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The Six Sisters #6
Frederica in Fashion
Last of her six sisters left single, Frederica intends to avoid the marriage mart and runs away. In chambermaid disguise, Freddie joins the household of the fashionable Duke of Pembury. But that wild gentleman sees through her tricks, and escorts her back. When the sisters make over the tomboy, she cannot recognize herself, but the Duke can.
Paperback
First published October 1, 1985
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About the author
Marion Chesney
139 books751 followersMarion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
January 21, 2019
EXCERPT: There was a long silence while the ill-assorted pair studied each other.
Frederica thought the title of the Wicked Duke suited her companion very well.
He had thick, black hair worn longer than the usual fashion. His eyebrows were very thin, black and arched over jet black eyes with curved eyelids. His face was very white and high nosed and his mouth was firm and rather cruel.
He was well above the normal height with broad shoulders. His blue morning coat had a black velvet collar, his long waistcoat was black, as were his breeches and top boots. His hands were long and white and a large ruby ring blazed on the middle finger of his left hand.
But it was not his appearance alone that made him look so satanic. It was the air of cruelty mixed with arrogance that seemed to emanate from him.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Last of her six sisters left single, Frederica intends to avoid the marriage mart and runs away. In chambermaid disguise, Freddie joins the household of the fashionable Duke of Pembury. But that wild gentleman sees through her tricks, and escorts her back. When the sisters make over the tomboy, she cannot recognize herself, but the Duke can.
MY THOUGHTS: I found this book nestled in the top of one of my as yet unpacked boxes of books. Looking for something small and quick to read while my Kindle recharged, I plucked it out while wondering where on earth I had originally picked it up. Because it is not my normal reading matter at all. I think I may have acquired it at a garage sale, tempted by the author, whose Hamish Macbeth series I enjoy.
Despite my initial reservations, I found myself enjoying this read. It crossed my mind as I read that the new Brave and Fearless Frederica would be a good companion for Flavia De Luce. She certainly manages to get herself into some scrapes!
This was an amusing and entertaining read that had me laughing out loud in places. Well done M. C. Beaton. If I come across any of the other books in this series, I will certainly pick them up.
😊😊😊.5
THE AUTHOR: Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of Frederica in Fashion by M. C. Beaton, published by Constable and Robinson Ltd. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
Frederica thought the title of the Wicked Duke suited her companion very well.
He had thick, black hair worn longer than the usual fashion. His eyebrows were very thin, black and arched over jet black eyes with curved eyelids. His face was very white and high nosed and his mouth was firm and rather cruel.
He was well above the normal height with broad shoulders. His blue morning coat had a black velvet collar, his long waistcoat was black, as were his breeches and top boots. His hands were long and white and a large ruby ring blazed on the middle finger of his left hand.
But it was not his appearance alone that made him look so satanic. It was the air of cruelty mixed with arrogance that seemed to emanate from him.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Last of her six sisters left single, Frederica intends to avoid the marriage mart and runs away. In chambermaid disguise, Freddie joins the household of the fashionable Duke of Pembury. But that wild gentleman sees through her tricks, and escorts her back. When the sisters make over the tomboy, she cannot recognize herself, but the Duke can.
MY THOUGHTS: I found this book nestled in the top of one of my as yet unpacked boxes of books. Looking for something small and quick to read while my Kindle recharged, I plucked it out while wondering where on earth I had originally picked it up. Because it is not my normal reading matter at all. I think I may have acquired it at a garage sale, tempted by the author, whose Hamish Macbeth series I enjoy.
Despite my initial reservations, I found myself enjoying this read. It crossed my mind as I read that the new Brave and Fearless Frederica would be a good companion for Flavia De Luce. She certainly manages to get herself into some scrapes!
This was an amusing and entertaining read that had me laughing out loud in places. Well done M. C. Beaton. If I come across any of the other books in this series, I will certainly pick them up.
😊😊😊.5
THE AUTHOR: Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of Frederica in Fashion by M. C. Beaton, published by Constable and Robinson Ltd. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
August 8, 2017
There's something enchanting about this last book that makes me return to it from time to time. Despite the glaring differences between the hero and heroine: their extreme age difference, their extreme life experience difference, their different stations in life -- there's something almost sweet about it.
Frederica is the dreamy, wispy, washed-out looking youngest sister in a family of hailed beauties, and when the book starts, she sets out to change herself and become one of the heroines in her novels. Because her father the vicar had written with the scandalous news that she was soon to have the buxom, saucy housemaid Sarah as stepmother, Frederica the proverbial worm has decided to turn and run away from her seminary. She then neatly plans her escape as only a Marion Chesney heroine could -- with forged letters of recommendation, packed bags, and discreet inquiries that put her close to the wicked Duke of Pembury's country estate, where she has determined to get a post as chambermaid.
The wicked Duke is wicked no more, and has reformed amazingly. They by chance meet at the inn just before she embarks on her new post and her last fleeting smile to him reveals all the glory behind her wispy looks. Due to his house party, she is reunited with the redoubtable Lady Godolphin and meanwhile, Frederica's oldest brother-in-law brings the vicar and hails to her rescue. They determine to rescue Frederica but find there is nothing to rescue from -- the Duke only just discovered her appearance as chambermaid, there is such a lot of age difference, and nobody thinks that he could possibly be interested in Frederica. They, instead fear that Frederica will develop a crush on him, and the sisters descend to keep them apart.
While Frederica certainly had not entertained any romantic thoughts towards him, somehow the Duke does find himself drawn to her. Not much is said about his thoughts toward her, but his few actions are sweet and considerate. There's not much in the way or courtship because he's impelled by his jealous mistress to propose to Frederica and save her reputation and mighty glad of it he claims to be too -- which makes the story all the more endearing. The jealous mistress then pulls a Poppy storyline trick (refer to the author's earlier work, Poppy) and contrives to kidnap Frederica, with the help of Guy Wentwater, the villain from all six books that just won't go away, of course. All's well that ends well when Frederica, the no-longer worm, saves herself and her maid and is bent over backwards and kissed resoundingly by the Duke. Guy Wentwater, of course, gets his comeuppance in typical Marion Chesney fashion and is pushed off a bridge during his last attempt at villainy and dies ignominiously.
A very sweet, short last book. It's very, very short, but somehow satisfying for all that. Of course all the references to previous characters will only work for the reader who has been through the series's roller coaster.
Frederica is the dreamy, wispy, washed-out looking youngest sister in a family of hailed beauties, and when the book starts, she sets out to change herself and become one of the heroines in her novels. Because her father the vicar had written with the scandalous news that she was soon to have the buxom, saucy housemaid Sarah as stepmother, Frederica the proverbial worm has decided to turn and run away from her seminary. She then neatly plans her escape as only a Marion Chesney heroine could -- with forged letters of recommendation, packed bags, and discreet inquiries that put her close to the wicked Duke of Pembury's country estate, where she has determined to get a post as chambermaid.
The wicked Duke is wicked no more, and has reformed amazingly. They by chance meet at the inn just before she embarks on her new post and her last fleeting smile to him reveals all the glory behind her wispy looks. Due to his house party, she is reunited with the redoubtable Lady Godolphin and meanwhile, Frederica's oldest brother-in-law brings the vicar and hails to her rescue. They determine to rescue Frederica but find there is nothing to rescue from -- the Duke only just discovered her appearance as chambermaid, there is such a lot of age difference, and nobody thinks that he could possibly be interested in Frederica. They, instead fear that Frederica will develop a crush on him, and the sisters descend to keep them apart.
While Frederica certainly had not entertained any romantic thoughts towards him, somehow the Duke does find himself drawn to her. Not much is said about his thoughts toward her, but his few actions are sweet and considerate. There's not much in the way or courtship because he's impelled by his jealous mistress to propose to Frederica and save her reputation and mighty glad of it he claims to be too -- which makes the story all the more endearing. The jealous mistress then pulls a Poppy storyline trick (refer to the author's earlier work, Poppy) and contrives to kidnap Frederica, with the help of Guy Wentwater, the villain from all six books that just won't go away, of course. All's well that ends well when Frederica, the no-longer worm, saves herself and her maid and is bent over backwards and kissed resoundingly by the Duke. Guy Wentwater, of course, gets his comeuppance in typical Marion Chesney fashion and is pushed off a bridge during his last attempt at villainy and dies ignominiously.
A very sweet, short last book. It's very, very short, but somehow satisfying for all that. Of course all the references to previous characters will only work for the reader who has been through the series's roller coaster.
Read
April 1, 2024Supersillysweetnothing
April 1, 2024
Perfectly enjoyable conclusion to the Six Sisters series by Chesney/Beaton. I liked Frederica and the fact that she was truly rather plain compared to her sisters. I also liked her unlikely pairing with a much older and sophisticated Duke. It had the same type vibe as Leonie and The Duke of Avon.
June 21, 2020
This review is for the whole series, as I haven't reviewed any of the others individually. The Six Sisters was just as delightful as I've come to expect from Marion Chesney from the three previous series I've listened to. I would listen to any of them again, because they are so much fun. The romances in these books don't really stand up to the standards of modern romances--not a lot of depth and too many 17-year-olds ending up with with 30-somethings. But what we're really here for is the delightful and ridiculous stories, full of adventure and scandal, as well as Chesney's wryly humorous observations. I loved every minute of it.
March 24, 2017
Delightful old favorite - I've reread this one countless times over the years, but it's been a while. I dug it out for a couple hours of fun and light-hearted brain candy, it never disappoints! Marion Chesney's early romance series (Six Sisters, House for a Season) are light, witty and funny - love revisiting old characters like the hard-drinking, hunting-mad Reverend Armitage, Squire Redford (his best friend and conscience), and the inimitable Malaprop, Lady Godolphin. Good times...
July 14, 2010
2.5 stars. Minerva was the best book in this series. The characters of this book didn't have a realistic feeling to them. Usually It doesn't really bother me when the heroine is 17 years old and the hero is in his thrities, but the way the two were portrayed in this book made the hero come off as positively ancient! It was not believable that the they fell in love in the end.
September 8, 2017
It made my day! A perfect witty Regency romance! I am not exaggerating. ;-)
I love the whole series, I like all characters, but I love the most this novel. It was a perfect end. I adored Frederica from the beginning (from Minerva) and here she was an ideal heroine. And Duke of Pembury... Let's face it - we love this kind of hero.
The plot was interesting, with a few funny surprises. And although I knew how it would end up I read it like someone thirsty drinks water.
Of course, I would like it had been longer. I can easily imagine more scenes between Frederica and Pembury. E.g. she could have worked longer as chambermaid. Or they could have had more meetings before an engagement.
I don't have to point out that the vicar, Lady Godolphin and the other sisters gave an additional fun. I enjoyed it very much each time when they appeared on stage.
There wasn't very strong hidden message in this story. Perhaps it was the only one aspect that was better in the other parts. The only one I could see was that, the beauty has many meanings.
It was the best of Marion Chesney's books I have read as for now. I am only afraid that I will not find another as good as this one.
I love the whole series, I like all characters, but I love the most this novel. It was a perfect end. I adored Frederica from the beginning (from Minerva) and here she was an ideal heroine. And Duke of Pembury... Let's face it - we love this kind of hero.
The plot was interesting, with a few funny surprises. And although I knew how it would end up I read it like someone thirsty drinks water.
Of course, I would like it had been longer. I can easily imagine more scenes between Frederica and Pembury. E.g. she could have worked longer as chambermaid. Or they could have had more meetings before an engagement.
I don't have to point out that the vicar, Lady Godolphin and the other sisters gave an additional fun. I enjoyed it very much each time when they appeared on stage.
There wasn't very strong hidden message in this story. Perhaps it was the only one aspect that was better in the other parts. The only one I could see was that, the beauty has many meanings.
It was the best of Marion Chesney's books I have read as for now. I am only afraid that I will not find another as good as this one.
Read
January 12, 2023the age gap was horrific
February 27, 2024
Last book in this series. Thoroughly enjoy MC Beaton/Marion Chesney books
October 16, 2025
irritating ending
April 5, 2015
Little Frederica is 17 now and is the most plain and bookish of her sisters. She is about to finish her time at a young ladies' seminary and refuses to return home where her father wishes to take the maid as his new wife! Frederica is determined to conquer her shyness and control her own life. She decides to take a position as a maid at the wealthy Duke's of Pembury's estate. When she stops for refreshments at an inn, she makes the aquaintance of the Duke and surprises him by being impertinent and uninterested in him as a titled peer or a man. Frederica is determined he shall not know of her deception when she enters his household, but she doesn't count on the Duke's perception or that his houseguests would include his demanding ex-mistress and Lady Godolphin! When Frederica's masquerade is discovered, the Duke and Lady Godolphin champion Frederica and insist she come to London for a Season. Frederica's sisters, all happily married, are determined to marry off their little sister and conspire to choose her husband for her. Frederica may not be beautiful but she seems to have caught the eye of the Duke of Pembery and his ex-mistress and an old enemy conspire to bring down the Armitage girls once and for all. Meanwhile, Frederica's father has his own romantic drama, as does Lady Godolphin. Frederica finally has an adventure worthy of a heroine in a romance novel, finds her courage and wins the love of her life. All is resolved neatly in the end. This story had it's funny moments involving the vicar and Lady Godolphin. The plot was resolved too quickly and neatly and could have used one more chapter to tie things up slowly. This was a good read and one of the better books in the series.
July 17, 2015
Review - Frederica comes across as really developing into a woman over the course of the novel. At first she is a naive girl, but by the end is really matured and grown. It could, however, have benefited from more involvement from Frederica's sisters. I actually think Frederica in Fashion is my very favourite of the Six Sisters series. In some ways, Beaton writes about the reality of the Regency period a lot more accurately than Julia Quinn or Stephanie Laurens, but at times I do feel her writing lacks excitement.
Genre? - Historical / Romance
Characters? - Frederica Armitage / Robert Duke of Pembury / Miverva Armitage / Annabelle Armitage / Diana Armitage / Daphne Armitage / Deirdre Armitage
Setting? - London (England)
Series? - Six Sisters #6
Recommend? - Yes
Rating - 17/20
Genre? - Historical / Romance
Characters? - Frederica Armitage / Robert Duke of Pembury / Miverva Armitage / Annabelle Armitage / Diana Armitage / Daphne Armitage / Deirdre Armitage
Setting? - London (England)
Series? - Six Sisters #6
Recommend? - Yes
Rating - 17/20
January 8, 2015
Frederica was probably the nicest and most deserving of the sisters, but her story is particularly rushed.
Couple that with the Sarah story and the Reverend Armitage not getting his comeuppance at all, this last volume fell rather flat. Not to mention the same old villain from book one was back again, yawn.
I did like the refreshed covers for this series, but would advise getting them as cheaply as possible - as the writing, though accomplished is nothing to get excited about.
Couple that with the Sarah story and the Reverend Armitage not getting his comeuppance at all, this last volume fell rather flat. Not to mention the same old villain from book one was back again, yawn.
I did like the refreshed covers for this series, but would advise getting them as cheaply as possible - as the writing, though accomplished is nothing to get excited about.
March 5, 2020
I think this was my least favorite of the series
April 25, 2025
Very nice. Funny and sweet. This was my first book by this author and the writing style reminded my a little of Barbara Metzger and Joan Smith. Competent, well-balanced (though sometimes there was a little bit too much telling instead of showing; but then the book is quite short and covers quite a lot of plot) and pleasantly old-fashioned, compared to more recent regency writing styles.
Frederica was quite believable - which surprised me, because very young heroines often come across as either childish, naive bordering on dumb, and/or plain unrealistic.
The tone of the book is very light-hearted Do not expect complex characters or profund character development. But within the framework of the story, the characters work. Frederica is just the right mix between shy and plucky. Here a quote from quite early on in the book which warmed my heart for her and illustrates this quite nicely:
She could hardly believe she, of all people, had finally and actually run away, the sort of thing only very bold people did. ‘So I cannot be so very timid and lifeless,’ said Frederica aloud. Her little bosom swelled with pride. Diana was Frederica’s heroine. Now she was behaving as bravely as Diana! ‘I shall go on being brave,’ said Frederica, still speaking out loud, that habit of the solitary. ‘It is such a wonderful feeling.’
The chemistry between her and the hero nicely moves from curiosity to interest to feelings, and the hero, though a reformed rake (not my favorite trope), is well-balanced between (slight) traces of former rakishness, respectability/responsibility, and, of course, the ability to appreciate Frederica and CARE for her for her own sake.
Frederica was quite believable - which surprised me, because very young heroines often come across as either childish, naive bordering on dumb, and/or plain unrealistic.
The tone of the book is very light-hearted Do not expect complex characters or profund character development. But within the framework of the story, the characters work. Frederica is just the right mix between shy and plucky. Here a quote from quite early on in the book which warmed my heart for her and illustrates this quite nicely:
She could hardly believe she, of all people, had finally and actually run away, the sort of thing only very bold people did. ‘So I cannot be so very timid and lifeless,’ said Frederica aloud. Her little bosom swelled with pride. Diana was Frederica’s heroine. Now she was behaving as bravely as Diana! ‘I shall go on being brave,’ said Frederica, still speaking out loud, that habit of the solitary. ‘It is such a wonderful feeling.’
The chemistry between her and the hero nicely moves from curiosity to interest to feelings, and the hero, though a reformed rake (not my favorite trope), is well-balanced between (slight) traces of former rakishness, respectability/responsibility, and, of course, the ability to appreciate Frederica and CARE for her for her own sake.
October 7, 2024
The romance is hardly believable and it’s almost tell from start to finish and we never see anything resembling a romance between the MC’s, the pacing is awful and in her desperation to make Frederica desperate enough to run away from home, MC makes the vicar do something so inconsistent with his character that almost ruined the world building for me, ( because the character of the vicar which she took pains to flesh out in the five previous books would never stoop to marry the maid servant) however the ending and the comeuppance of the villain of the story is so sublime as to make up for all shortcomings.so I added back the star.
December 31, 2023
Deliciously cheesy regency romance. What a way to round off my reading year! I’m very glad I’ve managed to finish this just in time, to make 70 books read this year.
I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but reading this one has made me intrigued to see if I can find them. It works really well as a standalone and I enjoyed Frederica as a character - more driven and determined than she thought! There were a few moments of non-consent that didn’t sit very well with me, but other than that I enjoyed the story as a whole.
I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but reading this one has made me intrigued to see if I can find them. It works really well as a standalone and I enjoyed Frederica as a character - more driven and determined than she thought! There were a few moments of non-consent that didn’t sit very well with me, but other than that I enjoyed the story as a whole.
October 24, 2018
I found this book in a book fair, usually I don't buy books randomly, but I thought to give it a try.
I don't remember laughing this much while reading romance book.
Book full of contradiction
Hero is so satanic in figure, heroine is so plain, huge age gap, huge social gap.
Family mixed with different personalities which made me think, this is not the ideal family.
Really fun light reading, and am intending to bring other books for the same Author.
I don't remember laughing this much while reading romance book.
Book full of contradiction
Hero is so satanic in figure, heroine is so plain, huge age gap, huge social gap.
Family mixed with different personalities which made me think, this is not the ideal family.
Really fun light reading, and am intending to bring other books for the same Author.
April 29, 2021
Out of the six Armitage sisters I can say that Frederica is my favorite.
She has a more pleasant character.
She is brave, clever and honest.
Even though she isn't considered as beautiful as her other sisters, I think she is the most beautiful inside.
The story itself is intriguing.
Romance, revenge, friendship, family and regency life.
She has a more pleasant character.
She is brave, clever and honest.
Even though she isn't considered as beautiful as her other sisters, I think she is the most beautiful inside.
The story itself is intriguing.
Romance, revenge, friendship, family and regency life.
May 21, 2025
Felt a bit rushed and some parts worked better than others. Freddie was frustrating but still likeable. Pembury had more personality than Dantrey, but that basically just means he had any. He was a lot like Simon Garfield where a large amount of his personality was 'liking Freddie'. Overall solid and fun though.
January 15, 2025
A modern Georgette Heyer author M.C. Beaton has done her homework on how the British aristrocracy lived in 1700-1800's
Light-hearted and comical Ms Beaton creates characters that shine in one's imagination, evn after the book is finished
Light-hearted and comical Ms Beaton creates characters that shine in one's imagination, evn after the book is finished
August 31, 2025
Very much my favorite in the series! So funny and Frederica is such a loveable character.
My favorite scene was when Frederica delivered messages from one lady to another in her role as chambermaid at the Duke's houseparty. I won't give anything away but it was hilarious.
My favorite scene was when Frederica delivered messages from one lady to another in her role as chambermaid at the Duke's houseparty. I won't give anything away but it was hilarious.
May 4, 2017
I loved the story and the trill. This was one of the best stories. Too bad this is the end. I want I don't know...more. A family reunion.
August 2, 2017
Cute series, quick reads. Jane Austen-esque, not too saucy (lol).
October 15, 2017
cute little series
October 16, 2017
The usual hasty wrap to a series. The short, vague, bland etc chit gets the duke. Meh.
May 11, 2018
The sixth in a series which seriously ran out of steam before the end of book 2. The best thing I can say about this final installment is that at least it was shorter than the others.
July 3, 2018
The final story in the series. Frederica has to deal with people calling her the plain sister and the return of Mr. Wentwater, the Armitages' enemy.
August 16, 2018
might have taken it from a Chautauqua library and never returned.
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