La Comtesse

by Joan Smith

Book by Smith, Joan

Genres: Romance, Regency, Regency Romance

330 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Joan 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

Reviews

[H2bourne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was entertaining but nothing extraordinary. I think because it was predictable, it took a bit away from the suspense of the storyline which involves la Comtesse, or was she? There's Whig Lord Dashford who sometimes works as a spy while also serving as an MP, the missing Irish siblings, Michael and Deirdre (DeeDee) Foster, the Castlereaghs who are Tories, and a host of other characters who play a role in this tale of intrigue, duplicity, and stolen identity. All in all, an above average read but there are better stories to be indulged in.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahiahiahi, ohimè, ohimè! Questo, credo, è l'ultimo 'regency' di Joan Smith che mi restava da leggere, e si è rivelato pure uno di 'quelli buoni'.
JS mi ha fatto compagnia, mi ha distratto, mi ha fatto ridere giocando con l'ottocento inglese nei suoi frizzanti 'romance', facendo (se pure imperfettamente) le veci della divina Georgette Heyer e affiancando (e molto spesso superando) la troppo prolifica e discontinua M. C. Beaton.
Ormai, quando entrerò in astinenza, non mi resterà che frugare nella mia ormai ricca biblioteca virtuale, alla ricerca di possibili riletture dai suoi libri meglio riusciti.

[Justyna Małgorzata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather average. There are a lot better books by Joan Smith. Renee was getting more flat and boring with every chapter. Overall, 3/5 for a fairly interesting intrigue.

[Ruskoley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this. It is exactly what you would expect. I read it because I wanted to read more *fiction* set around Napoleon and Britain and France.... hard to define, but I know what I am trying to read. The reason for wanting to read more fiction from this period is just a non-academic curiosity regarding how authors have plumbed this era - for better or worse.

Anyway, I *really* never read this genre. So I am not a good judge of these things. So, it is a lightweight thing, pulpy, basic, witless. Is it entertaining? I suppose. I disliked all of the characters a whole lot - even more than I expected I would. The plot is really not too good. I mean, it is a simple plot that is overwritten to make more of it than is there. It is also rather obvious (but I think that is generally expected in these types of novels).

I was surprised at how strongly one of the characters spoke against the lead female. The dude was really aggressively hateful toward her. It seemed out of place - too emotional for him.

I don't really have any further opinion of this story. It is so very underwhelming.