Product Description

From the sparkling ballrooms of Regency London to the wealthy glamour of the country house - let Stephanie Laurens be your guide! Miss Georgiana Hartley, orphaned and alone, returned home to England - only to be confronted with the boorish advances of her cousin. Knowing no-one, she fled to Lord Alton's estate, hoping that the lady of the house would rescue her - but Dominic, Lord Alton, was unmarried! Georgiana could not, with propriety, remain under his roof. She begged him to help her find a suitable position as a lady's companion, or a governess. The scandalous viscount heard Georgiana's request with barely-concealed disgust. The very idea was preposterous. Instead, he introduced Georgiana to his sister's influence. Suddenly, Georgiana was transformed into a lady, charming the ton and cultivating a bevy of suitors. Everything was going to Dominic's plan - until he realised that he wanted Georgiana for his own.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94986 in Books
• Published on: 2009-08-21
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
'Stephanie Laurens' heroines are marvellous tributes to Georgette Heyer.' --Cathy Kelly

'All I need is her name on the cover to make me pick up the book.' --New York Times Bestselling Author Linda Howard

About the Author
Stephanie Laurens has been writing historical romance novels for over 16 years and is a New York Times, Publishers Weekly and USA Today bestselling author. She lives near Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and two daughters.

Customer Reviews

Sweetly romantic tale
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.

Gentle Regency
A well written Regency romance, not as fast paced as her more recent books, but a pleasure to read.