What do you think?
Rate this book
Those Scandalous Ravenhursts #0.5
No Place for a Lady
Miss Bree Mallory has no time for the pampered aristocracy! She's too taken up with running the best coaching company on the roads. But an accidental meeting with an earl changes everything.... Soon, beautiful Bree has established herself in Society. She hopes no one will discover that she once drove the stage coach from London to Newbury...or that she returned unchaperoned with the rakishly attractive Max Dysart, Earl of Penrith. Bree's independence is hard-won: she has no interest in marriage. But Max's kisses are powerfully--passionately--persuasive!
282 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2007
About the author
Louise Allen
415 books334 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
This author also writes under the name Francesca Shaw.
I have had my nose buried in a history book - fact or fiction - for as long as I can remember, but even more important to me are the places and the objects that conjure up the past. My first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle.
With a degree in geography and archaeology I love to try and 'read' the landscape and the buildings in it for clues about the past. Virtually any place can trigger ideas for plots, but I am particularly inspired by Venice, Burgundy, Mediterranean islands and the Hertfordshire and Norfolk countryside.
I live in England in a village in Bedfordshire with my long-suffering husband. He is not sure whether to be flattered or alarmed to be told he is the inspiration for all my romantic heroes! Whenever possible we escape to our cottage on the North Norfolk coast where Percy, the bossy pheasant, allows us to share the garden.
My resolution every time I start on a new plot is to plan it carefully, make copious notes first and write lots of drafts in a disciplined and orderly manner. What inevitably happens is that the story starts to write itself in my head until it gets completely out of control - meanwhile my study floor becomes a sea of open books, prints and maps and I am found sitting in the car at traffic lights, muttering dialogue. At that point I have to start writing, knowing full well that the hero and heroine are going to take over and sabotage all my attempts at discipline. It is, after all, their story.
This author also writes under the name Francesca Shaw.
I have had my nose buried in a history book - fact or fiction - for as long as I can remember, but even more important to me are the places and the objects that conjure up the past. My first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle.
With a degree in geography and archaeology I love to try and 'read' the landscape and the buildings in it for clues about the past. Virtually any place can trigger ideas for plots, but I am particularly inspired by Venice, Burgundy, Mediterranean islands and the Hertfordshire and Norfolk countryside.
I live in England in a village in Bedfordshire with my long-suffering husband. He is not sure whether to be flattered or alarmed to be told he is the inspiration for all my romantic heroes! Whenever possible we escape to our cottage on the North Norfolk coast where Percy, the bossy pheasant, allows us to share the garden.
My resolution every time I start on a new plot is to plan it carefully, make copious notes first and write lots of drafts in a disciplined and orderly manner. What inevitably happens is that the story starts to write itself in my head until it gets completely out of control - meanwhile my study floor becomes a sea of open books, prints and maps and I am found sitting in the car at traffic lights, muttering dialogue. At that point I have to start writing, knowing full well that the hero and heroine are going to take over and sabotage all my attempts at discipline. It is, after all, their story.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 24, 2013
Louise Allen's books are often set during the Regency time period but they tend to offer something a little different from the norm - in this case, a heroine whose background walks an uneasy line between aristocracy and Trade.
Bree Mallory's half-brother is a viscount, but her mother's second marriage was a love match, and she married a tradesman. As a result, Bree's brother has inherited a half-interest in a stagecoach company which Bree helps to operate. This hasn't been too much of a problem until the night when a group of bored young aristocrats out racing crashes literally into Bree's world as she drives a stage. Add into this her half-brother's impending marriage and Bree finds herself constantly in the company of Max Dysart, an earl and a noted driver.
I normally enjoy Allen's writing because her characters tend to be clever and the dialogue in her books often sparkles. That's true to an extent here. Some of the exchanges between Bree and Max do work well. However, the story is pretty wallpapery and as it goes on, the jarringly anachronistic portions of the story overwhelmed the romance.
My first hint that something could be awry came fairly early on as Bree discovers that Perhaps the occasional early 19th century earl did things like this, but it seemed a little improbable to me. And then there was Bree's companion. Once her half-brother's marriage brought more scrutiny onto Bree and the coaching company, Bree has to do the proper thing and get herself a chaperon/companion. And of course, her employee becomes her bestest friend ever and even though she's a gently bred governess/girls' school teacher, the companion thinks it would be lovely to try her hand at helping run a pretty rough stagecoaching office. On top of all that, Bree is one of those heroines who thinks nothing of going off unaccompanied in a manner that proper young ladies of the time just would not have done.
The book has its moments and I found the heroine's unusual background intriguing, but it was a fairly "meh" read for me overall.
Bree Mallory's half-brother is a viscount, but her mother's second marriage was a love match, and she married a tradesman. As a result, Bree's brother has inherited a half-interest in a stagecoach company which Bree helps to operate. This hasn't been too much of a problem until the night when a group of bored young aristocrats out racing crashes literally into Bree's world as she drives a stage. Add into this her half-brother's impending marriage and Bree finds herself constantly in the company of Max Dysart, an earl and a noted driver.
I normally enjoy Allen's writing because her characters tend to be clever and the dialogue in her books often sparkles. That's true to an extent here. Some of the exchanges between Bree and Max do work well. However, the story is pretty wallpapery and as it goes on, the jarringly anachronistic portions of the story overwhelmed the romance.
My first hint that something could be awry came fairly early on as Bree discovers that Perhaps the occasional early 19th century earl did things like this, but it seemed a little improbable to me. And then there was Bree's companion. Once her half-brother's marriage brought more scrutiny onto Bree and the coaching company, Bree has to do the proper thing and get herself a chaperon/companion. And of course, her employee becomes her bestest friend ever and even though she's a gently bred governess/girls' school teacher, the companion thinks it would be lovely to try her hand at helping run a pretty rough stagecoaching office. On top of all that, Bree is one of those heroines who thinks nothing of going off unaccompanied in a manner that proper young ladies of the time just would not have done.
The book has its moments and I found the heroine's unusual background intriguing, but it was a fairly "meh" read for me overall.
Read
September 23, 2008Inspiring read!
I loved the uniqueness of the story. Bree is the perfect herione to enchant the reader. She isn't the run of the mill Ton character but completely loveable. Her hero has no idea how quickly she will work his way into his heart but once she does, he will stop at nothing to wed her. But, the fact that he may still be married to a wife he hasn't heard from for years throws obstacles in his way. The missing spouse hasn't drawn money from the bank account for long enough for him to assume she has died but can he truly court Bree until he knows he is free. If he waits for his investigation to find answers will another man snatch her from him? She definitely gets lots of attention from the single men of his club!
I loved the uniqueness of the story. Bree is the perfect herione to enchant the reader. She isn't the run of the mill Ton character but completely loveable. Her hero has no idea how quickly she will work his way into his heart but once she does, he will stop at nothing to wed her. But, the fact that he may still be married to a wife he hasn't heard from for years throws obstacles in his way. The missing spouse hasn't drawn money from the bank account for long enough for him to assume she has died but can he truly court Bree until he knows he is free. If he waits for his investigation to find answers will another man snatch her from him? She definitely gets lots of attention from the single men of his club!
October 24, 2008
What a great book! Exactly the type of story I like--an unconventional heroine and a nice guy hero who is utterly masculine. These characters do exist and I want more of them.
If you look closely at the cover, the hero is wearing an earring in his earlobe. The cover is incorrect. The stud he wears is not in his earlobe. Read the book for a good laugh when you find the stud's location. Talk about totally unexpected and a great deal of fun.
If you look closely at the cover, the hero is wearing an earring in his earlobe. The cover is incorrect. The stud he wears is not in his earlobe. Read the book for a good laugh when you find the stud's location. Talk about totally unexpected and a great deal of fun.
May 5, 2017
Romance de regencia. Harlequin total.
El planteo y el comienzo de la historia me gustó, es original. Pero luego el desarrollo se hizo pobre, con tópico habituales y algunas cosas contradictorias o sin explicación, escenas que no entendí por qué están. El villano muy forzado y la "culpa de todos los males".
El desenlace poco trabajado.
¿Y porque le puse tres estrellas y no menos me preguntarán?
Valoro una histórica en la que la protagonista no sea una boba tarada y entiendo los conflictos de él que complicaron mostrar sus sentimientos. Dentro de todo se lee bien aunque en absoluto para tirar cohetes y por momentos meeh.
El planteo y el comienzo de la historia me gustó, es original. Pero luego el desarrollo se hizo pobre, con tópico habituales y algunas cosas contradictorias o sin explicación, escenas que no entendí por qué están. El villano muy forzado y la "culpa de todos los males".
El desenlace poco trabajado.
¿Y porque le puse tres estrellas y no menos me preguntarán?
Valoro una histórica en la que la protagonista no sea una boba tarada y entiendo los conflictos de él que complicaron mostrar sus sentimientos. Dentro de todo se lee bien aunque en absoluto para tirar cohetes y por momentos meeh.
April 16, 2018
Starts out fun, moves on to heartbreaking, intense, cliché and utterly sweet, finishes with delightful. all in all a nice and varied read
May 21, 2015
A really enjoyable and well told story. Bree, the heroine, is sort of on the margin between trade and the ton. She can go to posh society affairs, but to set her cap at, ooh, say an Earl, would be considered too much. Of course, an Earl is exactly who she's in love with in this story. Max Dysart, Earl of Penrith, has a dark secret (two if you count some, um, unexpected jewelry.) A wife who left him long ago and who might be dead, then again, might not. Once he's fallen in love with Bree, clearing that little matter up takes on some urgency.
The heroine runs a stagecoach company with her brother and that gives an unusual setting for the story, some interestingly unique scenes and a good reason for her to be so much more independent minded than most society ladies. Max finds her intelligence and cool head highly attractive - along with her rather fabulous hair! There's a little moment early in the book where, while she's sleeping, he undoes the ribbon holding her hair in a braid, so he can see it loose. Louise Allen is great with little moments like that, which are both intimate and yet innocent. The story kept me gripped and reading on even when I should have stopped and got on with other things.
Jack Ryder, who Louise Allen fans will be familiar with from a later book, The Dangerous Mr Ryder, has a guest role in this book, which I enjoyed.
Max's unexpected jewelry is a nipple piercing! Which has to be the first time I've seen that in a Mills & Boon regency romance. He claims it can't be removed. That's his story and he's sticking to it. ;-) It's not just there for the lulz and to add spice to the sex scenes though, it is also a plot point later on.
Last, just wanted to mention the final chapter, the couple's wedding night and the way the writer teases us delightfully by going into long and loving detail about their getting undressed. It goes on for pages! Loved it.
Highly recommended for historical romance fans
The heroine runs a stagecoach company with her brother and that gives an unusual setting for the story, some interestingly unique scenes and a good reason for her to be so much more independent minded than most society ladies. Max finds her intelligence and cool head highly attractive - along with her rather fabulous hair! There's a little moment early in the book where, while she's sleeping, he undoes the ribbon holding her hair in a braid, so he can see it loose. Louise Allen is great with little moments like that, which are both intimate and yet innocent. The story kept me gripped and reading on even when I should have stopped and got on with other things.
Jack Ryder, who Louise Allen fans will be familiar with from a later book, The Dangerous Mr Ryder, has a guest role in this book, which I enjoyed.
Max's unexpected jewelry is a nipple piercing! Which has to be the first time I've seen that in a Mills & Boon regency romance. He claims it can't be removed. That's his story and he's sticking to it. ;-) It's not just there for the lulz and to add spice to the sex scenes though, it is also a plot point later on.
Last, just wanted to mention the final chapter, the couple's wedding night and the way the writer teases us delightfully by going into long and loving detail about their getting undressed. It goes on for pages! Loved it.
Highly recommended for historical romance fans
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2011
What a good read.
Bree Mallory is between two worlds. On her mother's side are well placed relations and her step-brother, James, is well into the ton. As for Bree and her brother Piers, they are in trade. Their mother remarried for love after the death of James's father. Now that James is getting married, they must be seen more socially and be accepted for his sake.
The Earl of Penrith, Max Dysart, has allowed his cousin to get into a race with his carriage and horses. Suddenly a stagecoach is in front of them and there is no stopping. By a miracle they manage to pass it and Max glances the driver and feels he must be imagining things. What he seen was a beautiful woman that something inside told him was his.
Max and Bree meet and think they will not see each other again. Bree knows even with her well placed relatives she is no future mate to an Earl. Not with their family being in trade with the ownership of the stagecoach company.
Max is stunned to see a woman he is sure to be Bree at a ball. Sitting across the table from him is a beautiful woman in a gown, not trousers. And she has been seated with his nemesis, Brice Latymer.
Through a series of events they meet often but Max has to hold back his feelings until a past secret of his can be handled.
Between the past haunting them, Latymer pulling all punches to get what he wants, an Uncle falling into the wrong people and many other bumps in the road for them.
Bree Mallory is between two worlds. On her mother's side are well placed relations and her step-brother, James, is well into the ton. As for Bree and her brother Piers, they are in trade. Their mother remarried for love after the death of James's father. Now that James is getting married, they must be seen more socially and be accepted for his sake.
The Earl of Penrith, Max Dysart, has allowed his cousin to get into a race with his carriage and horses. Suddenly a stagecoach is in front of them and there is no stopping. By a miracle they manage to pass it and Max glances the driver and feels he must be imagining things. What he seen was a beautiful woman that something inside told him was his.
Max and Bree meet and think they will not see each other again. Bree knows even with her well placed relatives she is no future mate to an Earl. Not with their family being in trade with the ownership of the stagecoach company.
Max is stunned to see a woman he is sure to be Bree at a ball. Sitting across the table from him is a beautiful woman in a gown, not trousers. And she has been seated with his nemesis, Brice Latymer.
Through a series of events they meet often but Max has to hold back his feelings until a past secret of his can be handled.
Between the past haunting them, Latymer pulling all punches to get what he wants, an Uncle falling into the wrong people and many other bumps in the road for them.
May 31, 2017
No esperaba mucho de este libro y me ha encantado.
Es una novela rosa, concentrada casi exclusivamente en la relación de Max y Bree, aún así en ningún momento la lectura se vuelve pesada o sosa y eso se debe a la peculiar protagonista, Bree. Que decir de ella, me ha encantado es decidida, sabe que es lo que quiere y lucha por ello, es divertida, sensata, toma decisiones lógicas, es sincera, es fuerte y definitivamente no es una damisela en apuros.
Es una novela sencilla, ligera, fresca, con personajes encantadores.
Es una novela rosa, concentrada casi exclusivamente en la relación de Max y Bree, aún así en ningún momento la lectura se vuelve pesada o sosa y eso se debe a la peculiar protagonista, Bree. Que decir de ella, me ha encantado es decidida, sabe que es lo que quiere y lucha por ello, es divertida, sensata, toma decisiones lógicas, es sincera, es fuerte y definitivamente no es una damisela en apuros.
Es una novela sencilla, ligera, fresca, con personajes encantadores.
February 27, 2013
Bree and Max are wonderful characters and the plot, their romance and the people that help and hinder it are so well written. I really enjoyed seeing them fall in love. Bree's business is so unusual and interesting. I adored how she tried to be dutiful and proper yet was also so much the hoyden. A fun read.
August 20, 2012
Louise Allen does it again. A highly enjoyable story of a woman wanting to continue to contribute to the family coaching business, but being restrained by social convention as she is pulled more and more into the ton and away from her life in trade.
June 4, 2010
another one that i think i have read before... hmmmm. well it was a very nice read anyway so i guess i can forgive myself.
May 31, 2011
Ho Hum.
Read
June 30, 2013only 282 pages in this edition.
reminds me of a Heyer Regency only with explicit sex.
reminds me of a Heyer Regency only with explicit sex.
June 25, 2013
Rolig och lättsam. Skön avkoppling utan krav.
January 5, 2017
Harlequin romance.
March 26, 2017
I liked both Max and Bree a lot. I thought they had a lot of chemistry. I just thought the extents to which Latymer went in some of the ego-stroking to be a bit much. Like, surely these plots took more time to accomplish then were possible based on the book's timeline. Still a fun read.
Read
February 7, 2018Good original plot. If you like romance a good read
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews