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Valiant Hearts trilogy #3
Thea's Marquis
Grateful for Lord Hazlewood's quixotic aid, Thea Kilmore wishes he'd see her as more than a damsel in distress. Roderick, meanwhile, wishes she'd regard him as more than a white knight to turn to when in trouble. Sequel to A Lord for Miss Larkin and The Road to Gretna.
221 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
30 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Carola Dunn
91 books889 followersCarola Dunn is the author of more than 30 Regency romances, as well as 16 mysteries (the Daisy Dalrymple mystery series is set in England in the 1920s). Ms. Dunn was born and grew up in England, where she got a B.A. in Russian and French from Manchester University. She travelled as far as Fiji before returning to settle in California. After 30 years in the US, she says she still sounds as if she arrived a month ago.
Prior to writing, Ms. Dunn’s various jobs included market research, child-care, construction--from foundation trenches to roofing--and writing definitions for a dictionary of science and technology. She wrote her first novel in 1979, a Regency which she sold to Warner Books.
Now living in Eugene, Oregon, Ms. Dunn has a son in California who has just made her a grandmother, and a large black dog named Willow who takes her for a walk by the Willamette River each morning. (www.belgravehouse.com)
Prior to writing, Ms. Dunn’s various jobs included market research, child-care, construction--from foundation trenches to roofing--and writing definitions for a dictionary of science and technology. She wrote her first novel in 1979, a Regency which she sold to Warner Books.
Now living in Eugene, Oregon, Ms. Dunn has a son in California who has just made her a grandmother, and a large black dog named Willow who takes her for a walk by the Willamette River each morning. (www.belgravehouse.com)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 6, 2020
When her sister in law and sister are indisposed on their trip to London and forced to stop at an inn for rest, Thea finds no rooms available. A chance encounter with Lord Roderick Hazlewood and Sir William Devine gets them use of their rooms and a meal. Rod is known for his chivalry. Shy Thea attracts his interest with her bravery for her family when she is terrified. Throughout the story situations keep arising where he helps and she is grateful leading him to think she finds him a useful friend and her thinking he finds her an incompetent friend. A rather traumatic event finally brings them to voice their true feelings. A very nice romance.
October 14, 2012
Miss Thea Kilmore considered herself to be firmly on the shelf. She was far too old to be of any interest to any marriage-minded young bachelor, so she concerned herself instead with her family’s well being. Finding her sister, Meg, a suitable match, patching up the misunderstanding between her brother and his new wife, Penny, and seeing to her mother’s comfort should be more than enough to occupy her time.
Lord Hazlewood and his cousin, Will, came to the Kilmores’ aid while they were traveling to London for the little season and Roderick was captured by Thea’s frankness and courage. She was an original, a rare female among the bevy of simpering young ladies seeking an introduction to such an eligible young nobleman.
With his fortune and country estate, Lord Hazlewood was a real catch, but Thea only seemed interested in his opinions - and in his ability to rescue her and her family from some recent altercation. Could he ever be any more to her? When would Thea see that over the course of weeks, she had become most dear to him, as dear as his own true love?
Lord Hazlewood and his cousin, Will, came to the Kilmores’ aid while they were traveling to London for the little season and Roderick was captured by Thea’s frankness and courage. She was an original, a rare female among the bevy of simpering young ladies seeking an introduction to such an eligible young nobleman.
With his fortune and country estate, Lord Hazlewood was a real catch, but Thea only seemed interested in his opinions - and in his ability to rescue her and her family from some recent altercation. Could he ever be any more to her? When would Thea see that over the course of weeks, she had become most dear to him, as dear as his own true love?
July 24, 2015
There is not much going on besides a really nice hero helping to pave the way for an impoverished but good family in their introduction to society. It's a fluffy read and the heroine comes to depend on the hero for a lot of things, though it is rather mysterious how he fell in love since he was more like a caring older brother....
January 27, 2018
As a fan of Georgette Heyer, I have grown extremely particular in my tastes regarding historical romances, and Thea's Marquis was simply not the Regency that I was looking for.
More recently, author Carola Dunn writes an outstanding golden-age mystery series featuring the delightful Daisy Dalrymple. Daisy is one of my favorite recurring characters, and I am extremely fond of the series that features her. I also adore almost all of Georgette Heyer's Regency and Georgian historical novels.
This book seemed to be an attempt to combine both writing styles, yet lacked Daisy's quiet confidence, calm good sense and superior understanding, and all of Heyer's wit and balanced storytelling.
Thea's Marquis seemed very reminiscent of two of Heyer's books, Frederica, and Arabella. Almost as if they had been chopped up, sifted for content, and boiled down unenthusiastically into a formulaic, slightly haughty while still feeling overly-familiar, emotionally vapid tale. Many of the characters, situations, and even the dialogue, seemed to be taken directly from Heyer's books, and only sometimes altered. That made for a very disjointed read.
The things that I did appreciate in this book included
- the fierce loyalty among characters
- Dunn's ever-present optimism peeks through at times during the story
- the characters are all basically likable, excepting the villians
I would recommend that Heyer fans avoid this, and Dunn fans to focus their attention on her more excellent work - the Daisy Dalrymple series.
More recently, author Carola Dunn writes an outstanding golden-age mystery series featuring the delightful Daisy Dalrymple. Daisy is one of my favorite recurring characters, and I am extremely fond of the series that features her. I also adore almost all of Georgette Heyer's Regency and Georgian historical novels.
This book seemed to be an attempt to combine both writing styles, yet lacked Daisy's quiet confidence, calm good sense and superior understanding, and all of Heyer's wit and balanced storytelling.
Thea's Marquis seemed very reminiscent of two of Heyer's books, Frederica, and Arabella. Almost as if they had been chopped up, sifted for content, and boiled down unenthusiastically into a formulaic, slightly haughty while still feeling overly-familiar, emotionally vapid tale. Many of the characters, situations, and even the dialogue, seemed to be taken directly from Heyer's books, and only sometimes altered. That made for a very disjointed read.
The things that I did appreciate in this book included
- the fierce loyalty among characters
- Dunn's ever-present optimism peeks through at times during the story
- the characters are all basically likable, excepting the villians
I would recommend that Heyer fans avoid this, and Dunn fans to focus their attention on her more excellent work - the Daisy Dalrymple series.
September 6, 2014
Here was one time when the story started off with some interesting characters and a well-developed storyline. Or so I thought.
Thea Kilmore was 25 years old, naive, shy but kind. The ton might have considered her backwards but when Roderick Devine, Marquis of Hazlewood, met her for the first time he knew he had met an exceptional woman. He was unaware of Thea's cloistered upbringing in the barren far-north of England where she was raised. When he could get her to open up he thought she was refreshing.
Family members on both sidesplagued, pestered, harassed, vexed any sort of relationship the H/h were developing with their own problems. But I could live with that. It was the pacing of the plot that posed some problems. I would be reading something and then there was, for lack of a better word, a skip or hitch. I had to go back and reread the paragraph, then the page, to see if I missed something. But I didn't.
That same storyline that I mentioned earlier began to lose some its steam. Roderick was less likable and continued to see his mistress. Thea, though stronger in some ways, still always required Roderick to help her with any decisions. And, unfortunately, the ending was somewhat silly, a little rushed and not at all what I was hoping for.
Thea Kilmore was 25 years old, naive, shy but kind. The ton might have considered her backwards but when Roderick Devine, Marquis of Hazlewood, met her for the first time he knew he had met an exceptional woman. He was unaware of Thea's cloistered upbringing in the barren far-north of England where she was raised. When he could get her to open up he thought she was refreshing.
Family members on both sides
That same storyline that I mentioned earlier began to lose some its steam. Roderick was less likable and continued to see his mistress. Thea, though stronger in some ways, still always required Roderick to help her with any decisions. And, unfortunately, the ending was somewhat silly, a little rushed and not at all what I was hoping for.
June 12, 2023
This is the third and final part of the trilogy, and unlike book 2, it really does help to have read the earlier books first. This is the book where all the pigeons come home to roost, so to speak. In book 1, fortune hunter Jason, Lord Kilmore tried to elope with Alison Larkin. In book 2, he actually did elope with an heiress, but when that fell apart, he married another heiress, Penny Bryant. This book picks up the story a few weeks or months later. Jason has already gone to London, and his mother, his two sisters and his new wife are travelling south from their home near the Scottish border to join him. Penny is pregnant and finding morning sickness rather a trial, and Megan is suffering from a migraine. The ladies stop at an inn, and it’s shy, timid Thea who’s dispatched to secure rooms for them, since the other ladies aren’t up to the job.
But there’s a problem - the inn is full because of a sporting event, and there are no rooms to be had. Happily for the Kilmore ladies, a passing hero rescues them by giving up his room, and his friend’s, too, and then inviting the ladies to dine with them. The hero is the imposingly large Lord Hazlewood and his small but dandyish friend is Will DeVine. And so begins the odd friendship between these two and the Kilmore ladies.
While Thea, having led a sheltered life, struggles to behave and speak in the ladylike manner favoured by her mother, every time she puts her foot in it, Lord Hazlewood is there to smooth things over. He is the perfect courteous gentleman, and she begins to feel that she would not mind having to meet him again in London. So on to London the ladies go, their way smoothed by the thoughtful Lord Hazlewood.
There they find that Penny’s house is practically bare of furniture, everything having been trashed by her uncle before he moved out. Jason has managed to make repairs and supply the bare bones of the required furniture, but not much more. He’s also shocked by Penny’s exhausted appearance, and not at all the loving husband she’d hoped to find. And so, unusually for a Regency romance, even though these two appeared to have achieved their happy ending in the previous book, the state of their marriage becomes a central concern of this one, and even more so when previous events come back to haunt Jason and make Penny unhappy. It’s an interesting, and very realistic, scenario and I applaud the author for not assuming that everything in the garden will be rosy as soon as a girl has a ring on her finger.
Meanwhile our pair of heroes, Mr DeVine and Lord Hazlemere, are circling round the two Kilmore ladies, lively Megan and shy Thea, not at all put off (in Lord H’s case) and only slightly put off (in Mr DV’s) by the fact that they live in Russell Square, home of cits and lawyers. Of course the road to happiness is not smooth, and there’s the usual dramatic finale, but it’s clear that these two are both perfectly matched couples. I have to say, I liked all the characters in this book, and the way their stories played out. Thea learns to be more assertive, Lord Hazlewood learns the value of allowing his emotions free rein occasionally, and everything is tied up satisfactorily.
There’s only one aspect of the book that gave me pause. Lord Hazlewood has a mistress of many years’ standing. Now, he does pay her off once he realises he’s thinking of marrying Thea, but up until that point, he visits regularly and they seem to have a very cosy relationship, more like husband and wife than anything else. And then Lord Hazlewood is surprised when his mistress is upset at the break up. My question would be: how could he NOT be upset himself? Why is he not a least partly in love with her? I’m not sure I can like a man who is so detached about ending a relationship of many years.
But I suppose this is par for the course with books of this age. There’s a very different morality at play, where mistresses and wives are two different things, and occupy separate places in a man’s life. However shocking it looks to us now, the world was a different place thirty years ago. Apart from that, I have no real grumbles. I would have liked a little longer with our primary couple post-proposal, but that’s true of virtually every book of this vintage, so it’s not really a complaint. A lovely five-star read.
But there’s a problem - the inn is full because of a sporting event, and there are no rooms to be had. Happily for the Kilmore ladies, a passing hero rescues them by giving up his room, and his friend’s, too, and then inviting the ladies to dine with them. The hero is the imposingly large Lord Hazlewood and his small but dandyish friend is Will DeVine. And so begins the odd friendship between these two and the Kilmore ladies.
While Thea, having led a sheltered life, struggles to behave and speak in the ladylike manner favoured by her mother, every time she puts her foot in it, Lord Hazlewood is there to smooth things over. He is the perfect courteous gentleman, and she begins to feel that she would not mind having to meet him again in London. So on to London the ladies go, their way smoothed by the thoughtful Lord Hazlewood.
There they find that Penny’s house is practically bare of furniture, everything having been trashed by her uncle before he moved out. Jason has managed to make repairs and supply the bare bones of the required furniture, but not much more. He’s also shocked by Penny’s exhausted appearance, and not at all the loving husband she’d hoped to find. And so, unusually for a Regency romance, even though these two appeared to have achieved their happy ending in the previous book, the state of their marriage becomes a central concern of this one, and even more so when previous events come back to haunt Jason and make Penny unhappy. It’s an interesting, and very realistic, scenario and I applaud the author for not assuming that everything in the garden will be rosy as soon as a girl has a ring on her finger.
Meanwhile our pair of heroes, Mr DeVine and Lord Hazlemere, are circling round the two Kilmore ladies, lively Megan and shy Thea, not at all put off (in Lord H’s case) and only slightly put off (in Mr DV’s) by the fact that they live in Russell Square, home of cits and lawyers. Of course the road to happiness is not smooth, and there’s the usual dramatic finale, but it’s clear that these two are both perfectly matched couples. I have to say, I liked all the characters in this book, and the way their stories played out. Thea learns to be more assertive, Lord Hazlewood learns the value of allowing his emotions free rein occasionally, and everything is tied up satisfactorily.
There’s only one aspect of the book that gave me pause. Lord Hazlewood has a mistress of many years’ standing. Now, he does pay her off once he realises he’s thinking of marrying Thea, but up until that point, he visits regularly and they seem to have a very cosy relationship, more like husband and wife than anything else. And then Lord Hazlewood is surprised when his mistress is upset at the break up. My question would be: how could he NOT be upset himself? Why is he not a least partly in love with her? I’m not sure I can like a man who is so detached about ending a relationship of many years.
But I suppose this is par for the course with books of this age. There’s a very different morality at play, where mistresses and wives are two different things, and occupy separate places in a man’s life. However shocking it looks to us now, the world was a different place thirty years ago. Apart from that, I have no real grumbles. I would have liked a little longer with our primary couple post-proposal, but that’s true of virtually every book of this vintage, so it’s not really a complaint. A lovely five-star read.
March 10, 2022
Lord Kilmore's Family Continues
Excellent conclusion to the series as Thea, Lord Kilmore's Sister and the rest of his family come to London. They find themselves unprepared for the Ton due to residing at their Borders Estate. But a couple of Lordly Nobles prove to be guardian angels. A threat is also lurking, along with a few misunderstandings. Lovely sweet Regency Romance.
Excellent conclusion to the series as Thea, Lord Kilmore's Sister and the rest of his family come to London. They find themselves unprepared for the Ton due to residing at their Borders Estate. But a couple of Lordly Nobles prove to be guardian angels. A threat is also lurking, along with a few misunderstandings. Lovely sweet Regency Romance.
June 5, 2023
An unusual heroine and a dashing but gentle giant of a hero. Nice characterization and good plot, believable romance and good historical detail. Nothing splashy or fantastic but a nice, satisfying read.
November 7, 2017
Not quite as good as the previous book, but a fun read. But Dunn on an off day is better than any their Regency romance writers on their best days.
October 15, 2018
Quick, fun read. I enjoyed the opportunity to inhabit this world for a little while.
December 30, 2022
Fun, Fun, Fun!
The shy, retiring Thea loves vegetables, fruits and the Marquise. But don’t tell! It’s all , in the end, the gift of an evil uncle.
The shy, retiring Thea loves vegetables, fruits and the Marquise. But don’t tell! It’s all , in the end, the gift of an evil uncle.
January 14, 2013
Romance in the style of Georgette Heyer -- that is, no bodice-ripper here! Plenty of family and problems to become engrossed in, with a wealthy not-so-sure suitor. Relaxing and enjoyable -- keep those romances coming!
July 28, 2014
I have enjoyed all of Carola Dunn’s regency books I have read so far. They are a nice, quick, easy read and they have a Jane Austen feel to them. Each book is different enough from the others to feel fresh and her enjoyable writing style is consistent.
November 22, 2013
Carol Dunn's books are like a warm mug of cocoa, smooth and warming... just right to snuggle up with and a great tired-time accessory!
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August 10, 2016Um.. forgettable? I'm not even sure I read this but the library owns it so I'm sure I did.
July 11, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A knight in shining armor to the rescue more than once hoping to get the girl to fall in love with him.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews