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Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career
Beautiful and brilliant Miss Ellen Grimsley considers it a scandal that she---a female---cannot attend Oxford while her dunderhead brother can. That's why she dons his robes to do his work for him. But when a handsome lord learns Ellen's secret, he decides to teach her a lesson of his own. This delightful period romance will earn high marks from readers everywhere!
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 1992
102 people are currently reading
951 people want to read
About the author
Carla Kelly
138 books804 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Although Carla Kelly is well known among her readers as a writer of Regency romance, her main interest (and first writing success) is Western American fiction—more specifically, writing about America's Indian Wars. Although she had sold some of her work before, it was not until Carla began work in the National Park Service as a ranger/historian at Fort Laramie National Historic Site did she get serious about her writing career. (Or as she would be the first to admit, as serious as it gets.)
Carla wrote a series of what she now refers to as the "Fort Laramie stories," which are tales of the men, women and children of the Indian Wars era in Western history. Two of her stories, A Season for Heroes and Kathleen Flaherty's Long Winter, earned her Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. She was the second woman to earn two Spurs from WWA (which, as everyone knows, is all you need to ride a horse). Her entire Indian Wars collection was published in 2003 as Here's to the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army. It remains her favorite work.
The mother of five children, Carla has always allowed her kids to earn their keep by appearing in her Regencies, most notably Marian's Christmas Wish, which is peopled by all kinds of relatives. Grown now, the Kelly kids are scattered here and there across the U.S. They continue to provide feedback, furnish fodder for stories and make frantic phone calls home during the holidays for recipes. (Carla Kelly is some cook.)
Carla's husband, Martin, is Director of Theatre at Valley City State University, in Valley City, North Dakota. Carla is currently overworked as a staff writer at the local daily newspaper. She also writes a weekly, award-winning column, "Prairie Lite."
Carla only started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars, which figures in many of her Regency novels and short stories. She specializes in writing about warfare at sea, and about the ordinary people of the British Isles who were, let's face it, far more numerous than lords and ladies.
Hobbies? She likes to crochet afghans, and read British crime fiction and history, principally military history. She's never happier than talking about the fur trade or Indian Wars with Park Service cronies. Her most recent gig with the National Park Service was at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site on the Montana/North Dakota border.
Here's another side to this somewhat prosaic woman: She recently edited the fur trade journal of Swiss artist Rudolf F. Kurz (the 1851-1852 portion), and is gratified now and then to be asked to speak on scholarly subjects. She has also worked for the State Historical Society of North Dakota as a contract researcher. This has taken her to glamorous drudgery in several national archives and military history repositories. Gray archives boxes and old documents make her salivate.
Her mantra for writing comes from the subject of her thesis, Robert Utley, that dean of Indian Wars history. He told her the secret to writing is "to put your ass in the chair and keep it there until you're done." He's right, of course.
Her three favorite fictional works have remained constant through the years, although their rankings tend to shift: War and Peace, The Lawrenceville Stories, and A Town Like Alice. Favorite historical works are One Vast Winter Count, On the Border with Mackenzie and Crossing the Line. Favorite crime fiction authors are Michael Connelly, John Harvey and Peter Robinson.
And that's all she can think of that would interest anyone. Carla Kelly is quite ordinary, except when she is sometimes prevailed upon to sing a scurrilous song about lumberjacks, or warble "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in Latin. Then you m
Although Carla Kelly is well known among her readers as a writer of Regency romance, her main interest (and first writing success) is Western American fiction—more specifically, writing about America's Indian Wars. Although she had sold some of her work before, it was not until Carla began work in the National Park Service as a ranger/historian at Fort Laramie National Historic Site did she get serious about her writing career. (Or as she would be the first to admit, as serious as it gets.)
Carla wrote a series of what she now refers to as the "Fort Laramie stories," which are tales of the men, women and children of the Indian Wars era in Western history. Two of her stories, A Season for Heroes and Kathleen Flaherty's Long Winter, earned her Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. She was the second woman to earn two Spurs from WWA (which, as everyone knows, is all you need to ride a horse). Her entire Indian Wars collection was published in 2003 as Here's to the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army. It remains her favorite work.
The mother of five children, Carla has always allowed her kids to earn their keep by appearing in her Regencies, most notably Marian's Christmas Wish, which is peopled by all kinds of relatives. Grown now, the Kelly kids are scattered here and there across the U.S. They continue to provide feedback, furnish fodder for stories and make frantic phone calls home during the holidays for recipes. (Carla Kelly is some cook.)
Carla's husband, Martin, is Director of Theatre at Valley City State University, in Valley City, North Dakota. Carla is currently overworked as a staff writer at the local daily newspaper. She also writes a weekly, award-winning column, "Prairie Lite."
Carla only started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars, which figures in many of her Regency novels and short stories. She specializes in writing about warfare at sea, and about the ordinary people of the British Isles who were, let's face it, far more numerous than lords and ladies.
Hobbies? She likes to crochet afghans, and read British crime fiction and history, principally military history. She's never happier than talking about the fur trade or Indian Wars with Park Service cronies. Her most recent gig with the National Park Service was at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site on the Montana/North Dakota border.
Here's another side to this somewhat prosaic woman: She recently edited the fur trade journal of Swiss artist Rudolf F. Kurz (the 1851-1852 portion), and is gratified now and then to be asked to speak on scholarly subjects. She has also worked for the State Historical Society of North Dakota as a contract researcher. This has taken her to glamorous drudgery in several national archives and military history repositories. Gray archives boxes and old documents make her salivate.
Her mantra for writing comes from the subject of her thesis, Robert Utley, that dean of Indian Wars history. He told her the secret to writing is "to put your ass in the chair and keep it there until you're done." He's right, of course.
Her three favorite fictional works have remained constant through the years, although their rankings tend to shift: War and Peace, The Lawrenceville Stories, and A Town Like Alice. Favorite historical works are One Vast Winter Count, On the Border with Mackenzie and Crossing the Line. Favorite crime fiction authors are Michael Connelly, John Harvey and Peter Robinson.
And that's all she can think of that would interest anyone. Carla Kelly is quite ordinary, except when she is sometimes prevailed upon to sing a scurrilous song about lumberjacks, or warble "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in Latin. Then you m
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 310 reviews
June 19, 2015
A great book will inspire one to greatness.
While I would not go as far as to call this book a feat of literature, it has definitely inspired some action in me that would have otherwise come to pass. This is an interesting regency, and Mrs. Kelly undertook great risks in crafting the latter half of the book to have a dragged-out marriage proposal and continued refusal by the heroine. At first, I could not understand why a nice comedy has suddenly taken a turn to melodrama, but upon a second reading I've formed some theories:
1. This is a work about a young woman's self-discovery. Or self-understanding, really. Ellen is a talented wordsmith but still immature in age and temper, and she didn't understand how love can take on many forms, or that perhaps men can have just as many troubles as women do. As she becomes to bridge the gap between her understanding of love - observed from the marriage of her parents' and that of her sister - and her own feelings, she comes to create her definition of love.
2. This is a meta work of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, a play on which Ellen had written an original paper. This play is considered one of Shakespeare's "problem plays" for its ambiguous genre and morals, among other things, and like the play, this story goes from a comedy, to a melodrama, to a quasi-comedy-of-errors, and to a quasi-tragedy, before we get to the final, expected ending. It is a puzzling read, and I'm sure many readers may not understand who goes on in Ellen's head for half of the book (I almost didn't), but it is as deeply rooted in Shakespeare's style as its subject matter, which suggests that only a careful reading and dissection of its content would prove fruitful.
3. Families can be silly, trying, or even downright embarrassing, but what can we do about that? Central to this story is a understanding of how families work, that no matter how much we may be embarrassed (or in some cases, repulsed by them), they remain family, and it's best to work out a peaceful solution and accept them than to hope that they'll somehow become better on their own - because they won't. This is the truth that Ellen has to come into terms with by herself, and once James had told her the truth of his family, she no longer feels shameful for her family. This acceptance goes a long way into finding peace with oneself, as she discovers.
Well, I don't know if anyone will read this review, but if you do, I do suggest a closer reading of this book's hidden crevices and urge you to be patient with Ellen - she is a young girl faced with sudden and altogether strange circumstances.
Sidenote: Wow, this is my first full review for...1.5 years? Glad to be back, GR.
While I would not go as far as to call this book a feat of literature, it has definitely inspired some action in me that would have otherwise come to pass. This is an interesting regency, and Mrs. Kelly undertook great risks in crafting the latter half of the book to have a dragged-out marriage proposal and continued refusal by the heroine. At first, I could not understand why a nice comedy has suddenly taken a turn to melodrama, but upon a second reading I've formed some theories:
1. This is a work about a young woman's self-discovery. Or self-understanding, really. Ellen is a talented wordsmith but still immature in age and temper, and she didn't understand how love can take on many forms, or that perhaps men can have just as many troubles as women do. As she becomes to bridge the gap between her understanding of love - observed from the marriage of her parents' and that of her sister - and her own feelings, she comes to create her definition of love.
2. This is a meta work of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, a play on which Ellen had written an original paper. This play is considered one of Shakespeare's "problem plays" for its ambiguous genre and morals, among other things, and like the play, this story goes from a comedy, to a melodrama, to a quasi-comedy-of-errors, and to a quasi-tragedy, before we get to the final, expected ending. It is a puzzling read, and I'm sure many readers may not understand who goes on in Ellen's head for half of the book (I almost didn't), but it is as deeply rooted in Shakespeare's style as its subject matter, which suggests that only a careful reading and dissection of its content would prove fruitful.
3. Families can be silly, trying, or even downright embarrassing, but what can we do about that? Central to this story is a understanding of how families work, that no matter how much we may be embarrassed (or in some cases, repulsed by them), they remain family, and it's best to work out a peaceful solution and accept them than to hope that they'll somehow become better on their own - because they won't. This is the truth that Ellen has to come into terms with by herself, and once James had told her the truth of his family, she no longer feels shameful for her family. This acceptance goes a long way into finding peace with oneself, as she discovers.
Well, I don't know if anyone will read this review, but if you do, I do suggest a closer reading of this book's hidden crevices and urge you to be patient with Ellen - she is a young girl faced with sudden and altogether strange circumstances.
Sidenote: Wow, this is my first full review for...1.5 years? Glad to be back, GR.
September 15, 2015
Ignore the cover copy, this isn't at all one of those female disguised as male stories. Oh, she dons a scholar's robe occasionally to get in and out of places, but she never "takes her brother's place". And James isn't in disguise nor does he blow her cover. Seriously, who writes these things?
It's the characters that stand out in this novel. Ellen and James are charming and just a whole lot of fun to spend time with. They have true wit and their discussions are fascinating, both with each other and with others. Yes, their attitudes (both of them) about education for women are out of place for the era and that's a little hand-waved, but Kelly does an excellent job of making it feel real to the time and place, even so. What I mean is that she lets those attitudes play out realistically when set into the Regency era so that you can see both how absurd it is to believe women aren't fit for education even as you can see how such attitudes persisted.
Even better, Kelly does a bit of gender-role judo by allowing Ellen to wallow in her restrictions as a woman and then turning that on its head when we see that external constraints are a universal condition of living in society with none of us free to pursue our own interests selfishly. This was extremely well-done--particularly as it didn't excuse the dreadfulness of the restrictions on women's education while doing so.
The romance plotline is serviceable, if somewhat predictable. I enjoyed the characters well enough that this didn't bother me in the least, though. I suppose I was too busy enjoying their friendship to worry so much over what course their romantic relationship would take. Ellen stays unaware of her real feelings a bit longer than I cared for, but that wasn't unexpected and I didn't mind terribly, in the end.
In all, this was a great read for a quiet Sunday afternoon.
It's the characters that stand out in this novel. Ellen and James are charming and just a whole lot of fun to spend time with. They have true wit and their discussions are fascinating, both with each other and with others. Yes, their attitudes (both of them) about education for women are out of place for the era and that's a little hand-waved, but Kelly does an excellent job of making it feel real to the time and place, even so. What I mean is that she lets those attitudes play out realistically when set into the Regency era so that you can see both how absurd it is to believe women aren't fit for education even as you can see how such attitudes persisted.
Even better, Kelly does a bit of gender-role judo by allowing Ellen to wallow in her restrictions as a woman and then turning that on its head when we see that external constraints are a universal condition of living in society with none of us free to pursue our own interests selfishly. This was extremely well-done--particularly as it didn't excuse the dreadfulness of the restrictions on women's education while doing so.
The romance plotline is serviceable, if somewhat predictable. I enjoyed the characters well enough that this didn't bother me in the least, though. I suppose I was too busy enjoying their friendship to worry so much over what course their romantic relationship would take. Ellen stays unaware of her real feelings a bit longer than I cared for, but that wasn't unexpected and I didn't mind terribly, in the end.
In all, this was a great read for a quiet Sunday afternoon.
March 2, 2017
Carla Kelly. Traditional Regency.
Are there four more reliable words in the English language?
No. No there are not.
Every single time in the traditional Regency genre, she delivers something heartwarming, romantic, funny, cute, beautiful, interesting, light and characterful. She’s an absolute legend. I believe if she were a plucky Brit we would call her a National Treasure, but she isn’t. Perhaps she’s a Romance Treasure instead.
This was all of the things one expects. Ellen, a bluestocking heroine with a passion for Shakespeare and a desire to go to Oxford (an experience her elder brother is wasting). She’s a very typical Kelly heroine, young but practical and kind. And, our hero, Jim. Dreamy Jim. Frustrated fellow who must give up his calling to return to his family seat and live up to the expectations of his title. Again, rather typically Kelly. Gently affectionate, kind and intelligent.
The plot is (on paper) one to swerve. Ellen gets sent to a finishing school in Oxford and ends up dressing up as her brother, attending one of his tutorial, going to the library and writing his papers. So girl dresses up as boy. No one’s favourite romance trope. And, CK does require a lot of suspension of disbelief from the reader to make it work. The notion that Ellen can just slap on a shirt and some breeches with an academic gown and look like a boy – a student, no less – is, well, ridiculous. But it’s written so endearingly, and with such pep that you kind of just go a long with it. This allows Ellen to meet and spend time with Jim and it’s a neat way of bringing a single man and a single, young woman together whilst ignoring some of the strictures of the time.
I would be lying, however, if I did not admit that this book probably stretches the historical boundaries. Particularly Jim’s penchant for public displays of affection (only kissing, obviously, we are in traditional Regency territory here). Most memorably at the end of the book, in the middle of Magdalen College when Ellen is wearing her robes. I know male affection at Oxbridge in the early 19th century was actually fairly free and open, but: still.
This book also has some fantastic secondary characters and family interactions. CK is a genius at creating a whole family, ensconced in a local society, in only a few pages. I fell very quickly into the world Kelly has created here.
This is a lovely book, not without its flaws, but a perfect nugget of charming escapism.
Are there four more reliable words in the English language?
No. No there are not.
Every single time in the traditional Regency genre, she delivers something heartwarming, romantic, funny, cute, beautiful, interesting, light and characterful. She’s an absolute legend. I believe if she were a plucky Brit we would call her a National Treasure, but she isn’t. Perhaps she’s a Romance Treasure instead.
This was all of the things one expects. Ellen, a bluestocking heroine with a passion for Shakespeare and a desire to go to Oxford (an experience her elder brother is wasting). She’s a very typical Kelly heroine, young but practical and kind. And, our hero, Jim. Dreamy Jim. Frustrated fellow who must give up his calling to return to his family seat and live up to the expectations of his title. Again, rather typically Kelly. Gently affectionate, kind and intelligent.
The plot is (on paper) one to swerve. Ellen gets sent to a finishing school in Oxford and ends up dressing up as her brother, attending one of his tutorial, going to the library and writing his papers. So girl dresses up as boy. No one’s favourite romance trope. And, CK does require a lot of suspension of disbelief from the reader to make it work. The notion that Ellen can just slap on a shirt and some breeches with an academic gown and look like a boy – a student, no less – is, well, ridiculous. But it’s written so endearingly, and with such pep that you kind of just go a long with it. This allows Ellen to meet and spend time with Jim and it’s a neat way of bringing a single man and a single, young woman together whilst ignoring some of the strictures of the time.
I would be lying, however, if I did not admit that this book probably stretches the historical boundaries. Particularly Jim’s penchant for public displays of affection (only kissing, obviously, we are in traditional Regency territory here). Most memorably at the end of the book, in the middle of Magdalen College when Ellen is wearing her robes. I know male affection at Oxbridge in the early 19th century was actually fairly free and open, but: still.
This book also has some fantastic secondary characters and family interactions. CK is a genius at creating a whole family, ensconced in a local society, in only a few pages. I fell very quickly into the world Kelly has created here.
This is a lovely book, not without its flaws, but a perfect nugget of charming escapism.
September 28, 2015
This is one of those romances where the heroine turns down the hero and he keeps chasing her .
Before he dated me, my husband had a very warm relationship with a young woman but when he asked her out she said no, so he respected her wishes and left her alone. Years later she told him that her mother had taught her to turn down a man the first time he asks, and that she had really wanted to go out with him! As I reflect on our 16 years of marriage and the wonderful man he is, I think of her and laugh and laugh.
Before he dated me, my husband had a very warm relationship with a young woman but when he asked her out she said no, so he respected her wishes and left her alone. Years later she told him that her mother had taught her to turn down a man the first time he asks, and that she had really wanted to go out with him! As I reflect on our 16 years of marriage and the wonderful man he is, I think of her and laugh and laugh.
August 26, 2012
I really liked this one. I could tell early on that it would be a keeper and I’m happy to say it did not disappoint. I loved that the setting was so unique from all the other regencies I’ve read. I really liked our heroine Ellen. She is intelligent and kind. I liked how she is able to manage her silly family, and I do wish they would have appreciated her a little more. I liked her desire to learn more and her love of learning. She was obviously smart, but she was quite naïve when it came to love. I could understand her refusing Lord Chesney initially, but after awhile I was unclear about her motives. I loved James. I thought he was a great character and beneath his scholarly personality was quite the romantic. I loved their relationship, I liked that they had such a great friendship. It made their love a lot more believable and you know by the end that they will be happy together. I did find the idea of Ellen pretending to be a boy a bit unbelievable. I just don’t think anyone would have been fooled by her attire. I also thought the responses to her papers on Shakespeare a little over the top as well. I appreciate that she is smart, but standing ovation smart? Overall, I did really enjoy the story. I loved that it was not only clean, but that James was an honorable guy. It is one I would definitely recommend to any regency lover.
Content: Clean.
I'm glad Cedar Fort is republishing some Carla's older books, I love the new covers!
Content: Clean.
I'm glad Cedar Fort is republishing some Carla's older books, I love the new covers!
December 9, 2025
This is a wacky and fun combination of Georgette Heyer, PG Wodehouse, and Gaudy Night (specifically). It’s a hoot! The family dynamics in the Grimsley family are hilarious and they all improve on closer acquaintance (except maybe Horatia), even Gordon! Ralph is a gem. I wanted more of him. He and Ellen remind me a bit of Venetia and Aubrey Lanyon in Heyer’s Venetia; I love their relationship. The antics here are definitely Wodehouse-worthy. Slightly (or majorly) unbelievable but who cares? Hilarious! Jim Gatewood is like Lord Peter with the pertinacity of his proposing.
I love the conversation in the novel about women’s education and how unfair it was for men to be at Oxford and waste it while their intelligent sisters longed at home. I’m always up for anything discussing women’s education. I also loved the storyline with the Speed family and Becky Speed as a character. Now we need a novel about her!
There was certainly a good dose of contrived miscommunication in this, à la Betty Neels but there are enough antics interspersed that it was okay. Thank you so much to my friend Amy for bringing this to my attention! Will definitely be reading more Carla Kelly!
I love the conversation in the novel about women’s education and how unfair it was for men to be at Oxford and waste it while their intelligent sisters longed at home. I’m always up for anything discussing women’s education. I also loved the storyline with the Speed family and Becky Speed as a character. Now we need a novel about her!
There was certainly a good dose of contrived miscommunication in this, à la Betty Neels but there are enough antics interspersed that it was okay. Thank you so much to my friend Amy for bringing this to my attention! Will definitely be reading more Carla Kelly!
July 9, 2013
I was completely enchanted by this novel!! I love the way Ms. Kelly words her stories. The characters come to life and jump off the pages. I could envision Ellen, with her slightly snooty attitude, verbally attacking Jim...and her dunderhead brother, Gordon. I could picture Jim, with his slightly messy appearance and love of bantering. Even Gordon was a vivid picture in my mind. I wanted to slap him silly for being such an awful brother, only intent upon squeaky by no matter what the cost. Better yet, I wanted to slap Ellen to wake her up. I think she secretly enjoyed bailing him out time and again. However, I especially loved her attitude towards the Dragon and Fanny. She could have blown up, but chose to turn the other cheek and deal with her consequences.
I loved the gradual path the romance took. Ellen wondered what feelings she was really feeling and I loved watching her work through things. Ellen was a lady ahead of her times and was a very brave pioneer for equality of women in the education system.
This has got to be one of my favorites of Ms. Kelly's so far. I hope they all get reprinted.
Content: talk of gambling and drinking; maybe a cuss word or two; overall clean.
I loved the gradual path the romance took. Ellen wondered what feelings she was really feeling and I loved watching her work through things. Ellen was a lady ahead of her times and was a very brave pioneer for equality of women in the education system.
This has got to be one of my favorites of Ms. Kelly's so far. I hope they all get reprinted.
Content: talk of gambling and drinking; maybe a cuss word or two; overall clean.
August 16, 2019
Delightful characters in a little fantastical plot
James is every girl’s dream. A scholar, a peer, a messy looking, good hearted friend. Ellen is smart, innocent and very stubborn (a little too much). She dreams about traveling the world drawing maps, but sees her dreams shattered by the reality of being a woman of her time. She ends up in a girl’s school in Oxford learning embroidery while her brother despises every minute of his period at Oxford University. He asks for her help with an essay and she ends up wearing his student clothes and even attending a reading at the prestigious school. The side characters are wonderful, her brother Gordon (the useless wastrel), Becky (Ellen’s sidekick), Ellen’s father. All so unique and full of personality.
This book is a little different from other books I’ve read by Mrs. Kelly, less emotionally charged and more light and fun. Good read!
James is every girl’s dream. A scholar, a peer, a messy looking, good hearted friend. Ellen is smart, innocent and very stubborn (a little too much). She dreams about traveling the world drawing maps, but sees her dreams shattered by the reality of being a woman of her time. She ends up in a girl’s school in Oxford learning embroidery while her brother despises every minute of his period at Oxford University. He asks for her help with an essay and she ends up wearing his student clothes and even attending a reading at the prestigious school. The side characters are wonderful, her brother Gordon (the useless wastrel), Becky (Ellen’s sidekick), Ellen’s father. All so unique and full of personality.
This book is a little different from other books I’ve read by Mrs. Kelly, less emotionally charged and more light and fun. Good read!
September 5, 2008
The Regency romance where Ellen, who longs to be a scholar, is pressed into duty dressing up as a boy so she can attend her muttonheaded brother's Oxford classes and write his papers for him.
That's a really promising premise, right? Very cute, lots of possibilities. But there are so many implausibilities, large and small, that the book just never really gained my trust.
Most of my problems boiled down to people being too contemporary -- in slang, in attitudes to sex and gender and public demonstrations of affection and what's permitted when a marriage proposal has been accepted in public and on and on.
That's a really promising premise, right? Very cute, lots of possibilities. But there are so many implausibilities, large and small, that the book just never really gained my trust.
Most of my problems boiled down to people being too contemporary -- in slang, in attitudes to sex and gender and public demonstrations of affection and what's permitted when a marriage proposal has been accepted in public and on and on.
March 3, 2019
I enjoyed this humorous look at education in Regency England and the deeper themes that the author deftly brings to light in the midst of well-rounded characters and an entertaining story.
October 31, 2021
The hero, Jim, was a Shakespeare scholar who needed
to dress neater and to comb his hair. And to organize
his messy library. He ended up being a marquess-natch.
Heroine, Ellen, had a squire sire. Ellen ruminated that
the other young ladies had symmetry and she had to
made do with petite. Both had drama-prone families.
The heroine's roommate at school, Fanny, provided the
mean girl role.
Ellen wrote 3 papers for her brother, Gordon, new to
Oxford U. Professors thought him a future Shakespeare
scholar. I liked Jim's charm and his quiet ways to help
others. Ellen not so much. The leads traded witty comments.
I could recommend several Kelly books over this one.
to dress neater and to comb his hair. And to organize
his messy library. He ended up being a marquess-natch.
Heroine, Ellen, had a squire sire. Ellen ruminated that
the other young ladies had symmetry and she had to
made do with petite. Both had drama-prone families.
The heroine's roommate at school, Fanny, provided the
mean girl role.
Ellen wrote 3 papers for her brother, Gordon, new to
Oxford U. Professors thought him a future Shakespeare
scholar. I liked Jim's charm and his quiet ways to help
others. Ellen not so much. The leads traded witty comments.
I could recommend several Kelly books over this one.
September 14, 2012
I'm guessing this Oxford story was an earlier novel of hers because the language too often veers to contemporary and the heroine's endless, angst-y internal conflict about marriage versus self-realization was truer to the 1970's than 1800's. The hero is a conflicted marquess who longs for the life of the mind but must do his duty after one last term at Oxford. He's a highly-regarded All Souls fellow known for his Shakespearean scholarship. She's a bright, well-read, academically-aspiring young woman with no hope of experiencing the true life of the mind, given family expectations, social limitations and Oxford being all-male. He dresses like an academic, not a wealthy nobleman and she meets him as 'Jim' rather than by title so the H/h strike up a friendship based on shared love of learning and Shakespeare. He falls for her almost immediately, pursues her, and proves to be patient, considerate and an all-round nice guy while she frets about her dreams, needs and ambitions and holds him at arm's length all the while she abets her brother's academic cheating. Neither character evolves much. He starts out a bemused academically inclined nobleman and ends up there. She is a squire's daughter with wit and academic ambitions and stays there. Maybe that's what bored me as the story went on.
I found the impasse between the two over-long and irritating but the author threw a curve just in time to rescue the story from the dustbin. Several more unexpected developments redeemed the story but I was still left liking the intellectual lord and vaguely disliking the acerbic, angst-y needlessly conflicted, ungracious heroine. Made me think of the book "Men Love Smart Bitches." 'Nuf said.
I loved the author's depiction of Oxford and its academic life, the campus, the history, all of it infuses the story and gives a wonderful creamy glow to the setting. That was spectacular. Also, she made the epically irritating plot device of a woman in breeches acceptable as it was not overdone or over emphasized. That said, I still wouldn't recommend this to someone looking to read her first Carla Kelly book, better to read Ragsdale. This doesn't compare to Reforming Lord Ragsdale for clean, accurate period details and language, elegantly handled plot and likable but complicated characters-with-secrets who grow, change and find love with one another.
I found the impasse between the two over-long and irritating but the author threw a curve just in time to rescue the story from the dustbin. Several more unexpected developments redeemed the story but I was still left liking the intellectual lord and vaguely disliking the acerbic, angst-y needlessly conflicted, ungracious heroine. Made me think of the book "Men Love Smart Bitches." 'Nuf said.
I loved the author's depiction of Oxford and its academic life, the campus, the history, all of it infuses the story and gives a wonderful creamy glow to the setting. That was spectacular. Also, she made the epically irritating plot device of a woman in breeches acceptable as it was not overdone or over emphasized. That said, I still wouldn't recommend this to someone looking to read her first Carla Kelly book, better to read Ragsdale. This doesn't compare to Reforming Lord Ragsdale for clean, accurate period details and language, elegantly handled plot and likable but complicated characters-with-secrets who grow, change and find love with one another.
October 22, 2012
Although it is without the serious undercurrent which Carla Kelly often includes in her books, Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career is an enjoyable, light Regency romance. Ellen Grimsley loves learning and chafes under society's idea that women don't need an education. When a chance comes for her to study at a school for ladies in Oxford, she jumps at the chance. While there, she meets and interesting but somewhat shabby-looking young man, James Gatewood. The reader knows Jim is also a Marquis, but he keep that little detail form Ellen. Ellen's brother, Gordon, is suppose to be studying at Oxford, but in truth mainly wastes time waiting to be allowed to join the army in Spain. When he needs a quick essay about Shakespeare, he turns to Ellen and begs her to write it for him. This sets off an entertaining chain of events. The plot is not likely, but like parts of Shakespeare's comedies, often very funny.
Ellen is a strong, usually sensible heroine whose desire to be allowed to study is moving. She was a little too stubborn toward the end, but I so enjoyed the way the story was resolved that I forgave that part. Jim is a wonderful beta hero who stole my heart immediately. The conversations between the two are clever and witty. The secondary characters were also well written, and I particularly liked Ellen's relationship with her studious younger brother.
Ellen is a strong, usually sensible heroine whose desire to be allowed to study is moving. She was a little too stubborn toward the end, but I so enjoyed the way the story was resolved that I forgave that part. Jim is a wonderful beta hero who stole my heart immediately. The conversations between the two are clever and witty. The secondary characters were also well written, and I particularly liked Ellen's relationship with her studious younger brother.
March 23, 2016
4.5 stars
I have been reading a lot of modern regency romances where the girl dresses as a man. It is a very popular plot which provides convenient distraction for weak characters and story by authors. It is often very unrealistic and done in a tasteless manner...usually to bring lustful thoughts to the so called hero's small mind when he pays attention to the heroine's buttocks and how shapely they are in a trouser as his mouth waters!
This is how it is suppose to be done to keep it believable for the time period and allow the characters and the plot to remain the focus and what the reader remembers long after they've finished. Well done!
The cast of characters are well developed. They each have their strength, doubts, ideas and weaknesses. We watch few of them grow up and understand the limits life and obligation puts on their ideas. They are very colorful and vivid and they are all together a force that make this story happen.
I have been reading a lot of modern regency romances where the girl dresses as a man. It is a very popular plot which provides convenient distraction for weak characters and story by authors. It is often very unrealistic and done in a tasteless manner...usually to bring lustful thoughts to the so called hero's small mind when he pays attention to the heroine's buttocks and how shapely they are in a trouser as his mouth waters!
This is how it is suppose to be done to keep it believable for the time period and allow the characters and the plot to remain the focus and what the reader remembers long after they've finished. Well done!
The cast of characters are well developed. They each have their strength, doubts, ideas and weaknesses. We watch few of them grow up and understand the limits life and obligation puts on their ideas. They are very colorful and vivid and they are all together a force that make this story happen.
November 16, 2012
I liked the beginning. It was fun and light and a pleasure to read. But as I kept going, I found myself liking the book less.
The heroine cried far too much and ended up annoying me. I very, very rarely cry, so I guess I just don't have the patience for heroines that do cry a lot. The book was also completely from her perspective, when I really would have liked to see some from the hero's point of view.
By about halfway through, the heroine was trying to determine a woman's place in Regency life, seemingly at the expense of the romance. Her wish to study at Oxford and thinking about how unfair women's lives were seemed to take center stage for a large portion of the book. And a number of her ideas seemed a few decades ahead of their time.
The heroine seemed a bit wishy-washy at times. She thought she was in love with the hero, then she wasn't sure, then she thought she probably wasn't, since her examples of love were kind of lame. And throughout it all, she just kept pushing him away.
For the most part, I liked the hero. He was charmingly eccentric, although he, too, seemed to randomly think thoughts a few decades ahead of the times. And I liked that he persisted in his marriage proposals.
The heroine's family was all kind of annoying, although they could be amusing, and occasionally were remarkably astute. I have a real problem with the brother, though.
So I mostly liked the book, but overall it left me feeling a bit dissatisfied. I think that is partly due to the fact that I've heard wonderful things about Carla Kelly, and this book just didn't quite seem to live up to that. I think that if this book had maybe been set around 1860 or so it might've worked a bit better for me.
The heroine cried far too much and ended up annoying me. I very, very rarely cry, so I guess I just don't have the patience for heroines that do cry a lot. The book was also completely from her perspective, when I really would have liked to see some from the hero's point of view.
By about halfway through, the heroine was trying to determine a woman's place in Regency life, seemingly at the expense of the romance. Her wish to study at Oxford and thinking about how unfair women's lives were seemed to take center stage for a large portion of the book. And a number of her ideas seemed a few decades ahead of their time.
The heroine seemed a bit wishy-washy at times. She thought she was in love with the hero, then she wasn't sure, then she thought she probably wasn't, since her examples of love were kind of lame. And throughout it all, she just kept pushing him away.
For the most part, I liked the hero. He was charmingly eccentric, although he, too, seemed to randomly think thoughts a few decades ahead of the times. And I liked that he persisted in his marriage proposals.
The heroine's family was all kind of annoying, although they could be amusing, and occasionally were remarkably astute. I have a real problem with the brother, though.
So I mostly liked the book, but overall it left me feeling a bit dissatisfied. I think that is partly due to the fact that I've heard wonderful things about Carla Kelly, and this book just didn't quite seem to live up to that. I think that if this book had maybe been set around 1860 or so it might've worked a bit better for me.
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August 2, 2017
3 stars but barely made it. This one definitely won't go down as one of my favorites. TBH, I was bored for the most part but it was mainly because I didn't care for our "beautiful and brilliant" heroine. To me, she was every bit silly and clueless as her dumb family. I don't even know what James saw in her, apart from her affinity towards the Bard's work (and her beauty?). She may have wrote some good papers on the Bard but I was bored through and through with her real self.
On the contrary, I LOVED our hero, who I thought deserved a better, and dare I say, more matured woman in his life. Even as I slogged through where Ellen shows her dumb self over and over again, by being a pushover for the half of the story, I lost my patience when she turned down James's marriage proposal for the umpteenth time, reason unknown. I mean for no valid reason at all! After all that he'd done for her, she still couldn't bring herself to come to a decision about his utmost devotion to her. :o I mean, was that part even up for debate? A young, handsome, brilliant, RICH Marquess wants to marry me, who also encourages my interest in Shakespeare, Geography and other things society won't let any gentle lady take part in. Who comes running if he thinks I'm in danger and would do anything to help me and my family so he's also extremely kind. Who already said he loves me... I like him too, but not enough to decide whether I should marry him. Oh geez! From her monologue, all I can say is that she was unquestionably dumb.
It took James's decision to not pursue her any longer (he at least had some reasons, not to retaliate in any way) for Ellen's brain to start working, and finally realizing what an idiot she'd been and how unfairly she'd treated him. Too late Ellen, you've already ruined my fun. -_- *yawn*
On the contrary, I LOVED our hero, who I thought deserved a better, and dare I say, more matured woman in his life. Even as I slogged through where Ellen shows her dumb self over and over again, by being a pushover for the half of the story, I lost my patience when she turned down James's marriage proposal for the umpteenth time, reason unknown. I mean for no valid reason at all! After all that he'd done for her, she still couldn't bring herself to come to a decision about his utmost devotion to her. :o I mean, was that part even up for debate? A young, handsome, brilliant, RICH Marquess wants to marry me, who also encourages my interest in Shakespeare, Geography and other things society won't let any gentle lady take part in. Who comes running if he thinks I'm in danger and would do anything to help me and my family so he's also extremely kind. Who already said he loves me... I like him too, but not enough to decide whether I should marry him. Oh geez! From her monologue, all I can say is that she was unquestionably dumb.
It took James's decision to not pursue her any longer (he at least had some reasons, not to retaliate in any way) for Ellen's brain to start working, and finally realizing what an idiot she'd been and how unfairly she'd treated him. Too late Ellen, you've already ruined my fun. -_- *yawn*
January 22, 2016
The author brought up the never ending issue of women education through the eyes of Ellen, a young woman whose intelligence and eagerness to learn was way ahead of her time.
At Oxford, she met James whom she thought was a poor student and she got the chance to live her dream by helping her brother wrote his assignments. She envied men for their freedom to study and somewhat resented the fact was some men, including her brother, took it for granted. Not helping the matter, most women around her thought that educated females were useless and some kind of blasphemy. This was depicted by the author humorously (I hope) through Ellen's mother and sister, the headmistress and students in the woman's academy she attended at Oxford, who cared more about embroidery than Shakespeare.
Ellen herself was no angel either. She's a bit condescending towards those females. She often made fun of her sister and her fiance, though sometimes unconsciously, and thought that their love and adoration towards each other were silly. But this what made me like Ellen, she's a flawed heroine and all of this was the part of her learning process.
I also like James. Ellen learned a lot through him. He's also the odd one in his family so he understood Ellen. He's a bit awkward sometimes but he's every bit the marquess that he was. Quoting him: "I don't get angry, I get even."
But I don't care too much about the PDAs and there's a lot of them. Of course there's other books, eroticas, that were set in the regency era but usually the hot stuff happened in the privacy of a bedroom or a dark garden. Then there's this scene where James and Ellen kissing while both of them wearing men's clothing and scholar gown, in public! Wouldn't that be frowned upon?
Overall it's good read.
At Oxford, she met James whom she thought was a poor student and she got the chance to live her dream by helping her brother wrote his assignments. She envied men for their freedom to study and somewhat resented the fact was some men, including her brother, took it for granted. Not helping the matter, most women around her thought that educated females were useless and some kind of blasphemy. This was depicted by the author humorously (I hope) through Ellen's mother and sister, the headmistress and students in the woman's academy she attended at Oxford, who cared more about embroidery than Shakespeare.
Ellen herself was no angel either. She's a bit condescending towards those females. She often made fun of her sister and her fiance, though sometimes unconsciously, and thought that their love and adoration towards each other were silly. But this what made me like Ellen, she's a flawed heroine and all of this was the part of her learning process.
I also like James. Ellen learned a lot through him. He's also the odd one in his family so he understood Ellen. He's a bit awkward sometimes but he's every bit the marquess that he was. Quoting him: "I don't get angry, I get even."
But I don't care too much about the PDAs and there's a lot of them. Of course there's other books, eroticas, that were set in the regency era but usually the hot stuff happened in the privacy of a bedroom or a dark garden. Then there's this scene where James and Ellen kissing while both of them wearing men's clothing and scholar gown, in public! Wouldn't that be frowned upon?
Overall it's good read.
April 14, 2015
Ellen feels trapped. She knows her duty is to marry a suitable man and live out a life similar to her mother's, but she wants to study so badly, and is terribly jealous of her brother, Gordon, who has been "forced" to go to Oxford. With the help of her aunt, she gets permission to go and study at a school for ladies in Oxford, but needlepoint and French aren't quite what she had in mind. And so when her brother begs her to write a paper for him on a Shakespeare play, she agrees - even dresses as a man to get her information. When she is caught by James, a scholar, he not only keeps her secret, but they become great friends, and she may learn more from him than just Shakespeare.
I have read a lot of Regency romances, and this was definitely one of my favorites. I loved Ellen, and her spunky attitude and her thirst for knowledge. The availability of education for women is something we definitely take for granted in our country and our time period. I can't imagine how bored I would have been if I had not had the college education I had - or even high school, for that matter.
I also really loved James' character, and how it showed how limited every person was to make their own choices in that society. And the romance between the two of them was engaging, fun, and heartfelt. Even in disagreement, I loved how comfortable they felt together, which was one of the ways I knew I was in love with my own husband.
It was a clean and delightful read - so much so, that I broke my rule, and let myself read all afternoon, and then late at night to finish it in two days.
I have read a lot of Regency romances, and this was definitely one of my favorites. I loved Ellen, and her spunky attitude and her thirst for knowledge. The availability of education for women is something we definitely take for granted in our country and our time period. I can't imagine how bored I would have been if I had not had the college education I had - or even high school, for that matter.
I also really loved James' character, and how it showed how limited every person was to make their own choices in that society. And the romance between the two of them was engaging, fun, and heartfelt. Even in disagreement, I loved how comfortable they felt together, which was one of the ways I knew I was in love with my own husband.
It was a clean and delightful read - so much so, that I broke my rule, and let myself read all afternoon, and then late at night to finish it in two days.
September 10, 2010
I was feeling like I wanted a bit of a comfort read, so pulled out an old Carla Kelly. Honestly, I have never read a Regency set amongst scholars at Oxford, so that alone makes this a stand-out book. Our bookish heroine writes essays for her brother and finds her true love in a fellow at All Souls College.
There is a good bit of commentary in Miss Grimsley on a woman's right to education and part of the attraction of the hero is his sympathy for this point of view. While this isn't Carla Kelly's best IMHO (Marrying the Royal Marine holds that distinction), she's written a delightful beta hero and a heroine who is his perfect match. As an extra bonus, Oxford itself is a secondary character, depicted by Kelly with great affection.
Miss Grimsley is proof (as though we needed any) that Kelly knows her history--as well as the esoteric academic practices of the Oxbridge set.
There is a good bit of commentary in Miss Grimsley on a woman's right to education and part of the attraction of the hero is his sympathy for this point of view. While this isn't Carla Kelly's best IMHO (Marrying the Royal Marine holds that distinction), she's written a delightful beta hero and a heroine who is his perfect match. As an extra bonus, Oxford itself is a secondary character, depicted by Kelly with great affection.
Miss Grimsley is proof (as though we needed any) that Kelly knows her history--as well as the esoteric academic practices of the Oxbridge set.
August 4, 2020
DNF 55% got bored.
August 21, 2020
Carla Kelly can write some of the most charming characters I have read.
Ellen is part of a family which has so many situations going on it was hard to keep track. A sister is getting married, a brother is going to Oxford another brother has been left at home to be sent to become a man of business. Ellen wants to get a “real” education. When she is sent to a girl’s school, she finds that is not anywhere near what she hoped.
On the trip to her school, she accidentally meets James. James is an Oxford scholar. He admires Ellen immediately. She seems to let him disappear from her memory.
When events become complicated, Ellen gets the chance to go to an actual Oxford class and learn. She is over the moon.
Ms Kelly’s humor is shown here. I am a fan of her ability to make me laugh at the antics of her characters and her humorous plot lines.
At times, I felt the action was up and down. There seemed to me to be some slow spots.
No matter what, it is an entertaining story.
Ellen is intelligent as well as clever about many things, but her strengths do not include relationship growth. I hoped she could go in a straight line toward James. At times, she seemed to be confused about her feelings.
James is a man of good humor, he has his personal secrets and he is kindness personified.
The secondary characters add a great deal to the book. Ms Kelly is a master at creating secondary characters who come close to stealing the spotlight.
I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more of Ms Kelly’s stories. It is always good to laugh.
Ellen is part of a family which has so many situations going on it was hard to keep track. A sister is getting married, a brother is going to Oxford another brother has been left at home to be sent to become a man of business. Ellen wants to get a “real” education. When she is sent to a girl’s school, she finds that is not anywhere near what she hoped.
On the trip to her school, she accidentally meets James. James is an Oxford scholar. He admires Ellen immediately. She seems to let him disappear from her memory.
When events become complicated, Ellen gets the chance to go to an actual Oxford class and learn. She is over the moon.
Ms Kelly’s humor is shown here. I am a fan of her ability to make me laugh at the antics of her characters and her humorous plot lines.
At times, I felt the action was up and down. There seemed to me to be some slow spots.
No matter what, it is an entertaining story.
Ellen is intelligent as well as clever about many things, but her strengths do not include relationship growth. I hoped she could go in a straight line toward James. At times, she seemed to be confused about her feelings.
James is a man of good humor, he has his personal secrets and he is kindness personified.
The secondary characters add a great deal to the book. Ms Kelly is a master at creating secondary characters who come close to stealing the spotlight.
I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more of Ms Kelly’s stories. It is always good to laugh.
September 21, 2024
This one was just okay.
One of her more lighthearted books. I liked that the Hero was immediately besotted. For a supposedly intelligent heroine, she acted quite clueless.
The very intelligent heroine is envious of her older brother who gets to go to Oxford for higher education. He is merely squandering his opportunity while she is chomping at the bit dreaming of her lost opportunities.
Through the manipulations of an aunt she gets to go to a women’s college in Oxford. It doesn’t quite live up to her expectations but its better than nothing. This is where she meets the Hero who is a lord. He is at Oxford still indulging his love of Shakespeare instead of attending to his estate.
He does not reveal to the heroine that he is a peer of the realm, she thinks he is simply a student. Her brother sort of coerces her into writing his essays on Shakespeare’s plays, for him, and she does such a good job that the brother starts getting accolades.
The Hero knows she is helping the brother cheat, but he encourages her since he is also a Shakespeare scholar and enjoys talking w her. This almost causes a scandal and the heroine’s father is called to take her back home. The Hero proposes at this point.
This is also the part of the story that dragged. The heroine refuses the Hero too many times, she hems and haws, she had endless internal monologues w herself on the subject of love.
So yes it dragged a bit towards the end. Of course the couple eventually sort it sll out, and agree to marry. The were meant for each other, an academically inclined Hero finally gets the brainy heroine.
One of her more lighthearted books. I liked that the Hero was immediately besotted. For a supposedly intelligent heroine, she acted quite clueless.
The very intelligent heroine is envious of her older brother who gets to go to Oxford for higher education. He is merely squandering his opportunity while she is chomping at the bit dreaming of her lost opportunities.
Through the manipulations of an aunt she gets to go to a women’s college in Oxford. It doesn’t quite live up to her expectations but its better than nothing. This is where she meets the Hero who is a lord. He is at Oxford still indulging his love of Shakespeare instead of attending to his estate.
He does not reveal to the heroine that he is a peer of the realm, she thinks he is simply a student. Her brother sort of coerces her into writing his essays on Shakespeare’s plays, for him, and she does such a good job that the brother starts getting accolades.
The Hero knows she is helping the brother cheat, but he encourages her since he is also a Shakespeare scholar and enjoys talking w her. This almost causes a scandal and the heroine’s father is called to take her back home. The Hero proposes at this point.
This is also the part of the story that dragged. The heroine refuses the Hero too many times, she hems and haws, she had endless internal monologues w herself on the subject of love.
So yes it dragged a bit towards the end. Of course the couple eventually sort it sll out, and agree to marry. The were meant for each other, an academically inclined Hero finally gets the brainy heroine.
June 24, 2022
It took me awhile to get used to the style of writing, but once I got into it, I quite enjoyed this book! I don't believe it's very believable.
March 13, 2023
A very fun, and sweet regency read.
March 8, 2016
Oh, this was such a fun story! 4 1/2 stars!
Back in the day, early 19th century, a well-rounded education for girls was not considered important. Our eager and determined heroine, Ellen, has a tiny window of educational possibility open to her, thanks to a conniving aunt. (And the way that comes about is clever and fun!)
So off Ellen goes, excited by her wildest academic dreams to learn the wonders of the world! But hold on a minute…by “Oxford” education, it doesn’t exactly mean actual Oxford University. Ellen’s “college” is just in the vicinity of Oxford, and academically, her sweet bubble bursts!
It seems the “challenging courses” open to her are French and Embroidery. Again, not what she was expecting. (Wish I could find the quote, cuz it was pretty funny. The gist of the class was the many ways of doing French knots.) Determined Ellen craved academic challenge. She was allowed to take Geography, but it wasn’t much better. (Page 141) Geography: “…she had learned all she cared to know about the exports of Portugal.” “…I had just come from an hour’s enlightenment on the kinds of and varieties of cork and its implications in the society we live in.”
But all is not lost academically for our lovely heroine. Thanks to her idiot older brother, Gordon, who is not exactly taking advantage of his privileged Oxford education, the window of opportunity opens a bit more, enough for Ellen to sneak right on through and check out the really important stuff! Enough set up!
I haven’t even mentioned Lord Chesney and his whole important part in the plot, from their first crucial meeting, to the last romantic “Yes!” He is absolutely key in this fun story, even though it’s a sad commentary on female education at that time. Hey, it just the way things were way back when.
Well done, Carla Kelly! This is definitely one of my favorites!
…And btw - thanks for the historical update at the end.
Back in the day, early 19th century, a well-rounded education for girls was not considered important. Our eager and determined heroine, Ellen, has a tiny window of educational possibility open to her, thanks to a conniving aunt. (And the way that comes about is clever and fun!)
So off Ellen goes, excited by her wildest academic dreams to learn the wonders of the world! But hold on a minute…by “Oxford” education, it doesn’t exactly mean actual Oxford University. Ellen’s “college” is just in the vicinity of Oxford, and academically, her sweet bubble bursts!
It seems the “challenging courses” open to her are French and Embroidery. Again, not what she was expecting. (Wish I could find the quote, cuz it was pretty funny. The gist of the class was the many ways of doing French knots.) Determined Ellen craved academic challenge. She was allowed to take Geography, but it wasn’t much better. (Page 141) Geography: “…she had learned all she cared to know about the exports of Portugal.” “…I had just come from an hour’s enlightenment on the kinds of and varieties of cork and its implications in the society we live in.”
But all is not lost academically for our lovely heroine. Thanks to her idiot older brother, Gordon, who is not exactly taking advantage of his privileged Oxford education, the window of opportunity opens a bit more, enough for Ellen to sneak right on through and check out the really important stuff! Enough set up!
I haven’t even mentioned Lord Chesney and his whole important part in the plot, from their first crucial meeting, to the last romantic “Yes!” He is absolutely key in this fun story, even though it’s a sad commentary on female education at that time. Hey, it just the way things were way back when.
Well done, Carla Kelly! This is definitely one of my favorites!
…And btw - thanks for the historical update at the end.
January 11, 2013
This book was a joyful treasure. I could surely relate to Ellen's desire to do more than stay in her own home town and marry the dunce down the street. Her escapades are laughable as she enrolls in Miss Dingnam's Select Female Academy in Oxford in the mistaken belief that she can further develop her studies there. She only succeeds in tangling her embroidery thread and getting in trouble for writing her brother Gordon's papers, who is a student at the all male college there. (How she resents the fact that women cannot attend!) The action is hilarious, as well as instructive as to the conventions of that day. I thoroughly enjoyed the stimulating conversation between various members of her family, Lord Chesney, and the maid, Becky. It makes me appreciate the freedoms we women have today in America. I hope that she comes out with more books like this!
August 28, 2012
Oh this was such a cute story. I really liked how well matched they were for each other and I liked the fact that she wasn't some "dumb blonde"(no offence to blondes of course). I think I would recommend this one to anyone who likes a sweet regency. My only real hang up is the end. I did not like how her Brother Gordon got involved to get them together. I also *spoiler alert* did not like the fact that she proprosed to him! I mean for Heaven's sake he spent how many pages proposing to her every single day and then all of a sudden he stops (because it's what's best for her) and then she decides to do it herself? It just kind of killed a little bit of the romantic fantasy for me. Over-all though I really liked this book!!
April 18, 2015
2.5 stars. This had some genuinely charming moments. It reminded me in a way of Georgette Heyer's books. However, I found some of the extraneous plots irrelevant, some of the early chapters ridiculous, and if the main characters weren't together my interest waned. It felt rather anachronistic at times - far too much touching and kissing of hands for the period etc. However, when the characters were together, I loved them. They were adorable and funny and likeable. So, even if this book was only mediocre, I couldn't quit reading it because I found Jim and Ellen were so amusing.
December 31, 2013
I loved this book. I laughed and found myself smiling lots. I loved the characters and the plot. I loved the way this was handled. I don't like the story lines where the girl dresses as a boy and the man falls in love with the boy. I was relived she handled this story so much differently. Ellen was an awesome leading lady and even with a bought of stupidity in the end. This books has no religion. It is a very clean regency romance that I totally loved. I will be buying this one.
November 17, 2014
This is a fun read with lots of witticism and a sweet romance. I liked the fact that both main characters had pressures to conform with society. It wasn't just the poor put upon woman who had no choices. The Shakespeare references were fun and the characters were likeable and easy to picture.
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