The Other Countess (The Lacey Chronicles, #1)

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The Other Countess (The Lacey Chronicles #1)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 1,413 ratings · 200 reviews

It's 1582 and eighteen-year-old Will Lacey's family is in trouble. After years of wasteful spending, his late father has run Lacey Hall to near ruin. Tasked with marrying his family back into fortune, the new Earl of Dorset is all set for a season at court to woo not just the Queen but potential brides with his jousting skills. But when Ellie – a strong-willed girl with no...more

Paperback, 333 pages

Published July 1st 2010 by Puffin

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A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

New YA historical fiction in 2010-2011

10th out of 97 books — 396 voters

Beware, Princess Elizabeth by Carolyn Meyer

YA Elizabeth I Historical Fiction

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, historical-fiction, book-list-2010

The Other Countess is Edwards' debut novel and I am really impressed. It's such as sweet book with really likeable characters and superb dialogue. It's never condescending to its target audience and passages of descriptive detail are done beautifully. I really got a sense of the time period and enjoyed it so much I wanted to learn more about Queen Elizabeth 1st and her reign.

I really liked Ellie, her full title being Lady Eleanor Rodrigues of San Jaime. She's soft and gentle, and yet a feisty yo...more The Other Countess is Edwards' debut novel and I am really impressed. It's such as sweet book with really likeable characters and superb dialogue. It's never condescending to its target audience and passages of descriptive detail are done beautifully. I really got a sense of the time period and enjoyed it so much I wanted to learn more about Queen Elizabeth 1st and her reign.

I really liked Ellie, her full title being Lady Eleanor Rodrigues of San Jaime. She's soft and gentle, and yet a feisty young lady and doesn't take kindly to insults, regardless of the persons rank and is determined to stand her ground and defend herself as best she can. She's unfortunate to have an alchemist for a father, who is more interested in trying to turn metals into gold instead of being a father to Ellie. They are pretty much penniless and spend many months and years sleeping in barns or a friends spare room.

Will, the Earl of Dorset, is an interesting character but I didn't like him so much at the beginning as he's rather cruel to Ellie, aged twelve, and her father. However, deep down it is because his father has just died, which he believes to be the fault of Ellie's father and his alchemy practises, hence his hostility. He is also only fourteen and now head of his family's estate and fortune, and all the burdens that come with such a responsibility.

What I enjoyed most about Will was seeing him grow as a person, watching him work things through in his mind and coming to realise that his words and actions are spiteful and how, against his pride, he eventually apologises to Ellie when they met again in the future.

When Ellie and Will meet again four years later he doesn't recognise her, so they flirt and play and you get a real sense of their growing love for one another. Of course, things don't run smoothly and Will eventually finds out who she is. I was hoping for more passion as the writing itself seems to be aimed at the higher age bracket in the young adult market, but the romance is so sweet that the lack of passion didn't hinder me from finding this book an absolute treat.

Verdict:

I am very impressed with this debut. I loved Edwards writing style, and although everything happens at a fairly slow pace throughout The Other Countess, not once did I wish away the pages. The writing is beautiful and the characters are so vivid that I loved every word. I will definitely be reading the sequel, The Queen's Legacy, which is to be released sometime in Spring 2011, but until then I urge any fan of historical fiction or romance to read The Other Countess!
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Apr 21, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Historical romance fiction lovers

This book is exstactly what I am looking for and only some authors can produce a book like this. When I go to a book shop or libaray in search for a book that my heart preaches for, I can never find it. This is the type of book that I like and enjoy and I can not wait until I can get my hands on the next one, which will come out in Spring 2011. If you are the author and reading this review, all I want to tell you is that you have created the perfect book that is hardly found and is completely un...more

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May 17, 2013 Sierra B. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, library, romance, ya

The cover was mainly the reason I picked this book up. I had no idea it was set in the 1500s when Queen Elizabeth was ruling! (I love both Elizabeth and time period!) But yeah I totally judged a book by its cover and it actually didn't turn out so bad when I did that... :P

The Lady Eleanor with nothing but a title, simple Ellie was turned out of the Earl of Dorset's home when the previous Earl dies and his son immediately kicks her and her father out. Why? Because her father is an alchemist, conv...more The cover was mainly the reason I picked this book up. I had no idea it was set in the 1500s when Queen Elizabeth was ruling! (I love both Elizabeth and time period!) But yeah I totally judged a book by its cover and it actually didn't turn out so bad when I did that... :P

The Lady Eleanor with nothing but a title, simple Ellie was turned out of the Earl of Dorset's home when the previous Earl dies and his son immediately kicks her and her father out. Why? Because her father is an alchemist, convinced that his discovery to creating gold is just around the corner. With the previous Earl's interest they stayed at his home and over time his money was used nearly all up from supporting her father's studies. Now the new Earl, William Lancey, has a lot on his shoulders.

Skip forward 4 years and you'll find Ellie at court. Her father has latched onto another rich man and together they are causing explosions and such. Again, the son has no patience with her father and wants them gone. But she will make do. The strangest thing is that the Earl of Dorset who threw them out? He's now here at court looking for a wife! And he doesn't recognize her at first, he is nice and handsome. Until he finds out who she is, then she is nothing more than a thing to hate.

However there was an incident that he feels he must apologize for. He stills hates her, but the polite thing to do is apologize. Sadly, Ellie and her father have been kicked out due to an explosion that set everyone on edge. They travel nearby the Earl of Dorset's lands and settle in a little cottage with an older woman. Later they are found out by William and he comes to visit...and to throw them out. When he tells Ellie what he intends to do she gives him and earfull that convinces him to let them stay. And gains her a little admiration that is slowly growing into something more.

Pros:I liked nearly all the characters. The bad ones you aren't supposed to like after all. I loved William and his brother, who were always bickering and hilarious. Ellie was just so sweet and I really liked her. The setting was lovely and great historical fiction. I thought it was very well done and really felt real :) The plot was interesting and the love story sweet. I definitely felt for Lady Jane as well, who the next book is about. I think that after reading this book I will definitely be picking up the next one to find out what happens next :) And there are several things still unresolved so...

Cons:I can't really think of any writing or plot details that I disliked... There were some bumpy or slightly unlikely spots but overall it seemed well done and flowed well. As for disliking characters I really disliked Lady Jane's brother. Blech.
Some of the ways that those at court lived are a bit...erm interesting. Lady Jane's brother attempts to assault Ellie, sleeps often (not shown) with Lady Jane's maid and then there a couple other mentions of sex, rape, and hooking up (though not in those terms). There is also some drinking, brief violence and mention of having been beaten. Some kissing and Ellie is found by William in her shift and petticoat (shocking back then you know!). And there is a catholic priest found who is nearly tortured and several others are questioned with him. Language wise there were 17 cuss words.

Overall, this was a pretty good book with a unique story, wonderful setting and a sweet couple :) I would recommend to 15+ girls who enjoy this time period (1582 I think was the year...) and some romance.(less)

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Apr 14, 2013 Libby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, young-adult-fiction

Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime, holds a title but no wealth. Instead, she leads a precarious life following her alchemist father from court to court as he strives to turn lead into gold. Sadly her father makes enemies and financial ruin more successfully than gold. Lady Ellie struggles to hold their place in Queen Elizabeth’s court, but while she gains a few friends, she meets mostly disdain.

William Lacey, Earl of Dorset, is another nearly impoverished noble. He comes to Elizabeth...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Beata Liberchuk rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this book because it was suspending and interesting. The book is set place in 1582 in England, with two main characters; Will and Ellie. Will is the earl, and Ellie has a worthless title and is a poor girl. Will's family is in danger since they are losing money, so the only way to get money and save his family is to marry a girl of wealth. However, Will falls in love with Ellie, the poor girl, when he is expected to marry the wealthy Lady Jane Perceval. He has to make a decision between...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Kaetlyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

WARNING: contains a few spoilers

This is a cute and captivating novel about forbidden love during Elizabethan England.

Ellie- Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime- possesses an empty title and her alchemist father has left little money to their name. Will Lacey, Earl of Dorset, is trying to build up his estate after his father died, leaving it in financial ruin.

Turns out, the reason Will's father ruined the estate because Ellie's father convinced him that he could make gold out of common...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, clean-regency-romance, historical-fiction, young-adult

I think this hardly counts as Regency Victorian period although it read like it was rather than the middle ages in Elizabethan England - 1582.

Ellie—Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime—possesses a worthless title, but her feisty spirit captivates the elite of the Queen's court—especially the dashing new Earl of Dorset.

William Lacey, Earl of Dorset, has inherited his father's title—and his financial ruin. Now Will must seek a wealthy bride and restore his family's fortune. If only he ha...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Sherri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: maybe-buy-for-school

This is a wondeful historical romance and I usually do not pick up historical romances, but another teen librarian said this was a "must read." I agree.

Summary: Set in England during the Elizabethan era, 12-year-old Ellie was terrified the first time she met 14-year-old William Lacey, the new Earl of Dorset due to his father’s sudden death, as he listened to her father, Sir Arthur Hutton, ramble on about the importance of alchemy. Hutton felt he was so close to transforming lead into gold and h...more This is a wondeful historical romance and I usually do not pick up historical romances, but another teen librarian said this was a "must read." I agree.

Summary: Set in England during the Elizabethan era, 12-year-old Ellie was terrified the first time she met 14-year-old William Lacey, the new Earl of Dorset due to his father’s sudden death, as he listened to her father, Sir Arthur Hutton, ramble on about the importance of alchemy. Hutton felt he was so close to transforming lead into gold and hoped that the new Earl would continue to fund his research (and provide food and housing) like Will’s father had done. Unfortunately, Will’s father had spent almost all of his family’s fortune pursuing alchemy, leaving almost nothing to provide for the Lacey family’s survival. Will angrily kicks out Ellie and her father which forces them to spend several years barely surviving and living in barns or wherever they could find a place.
Four years later, Ellie and her father have found refuge at Windsor Castle under the patronage of Lord Mountjoy. Ellie enjoys this life and is shocked to bump into Will in the gardens one day. When he doesn’t recognize her, she introduces herself with her formal title, Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime, due to her deceased Spanish mother. As a scholar’s daughter with a suspect Spanish inheritance, Ellie didn’t really fit into either class at the Castle not in the kitchen with the servants and not in the great hall with the royal guests.
Will is at the court to repair the Lacey family’s favor with the Queen and find a rich young lady to marry so the Lacey family can survive on her dowry. Even when Will manages to land the wealthy Lady Jane Perceval, a fine young lady, he cannot help but remember his fleeting encounters with Lady Eleanor and wish his relationship with Lady Jane had the same passion. As Will starts falling for Ellie, it’s more than his heart in danger, his whole family’s future depends on him securing a wealthy bride. As Ellie starts falling for Will, she knows that at some point soon he will figure out who she really is…his enemy. Once he sees her as the daughter of the man who wasted his family’s entire fortune on a fool’s quest for gold, how can he love her?

Great quotes:
Will: “Girls no more needed learning than a fish a pair of boots” (37).
Will: “You cannot escape the consequences of your parentage” (67).

I truly enjoyed this romantic historical fiction story. The author’s writing is full of great imagery and truly places the reader into Queen Elizabeth’s world.

One more example of her writing:
“(Ellie) followed him out to the lane, feeling her courage spilling from her like flour from a hole in the miller’s sack. She could almost see it, shining in the faint moonlight, marking the path back to the one moment when she had known what it felt like to be loved” (171).

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Jul 31, 2012 Marie-Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

England 1582. Elli, Lady Eleanor Rodriguez de San Jaime, besitzt einen wertlosen Titel und ein lebhaftes Temperament. Damit fasziniert sie die Reichen und Schönen am Hof von Königin Elisabeth I. Der gut aussehende Graf von Dorset, William Lacey, hat nicht nur den Titel seines Vaters geerbt, sondern auch dessen Schulden. Nun soll Will eine reiche Adelige heiraten, um den Ruin abzuwenden. Als er sich jedoch in die mittellose Elli verliebt, entspricht das nicht den Vorstellungen der Familie.

"Die S...more England 1582. Elli, Lady Eleanor Rodriguez de San Jaime, besitzt einen wertlosen Titel und ein lebhaftes Temperament. Damit fasziniert sie die Reichen und Schönen am Hof von Königin Elisabeth I. Der gut aussehende Graf von Dorset, William Lacey, hat nicht nur den Titel seines Vaters geerbt, sondern auch dessen Schulden. Nun soll Will eine reiche Adelige heiraten, um den Ruin abzuwenden. Als er sich jedoch in die mittellose Elli verliebt, entspricht das nicht den Vorstellungen der Familie.

"Die Sehnsuchtsvolle" ist der erste Band der "Die Lacey Chroniken"- Reihe von Eve Edwards, die in der Tudorzeit spielt und die Geschichte der fiktiven Familie Lacey erzählt.
Die Handlung an sich ist auf angenehme Weise anspruchslos, besitzt aber den gewissen Charme, sodass man dieses Buch nicht aus der Hand legen möchte.
Zwar ist der größte Teil dieser Geschichte vorhersehbar, hat aber die nötige Spannung um den Leser trotzdem mitzureißen.
Die Zeit um 1580 wurde seitens der Autorin sehr gut recherchiert und authentisch wiedergegeben. Historische Fakten, aber auch Personen treten in dieser fiktiven Geschichte auf und schaffen so ein ideales historisches Ambiente. Fiktion und Historie werden wunderbar miteinander verknüpft und ergänzen sich im richtigen Maß, ohne das ein Faktor zu viel Raum zugesprochen bekommt.
Das romantische Element besitzt in "Die Sehnsuchtsvolle" einen entscheidenden Punkt, denn die Romantik bildet die Grundpfeiler dieser Handlung und ist für diese Altersklasse durchaus stimmig.
Weiterhin ist die Handlung schlüssig und authentisch erzählt worden. Sie besitzt alle nötigen Informationen die für die Geschichte von Nöten ist, ohne sich in Unwichtigkeiten zu verlieren.
Alles in Allem bietet "Die Sehnsuchtsvolle" romantische und interessante Unterhaltung in historischem Setting.

Will und Ellie sind das Traumpaar schlechthin. Ihre Handlungen und Gefühle sind für das 16. Jahrhundert authentisch nachempfunden und realistisch skizziert. Die Hindernisse, die sie auf den Weg zu ihrem Glück zu überwinden haben sind für die damalige Zeit mehr als schlüssig.
Auch die Nebencharaktere wurden historisch korrekt und mit viel Liebe erarbeitet und beweisen Ecken und Kanten.

Eve Edwards hat "Die Sehnsuchtsvolle" flüssig und mit einem lockeren Stil zu Papier gebracht. Die Dialoge sind dem 16. Jahrhundert nachempfunden, aber jederzeit gut lesbar und leicht zu verstehen.
Anhand eines allwissenden Erzählers werden dabei verschiedene Charaktere beleuchtet.
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Nov 08, 2011 Hannah-Linn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I never read historical. There's something about it that just never really appealed to me before, and I don't know by. Because I'm all for sexy dramatic romance crap.

I seriously, loved, his novel though. I think it was amazing. It was just so romantic. Will and Ellie were so romantic.
It was sweet and sexy and tragic and everything.

I loved it. I think I have a new thing for historical. I was always more of a paranormal romance person, but I guess there's a first time for everything. I was browsin...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Other Countess is another ARC I received from Amazon Vine. Young adult books are not what I usually read. However, I saw The Other Countess on the Vine list and it caught my eye. I wondered how young adult historical romance differed from adult historical romance. Here is what I found.

One big difference was the age of the two main characters. Ellie – Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime is 16 and William Lacey, Earl of Dorset is 18, much younger than characters in adult historical r...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are just not enough words to tell you how much I loved this book!

It's set in the 1500's, and revolves around a girl named Ellie and her father, an alchemist so obsessed with finding the secret to making gold that he basically neglects his daughter her entire life. He loves her, but she is always just second best - an afterthought.

Ellie and her father have little to no money, but manage to live with a royal family during the time of our story. And it is while the royal court is in session...more

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Sep 14, 2010 Rebecca- Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, favorites

I think from my introduction and my 'I LOVE THIS BOOK SO FAR' that used to live undearneath the 'Currently Reading' bit that I enjoyed this book a lot. I read it within about a week which is pretty good for me. I'm a bit of a romantic at heart. I love being given flowers and chocolates, though it never happens much and I just love a classic love tale or love match. It DOES make me feel a little tearful.
The difference about this book is that the love-ness starts early on. They meet each other and...more

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Sep 13, 2010 ALPHAreader rated it 5 of 5 stars

‘The Other Countess’ is Eve Edward’s debut novel and the first book in her YA ‘Tudor Historical Romance’ series.
This book will be added to my ‘Favourites of 2010’ list – it’s that good!

Edwards takes a little swath of history and makes it her own in this dazzling historical romance, set in 1582 England under the reign of ‘Virgin Queen’ Elizabeth I.

Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Hutton is an alchemist’s daughter. She traipses the country with her addle-brained father, as he hunts for the scientific formula to tu...more

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May 12, 2013 Judy Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Yet another sappy cliche romance novel that took me less than a minute to fall in love with. I know I said 'sappy' and 'cliche' but please don't judge this book by that. The 'sappy' and 'cliche' is actually one of the main areas that made this book so wonderful.

PLOT
Set in England, 1582, its a romance novel about Queen Elizabeth's Court and how Lady Eleanor and William Lacey, fall in love, despite their history, and like most romance fiction novels, there are some kissing scenes and so much roma...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-have

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 10, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I completely adored this book. Of course, I'm a sucker for period pieces, but, hey, this was definitely a good one, even coming on the heels of Grave Mercy. Ellie is a fantabulous, feisty girl. She is well-educated and doesn't conform to society's expectations of her. If someone tries to take advantage of her or lie to her, she calls them out on it and defends herself. Love her.

Her dad is seriously frustrating. If I were her, I would have left him behind ages ago if possible. She feels a loyalty...more

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Jul 04, 2010 The Readings of a Busy Mom Riaz rated it 4 of 5 stars

www.thereadingsofabusymom.blogspot.com

The Other Countess is Eve Edwards debut novel and for a first I am very impressed. Eve's novel is so well written it leaves you in awe, the mode of expression gives you a great feeling of time and experience and has you falling over the pages with hope and happiness. This a well explored novel and is only a taster of what Eve is capable of.

The Story was told from 3 points of view Ellie, Jane and Will but more chapters where given to Ellie and Will. Ellie's c...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: clean-romances, bad-content

The only thing young adult about this book is that the girl is 16. The book reads like a very calm adult historical romance. There was some interesting history about the time period and the way they dressed and the politics at the time, but I wouldn't say it was heavy on the history side. The whole story revolves around this young girl and the trails of her life. I guess this will be a whole family saga and some of the other minor characters got wayyyy too much time in the book, will be used in...more

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Oct 14, 2010 Leosharkie rated it 3 of 5 stars

'The Other Countess' is a great debut for Eve Edwards. Elizabethan England is presented well in the novel, with complementing language and dialogue.

Countess Eleanor has a stubborn disposition and sharp intelligence uncommon for girls of her time. Her alchemist of a father has ruined her chances of marriage and made them broke, but she refuses to sell herself for money.
William, the earl of Dorset, is an honourable young gentleman struggling to upkeep the family estate and his family.

The story st...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Tasha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, historical

William Lacey is the new Earl of Dorset. Left with a title but not the fortune, Will must make amends for his father's mistakes if his family is to regain their status. His only means to do so is to attend court and find wife with a hefty dowry.

Ellie Hutton is the daughter of an alchemist who spends every penny on his studies. Despite being Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime, a title inherited from her late mother, Ellie is more akin to living in barns than fancy dresses.

Circumstances leads the...more William Lacey is the new Earl of Dorset. Left with a title but not the fortune, Will must make amends for his father's mistakes if his family is to regain their status. His only means to do so is to attend court and find wife with a hefty dowry.

Ellie Hutton is the daughter of an alchemist who spends every penny on his studies. Despite being Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime, a title inherited from her late mother, Ellie is more akin to living in barns than fancy dresses.

Circumstances leads them both to the court of Queen Elizabeth I and despite a harsh meeting in their younger days, Ellie and Will find themselves attracted to each other. However, both know it is impossible for them to be matched as Ellie is far from the rich wife Will needs.

The author does a great job of setting the scenes in this book, with just the right amount of description to make you feel like you're there without going to far. The plot is largely character based, focusing on the relationships between the characters.

I really loved the characters in this book. Ellie is a fiesty, spirited sixteen-year-old who's had to deal with a lot in her life. She's been exposed to all walks of life and is equally able to be friends with the village girls as she is the ladies of the Queen's court. Ellie's intelligent and educated in a time when this wasn't the norm for women, although Ellie hopes to impress the queen, who appreciates learning, with her Latin translation. It was easy to like Ellie right from the start of the book, her difficult relationship with her father bringing the reader straight on her side.

At the start William is seen as cold and arrogant, largely due to his opinion of Ellie's father but as the story continues it is makes sense why he's like this and as we get to know him more he's really quite endearing. As the eldest son and new earl, he's had his life dictated to him and there's much he has to do to ensure his family regains their fortune which will allow his younger brothers to have a good education and a decent dowry for his younger sister. He has a lot of responsibility placed on his shoulders for an eighteen-year-old and he mostly handles it well. He has two aspects to his personality; The Earl of Dorset is almost like a character he puts on; strong and noble. Will himself - when he's with his family and friends - is the likeable side of him.This is when he's funny and sweet and, at times, nervous and scared (in an adorable dorky kind of way).

There's a good set of supporting characters as well. The younger Lacey boys, James and Tobias, provide a fun element to any situation with their brotherly banter. Lady Jane Perceval, daughter of the Earl of Wetherby, is both rival and friend to Ellie whilst her brother, Sir Henry, is a bit of a bad guy - taking advantage of the ladies (and their maids) and basically doing whatever suits him.

With an interesting plot and great characters, this book is bound to keep any historical fiction fan hooked and it is well deserving of its comparison with any Philippa Gregory novel.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Allie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I bought this book having never heard of it before and just went off of blind faith based on the short summary of the novel, and I wasn't even sure if I'd like it. I actually went home and worried that I had just bought a romance novel that was purely fluff. But the moment I opened the book and started reading it, I knew I had made the right choice. Though the book series is about the Lacey family, I found Ellie to be more interesting. She's smart, strong-willed, and fiesty [aka everything I lov...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Franny (Mind Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was different from the ones I usually read, but I enjoyed it. It was an historical romance and I love this kind of books. Since it talks abou
t court and stuff like that, I'd expected a little more sex, but it was ok.
I loved all the intriguing stories of that Era: secret loves, plots... so entertaining! I couldn't take my eyes off of the book to discover if there were new romances or to see the development of the current ones!
I honestly don't know which one was my favourite character, E...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Karo adores... rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Als Ellie, eine verarmte Comtess, den Duke of Dorset, Will, am Hof der englischen Königin Elizabeth I. wiedertrifft, ist sie zuerst nicht erfreut, denn selbiger Lord hatte sie und ihren Vater vor ein paar Jahren mit Schimpf und Schande aus seinem Haus gejagt, nachdem sein Vater gestorben war. Doch Will erkennt sie nicht sofort, und entwickelt eine Schwärmerei für sie, und auch Ellie ist vom Charme des Adligen fasziniert. Sie verlieben sich ineinander. Doch Will darf seinem Herzen nicht folgen, d...more Als Ellie, eine verarmte Comtess, den Duke of Dorset, Will, am Hof der englischen Königin Elizabeth I. wiedertrifft, ist sie zuerst nicht erfreut, denn selbiger Lord hatte sie und ihren Vater vor ein paar Jahren mit Schimpf und Schande aus seinem Haus gejagt, nachdem sein Vater gestorben war. Doch Will erkennt sie nicht sofort, und entwickelt eine Schwärmerei für sie, und auch Ellie ist vom Charme des Adligen fasziniert. Sie verlieben sich ineinander. Doch Will darf seinem Herzen nicht folgen, denn sein einziges Ziel, weswegen er an den Hof gekommen ist, war, eine Frau zu finden, die eine ordentliche Mitgift in die Ehe bringt, um seine Grafschaft vor dem Ruin zu retten. Werden die beiden doch noch irgendwie zusammenfinden?

Ich habe letztes Jahr mit vollkommener Begeisterung Finding Sky von Joss Stirling gelesen, und als ich herausfand, dass die Autorin unter dem Pseudonym Eve Edwards Historical Romances veröffentlicht, war ich sofort Feuer und Flamme. Und wirklich: der Roman kann zwar nicht auf ganzer Linie überzeugen, war aber ein schöner Schmöker für zwischendurch.

Die Geschichte spielt im elisabethanischen England. Glaubenskriege haben gerade erst das Land erschüttert und die spanische Armada steht vor der Tür, um den einzig wahren Glauben der Katholiken zurück nach England zu bringen. Für mich persönlich eine sehr interessante Epoche, da ich mich sowieso schon immer für die englische Geschichte interessiere, vor allem aber auch ein Faible für historische Romane über diese Zeit habe. Nun gut, dieses Buch ist eher an Jugendliche und junge Leser gerichtet, daher hatte ich da vielleicht etwas zu viel erwartet (nachdem ich ja auch die Königin der historischen Romane Rebecca Gablé seit Ewigkeiten verehre), und musste diese Erwartungen schnell wieder runterschrauben. Hat man das einmal getan, und erwartet kein hundertprozentig perfekt recherchiertes Buch, kann man anfangen, die Geschichte zu genießen. Der historische Hintergrund wird zwar das ein oder andere Mal eingebaut, doch trotzdem ist die Geschichte von Ellie und Will immer der Mittelpunkt.

Mir gefiel die Leichtigkeit, mit der Eve Edwards die Geschichte der beiden erzählt, es liest sich so flüssig und unbefangen, dass man förmlich über die Seiten fliegt und es gar nicht merkt. Manchmal braucht man solch einen Schmöker, der einfach nur das Herz erwärmt, einen gut unterhält und der sich schnell wegliest.

Ellie hat mir als Charakter am besten gefallen. Sie ist klug, starrsinnig und liebevoll, hat also alle Sympathien auf ihrer Seite. Will ist eigentlich auch ein toller Charakter, sehr galant und edel, ein Beschützer, wie er im Buche steht. Bei ihm hat mich bloß manchmal seine übertriebene Höflichkeit und Vornehmheit gestört, dadurch bekam er in meinen Augen einen leicht weiblichen Touch. Ich stehe eben doch mehr auf die Bad Boys, oder auf die gröberen Charaktere. ;) Am meisten irritiert hat mich die Entwicklung von Lady Jane, hier wurde es leider etwas unauthentisch. Kommt sie in ihrer ersten Szene wie die typische Gegenspielerin der Hauptperson rüber, die intrigiert und zickt, ändert sie sich nach und nach zu einem vollkommen anderen Menschen, die sogar sofort Freundschaft mit Ellie schließt. Das habe ich der Autorin leider nicht so recht abgenommen. Weiterhin muss man hier deutlich sagen, dass die Charaktere eindeutig in gut und böse, in schwarz und weiß eingeteilt sind. Wen das stört, der sollte vielleicht nicht unbedingt zu diesem Buch greifen, denn tiefgründige, vielschichtige Charaktere sucht man hier vergebens.

Die Story selbst plätschert an einigen Stellen ein bisschen vor sich hin, ein paar Zeitsprünge sind eingebaut, die nicht ganz zum Spannungsbogen passen und zudem hatte ich das Gefühl, dass die Autorin nicht so recht wusste, ob sie nun noch eine leicht erotische Komponente einbauen soll oder nicht. In einigen Szenen wird ziemlich offen darüber geredet, dass die Person, um die es gerade geht, sexuelle Gedanken hat, in anderen Szenen wiederrum wird keusch um das Thema drumherum geredet. Auch der Erzählstil ist etwas sprunghaft, da die Perspektive teilweise in einem einzigen Absatz mehrmals wechselt. Hier wäre ein klar definierter Erzähler eine Wohltat gewesen, ob sich die Autorin nun nur hauptsächlich auf Ellie, oder auf Will und Ellie oder vielleicht auch auf Will, Ellie und Jane beschränkt hätte. Dennoch kann ich mich nur nochmal wiederholen: All diese Schwächen sind definitiv kein Grund, um das Buch zu verteufeln, denn ich habe es trotzdem gern gelesen.

Wer ein locker-leichtes Buch mit historischem Hintergrund und einer gehörigen Portion Liebesgeschichte sucht, ist bei Eve Edwards' Die Sehnsuchtsvolle goldrichtig. Liebhaber des historischen Genres sollten jedoch ihre Erwartungen vorm Lesen etwas herunterschrauben oder doch lieber zu einem "Erwachsenen-Roman" greifen. (less)

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Aug 06, 2011 Crys (The Hodgenator) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, ya, series, historical-fiction, england, english

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. While it took me a few days to read, it was worth the time. The characters were likable, the plot was intriguing, and the time period was well-researched.

The one thing I enjoyed the most in this novel was the presentation of Elizabethan England. While many novels from this time period revolve around the Queen herself (or her ladies), this one does not. Instead, readers are treated to an intriguing story of forbidden love.

Ellie was a delightful character. Througho...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Tina (yAdultReview) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books, historical-fiction, ya

Originally published at Nose in a Book

Now, I normally leave the romance novels to my fellow reviewers-in-arms, but historical fiction was like my first serious genre boyfriend. This is set in Queen Elizabeth’s reign, which is my favorite era in history, the era of the Tudors. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn have been an obsession of mine for a long time, so I couldn’t resist, and honestly, I found this really cute. Will is a bit of a dick to Ellie when he learns who she is, but I find myself forgivin...more Originally published at Nose in a Book

Now, I normally leave the romance novels to my fellow reviewers-in-arms, but historical fiction was like my first serious genre boyfriend. This is set in Queen Elizabeth’s reign, which is my favorite era in history, the era of the Tudors. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn have been an obsession of mine for a long time, so I couldn’t resist, and honestly, I found this really cute. Will is a bit of a dick to Ellie when he learns who she is, but I find myself forgiving him, not because he’s charming, but because he is dumb. He’ll figure it out, and Ellie has enough fire and spirit to throw some of his insults back in his face. He even seems to have some remorse in him, which is more than can be said for some male protags (*cough, cough* Noah from Mara Dyer *cough, cough*). The third main character is missing from the summary, and she’s Lady Jane Perceval, who seems to be a stuck up aristocrat who lost her virginity to Sir Walter Raleigh (before he was a Sir). She’s hilariously mean, but is brought out of her shell more than once, and her meanness can be justified. I like her a lot.

This is such a romance, and I don’t mean to be derisive. I just mean that the plot is mainly Will falling in love with Ellie, and vice versa, and Will fretting about having to marry Jane. There’s a little side plot about Ellie and her father’s poverty and how they’re kicked out of the castle, but this book is mostly about Will and Ellie’s journey to one another. And they do get there, I’m not sure if that’s a spoiler, but you HAD TO KNOW it works out for them.

There’s not much to say about this one, really. I liked Jane and Ellie’s friendship, I liked how Will was self-aware enough to realize he was a jerk to Ellie, I like how realistically Edwards presents Queen Elizabeth. I like how medieval life was only romanticized a little bit and I liked how much of a jerk Edwards made Sir Walter Raleigh. This one is historical romance through and through, so if that’s your bag, check this one out! I’ll be reviewing the sequel, The Queen’s Lady, which is about Lady Jane, here as well. Check this space later in the week!(less)

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Apr 13, 2012 Mimi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

So, this book had potential. The author has a doctorate from Oxford, lives in England, and did extensive research, so the historical aspects of the novel were really interesting: the intrigue between Queen Elizabeth and her sister Mary and learning more about the history between Protestants and Catholics in England.

However, there was too much about sex for it to have received more than two stars. There were never details of the actual act, but there were illegitimate children and mistresses and...more

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Jul 01, 2010 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reviewing two rather mediocre books, I was so delighted to read The Other Countess and find that it was so completely unputdownable! I am rather in love with a story which is about just that: Love against all the odds. When you add in the historical setting (complete with knights jousting), how can you not fail to swoon? Okay perhaps if you're a feminist you're thinking this is a princess story but actually it isn't!

The characters are very cleverly casted. Ellie -- our heroine -- is a head...more After reviewing two rather mediocre books, I was so delighted to read The Other Countess and find that it was so completely unputdownable! I am rather in love with a story which is about just that: Love against all the odds. When you add in the historical setting (complete with knights jousting), how can you not fail to swoon? Okay perhaps if you're a feminist you're thinking this is a princess story but actually it isn't!

The characters are very cleverly casted. Ellie -- our heroine -- is a headstrong girl with a sharp tongue. She is not afraid to act outside of the social and cultural bevavioural expectations of women. She is well-educated and translates works in Latin and even Greek. She is a young woman burdened with an obsessed father. She also happens to be destitute and at the mercy of male benefactors.

William is a young man who is carrying his own burden in the form of family duty. His father wasted the family fortune and now he is left with the responsibility of finding a way to restore their fortunes. He is a handsome earl with a prejudice against the man who led his father into his obsession with alchemy. That man happens to be Ellie's father. Their two stories are intertwined from the very beginning. William is rather foolish at times but his relationships with his brothers was wholly endearing and showed an adorable softness beneath an angry and arrogant persona.

The plot is expertly paced with great cliffhanger chapter endings that just kept me wanting more. The dialogue is both endearing and amusing and I loved the way that Edwards gave this historical book a contemporary feel without it becoming absurd. I admire her skill.

In addition to the romantic theme of the novel, Edwards explored the issues of religion and alchemy. William is employed to ensure that Catholicism is kept out of his lands. There is a fear of an attempt on Queen Elizabeth's life by the Pope's spies and staunchest supporters. I liked the way the author remained unbiased to both religion and alchemy. As the reader, you could interpret the consequences of extremism where both belief systems were concerned.

Overall, this is a story that swept me away with its majesty of courtly drama, family politics and love across a social divide. I am completely enamoured of The Other Countess and the Earl of Dorset. This book has a timeless will they? won't they? appeal. Fans of The Luxe series will love this novel. Eve Edwards' debut stole my heart. I just did not want to put down. More please!
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Mar 07, 2012 BRNTerri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own-this

PUB. INFO: Delacorte, Hardcover, July 2011
Paperback, April 2012
GENRE: Young Adult Historical Romance
SETTING: England, 1582
SERIES? The Lacey Chronicles, #1
MY GRADE: B+

MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this. Though it’s young adult it didn’t really seem like one, and that’s a good thing. Eleanor, ‘Ellie’, is just sixteen years old. She lives with her alchemist father, who’s not really liked my many. Her mother is deceased and her Spanish title was passed on to her, though she doesn’t use it. Her father’s Eng...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Jenny / Wondrous Reads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, debut-author, uk-author

The Other Countess isn't something that I'd normally read, but because it's one of the first titles to be published under Puffin UK's new Razorbill imprint, I thought I'd give it a go. It's a solid debut title, and has led me to believe that perhaps historical fiction is my thing after all. It's the second historical YA book I've enjoyed recently, so I think I need to pay more attention to this particular genre, and not just turn my nose up at it because there's a frilly dress on the cover.

Eve E...more

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About Eve Edwards

Eve Edwards has a doctorate from Oxford University and thinks researching a large part of the fun for writing historical fiction. She has visited Tudor houses, attended jousts and eaten Elizabethan banquets to get the sights, sounds and tastes right for this book. And, yes, she can testify that it is possible to eat neatly without the modern invention of the fork. She lives in Oxford and is marrie...more

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Books by Eve Edwards

The Queen's Lady (The Lacey Chronicles, #2)

The Rogue's Princess (The Lacey Chronicles, #3)

The Lacey Chronicles #2: The Queen's Lady

The Lacey Chronicles #3: The Rogue's Princess

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“She's everything I want: the key to my lock, the arrow to my bow - oh, and ten thousand other such pathetic poetic tropes, none of which comes close to describing what she means to me.” — 9 people liked it

“La vida nunca sería justa para los tontos atrapados en el lío complicado de sobrevivirla.” — 5 people liked it

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The Other Countess (The Lacey Chronicles #1)

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