The Girl With the Persian Shawl

Rating:
Summary: charming Regency romance
Review: Any smart aristocratic female knows to abide by the unwritten rules of the Ton if she wants to catch a suitable husband. Thus most debutantes know when to smile, laugh, and speak. Most also realize not to show any bluestocking-leanings such as handicaps caused by intelligence, a head for business, or obstinacy. Kate Kendell is in the minority of as she does not care about the Regency regimen. Instead she will rip skin off business managers and suitors so that is why she is considered on the shelf with no prospects on the geriatric age of twenty-four.

Lord Ainsworth, Harry Girard, visits Kate and her family to admire the highly regarded painting, THE GIRL WITH THE PERSIAN SHAWL. Kate is beyond rude towards Harry who is stunned by her attitude since he had not done anything amiss towards her. Still, he delights in her pounding him so he returns. He even begins to question whether love turned him into a masochist.

THE GIRL WITH THE PERSIAN SHAWL is a charming Regency romance that sub-genre fans will enjoy especially the antics of the stubborn but brilliant Kate. Harry is an ideal lead protagonist who wants to simply kiss the kissable Kate, but spends much time fending off her barbs and the love declarations of another woman. Readers will enjoy this witty relationship romp though at times Kate seems to collect too many pelts.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: charming Regency romance
Review: Any smart aristocratic female knows to abide by the unwritten rules of the Ton if she wants to catch a suitable husband. Thus most debutantes know when to smile, laugh, and speak. Most also realize not to show any bluestocking-leanings such as handicaps caused by intelligence, a head for business, or obstinacy. Kate Kendell is in the minority of as she does not care about the Regency regimen. Instead she will rip skin off business managers and suitors so that is why she is considered on the shelf with no prospects on the geriatric age of twenty-four.

Lord Ainsworth, Harry Girard, visits Kate and her family to admire the highly regarded painting, THE GIRL WITH THE PERSIAN SHAWL. Kate is beyond rude towards Harry who is stunned by her attitude since he had not done anything amiss towards her. Still, he delights in her pounding him so he returns. He even begins to question whether love turned him into a masochist.

THE GIRL WITH THE PERSIAN SHAWL is a charming Regency romance that sub-genre fans will enjoy especially the antics of the stubborn but brilliant Kate. Harry is an ideal lead protagonist who wants to simply kiss the kissable Kate, but spends much time fending off her barbs and the love declarations of another woman. Readers will enjoy this witty relationship romp though at times Kate seems to collect too many pelts.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: an utterly charming read
Review: I loved "The Girl with the Persian Shawl." It's the kind of book you want to hug to yourself and read quietly away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life. And while the previous reviewers are quite correct in saying it's all about misapprehensions and miscommunications, the novel is also (in my opinion) an example of how a very plain and basic storyline can be enlivened and made engaging by an enchanting and lively prose style.

Harry Gerard, Lord Ainsworth, has been hunting for a painting that one of his ancestors had done about 100 years ago and which has gone missing since then. And when he reads that there is a painting at Rendell Hall (The Girl with the Persian Shawl) that seems to (descriptively) match the one he is after, he sets out to investigate. Unfortunately for Harry, he runs afoul of the painting's owner, Kate Rendell, a beautiful young lady who is incensed at the suggestion that her family heirloom might have been illegally obtained. Proud and impetuous, Kate immediately begins to try and give Harry the rough edge of her tongue, and is quite stunned to discover that it is he that gets the better of her when he subtly points out how rude and disagreeable she's being.

The incident preys on her mind, and makes Kate question much of her behavior -- her need to always manage things, her reluctance to back down and acknowledge when she's wrong, and her pride -- and the result makes her feel completely blue- deviled. So that when an invitation to uncle's estate arrives, requesting the need for Kate's and her mother's presence in order to celebrate a special occasion, Kate eagerly leaps at the opportunity for a change of scene, hoping that the festivities and congenial company will help get rid of her fit of dismals as well her latest tendency to think about Harry Gerard all the time. Imagine her shock and surprise when one of the guests turns out to be Harry! Now, Kate has to decide how she will get through this house party with equanimity when she doesn't know how to deal with Harry or her attraction for him...

If you like reading about alpha-male heroes and feisty heroines, then "The Girl with the Persian Shawl" may not be the romance novel for you. True, Kate is stubborn and managing, but she's no amazon. Also, because Kate begins to question much of her behaviour and the manner in which she handles things after the first few chapters, there is a certain and texture and tone to this novel that makes it so very compelling and readable. The story unfolds smoothly and the romance that develops between Harry and Kate, while a little sedate and brief (the trials and tribulations of Kate's youthful and flighty cousin, Deirdre, tended to kidnap much of the novel), was a joy to read.

"The Girl with the Persian Shawl" was a truly fun read, with splendidly drawn characters (esp Kate's mother, who's character simply blossoms as the novel progresses), and is one I have no hesitation in recommending, esp if you like quiet books that focus on character and gentle romance.

Rating:
Summary: If only Kate had ever learned from her experiences........
Review: Other reviewers may find Kate and her story charming. But, charming implies something in a character that makes you enjoy being with them. They don't have to be perfect, but you expect that you'll feel better for being around them. Kate Rendell, the notoriously strong willed heroine, (ala "Kiss Me Kate") is not pleasing nor even, in spite of her high opinion of herself, perceptive. She jumps to conclusions with unhappy and damaging results in every single chapter of this book and never, ever learns from her experiences. Even the author tosses in comments by almost every other character, that indicates Kate is bossy, gripey, pushy, bull-headed and chooses to misunderstand things when she's irritated. She frequently questions herself, "AM I strong-willed?" But she never finally says, "I simply MUST stop assuming the worst of everyone and making a point of telling them so!" Harry Gerard, the nobleman who loves her in spite of her unpleasantness, deserved a sainthood. By the time the book was through I felt that the author, one of my usual favorites, had figured out how to have Kate misunderstand and miscommunicate about every possible thing. Here's how I judge characters that are supposed to be heroines: Would I want someone like this as my friend? I think not. She'd have you mistrusting everyone, angry all the time and all based on something she--oops--misunderstood. So, no, I didn't find this book charming--solely because of the characterization of Kate. We won't even start on her ditzy cousin. It's not the worst book in the world, but Ms. Mansfield has written far, far better.

Rating:
Summary: So-so.
Review: The story between Lord Ainsworth and Kate Rendell wasn't very detailed. It mostly consisted of missed meanings and abrupt depatures. However, seeing the two characters interact was intruiging. On the other hand, a supporting character, Dierdre, detracted from the story with her flightiness. Dierdre's wandering crushes and engagements stole the thunder from the rest of the story and left Kate almost shoved out of the spotlight.
Some parts of the book were enjoyable but overall the book was found lacking.
It is a good way to spend some time relaxing without having to think.

Rating:
Summary: He loves me, he loves me not
Review: The story between Lord Ainsworth and Kate Rendell wasn't very detailed. It mostly consisted of missed meanings and abrupt depatures. However, seeing the two characters interact was intruiging. On the other hand, a supporting character, Dierdre, detracted from the story with her flightiness. Dierdre's wandering crushes and engagements stole the thunder from the rest of the story and left Kate almost shoved out of the spotlight.
Some parts of the book were enjoyable but overall the book was found lacking.
It is a good way to spend some time relaxing without having to think.

Rating:
Summary: A sweet and charming romance
Review: This charming bon bon of a book was just what I needed when I was looking for a break during the holidays. I devoured it in one sitting. The characters are endearing and the mulitple subplots (Deirdre's flightiness, Isabel learning to love again) are handled gracefully. If you like the sort of novel which deals with one hero and one heroine falling in love with each other, you may not like this book quite so much. This book is better read with the understanding that it deals with a whole ensemble of people - their friendships, growth in character, romances, etc.. One thing that I truly liked about this book is that the characters did not stay constant. Their experiences shaped and changed them and the reader got to see this as the story developed. I hope others enjoy this as much as I did!

Rating:
Summary: So-so.
Review: What can I say? The characters are likeable. The story is cute. But on the whole, it's not up to Ms. Mansfield's usual standards.