Scan barcode
suzannalundale's review
4.0
"I am Lady Helene Fitzgerald. And yes, before you feel the need to remark on it, I am that Lady Helene who is the infamous bluestocking, the Lady Helene who has all but disappeared from society altogether, and the Lady Helene who is the hysteric who publicly and shamefully broke her engagement to the Marquis of Broadheathe three years ago."
"That's rather a lot of Lady Helenes to be."
"I have set up a rotating schedule. We manage."
My queen! Right there on page 8 of the third book in the trilogy, my allegiance was settled. All three women are deeply wounded, and each deal's with her past and vulnerabilities in her own way, but Helene, o Helene! She is the one who has my sword.
There isn't suspense here. It's pretty clear where we're going to end up when the curtain falls - we simply don't know what joys and sorrows lie along the path. The book isn't flawless - I do think one person should be held to account for trying to end things without allowing the other any benefit of the doubt, or opportunity for explanation, but, you know, if they're happy, I suppose it's no business of mine.
I enjoyed this trilogy. They're light, satisfying reads, and definitely belong on the TBR of anyone who cherishes a soft spot for the wallflowers and bluestockings of this life.
"That's rather a lot of Lady Helenes to be."
"I have set up a rotating schedule. We manage."
My queen! Right there on page 8 of the third book in the trilogy, my allegiance was settled. All three women are deeply wounded, and each deal's with her past and vulnerabilities in her own way, but Helene, o Helene! She is the one who has my sword.
There isn't suspense here. It's pretty clear where we're going to end up when the curtain falls - we simply don't know what joys and sorrows lie along the path. The book isn't flawless - I do think one person should be held to account for trying to end things without allowing the other any benefit of the doubt, or opportunity for explanation, but, you know, if they're happy, I suppose it's no business of mine.
I enjoyed this trilogy. They're light, satisfying reads, and definitely belong on the TBR of anyone who cherishes a soft spot for the wallflowers and bluestockings of this life.
ssejig's review
3.0
The story opens with a lot of information, but none of it feels like a purge of backstory. Instead, we just meet the hero and heroine as they meet each other; Lady Helene Fitzgerald barges into her host's library, ostensibly to find a book, while he, Marcus Edicott, the Duke of Windford is already there. Really, Helene is trying to find Marcus' sister Adele after she fled from her overbearing sister.
Marcus is immediately intrigued. Though Helene is supposed to be a harridan bluestocking, he rather finds her a smart conversationalist who is hiding her light under a bushel.
Helene has escorted her cripplingly shy friend Madelene to the party. Madelene's family was so grateful to have her off their hands, they didn't even mind consigning her to the care of a woman that few in society cared for. But she is tired of being a wallflower and tired of Adele and Madelene being consigned to the same fate. She has conceived of a plan to triumph in Society, but she'll need the help of a fairy godmother, a role novelist Deborah Sewell can fit to a T.
So Helene helps to save herself. And her friends. I was really enjoying this story until the last Big Misunderstanding. It was so unnecessary. And I wish I had read the other two stories. It wasn't absolutely necessary but it would have filled in some gaps.
Marcus is immediately intrigued. Though Helene is supposed to be a harridan bluestocking, he rather finds her a smart conversationalist who is hiding her light under a bushel.
Helene has escorted her cripplingly shy friend Madelene to the party. Madelene's family was so grateful to have her off their hands, they didn't even mind consigning her to the care of a woman that few in society cared for. But she is tired of being a wallflower and tired of Adele and Madelene being consigned to the same fate. She has conceived of a plan to triumph in Society, but she'll need the help of a fairy godmother, a role novelist Deborah Sewell can fit to a T.
So Helene helps to save herself. And her friends. I was really enjoying this story until the last Big Misunderstanding. It was so unnecessary. And I wish I had read the other two stories. It wasn't absolutely necessary but it would have filled in some gaps.
asmyr42's review
4.0
"I am Lady Helene Fitzgerald. And yes, before you feel the need to remark on it, I am that Lady Helene who is the infamous bluestocking, the Lady Helene who has all but disappeared from society altogether, and the Lady Helene who is the hysteric who publicly and shamefully broke her engagement to the Marquis of Broadheathe three years ago."
"That's rather a lot of Lady Helenes to be."
"I have set up a rotating schedule. We manage."
My queen! Right there on page 8 of the third book in the trilogy, my allegiance was settled. All three women are deeply wounded, and each deal's with her past and vulnerabilities in her own way, but Helene, o Helene! She is the one who has my sword.
There isn't suspense here. It's pretty clear where we're going to end up when the curtain falls - we simply don't know what joys and sorrows lie along the path. The book isn't flawless - I do think one person should be held to account for trying to end things without allowing the other any benefit of the doubt, or opportunity for explanation, but, you know, if they're happy, I suppose it's no business of mine.
I enjoyed this trilogy. They're light, satisfying reads, and definitely belong on the TBR of anyone who cherishes a soft spot for the wallflowers and bluestockings of this life.
"That's rather a lot of Lady Helenes to be."
"I have set up a rotating schedule. We manage."
My queen! Right there on page 8 of the third book in the trilogy, my allegiance was settled. All three women are deeply wounded, and each deal's with her past and vulnerabilities in her own way, but Helene, o Helene! She is the one who has my sword.
There isn't suspense here. It's pretty clear where we're going to end up when the curtain falls - we simply don't know what joys and sorrows lie along the path. The book isn't flawless - I do think one person should be held to account for trying to end things without allowing the other any benefit of the doubt, or opportunity for explanation, but, you know, if they're happy, I suppose it's no business of mine.
I enjoyed this trilogy. They're light, satisfying reads, and definitely belong on the TBR of anyone who cherishes a soft spot for the wallflowers and bluestockings of this life.
More...