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The Accidental Match
Viscount Chalmsy, Jack to his family, had enough of his sister in law's matchmaking. The limit was reached when she tricked him to rush to her rescue only to find himself surrounded by a dozen pretty young things all on the catch for a husband. With a small case strapped behind he left both his valet and groom behind as he dashes out of town. An unfortunate encounter with a ditch landed him in Miss Carrington's charge. Since her father's death, and even for some time before that, Julia had run the household, cared for her younger siblings and overseen the cash strapped estate. What was a rather spoilt and snappish viscount to her? As time passed each found much to admire in the other yet in the eyes of the world they were poles apart. Could love truly conquer all?
229 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 14, 2020
Delightful!
This was an unexpected treat! I can't recall how I came across this book, but I'm glad I was able to track down an old copy. It's told almost entirely from our hero, Jack, the Viscount Chamsy's point of view. I don't know if I've ever read a regency that is told from the male's perspective, but it was a lot of fun.
Jack is fleeing London and his meddling sister-in-law, when he has an accident and is taken in by the charming Carrington family. As they nurse him back to health, he slowly falls in love with the eldest sister, Julia. Jack is next in line to be Earl, he is used to doing what he wants when he wants. He is not used to women who stand up to him, or to children who won't leave him alone. He starts to heal quicker than he likes and has to come up with some reason to stay a little longer to give Julia a chance to fall in love with him!
This was a really well written, witty dialogue and humor. Lovable characters, fun setting. I only wish it was available on Kindle so more people could read it. Now, I need to go track down her other books.
Content: Clean romance
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This was an unexpected treat! I can't recall how I came across this book, but I'm glad I was able to track down an old copy. It's told almost entirely from our hero, Jack, the Viscount Chamsy's point of view. I don't know if I've ever read a regency that is told from the male's perspective, but it was a lot of fun.
Jack is fleeing London and his meddling sister-in-law, when he has an accident and is taken in by the charming Carrington family. As they nurse him back to health, he slowly falls in love with the eldest sister, Julia. Jack is next in line to be Earl, he is used to doing what he wants when he wants. He is not used to women who stand up to him, or to children who won't leave him alone. He starts to heal quicker than he likes and has to come up with some reason to stay a little longer to give Julia a chance to fall in love with him!
This was a really well written, witty dialogue and humor. Lovable characters, fun setting. I only wish it was available on Kindle so more people could read it. Now, I need to go track down her other books.
Content: Clean romance
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May 22, 2019
There is something that should be said about reading a traditional-style Regency romance and cleaning toilets. Jack, Viscount Chalmsy, needed to wash a few bourdaloues and chamber pots because of his behavior. My sympathies were not with the hero for the first 2/3’s of this story.
He had a stick up his bum about women and marriage. It was an acceptable institution for others, just not him. While visiting his grandfather, brother and sister-in-law, he found himself between a rock and a hard place. There was a gaggle of chits.
So he escaped.
In a phaeton.
By himself.
To an inn.
On his way, he had an accident and never made it to his destination. Instead, he woke up in the home of the Carringtons. The eldest, 24-year-old Julia, watched over her brothers and sisters: an impressive Edward, the beautiful Cressida, a heroic William and a loving Lily.
This was a sweet, low-key, historical romance. It was the fourth story I have read by Judith Nelson. Unfortunately, I had given up on her until I read Jane’s great review. (Thank you, Jane!) The author managed to invoke emotions in me I rarely acquire when I read an ‘old-skool’ romance. Julia was a wonderful heroine with gentle humor and a common-sense attitude. She dealt with Jack’s moodiness as though he were a child. Her siblings’ slant and verbal reflections only elevated my fondness for this family. In the end, they won Jack (and me) over to their side.
He had a stick up his bum about women and marriage. It was an acceptable institution for others, just not him. While visiting his grandfather, brother and sister-in-law, he found himself between a rock and a hard place. There was a gaggle of chits.
So he escaped.
In a phaeton.
By himself.
To an inn.
On his way, he had an accident and never made it to his destination. Instead, he woke up in the home of the Carringtons. The eldest, 24-year-old Julia, watched over her brothers and sisters: an impressive Edward, the beautiful Cressida, a heroic William and a loving Lily.
This was a sweet, low-key, historical romance. It was the fourth story I have read by Judith Nelson. Unfortunately, I had given up on her until I read Jane’s great review. (Thank you, Jane!) The author managed to invoke emotions in me I rarely acquire when I read an ‘old-skool’ romance. Julia was a wonderful heroine with gentle humor and a common-sense attitude. She dealt with Jack’s moodiness as though he were a child. Her siblings’ slant and verbal reflections only elevated my fondness for this family. In the end, they won Jack (and me) over to their side.
May 17, 2018
4.65 stars - mild pg13 (secular “clean” traditional regency -- see below)
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book; I was a bit hesitant since some of the authors other books received such widely varying ratings from friends whose opinions I trust. I need not have worried; this book was a delight! The blurb on the back does not even begin to describe this story or do it justice and, unfortunately, I’m not very good at comprehensive book reviews. This was a lighthearted regency tale of Viscount Chalmsy (a much-coddled-and-used-to-being-unquestioningly-in-charge darling of high society) and the adorable family who come to his rescue after a carriage accident in the countryside. His injuries keep him bed ridden and recuperating in their home for several weeks – a grumpy patient not at all used to young children, much less giving up control and having his orders/tempers thwarted, and thwarted with laughter, nonetheless, by our heroine, Julia! How dare someone not jump at every imperious demand of an Earl-to-be?! Shocking! Fortunately, he has a great sense of humor and can even learn to laugh at his own ridiculous arrogance.
I absolutely loved this story. It’s not fast-moving or full of adventure - more gently-moving - but it doesn’t drag either. No big misunderstandings or melodramas. A sweet, softly growing romance. Funny, sparkling, smart dialogue. A cast of characters that are delightfully charming, fun and sensible. The entire story takes place at a modest house in the country, filled with a family of varying age children. The children are integral to the story, and they are NOT annoying, they are adorable, plain-spoken, and funny (wisdom from the mouth of babes!). I’m so glad I decided to read this book and can only hope that the few other books this author penned will be equally good. There are very few books, other than Georgette Heyer’s, that I would reread, but this would definitely be one of them.
(I felt this particular book was somewhat cleaner than the usual secular “clean” traditional regency. Typically, you get some degree of mild profanity and bad language, possible mention of mistresses, gambling, drinking, etc. If I made correct notations, this one had no instances of God’s name being taken in vain. I only noted two instances of an expletive such as “damned cat” being used (and actually it was said in disgruntled affection for the kitten!); instead, the author would, occasionally, use something like “he uttered a particularly colorful expletive under his breath”. There was mention of ladybirds (mistresses), but it was sort of very vague and nowhere near as bold or tasteless as in some other traditional secular regencies.)
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book; I was a bit hesitant since some of the authors other books received such widely varying ratings from friends whose opinions I trust. I need not have worried; this book was a delight! The blurb on the back does not even begin to describe this story or do it justice and, unfortunately, I’m not very good at comprehensive book reviews. This was a lighthearted regency tale of Viscount Chalmsy (a much-coddled-and-used-to-being-unquestioningly-in-charge darling of high society) and the adorable family who come to his rescue after a carriage accident in the countryside. His injuries keep him bed ridden and recuperating in their home for several weeks – a grumpy patient not at all used to young children, much less giving up control and having his orders/tempers thwarted, and thwarted with laughter, nonetheless, by our heroine, Julia! How dare someone not jump at every imperious demand of an Earl-to-be?! Shocking! Fortunately, he has a great sense of humor and can even learn to laugh at his own ridiculous arrogance.
I absolutely loved this story. It’s not fast-moving or full of adventure - more gently-moving - but it doesn’t drag either. No big misunderstandings or melodramas. A sweet, softly growing romance. Funny, sparkling, smart dialogue. A cast of characters that are delightfully charming, fun and sensible. The entire story takes place at a modest house in the country, filled with a family of varying age children. The children are integral to the story, and they are NOT annoying, they are adorable, plain-spoken, and funny (wisdom from the mouth of babes!). I’m so glad I decided to read this book and can only hope that the few other books this author penned will be equally good. There are very few books, other than Georgette Heyer’s, that I would reread, but this would definitely be one of them.
(I felt this particular book was somewhat cleaner than the usual secular “clean” traditional regency. Typically, you get some degree of mild profanity and bad language, possible mention of mistresses, gambling, drinking, etc. If I made correct notations, this one had no instances of God’s name being taken in vain. I only noted two instances of an expletive such as “damned cat” being used (and actually it was said in disgruntled affection for the kitten!); instead, the author would, occasionally, use something like “he uttered a particularly colorful expletive under his breath”. There was mention of ladybirds (mistresses), but it was sort of very vague and nowhere near as bold or tasteless as in some other traditional secular regencies.)
October 13, 2022
This is my third book by Judith Nelson and I really appreciate how she writes strong (main) female characters. This book reminds me of Frederica by Heyer. It has an older and wise heroine who takes care of her younger siblings, a very pretty but not very bright sister, adorable kids (as well as animals), and a jaded hero who learns to love the family. I can't put my finger on why I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others, except that the heroine was a bit too perfect and the hero a little too immature. There were funny moments, and I particularly liked the responses the hero got from the heroine as well as his groom when he threw one of his tamper tantrums. The clincher for me to rate this as 3 stars was the ending. I felt that the characters from a previous book (Jack's brother and sister-in-law) highjacked the ending and the satisfaction of having the H and h declaring their love for each other. Even though I didn't read the book "Instructing Arabella" (and frankly don't intend to read it since I didn't care for its namesake in this book), I could tell that the author had written about them before. If you enjoyed that book, you'll like to see what happened to the characters. However, I disliked that they interfered with the couple and would have enjoyed the H and h talking to each other rather than having others tell them about each others' feelings. All of that said, I still think that Judith Nelson is a great author and will continue to read her other books (except Instructing Arabella, naturally).
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews