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Irish Autumn
It has been the talk of the country. Irish society has been scandalized at the news of lovely Berengaria Ivory’s betrothal. It wasn’t the fact that she was only sixteen when her father promised her to th grandson of his old friend and neighbor, the Earl of Lindal, nor the fact that the couple had never met. It was the fact that young Torin, her intended bridegroom eloped only days later—with a chambermaid!
Garia’s heart was broken, for in her romantic dreams she had imagined Torin the most handsome and charming of men, but she weathered the gossip and the new scandal when her father’s second wife ran away to India leaving behind her three young sons from a previous marriage. Indeed, Garia loved the boys dearly as if they were her own brothers, and after her father died, she devoted all her efforts to ensuring that their mother could never claim them for the sake of their inheritance. To this end, she refused every offer of marriage, concentrating only on managing the estate which supported them all.
When Garia learned that Torin had returned after ten years abroad to claim his grandfather’s lands and title, she felt secure enough to greet her erstwhile betrothed with equanimity. But he was everything she ever fancied—handsome with deep green eyes and a knowing smile. She found it hard to believe that the thoughtful gentleman before her could ever have treated a lady so ungallantly, for he offered friendship and extended every kindness to her and her stepbrothers. His attentions were unwavering, and Garia soon found that she wanted more from him: she wanted his once-promised love.
Garia’s heart was broken, for in her romantic dreams she had imagined Torin the most handsome and charming of men, but she weathered the gossip and the new scandal when her father’s second wife ran away to India leaving behind her three young sons from a previous marriage. Indeed, Garia loved the boys dearly as if they were her own brothers, and after her father died, she devoted all her efforts to ensuring that their mother could never claim them for the sake of their inheritance. To this end, she refused every offer of marriage, concentrating only on managing the estate which supported them all.
When Garia learned that Torin had returned after ten years abroad to claim his grandfather’s lands and title, she felt secure enough to greet her erstwhile betrothed with equanimity. But he was everything she ever fancied—handsome with deep green eyes and a knowing smile. She found it hard to believe that the thoughtful gentleman before her could ever have treated a lady so ungallantly, for he offered friendship and extended every kindness to her and her stepbrothers. His attentions were unwavering, and Garia soon found that she wanted more from him: she wanted his once-promised love.
- GenresFiction
216 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1990
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 2, 2014
Miss Berengaria Ivory is a six-and-twenty year old Irish spinster with her own estate. She has no time for romance for she's busy raising her three young stepbrothers. She adores them as if they were her own flesh and blood and lives in dread that their scandalous mother will return from India to claim them. She wants to give the boys everything they could ever need or desire and for that she needs money. She is considering marrying her solicitor and friend, Mr. Ruan, but she is hesitant to marry without love. Her father's old friend and neighbor, the Earl of Lindal died and now his grandson has returned from wandering to take up his duties. The Earl's return is bound to cause gossip for ten years ago he was contracted to marry Garia and then ran off with the chambermaid! Garia has never met the new Earl and is sure she can meet him with the calm indifference of a neighbor. Her brothers want to continue the free reign of the property the old Earl allowed them. The eldest boy, Jeremy, a serious lad of 14, loves to hunt. Egan, shy and studious, wants free reign of the Earl's library and young Bennet, age 8, loves to roam the country and tends to get into mischief. Torin, the new Earl is tired of his nomadic life. He's tired of being a rake and has come back to Ireland to settle down, if his reputation isn't permanently damaged. His cousin Thomas and Estate Manager is there to support him and help him, but when Torin discovers the marriage contract still in his grandfather's desk, Thomas is shocked and suggests burning it. Torin isn't so sure he wants to do that for when he met Garia for the first time, he found her quite lovely. He comes to know Garia and her brothers as a friend and neighbor. He doesn't wish to force her into anything she doesn't want to do, but when it seems as if Garia will give in to Ruan, Torin may have to play his trump card. Can he win the love of such an exceptional woman? Garia feels strange whenever she is around Torin; could this feeling be love? How can she marry a man who doesn't love her? Does she even really want to marry and give up her independence? If only she could find a man she loved who would love her and allow her to be independent... Neither man is used to not getting what he wants and they won't give up until Garia is wed.
This is a pretty good story. It's not super light but it's not dark and angst filled. The Howard boys provide plenty of comic relief and the servants and tenants add a bit of comedy as well. The boys are similar to Frederica's brothers so if you love them, you'll like Garia's brothers. The plot is good though it could be a bit tighter. I would have preferred the romantic dilemma without a villain. The romance builds nicely. At first it seems as if their relationship is going to be based on physical attraction or love at first sight, but the story develops from there. The hero and heroine becomes good friends and he falls in love with her brothers too. The story starts to falter a bit towards the middle and the misunderstanding doesn't make a lot of sense. It picked up again after that was resolved and I liked how the relationship developed from there. The villain preys on Garia's doubts and fears but she knows her own mind and heart so the plot doesn't go wildly off track. The ending is a bit too tidy. It's straight out of a novel and I didn't find it all that realistic but it's all that a novel reader could wish for.
The characters are all really good. I especially loved Garia. She's independent and strong. She is an admirable landlady and truly loves her estate and all the people on it. She's a doting sister though the boys are not her flesh and blood. She could be too selfless and self-sacrificing but she's not. She seems realistic. She has valid fears and realistic hopes and dreams. If you don't like heroines who blindly accept the hero has had mistresses in the past, then you probably won't like her, but I liked that she accepted his past and even referenced it frequently. I didn't really like the hero. He's kind and caring but yet I found his past exploits really turned me off. It's one thing to be a rake in London with opera dancers and high flyers but chambermaids who act like harlots are more likely to be diseased and also he had a responsibility to protect a woman in his employment, not take advantage of her even if she was willing. I far preferred Thomas who is kind and noble; or at least we don't hear about his past liaisons. The villains seem a bit cartoonish at first but there's more to them than what is shown on the surface. They have stories that have shaped their character. I do think though, the chief villain's intentions were obvious and an intelligent woman like Garia should have seen right through them. However, even Elizabeth Bennet was fooled by Mr. Wickham and that book wasn't published yet in Autumn 1812 so Garia couldn't have known to beware of Wickhams.
The romance is kisses only. The hero does describe his checkered past a bit but not in graphic detail and the heroine brings it up in conversation. There's a very tiny amount of sensuality but it's done in a nice way to show the growing attraction between the hero and heroine. The characters' inner thoughts don't get graphic in any way shape or form.
This is a pretty good story. It's not super light but it's not dark and angst filled. The Howard boys provide plenty of comic relief and the servants and tenants add a bit of comedy as well. The boys are similar to Frederica's brothers so if you love them, you'll like Garia's brothers. The plot is good though it could be a bit tighter. I would have preferred the romantic dilemma without a villain. The romance builds nicely. At first it seems as if their relationship is going to be based on physical attraction or love at first sight, but the story develops from there. The hero and heroine becomes good friends and he falls in love with her brothers too. The story starts to falter a bit towards the middle and the misunderstanding doesn't make a lot of sense. It picked up again after that was resolved and I liked how the relationship developed from there. The villain preys on Garia's doubts and fears but she knows her own mind and heart so the plot doesn't go wildly off track. The ending is a bit too tidy. It's straight out of a novel and I didn't find it all that realistic but it's all that a novel reader could wish for.
The characters are all really good. I especially loved Garia. She's independent and strong. She is an admirable landlady and truly loves her estate and all the people on it. She's a doting sister though the boys are not her flesh and blood. She could be too selfless and self-sacrificing but she's not. She seems realistic. She has valid fears and realistic hopes and dreams. If you don't like heroines who blindly accept the hero has had mistresses in the past, then you probably won't like her, but I liked that she accepted his past and even referenced it frequently. I didn't really like the hero. He's kind and caring but yet I found his past exploits really turned me off. It's one thing to be a rake in London with opera dancers and high flyers but chambermaids who act like harlots are more likely to be diseased and also he had a responsibility to protect a woman in his employment, not take advantage of her even if she was willing. I far preferred Thomas who is kind and noble; or at least we don't hear about his past liaisons. The villains seem a bit cartoonish at first but there's more to them than what is shown on the surface. They have stories that have shaped their character. I do think though, the chief villain's intentions were obvious and an intelligent woman like Garia should have seen right through them. However, even Elizabeth Bennet was fooled by Mr. Wickham and that book wasn't published yet in Autumn 1812 so Garia couldn't have known to beware of Wickhams.
The romance is kisses only. The hero does describe his checkered past a bit but not in graphic detail and the heroine brings it up in conversation. There's a very tiny amount of sensuality but it's done in a nice way to show the growing attraction between the hero and heroine. The characters' inner thoughts don't get graphic in any way shape or form.
June 26, 2020
Romance set in Ireland, Torin I totally adore. Great light romance
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews