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No Regrets
written by Michele Young
Studio : Casablanca Pr
by Casablanca Pr
Publisher : Casablanca Pr
Released : 2007-11-01
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9781402210167
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 17 reviews)
List Price : $6.99
Our Price : $3.20
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Product Description |
Caroline Torrington is large, and she wears glasses. Beside the beauties of her day, she feels dowdy and unattractive. Since the death of her father the Vicar, she and her sisters have fallen on hard times.
Meanwhile, Lucas, Lord Foxhaven, a noted rake for his wild and reckless behavior, is once again in dispute with his father, who won’t give him his grandmama’s fortune unless he marries Caroline Torrington. Lucas and Caroline arrange a marriage of convenience and go off to London for the season.
Little does Caroline know that her voluptuous body is driving Lucas to distraction. Each time he pulls back, Caroline thinks that he is disgusted by her body.
In the midst of this deepening mutual attraction and misunderstanding, Caroline gets embroiled in a scandal and is kidnapped. Lucas comes to her rescue and in a dangerous escape they discover they are each other’s true love. |
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Delightfully Entertaining |
Miss Caroline (Caro) Torrington was nothing like the ideal svelte beauties of the day; in fact bespectacled and heavily endowed, she felt quite the opposite. Without a dowry how could any man find her in the least appealing? So when her childhood friend, as well as her secret love, Lucas Foxhaven suggested a marriage of convenience in order to have access to his inheritance which would also insure her younger sisters' future, she agreed.
Unknown to Caro, Foxhaven is anything but immune to her ample charms, but fights his sexual attraction in order to honor their agreement. Unfortunately, Lucas' rejection of Caroline's sexual advances only increase her low esteem of how disgusting he must find her physical attributes. Misunderstandings and dastardly villains trying to destroy their relationship abound, and only after Caro is kidnapped does Foxhaven realize his true feelings and spur him into action.
*** Ms. Young breaks away from the norm as she brings to life a big beautiful loving heroine, who can't believe her generous curves are driving her husband crazy with desire. Instead thru miscommunication she thinks he's so disgusted he with her curves he can't bring himself to make love to her. Caro is a delight, not understanding the society strictures of the ton, she gets embroiled in one peccadillo after another in complete innocence of any transgressions.
Lucas is a complex character who has, according to his father, been nothing but a disappointment all his life. The author throws little hints along the way that show how much Lucas would have liked a relationship with his father, but was undermined in everyway throughout his life by deceit and betrayal. At his father's urging and to maintain his allowance Lucas took Caro as his wife but thwarted his father by proposing a marriage of convenience - no sex, no children and no regrets. Unfortunately, to Lucas' dismay he was now having a lot of regrets that he'd agreed to the no sex part, as he realized he had always loved Caroline and her ample curves were driving him to distraction.
This was a darling love story, which at times had you on the edge of the seat when the villain's true motives and mental instability was uncovered. But alls well that ends well, and Ms. Young provided an entertaining and pleasant conclusion. Delightfully enjoyable and heartily recommended reading.
Marilyn Rondeau,
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Enchanting Reviews: No Regrets |
Carolyn Torrington has sadly fallen on hard times. She desperately needs to find employment suitable for a genteel, well-read female in order to provide a home for her younger sisters after their father's death. Unless she finds something soon, they'll be homeless when the new vicar arrives. Her only other option is to accept Lucas Rivers, whose obvious resentment at being forced by his father to offer for her had been perfectly clear for over a year. She might not compare to other women, but she has the same hopes and dreams. Knowing she lacks the attributes to attract such a handsome man, she is embarrassed by her physical reactions when he is near. So although she has loved Lucas since childhood, she cannot accept when he flings a proposal in her face while making it perfectly clear that he has no tender feelings for her.
Lucas Rivers, Viscount Foxhaven, has no desire to wed, even if the bride his father selected for him as a "steadying influence" is his childhood best friend. Facing financial ruin unless he can persuade Carolyn to accept him, he is puzzled by her continuing rejection. They had been best friends as children, after all, and she always reminded him of sunshine and laughter. He had been her protector and constant companion - so why did she recoil from him now?
When Lucas discovers Carolyn working in a friend's kitchen, he physically carries her away, risking her reputation if she is identified. And when she continues to decline his offer, Lucas offers a bargain: in exchange for a marriage of convenience, he will sponsor Carolyn and her sisters for a season in London. In return, the marriage will unlock the terms of his grandmother's will so that he has direct access to his funds without his father's interference. But London proves to be a revelation for them both as Carolyn develops confidence and Lucas finds himself in a quandary - if he consummates the marriage, he will give his disapproving father exactly what he wants. And if he continues to hold her at arm's length, he risks losing her forever.
NO REGRETS is a lovely tale of two would-be lovers who have to learn how to be honest with each other before they are free to achieve what both actually desire - a marriage based on mutual affection, trust and passion. Both bear internal scars that impede their ability to connect - both care deeply for the other without being able to communicate that regard. Their journey to overcome mutual misunderstandings and individual insecurities are the heart of this sweet romance. The heroine suffers from faulty perceptions of her body image, and, like many women of any time period, is uncertain of her attractiveness when compared to the current ideal of beauty. Her inability to see that Lucas is physically attracted to her leads her to engage in behavior that damages their budding relationship. Lucas, emotionally abandoned by his powerful father, does not understand that by withdrawing from Carolyn physically, he reinforces her belief that he finds her unappealing. His unwillingness to risk vulnerability and past conduct leave him open to malicious gossip; every action is viewed in the most unfavorable light, which causes even the benign gesture to go awry. Yet both Lucas and Carolyn genuinely want the other to be happy, and only when each takes a leap of faith can they truly begin to reach for their dreams.
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So-so |
I can't recommend this book to anyone who might be reading for prose style as well as plot. The author's style seems flat and forced to me. I have the impression that although she loves the regency era and wants to tell a story, she's not in love with language. In a regency, that's bad, because the regency was a period in which poetry, fine writing and eloquent speech were much admired.
The book could have used a talented editor's help -- it would have prevented such things as the scene in which the heroine, who is washing dishes in the scullery, sees the hero ride into the room on his horse and clutches a plate to her chest in surprise. Hero then sweeps her up and rides off with her, still presumably clutching the plate because the author doesn't mention her dropping it or setting it down -- but shortly after that she has both hands free to hit the hero and clutch at his coat. A good editor wouldn't have left me wondering what happened to the blasted plate.
I kinda believed in the heroine, a fat girl who believes that only slim beauties appeal, but I couldn't believe in the hero at all; he seemed to me to be pretty cardboardish.
It isn't an awful book -- I've read much worse -- but it wasn't worth the price. Maybe her next book will be better. |
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a fresh, talented author |
Michele Ann Young has been getting some attention of late. She was the launch book (this title) for Sourcebooks push into romance, was an American Title contest finals, and had a entry in the Americancivilwar contest. She is wonderful writers, with characters that stole my heart. She writes with confidence about her period, and was able to keep me in the story from first page to last.
good job! |
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A Delightful Regency Romance |
Caroline Torrington thinks of herself as pudgy and unattractive, not understanding others view her as lush and voluptuous. Her parents are dead, and she and her sisters are destitute. As the eldest, it is up to her to find a way for her sisters to have a season when their time comes, so they might make good marriages.
Enter Lord Lucas Foxhaven, childhood friend and her secret love. He offers her marriage, as he has for the past year. He won't get an inheritance until he is wed, and his father decided that Caroline, as a vicar's daughter, would make Lucas the perfect wife, providing the steadying influence he needs. Lucas is determined to wed Caroline so he can get his hands on his inheritance. She agrees to a marriage of convenience, with dissolution of the marriage later. Lucas agrees.
Once in London, they both see how difficult the no touching part of the marriage is, although Caroline thinks it's because Lucas is disgusted with her large size. Lucas loves her lushness, but will not give in to temptation because he views Caroline as a good friend, and he does not want to hurt her. More difficulties arise, communication goes awry and suspicions blossom on both sides.
Caroline is kidnapped, and Lucas finally grows up and acts like the man Caroline had always considered him to be.
I loved this book. It wasn't at all what I had thought it would be. The author skillfully created her characters. Her heroine's naivety is believable, as is her goodness, insecurity, and human frailties. After he matures, the hero is very sigh-worthy. But oh, what a lovely story from the hero's rash proposal of marriage, all the way to the last page.
This is a wonderfully told romance, and I highly recommend No Regrets.
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