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Those Scandalous Ravenhursts #3
The Shocking Lord Standon
Rumors fly that Gareth Morant, Earl of Standon, is to be wed. He cannot honorably deny them, but he won't be forced into marriage.
Encountering a respectable governess in scandalizing circumstances, Gareth demands her help--to make him entirely ineligible.
He educates the buttoned-up Miss Jessica Gifford in the courtesan's arts. But Gareth hasn't bargained on such an ardent, clever pupil--or on his passionate response to her! He wanted to cause a stir--it seems they are about to brew a scandal!
Encountering a respectable governess in scandalizing circumstances, Gareth demands her help--to make him entirely ineligible.
He educates the buttoned-up Miss Jessica Gifford in the courtesan's arts. But Gareth hasn't bargained on such an ardent, clever pupil--or on his passionate response to her! He wanted to cause a stir--it seems they are about to brew a scandal!
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 21, 2008
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.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 13, 2013
3.75 stars
A beautiful but destitute music teacher of gentle birth accepts a job as governess, only to realize she's been hoodwinked, locked naked in a brothel. I thought, "Yawn. Not this old cliché."
Yup, that overused trope, ubiquitous to Regency romances, but it was handled better than most.
Dashing hero rescues her from said brothel and then pays her to engage in a little masquerade, so that he can appear too corrupt for the marriage his best friend's conniving father would foist on him. Of course, along the way they fall in love and he slays her dragon. A shady past makes her a poor candidate for marriage to the Earl of Standon, but once he falls, nothing will stand in his way.
Smexy and fairly light, with some sad overtones here and there, due to Jessica's past. A fun read. Louise Allen writes dialogue well and doesn't bury the plot in pages of internal dialogue, where lead characters muse mentally over every deuced thing (thank goodness).
I liked Gareth, Earl of Standon, and his "governess" Jessica Gifford. Jessica is sensible, gutsy, and clever. Not TSTL. I also liked Maude, Gareth's best friend. She will probably get a story some day.
Advocates of strict adherence to the societal norms of the Regency Period would likely look askance.
It would be perhaps four stars, but there are rather too many formatting issues (typos, probably from transforming to digital). I could still follow the plot, though.
It's the third in a series of six books. However, I only read this book and had no trouble following it.
Explicit sex, a little violence, some mild swearing (damn).
A beautiful but destitute music teacher of gentle birth accepts a job as governess, only to realize she's been hoodwinked, locked naked in a brothel. I thought, "Yawn. Not this old cliché."
Yup, that overused trope, ubiquitous to Regency romances, but it was handled better than most.
Dashing hero rescues her from said brothel and then pays her to engage in a little masquerade, so that he can appear too corrupt for the marriage his best friend's conniving father would foist on him. Of course, along the way they fall in love and he slays her dragon. A shady past makes her a poor candidate for marriage to the Earl of Standon, but once he falls, nothing will stand in his way.
Smexy and fairly light, with some sad overtones here and there, due to Jessica's past. A fun read. Louise Allen writes dialogue well and doesn't bury the plot in pages of internal dialogue, where lead characters muse mentally over every deuced thing (thank goodness).
I liked Gareth, Earl of Standon, and his "governess" Jessica Gifford. Jessica is sensible, gutsy, and clever. Not TSTL. I also liked Maude, Gareth's best friend. She will probably get a story some day.
Advocates of strict adherence to the societal norms of the Regency Period would likely look askance.
It would be perhaps four stars, but there are rather too many formatting issues (typos, probably from transforming to digital). I could still follow the plot, though.
It's the third in a series of six books. However, I only read this book and had no trouble following it.
Explicit sex, a little violence, some mild swearing (damn).
April 4, 2022
2.5 stars
This was basically fake dating or should I say courting lolz. I enjoyed it but to an extent cause the ending had me lost.
This was basically fake dating or should I say courting lolz. I enjoyed it but to an extent cause the ending had me lost.
August 16, 2011
I enjoyed Garath and Jessica's story. They really shone as people and I loved her desire to be correct and respectable, even in the face of what she saw as her mother's shame. And yet, because she thought she was not good enough to be his wife, she was willing to be his mistress. I loved that he didn't want that, that he said if it is only that or nothing, it would be nothing. Their final coming together was lovely. A thoroughly lovely story.
June 20, 2011
Not a bad regency romance, but I was put off by the numerous typos. This book needed better editting.
October 18, 2013
It got knocked down a star because I wanted SO MUCH MORE from the ending. Sigh. Would read it again and will now be looking for more books by this author.
April 7, 2020
Piacevole diversivo a questa forzata quarantena!
May 29, 2020
Not bad, but liked less than previous book in series (although no clue if in actual order).
March 12, 2026
This trope just doesn’t get there for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2016
Requested this from BookMooch as I wanted to see what Mills & Boon Historical Romance novels were really like, and if they were as awful as people claim, or if they were the kind of thing I'd treasure as a guilty pleasure.
Well. The first chapter was kind of exciting but it went down hill after that. I got to page 100 and decided that I didn't care what happened to Lord Standon and that since nothing shocking had happened in the first third, what was the point in reading on? This is very simply written, but there is a difference between simple and uninteresting. I don't think I'll be trying another one of these.
Going to put it back on BookMooch and see if anyone is interested.
Well. The first chapter was kind of exciting but it went down hill after that. I got to page 100 and decided that I didn't care what happened to Lord Standon and that since nothing shocking had happened in the first third, what was the point in reading on? This is very simply written, but there is a difference between simple and uninteresting. I don't think I'll be trying another one of these.
Going to put it back on BookMooch and see if anyone is interested.
April 20, 2009
Another good read from Louise Allen
June 30, 2010
Standon overcomes several obstacles as he passes off a governess as his mistress in order to get out of an arranged marriage.
Read
June 1, 2013A fun read, a good mix of prim & proper with active (het) sexuality.
no need or desire to own this book but have reserved other parts of the series at the library.
no need or desire to own this book but have reserved other parts of the series at the library.
August 16, 2017
Leído en marzo 2010
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews