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Rating: 
Summary: Not worth the time
Review: I confess I skipped chunks of this book. For my personal taste I prefer a bit less blackmail, heroes who do not bait the villain, and characters who work things out rather than make loud guesses in public based on facial expressions. If you like tales of the Royal Navy where promotion often depended not on how good you were but who your family was, if you think the ends justify the means, and you are quite comfortable about accepting services at an Inn without having any coin to pay with then you may enjoy this book. Francesca Shaw is quite a popular author. From the dust cover of the Mills&Boon paperback... A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE? NEVER! A freak accident with an ancient rowboat launched Miss Helena Wyatt into the ocean, until a timely rescue by Lord Adam Darvell. But Adam knew, if Helena did not, that he would have to marry her. Helena's quick wit and vivid little face appealed enormously, so it was a tremendous shock when his proposal was turned down flat! No one knew Helena had been with him, so she saw no reason to accept a duty marriage, particularly one to a man she found so utterly fascinating...
Rating: 
Summary: First half very interesting, second half less convincing...
Review: I was reminded that I had read this title when I was asked my opinion about Judith Harkness's book of the same name (an old Signet Regency with a very different plot). At the time I read this, I was on a naval kick, reading not only sea adventure (Hornblower, mostly) but also reading naval-themed regencies, of which there are surprisingly not that many. A very brief summary of the first part of the story - the heroine Helena Wyatt is the daughter of a late Admiral, who is watching her much younger brother play about on the river. At some point, she ends up stranded in a boat which drifts inexorably downstream to the sea. She is rescued by the hero Lord Adam Darvell, who is playing an undercover role. The heroine appears to be hopelessly compromised by the hero, but does not believe so. [She has a point - if no one of consequence knows that she was alone with him, she cannot be compromised. The problem is - what if someone comes to know?] The second half of the book involves the hero's efforts to court the heroine (who will have none of him). There is also considerable intrigue, regarding Adam's undercover work (is he spying for the French?) and a villain who is out to rise as fast as he can in the Navy. Helena's naval connections (her father and her aunt's husband) matter considerably to this villain, and you can guess what happens next. Quick comments - First, I read this book several months back. Please take this review therefore for what it is worth, based on some out-of-date recollections. The heroine's wish not to marry a man who has compromised her, simply out of necessity, made sense to me [I love Julia Murray's A Perfect Match for a story of such a marriage that seems to court disaster]. However, Helena's feelings against Lord Adam Darvell seemed to be too negative considering her position. For one thing, he was hardly the worst husband she could have. For another, she was not guaranteed complete secrecy (regarding her little adventure). I liked Lord Adam Darvell very much for the most part, even when he made mistakes in his courtship. The villain's motives seemed somewhat credible - connections mattered considerably in the navy, both in obtaining promotions upto the level of captain, and then in determining what ships and assignments a captain obtained (and therefore what professional success and luck in making his own fortune he would have). Nevertheless, I do prefer my villains to be not so black-and-white for the most part. After some time, the heroine did irritate me as well. Could she really prefer a marriage to which she was blackmailed to an honourable offer from another man? Among the secondary characters, I did like the heroine's mother and aunt and uncle. I would have liked to have seen more of the heroine's family at times. This has a solid story and a fairly simple plotline, few distracting sub-plots, and an interesting hero and heroine. The writing is fairly good. Unfortunately, somehow the story does not shine enough to push it into B grade. Grade - C+ (3.3) Recommended - for readers tired of a marriage of convenience, and for those interested in naval-themed regencies. Other good regencies with a naval theme - Carla Kelly MISS WHITTIER MAKES A LIST; Susan Carroll THE CHRISTMAS BELLES. [Review written September 6, 2002]
Rating:
Summary: First half very interesting, second half less convincing...
Review: I was reminded that I had read this title when I was asked my opinion about Judith Harkness's book of the same name (an old Signet Regency with a very different plot). At the time I read this, I was on a naval kick, reading not only sea adventure (Hornblower, mostly) but also reading naval-themed regencies, of which there are surprisingly not that many. A very brief summary of the first part of the story - the heroine Helena Wyatt is the daughter of a late Admiral, who is watching her much younger brother play about on the river. At some point, she ends up stranded in a boat which drifts inexorably downstream to the sea. She is rescued by the hero Lord Adam Darvell, who is playing an undercover role. The heroine appears to be hopelessly compromised by the hero, but does not believe so. [She has a point - if no one of consequence knows that she was alone with him, she cannot be compromised. The problem is - what if someone comes to know?] The second half of the book involves the hero's efforts to court the heroine (who will have none of him). There is also considerable intrigue, regarding Adam's undercover work (is he spying for the French?) and a villain who is out to rise as fast as he can in the Navy. Helena's naval connections (her father and her aunt's husband) matter considerably to this villain, and you can guess what happens next. Quick comments - First, I read this book several months back. Please take this review therefore for what it is worth, based on some out-of-date recollections. The heroine's wish not to marry a man who has compromised her, simply out of necessity, made sense to me [I love Julia Murray's A Perfect Match for a story of such a marriage that seems to court disaster]. However, Helena's feelings against Lord Adam Darvell seemed to be too negative considering her position. For one thing, he was hardly the worst husband she could have. For another, she was not guaranteed complete secrecy (regarding her little adventure). I liked Lord Adam Darvell very much for the most part, even when he made mistakes in his courtship. The villain's motives seemed somewhat credible - connections mattered considerably in the navy, both in obtaining promotions upto the level of captain, and then in determining what ships and assignments a captain obtained (and therefore what professional success and luck in making his own fortune he would have). Nevertheless, I do prefer my villains to be not so black-and-white for the most part. After some time, the heroine did irritate me as well. Could she really prefer a marriage to which she was blackmailed to an honourable offer from another man? Among the secondary characters, I did like the heroine's mother and aunt and uncle. I would have liked to have seen more of the heroine's family at times. This has a solid story and a fairly simple plotline, few distracting sub-plots, and an interesting hero and heroine. The writing is fairly good. Unfortunately, somehow the story does not shine enough to push it into B grade. Grade - C+ (3.3) Recommended - for readers tired of a marriage of convenience, and for those interested in naval-themed regencies. Other good regencies with a naval theme - Carla Kelly MISS WHITTIER MAKES A LIST; Susan Carroll THE CHRISTMAS BELLES. [Review written September 6, 2002]
Rating:
Summary: Threw this one into the trash
Review: I wish I had read all the reviews on Amazon before wasting money on this book. I didn't like the hero or the heroine. The pre-marital sex and the attitude of the heroine at the end wasn't consistent with the mores of the era. Sure, the hero was a womanizing rake, but I just didn't buy the way the heroine gave in so easily to passion. It was one of those, "I've slept around a lot, but now that I've met you, I won't do that any more!" I thought this book would be a good historical book on regency naval issues, but there was little about that. I won't be buying any more by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Threw this one into the trash
Review: I wish I had read all the reviews on Amazon before wasting money on this book. I didn't like the hero or the heroine. The pre-marital sex and the attitude of the heroine at the end wasn't consistent with the mores of the era. Sure, the hero was a womanizing rake, but I just didn't buy the way the heroine gave in so easily to passion. It was one of those, "I've slept around a lot, but now that I've met you, I won't do that any more!" I thought this book would be a good historical book on regency naval issues, but there was little about that. I won't be buying any more by this author.
Rating: 
Summary: An unconventional miss avoids a marriage of convenience
Review: Lord Adam Darvell knows that he will have to marry Miss Helena Wyatt after he rescues her from certain death by drowning and the two of them end up unchaperoned on his ship for several days. When she turns him down flat...several times...he should feel relieved, but strangely does not. The more he gets to know her, the more appealing becomes the idea of having her as a wife. Helena, on the other hand, cannot imagine submitting to a marriage of convenience. As long as nobody ever finds out, why should she be foisted permanently on the dashing young lord who did nothing but save her life? As much as I like independent heroines who are not easily won, this one really takes the cake! She really goes all out to make him feel bad in her repeated refusals. How many men would keep coming back for more? Methinks the lady doth protest too much!!! Still, this Regency is well above average and will be enjoyed by most Regency fans.
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