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The Mysterious Miss M #5
The Vanishing Viscountess
A woman of innocence and notoriety
The prisoner stood with an expression of defiance, leather shackles on her wrists. Adam Vickery, Marquess of Tannerton, was drawn to this woman, so dignified in her plight. He didn't recognize her as the once innocent, hopeful debutante he had danced with long years ago.
Marlena Parronley, the notorious Vanishing Viscountess, was a fugitive. Seeing the dashing, carefree marquess of her dreams just reminded her that she couldn't risk letting anyone, especially Tanner, get caught up in helping her escape. He would face the same punishment she did. The hangman's noose.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
6 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Diane Gaston
175 books127 followersDiane Gaston’s dream job had always been to write romance novels. One day she decided to pursue that dream and has never looked back; she is now writing full-time. Her books have won Romance’s highest honour—the RITA Award, the National Readers Choice Award and the Golden Heart. She lives in Virginia with her husband and three very ordinary house cats. Diane loves to hear from readers and friends.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 26, 2010
I usually turn to the Harlequin Historical line for Medievals and Westerns which are hard to come by nowadays, rather than Regencies, which are churned out by seemingly every publisher out there. So this is my first HH Regency and I picked it up because I'd heard Diane Gaston is a good writer. Well she is, at least on the evidence of this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Tanner is a wonderful hero, strong and protective but kind, flirtatious and with a sense of humor. We are told that he feels guilty for some deaths that happened a while ago (was this in a previous book?), and that helps explain why he latches on to Marlena right away and is so determined to save her. He becomes devoted to her pretty quickly and has no problem making sacrifices to accompany her on her escape. I like how he learns to do things for himself, make his own travel arrangements, when he has always had a staff to rely on before.
Marlena is a strong woman. I liked her, although I wished she would have confided her full story to Tanner much earlier. He was a good guy and deserved more than the half-truths he was getting. She held out too long IMO and cost this book a star.
This story really worked for me because of the action. There are no ballrooms or parties. It starts with a shipwreck and continues with a road romance, with the hero and heroine being pursued by villains and a Bow Street Runner. Tanner and Marlena spend most of the book together, the focus is squarely on them, and I liked that.
Tanner is a wonderful hero, strong and protective but kind, flirtatious and with a sense of humor. We are told that he feels guilty for some deaths that happened a while ago (was this in a previous book?), and that helps explain why he latches on to Marlena right away and is so determined to save her. He becomes devoted to her pretty quickly and has no problem making sacrifices to accompany her on her escape. I like how he learns to do things for himself, make his own travel arrangements, when he has always had a staff to rely on before.
Marlena is a strong woman. I liked her, although I wished she would have confided her full story to Tanner much earlier. He was a good guy and deserved more than the half-truths he was getting. She held out too long IMO and cost this book a star.
This story really worked for me because of the action. There are no ballrooms or parties. It starts with a shipwreck and continues with a road romance, with the hero and heroine being pursued by villains and a Bow Street Runner. Tanner and Marlena spend most of the book together, the focus is squarely on them, and I liked that.
October 9, 2010
I have to say, this one surprised me. I'd read other books by this author, and loved her steamy short stories, but found her longer stories lacking. This one wasn't steamy, but was just a great story.
It starts out with a dramatic beginning - a shipwreck, and unfolds into a great story of escape, redemption and love. The prose isn't blistering, but there is something nice about it's simplicity.
The hero is a man of great promise who feels he has little value to anyone, nor purpose in life. He feels his selfishness has caused others' deaths. The heroine is a woman on-the-run, accused of murder and desperate to escape the hangman.
There are many moments I really enjoyed, but perhaps the best were all centered on how much more credible the story was than I expected. So many HRs have similar plots, and similar twists, but with this book I didn't feel that there were silly misunderstandings nor that either the hero or heroine were irrational in their choices. There were moments of misunderstandings in the story, sure, but, as in real life, they were dealt with quickly and were nothing more than passing interactions between characters, and not the basis for some spurious plot.
Also, interestingly, none of the characters was completely evil nor completely good. They were all a shade of grey, and I appreciated that.
Good, solid book.
It starts out with a dramatic beginning - a shipwreck, and unfolds into a great story of escape, redemption and love. The prose isn't blistering, but there is something nice about it's simplicity.
The hero is a man of great promise who feels he has little value to anyone, nor purpose in life. He feels his selfishness has caused others' deaths. The heroine is a woman on-the-run, accused of murder and desperate to escape the hangman.
There are many moments I really enjoyed, but perhaps the best were all centered on how much more credible the story was than I expected. So many HRs have similar plots, and similar twists, but with this book I didn't feel that there were silly misunderstandings nor that either the hero or heroine were irrational in their choices. There were moments of misunderstandings in the story, sure, but, as in real life, they were dealt with quickly and were nothing more than passing interactions between characters, and not the basis for some spurious plot.
Also, interestingly, none of the characters was completely evil nor completely good. They were all a shade of grey, and I appreciated that.
Good, solid book.
April 29, 2018
A little slow in spots, but nice romance and good characters.
October 15, 2009
I enjoyed Diane Gaston's first two books very much and them original stories, ever since then I've been buying her books in the hopes of finding more stories that appeal to me. Unfortunately I never did find another keeper and this one was no exception.
Marlena (the name put me off a bit, it sounded like a second rate singer...) is the Vanishing Viscountess ever since she run away after having been accused of murdering her husband. In fact she is innocent, she was framed by her cousin who wants to inherit her estate and the family title.
When the story opens Marlena has been found by a Bow Street Runner and is being taken to London for her murder trial. Adam, Marquess of Tannerton is travelling on the same boat coming from Ireland when they sink. Adam saves Marlena when she is abandoned to a certain death by the Runner and decides to help her escape to Scotland after she tells him she was falsely accused of stealing some jewels. I have to say that I didn't understand why he should feel compelled to help a criminal escape, save her from dying yes but escape from justice when he knew nothing about her? He also felt attracted to her very quickly and from then on it all became very predictable. I did like the young maid and her beau who were secondary characters though, I could see them falling in love much better than Marlena and Tanner who actually deceived each other for half the book. Falling in lust yes, but in love... I wasn't convinced...
Grade: 3.5/5
Marlena (the name put me off a bit, it sounded like a second rate singer...) is the Vanishing Viscountess ever since she run away after having been accused of murdering her husband. In fact she is innocent, she was framed by her cousin who wants to inherit her estate and the family title.
When the story opens Marlena has been found by a Bow Street Runner and is being taken to London for her murder trial. Adam, Marquess of Tannerton is travelling on the same boat coming from Ireland when they sink. Adam saves Marlena when she is abandoned to a certain death by the Runner and decides to help her escape to Scotland after she tells him she was falsely accused of stealing some jewels. I have to say that I didn't understand why he should feel compelled to help a criminal escape, save her from dying yes but escape from justice when he knew nothing about her? He also felt attracted to her very quickly and from then on it all became very predictable. I did like the young maid and her beau who were secondary characters though, I could see them falling in love much better than Marlena and Tanner who actually deceived each other for half the book. Falling in lust yes, but in love... I wasn't convinced...
Grade: 3.5/5
March 7, 2009
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'm not a big fan of Regency romances and it usually takes a fantastic story to keep me interested in one. This book is classified as a Regency but I would have to call it more of a historical.
The story begins on a ship from Ireland bound to England, and its foundering in a storm. Marquess Adam Tannerton (or Tanner) is on board and feels sure this is his doom. Across the crowded room where the passengers have been herded he spies a woman in shackles with a Bow Street runner. He wonders what a beautiful young woman could have done to end up as she has. As the boat finally starts to go down and the order to abandon ship is given, Tanner sees the runner leave this beautiful woman behind to "meet her fate" with the sea. Tanner decides that his last act in a long life of debauchery will be to save this woman's life. And so begins this really interesting story.
The story begins on a ship from Ireland bound to England, and its foundering in a storm. Marquess Adam Tannerton (or Tanner) is on board and feels sure this is his doom. Across the crowded room where the passengers have been herded he spies a woman in shackles with a Bow Street runner. He wonders what a beautiful young woman could have done to end up as she has. As the boat finally starts to go down and the order to abandon ship is given, Tanner sees the runner leave this beautiful woman behind to "meet her fate" with the sea. Tanner decides that his last act in a long life of debauchery will be to save this woman's life. And so begins this really interesting story.
June 27, 2017
Enjoyed aspects -- how they meet, each having a black mark on their past, saving one another, some unconventional threads -- but it really bogged down in the last third. I liked them on the run and in disguise, but that unspooled too long and ran thin (as did the numerous love scenes--I get it, they cannot exist without each other & marvel in that, but when you're on the run for your life maybe you indulge in a little less sleeping-in morning sex). By the time they wound up at the one-place-they-should-not-go, it required a lot of conveniences to wrap up all the subplots.
July 1, 2018
The only parts I didn't like were the attempted abductions and the actions of the villans.
March 6, 2021
A ship wreck brings Adam Vickery, the Marquess of Tannerton and Marlena Parronley together on a road trip through Scotland.
October 10, 2020
Oi, gente!
Estou atualizando a conta, por isso, a resenha está diferente do de sempre, mas sou eu a escrever haha.
Semana passada fui à biblioteca e peguei dois livros, e hoje trago a resenha de um deles para vocês.
Título original em inglês: The Vanishing Viscountess
Autora: Diane Gaston
Páginas: 249
Sinopse
Mesmo algemada, ela ainda ostentava uma expressão de desafio. Embora incrivelmente atraído pela prisioneira, Adam Vickery, o marquês de Tannerton, não mais reconhecia nela a debutante inocente e esperançosa com a qual dançara havia tantos anos. Agora, Marlena Parronley, a famosa "Viscondessa Desaparecida", era uma fugitiva. Para ela, reencontrar o belo e descontraído marquês de seus sonhos servia apenas para lembrá-la de que não podia se arriscar a permitir que ninguém, especialmente Tannerton, fosse flagrado ajudando-a a escapar. Afinal, um cúmplice teria o mesmo destino que a aguardava: o cadafalso...
Resenha
É um romance de época onde já começa com a emoção de um iminente naufrágio em uma mar tempestuoso. Nessa tragédia, temos um mocinho que vê o desespero de muitas pessoas ao seu redor, mas não de uma. Ela, a mocinha do romance, não demonstra medo e parece enfrentar bem a situação sem qualquer desespero em sua face, mesmo com algemas e um agente da lei prendendo sua liberdade em um situação tão desoladora quanto a de um barco afundar, o que de fato acontece.
"A ventania uivava como um animal selvagem. E sob seu ataque violento o pequeno barco estalava, gemia e suplicava por misericórdia." p. 5.
Ocorreu que ambos se salvaram, ele, Marquês de Tannerson, ou simplesmente Tanner, como os mais amigos chamavam-no, salvou a prisioneira, a bela senhorita Brown, ou Marlena como nós, os leitores, sabemos logo no início e do porquê de sua prisão, de se afogarem após o naufrágio.
Tanner quer ajudar a jovem, sente-se atraído por essa moça, o que acontece com ela também desde quando era mais nova. Porém, ambos vão ter que enfrentar muitos desafios para poderem ficarem juntos, nomes falsos, perseguições, caminhos torturosos e fugas até Edimburgo, Escócia.
Todavia, nem só de dor e sofrimento temos aqui, há momentos de suspirar e de torcer para que o casal dê certo, muita paixão envolvida, além de possuir pessoas generosas durante a viagem. Ao fim, é revelado os motivos de Marlena ter sido acusada e condenada pelo crime de assassinato por um vilão não muito calculista em minha opinião, mas cruel o suficiente.
"Um brinde a você, ... Marlena. Logo nos veremos novamente. Aí, você encontrará o seu destino." p.209.
Foi um livro agradável, é rápido de ler e meio dramático, entendemos o ponto de vista de cada um dos dois mocinhos, seus medos e ânsias, de querer preservar um e outro. Ri também, e confesso que soltei uma lagriminha mais para o final, porque foi bem emocionante.
"- Não vai voltar? - ele perguntou.
- Voltar?
- Pegou minha mania?
- Mania?
- A mania de repetir tudo o que digo.
Ela sorriu." p. 93.
Eu nunca tinha lido nada dessa autora e gostei um pouco da escrita dela, apesar de usar muitas palavras repetidas entre frases seguidas, isso acabou me incomodando de certa forma.
Sobre a edição
A edição é daqueles romance de banca, com folhas de papel jornal e sem orelhas. Encontrei pequenos erros de gramática também, mas o que realmente desgastou minha leitura foi o fato de ter de abrir bem o livro, não conseguia ler o término da palavra sem fazer isso, pois era muito colada à lombada.
Estou atualizando a conta, por isso, a resenha está diferente do de sempre, mas sou eu a escrever haha.
Semana passada fui à biblioteca e peguei dois livros, e hoje trago a resenha de um deles para vocês.
Título original em inglês: The Vanishing Viscountess
Autora: Diane Gaston
Páginas: 249
Sinopse
Mesmo algemada, ela ainda ostentava uma expressão de desafio. Embora incrivelmente atraído pela prisioneira, Adam Vickery, o marquês de Tannerton, não mais reconhecia nela a debutante inocente e esperançosa com a qual dançara havia tantos anos. Agora, Marlena Parronley, a famosa "Viscondessa Desaparecida", era uma fugitiva. Para ela, reencontrar o belo e descontraído marquês de seus sonhos servia apenas para lembrá-la de que não podia se arriscar a permitir que ninguém, especialmente Tannerton, fosse flagrado ajudando-a a escapar. Afinal, um cúmplice teria o mesmo destino que a aguardava: o cadafalso...
Resenha
É um romance de época onde já começa com a emoção de um iminente naufrágio em uma mar tempestuoso. Nessa tragédia, temos um mocinho que vê o desespero de muitas pessoas ao seu redor, mas não de uma. Ela, a mocinha do romance, não demonstra medo e parece enfrentar bem a situação sem qualquer desespero em sua face, mesmo com algemas e um agente da lei prendendo sua liberdade em um situação tão desoladora quanto a de um barco afundar, o que de fato acontece.
"A ventania uivava como um animal selvagem. E sob seu ataque violento o pequeno barco estalava, gemia e suplicava por misericórdia." p. 5.
Ocorreu que ambos se salvaram, ele, Marquês de Tannerson, ou simplesmente Tanner, como os mais amigos chamavam-no, salvou a prisioneira, a bela senhorita Brown, ou Marlena como nós, os leitores, sabemos logo no início e do porquê de sua prisão, de se afogarem após o naufrágio.
Tanner quer ajudar a jovem, sente-se atraído por essa moça, o que acontece com ela também desde quando era mais nova. Porém, ambos vão ter que enfrentar muitos desafios para poderem ficarem juntos, nomes falsos, perseguições, caminhos torturosos e fugas até Edimburgo, Escócia.
Todavia, nem só de dor e sofrimento temos aqui, há momentos de suspirar e de torcer para que o casal dê certo, muita paixão envolvida, além de possuir pessoas generosas durante a viagem. Ao fim, é revelado os motivos de Marlena ter sido acusada e condenada pelo crime de assassinato por um vilão não muito calculista em minha opinião, mas cruel o suficiente.
"Um brinde a você, ... Marlena. Logo nos veremos novamente. Aí, você encontrará o seu destino." p.209.
Foi um livro agradável, é rápido de ler e meio dramático, entendemos o ponto de vista de cada um dos dois mocinhos, seus medos e ânsias, de querer preservar um e outro. Ri também, e confesso que soltei uma lagriminha mais para o final, porque foi bem emocionante.
"- Não vai voltar? - ele perguntou.
- Voltar?
- Pegou minha mania?
- Mania?
- A mania de repetir tudo o que digo.
Ela sorriu." p. 93.
Eu nunca tinha lido nada dessa autora e gostei um pouco da escrita dela, apesar de usar muitas palavras repetidas entre frases seguidas, isso acabou me incomodando de certa forma.
Sobre a edição
A edição é daqueles romance de banca, com folhas de papel jornal e sem orelhas. Encontrei pequenos erros de gramática também, mas o que realmente desgastou minha leitura foi o fato de ter de abrir bem o livro, não conseguia ler o término da palavra sem fazer isso, pois era muito colada à lombada.
May 23, 2009
This is the one where I spent a good half hour of my life dwelling on the fact that the cover displays a shirt that is incorrect for the period, so I guess you can see where my priorities are.
It was entertaining enough, and pretty dramatic at the end. While I guess Marlena's constant lying about her past to Tanner and his dwelling on some past sin make sense, they were both seriously overwrought about their own... guilt, I guess. And come to think of it, I don't think Tanner's big "sin" was ever properly explained, or I somehow missed it.
It was entertaining enough, and pretty dramatic at the end. While I guess Marlena's constant lying about her past to Tanner and his dwelling on some past sin make sense, they were both seriously overwrought about their own... guilt, I guess. And come to think of it, I don't think Tanner's big "sin" was ever properly explained, or I somehow missed it.
May 14, 2011
Took this along on a day-trip to read on the train. Second book I've read by this author and she seems to bring things down a few notches from the lofty registers of upper aristocracy so prevalent in historical novels. Very pleasant read.
Read
January 9, 2010Amazon received
January 29, 2017
Not bad. Couldn't wait to find out how it ended.
February 1, 2017
Good fun: an appealing heroine, strong hero, and nasty villain, with lots of action and romance.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews