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A traditional Regency romance, drawing room rather than bedroom.
Mary Allamont was resigned to spinsterhood, quite happy to keep house for her father and unruly brothers, until her step-mother returned to disrupt their lives. Then an eligible match failed when it was engulfed by an old family scandal. Now she’s desperate for any way to escape, but an unexpected proposal might bring her more challenges than she can cope with.
Daniel Merton gave up the possibility of a career or marriage to support his friend, Sir Osborne Hardy, whose life is dominated by his mother and sisters. Now Osborne wants to help a lady in distress, and Daniel is just the man to smooth the way. But if he helps his friend to happiness, must he give up his own chance of love?
A free novella available only to subscribers of the Mary Kingswood mailing list. Not available to purchase.
Mary Allamont was resigned to spinsterhood, quite happy to keep house for her father and unruly brothers, until her step-mother returned to disrupt their lives. Then an eligible match failed when it was engulfed by an old family scandal. Now she’s desperate for any way to escape, but an unexpected proposal might bring her more challenges than she can cope with.
Daniel Merton gave up the possibility of a career or marriage to support his friend, Sir Osborne Hardy, whose life is dominated by his mother and sisters. Now Osborne wants to help a lady in distress, and Daniel is just the man to smooth the way. But if he helps his friend to happiness, must he give up his own chance of love?
A free novella available only to subscribers of the Mary Kingswood mailing list. Not available to purchase.
84 pages, ebook
First published December 26, 2016
1 person is currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Mary Kingswood
62 books482 followersI live in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland with my husband. I like chocolate, whisky, my Kindle, massed pipe bands, long leisurely lunches, chocolate, going places in my campervan, eating pizza in Italy, summer nights that never get dark, wood fires in winter, chocolate, the view from the study window looking out over the Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond. And chocolate. I dislike driving on motorways, cooking, shopping, hospitals.
The lovely lady in my avatar is Archduchess Clementina of Austria (1798-1881), Princess of Salerno, painted around 1839.
NOTE: I read Regency romances as well as write them, and I review them all on my website, or you can find them right here on Goodreads on my real-name account at Pauline M. Ross.
The lovely lady in my avatar is Archduchess Clementina of Austria (1798-1881), Princess of Salerno, painted around 1839.
NOTE: I read Regency romances as well as write them, and I review them all on my website, or you can find them right here on Goodreads on my real-name account at Pauline M. Ross.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 25, 2024
Did Mary Kingswood write us a polyamorous throuple?
Osborne - baronet, super sweet, seems to be asexual. Marries Mary to get his mother off his back. Loves his wife, but never consummates the marriage.
Mary - cousin to the daughters of Allamont Hall who was SA’ed by their father when she was a teenager. Was fine running her father’s home as a spinster until her estranged step-mother showed up, so marries Osbourne.
Daniel - Osbourne’s best friend from school, now his secretary/steward.
Mary and Daniel both love Osbourne, but their relationships with him aren’t physical. The three spent a lot of time together, especially as Osbourne is often sick. Many months into her marriage, while stuck with Daniel in a folly during a storm, he asks her if she objects to her situation. She confesses that she does’t and explains she was assaulted. Daniel assures her that a sexual relationship doesn’t always hurt women. They agree that Osbourne is their priority, but they’ll kiss each other once a year in the folly.
Osbourne actually has consumption, so there’s a long road of caretaking ahead of them.
The secondary plots deal with Osbourne’s terrible mother, his cousin (and heir), and thefts at the house.
All this in 84 pages! It’s funny how some reviewers are mad about this one, but I think it shows a deep, caring love between three people.
Osborne - baronet, super sweet, seems to be asexual. Marries Mary to get his mother off his back. Loves his wife, but never consummates the marriage.
Mary - cousin to the daughters of Allamont Hall who was SA’ed by their father when she was a teenager. Was fine running her father’s home as a spinster until her estranged step-mother showed up, so marries Osbourne.
Daniel - Osbourne’s best friend from school, now his secretary/steward.
Mary and Daniel both love Osbourne, but their relationships with him aren’t physical. The three spent a lot of time together, especially as Osbourne is often sick. Many months into her marriage, while stuck with Daniel in a folly during a storm, he asks her if she objects to her situation. She confesses that she does’t and explains she was assaulted. Daniel assures her that a sexual relationship doesn’t always hurt women. They agree that Osbourne is their priority, but they’ll kiss each other once a year in the folly.
Osbourne actually has consumption, so there’s a long road of caretaking ahead of them.
The secondary plots deal with Osbourne’s terrible mother, his cousin (and heir), and thefts at the house.
All this in 84 pages! It’s funny how some reviewers are mad about this one, but I think it shows a deep, caring love between three people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2017
Despite being a short read this was the most compelling of the Allamont series. I do wish the relationship between Osborne, Daniel and Mary had been examined further -- an interesting, tender dynamic.
April 27, 2019
Enjoyable read.
I hope that the story of Mary will have a happy ending in one of the next books of the series.
I hope that the story of Mary will have a happy ending in one of the next books of the series.
January 25, 2018
A cute companions novella to the Allamont family series. I hope her story gets finished in another book!
October 30, 2023
I prefer to be warned if a book is an extramarital romance! It was very strange, unlike her other stories and I didn’t like the difference. Mary actually marries Daniels friend and the story continues with their budding relationship. It made no sense either for Mary to step so casually outside her marriage because the first books she always criticizes her brother for being inconsistent, here she doesn’t spare it a single thought!
TW for past rape and emotional & physical cheating.
It was all very uncomfortable, their friendship wasn’t very compelling and the romance was just as forced, unless we assume Daniel always liked her before she got married. But I I actually didn’t realize that they got married until Mary and Daniel start discussing Mary’s lack of physical intimacy since the wedding, I had to back up like “what wedding?” So I must’ve started skimming beforehand I’m not sure what other people liked about the book, I felt like I wasted my time. I thought the ending was very smug, Mary never gains any concept of wronging her husband, it’s just I have a wonderful husband and a wonderful ‘friend’, I’ve confided in this friend about our sex life, my feelings, and we reached an understanding to be lovers. Ahh all is well, what a sweet life. Like, come again?
TW for past rape and emotional & physical cheating.
It was all very uncomfortable, their friendship wasn’t very compelling and the romance was just as forced, unless we assume Daniel always liked her before she got married. But I I actually didn’t realize that they got married until Mary and Daniel start discussing Mary’s lack of physical intimacy since the wedding, I had to back up like “what wedding?” So I must’ve started skimming beforehand I’m not sure what other people liked about the book, I felt like I wasted my time. I thought the ending was very smug, Mary never gains any concept of wronging her husband, it’s just I have a wonderful husband and a wonderful ‘friend’, I’ve confided in this friend about our sex life, my feelings, and we reached an understanding to be lovers. Ahh all is well, what a sweet life. Like, come again?
April 18, 2024
Um, I agree with the other one star review lol. This was just bad.
Mary is a despicable character and I felt no sympathy for her whatsoever because of what she did--and what she will do too, which is implied--to Osborne. Oh, and she hates men but then she's not doing much to save the reputation of women, either.
Osborne is the sweetest guy ever and he deserved to be loved, not cheated on. He's a little odd, sure, but it's clear that there wasn't anything slightly wrong with the relationship.
I did like the progression of the story and Osborne's and Mary's slow moving relationship and then...out of nowhere, it just turned lol. I think it would have worked better if it was a slow love story between them, showing it slowly developing instead of a random plotline of her 'falling in love' with (hella rushed, mind you) Daniel, an unlikeable character himself. And she comes to that conclusion because he hugged her. That's it. Whereas Osborne genuinely knows her and understands her and she's always paid attention to him and not Daniel. These two didn't even flirt! I know it's a novella but the author could have done so much more with this. And how convenient that the author is trying to kill him off so that they can be together. Which doesn't actually make sense. Again, her 'love' for Daniel came out of nowhere and she never even acknowledges that what they were doing is wrong? So basically, they're just going to continue this until Osborne dies. She gets the best of both worlds. Disgusting.
And then there's Daniel. Oh my god. The most selfish ML ever. No wonder Osborne's sisters hated him. They were annoying but clearly, they were right about one thing. For a dude that's supposedly best friends with Osborne and has been for years and is almost like a brother, what he does, and what he suggests, with Mary is even worse because it's clear they intend to continue their affair. This was so gross. Honestly expected so much more from the author especially because her other books aren't as crap.
Mary is a despicable character and I felt no sympathy for her whatsoever because of what she did--and what she will do too, which is implied--to Osborne. Oh, and she hates men but then she's not doing much to save the reputation of women, either.
Osborne is the sweetest guy ever and he deserved to be loved, not cheated on. He's a little odd, sure, but it's clear that there wasn't anything slightly wrong with the relationship.
I did like the progression of the story and Osborne's and Mary's slow moving relationship and then...out of nowhere, it just turned lol. I think it would have worked better if it was a slow love story between them, showing it slowly developing instead of a random plotline of her 'falling in love' with (hella rushed, mind you) Daniel, an unlikeable character himself. And she comes to that conclusion because he hugged her. That's it. Whereas Osborne genuinely knows her and understands her and she's always paid attention to him and not Daniel. These two didn't even flirt! I know it's a novella but the author could have done so much more with this. And how convenient that the author is trying to kill him off so that they can be together. Which doesn't actually make sense. Again, her 'love' for Daniel came out of nowhere and she never even acknowledges that what they were doing is wrong? So basically, they're just going to continue this until Osborne dies. She gets the best of both worlds. Disgusting.
And then there's Daniel. Oh my god. The most selfish ML ever. No wonder Osborne's sisters hated him. They were annoying but clearly, they were right about one thing. For a dude that's supposedly best friends with Osborne and has been for years and is almost like a brother, what he does, and what he suggests, with Mary is even worse because it's clear they intend to continue their affair. This was so gross. Honestly expected so much more from the author especially because her other books aren't as crap.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2025
Mary and Hardy and Merton?
I was so excited for Mary’s story. She is one of my favorite characters. This novella was disappointing. It was played off that Mary was happy with her situation by the end of the book but I think a good man who loved her would actually help lead her to healing. Also from the previous books I didn’t take Merton as a very likable person but maybe he was just misunderstood as he was in this book?
Reminders for future me:
Mary marries Sir Osborne Hardy the local earl. His bff Merton (whom I though was his lover in other books) lives with him acting as his personal secretary (and servant). Osborne is sickly and needs to be taken care of. Merton and Mary serve him together and grow close. Mary and Osborne never consummate their marriage but she is happy with it due to past trauma involving the late Mr William Allamont. But she and Merton kiss one day and decide that they will do it every year as a token of their love. 🧐
I was so excited for Mary’s story. She is one of my favorite characters. This novella was disappointing. It was played off that Mary was happy with her situation by the end of the book but I think a good man who loved her would actually help lead her to healing. Also from the previous books I didn’t take Merton as a very likable person but maybe he was just misunderstood as he was in this book?
Reminders for future me:
Mary marries Sir Osborne Hardy the local earl. His bff Merton (whom I though was his lover in other books) lives with him acting as his personal secretary (and servant). Osborne is sickly and needs to be taken care of. Merton and Mary serve him together and grow close. Mary and Osborne never consummate their marriage but she is happy with it due to past trauma involving the late Mr William Allamont. But she and Merton kiss one day and decide that they will do it every year as a token of their love. 🧐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2019
I read the Sons of the Marquess series before reading this book, so I already knew what happens to Mary. Having said that, it did not reduce my enjoyment of the story. It filled in some blanks about Mary and Daniel. This story is very sweet and a heroine who has emotional strength. She knows what she wants and how to create peace in her life and those around her. Lovely regency story. I am enjoying all of Mary Kingswood’s books.
March 3, 2019
Well written. It is nice to know what happens to Mary but the whole book is a bit weird. I always thought that Osborne and Daniel were secretly gay but throwing Mary in the mix changed my thoughts on that score. Kisses only
March 30, 2023
Well-written, clean, and interesting, this story kept me turning pages. I've got mixed feelings about the ending, but it was definitely a good book. The characters were believable and varied. I loved the heroine's plucky nature. If you enjoy clean Regency romance, then I recommend this book to you.
January 22, 2025
3.5 stars. Although not my favorite, another interesting series from Kingswood, with five daughters who must marry in birth order to get their dowries, plus two AWOL brothers, and a couple of major mysteries running throughout. (This one is available from the author's website, free.)
April 29, 2018
Kindle novella
Want to read
January 22, 2021Would like a copy of Mary Kingswood Mary Daughter of All along Hall
May 15, 2021
A nice sweet novella. Hopefully the rest of Mary's story will be told later in the series. I feel there is more to her story.
July 21, 2022
I am currently reading The Daughters of Allamont Hall and Mary is so far my favorite. Mary is so sweet. I applaud Mary for loving and supporting Daniel and Osborne.
December 25, 2023
3.75. Interesting. Good insights into some other characters present in all the books. Not sure where it will go for them. Interesting dynamic, captivating in ways. Wish it went more in depth
October 7, 2024
Now i have to read the other 5 books, darn it! No wait. 6.
September 9, 2025
It's quite dark at the end...we understand why she's not that keen on men
March 24, 2022
An interesting novella. After reading so much about Mary ot is great to read her own story between the books. I'm hoping that the next finishes her story some more!
May 4, 2024
Interesting backstory
Read
February 19, 2022Wow! Very unexpected ending, kept me guessing throughout.
July 28, 2018
A great regency romance!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews