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In My Lady's Chamber
Book by Matthews, Laura
332 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 11, 2021
This book was just what I needed today. It's part treasure-hunt/mystery part second-chance romance. The H/h knew each other 6 years previously but the h's father wouldn't give them permission to marry and when her father got sick, she wanted to be by his side while the H wanted her to leave and marry him.
6 years later, the h is working as a governess for a delightful family and has found a happy place despite life's disappointments. When the H/h meet again, he is still angry and under the impression that she had married. The H's aunt thought the h was beneath him so she led him to believe that the h had married someone else. For all his protestations of love, he didn't try very hard with the h 6 years ago.
While all of this is going on, the h has decided the children of the family need a diversion after a death in the family, so she has them embark on a treasure hunt to find a treasure long talked about in their family. There's a lot more going on, and the book takes its time at a leisurely pace. The writing was good enough that I enjoyed being a part of their world as the H/h slowly became reaquainted and the other side plots unfolded.
I would recommend this book if you like a gently told story with a great H/h, mild angst, a degenerate uncle, budding romance and a realistic family of children.
Safety
6 years later, the h is working as a governess for a delightful family and has found a happy place despite life's disappointments. When the H/h meet again, he is still angry and under the impression that she had married. The H's aunt thought the h was beneath him so she led him to believe that the h had married someone else. For all his protestations of love, he didn't try very hard with the h 6 years ago.
While all of this is going on, the h has decided the children of the family need a diversion after a death in the family, so she has them embark on a treasure hunt to find a treasure long talked about in their family. There's a lot more going on, and the book takes its time at a leisurely pace. The writing was good enough that I enjoyed being a part of their world as the H/h slowly became reaquainted and the other side plots unfolded.
I would recommend this book if you like a gently told story with a great H/h, mild angst, a degenerate uncle, budding romance and a realistic family of children.
Safety
March 5, 2014
I really enjoyed this novel. It was like eating a Lemon-Mint sorbet; clean and refreshing with the perfect balance of tangy and sweet.
The storyline was fun, the interaction with the children was natural and added depth to the other characters, and I much appreciated the lack of melodramatic angst - the hero and heroine actually acted like mature adults (a novel change).
The book was well-written with good pacing; so much so that I kept saying to myself: "Just one more chapter..." until I finished the book at 1 am.
The storyline was fun, the interaction with the children was natural and added depth to the other characters, and I much appreciated the lack of melodramatic angst - the hero and heroine actually acted like mature adults (a novel change).
The book was well-written with good pacing; so much so that I kept saying to myself: "Just one more chapter..." until I finished the book at 1 am.
December 23, 2018
Adorable regency romance wrapped around a fun little mystery. The female main character was just a lovely person and although she had faced some challenges she wasn’t a figure of pity. The male main character was an admirable gentleman. The ending was entertaining and happy. It was light reading that reminded me a little of my enjoyment of Nancy Drew mysteries when I was a child.
No violence, no sex, mild language.
No violence, no sex, mild language.
September 7, 2013
Yes, this was a romance but there were underlying threads weaved throughout the story to hold the reader's attention. Who doesn't want to search for hidden treasure? There's also the relationship of Miss Tremere with her charges who all adore their governess, the eldest son in the Eastwick household, Edward, trying to stand in for his absent father who is in America but becoming overbearing to his younger siblings instead, the good-for-nothing Uncle Jack who's in dun territory and trying to marry Ruth, Lord Steyne's sister. Lord Steyne incidentally was engaged to Miss Theodosia Tremere six years earlier. Well, this is entertaining though some may feel bogged down by some of the historical details. A good read right to the end. I appreciated the epilogue which gives a post-marriage glimpse of Marc, Lord Steyne, and Theodosia (Doe). Of course this is where the bulk of the romance happens but it is written with some humour and nothing to cause squeamishness.
June 17, 2014
Charming! An enjoyable tale of a couple, parted by her father's selfish opposition to the match years before, who meet again and discover their love has not diminished.
August 18, 2024
A sweet, slow burn, gentle romance that revolves around a satisfying family mystery. Engaging characters add to the delight and a reasonable conflict between the hero and heroine increases the tension. The romance was so slow-burn that it was a bit frustrating—there were times I just wanted him to take her into his arms and be done—but as the original conflict was revealed I realized that would simply not do. And they did end up hanging out in the heroine’s bedchamber quite a bit, but the way it was handled I could forgive it. The ending was very satisfying and this was overall a lovely read.
March 14, 2020
It had some slow parts but such a cute story. Theodosia becomes a part of the family even though she is the governess. She suggest a treasure hunt of the lost family treasure to cheer up the children from a recent death. There is all sorts of twist and turns literally and emotional as the family tries to keep their uncle from finding it. Lord Steyne a former beau accompanies the uncle and wonders can they pick up where they left off.
June 20, 2023
A lovely read!
I really enjoy books where the characters grow and mature over the course of the book. Both the hero and heroine did this. Aside from this romantic pairing meeting each other six years after they parted ways badly, there are several other storylines in this book which include hunting for treasure, and a few other budding romances.
This is certainly a Regency romance that Georgette Heyer will enjoy. I thoroughly recommend.
I really enjoy books where the characters grow and mature over the course of the book. Both the hero and heroine did this. Aside from this romantic pairing meeting each other six years after they parted ways badly, there are several other storylines in this book which include hunting for treasure, and a few other budding romances.
This is certainly a Regency romance that Georgette Heyer will enjoy. I thoroughly recommend.
August 30, 2023
Love the family in this book, author did an excellent job portraying the characters giving them a personality. The leading couple Theodosia [governess] and Lord Steyne [visiting] had a history 6 years ago and haven't seen each other since. Add a search for missing family treasure, a disreputable uncle and you have a delightful story to read .
February 13, 2024
I’ve read several Laura Matthews books, and I’ve enjoyed them all, something that’s not usual in authors of this era, where the catalogue tends to be spotty. But this was a perfectly judged blend of a second-chance romance with a happy family setting and a treasure hunt thrown in for good measure. There’s a half-hearted villain but his villainy never really amounts to much. This is just good old-fashioned fun, with some unusually good writing underneath.
Here’s the premise: Theodosia Tremere is the daughter of a clergyman, who almost married Viscount Steyne some years previously. Her father having died, she’s now taken up a position as governess to the charming Heythrop family, headed by Lady Eastwick. Her husband is abroad, so the family is headed by her eldest son, twenty-year-old Edward, who is finding his new responsibilities difficult. There are two younger brothers and three daughters, and all of them are delightful. It’s unusual and very refreshing to encounter a completely happy family in a Regency, and also one where the governess is not only treated with respect by the family, but has pupils who are lively but not mischievous. For the summer, Theodosia has a plan to get all the children out and about by instituting a search for the long-lost family treasure.
Into this pleasant setting comes the sort-of villain, Uncle James, who, having run through his own money and finding his debts rather pressing, is planning to marry a rich widow. As a way of convincing her that he’s serious, he invites the widow’s brother to view his estate, to prove that he’s not just a fortune hunter. As his estate adjoins the Heythrop family’s estate, and his own is run down, he and his guest stay with the Heythrops. And by happy coincidence, the guest happens to be Theodosia’s former suitor, Viscount Steyne.
Seasoned Regency readers will know the way the romance will go — a certain amount of initial hostility, followed by a gradual thawing and realisation that yes, they really can start again and make it stick this time. There were some wonderful conversations between the two, with real emotion roiling through them, especially in Steyne (I love it when the hero is the one doing the bulk of the agonising). In books of this age, the romance is often a bit staid, not to say downright perfunctory, but not so here. There’s enough angst here that it could have been dropped straight into a modern novel (and although I’m not in general a fan of too much angst, here I mean it as a compliment).
The treasure hunt (and the villainy) is just a lot of fun, and if the solution to the mystery was too easily found in the end, I can’t quite see how else it could have been done, so I won’t quibble. There are not so many Americanisms as in some of the author’s work (the inevitable gotten, and fall instead of autumn, but I didn’t notice anything else). My only big question-mark is over the amount of time the hero spent in the heroine’s bedroom, in some cases uninvited, and in one case refusing to leave. It was treated as a comedy interlude, so she nipped into the dressing room to put her nightie on and then climbed into bed, then punctured his vanity totally by falling asleep! Even so, it raised my eyebrows somewhat. I wondered whether this was the meaning of the title (which is singularly inappropriate otherwise).
But these minor grumbles aside, I really loved this book, loved both Steyne and Theodosia (whom he rather charmingly calls Doe) and can’t give it less than five stars.
Here’s the premise: Theodosia Tremere is the daughter of a clergyman, who almost married Viscount Steyne some years previously. Her father having died, she’s now taken up a position as governess to the charming Heythrop family, headed by Lady Eastwick. Her husband is abroad, so the family is headed by her eldest son, twenty-year-old Edward, who is finding his new responsibilities difficult. There are two younger brothers and three daughters, and all of them are delightful. It’s unusual and very refreshing to encounter a completely happy family in a Regency, and also one where the governess is not only treated with respect by the family, but has pupils who are lively but not mischievous. For the summer, Theodosia has a plan to get all the children out and about by instituting a search for the long-lost family treasure.
Into this pleasant setting comes the sort-of villain, Uncle James, who, having run through his own money and finding his debts rather pressing, is planning to marry a rich widow. As a way of convincing her that he’s serious, he invites the widow’s brother to view his estate, to prove that he’s not just a fortune hunter. As his estate adjoins the Heythrop family’s estate, and his own is run down, he and his guest stay with the Heythrops. And by happy coincidence, the guest happens to be Theodosia’s former suitor, Viscount Steyne.
Seasoned Regency readers will know the way the romance will go — a certain amount of initial hostility, followed by a gradual thawing and realisation that yes, they really can start again and make it stick this time. There were some wonderful conversations between the two, with real emotion roiling through them, especially in Steyne (I love it when the hero is the one doing the bulk of the agonising). In books of this age, the romance is often a bit staid, not to say downright perfunctory, but not so here. There’s enough angst here that it could have been dropped straight into a modern novel (and although I’m not in general a fan of too much angst, here I mean it as a compliment).
The treasure hunt (and the villainy) is just a lot of fun, and if the solution to the mystery was too easily found in the end, I can’t quite see how else it could have been done, so I won’t quibble. There are not so many Americanisms as in some of the author’s work (the inevitable gotten, and fall instead of autumn, but I didn’t notice anything else). My only big question-mark is over the amount of time the hero spent in the heroine’s bedroom, in some cases uninvited, and in one case refusing to leave. It was treated as a comedy interlude, so she nipped into the dressing room to put her nightie on and then climbed into bed, then punctured his vanity totally by falling asleep! Even so, it raised my eyebrows somewhat. I wondered whether this was the meaning of the title (which is singularly inappropriate otherwise).
But these minor grumbles aside, I really loved this book, loved both Steyne and Theodosia (whom he rather charmingly calls Doe) and can’t give it less than five stars.
December 21, 2021
Wonderful, as usual
I’ve loved Laura Matthews for years I was thrilled to see her books available on Kindle. Her characterizations are charming and her plots interesting. I’ll be buying every one of her books on Kindle
I’ve loved Laura Matthews for years I was thrilled to see her books available on Kindle. Her characterizations are charming and her plots interesting. I’ll be buying every one of her books on Kindle
September 5, 2021
Funny Story
I thought the dialogue was very witty. This was a clean romance with a strong female character who did not swooning at the sight of a handsome man.
I thought the dialogue was very witty. This was a clean romance with a strong female character who did not swooning at the sight of a handsome man.
November 24, 2023
The heroine was calm and cool and the male lead had some major character growth. I enjoyed this. And there was an epilogue.
April 11, 2024
A beautiful romance
This book has a wonderful mystery, lovely characters and a building romance that is culminated in a sweet story of love deferred.
This book has a wonderful mystery, lovely characters and a building romance that is culminated in a sweet story of love deferred.
May 29, 2025
Charming slow burn romance, can’t fault it but clearly Laura Matthews books are just not my cup of tea, I was utterly bored and struggled to finish.
June 26, 2012
I rounded it up from 3 1/2 stars -- mostly because Laura Matthews (aka Elizabeth Neff Walker) writes protagonists who are grown-ups. They feel pain and loss but they also find humour in their day to day lives. I like that. Not as good as her best but then Matthews's best is very good indeed.
August 21, 2016
First read 11/18/15; re-read 8/16/16
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews