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The Village Spinster
Clarissa Driscoll teaches accomplishments to the children of the gentry. But she was once the Earl of Kinsford’s equal in society, and she refuses to let him browbeat her. If Clarissa is a tad eccentric, well, the earl is a bit overbearing. These two strong wills make sparks fly. Regency Romance by Laura Matthews; originally published by Signet
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 4, 2020
Well. I'm not sure why I do this to myself but sometimes I do. I read a work by an author and think it's ok. But I always give it at least 1-2 more tries (unless it's just really unpalatable the first time around). This story was mediocre. That's the only way to describe it. It wasn't bad. It was clean and wholesome. But the characters' feelings felt very muted. I think I'm fairly open minded in my reading materials from Georgette Heyer to some very charged materials. In fact, my very favorite author of all is Joan Smith who writes fairly clean and wholesome books but whose stories never bore. She's an author who doesn't say a character is witty. She writes them witty. Same with Barbara Metzger who gives good competition to Joan Smith.
But I digress. This story had potential I love the trope of spinster and lord in a small country village. But the story was not exciting. And perhaps I'm just a trifle miffed because I spent money on it. Sigh. I feel that Joan Smith has tackled this trope numerous times and yet with much greater zest.
So in all, if you're stressed and want something mindless that will not upset, offend, make you laugh or really cause much of any reaction in you (and I confess that sometimes I do in which case, I tend to read Dorothy Mack...), then this is the book for you.
But I digress. This story had potential I love the trope of spinster and lord in a small country village. But the story was not exciting. And perhaps I'm just a trifle miffed because I spent money on it. Sigh. I feel that Joan Smith has tackled this trope numerous times and yet with much greater zest.
So in all, if you're stressed and want something mindless that will not upset, offend, make you laugh or really cause much of any reaction in you (and I confess that sometimes I do in which case, I tend to read Dorothy Mack...), then this is the book for you.
March 6, 2013
It was a nice story, but seemed to skip the... romance. There was a distinct lack of wooing, of coming together, of becoming *more*. An easy read that needed refinement or greater length.
http://www.amazon.com/review/RYQQMDHU...
http://www.amazon.com/review/RYQQMDHU...
August 29, 2016
Blast from the past!
The theme for the May 2011 TBR challenge is marriage of convenience, arranged marriage or pretend engagement. Running late as usual, I “assumed” from the title that the village spinster would be somehow forced into marriage. But I sold Laura Matthews short. If you have read her before, you’ll know a characteristic of her books is that her heroes and heroines are always intelligent, strong-willed, stubborn and capable of great warmth and love, once they finally let their hearts fly free.
Our hero, Alexander, Earl of Kinsford, and Clarissa Driscoll, had exchanged a passionate kiss many, many years earlier: he called her the Goddess of Spring. Here’s how the back cover sums up the plot:
The Fallen Woman: Beautiful and well-born Clarissa Driscoll lost her family home and social position when her reckless father died, leaving only gambling debts. That was bad enough – but it was even more painfully humiliating when the handsome high-handed Earl of Kinsford became convinced she had lost her virtue as well.
Clarissa had to demonstrate to this domineering lord that being a woman alone in the world did not make her the natural victim of scandal – and so on and so forth. This particular book cover falls into the trap of so many cover blurbs: totally exaggerating the plot to make it seem more lurid than it is.
Clarissa has indeed fallen on hard times. She pays her rent and employs the services of an all-purpose maid, housekeeper and factotum by tutoring the two step-siblings of the local earl. She is practical and brave and fiercely independent: her pride is all she has left. Of course she dreams of happier days, when she was growing up with the world at her feet and everything was possible. Matthews puts this so poignantly,
“When her father had gambled, when he had died, when she had found herself alone and frightened, she had learned to let her mind wander to a safe place, where it was always spring and she was happy. [] And it was easier for her to find this escape when she was outside, walking briskly around the countryside.”
I’ll try to sum up the very busy plot (perhaps a slight drawback to enjoyment – there is just too much going on!). The earl comes home, on one of his very infrequent visits, to find his step-siblings being taught art and dancing – and many a life lesson, too – from his old friend Clarissa Driscoll. His sister, Lady Aria, falls from her horse and has to be nursed back to health in Clarissa’s small house in the local village. Can you see where this is going? Proximity leads to arguments about how the adolescent children should be raised and guided, whether Clarissa is leading a “suitable” life for one of her station (she has “invented” a lady companion!) and arguments lead to grudging respect followed by admiration and eventually love.
But because this is Laura Matthews, Clarissa thinks long and hard about what she’ll give up: her independence – and Alexander acknowledges that he won’t always be the best of husbands,
“I do love you [Clarissa says to Alexander] When I see you, I am sometimes quite overcome with emotion. And I think of you when you’re not with me. But …”
“But it would make a change in your life, and you are not certain that it is entirely advantageous.” [] Still, you have my very great encouragement to lead the kind of life you wished,” says Alexander.
Let’s leave the happy couple there – happily negotiating the terms of their marital felicity. They are older – practically ancient in Regency terms – Clarissa wearing caps no less! And that is presented as both a problem (they’re set in their ways) and as an advantage (the rueful wisdom that sometimes accompanies growing older). But they love each other and they will have their life together. As Clarissa puts it, “…I you love you in such a special way that I dare say we shall rub along quite well my dear.”
The theme for the May 2011 TBR challenge is marriage of convenience, arranged marriage or pretend engagement. Running late as usual, I “assumed” from the title that the village spinster would be somehow forced into marriage. But I sold Laura Matthews short. If you have read her before, you’ll know a characteristic of her books is that her heroes and heroines are always intelligent, strong-willed, stubborn and capable of great warmth and love, once they finally let their hearts fly free.
Our hero, Alexander, Earl of Kinsford, and Clarissa Driscoll, had exchanged a passionate kiss many, many years earlier: he called her the Goddess of Spring. Here’s how the back cover sums up the plot:
The Fallen Woman: Beautiful and well-born Clarissa Driscoll lost her family home and social position when her reckless father died, leaving only gambling debts. That was bad enough – but it was even more painfully humiliating when the handsome high-handed Earl of Kinsford became convinced she had lost her virtue as well.
Clarissa had to demonstrate to this domineering lord that being a woman alone in the world did not make her the natural victim of scandal – and so on and so forth. This particular book cover falls into the trap of so many cover blurbs: totally exaggerating the plot to make it seem more lurid than it is.
Clarissa has indeed fallen on hard times. She pays her rent and employs the services of an all-purpose maid, housekeeper and factotum by tutoring the two step-siblings of the local earl. She is practical and brave and fiercely independent: her pride is all she has left. Of course she dreams of happier days, when she was growing up with the world at her feet and everything was possible. Matthews puts this so poignantly,
“When her father had gambled, when he had died, when she had found herself alone and frightened, she had learned to let her mind wander to a safe place, where it was always spring and she was happy. [] And it was easier for her to find this escape when she was outside, walking briskly around the countryside.”
I’ll try to sum up the very busy plot (perhaps a slight drawback to enjoyment – there is just too much going on!). The earl comes home, on one of his very infrequent visits, to find his step-siblings being taught art and dancing – and many a life lesson, too – from his old friend Clarissa Driscoll. His sister, Lady Aria, falls from her horse and has to be nursed back to health in Clarissa’s small house in the local village. Can you see where this is going? Proximity leads to arguments about how the adolescent children should be raised and guided, whether Clarissa is leading a “suitable” life for one of her station (she has “invented” a lady companion!) and arguments lead to grudging respect followed by admiration and eventually love.
But because this is Laura Matthews, Clarissa thinks long and hard about what she’ll give up: her independence – and Alexander acknowledges that he won’t always be the best of husbands,
“I do love you [Clarissa says to Alexander] When I see you, I am sometimes quite overcome with emotion. And I think of you when you’re not with me. But …”
“But it would make a change in your life, and you are not certain that it is entirely advantageous.” [] Still, you have my very great encouragement to lead the kind of life you wished,” says Alexander.
Let’s leave the happy couple there – happily negotiating the terms of their marital felicity. They are older – practically ancient in Regency terms – Clarissa wearing caps no less! And that is presented as both a problem (they’re set in their ways) and as an advantage (the rueful wisdom that sometimes accompanies growing older). But they love each other and they will have their life together. As Clarissa puts it, “…I you love you in such a special way that I dare say we shall rub along quite well my dear.”
April 15, 2025
A sweet and undemanding tale with no real villain, no great misunderstandings and no improbable plot developments (elopements, kidnappings, highwaymen and the like). Sensible, mature protagonists and a low key but slowly growing romance. It sounds as if nothing happens, and perhaps that’s true, but I found it a delightful read all the same.
Here’s the premise: Clarissa Driscoll used to be the daughter of Pennhurst, the local manor house. Unfortunately, her father gambled away the family fortune, leaving her almost destitute. Now, as a spinster of twenty-seven, she lives in a tiny cottage in the nearest village with a maid of all work, scraping a living by teaching the sons and daughters of the local gentry, in particular Aria, the fifteen-year-old sister of the Earl of Kinsford, and her seventeen-year-old brother, William (when he isn’t at school). The earl is a distant guardian, spending most of his time in London, and the children’s mother is even more hands-off, even though she lives in the same house. So Clarissa is almost the children’s only respectable friend.
The interesting point is that Clarissa and Alexander (the earl) have some history, having shared a passionate kiss some years ago. Then life intervened, he spent some years in the army, she was reduced in status and now they’re merely distantly polite neighbours. When he comes home to find out why William has been rusticated from school and discovers that Clarissa has already dealt with the situation in her own forthright way, he is understandably aggrieved. But when Aria has a fall from her horse, and ends up recovering at Clarissa’s cottage, the two are thrown together far more than before and things come very much to the boil, aided by Aria, who decides to play matchmaker by prolonging her illness to keep throwing Alexander and Clarissa together.
A number of reviews complain that there’s no sign of the romance until the very end of the book. I disagree. It’s obvious to me that even though they argue constantly early on (or rather, Alexander gets very cross and Clarissa speaks her mind forthrightly) there’s still a very strong attraction between them. In particular, Alexander’s concerns about the amount of time Clarissa spends with her (male) cousin (long walks in the countryside! Sitting together indoors unchaperoned!! Waltzing!!!) are driven by jealousy. The development of the romance is certainly subtle, but I thought it was very clear. There’s one conversation in particular, where he first calls her by her Christian name, that positively crackles with unexpressed romantic tension (a beautifully written scene).
The final chapters break out almost into farce, with the arrival of the cousin’s previously unseen wife, and the children’s mother, as well as the rest of the regular cast, all crammed into Clarissa’s little cottage. It was hysterically funny without ever going over the top, and finished up with a fine romantic denouement. Lovely stuff, and apart from a smattering of Americanisms, perfectly written. Five stars.
Here’s the premise: Clarissa Driscoll used to be the daughter of Pennhurst, the local manor house. Unfortunately, her father gambled away the family fortune, leaving her almost destitute. Now, as a spinster of twenty-seven, she lives in a tiny cottage in the nearest village with a maid of all work, scraping a living by teaching the sons and daughters of the local gentry, in particular Aria, the fifteen-year-old sister of the Earl of Kinsford, and her seventeen-year-old brother, William (when he isn’t at school). The earl is a distant guardian, spending most of his time in London, and the children’s mother is even more hands-off, even though she lives in the same house. So Clarissa is almost the children’s only respectable friend.
The interesting point is that Clarissa and Alexander (the earl) have some history, having shared a passionate kiss some years ago. Then life intervened, he spent some years in the army, she was reduced in status and now they’re merely distantly polite neighbours. When he comes home to find out why William has been rusticated from school and discovers that Clarissa has already dealt with the situation in her own forthright way, he is understandably aggrieved. But when Aria has a fall from her horse, and ends up recovering at Clarissa’s cottage, the two are thrown together far more than before and things come very much to the boil, aided by Aria, who decides to play matchmaker by prolonging her illness to keep throwing Alexander and Clarissa together.
A number of reviews complain that there’s no sign of the romance until the very end of the book. I disagree. It’s obvious to me that even though they argue constantly early on (or rather, Alexander gets very cross and Clarissa speaks her mind forthrightly) there’s still a very strong attraction between them. In particular, Alexander’s concerns about the amount of time Clarissa spends with her (male) cousin (long walks in the countryside! Sitting together indoors unchaperoned!! Waltzing!!!) are driven by jealousy. The development of the romance is certainly subtle, but I thought it was very clear. There’s one conversation in particular, where he first calls her by her Christian name, that positively crackles with unexpressed romantic tension (a beautifully written scene).
The final chapters break out almost into farce, with the arrival of the cousin’s previously unseen wife, and the children’s mother, as well as the rest of the regular cast, all crammed into Clarissa’s little cottage. It was hysterically funny without ever going over the top, and finished up with a fine romantic denouement. Lovely stuff, and apart from a smattering of Americanisms, perfectly written. Five stars.
April 1, 2015
You can't just be a cold fish for ten years, and then give a girl five guineas of credit at the grocer's.
February 25, 2017
This is the first book I’ve read that was made by the author Laura Matthews but I’m sorry to say I really tried to like it but I failed. I got annoyed and bored with it until the very end. My conclusions were:
1. Clarissa and Alexander had a liked each other when they were teenagers and even shared a kiss before Alexander took off to war but they didn’t really build a relationship. I was expecting them to build it up after they met again but they didn’t until the very end which leaves it to the reader’s imagination which kind of sucks.
2. I wanted to feel a spark between the two but I got annoyed with Aria instead, I can’t believe they fell for her acting; it’s so fake, ugh!
3. My spark of interest went to Steven (Clarissa’s cousin) and Clarissa’s interaction. I wish it was given to Alexander though. It gives more development that way.
I just wished the author gave more spotlight on Clarissa and Alexander’s love development that makes the book grow unto readers.
July 4, 2022
This was perhaps nice enough, but I didn't find anything remarkable about out it. It was quite a run-of-the-mill story, with neither humor nor much of conflict to make it interesting. The only conflict was provided by a cheerful second cousin of the heroine (whose presence the very 'proper' hero found objectionable), who turns out to not just be married but expecting a baby! I didn't warm up to the hero - he was well meaning, but not really sympathetic to people, and worse, did not realize it until the end. Development of his affection for the heroine was not well done - it seemed sudden and without much cause, except perhaps guilt. Later on, their one fleeting contact in the past was much focused on, but it seems to be to small a thing to have so much of impact after so many years; it also contradicts the heroine's initial lament that he had never noticed her.
Overall, a very average writing and forgettable story.
Overall, a very average writing and forgettable story.
December 10, 2023
3.5* rounded up.
This was a fun sweet read. Clarissa has come down in the world, forced to leave the manor house and move into a small cottage in the village where she gives lessons in painting and music to local gentry. I liked her resourcefulness and her refusal to take the local lord seriously because she remembers him from when they were children. I found the romance a bit unconvincing for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, but there was a lot of enjoyable humour here: Clarissa's absent companion, Aria's recurrent bouts of disorientation every time she might be getting well enough to go home and so on. A plot reminiscent of Georgette Heyer, although she would have been even funnier.
This was a fun sweet read. Clarissa has come down in the world, forced to leave the manor house and move into a small cottage in the village where she gives lessons in painting and music to local gentry. I liked her resourcefulness and her refusal to take the local lord seriously because she remembers him from when they were children. I found the romance a bit unconvincing for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, but there was a lot of enjoyable humour here: Clarissa's absent companion, Aria's recurrent bouts of disorientation every time she might be getting well enough to go home and so on. A plot reminiscent of Georgette Heyer, although she would have been even funnier.
October 19, 2024
A strange book. On the one hand, the characters were delightful and the situations they were put into quite funny and charming. But the romance was lacking. There wasn’t much chemistry between the hero and heroine and love didn’t seem to blossom and grow so much as just suddenly happen. Even that would have been ok if they weren’t disagreeing all the time. There just weren’t enough of those cozy, connecting moments that add up to love. So I liked it as a vignette of a village spinster but it failed for me as a romance.
August 7, 2018
The story got off to a great start, but then the interactions through the middle didn't seem to build towards anything, and the happy ending felt like a serious plot twist.
Very little violence, no sex, very mild language
Very little violence, no sex, very mild language
May 7, 2019
Get on with It
Oh my, a tiresome novel much too slow. The characters were developed, thank goodness. The same type of theme, spinster and nearby lord. Okay, I’m finishing before I become tedious
Oh my, a tiresome novel much too slow. The characters were developed, thank goodness. The same type of theme, spinster and nearby lord. Okay, I’m finishing before I become tedious
December 7, 2023
Fabulous, they don't write rom like this anymore, which is not to say great rom isn't being written. But I'm old and I'm tired and I love this ethos. The blog review:
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/202...
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/202...
February 14, 2025
3.5 star
It was entertaining. The author's attempt at humour didn't always work but I appreciate the attempt nonetheless. The ending dragged a bit. I enjoyed the plot and the banter between the H & h a lot.
It was entertaining. The author's attempt at humour didn't always work but I appreciate the attempt nonetheless. The ending dragged a bit. I enjoyed the plot and the banter between the H & h a lot.
November 8, 2025
This is solid fare regency with a limited plot, which I appreciate: there are no abductions, shootings or long lost relatives to be found. The story revolves around h taking care of H’s sister after a riding accident. 1993
November 16, 2018
Very slow even though you can't help but like the characters. During the last two chapters then it went fast
April 6, 2021
1819. Spring-- flowers, birds, buds. They have always loved, how will they get to obvious end? Lord Kinsford 30 carries Aria injured stepsister 15 to cottage of Clarissa 27 her teacher in art, piano, dance.
November 22, 2023
The conflict was not engaging and so I only gave it 3 stars.
January 29, 2024
Very lacklustre. There is no chemistry between the characters.1.5 stars.
September 3, 2016
Good start, mediocre ending
So I had trouble deciding between two and three stars for this. The characters were a little flat, but the plot was all that was necessary and the writing was well done, so decided on generosity. The first 3/4 of this book are great. Nice story, fine characters, a regency romp. The hero has been a fussy stick up his butt protagonist, but once he realizes he's in love it goes off the rails. He becomes domineering and rude and is generally terrible. Meanwhile, this "eccentric" heroine does nothing but be the perfect nurse\ hostess\ confidant \ mother figure and we never see her do anything out of the ordinary. What are we supposed to be shocked by- long walks, a lace cap, a thirst for independence? I was unimpressed. Overall a readable book, but the love confession felt forced and the "I've realized I love you, so you must love me" speech from our hero left me wanting some actual romance.
So I had trouble deciding between two and three stars for this. The characters were a little flat, but the plot was all that was necessary and the writing was well done, so decided on generosity. The first 3/4 of this book are great. Nice story, fine characters, a regency romp. The hero has been a fussy stick up his butt protagonist, but once he realizes he's in love it goes off the rails. He becomes domineering and rude and is generally terrible. Meanwhile, this "eccentric" heroine does nothing but be the perfect nurse\ hostess\ confidant \ mother figure and we never see her do anything out of the ordinary. What are we supposed to be shocked by- long walks, a lace cap, a thirst for independence? I was unimpressed. Overall a readable book, but the love confession felt forced and the "I've realized I love you, so you must love me" speech from our hero left me wanting some actual romance.
September 5, 2024
Basically devoid of romance until the very final chapters and not particularly satisfying.
Edit: reread it (for the second time, 4-5 Sept. 2024) and you know what, bumping up the rating from 3 to 3.5 because despite the fact that I would’ve liked a bit more romance a bit earlier in the novel I still like it and it’s fairly close to satisfying.
Edit: reread it (for the second time, 4-5 Sept. 2024) and you know what, bumping up the rating from 3 to 3.5 because despite the fact that I would’ve liked a bit more romance a bit earlier in the novel I still like it and it’s fairly close to satisfying.
April 14, 2016
Though this book is not great literature and the story is slight, the characters and especially the "spinster" are delightful. Sometimes I just need a book that doesn't challenge me and keeps me smiling.
August 21, 2013
Vacation re-read.
August 12, 2016
first read 10/22/15; re-read late July 2016
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