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Lord Dragoner's Wife
When her husband returns after fleeing their wedding bed six years earlier, Delilah wants to take him back--especially after she learns he was forced into the marriage initially by cruel parents--but first she must help him overcome his troubled past. Original.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 2, 1999
1 person is currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Kerstan
30 books18 followersLynn Kerstan is a former college professor, folksinger, professional bridge player, and nun.
Her first book, A Spirited Affair, published in 1993, was a double RITA finalist. In 1996, she took home a prestigious RITA Award for Gwen's Christmas Ghost, written with Indianapolis resident Alicia Rasley via E-Mail. A pioneer of on-line collaboration, she had previously collaborated with Rasley and Julie Caille on Lessons in Love, the world's first Electronic Regency Romance.
A four-time RITA finalist and regularly featured on awards lists, Kerstan has won the CRW Award of Excellence, the Golden Quill Award, two San Diego Book Awards, two Romance Communications Awards, and been a finalist for the National Readers' Choice Award, several Romantic Times awards, and the Holt Medallion.
Kerstan lives in Southern California, where she plots her books while riding her boogie board and does character research at the San Diego Zoo.
Her first book, A Spirited Affair, published in 1993, was a double RITA finalist. In 1996, she took home a prestigious RITA Award for Gwen's Christmas Ghost, written with Indianapolis resident Alicia Rasley via E-Mail. A pioneer of on-line collaboration, she had previously collaborated with Rasley and Julie Caille on Lessons in Love, the world's first Electronic Regency Romance.
A four-time RITA finalist and regularly featured on awards lists, Kerstan has won the CRW Award of Excellence, the Golden Quill Award, two San Diego Book Awards, two Romance Communications Awards, and been a finalist for the National Readers' Choice Award, several Romantic Times awards, and the Holt Medallion.
Kerstan lives in Southern California, where she plots her books while riding her boogie board and does character research at the San Diego Zoo.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 17, 2021
An amazing, admirable h
A bull-headed, self-pity-wallowing H
An abandoned marriage
Too much time wasted
Some more surly beta moves
*Not a review, just a half-hearted rant*
(Major portion of the book is based in France where she lands up to help in his spying business.)
Still, a 3.5* for the h and some stellar writing.
Could have been so much better.
A bull-headed, self-pity-wallowing H
An abandoned marriage
Too much time wasted
Some more surly beta moves
*Not a review, just a half-hearted rant*
(Major portion of the book is based in France where she lands up to help in his spying business.)
Still, a 3.5* for the h and some stellar writing.
Could have been so much better.
November 10, 2013
At the age of twenty-two, Charles Everett, heir to the Earl of Dragoner was sold into marriage with the daughter of a wealthy merchant in order to repair the family finances. He didn’t want the marriage, but had no choice in the matter, knowing how desperately his father needed the cash. On the morning of his wedding, he discovered that his parents had absconded with the money and left him to it – so he got rollicking drunk, got married, bedded his bride and abandoned her the following morning, leaving England in order to purchase a commission in the army. He has not returned since, serving on the peninsula in various capacities and building rather an unsavoury reputation. Rumour has it that he is a coward and a libertine; and when he is publicly disgraced – by the Duke of Wellington, no less – he finds he has no alternative but to return to British shores.
His wife, Delilah, has carried a torch for him ever since she first laid eyes on him, but rather than moping dejectedly at his desertion, she has spent his absence shepherding his finances and turning her dowry into a substantial fortune. She’s lived with the knowledge of his infidelity, the rumours about his reputation and his disgrace, and yet she can’t help hoping and believing that the rumours will prove to be untrue. All she’s ever had of him are hopes – hopes that he will return, hopes that he will fall in love with her – but she knows that isn’t the reason he’s coming to see her after their long separation. He wants his freedom – and to give her hers – and has come to her so that they can start divorce proceedings. But he has been living in France where divorce is easier and has reckoned without the harsher English laws which make it very difficult for a wife to divorce her husband as he has planned. Instead, he will have to divorce her on grounds of adultery which will cause a great deal of scandal and unpleasantness for her. For himself, he doesn’t care but he is unwilling to subject Delilah to such indignities, so they agree instead to live separate lives.
But despite everything, Delilah still dares to hope and she makes one last request of him. She asks that they spend one year together as man and wife (telling him it’s up to him whether they sleep together or not) – and if, after that time, he still wants the separation, she will agree to it.
Dragoner knows this is a reasonable request and in the short time they have known each other, he has come to respect and admire his wife. He also finds her attractive and would have no qualms about taking her to bed – but she is not the reason for his reluctance.
It soon emerges that Dragoner believes himself to be absolutely the wrong choice for her – or for any woman. His earliest childhood memories are of being used as a decoy to divert his father’s creditors and he has spent almost his entire life being someone else, being whoever he needed to be in order to get his job done. The job, of course, being that of an undercover agent for the British army. He’s supremely good at what he does, but is also under no illusions that what he’s done is in any way heroic. With the war ended, he’s now a man without a purpose and with a reputation so black as to make him persona non grata in any good society.
Dragoner asks for time to consider Delilah’s proposal – and then returns to France with the intention of picking up his former life. The public hostility between him and Wellington was something they engineered between them to enable Wellington to plant his spy in the midst of society and ensure that Dragoner is regarded as a traitor and a good prospect for recruitment to any anti-British cause.
Charles has, however, reckoned without his wife’s ingenuity. He never said she couldn’t come to Paris – and so she does just that, proceeding to re-decorate his residence and make herself known in Parisian society. She also discovers the truth about her husband’s activities, despite his best efforts to get her to leave and return to England.
Lord Dragoner’s Wife is a fairly short, but very engaging read and I was hooked from the first page. Delilah is a wonderful character – intelligent, endearing and determined without being sharp or bossy; and Charles is a man in need of rescuing from his demons and from his past. He’s a complex character who believes himself to be unworthy of love or affection, which makes sense given the fact that his parents continually used him for their own ends and finally abandoned him when they had no further use for him. So he pushes away anyone who shows signs of becoming attached to him by presenting the worst of himself – smug, flippant and unpleasant – until they leave him alone. Even Delilah - tenacious, intuitive Delilah - is almost fooled by his devil-may-care insouciance – but fortunately for Charles, she puts her tenacity to use in his favour.
While there is certainly an element of adventure and derring-do in the novel, it’s the relationship between Dragoner and Delilah that drives the story. His growing affection and her quiet devotion are beautifully written, and while the pair never progress beyond a kiss on the page, Ms Kerstan conveys a real depth of emotion and understanding between them that leaves us in no doubt as to their future happiness.
With thanks to Belle Books and NetGalley for the review copy.
His wife, Delilah, has carried a torch for him ever since she first laid eyes on him, but rather than moping dejectedly at his desertion, she has spent his absence shepherding his finances and turning her dowry into a substantial fortune. She’s lived with the knowledge of his infidelity, the rumours about his reputation and his disgrace, and yet she can’t help hoping and believing that the rumours will prove to be untrue. All she’s ever had of him are hopes – hopes that he will return, hopes that he will fall in love with her – but she knows that isn’t the reason he’s coming to see her after their long separation. He wants his freedom – and to give her hers – and has come to her so that they can start divorce proceedings. But he has been living in France where divorce is easier and has reckoned without the harsher English laws which make it very difficult for a wife to divorce her husband as he has planned. Instead, he will have to divorce her on grounds of adultery which will cause a great deal of scandal and unpleasantness for her. For himself, he doesn’t care but he is unwilling to subject Delilah to such indignities, so they agree instead to live separate lives.
But despite everything, Delilah still dares to hope and she makes one last request of him. She asks that they spend one year together as man and wife (telling him it’s up to him whether they sleep together or not) – and if, after that time, he still wants the separation, she will agree to it.
Dragoner knows this is a reasonable request and in the short time they have known each other, he has come to respect and admire his wife. He also finds her attractive and would have no qualms about taking her to bed – but she is not the reason for his reluctance.
It soon emerges that Dragoner believes himself to be absolutely the wrong choice for her – or for any woman. His earliest childhood memories are of being used as a decoy to divert his father’s creditors and he has spent almost his entire life being someone else, being whoever he needed to be in order to get his job done. The job, of course, being that of an undercover agent for the British army. He’s supremely good at what he does, but is also under no illusions that what he’s done is in any way heroic. With the war ended, he’s now a man without a purpose and with a reputation so black as to make him persona non grata in any good society.
Dragoner asks for time to consider Delilah’s proposal – and then returns to France with the intention of picking up his former life. The public hostility between him and Wellington was something they engineered between them to enable Wellington to plant his spy in the midst of society and ensure that Dragoner is regarded as a traitor and a good prospect for recruitment to any anti-British cause.
Charles has, however, reckoned without his wife’s ingenuity. He never said she couldn’t come to Paris – and so she does just that, proceeding to re-decorate his residence and make herself known in Parisian society. She also discovers the truth about her husband’s activities, despite his best efforts to get her to leave and return to England.
Lord Dragoner’s Wife is a fairly short, but very engaging read and I was hooked from the first page. Delilah is a wonderful character – intelligent, endearing and determined without being sharp or bossy; and Charles is a man in need of rescuing from his demons and from his past. He’s a complex character who believes himself to be unworthy of love or affection, which makes sense given the fact that his parents continually used him for their own ends and finally abandoned him when they had no further use for him. So he pushes away anyone who shows signs of becoming attached to him by presenting the worst of himself – smug, flippant and unpleasant – until they leave him alone. Even Delilah - tenacious, intuitive Delilah - is almost fooled by his devil-may-care insouciance – but fortunately for Charles, she puts her tenacity to use in his favour.
While there is certainly an element of adventure and derring-do in the novel, it’s the relationship between Dragoner and Delilah that drives the story. His growing affection and her quiet devotion are beautifully written, and while the pair never progress beyond a kiss on the page, Ms Kerstan conveys a real depth of emotion and understanding between them that leaves us in no doubt as to their future happiness.
With thanks to Belle Books and NetGalley for the review copy.
January 26, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this romance with a touch of intrigue. Lord Dragoner is truly awful, and he doesn't become any better until very near the end. I liked that. Delilah is wonderful, strong-minded but sweet, who's prepared to give Dragoner the divorce he wants even though she loves him. The reader learns quite a bit about how awful the law treated married women in the early 19th century.
Lynn Kerstan has a nice writing style, but there was an awful lot of action here that was told -- literally -- rather than shown.
Lynn Kerstan has a nice writing style, but there was an awful lot of action here that was told -- literally -- rather than shown.
September 14, 2013
Lord Dragoner's Wife by Lynn Kerstan, is a story about a woman who dared dream big. And when the dreams shattered about her feet, she dared to dream again.
Delilah fell in love with Charles Everett from afar. Even though she was a merchant's daughter she had the power and the money to ensure a good catch and she wanted Charles Everett. And she got him, sort of. Immediately after consummating the marriage, Charles bought his commission and went to war. Leaving Delilah a war widow.. Alone for six years, Delilah did everything in her power to bring his family fortune back. Investing funds and rebuilding the family estate. All the while suffering the indignities knowing her husband was not only not faithful but also a coward.. and was all but drummed out of the army. And yet Delilah still believes in him..
Charles Everett, now Lord Dragoner, was bargained off to pay his parents debts. Parents that couldn't even be bothered to show up at the wedding (having taken the funds and run so to speak). Betrayed by his family and left holding the bag, Charles marries his merchant bride and bails. Not even considering that she might want more than the name.. Now six years later he is back but only to obtain a divorce (if possible) and discovering that there is much more to his wife than he could ever imagine.
Most of this story takes place in Paris, well France.. where Charles Everett is more than a soldier drummed from the war, he is a spy. Only the war is over and there really isn't all that much intrigue going on. So every little thing creates imagined drama. Charles is trying to put his past behind him and do the job he has been given. But when his ever intrepid wife decides to descend on Paris nothing is every going to be the same.
A fun little story that while not knock your socks of spectacular is quite good and a great way to spend a chilly fall afternoon or evening. Charles and Delilah are a great couple and have to learn the true meaning of compromise and acceptance before the course of true love can ever run smooth. Charles is a self taught aristocrat and Delilah is an extremely well educated cit.. in all honesty much more sophisticated than Charles. So the role reversals are sometimes fun. But sometimes they can be rather irksome. Delilah is most definitely the dominant partner and while I am a fan of women being strong.. I don't always enjoy it when the woman truly runs the show.
Lynn Kerstan writes solid historical romances and Lord Dragoner's Wife is just that.. a solid read..
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Lord Dragoner's Wife, provided by netgalley
Delilah fell in love with Charles Everett from afar. Even though she was a merchant's daughter she had the power and the money to ensure a good catch and she wanted Charles Everett. And she got him, sort of. Immediately after consummating the marriage, Charles bought his commission and went to war. Leaving Delilah a war widow.. Alone for six years, Delilah did everything in her power to bring his family fortune back. Investing funds and rebuilding the family estate. All the while suffering the indignities knowing her husband was not only not faithful but also a coward.. and was all but drummed out of the army. And yet Delilah still believes in him..
Charles Everett, now Lord Dragoner, was bargained off to pay his parents debts. Parents that couldn't even be bothered to show up at the wedding (having taken the funds and run so to speak). Betrayed by his family and left holding the bag, Charles marries his merchant bride and bails. Not even considering that she might want more than the name.. Now six years later he is back but only to obtain a divorce (if possible) and discovering that there is much more to his wife than he could ever imagine.
Most of this story takes place in Paris, well France.. where Charles Everett is more than a soldier drummed from the war, he is a spy. Only the war is over and there really isn't all that much intrigue going on. So every little thing creates imagined drama. Charles is trying to put his past behind him and do the job he has been given. But when his ever intrepid wife decides to descend on Paris nothing is every going to be the same.
A fun little story that while not knock your socks of spectacular is quite good and a great way to spend a chilly fall afternoon or evening. Charles and Delilah are a great couple and have to learn the true meaning of compromise and acceptance before the course of true love can ever run smooth. Charles is a self taught aristocrat and Delilah is an extremely well educated cit.. in all honesty much more sophisticated than Charles. So the role reversals are sometimes fun. But sometimes they can be rather irksome. Delilah is most definitely the dominant partner and while I am a fan of women being strong.. I don't always enjoy it when the woman truly runs the show.
Lynn Kerstan writes solid historical romances and Lord Dragoner's Wife is just that.. a solid read..
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Lord Dragoner's Wife, provided by netgalley
June 30, 2009
I had read Lord Dragoner’s Wife a few years ago but I had never reviewed it so as I found another copy I thought I should reread and write about it. Plot wise it has two of my favourite themes – it’s a marriage of convenience and a marriage in trouble story.
Six years previously Delilah, a tradesman daughter, and the present Lord Dragoner were married. He appeared on church drunk and disappeared right after the wedding night. For five years, Delilah has waited for him to come back so they can form a relationship but when he returns is to speak of a divorce.
While Dragoner believes theirs was only a marriage of convenience, trading a title for money that his parents immediately managed to spend Delilah had in fact examined several candidates and decided to choose him because she was attracted to him. It’s with considerable distress that she finds what he plans when the only thing she wants is to start a family.
It seems divorces are much easier to come by in France and that’s where Dragoner has been living so he assumes it will be as easy in England. When he sees it is not so he lets Delilah persuade him to postpone a decision. While he goes back to France where he performs undercover work for Wellington she decides to follow him and see if his bad reputation is well deserved and if she should indeed forget him and any chances of saving their wedding. But she is welcomed with open arms in Madame de Stael’s salons and given a lot of information on her husband as well as a makeover.
What follows is Dragoner still trying to do his job as a spy but finding his wife in the middle of the action. Delilah is quite a strong and determined woman in her own way and tries her best to help him even if some wrong assumptions do lead to some funny and unexpected scenes. And of course, in the end Dragoner can’t help himself and does fall in love with his wife.
A very enjoyable story where my only complaint is that Delilah was a bit too good, too kind, too intelligent, a business genious… but I still liked it very much!
Grade: 4/5
Six years previously Delilah, a tradesman daughter, and the present Lord Dragoner were married. He appeared on church drunk and disappeared right after the wedding night. For five years, Delilah has waited for him to come back so they can form a relationship but when he returns is to speak of a divorce.
While Dragoner believes theirs was only a marriage of convenience, trading a title for money that his parents immediately managed to spend Delilah had in fact examined several candidates and decided to choose him because she was attracted to him. It’s with considerable distress that she finds what he plans when the only thing she wants is to start a family.
It seems divorces are much easier to come by in France and that’s where Dragoner has been living so he assumes it will be as easy in England. When he sees it is not so he lets Delilah persuade him to postpone a decision. While he goes back to France where he performs undercover work for Wellington she decides to follow him and see if his bad reputation is well deserved and if she should indeed forget him and any chances of saving their wedding. But she is welcomed with open arms in Madame de Stael’s salons and given a lot of information on her husband as well as a makeover.
What follows is Dragoner still trying to do his job as a spy but finding his wife in the middle of the action. Delilah is quite a strong and determined woman in her own way and tries her best to help him even if some wrong assumptions do lead to some funny and unexpected scenes. And of course, in the end Dragoner can’t help himself and does fall in love with his wife.
A very enjoyable story where my only complaint is that Delilah was a bit too good, too kind, too intelligent, a business genious… but I still liked it very much!
Grade: 4/5
August 9, 2016
Originally reviewed for: Historical Romance Lover blog
Delilah has been waiting five years for her husband to appear. She wants to have a real marriage and would love to have children. Unknown to Dragoner, Delilah picked him after carefully examining several eligible gentlemen.
Dragoner marries Delilah because his parents need money and Delilah's father wanted a title. He comes to his wedding drunk and disappears right after the wedding night.
Dragoner suddenly appears in England and Delilah is hoping for a chance to make their marriage a true one. Unfortunately, Dragoner has returned to seek a divorce. He thinks that Delilah will want the divorce as much as he does.
When Dragoner discovers that getting a divorce in England is not as easy as he assumes, he allows Delilah to persuade him to take some time to finalize a decision. Dragoner heads back to France and his life of a spy for Wellington.
Not knowing that Dragoner's reputation is made up to cover his life as a spy, Delilah follows him to France in hopes of learning that his reputation is not as bad as she has heard. As soon as she arrives, Dragoner tells Delilah to go back to England. Unfortunately for him, she doesn't listen. Delilah is soon caught up in spying business and learns that all is not as it seems.
I enjoyed reading this book, but I have to say that it took me a little while to get into it. I'd read a little here and a little there. It wasn't until about the second half of the book that it caught my attention enough to sit for a longer period of time to read it.
***I don't know who to blame for this, but the Kindle version has horrible spacing issues. That might have been why it took me so long to get through it. The spacing issues were very distracting when reading.
Delilah has been waiting five years for her husband to appear. She wants to have a real marriage and would love to have children. Unknown to Dragoner, Delilah picked him after carefully examining several eligible gentlemen.
Dragoner marries Delilah because his parents need money and Delilah's father wanted a title. He comes to his wedding drunk and disappears right after the wedding night.
Dragoner suddenly appears in England and Delilah is hoping for a chance to make their marriage a true one. Unfortunately, Dragoner has returned to seek a divorce. He thinks that Delilah will want the divorce as much as he does.
When Dragoner discovers that getting a divorce in England is not as easy as he assumes, he allows Delilah to persuade him to take some time to finalize a decision. Dragoner heads back to France and his life of a spy for Wellington.
Not knowing that Dragoner's reputation is made up to cover his life as a spy, Delilah follows him to France in hopes of learning that his reputation is not as bad as she has heard. As soon as she arrives, Dragoner tells Delilah to go back to England. Unfortunately for him, she doesn't listen. Delilah is soon caught up in spying business and learns that all is not as it seems.
I enjoyed reading this book, but I have to say that it took me a little while to get into it. I'd read a little here and a little there. It wasn't until about the second half of the book that it caught my attention enough to sit for a longer period of time to read it.
***I don't know who to blame for this, but the Kindle version has horrible spacing issues. That might have been why it took me so long to get through it. The spacing issues were very distracting when reading.
April 18, 2016
As blurbs go, this one tells you enough of a story to hook you in. I thought the story was well written and intriguing enough to have me wish that it was just a tad faster moving, but regardless, I liked it very much and the reason for it was the heroine.
She was one of those women that the word “determined” encompassed all that she was. She was determined to merry Charles; she was determined to survive and thrive after he abandoned her and she was determined to win him back after he tells her he wants to divorce.
I do have to say that it took me awhile to get warmed up to the hero, but I did and I was actually glad that he was written in such a way that it made him complex and intriguing.
If you like your romance featuring some intrigue and adventure, I highly recommend this one.
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
She was one of those women that the word “determined” encompassed all that she was. She was determined to merry Charles; she was determined to survive and thrive after he abandoned her and she was determined to win him back after he tells her he wants to divorce.
I do have to say that it took me awhile to get warmed up to the hero, but I did and I was actually glad that he was written in such a way that it made him complex and intriguing.
If you like your romance featuring some intrigue and adventure, I highly recommend this one.
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
September 12, 2013
This book was incredibly enjoyable for me. I really like stories that present the characters with a complex problem and which allow readers to observe how they manage to resolve some fairly narly life and relationship issues. So it is here and thus this was a tremendous read for me. I like Kerstan's writing anyway, having read and enjoyed a number of her books. I hope that all who really appreciate well-written historical romance will take the time to read and enjoy this fascinating book. Be aware: this is a really strong heroine! She would have been what the British call a "ripper" in our contemporary time. The fact that she pulled all this off in the 19th century tells us that she really knew how to "work the system. I think you'll really like this book.
January 12, 2014
3.5 stars
This book was very heavy on the spy business and very light on romance, which is my real reason for putting it in the 3-star range instead of the 4-star range. It was good--well written, likeable characters, interesting plot--but the interaction between Delilah and Dragoner was so minimal that I felt kind of cheated. I didn't believe they were in love by the end. I wanted them to be in love, because I thought they both deserved it, but it was a stretch for me. It was enjoyable, but I'm glad it I got it from the library instead of buying it for $8.
This book was very heavy on the spy business and very light on romance, which is my real reason for putting it in the 3-star range instead of the 4-star range. It was good--well written, likeable characters, interesting plot--but the interaction between Delilah and Dragoner was so minimal that I felt kind of cheated. I didn't believe they were in love by the end. I wanted them to be in love, because I thought they both deserved it, but it was a stretch for me. It was enjoyable, but I'm glad it I got it from the library instead of buying it for $8.
October 9, 2011
What a difference between a "Romance" book published in 1999 and 2011. There was more story than "romance"! This one was a really good story. There was a H/H and a story about their romance without all of the gory details. There was also intrigue and a tiny bit of suspense. Ms. Kerstan created a depth to her characters with a minimum of detail. Very good story! Highly recommend it!
October 18, 2011
A very enjoyable story, lots of fun, with a little angst as Dragoner starts to fall in love with his wife but all the while thinks he is completely unworthy of her, while she wants nothing more than to be with him but thinks that he doesn't care for her.
December 20, 2013
Review by: Caz
Link to Review: http://www.romantichistoricalreviews....
Link to Review: http://www.romantichistoricalreviews....
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews