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Althea
At her home in the country Althea Ervine has always been the manager, the one to fix every problem. Tired of being her father's housekeeper, Althea escapes to her sister in London. There she is enchanted by the whirl of parties and balls, of new dresses, new manners and new faces. With gentlemen like Edward Pendarly, and witty Sir Tracy Calendar vying for her attention, Althea is enjoying herself for the first time in her young life. Then Sir Tracy hints that there's something not quite right about Mr. Pendarly's attention; Althea herself notices that her sister's marriage is foundering; and even the fascinating Sir Tracy seems to have secrets.
The harder she tries to sort out the puzzles around her, the more tangled Ally's own life becomes. Is there a way to sort out her troubles...and her heart?
The harder she tries to sort out the puzzles around her, the more tangled Ally's own life becomes. Is there a way to sort out her troubles...and her heart?
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First published June 12, 1977
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About the author
Madeleine E. Robins
45 books125 followersWriting gives Madeleine Robins the chance to focus on many of her ruling passions: cities, history, swordplay, the history of disease, and the future of mankind–with a side order of historical costuming and infrastructure (urban plumbing is far more interesting than you’d think).
Born in New York City, the Author has been, in no particular order, a nanny, a teacher, an actor and stage-combatant, an administrator, a comic book editor, a baker, typist-clerk for Thos. Cook’s Houses of Parliament office, a repairer-of-hurt-books, an editorial consultant, and a writer. She holds a degree in Theatre Studies from Connecticut College, and attended the Clarion Science Fiction Workshop in 1981. She is a founding member of Book View Cafe (http://bookviewcafe.com) where most of her short fiction is available for free!
Born in New York City, the Author has been, in no particular order, a nanny, a teacher, an actor and stage-combatant, an administrator, a comic book editor, a baker, typist-clerk for Thos. Cook’s Houses of Parliament office, a repairer-of-hurt-books, an editorial consultant, and a writer. She holds a degree in Theatre Studies from Connecticut College, and attended the Clarion Science Fiction Workshop in 1981. She is a founding member of Book View Cafe (http://bookviewcafe.com) where most of her short fiction is available for free!
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 28, 2025
This one was a joy to read. The exchanges between hero and heroine are genuinely witty, both are interesting characters, the side plots are realistic and it’s beautifully written.
Here’s the premise: Althea Ervine is treated more like a housekeeper than a daughter of the household. Her father and brother seem incapable of managing without her, but when she tires of being taken for granted and escapes to her married sister in London, Mary takes up her cause with enthusiasm and determines to rig Ally out in fashionable style and give her a wonderful time.
And a wonderful time she does indeed have, being pursued by handsome, charming Edward Pendarly, and then there’s Sir Tracy Calendar, with whom she exchanges scintillating and witty banter (which is genuinely funny, by the way, unlike much so-called witty banter to be found in modern Regencies). Sir Tracy — actually, hold it right there for a moment. I hate, hate, hate this as a male name, but I’m told it is an authentic Regency name, so… {shrug}. But authors, please don’t be tempted.
Where was I? Sir Tracy {rolls eyes} makes some cryptic remark about Pendarly, which is actually intended to warn Ally that he is already betrothed (as the reader already knows), but Ally takes it as a curmudgeonly insult against the handsome, charming etc Edward, and decides to dislike Tracy. When she finds out the truth, and Tracy takes the opportunity to rush to a proposal, she accepts in a fit of pique.
So far, so very conventional Regency. It’s a pity that heroines don’t establish, with every offer from the hero, his precise reasons for making it, so that they don’t agonise for endless chapters over it, and would find out at once, instead of waiting for 200 pages, that he loves her, but then I suppose most novels would collapse to the length of a short story. Anyway, Ally doesn’t, but her agonisings aren’t as tedious as such things usually are, partly because Tracy understands her state of mind perfectly and makes allowances, and partly because he displays just that degree of unruffled calm in the face of her turbulence that is so appealing in a hero. I can cope with a heroine who gets in a tizz, but there are very few heroes who are improved by such behaviour.
Tracy lapses into a bit of a tizz himself late in the book, which I thoroughly disapproved of. Heroes who want to win their lady in the end need to stick close to her, and for heaven’s sake, how hard can it be to tell her you love her? But no, Tracy goes wandering off, and then has to do some chasing to catch up with her, and convince her that he really does love her. But of course he does the right thing in the end, and all ends just as expected.
There are a few anachronisms but nothing to stop me enjoying this totally. Five stars.
Here’s the premise: Althea Ervine is treated more like a housekeeper than a daughter of the household. Her father and brother seem incapable of managing without her, but when she tires of being taken for granted and escapes to her married sister in London, Mary takes up her cause with enthusiasm and determines to rig Ally out in fashionable style and give her a wonderful time.
And a wonderful time she does indeed have, being pursued by handsome, charming Edward Pendarly, and then there’s Sir Tracy Calendar, with whom she exchanges scintillating and witty banter (which is genuinely funny, by the way, unlike much so-called witty banter to be found in modern Regencies). Sir Tracy — actually, hold it right there for a moment. I hate, hate, hate this as a male name, but I’m told it is an authentic Regency name, so… {shrug}. But authors, please don’t be tempted.
Where was I? Sir Tracy {rolls eyes} makes some cryptic remark about Pendarly, which is actually intended to warn Ally that he is already betrothed (as the reader already knows), but Ally takes it as a curmudgeonly insult against the handsome, charming etc Edward, and decides to dislike Tracy. When she finds out the truth, and Tracy takes the opportunity to rush to a proposal, she accepts in a fit of pique.
So far, so very conventional Regency. It’s a pity that heroines don’t establish, with every offer from the hero, his precise reasons for making it, so that they don’t agonise for endless chapters over it, and would find out at once, instead of waiting for 200 pages, that he loves her, but then I suppose most novels would collapse to the length of a short story. Anyway, Ally doesn’t, but her agonisings aren’t as tedious as such things usually are, partly because Tracy understands her state of mind perfectly and makes allowances, and partly because he displays just that degree of unruffled calm in the face of her turbulence that is so appealing in a hero. I can cope with a heroine who gets in a tizz, but there are very few heroes who are improved by such behaviour.
Tracy lapses into a bit of a tizz himself late in the book, which I thoroughly disapproved of. Heroes who want to win their lady in the end need to stick close to her, and for heaven’s sake, how hard can it be to tell her you love her? But no, Tracy goes wandering off, and then has to do some chasing to catch up with her, and convince her that he really does love her. But of course he does the right thing in the end, and all ends just as expected.
There are a few anachronisms but nothing to stop me enjoying this totally. Five stars.
May 12, 2011
Recommended! This novel of Regency England is a reprint of a book circa 1980, and would be called a Sweet Regency Romance in 2011. It’s also the first novel by the author, and it’s fun to compare this to the Sarah Tolerance books, and see how the writing has grown and changed.
Our heroine is the daughter of an opinionated country squire who does not appreciate her skillful managing of his household. Papa is inclined to officially disinherit her every time she does or says something that upsets him. Fortunately for Althea, monetarily she has her portion from her late mother’s estate that her father cannot touch. She also has an older sister -- beautiful, a bit scattered, but well-married and living in London.
So, the next time Papa disinherits her, Althea promptly flees to London, there to finally have the season her father always denied her. Tall, dark and inclined to adventures, the antithesis of her dainty sister, Althea will stand out from other debutantes. We see the oddities and prejudices of the Regency upper crust through Althea’s eyes, and see that she is both quite mature and responsible in some ways, and a babe in the woods in others. Althea also thinks she’s better at managing men than she might be (her father and brother being a very small sampling.) Trouble, of course, will ensue.
This is Georgette Heyer Lite – the supporting characters already show Robins’ masterful way of bringing them to life with the touch of a brush. Lady Peg, the aunt of one of Althea’s suitors, is a special favorite. This is not a book to challenge The Grand Sophy or masterworks like Pride and Prejudice, but it’s a lot of fun when you need a confection of diversion. I read it in one evening. And it is attractively priced! Fans of sweet Regencies need to get this one. A solid 3.5 for story, and 4.0 for writing and characters.
ISBN 978-161138-050-7
Our heroine is the daughter of an opinionated country squire who does not appreciate her skillful managing of his household. Papa is inclined to officially disinherit her every time she does or says something that upsets him. Fortunately for Althea, monetarily she has her portion from her late mother’s estate that her father cannot touch. She also has an older sister -- beautiful, a bit scattered, but well-married and living in London.
So, the next time Papa disinherits her, Althea promptly flees to London, there to finally have the season her father always denied her. Tall, dark and inclined to adventures, the antithesis of her dainty sister, Althea will stand out from other debutantes. We see the oddities and prejudices of the Regency upper crust through Althea’s eyes, and see that she is both quite mature and responsible in some ways, and a babe in the woods in others. Althea also thinks she’s better at managing men than she might be (her father and brother being a very small sampling.) Trouble, of course, will ensue.
This is Georgette Heyer Lite – the supporting characters already show Robins’ masterful way of bringing them to life with the touch of a brush. Lady Peg, the aunt of one of Althea’s suitors, is a special favorite. This is not a book to challenge The Grand Sophy or masterworks like Pride and Prejudice, but it’s a lot of fun when you need a confection of diversion. I read it in one evening. And it is attractively priced! Fans of sweet Regencies need to get this one. A solid 3.5 for story, and 4.0 for writing and characters.
ISBN 978-161138-050-7
November 16, 2011
The copyright of this book is 1977, so if you don't mind an overbearing, masterful hero and a somewhat intelligent but overly impulsive heroine with a goose-brain sister, you ought to enjoy this.
I can already see the beginnings of Robins current skill in the really excellent occasional witty conversation between Althea and Tracy Calendar or the character of his favourite aunt and her meddling with things.
I enjoyed the trope of the hero falling for the heroine before she falls for him, and I could see how he would after their meet and especially the lovely and effective way she makes him laugh himself out of the sullens - so the disappointment about the intelligent, capable girl who is having an adventure of emancipation from her overbearing father and her selfish brother becoming totally moody and goading a friend into a scheme without knowing much about the target and his reaction to it... well...
Sir Tracy was set-up as a bit of an Alverstoke or Sir Waldo wannabe. It was refreshing that he couldn't carry his Corinthian skills to their extent (although not what I would have expected). When he does one of the Heyer-like tricks like betting on a race, he's not skilful enough NOT to force an opposite carriage off the road. When he's upset he CAN'T hold his temper or his tongue and gives a much worse impression of his view of the heroine (and he never really apologises for it, even though the heroine does call him out for his expectations regarding her view of him when having been treated quite shabbily).
Althea's sister Mary is self-centred, so is her husband, so are her father and her brother, and Calendar's favourite aunt - and so are Althea and Sir Tracy, too, and that doesn't come as clear in a Heyer novel, except in the personas of the side characters. They're not bad people, they just have their pre-conceived ideas and certain weakness and want life to go as they want it and that's where the drama comes from.
(Lots of Heyer-like language too: Cheltenham tragedy, ninnyhammer, Banbury tale, etc.).
It's an interesting first attempt, but at the moment I'm reading the follow-up Dear Jenny, published in 1980, and while it is also in the Heyer mode I can already see a more skillful way with the typical tropes.
I can already see the beginnings of Robins current skill in the really excellent occasional witty conversation between Althea and Tracy Calendar or the character of his favourite aunt and her meddling with things.
I enjoyed the trope of the hero falling for the heroine before she falls for him, and I could see how he would after their meet and especially the lovely and effective way she makes him laugh himself out of the sullens - so the disappointment about the intelligent, capable girl who is having an adventure of emancipation from her overbearing father and her selfish brother becoming totally moody and goading a friend into a scheme without knowing much about the target and his reaction to it... well...
Sir Tracy was set-up as a bit of an Alverstoke or Sir Waldo wannabe. It was refreshing that he couldn't carry his Corinthian skills to their extent (although not what I would have expected). When he does one of the Heyer-like tricks like betting on a race, he's not skilful enough NOT to force an opposite carriage off the road. When he's upset he CAN'T hold his temper or his tongue and gives a much worse impression of his view of the heroine (and he never really apologises for it, even though the heroine does call him out for his expectations regarding her view of him when having been treated quite shabbily).
Althea's sister Mary is self-centred, so is her husband, so are her father and her brother, and Calendar's favourite aunt - and so are Althea and Sir Tracy, too, and that doesn't come as clear in a Heyer novel, except in the personas of the side characters. They're not bad people, they just have their pre-conceived ideas and certain weakness and want life to go as they want it and that's where the drama comes from.
(Lots of Heyer-like language too: Cheltenham tragedy, ninnyhammer, Banbury tale, etc.).
It's an interesting first attempt, but at the moment I'm reading the follow-up Dear Jenny, published in 1980, and while it is also in the Heyer mode I can already see a more skillful way with the typical tropes.
August 2, 2022
At times Althea's family situation was just kinda sad, although funny in a different light. I loved the banter back and forth between her and Tracy, and his proposal was hilarious. Althea's reaction to being duped was quite understandable, but didn't take over everything thereafter. Would recommend!
Second Reading Review: I enjoyed it as much as before, although I didn't quite view the proposal seen as as funny from my previous view; it was a little sad. Then the whole angry silences and avoidances afterward just got tiring. Does this mean I'm growing up?
Second Reading Review: I enjoyed it as much as before, although I didn't quite view the proposal seen as as funny from my previous view; it was a little sad. Then the whole angry silences and avoidances afterward just got tiring. Does this mean I'm growing up?
November 7, 2025
witty, fast-paced bouquet of tropes. likable main characters. ladies who were rivals become friends, a nightingale costume. good use of language. Amusing coincidences. a mixture of regency style, Georgette Heyer, and 1970s. A silly goose who is really rather shrewd and talented. Then only villains are faithless fiancés and abductors.
November 8, 2025
Started and read two others in between - a slow starter and a bit infuriating due to the communication lack apparent in many of the era. People just weren't up front - despite the fact h/H were more transparent because of their banter. But because it was banter h was unsure of H. A little of this goes a long way.
November 4, 2020
Like a GH knockoff. So I really liked it except for the hero. He was way too condescending for my taste.
February 5, 2021
Delightful! Just like Georgette Heyer - great, witty characters.
April 15, 2024
DNF. Author has no idea how British titles of nobility work.
June 21, 2021
I liked this one better than the other “Regency” romances by the author. But one moderately enjoyable novel after three boring ones is my limit. Will not be seeking out the author again.
February 22, 2012
A truly loving pastiche of Heyer books. Althea is of the heroine subtype "competent manager", and the male lead (um, I never remember their names) is of the subtype "corinthian asshole". There is also a charmingly frank-spoken older female relative. I always like to think of those characters as authorial self-insertion.
The romance arc is:
girl ditches convention
boy runs girl off road
girl takes town by storm
boy and girl fight
then get fake-engaged
misunderstandings!
then confess their feelings
happiness for everyone.
The unusual and charming part I would like to note is the subplot. Althea takes a slightly hapless female friend under her wing, and conspires with her to turn around the hapless friends's loser-fiance. This is especially notable because the cad had been hitting on Althea while his girl was out of commission.
This is not the most sparkling, precise, witty Regency I've ever read. That bar is pretty high. But for a first novel, it is perfectly workmanlike and made me laugh several times and click the last page fondly.
Read if: you enjoy a classical Regency romance (as opposed to a costume Regency romance. Those are also enjoyable, but not the same thing.) You like seeing where authors start out in their careers. You are biding your time until the next Sarah Tolerance book.
Skip if: you do not enjoy the genre or variations on the theme. You want sex in your romance. Stupid misunderstanding plots crawl right up your nose.
The romance arc is:
girl ditches convention
boy runs girl off road
girl takes town by storm
boy and girl fight
then get fake-engaged
misunderstandings!
then confess their feelings
happiness for everyone.
The unusual and charming part I would like to note is the subplot. Althea takes a slightly hapless female friend under her wing, and conspires with her to turn around the hapless friends's loser-fiance. This is especially notable because the cad had been hitting on Althea while his girl was out of commission.
This is not the most sparkling, precise, witty Regency I've ever read. That bar is pretty high. But for a first novel, it is perfectly workmanlike and made me laugh several times and click the last page fondly.
Read if: you enjoy a classical Regency romance (as opposed to a costume Regency romance. Those are also enjoyable, but not the same thing.) You like seeing where authors start out in their careers. You are biding your time until the next Sarah Tolerance book.
Skip if: you do not enjoy the genre or variations on the theme. You want sex in your romance. Stupid misunderstanding plots crawl right up your nose.
June 19, 2022
I did enjoy this story of Althea and Tracy and the rest of the cast. I could see sequel bait in her brother, and while I did like Althea she was also occasionally irritating, particularly when she decided to test Tracy about his love.
The story opens with Althea arriving in her sister Marie's house to escape the assumption by her father and brother that she's going to be the permanent housekeeper for them. She's determined to live and not under their strictures of familial expectations. Tracy finds her interesting and diverting, different to the run-of-the-mill girls his sister-in-law keeps presenting him with. She also gets involved in the love lives of other people.
The story includes a few of the typical tropes of romance novels and I did notice a few typos, but I enjoyed the read overall.
The story opens with Althea arriving in her sister Marie's house to escape the assumption by her father and brother that she's going to be the permanent housekeeper for them. She's determined to live and not under their strictures of familial expectations. Tracy finds her interesting and diverting, different to the run-of-the-mill girls his sister-in-law keeps presenting him with. She also gets involved in the love lives of other people.
The story includes a few of the typical tropes of romance novels and I did notice a few typos, but I enjoyed the read overall.
April 5, 2011
Althea is a delightful regency romance, one that I liked more than I initially thought I would. I loved reading from that era, and the author was pretty spot-on with the word useage and the mannerisms of the characters. They felt true to their time, and made the story read like much loved classics from the greats such as the Bronte's or Austen. However, the storyline of this novel wasn't quite on par with those greats (but, whose is?!) Still, this was a charming story all on it's own.
It was predictable in a sense but that is not a negative thing. In these types of stories, we usually know what will happen in the end, so this did not disappoint in that way. It was still a well told story, one that I would revisit.
December 11, 2012
As I love this author's quirky alternate-history mystery Sarah Tolerance series, I thought it would be interesting to try one of her earlier straight regencies. And it was. First published in 1977 this was clearly the work of an author who hadn't yet quite found her voice or her style. The language and the details are also often slightly skew-whiff and the main characters sometimes act in a way that makes it hard to empathise (such as a lengthy campaign of vengeance that seems all out of proportion to the initial offence.
However, there are flashes of wit and originality throughout which made up quite comfortably for the flaws, so I shall look forward to reading further into Robins' Regency back catalog to see how the writer grew and learned.
However, there are flashes of wit and originality throughout which made up quite comfortably for the flaws, so I shall look forward to reading further into Robins' Regency back catalog to see how the writer grew and learned.
August 10, 2013
Madeleine Robins' "Althea" is written very much in the style of Georgette Heyer. As a fan of Heyer, I found "Althea" delightful. Robins' writing emphasizes the romance and the love story, rather than the chemical physicality which is the norm in the more current romance genre. Fans of Austen and Heyer will love this book, but readers unfamiliar with those authors should read a couple of chapters in the bookstore before they decide to purchase.
July 17, 2014
Althea Ervine was delighted by the attention of Edward Pendarly. It was troubling that Sir Tracy Calendar hinted that there was something odd in Mr. Pendarly's attention, but Althea shrugged off Sir Tracy's comments. Then she learned the truth about Edward—and something more shocking about Sir Tracy. Typical English Edwardian novel.
December 25, 2025
This reminded me somewhat of Heyers The Grand Sophy format being a managing statuque female resolving a number of family and a friend issues while falling in love. I have an old paperback copy but her books are in ebook editions now. This story isn't the same calliber as Heyer but I enjoyed it also Althea and Tracey made a very interesting couple that you root for.
September 28, 2014
An amusing story in the style of Georgette Heyer. It isn't quite up to her standard, but is better written than some more recently published regency romances. The characters are sympathetic and the plot is entertaining enough to keep you turning the pages.
August 22, 2011
I got this books as an ARC e-book copy. Although the editing leaves something to be desired (mostly from OCR scanning errors) the book itself was delightful. It reminded me if Georgette Heyer in the ability to not need steamy (and probably ahistorical) sex scenes to fuel a fun plot.
August 31, 2011
I'm so glad this has been released again, as I wasn't reading Regency romance at the time it was originally published. While this isn't a steamy/sexy romance, it's charming and Heyer-esque with numerous couples with twining plot lines. A fun read, romantic and lovely.
August 15, 2012
A charming visit to Regency England, lightly plotted and amusing in the telling. Althea is a headstrong heroine who thinks she is wiser than she is. Although I occasionally found her a little tiresome, overall I enjoyed the story and appreciated the author's knowledge of the historical period.
March 26, 2015
Dreadful, though her semi-alterna-history regency mysteries are quite good. This is one of those pretend-it-was-written-in-1810, but have enough egregious vocabulary errors that it doesn't quite work things. Also boring. Also very prim -- the highlight of the romance is one kiss. Ugh.
March 30, 2011
This was a fresh, wonderful story. I enjoyed the characters and plot. It reminded me of Oscar Wilde's writings.
May 6, 2011
This was in the style of Georgette Heyer, but not nearly as good. It was a fun light read.
June 26, 2011
Pure ridiculousness, but fun to read.
September 26, 2012
Regency Romance
September 18, 2013
Funny and cute.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews