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Letters to a Lady
A HIGH STICKLER LIKE HARRUP WRITING LETTERS TO A LADYBIRD! 'TWAS SCANDAL IN THE MAKING!
Having been his neighbor all her life. Diana Beechum thought little of delivering some documents to Charles, Lord Harrup in London, when he had requested a footman to do so. But when the "papers" were stolen. Di's suspicions were confirmed: the upright Lord Harrup was being blackmailed by a lightskirt!
With no sympathy for that hypocrite Harrup, Di saw her own main chance. If she could but recover those letters, she could persuade Harrup to find a post for her bright but bumbling brother Ronald.
Harrup could not refuse and, in the heat of the chase, began to notice how attractive his country neighbor had become. But dash it all if he was going to complicate things further..,!
Having been his neighbor all her life. Diana Beechum thought little of delivering some documents to Charles, Lord Harrup in London, when he had requested a footman to do so. But when the "papers" were stolen. Di's suspicions were confirmed: the upright Lord Harrup was being blackmailed by a lightskirt!
With no sympathy for that hypocrite Harrup, Di saw her own main chance. If she could but recover those letters, she could persuade Harrup to find a post for her bright but bumbling brother Ronald.
Harrup could not refuse and, in the heat of the chase, began to notice how attractive his country neighbor had become. But dash it all if he was going to complicate things further..,!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 12, 1987
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54 people want to read
About the author
Joan Smith
360 books155 followersJoan Smith is a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and the Ontario College of Education. She has taught French and English in high school and English in college. When she began writing, her interest in Jane Austen and Lord Byron led to her first choice of genre, the Regency, which she especially liked for its wit and humor.
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 3, 2019
3.5 stars
November 12, 2013
When Diana Beechum's neighbor, Lord Harrup, sends a letter from London asking their old nurse to send a foodman to pick up a packet of important documents from a Mrs. Whitby, Diana decides to do it herself. Diana and her chaperon/former nurse Miss Peabody, will be heading to London to help her brother Ronald get settled into his new apartment. Diana is shocked to discover Mrs. Whitby is a member of the muslin company and the important "documents" are actually love letters written from Lord Harrup to his former mistress. On the road to London, the letters are stolen by someone who knew to look for them. Upon arrival in London, Diana installs herself and Peabody in Lord Harrup's house despite the high in the instep reputation of her neighbor. She vows to get the letters back and hopes that Harrup will reward Ronald with a secretarial position. Lord Harrup is perfectly happy to pay any blood money to thwart the publication of the letters which would hinder both his political career and his engagement to the very young and proper Lady Selena. Diana is not afraid to speak her mind to Lord Harrup and tell him exactly what she thinks of his consorting with lightskirts, willingness to comply with blackmail and her thoughts on "old" men of 35 marrying innocent young teenage girls. Diana never dreamed that her search for Lord Harrup's documents would send her on an unexpected journey fraught with danger both to her person and to her heart.
The plot drags on too long though the book is short but the search for the letters serves as a backdrop to bring the characters together. I liked Diana a lot and admired her willingness to speak her mind. However, I felt Diana was a bit too naive at times and some of her exploits would have resulted in hanging! Lord Harrup is not a very well-rounded character. He's a semi-Mr. Darcy copy with more of a temper. His interactions with Diana are very real though and I liked their relationship. I think more of the story needs to be from his point of view so the reader can tell what he is feeling and how he evolves. I especially loved Ronald, who, like me, is bookish and absent minded. He is a nice character and the jacket description of "bumbling" does not apply to him. He is a good foil for Diana. This is a nice, light predictable romance. It has charming moments that don't quite reach screwball comedy status but are funny just the same. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who like light, fun romantic comedies.
The plot drags on too long though the book is short but the search for the letters serves as a backdrop to bring the characters together. I liked Diana a lot and admired her willingness to speak her mind. However, I felt Diana was a bit too naive at times and some of her exploits would have resulted in hanging! Lord Harrup is not a very well-rounded character. He's a semi-Mr. Darcy copy with more of a temper. His interactions with Diana are very real though and I liked their relationship. I think more of the story needs to be from his point of view so the reader can tell what he is feeling and how he evolves. I especially loved Ronald, who, like me, is bookish and absent minded. He is a nice character and the jacket description of "bumbling" does not apply to him. He is a good foil for Diana. This is a nice, light predictable romance. It has charming moments that don't quite reach screwball comedy status but are funny just the same. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who like light, fun romantic comedies.
July 12, 2012
Again Joan Smith pairs a country miss with no die-away airs with a stiff, socially conscious lord. That is when he isn't writing drivel to his blackmailing mistress! Diana is willing to recover the stolen letters if only to persuade Lord Harrup to find her brother a suitable post.
Fiances, Runners, and poor relations all pile into the chase.
I did enjoy it but reading back to back with Kissing Cousins really made the strong similarities apparent. Still it is a quick, clean Regency to wile away a hot beach day.
Fiances, Runners, and poor relations all pile into the chase.
I did enjoy it but reading back to back with Kissing Cousins really made the strong similarities apparent. Still it is a quick, clean Regency to wile away a hot beach day.
January 12, 2015
3.5/5 stars. Letters to a Lady was a lot of fun. I loved Diana and Harrup, but think the brief love triangle emphasized the characters' flaws and added little but an escape clause. Of course, I've never liked second-hand embarrassment, so I might be a poor judge on that score. The plot moved at a good pace and the romance was sweet without venturing anywhere near saccharine.
June 10, 2023
Really fun read. The hero and heroine come to love each other while clearly seeing each other's flaws. Loved it when The romp-y silliness is funny and doesn't make either of them too annoying or too perfect.
January 25, 2012
Extremely enjoyable. Witty, funny & some surprises!
January 29, 2021
Inizio sempre con un po' di batticuore un romanzo di Joan Smith, specie quando rappresenta la mia ultima risorsa dopo una serie di letture tanto squallide da non meritare nemmeno una recensione negativa. È infatti ai miei occhi una scrittrice imprevedibile, capace di creare personaggi divertenti o irritanti, e storie vivaci o noiose. Stavolta mi è andata bene: mi sono divertita, ho sorriso, ho riso e ho passato una serata di vero relax.
October 16, 2020
This is much more realistic than most of the genre about how love develops between two people. Not for this author the shallow story of instant head-over-heels love between two incredibly attractive people. Instead, we have two relatively ordinary-looking people that develop a strong attraction to each other in working together through enlightened self-interest. When combined with a good plot, the result is an interesting and satisfying read.
September 30, 2021
MP Charles offers for beauty Selena, but she fears aged suitor. Ex-mistress Mrs Whitby tries blackmail till his nanny Peabody and neighbor Diana put her younger brother Ronald for a job, and both Beechams try to steal his letters.Typos: 10.11 tight IS right 12.6 ann IS hand
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews