An Icy Affair

by Mona K. Gedney

COLD HANDS
Ivy Sterling is lonely. Since her parents' untimely deaths, she has been sequestered at her aloof uncle's estate with only a few servants and her little terrier, MacTavish, for company. Still, Ivy holds out hope for her first Season in London. Until her guardian dashes her dreams, that is. But an unexpected distraction soon arrives on a chill wind, when a blizzard brings a bevy of strangers to her uncle's door: an acting troupe, two brothers en route to America, and a very wealthy—and disagreeable—gentleman…

WARM HEARTS
Robert Westbrook is weary of women. On his way to London to call off his engagement—at his fiancée's request—he's had more than enough of the fairer sex. Yet when a brutal storm forces him to seek shelter with the Sterlings, he finds himself both provoked by and drawn to the energetic Ivy. In need of diversion, the snowbound guests decide to put on a production of Romeo and Juliet, only to discover that mingling actors with gentry results in boundless mischief. Matches are made, broken, and mended, and as the storm lifts, so does Robert's hope that life does not imitate art—and that true love will indeed prevail…

Genres: Regency Romance

Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ivy Sterling is bored to death living in seclusion with her uncle who barely acknowledges her existence. Since her governess left, Ivy's only companion is her Scottie, MacTavish. Ivy demands a London Season and when her uncle refuses to comply, she has a tantrum and runs off into a swirling snow storm. When Ivy is nearly run over by a gentleman's horse, the autocratic man demands to be led to shelter. Who is he to be bossing Ivy around? Then as the storm progresses, more visitors arrive and Ivy seizes the opportunity to leave the school room and be a part of the company. Among the guests are the top-lofty Mr. Robert Wesbrook, a most disagreeable man to be sure; the beautiful actress Davina Durrell, who promises to help Ivy get her Season; and two brothers heading for America. Ivy is smitten with the handsome Edmund Montgomery and she's certain he feels the same. When Miss Durrell gets up and play to amuse the servants, she casts Ivy and Edmund in the title roles of Romeo and Juliet. Ivy can't wait to be alone with her Edmund, but every time she tries, Mr. Westbrook is in the way! Robert Westbrook is not amused. The storm has delayed him from accomplishing his business in London and now he seems to be the only sane person in a house full of Bedlamites. He feels it's up to him to look after the headstrong Ivy, though why he feels compelled to care, he really can't say.

This story is told in the third person mostly from Ivy's point of view which prevents us from really getting to know Robert. The author seems to have patterned him after Mr. Darcy and like with Mr. Darcy, we get to know him through the opinions of others. He doesn't seem like hero material at first and I remain lukewarm in my opinion of him. There's a serious lack of romance in this novel. There's romance along the lines of Willoughby and Marianne and Elizabeth and Darcy but the relationship doesn't really progress the way in does in Pride and Prejudice. (Hence one reason why Jane Austen is the best!) The romances come too little too late to really be effective. Ivy is very young and a typical teenager, always wanting her own way and dreaming of a better life. She's not an easy character to like. I don't really enjoy teenagers as heroines of romances novels and Ivy is no exception. She matures a bit in the story but she has a lot of growing up to do still. The plot is trite and there are too many characters to keep track of. There are also a number of possible historical errors which bothered me. This story just didn't meet my expectations and I wouldn't really recommend it except to those who are not able or willing to read Jane Austen.

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good Zebra Regency from 2002! Read it twice.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regency