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38th out of 105 books
—
42 voters
A Most Lamentable Comedy
by
Janet Mullany (Goodreads Author)
1822, England: Lady Caroline Elmhurst is twice-widowed, down on her luck, and pursued by creditors. But she's optimistic about finding a new husband—or if necessary, a rich lover—and when she meets handsome, mysterious Nicholas Congrevance at a house-party in the country, she sets out to entice him. For his part, Nicholas simply sees Lady Caroline Elmhurst as just the sort...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
September 21st 2010
by Headline Book Publishing
(first published August 20th 2009)
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Don't recall who recommended this, and I had no idea it was a Little Black Dress book. I think that means it's supposed to be smart modern romance. We'll see.
Addendum. My comments to a friend who wanted more information.Spoilers!!
It's a regency romance where both the romantic leads are unusually disreputable types. She's ruined after 2 or 3 marriages, and now attaches herself to one protector after another. When the book opens she's climbing out of a window, dodging creditors. He's a 19th centur...more
Addendum. My comments to a friend who wanted more information.Spoilers!!
It's a regency romance where both the romantic leads are unusually disreputable types. She's ruined after 2 or 3 marriages, and now attaches herself to one protector after another. When the book opens she's climbing out of a window, dodging creditors. He's a 19th centur...more
Janet Mullany is one of my favorite authors. I happen to be a fan of voice-y fiction, and Janet's got style in spades. A MOST LAMENTABLE COMEDY is laugh-out-loud funny (as are all of Ms. Mullany's books that I have read to date). Best compliment I can give this novel is that I was so utterly engrossed in the story (and in laughing in the middle of a crowded bus) that I missed my stop while I was reading it. As a professional Shakespearean actress, I particularly enjoyed Ms. Mullany's clever spin...more
Lady Caroline Elmhurt and Mr. Nicholas Congrevance are not perfect characters. They lie, they're selfish and they're totally lovable in all their rascally ways. They're very human...not paragons of virtue that we see in some other historical romances. Even their servants lie for them, telling the other's that they're rich. It's all kind of funny, both thinking the other is rich and out to get something from the other. Nicholas wants to take Caro's money, and Caro either wants Nick for marriage o...more
I picked this book up at random, skimmed the first chapter and put it back down again. It was a first person Regency that didn't quite read like a Regency, and I dismissed it. I picked it up again weeks later, again by random, because by then I had forgotten the cover (let's not even mention whether I took notice of the title or the author at this point) and skimmed through the first two chapters going "Huh, I think I've skimmed this before." I could have put it down again, but I was in wait-hel...more
A delightful, slyly lascivious read! With just enough genuine feeling to save it from farce and raise it above the genre. Oops, some extremely farcical behavior toward the very end... Delicious use of A Midsummer Night's Dream but this one really takes off when the long-lost half-brother reappears...
whose "Little Lambkin misses her Great Ram most sorely and longs once more to bury her hands in his fleece" etc. etc. etc.
whose "Little Lambkin misses her Great Ram most sorely and longs once more to bury her hands in his fleece" etc. etc. etc.
Hmmm... I guess I really quite enjoyed this book. Although the beginning was a bit slow and hard to get into, once you reach the middle it really is quite enjoying. There are many jokes and there is romance in every aspect of the book. If you enjoy shouting at a book and saying to the man 'you fool!' this is definitely the book for you. I'd recommend this to readers of historical romance.
I liked the story in this book. It was quite unusual and slightly reminds me of Georgette Heyer. I did feel like I was reading a sequel, because there were hints to previous events, but I could not discover if that was the case. This book has humor and romance in just the right amounts.
I was utterly charmed by both the hero and the heroine and the natural, funny, alternating first-person narration. And the instinctive physical and emotional connection between the two of them was one of the most intense and convincing insta-lust plotlines I've read recently.
This was a fun little historical romance--with teeth. The characters were snarky, almost mean, fun, and surprisingly light on sap. However, the convoluted ending (involving a bear? Why?) was a bit too much. Otherwise, a nice read.
As much as I wanted to read this book, I just couldn't get into it. Im not really a fan of First Person POV in novels - and the fact that the character narration switched nearly every other page was just confusing.
Witty, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny. And with its first person present tense style, a stylistic breath of fresh air in the regency romance market.
While I like Janet Mullany's style, I didn't care for this book nearly as much as Rules of Gentility, which I highly recommend.
As far as regency novels go, not too bad. Had its moments, had a few funny points. Ending was quite predictable though.
Fun read, loved the tongue in cheek humour.
4.5 stars.
Autographed Copy
I normally love all of the Little Black Dress books.
Although I liked the characters the book seemed to lack something in my opinion.
Although I liked the characters the book seemed to lack something in my opinion.
The ending - Strike 3.
I do like Mullany's twisted romances. They have such interesting and unusual POVs.
May 17, 2013
Rosemary
marked it as to-read
May 16, 2013
Rakshitha Sritharan
marked it as to-read
Apr 19, 2013
Cretegirl
marked it as to-read
Mar 26, 2013
Bippityboppityboo
marked it as to-read
Mar 04, 2013
Marguerite Butler
marked it as to-read
Feb 27, 2013
Glokate Laurente
marked it as to-read
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Janet Mullany was raised in England by half of an amateur string quartet and now lives near Washington, DC. Persecuted from an early age for reading too long in the bathroom, she still loves books and is an avid and eclectic reader. She has worked as an archaeologist, classical music radio announcer, arts publicist, and for a small press.
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“He has big hands too, I say, swigging cider. I should know. Big beautiful hands. I daresay big feet as well.
You mean that...? Philomena asks.
Fanny whispers in her ear, and she giggles.
I do find unclothed men interesting, I must admit.
Which one do you think has the best arse? I ask before I can stop myself.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
You mean that...? Philomena asks.
Fanny whispers in her ear, and she giggles.
I do find unclothed men interesting, I must admit.
Which one do you think has the best arse? I ask before I can stop myself.”
May 31, 2010 06:22am
May 31, 2010 09:41am