Rating: 
Summary: I liked this book....
Review: After a long absence from reading (10 years), I have been catching up like crazy...One of my favorite authors is Stephanie Laurens...she writes and my heart soars. She is very romantic/descriptive ..My kind of writer ..I will have to say, and I see (by her reviews) most people have liked her new stuff more, I think her older books are more romantic..I also have found her recent writings more sexual, I see her old writings more heart felt and thought out more. I do not think sex in a book is all there is for romance, and I sure hope making romances more sexual and less romantic is not a future trend.
... In addition, I hope Ms. Laurens you remember... there are I am sure ... many that buy books for enjoyment.... for the artist of words...and you are that an artist. Hopefully that woman that grabbed those books, wont get published. She seemed to think woman just read the romance for sex..and thought I was crazy when I tried to show her my favorite authors. Back to my review, I loved this book, only thing that I didn't like was her age, when I saw she was 18 I thought, oh lord she is a baby....there is no way I am going to get into this book (I like my heroines older) but it was not to bad....I would give this book a three and a half star..However, you never get half stars on here...*sigh*
Rating: 
Summary: Not Trademark Laurens
Review: As a reissue of one of Stephanie Laurens earlier novels, and if this is your first time reading anything by this author, please realize that this is NOT her trademark work. This would be better classed for a young adult as an introduction to a quaint and simple regency romance. The story is of a young 18-year-old orphan, Georgiana Hartley, who after her artist father dies in Italy, travels to England to the only relative known to her - her uncle. Unfortunately, by the time she arrives in England, it is to find out that her uncle died a month before her father and now her only living relative was an odious 'bounder' cousin Charles. The family estate, the 'Place', is rundown and Charles is trying his best to compromise and marry the girl. She runs off with her servants to the neighboring estate, hoping to get the resident lady to assist her and finds a handsome bachelor, Dominic Ridgely, who knew her cousin Charles to be a creep so he sends her off to his sister in London as being a bachelor, it would compromise both of them for her to remain with him. Dominic, after he shipped her off to London, thought her a charming young lady, with the emphasis on young, her age 18 to his 32. Down the road, as he starts to see her as a young woman, who haunts his thoughts he determines that she would make a delightful countess and sets out to win her. It's a rather simple plot and the writing is good with simple character descriptions quite unlike her Cynsters series - which is the series to read as a benchmark of Ms. Laurens awesome talent. Bottom line, this is not a real exciting or sensual novel for this author who is renowned for passionate and sensual reads.
Rating: 
Summary: Just plain Stupid
Review: As an absolute loyal fan of Stephanie Laurens it galls me to have to say it but I think she wrote this one in the Dentist's Chair. It has almost no basis in reality and the characters meet a total of three times and decide they are in love. This is one of 3 books that I have ever owned that I actually almost quit reading halfway through. But I perservered and finished the soggy thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Ms. Lauren's impetuous effort
Review: Buoyed by the success of her Cynster series, Mira has decided to re-launch Stephanie Lauren's earlier Regency for readers to re-acquaint with the author. All is well except that this release Impetuous Innocent is lucidly a straight misfire from the start, with none of the languid sensuality and spirited protagonists which popularized Lauren's works. Georgiana Hartley impulsively arrives to her uncle's estate in England after her father's death, only to know that his odious cousin Charles is now the manager with his father's demise. She escapes his boorish advances and flees to the neighboring Viscount Alton for help. Dominic places her under the care of her sister, Bella who launches her into the ton and the marriage cart - and finds himself enamoured of the young ingenue. There isn't any romance to speak with when the bulk of the book is devoted to a hodgepodge of frivolous dances, social whirls and gossips, while the couple is separated for most of the time. As if their vast age-gap of eighteen years isn't a shock enough, the romance descends into an abyss when Dominic calls her "my child". Even more contriving are the tacky emotional issues that poses as obstacles to their romance. One can hardly feel any sparks or love between them when they are saturnine caricatures. If one is looking for wild passion, I am sorry but this book is innocent enough to be staid and certainly an aberration apropos with Ms. Lauren's caliber.
Rating:
Summary: Sweetly romantic tale
Review: Georgiana Hartley returns to England after the death of her painter father. Arriving to find herself in an unsuitable situation, Goergiana escapes and finds herself asking the advice of her neighbour, Dominic Ridgely. The viscount is more than helpful, sending Georgiana to his sister and brother in law in London. Although no pauper, Georgiana intends to find a position as a governess or companion to support herself. Dominic's sister Bella instantly perceives that Georgiana's prospects would be much improved by Dominic's suggestion of a season in London. Bella is reluctantly in London with husband Arthur due to Arthur's business connections, not for the delights of the season. Dominic and Arthur, each of whom love Bella and want her happiness, are delighted to sponsor Georgiana, even if they have to hide from Georgiana herself that is what they are doing. But when Dominic arrives in London to visit his sister and truly 'sees' Georgiana as a woman for the first time (having previously automatically provided a 'too young' filter), he begins to fall for her. And thus begins his plan to seduce her carefully, within the bounds set by society so that no taint or doubt can cast by either Georgiana or the ton. Georgiana is young and innocent, although more assured than most her age due to her exposure to the Italian aristocracy from a young age. She is confused at Dominic's attentions turn to her, as he displays none of the fire and feeling usual amongst the Italians. She creates various reasons for Dominic's objective interest in her, objections which Dominic has to overcome only to have another replace it. Dominic and Georgaina are an appealing couple, and the romance that Laurens creates for them is a sweet, slow one. This is not a hot spicy tale, but rather a dreamily romantic one. Bella and Arthur are enjoyable secondary characters, and these four are very distinct people, while undoubtedly being a product of their time and social status. It's not a book to burn it's way into your best read list, but it is engaging, well told and one to raise a smile or two as you read.
Rating:
Summary: Not even one star
Review: Have read the Cynster series and like them but this book seems to be written by somebody else.
Rating:
Summary: sweet
Review: I actually enjoyed this more because it was "sweeter" - less emphasis on the sex, more on the characters and their relationship. It's a throwback, but a good one.
Rating:
Summary: sweet
Review: I am normally a big fan of this author but this story seemed to "short" and the characters not as well developed as they usually are. I though it was rushed. In this story Georgiana comes to the estate of her uncle at the death of her father. Only to find out that the uncle has also passed on and she is now in the house of her cousin who is basically a lecher. She escapes to a neighbor for help (Dominic). She finds that this neighbor sends her to London to be with his sister and her husband. While Georgiana is trying to find work as a Governess she is also being presented to society. She not only finds herself with a few marriage proposals but she also finds that she has fallen in love with the one person who seems to be trying to distance himself from her.
Rating:
Summary: Way to short and a dissapointment
Review: I am normally a big fan of this author but this story seemed to "short" and the characters not as well developed as they usually are. I though it was rushed. In this story Georgiana comes to the estate of her uncle at the death of her father. Only to find out that the uncle has also passed on and she is now in the house of her cousin who is basically a lecher. She escapes to a neighbor for help (Dominic). She finds that this neighbor sends her to London to be with his sister and her husband. While Georgiana is trying to find work as a Governess she is also being presented to society. She not only finds herself with a few marriage proposals but she also finds that she has fallen in love with the one person who seems to be trying to distance himself from her.
Rating:
Summary: Love, not lust; Romance, not sex
Review: I just finished reading this book and I think it's wonderful. I think it unfair that so many people underate it because it's not filled with superfluous steamy sex.
This is a book about LOVE, about falling in love, about building a relationship. The hero doesn't use lust, or the initiation of the heroine into sexual desire and intimacy to build a relationship.
I prefer stories where there is love BEFORE sex. Otherwise, how can we be sure that what comes after the sex is really love, and not infatuation/lust or emotional clingyness? I have read nearly four score of these books, and for this reason, this is one of my two favourites. (along with Beyond the Highland Mist)
If you are looking for lust and sex with a plot mixed through, read another book.
But if you are looking for a story where the characters experience true feelings and emotions, where the romance is true and gentle, where they truely love one another, then this is one of the best books for you!
| 
