avventure di ogni genere, per scoprire poi che l'uomo che sta fuggendo e l'uomo che ama sono la stessa persona. L'idea in sé non è male, anche se tirata un po' per le lunghe, ma il lettore può restare un po' spiazzato di fronte alla misera paginetta che conclude senza troppi indugi pagine e pagine di vicende più o meno drammatiche...
May 7, 2015
This was a very fun read. It was a great romp through the English countryside and London society. The irony and humor was delightful. I throughly enjoyed reading about the high bred English women who took life into her own hands and yet ended back at the beginning. Would it have been as fun to just go quietly to the church, I think not.
February 22, 2009
THe thought it was suppose to be like the movie...there is a movie called 'the runaway bride' right? But it wasn;t though it was good
July 28, 2009
This was a fun book, a good plot, but it seemed to end a little too suddenly.
November 19, 2012
classic regency.
February 8, 2015
So many mistaken identities and scheming relatives!
February 4, 2014
3.5 stars
January 9, 2016
Not as well-written as other books I've read by this author. Somehow a little too long, and a bit confusing.
February 25, 2015
Hodge is on par with Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. She is a wonderful romance writer.
January 26, 2019
This novel is an old fashioned Regency romp, very much in the style of Carola Dunn, or Joan Smith. It is very well written, with all the accurate vocabulary and idiom of Georgette Heyer, as well as seamless in terms of the historical detail.
The plot is much more contrived and far fetched than one would expect with a lot of misunderstandings and dramatic set pieces happening, plots against the heroine Jennifer Purchase, and duels, abductions, and mistaken motives and identity all abound, however, we don’t read this sort of book for the realism, so it is all a merry romp, which I throughly enjoyed.
The only thing that didn’t ring true for me was that Mainwaring was not recognised as Mr George Ferris very quickly. For him to have ascended to the title of Duke because of the death of two in his family to not be the subject of gossip in the ton is frankly unbelievable.
Jennifer is 17 and an heiress, her father and brothers have died fighting in the Napoleonic wars. George Ferris has resigned his commission and come back to firstly become a politician, and eventually, when he gets round to it) fulfil his deathbed promise to her brothers to look after Jennifer by marrying her, despite the fact they have never met.
Jennifer’s unpleasant uncle tries to hold her to this betrothal, which she decides against, and she escapes, firstly to become a governess (Miss Fairbanks) to George’s wards, and then when her uncle steals her away from Laverstoke Park, she escapes to London. George has now become Lord Mainwaring, he rescues her from a political mob and takes her to be companion to his formidable grandmother.
His cousin Lady Beresford, her daughter Pamela, Lady laverstoke, the duchess’ maid, and the villainous Lord Mandeville all plot against Jennifer, either for jealousy or revenge. There are a multitude of subplots concerning her Uncle Mr Gurning, his ward Edmund, and her cousin Elizabeth, it is all a little confusing, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I really liked this, it was in the great Heyer tradition, if a little more lighthearted, and Jennifer was a spirited, interesting and brave heroine. Lord Mainwaring was a bit stuffy and cross, and they suited each other well. I find the huge age gaps in these books a little problematic 17 to 35, but that was normal at the time, and is a fault of my own modern sensibilities.
All in all well worth a read.
I received an Arc of this book which I reviewed voluntarily.
The plot is much more contrived and far fetched than one would expect with a lot of misunderstandings and dramatic set pieces happening, plots against the heroine Jennifer Purchase, and duels, abductions, and mistaken motives and identity all abound, however, we don’t read this sort of book for the realism, so it is all a merry romp, which I throughly enjoyed.
The only thing that didn’t ring true for me was that Mainwaring was not recognised as Mr George Ferris very quickly. For him to have ascended to the title of Duke because of the death of two in his family to not be the subject of gossip in the ton is frankly unbelievable.
Jennifer is 17 and an heiress, her father and brothers have died fighting in the Napoleonic wars. George Ferris has resigned his commission and come back to firstly become a politician, and eventually, when he gets round to it) fulfil his deathbed promise to her brothers to look after Jennifer by marrying her, despite the fact they have never met.
Jennifer’s unpleasant uncle tries to hold her to this betrothal, which she decides against, and she escapes, firstly to become a governess (Miss Fairbanks) to George’s wards, and then when her uncle steals her away from Laverstoke Park, she escapes to London. George has now become Lord Mainwaring, he rescues her from a political mob and takes her to be companion to his formidable grandmother.
His cousin Lady Beresford, her daughter Pamela, Lady laverstoke, the duchess’ maid, and the villainous Lord Mandeville all plot against Jennifer, either for jealousy or revenge. There are a multitude of subplots concerning her Uncle Mr Gurning, his ward Edmund, and her cousin Elizabeth, it is all a little confusing, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I really liked this, it was in the great Heyer tradition, if a little more lighthearted, and Jennifer was a spirited, interesting and brave heroine. Lord Mainwaring was a bit stuffy and cross, and they suited each other well. I find the huge age gaps in these books a little problematic 17 to 35, but that was normal at the time, and is a fault of my own modern sensibilities.
All in all well worth a read.
I received an Arc of this book which I reviewed voluntarily.
May 25, 2018
A tangled tale.
Jennifer Purchas is very young when she loses her father and two brothers at Waterloo. The next thing she knows her uncle is moving himself and his family into her home and taking over. She is too young and too full of grief to stand up to him. Then, a year later he tells her that he has received an offer for her hand from a Mr Ferris, an old friend of both of her brothers. He promised her brother Francis that he would look after her and feels honour bound to marry her.
George Ferris is the younger son of a duke. Unfortunately his father and brother have both been losing money and there is nothing there for him. Luckily for him then that Miss Purchas also happens to be an heiress. He doesn't only need her money but also a political hostess as he is heavily involved in politics.
Jennifer comes out of a year of mourning to learn that her uncle had agreed to her marrying someone she had never even met and all her frustrations came to a head. She argued with her uncle to no avail and decided to run away.
Somehow she keeps falling on her feet but her leaving has put her uncle in a difficult position with Me Ferris.
Jennifer and George meet by accident but neither realises who the other is.
It all gets extremely complicated when Jennifer becomes a successful debutante under an assumed name while at the same time becoming confident in herself. I have to question the sudden maturity in a 17 year old girl and her ability to take on the position of a political hostess. There are other anomalies but the story is nice enough that they can be overlooked.
In addition, there are some lovely secondary characters which make the story quite enjoyable.I
For me this rates 3 stars.
Jennifer Purchas is very young when she loses her father and two brothers at Waterloo. The next thing she knows her uncle is moving himself and his family into her home and taking over. She is too young and too full of grief to stand up to him. Then, a year later he tells her that he has received an offer for her hand from a Mr Ferris, an old friend of both of her brothers. He promised her brother Francis that he would look after her and feels honour bound to marry her.
George Ferris is the younger son of a duke. Unfortunately his father and brother have both been losing money and there is nothing there for him. Luckily for him then that Miss Purchas also happens to be an heiress. He doesn't only need her money but also a political hostess as he is heavily involved in politics.
Jennifer comes out of a year of mourning to learn that her uncle had agreed to her marrying someone she had never even met and all her frustrations came to a head. She argued with her uncle to no avail and decided to run away.
Somehow she keeps falling on her feet but her leaving has put her uncle in a difficult position with Me Ferris.
Jennifer and George meet by accident but neither realises who the other is.
It all gets extremely complicated when Jennifer becomes a successful debutante under an assumed name while at the same time becoming confident in herself. I have to question the sudden maturity in a 17 year old girl and her ability to take on the position of a political hostess. There are other anomalies but the story is nice enough that they can be overlooked.
In addition, there are some lovely secondary characters which make the story quite enjoyable.I
For me this rates 3 stars.
February 1, 2019
Runaway Bride by Jane Aiken Hodge. Agora Books, 2019.
After the death of her father and brothers, young heiress Jennifer Purchas finds herself at the mercy of the uncle who has taken control of her estate. She runs away, takes a job as a governess and plans to hide and wait until she is old enough to control her own inheritance and her life.
Meanwhile, George Ferris has promised her dying soldier brother to look after Jennifer. In writing to her uncle, he offers marriage. The story is centres on encounters between the two.
Runaway Bride, originally published in 1976, is far from my favourite Jane Aiken Hodge book. That most elements of the plot are familiar from many historical romances, so that the story is very predictable is not the main problem; it just carries on far too long.
Both main characters make questionable decisions, but George is too obtuse to cheer on; given the opportunity I’d be inclined to encourage Jennifer to run as fast as she might in the opposite direction.
While well-enough written, the narrative and dialogue are stilted and plodding; perhaps Hodge has done too good a job at replicating Regency dialogue style. The first Jane Aiken Hodge book I ever read was written in a similar fashion so was almost my last. To remind myself why I enjoyed reading Jane Aiken Hodge’s books years ago, I reread Shadow of a Lady (1993) and Bride of Dreams (1996) and confirmed for myself that she did not always write like this.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of Runaway Bride free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After the death of her father and brothers, young heiress Jennifer Purchas finds herself at the mercy of the uncle who has taken control of her estate. She runs away, takes a job as a governess and plans to hide and wait until she is old enough to control her own inheritance and her life.
Meanwhile, George Ferris has promised her dying soldier brother to look after Jennifer. In writing to her uncle, he offers marriage. The story is centres on encounters between the two.
Runaway Bride, originally published in 1976, is far from my favourite Jane Aiken Hodge book. That most elements of the plot are familiar from many historical romances, so that the story is very predictable is not the main problem; it just carries on far too long.
Both main characters make questionable decisions, but George is too obtuse to cheer on; given the opportunity I’d be inclined to encourage Jennifer to run as fast as she might in the opposite direction.
While well-enough written, the narrative and dialogue are stilted and plodding; perhaps Hodge has done too good a job at replicating Regency dialogue style. The first Jane Aiken Hodge book I ever read was written in a similar fashion so was almost my last. To remind myself why I enjoyed reading Jane Aiken Hodge’s books years ago, I reread Shadow of a Lady (1993) and Bride of Dreams (1996) and confirmed for myself that she did not always write like this.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of Runaway Bride free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2019
George Ferris made a promise to look out for the sister of a dying friend. Jennifer Purchas, however, wants nothing to do with the man who waited too long to keep his promise. Will these two see through the personas they present to find true love?
Jennifer was a fun character to follow! After being under the thumb of an uncle, she rebels and takes off to avoid marriage with a stranger. Though some of her decisions were desperate, she did what she thought she had to do to protect herself. George's high handed manner brings consequences to him, and it brought an air of humor to the story.
The plot moved at a good pace and kept me interested from start to finish. George's grandmother was a delight and livened every scene she was in.
I would recommend this to any reader who loves Regency romances.
I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
Jennifer was a fun character to follow! After being under the thumb of an uncle, she rebels and takes off to avoid marriage with a stranger. Though some of her decisions were desperate, she did what she thought she had to do to protect herself. George's high handed manner brings consequences to him, and it brought an air of humor to the story.
The plot moved at a good pace and kept me interested from start to finish. George's grandmother was a delight and livened every scene she was in.
I would recommend this to any reader who loves Regency romances.
I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
February 10, 2021
After the death of her father and brothers, young heiress Jennifer Purchas finds herself at the mercy of the uncle who has taken control of her estate. She runs away, takes a job as a governess and plans to hide and wait until she is old enough to control her own inheritance and her life. Meanwhile, George Ferris has promised her dying soldier brother to look after Jennifer. In writing to her uncle, he offers marriage. The story is centres on encounters between the two.
I don't normally read romance but I did enjoy this one alot.
Many thanks to Netgalley for this ARC all views are my own.
I don't normally read romance but I did enjoy this one alot.
Many thanks to Netgalley for this ARC all views are my own.
March 6, 2019
I loved this book. It reminded me so much of Georgette Heyer’s regency romances. This has a well-written plot that made me laugh and keep reading to see how things would finally turn out the way they should. This is a clean regency romance with no foul language. George and Jennifer’s “mistaken identities” were such fun. I have not read anything else by this author, but I’ll certainly be looking for more of her books.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
July 26, 2018
Hmmm I don’t quite know what to say, I had a bit of a love hate thing going on with this book at times. Everything about the plot was highly improbable and I found that extremely frustrating but at the same time I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters, I enjoyed the twists and turns. I would give this 3 1/2 stars.
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