Reviews

I read a LOT of Marion Chesney as a youngster, because even then I loved the Regency period and because her books were available to me at the local libraries. Are they good? Not really, like Heyer Lite (VERY lite) and extremely formulaic: there's always some kind of older (not always wiser) character who either provides a crutch to the heroine (the males) or is a figure of fun (the females); there's usually six somethings (sisters; consecutive inhabitants of a house; etc.); and -- SPOILER! -- the last of them will trump them all and end up marrying a duke!!1! This series has the dependable male figure (servant Barry); the six beautiful sisters; and increasingly high-status marriages. One thing that cracked me up was villainous Judd talking about pulling down the temple at Mannerling, building a ruin, and making John the servant pretend to be a hermit to amuse visitors (and also because John was a bit too uppity) -- I gather that was actually a thing during the period, but the cavalier way it was thrown in was quite funny.

aminowrimo's review against another edition

Go to review page

lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

bookish_bowes's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

This is garbage. Insufferable characters and throwing around suicide like it’s a plot device.

bethanjane21's review against another edition

Go to review page

lighthearted

2.5

helenephoebe's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Review - The concept is an intriguing one, but not one that hasn't been explored before by M.C. Beaton. In a lot of ways Beaton rather confines herself in this genre, writing a lot of quite similar stories. Nevertheless a good read. I did like the main characters in this novel, although the other Beverly sisters came across as very shallow, selfish and materialistic. I hope this changes in the later books (though I have no doubt that it will!)

Genre? - Romance / Historical / Drama

Characters? - Isabella Beverly / Jessica Beverly / Lord Fitzpatrick / Lady Beverly / William Beverly / Abigail Beverly / Rachel Beverly / Mr Judd / Lizzie Beverly / Belinda Beverly

Setting? - Mannerling (England)

Series? - Daughters of Mannerling #1

Recommend? - Yes

Rating - 15/20

calamitymane's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

An excellent start to this series. Light, as usual, but not quite fluffy, just the way I like my Regency romances, of which Beaton is a maven.

haewilya's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

The romance was kinda instalove. I love the darkness though and the heroine's character progression.

More...