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Tanglewood #1

The Fall of Lord Drayson

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Who is he really? A high and mighty lord or a lowly servant?

When Colin Cavendish, the new earl of Drayson, informs Lucy Beresford that she and her mother need to vacate the house they've called home for the past two years, Lucy is fit to be tied. They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience?

Fate plays her hand when Lucy discovers the earl unconscious and injured in the middle of the road. When he awakens with no recollection of who he is, Lucy seizes the opportunity to teach the earl a much-needed lesson in humility and tells him that he is nothing more than a mere servant. Her servant, in fact.

And thus begins the charming tale of a pompous lord and an impetuous young woman, caught together in a web so tangled that it begs the question: Will they ever get out?

ebook

First published August 20, 2016

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About the author

Rachael Anderson

32 books1,804 followers
A USA Today bestselling author of clean romance, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

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5 stars
2,037 (40%)
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3 stars
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56 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 779 reviews
Profile Image for Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽.
1,880 reviews23.3k followers
September 5, 2018
Kindle freebie (again), Sept. 5, 2018, for this Regency romance. If sweet and warmhearted Regency romances are your literary crack of choice, go grab it!

Lucy Beresford is the daughter of a poor vicar's widow. At the time of her father's death, she and her mother were lucky enough to receive an oral promise from the old earl of Drayson that they could continue living in the Yorkshire manor's dower house as long as they needed a home. Which they do, very badly. So Lucy takes it poorly when the old earl dies and his son Colin Cavendish, the new earl, informs her that he's going to sell the (money pit) manor and that she and her mother need to vacate the dower house within two months.

Lucy is a feisty young woman and she and the earl have a few words, upsetting them both. As he tears away from her house in an uncertain temper, his horse slips on mud and Colin falls, injuring his head and coming down with a (quite convenient) case of amnesia. Lucy and her maid rescue him and take him in, and when Lucy realizes that Colin has forgotten who he is, she can't resist telling him that he's her new servant, a butler/groomsman/general helper around the place. Colin has a hard time believing it's true -- it just doesn't feel right to him, but for the time being he puts up with it. Also partly because he's starting to find Lucy very attractive.

I thought this might turn into one of those stories that makes me cringe internally out of sheer embarrassment for the characters and the fix they've gotten themselves into, but Rachael Anderson neatly avoided that (whew!). The last half of the novel got a little slow for me, but overall I enjoyed it and read it easily in one evening.

A soft 4 stars. I wouldn't recommend it to sticklers for Regency accuracy, but ― other than rather more kissing than I consider strictly in line with Regency manners among the gentry, and a dance with some off-the-wall silliness by the heroine ― nothing in it struck me as terribly out of line with the times. The premise is a little out there, but contrived plots are pretty much a given in this genre. :) It's got some fun dialogue and I found both the hero and heroine appealing. It's worth downloading as a freebie if you like the milder types of Regencies.
Profile Image for Kathy * Bookworm Nation.
2,157 reviews703 followers
January 13, 2021
Have you ever watched a Fred Astaire movie and thought how effortless his dancing seemed? In actuality, it was a lot of hard work and talent that made his dancing appear so graceful and easy. I kept thinking of that while reading this book and how effortless Rachael's transition from writing Contemporary romance to Regency romance was, when I'm sure a lot of hard work, research and talent went into it. I'm convinced Rachael can write and succeed in any genre and am personally grateful she has taken a chance on writing regencies since it's my favorite genre and I always hoped she would write a regency.

I said it before, Favorite Author + Favorite Genre = BEST BOOK EVER! I really enjoyed this one from start to finish.

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Profile Image for Kathy.
2,741 reviews5,982 followers
August 24, 2016
I was so excited for this one!! How could I not be? Rachael is one of my favorite authors and I love reading Regency romance. This was destined to be a perfect fit. It did not disappoint.
From the characters to the story-line to the laugh out loud funny parts, I loved it all.
Don't miss this one!!

Content: Squeaky clean
Source: Ebook review copy
Profile Image for Anne.
657 reviews115 followers
December 15, 2021
”His memory has vanished for the time being, and… oh, Georgy, he said the most insulting things to me. I am afraid I quite lost my temper and told the most monstrous of tales.”

The Fall of Lord Drayson is a Regency romance set in the countryside on the earl of Drayson’s estate.

Lucy Beresford is distraught after the new lord, Colin Cavendish, unexpectedly informs her that she and her mother will be turned out of the dowager’s house when the estate is soon sold. She thinks him an odious person to disregard his late father’s promise for the permanent use of the house. She and her mother have no means or alternate situation available.

By happenstance, later that evening, Colin was found lying nearby in the road after an apparent accident. Lucy and her maid, Georgy, render Colin aid for his injuries. But when he finally awakens, he has amnesia. Lucy’s vexation about his treatment of her prompts her to lead the earl to believe he is her servant.

Despite Georgy, the voice of reason, advising Lucy to set Colin straight, and Lucy’s conscience plaguing her, they agree to maintain the ruse, at least temporarily.

How angry will Lord Drayson be once he remembers? What will she tell her mother once she returns from visiting? Where will Lucy and her mother go to live?

I was hooked by the charm of this book from the start. It made me laugh and smile. The wit reminded me of the humor between MCs found in Heyer books. One may suspect this story would be cliché given that it incorporates many romance tropes (forced proximity, enemies to lovers, class warfare, and amnesia). But I didn’t think so.

Lucy was a keen observer and managed the situation with more assurance than she often felt. She was quirky, nonconforming to society’s demands, and a bit silly at times. Colin’s first thoughts about himself were hilarious, especially about his “favorite” shirt. Although not skilled in his servant role, he works hard and without complaint.

The couple’s interaction in the first half of the book was my favorite part. It was fun to witness their feelings emerge and the chemistry grow. And I liked how the situation was handled once Colin regained his memory. Neither wanted their circumstances to change just yet.

Secondary characters were interesting. I especially liked the relationship and banter between Lucy and her friend/maid, Georgy.

The second half was a little slow though enjoyable. I did like the suspense Lucy felt about Colin’s feelings. I don’t think the Lord Drayson in the later half seemed as carefree or devoted as he had been as just Colin. Regardless, the story had minimal conflict and delivered a happy conclusion plus a few chaste kisses.

My first book by this author was entertaining and satisfying. Recommended for historical romance readers who enjoy humor and romance more than they care about authenticity.

Profile Image for Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...).
1,673 reviews582 followers
February 10, 2021
Utterly charming. Totally hilarious. I loved how self-aware Lucy is. She is very observant of how her conflict over her deception grows as she comes to know "Collins"... and she is the one who learns a lesson as well as he. She is a bit of an odd duck, not conforming to society's standards and perfectly willing to live her life as a spinster because of it. The root of her rebelliousness however is her thoughtful and accepting nature, which makes her easier to sympathize with. Colin does make a rather bad impression on her, but he surprises her with his work ethic and hidden compassion. Their developing friendship and attraction is sweet and the sassy banter between them feels natural to their characters. Lucy's maid, mother, and various neighbors make up a well-rounded cast that enhances the story. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book! Highly recommend to fans of Regency and sweet romance.

(Thank you to Ebooks for Review for a copy of the book; this is my honest review)
Profile Image for ✨ Gramy ✨ .
1,382 reviews
May 28, 2019
.
I was surprised to find myself with the opportunity to experience this sweet and cozy romance. After reading many 'freebies' that are less than clean, this was extremely refreshing!

The major conflicts were kept at a minimum, leaving the witty antics of the hero and heroine to entertain magnificently.

This book was able to stand on its own, it was filled with clean fun, and it delivers a beautiful H.E.A.

What else can an avid reader ask for?
Profile Image for Julie Carpenter.
1,887 reviews240 followers
September 7, 2016
Full Review

I am a huge Rachael Anderson fan and this book has made me an even bigger fan. Can we say fan-girling right now? YES!!!! I have loved everything I've read of hers. All Of which were contemporary novels so reading a favorite author who writes a book in my favorite genre, regency, what can I say other than I was very thoroughly hooked!!! I did nothing but switching laundry and reading this book all day. Granted I didn't feel well and needed a day of rest, this was the best way to spend my day. ;-)

I will get a full review up soon of all my rambling thoughts but for now, ahhhhh it was fabulous!!!
-------------------------------------------
I really just want to reread this book right now. It was so well done, I loved the characters, I loved the goodness of them, I loved the angst, I loved the setting and the flowers and the "lie" and the horses. I really loved it all!!!

I loved the opening with Lucy explaining her decision to never lie and then when experiencing for the first time in her life being responsible while her mother was away for a few weeks she tells a lie. Granted she did it to help teach a lesson and to help keep her family from losing the only home they could afford. There was a quote that I highlighted while reading that I just loved.

"Lucy suddenly felt more grown up than she had the day her mother had left her alone with Georgina. She realized then that maturity had little to do with independence and more to do with discovering that life wasn't all roses and lilies. It included thistles and thorns and complexities that a grown person faced head-on, with poise and courage, like her mother was doing now."

That captures Lucy from start to finish for this book. She was anxious to prove to her mother and everyone else that she could be mature and responsible. She made a mistake and tried to fix it but several attempts didn't work to fix it at first. Her mother arrived home and she learned that she had to take the good times with the bad and learn from her mistakes.

I loved Lucy and Colin(Lord Drayson). At first I wasn't sure I liked Colin and was so glad that Lucy told him he was her servant. It was great watching his transformation. (And I must say his clothing. Ha ha ha, his pink shirt.) I loved the moment he remembered who he was. I loved his mom and sister and the looks that passed between them all. I loved Mr. Shepherd, he was a steady loveable character. I loved Georgina, her relationship with Lucy, although not necessarily conventional, was sweet and a great strength.

I had a great big grin on my face while reading this book. I picked it up and couldn't put it down! There's a warning for you...it is highly addictive and you might be sucked in like I was. Colin and Lucy are very cute together and the development of their relationship was great to watch. From cleaning the chimney to picking locks to horses and gardening, waltzes and balls, late nights and flowers, it was all well written. The silly banter back and forth between the two was very fun and very clever. I had many times where I giggled. :-D Yes I was giggling. Now that might not be the case for everyone but for me, I did!

I will say that for the time period the characters did steal a lot of kisses where if they had truly done so and were caught kissing they would be forced to marry. There were moments where Lucy doubted Colin's love for her and times where he shut himself away but it all caused great angst for the storyline. Hopefully I'm not revealing too much here because it's one of those that is worth every minute of discovery throughout the reading.

Great clean read that I will be rereading many times! I loved, loved, loved it!!! <3

I received a copy from ebooks in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Reading!!!
Profile Image for Muse-ic ♬.
460 reviews112 followers
August 31, 2016
4.5
When I read the blurb for this one, I immediately requested it because it sounded like a really fun read.
I wouldn't really say I went in with high expectations, but I definitely went in with high hopes.
And let me tell you that I finished The Fall of Lord Drayson with a smile on my face because it totally delivered!!

I can already tell you that I will be adding more of Rachael Anderson's tomes to my TBR! Chick lit galore, people!!

So anyways! Allow me to divulge the synopsis, in case you decided you don't care about this book and just came to skim through my review! HAHA I'VE CAUGHT YOU RED-EYED (because you aren't really using your hands for anything)!!

Lucy lives with her maid/servant Georgina (Georgy) and her widowed mother in the dower house of the Tanglewood estate in England. When Lucy's father the vicar died, the fourth Earl of Drayson, owner of Tanglewood, offered up the dower house as a home for the women, where they went to live a fairly happy and peaceful life.

Fast forward a few years, the fourth earl has died and now his son Colin Cavendish, the fifth earl, is in charge, so to speak. The Draysons have been occupying another residence, but still own Tangelwood. Unfortunately, due to the lack of attention that Tanglewood had been receiving, it began to fall apart and Colin decided it was becoming a fancial burden.

HOUSE FOR SALE! Anyone?

But wait! People live on that property! Remember Lucy and her squad of two? Yeah, Colin has to kick them out. Aaaaand he's kind of a jerk about it. Lucy, the headstrong girl she is, gets really mad at this incredibly dashing fellow for being so heartless and assuming it would be easy for them to take up new residence.

Colin rides away on his Arabian when horsey hits a mud patch and Colin flies off, hitting his head in the process. And there he remains until Lucy's maid Georgy finds him.
With no memory of who he is.

Lucy jumps on the opportunity for revenge and tells him he's her servant, hoping to breed a humble nature with this blank canvas of a devilishly handsome man!





I read right through this in two sittings! It would only have taken one, but you know.....sleep is a thing, unfortunately.

It was absolutely adorable! I loooooved the banter between Lucy and Colin and the fire that slowly burned brighter and brighter between them!
My chest tightened with all the feels!!
Feeeeeeeeels!

The change in Colin was remarkable! It was so awesome to see how a few days as a helping hand gave him a new respect for others below his station.
Lucy reminded me of myself in someways! I'm pretty headstrong sometimes and I happen to be fluent in sarcasm as well!

All the other characters are just as awesome!! Mrs. Biddings anyone? HA! She cracked me up, always showing up at the worst moments teehee ;)

Would I recommend this? I dunno. Is the sky up?
Seriously get on this!!!

I received a copy of this book from InspiredKathy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jacob Proffitt.
3,310 reviews2,152 followers
January 8, 2018
I let this review go a week or so, so I'm afraid it's not going to be terribly detailed. I enjoyed the story and characters and the plot flowed pretty well. There were a few times I was concerned that the story was taking a turn for cliché or unreasonable authorial manipulation, but Anderson sidestepped each time and I was very glad for that. Even the memory loss bits (which is an invitation to cliché if anything is) were handled well enough not to quibble about the contrivance. My biggest concern was the return of Colin's memory and the inevitable changes/revelations that would ensue. So I was extremely gratified with how well that worked out.

And I loved how Lucy was determined to make things right and had the courage to come clean. And having .

So this turned out to be a satisfying read and very enjoyable despite relying on the amnesia crutch to begin with. There's enough weakness in the setting and some of the minor events that I can't give it full stars, but it's a decent-enough read for all four. The opening premise and at times a too-modern voice make it a weak four, but I liked the characters enough not to quibble too much about it.

A note about Chaste: This is an extremely reasonable chaste tag. There are a couple kisses woven very well into the story, but nothing more.
Profile Image for Leona.
1,771 reviews18 followers
March 9, 2017
Wonderful surprise. I have never read this author before. Review to come later, but if you are a Regency fan I highly recommend.
Profile Image for Karey White.
Author 17 books554 followers
August 10, 2016
Without a doubt one of my favorite books of the year. I may have found my new favorite Regency author. Great characters, wonderful plot. Hilarious twists. You'll love this one.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Dragina.
617 reviews14 followers
March 25, 2020
Wow. 💖 😍

*listened to the audio book*

I'm just going to do a quick pros and cons review because its been like a week since I read this and I don't remember all the tiny details.

PROS ~

- Fun Characters.
- Amusing Plot.
- Intriguing Situations.
- Historically Accurate!
- Amazing Dialogue.
- Good Message.

CONS ~

- There was moments of boredom?
- THE DRAMA. (omw ppl need to learn to SPEAK with each other)
- I didn't appreciate them kissing so passionately all the time. :P

CONTENT ~

- Some Major Kissing Scenes.
- A couple suggestive and inappropriate comments.
- The two MC's were put in some erm awkward situations.
- A fairly clean romance overall.

OVERALL ~

- I enjoyed it, however, it wasn't amazingly memorable? Like ... I'll remember it for awhile but it's not a story that stuck out to me. *shrugs*
- I was annoyed with how long it took for them to talk about their relationship. :P
- THE CHARACTERS KILLED ME.

WOULD I RECOMMEND?

- Yes. Just make sure your comfortable with the content.
- It was a rather amusing predicament, and IMO it was handled splendidly by Rachael Anderson.
Profile Image for Debby *BabyDee*.
1,481 reviews79 followers
February 24, 2022
Rachael Anderson is a new author to this reader and I've been putting off reading this book for quite some time but am glad that I had a change of heart to read. This was such an enjoyable read. I loved the banter between the H/h and the antics of the heroine to get what she wants from the hero. This was well-written and entertaining story where all of the characters were likeable individuals. Although I like a bit of steam in my readings between the H/h, however because this was so enjoyable I welcomed this nice, clean historical romance.

4-Stars
Profile Image for Aimee .
3,072 reviews298 followers
September 12, 2016
Rachael Anderson? I love you.

I know this probably seems redundant coming from me but Rachel Anderson writes books so perfectly for me. Every single time. It is so easy to settle right in with Rachael's books and just stay there from beginning to end. This is her first dip into the regency genre and I am so, so happy. She did it! She did it! She really, really did it! :) And I am just as in love with her regency as I am with her contemporary books.

I love the set up for this book. It starts out with the Earl of Drayson, kind of full of himself, delivering a notice to vacate to Lucy. Lucy, in a moment of pure human frustration, takes advantage of the Earl's misfortune and capitalizes on it. She is determined to teach that high and mighty Lord a lesson or two.

It is all so comical and Lucy is quite pleased with herself until she finds herself falling for Drayson. Oops. That wasn't supposed to happen. And in her growing web of lies, she doesn't know how to make things right again.

I read through this book so quickly. I loved every single minute of it. Lucy is such a fun character- full of life and love. I couldn't help but smile through most of this book. Drayson actually surprised me. I didn't much care for him in the beginning but even when I began liking him, he still surprised me. I love when that happens.

So, it's a big, fat LOVE from me for this book. I really, really hope that Rachael is working on the next book and that I will get to read it soon!

Content: Clean!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Lisa  (Bookworm Lisa).
2,240 reviews206 followers
October 13, 2016
Oh my goodness! I can't think of anything that I didn't love about this book. I loved the time period, the setting, the characters, the plot, .....etc. I felt let down because it ended.

Lucy and her mother live in a dowager house on a property (Tanglewood) that is about to be sold. When Colin informs Lucy that she must vacate the property you can tell that there are a few sparks, but they are on opposite sides of the issue. Lucy and her mother can't afford to live anywhere else and for Colin it is business. He is getting rid of an unprofitable piece of real estate.

Colin and Lucy compliment each other in so many ways. Their patience and understanding of the other is fun, particularly due to the circumstances, Lucy has lead Colin to believe he is her servant after he looses his memory from a fall off of his horse. The sparks fly between the two, but she is living a lie and doesn't know how to make it right.

The secondary characters are wonderful. It looks as if Rachael Anderson is planning on making this into a series. I would love to find out more about the people in the community. I found them to be an eclectic group and want to get to know them better.

This is a clean romance with kissing.
Profile Image for Katie (hiding in the pages).
3,503 reviews328 followers
August 30, 2016
Sometimes I get a little nervous when a favorite author delves into a new genre, but my worries were completely unfounded with Rachael Anderson. She is completely brilliant!

Lucy is charming, feisty, and absolutely adorable. She is a character that is easy to like and one whom I would love to be friends with in real life. Colin is pompous and cocky, but his experiences soften him a little and make him endearing. I just couldn't get enough of them and their relationship.

This story had me laughing, swooning, and eagerly devouring each and every single page. I absolutely adored this couple's interactions, especially as they got to know each other better. The more tangled their stories and lives became, the more I engaged I became. At the end of the book, the author mentions possibly turning this into a series and I'm crossing every finger and toe in hopes that she does in fact do just that. I can't say enough good about this book. This story was exactly what I needed--a lighthearted, clean, romantic comedy set in Regency times. Loved it!

Content: mild, swoony romance (clean).

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Kim.
239 reviews44 followers
February 17, 2017
I really enjoyed this author’s Meet Your Match series and various standalone novels and wondered how she would do in a different genre. The answer is wow! Bestselling contemporary romance author Rachael Anderson can write historical traditional Regency Era romance as well.

Most of my personal reader community friends like sunshine, rainbows, and sweet candy precipitation happiness escape from real life in their novels, while I like realistic relatable characters instead who have overcome trials, adversity, and hardships either in their prior history or during the novel and come out stronger. I especially love that in my Regency novel characters as that era sociologically has plenty of material to mine from. Michele Paige Holmes is one of my favorite authors in that regard that I also highly recommend. Rachael Anderson has the ability to satisfy both me and the aforementioned friends. She has the interesting dichotomy in The Fall of Lord Drayson and the other novels I have read of hers of both providing a fun romance that is escape from everyday life, but also exercising your mind and heart just like I like.

The heroine Lucy Beresford tells the hero Collin, the Earl of Drayson, that he was just her lowly servant after he lost his memory due to brain trauma from blunt force injury at great speed during an accident. Lucy has no problem though a gentlewoman to do manual labor. This was a great vehicle to have the hero and heroine spend inordinate amount of time alone unchaperoned you normally wouldn’t have in a traditional regency setting. Servants in the Regency Era are like background decorations who do there service very unobtrusively and are not given much attention when in a room or outdoors so seem to have different rules of propriety to be around alone. I really enjoyed the honest banter between these two without the drawing room/ballroom society formality. The romance was believable and I loved the journey. Loved Lucy and Colin!

I also really enjoyed the side courtship between Mr. Shepherd and Lucy’s mom Mrs. Beresford. Mr. Shepherd was another awesome romantic hero!

I believe this is going to be a series and I hope the handsome dark brooding emotionally hardened Mr. Ludlow is the romantic hero of the next novel. He appears near the end of the novel at a ball for Lucy’s honor and I loved the brief spark of joy and humor he had before it was crushed and he returned to coolness again. I am curious to know how he got emotionally hardened and want Mr. Ludlow to find his own happily ever after.

Language: Clean. No profanity.

Sensuality content: Clean secular traditional regency romance. Kisses only.

Source: Received a free mobi copy from a third party. No review was required of recipient, but a review with my honest opinion much appreciated of course.
Profile Image for Kellyn Roth.
Author 28 books1,128 followers
March 24, 2019
DNF

Decided to DNF at 50%. It wasn't a bad little story overall - kinda amusing, a bit slow-paced, interesting characters - but it was also hugely disrespectful of horses - occasionally referring to them as "it" and switching genders - and even the "experienced horseman" doesn't know how to hold a lead rope (he twists it around his hand) or that you don't primarily guide a horse with the reins unless you're a jerk.

In all seriousness, though, it was the lack of depth and the silliness and the typicalness that got me finished. Plus I just wasn't interested. So now I'm off to a book I'll enjoy more!
Profile Image for Luli.
718 reviews77 followers
September 21, 2017
You can find this review in English below.


¿Qué puedo decir de esta historia? Es la típica que debería haberme sacado de mis casillas y sin embargo no ha sido así. He disfrutado leyéndola y ha sido muy entretenida.

Y eso que cuenta con casi todos los ingredientes de los que huyo por regla general:

-Su poquito de amnesia.
description


-Su poquito de mentiras incontroladas.
description


-Su poquito de nunca es buen momento para decir la verdad.
description


-Su poquito de eso es improbable (por decirlo suavemente…)
description


-Su muchito de separación (que no me molestó)
description



Pero al final resulta que todos los poquitos mezclan bien y el resultado funciona.

Puede ser porque la autora no se lo toma todo muy en serio y se deja llevar…y yo me dejé llevar también.

Es gratis, así que… sírvase usted mismo.
:)


***

What can I say about this story? That it should have rubbed me the wrong way and, instead, I have enjoyed it and had a pleasant time reading it.

Even though it has a few of my pet peeves:

-A little bit of amnesia.
description


-A little bit of out of control lies.
description


-A little bit of Never comes the right time to tell the truth.
description


-A little bit of that´s highly improbable (to say the least…)
description


-A little lot of a separation (which didn´t bother me)
description



But at the end, all the little bits mixed well and the result worked fine.

Maybe it was because the author didn´t take it all seriously and went with the flow… same like me.

It´s free, so, serve yourself.
:)






Profile Image for Heidi.
349 reviews73 followers
January 16, 2017
A sweet beautiful regency

I absolutely adored The Fall of Lord Drayson. Lucy and Colin will whisk you away into the time period and steal your heart with laughter and chemistry. Such a fun, clean, regency romance. I can't wait for book 2 of the Tanglewood series!
Profile Image for starryeyedjen.
1,768 reviews1,264 followers
October 16, 2017
This was rather adorable. I love a good amnesia plot, especially one that comes with a side of comeuppance. And the romance was cuuuute. Not full of miscommunication and missed opportunities. It was just right. =)
Profile Image for OhWell.
855 reviews
April 18, 2018
It was a bit slow towards the end - the scenes with the flower arrangements could have been edited out - but it deserves an extra star for being clean and also a freebie.
Profile Image for Shash.
473 reviews
April 12, 2020
When Lucy Bereford’s father died, the Earl of Drayson promised her mother the use of the dower house at Tanglewood for as long as needed. Now the earl has passed away, and his son, Colin Cavendish, has inherited the title. Colin decides that he wants to sell the unused estate of Tanglewood. When Lucy is informed that she and her mother must vacate the dower house as soon as possible, she is furious with the new earl. That night, she finds the earl unconscious in the middle of the road. When he wakes up with no recollection of who he is, she decides he needs to learn some humility. So, she tells the earl that he is her servant.

I read the description of this book and started laughing. An earl being a servant? I couldn’t wait to read it! I loved it from the beginning and was captivated throughout. As I read, I kept wondering when Colin would find out, how he would find out, how he would react and what Lucy would do. I loved the way it all unfolded! I was smiling, laughing, swooning, and sighing through the whole book. This is one I will definitely re-read!

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Megzy.
1,193 reviews70 followers
March 26, 2017
3.5 stars

A nice book for a lazy afternoon. I liked the premise of teaching him a lesson by telling him he is the servant when she found out he has lost his memory.
Profile Image for Tressa (Wishful Endings).
1,829 reviews193 followers
March 21, 2017
THE FALL OF LORD DRAYSON was the perfect Regency romance! With refreshing characters, witty dialogue, some fabulous romantic tension, and swoon-worthy moments, this was lovable and sweet from beginning to end! Highly recommended to those who enjoy just plain good and sweet Regency romance.

I absolutely adored Lucy! She's spunky, intelligent, has a great sense of humor, is loyal, and is also quite honest, except when she's not, of course. ;) The predicament she got herself into... so very hilarious and heartbreaking as well. I also couldn't help but fall in love with Colin. The way he takes on his new identity while also still acting like an earl... well, it's priceless really and leads to so much fun! Then there were other characters that came alive and that I loved who rounded out this story.

I have to say that this story was engaging the whole way through. Not once did I lose interest. How could I with the crazy situation, with the delightful banter, the friendships and family relationships, and whole suspense of what would happen between Lucy and Colin, but also what would happen when Colin found out... Then there was the romance. It was sweet and swoon-worthy.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Yes!! When I said this was a perfect Regency romance, I meant it. I loved the characters, the setting, the dialogue, the romance... What else could a gal ask for? Absolutely nothing. I am happily content.

Content: Clean
Source: Received a complimentary copy through ebooksforreview.com, which did not affect my review in any way.
Profile Image for Camille.
Author 34 books559 followers
October 26, 2021
When the new Earl of Drayson wants to kick out an impoverished family living on his estate so he can sell it, and after delivering the news in a rather impersonal way, the Earl gets amnesia following a horse accident. Lucy, the very one about to lose her home thanks to this pompous man, seizes the opportunity for revenge by telling Lord Drayson he’s her servant in hopes of helping him create a more humble nature.

Naturally, with such a premise, what follows is a chaotic yet amusing journey of hilarious twists and adorable romance. Lucy feels bad living a lie and struggles to make it right, especially as the feelings between her and Colin continue to grow and she finds herself becoming more trapped in the web she’s woven for herself.

Lucy and Colin’s developing friendship was sweet, their banter witty and fun to read, and by the end, both the hero and heroine experienced solid character growth. All of this results in a unique, delightful, and enjoyable read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Profile Image for Vicki.
2,709 reviews112 followers
September 2, 2019
Such a delightful, fun, clean story about Lord Drayson and Lucy Beresford. Colin Cavendish is the fifth Earl of Drayson and the current owner of the dower house Tanglewood, the house that Lucy and her mother live in. Upon their first meeting, Colin informs Lucy that they'll have to move out and the exchange they go through as she argues/pleads their case shows her to be sarcastic and humorous, and a bit naive. When he leaves, something happens to him that gives her the ability to keep him at her home and manipulate him into believing that he is her employee.

The rest of the book is humorous, entertaining, and for me very fun to read. When they both learn the truth about each other and they realize they are falling for the other, neither can admit it but for very different reasons.

I loved this book. I used both audio and the ebook version which helped me understand the audio since the narrator had quite an accent.
Profile Image for Evelin.
264 reviews19 followers
March 18, 2021
The Fall of Lord Drayson is an extremely cute fairy tale that is true a bit predictable but very lovable and the characters are also true personalities. It’s a strong overture to the Tanglewood series and if the other parts are going to be so sweet, humorous and fun, I’ll love them so much.

It seduces the synopsis, grabs the cover and there was no question that I would like to read this. Real easy little reading full of sweet scenes, humor and a good big dose of charm that accompanies the novel to the last lines. Already at the beginning of the volume, you can feel that this is going to be a very easy story and faithfully kept to the expected level and gave more and more of yourself with each page. The volume itself doesn’t start idyllic, but as we progress, it shows its true reality and takes its readers off their feet. In the fall of Lord Drayson, we learn the story of Lucy and Colin’s love, which starts with a huge twist from the start, yet gives the story a humorous and quite glamorous garnish. I loved to read and am grateful for every single minute, as my soul needed just this cute story. True, in some places it is very fairy-tale, but that is why it is so lovable, and I dare say that whoever is not idling there for historical romantic novels can also discover elements in it that make the novel interesting and a real recreation for him. As I started, I had my doubts, but it immediately vanished.

I have to admit, on the other hand, that Lord Drayson was very sympathetic at first, I would have preferred to slam the door open, but then after the screw I became more and more fond of him and pushed him. In contrast, Lucy had advanced into my big favorite from the beginning and it lasted until the last pages. The side characters themselves are very lovable, charming, real individuals who are kind and sometimes show that there is often a lot more lurking beneath the surface than one would think at first.

As for the plot itself, it is sometimes entertaining and sometimes it draws attention to something important. It’s not just a windbreaker story, it’s so much more. Yes, it’s a cute and very easy, guilty pleasure read, but it also touches on grief and the possibility of a fresh start, which I think is also important because our loved ones want to be happy and live a full life again after losing them.

What I particularly liked about the story was that we could witness not only one love, but also two and, if my sympathy is not cheating, covertly, but the beginning of a third is hidden between the lines. Although I’m not there for the stenciled stories, I still loved that along with every single mistake. It’s not a slow burn romance, yet there’s something about it that catches and doesn’t let go.
Profile Image for Marisa.
275 reviews
September 22, 2017
I'm a big fan of Rachael Anderson and this book was wonderful!! I loved loved loved Lucy. From her whit and charm to her quick tongue and huge heart. I LOVE when authors write such realistic characters that I could easily become friends with!! Writing every scene so that it can be pictured perfectly is indeed a talent that Mrs Anderson has mastered! This is a clean romance with some thoroughly kissed scenes and great chemistry between the main characters, highly recommended!!
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