What do you think?
Rate this book
Gallant Waif
Kidnapped by an elderly member of the peerage!
Kate Farleigh was absolutely stunned when her refusal to accept Lady Cahill's offer of "charity" resulted in her being swept away in her sumptuous carriage. But the real reason behind the older woman's antics became stunningly clear upon meeting Lady Cahill's enigmatic grandson, Jack Carstairs.
Wounded in the Peninsular War, disowned by his father and dumped by his fiancee, Jack had shut himself up in his country estate, but Kate had no patience with such behavior. Suddenly, Jack found himself with a purpose, trying to steer clear of Miss Farleigh's attempts to interfere with his chosen lifestyle. Why, if he wasn't careful, Kate just might succeed in her attempts to make him want to rejoin the human race!
Kate Farleigh was absolutely stunned when her refusal to accept Lady Cahill's offer of "charity" resulted in her being swept away in her sumptuous carriage. But the real reason behind the older woman's antics became stunningly clear upon meeting Lady Cahill's enigmatic grandson, Jack Carstairs.
Wounded in the Peninsular War, disowned by his father and dumped by his fiancee, Jack had shut himself up in his country estate, but Kate had no patience with such behavior. Suddenly, Jack found himself with a purpose, trying to steer clear of Miss Farleigh's attempts to interfere with his chosen lifestyle. Why, if he wasn't careful, Kate just might succeed in her attempts to make him want to rejoin the human race!
297 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
62 people are currently reading
1258 people want to read
About the author
Anne Gracie
95 books1,533 followersI've always loved stories. Family legend has it that I used to spend hours playing in the sand pit, with a dog on either side of me and Rocka the horse leaning over me, his head just touching my shoulder, while I told them stories. I have to say, dogs and horses are great audiences, apart from their tendency to drool occasionally. But people are even nicer.
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
July 21, 2013
Call me a sap, but I loved it from the first read, years ago. I love it each time I re-read it. SUCH a tearjerker scene, at the ball. SUCH a tender moment, in the old cabin. Such a happy ending. The letter! Satisfied sigh.
I know it's not really a 5-star lovestory, but...what can I say? I loved it. The writing isn't glorious, but it's fine, with good dialogue, some witty banter, camaraderie among the guys, some stormy kitchen fights that raised a chuckle, and a real sense of chemistry and sexual tension. Smexy, but "clean" for all that.
But the story is honestly stuffed with tropes and clichés. It's sappy, yet not. The author pulls on my heartstrings with obvious emotional manipulation, creating such horrible wounding for Jack and Kate — wounds of the heart and soul. I knew I was being manipulated.
Loved it anyway.
But the hot-and-cold routine gets old, and Jack was a bit immature more than once. He jumps to conclusions, especially when drunk. So does Kate, but she has more cause, IMO.
And REALLY, the characters were SO tragic. That jilting scene alone! Yup. From page one, chapter one.
Loved it anyway. Even shed a tear. The BALLROOM scene!
I know it's not really a 5-star lovestory, but...what can I say? I loved it. The writing isn't glorious, but it's fine, with good dialogue, some witty banter, camaraderie among the guys, some stormy kitchen fights that raised a chuckle, and a real sense of chemistry and sexual tension. Smexy, but "clean" for all that.
But the story is honestly stuffed with tropes and clichés. It's sappy, yet not. The author pulls on my heartstrings with obvious emotional manipulation, creating such horrible wounding for Jack and Kate — wounds of the heart and soul. I knew I was being manipulated.
Loved it anyway.
But the hot-and-cold routine gets old, and Jack was a bit immature more than once. He jumps to conclusions, especially when drunk. So does Kate, but she has more cause, IMO.
And REALLY, the characters were SO tragic. That jilting scene alone! Yup. From page one, chapter one.
Loved it anyway. Even shed a tear. The BALLROOM scene!
July 20, 2017
Un libro sumamente simple. Tanto en su narrativa como en su historia.
No encontré nada digno de mencionar pues este libro es las bien pasable. Entretiene, hay algunas cosas chistosas y divertidas pero también hay otras muy poco creíbles.
En mi opinión es bueno para pasar el rato pero no más.
No encontré nada digno de mencionar pues este libro es las bien pasable. Entretiene, hay algunas cosas chistosas y divertidas pero también hay otras muy poco creíbles.
En mi opinión es bueno para pasar el rato pero no más.
September 16, 2017
Two likable mcs and an entertaining romance.
This was a sweet fun read despite the terrible things both the h/H have endured in the past, especially the h. For a change, the past did not make for tortured complicated personas!
I liked the h for being strong and pragmatic despite her sufferings. But it’s the H who steals the heart – a scarred embittered man whose innate goodness and honor shine through quite easily. No prolonged asshattery and cruelty from him. His caring protective personality just cannot b denied!
This was a sweet fun read despite the terrible things both the h/H have endured in the past, especially the h. For a change, the past did not make for tortured complicated personas!
I liked the h for being strong and pragmatic despite her sufferings. But it’s the H who steals the heart – a scarred embittered man whose innate goodness and honor shine through quite easily. No prolonged asshattery and cruelty from him. His caring protective personality just cannot b denied!
January 5, 2018
My first book of this year and it was good. A wounded soldier, Jack, and a destitute Kate. The word destitute might not the only one I wanted to use here because she was a lot more other things too. I absolutely loved Kate and I admire her. Jack was a jerk and jackass, but he was good also.
Both of these have their own share of darkness, but how they fight their darkness is what mattered most here.
Definitely a good read. The debut of this yearbook was good so I hope more goodness is yet to come.
Happy Reading ❤️❤️❤️
Both of these have their own share of darkness, but how they fight their darkness is what mattered most here.
Definitely a good read. The debut of this yearbook was good so I hope more goodness is yet to come.
Happy Reading ❤️❤️❤️
May 28, 2020
When Kate Farleigh is kidnapped by Lady Cahill, her deceased mother’s supposed “godmother”, and brought to a ramshackle, dirty house owned by the crazy woman’s grandson she doesn’t quite know what to make of the turn of events. Making the best of an odd situation, she cleans the filthy kitchen and cooks the first real meal she’s had in ages only to find it being eaten by the man of the house! She’s been slowly starving after losing her father and both of her brothers in the war and lets the guy have a piece of her mind. Can you blame her?
It turns out the old lady isn’t totally off her nut. She’s been hatching a plan to bring her grandson back to life. Jack was scarred and wounded so badly in the war he is unable to ride his horse and can no longer hunt. This is a great big deal to Jack because it’s what he loves doing most in the world. After being disinherited and then jilted by his heartless fiancée who is terribly cruel to him he has hidden himself away from the ton and drinks all of his troubles away. The smell of bacon and eggs was irresistible and it is his home after all so when the little waif gives him lip he’s a bit surprised. But he keeps on eating.
The two don’t exactly hit it off but there’s a small spark and Jack is amazed that she isn’t at all bothered by his wrecked face and body. And there’s a reason for that, she’s seen some terrible things and his scars aren’t nearly as awful as he thinks.
Kate is coerced by granny into getting Jack’s house in order. She has had an unconventional upbringing but is a gently bred, pretty young lady and granny has ulterior motives. Bet you can’t guess what they are?
Jack is used to being in charge and doesn’t trust women, especially the pretty ones. Kate is hiding secrets and is headstrong and bossy. They butt heads from their very first meeting to almost the very last page. I should have despised this book from the very beginning for many reasons. Here are a few:
1. He calls her “a little vixen” and a “little minx”. Yes it’s true.
2. He drinks his sorrows away, acts like an ass and lashes out at Kate to keep love at a distance.
3. He gives her angry kisses which she loves and then he storms off in a huff just when things were starting to get exciting because he thinks its “for her own good”. She deserves better than to be besotted to the likes of him. Yep, he acts like a child and kisses angry. Le sigh.
But . . . I liked it. I know I shouldn’t but I did. The writing was cute and witty and Kate was a charming character, very well developed, caring and a real sweetheart. Loved her. I wanted to love Jack too. I adore me a tortured, scarred hero but I’m not a fan of grown men who act like spoiled children, spouting off insults, stomping off and mumbling an apology after sleeping off the drunk. Ugh. After a hundred or so pages of this my love affair came to an end and it became a bit of chore to slog my way to the end which is a shame because it had such promise.
The drama! And, oh the angst! It goes on for hundreds of pages but the endless fighting continued for too long and he was a pretty rotten drunk. Kate does stand up to him and throws some stuff at him, good on her, but she always forgave him too quickly and I tired of the repetitive antics long before the book ever thought of being over.
It ends with everything all nicely tied up and the last few pages are much better but I fear theirs will always be a tumultuous relationship.
It turns out the old lady isn’t totally off her nut. She’s been hatching a plan to bring her grandson back to life. Jack was scarred and wounded so badly in the war he is unable to ride his horse and can no longer hunt. This is a great big deal to Jack because it’s what he loves doing most in the world. After being disinherited and then jilted by his heartless fiancée who is terribly cruel to him he has hidden himself away from the ton and drinks all of his troubles away. The smell of bacon and eggs was irresistible and it is his home after all so when the little waif gives him lip he’s a bit surprised. But he keeps on eating.
The two don’t exactly hit it off but there’s a small spark and Jack is amazed that she isn’t at all bothered by his wrecked face and body. And there’s a reason for that, she’s seen some terrible things and his scars aren’t nearly as awful as he thinks.
Kate is coerced by granny into getting Jack’s house in order. She has had an unconventional upbringing but is a gently bred, pretty young lady and granny has ulterior motives. Bet you can’t guess what they are?
Jack is used to being in charge and doesn’t trust women, especially the pretty ones. Kate is hiding secrets and is headstrong and bossy. They butt heads from their very first meeting to almost the very last page. I should have despised this book from the very beginning for many reasons. Here are a few:
1. He calls her “a little vixen” and a “little minx”. Yes it’s true.
2. He drinks his sorrows away, acts like an ass and lashes out at Kate to keep love at a distance.
3. He gives her angry kisses which she loves and then he storms off in a huff just when things were starting to get exciting because he thinks its “for her own good”. She deserves better than to be besotted to the likes of him. Yep, he acts like a child and kisses angry. Le sigh.
But . . . I liked it. I know I shouldn’t but I did. The writing was cute and witty and Kate was a charming character, very well developed, caring and a real sweetheart. Loved her. I wanted to love Jack too. I adore me a tortured, scarred hero but I’m not a fan of grown men who act like spoiled children, spouting off insults, stomping off and mumbling an apology after sleeping off the drunk. Ugh. After a hundred or so pages of this my love affair came to an end and it became a bit of chore to slog my way to the end which is a shame because it had such promise.
The drama! And, oh the angst! It goes on for hundreds of pages but the endless fighting continued for too long and he was a pretty rotten drunk. Kate does stand up to him and throws some stuff at him, good on her, but she always forgave him too quickly and I tired of the repetitive antics long before the book ever thought of being over.
It ends with everything all nicely tied up and the last few pages are much better but I fear theirs will always be a tumultuous relationship.
June 5, 2020
Heroine is certainly gallant, but she is no waif, having survived some very traumatic times during the war when she nursed many soldiers and witnessed the deaths of her father and two brothers. She may be down after false accusations of spying for the French and being penniless but she is undaunted.
Hero has scars from the war, including his fiancé rejecting him and his father cutting him out of his inheritance. He is bitter and will not accept any help.
Heroine’s godmother solves their problems when she kidnaps the heroine to act as the hero’s housekeeper. That arrangement lasts long enough for the H/h to fall for each other and to resist the attraction. The last part of the story increases the angst when the heroines past is disclosed and hero stands by her.
This is a charming story with just enough angst to keep it interesting.
Hero has scars from the war, including his fiancé rejecting him and his father cutting him out of his inheritance. He is bitter and will not accept any help.
Heroine’s godmother solves their problems when she kidnaps the heroine to act as the hero’s housekeeper. That arrangement lasts long enough for the H/h to fall for each other and to resist the attraction. The last part of the story increases the angst when the heroines past is disclosed and hero stands by her.
This is a charming story with just enough angst to keep it interesting.
June 9, 2020
I thought this was a beautiful story. I'm not sure how or when I came across this book, but I'm glad I added it to my TBR pile. After skimming over other reviews, I wasn't sure what to expect. Some people loved it and others were underwhelmed. As for me, I really enjoyed it.
Kate and Jack have a lot in common. They've both been jilted, both endured horrors of the war and both are penniless. They're thrown together by Jack's meddling and endearing Grandmama Lady Cahill. I really think Jack was lost to Kate after their first meeting, but it takes him a very long time to realize it. It's interesting to see how each have handled their trials so differently. Jack is broody and depressed, while Kate is positive and doesn't give up. These two have sparks that would like up the night. They fight like cats and dogs, but also have some really tender and sweet moments. I loved his protectiveness of Kate, and hers for him. It's almost second nature in a way. I can see how his character might rub some the wrong way, he can be gruff and say mean things, but I thought it was believable for men of the time period. And no worries, Kate can totally hold her own and had her fair share of mean comments as well. She won't let him wallow in self-pity. Don't get me wrong, they have a totally swoony romance and the underlying love is pretty palpable. Kate is fun, kind and you can't help but admire her. Jack is charming and hurt and you can't help but hope Kate can give him the love he desperately needs. So yeah, I totally wanted these two stubborn people to find a HEA.
While I did enjoy the story, my only complaints were the head jumping, a personal pet peeve of mine. I admit, once I got into the groove of the story it didn't bother me anymore. It was a tad sensual in places (mentioned below). I also thought Jack's ex-fiancé would make an appearance, but we never see her again. I guess I wanted her to see what she missed out on. That would have been fun to see Kate really put her in her place.
Overall, I just really enjoyed this story. Oh, and that Ball scene at the end. Wow. It was pretty epic and made me cry. And that letter at the end. More tears. So many sweet moments in this book. It'll be added to my favorite regency shelf for sure.
Content PG13 for language and sexual content
Romance: Pretty clean. No sex scenes, but a couple scenes I should mention for my clean reader friends
Language: Moderate-Heavy. Mostly a lot of D, a few B and uses of OMG type stuff. Typical of the time period, nothing overly offensive IMO, just quite a bit of it.
Violence: Mild.
Source: Kindle
Kate and Jack have a lot in common. They've both been jilted, both endured horrors of the war and both are penniless. They're thrown together by Jack's meddling and endearing Grandmama Lady Cahill. I really think Jack was lost to Kate after their first meeting, but it takes him a very long time to realize it. It's interesting to see how each have handled their trials so differently. Jack is broody and depressed, while Kate is positive and doesn't give up. These two have sparks that would like up the night. They fight like cats and dogs, but also have some really tender and sweet moments. I loved his protectiveness of Kate, and hers for him. It's almost second nature in a way. I can see how his character might rub some the wrong way, he can be gruff and say mean things, but I thought it was believable for men of the time period. And no worries, Kate can totally hold her own and had her fair share of mean comments as well. She won't let him wallow in self-pity. Don't get me wrong, they have a totally swoony romance and the underlying love is pretty palpable. Kate is fun, kind and you can't help but admire her. Jack is charming and hurt and you can't help but hope Kate can give him the love he desperately needs. So yeah, I totally wanted these two stubborn people to find a HEA.
While I did enjoy the story, my only complaints were the head jumping, a personal pet peeve of mine. I admit, once I got into the groove of the story it didn't bother me anymore. It was a tad sensual in places (mentioned below). I also thought Jack's ex-fiancé would make an appearance, but we never see her again. I guess I wanted her to see what she missed out on. That would have been fun to see Kate really put her in her place.
Overall, I just really enjoyed this story. Oh, and that Ball scene at the end. Wow. It was pretty epic and made me cry. And that letter at the end. More tears. So many sweet moments in this book. It'll be added to my favorite regency shelf for sure.
Content PG13 for language and sexual content
Romance: Pretty clean. No sex scenes, but a couple scenes I should mention for my clean reader friends
Language: Moderate-Heavy. Mostly a lot of D, a few B and uses of OMG type stuff. Typical of the time period, nothing overly offensive IMO, just quite a bit of it.
Violence: Mild.
Source: Kindle
November 11, 2009
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Gallant Waif ended up being one of those books that I had a somewhat difficult time rating. The writing itself is excellent and well-deserving of having been a finalist for the Rita Award, but the push-and-pull relationship wasn't entirely to my liking. The hero and heroine of Gallant Waif have a love/hate romancethat is about as tempestuous as I've read to date. This is something that I usually don't care for, but somehow it didn't annoy me in quite the way that most stories of this type would. I think this had a lot to do with both characters still being very sympathetic underneath the armor of their obstinacy. The author gives a lot of insights into why they think the things they do about each other, which in context, made a lot of sense to me. I still felt like shaking both of them on occasion though, because most their problems boiled down to a lack of communication and sheer stubbornness on both their parts. The softer moments are rather few and far between and didn't last long enough for me, but are very romantic when they happen. The vast majority of Jack and Kate's interactions are spent arguing. Sometimes their quarrels are laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes they are merely heated disagreements, and still other times they actually say things that are emotionally hurtful, occasionally deliberately although usually not. Whatever they happened to be wrangling over though, it all seemed to be a carefully choreographed dance to keep each other close while still holding each other at arms length and stubbornly denying their feelings. Although there were times that I wished that one or the other would lighten up a little, I strangely still understood them for the most part which is how I know that this novel was so well-written.
Jack isn't quite as intensely tortured as some heroes I've read, but he does have a tendency to brood a lot and drink too much. He was severely wounded during the Peninsular Wars and came home with his once handsome face now seriously scarred and a bum leg that prevents him from dancing or riding. Jack's father died just before his return having disinherited him for his choice of fiance, leaving Jack with only a run-down country estate and 500 pounds to his name. Then his shallow fiance broke off their engagement because of his scars and near-penniless state. All of this has left him understandably cynical, so when Jack's grandmother brings Kate to his home, he is trying to hide away from the world and drink himself into oblivion.
Kate is orphaned and penniless herself, with her father having been a poor vicar. He and her brothers were all killed in the war. Kate is considered by society to be a gently bred lady, but having traveled with the army on the Peninsula, she has seen and experienced the darker side of life. In fact, some unfortunate things happened to her during that time which make her believe that she is un-marriageable and have made her prefer a reclusive life away from society as well. I liked the dichotomy of her struggling to face what she believed was the reality of her future and still dreaming of getting a Cinderella-style HEA. Her father had also resented her, because of her mother dying while giving birth to her, so Kate never had her father's love, nor was she as well-educated as most ladies would have been. Her education was more one of experience, but she was a strong young woman who didn't shy away from hard or difficult work. When Jack's grandmother, who was godmother to Kate's mother, hears of her plight and comes to whisk her away, Kate resists, only to find herself thoroughly tricked and kidnapped by the old lady. Once she is safely ensconced in Jack's country home, she energetically throws herself into righting not only Jack's household but Jack himself. Of course, she initially doesn't realize that she's having a desirable effect of a different sort on Jack.
In all honesty, I'm not really used to both the hero and heroine being so emotionally damaged. Usually, when one character is severely battered in body and/or spirit, the other one is a little lighter. While it often takes a wounded person to understand a wounded person, I think I tend to prefer that one character be strong and understanding while also being less angsty. Jack and Kate carry about equal baggage, so they are both very emotionally intense while also both being incredibly stubborn. I will admit that it made them perfect for one another in some ways, because they were both willing to say what needed to be said when the other one needed a kick in the pants. On the other hand it was that angst and stubbornness which made them butt heads so often. It also kept them apart until the very end of the story, and diminished some of the emotional connection for me.
The one good thing about Jack and Kate's obstinate natures was that it created a situation that was ripe for sharp, witty bantering. I loved how sometimes Kate would verbally bait Jack, and then he, the military man who was used to ordering people around, would suddenly become flustered and not know what to say. These exchanges had me in stitches, and I have to say that I haven't had a book make me laugh like that in quite a while. I also liked Jack's grandmother, Lady Cahill. She was one of those really feisty old ladies who could definitely go toe-to-toe with both Jack and Kate, and without the support and behind-the-scenes manipulation of her and Jack's friend, Francis, I'm not sure they ever would have given in to their feelings for one another. In my opinion, the book could have used a little more dialog, especially of the non-combative type. I think that having three, prominent, hardheaded, alpha-type characters in one story was perhaps a bit too much, but fortunately, I still liked them all anyway. Also, as a side note, this story has no love scenes at all or any other particularly objectionable elements which should make it suitable for a wide range of romance readers. It was obvious that Jack and Kate both had very passionate natures, so I was slightly disappointed by this, but not overly so. Readers who like a good love/hate romance between two willful but likable characters that lead to both funny and emotional moments, should really enjoy this one. Even though I tend to like my romances a little more on the softer side, I actually enjoyed it too, which I think is mainly owing to Anne Gracie's superb writing skill. This was my first book by Ms. Gracie, but I will definitely be checking out some of her others as soon as I can.
Gallant Waif ended up being one of those books that I had a somewhat difficult time rating. The writing itself is excellent and well-deserving of having been a finalist for the Rita Award, but the push-and-pull relationship wasn't entirely to my liking. The hero and heroine of Gallant Waif have a love/hate romancethat is about as tempestuous as I've read to date. This is something that I usually don't care for, but somehow it didn't annoy me in quite the way that most stories of this type would. I think this had a lot to do with both characters still being very sympathetic underneath the armor of their obstinacy. The author gives a lot of insights into why they think the things they do about each other, which in context, made a lot of sense to me. I still felt like shaking both of them on occasion though, because most their problems boiled down to a lack of communication and sheer stubbornness on both their parts. The softer moments are rather few and far between and didn't last long enough for me, but are very romantic when they happen. The vast majority of Jack and Kate's interactions are spent arguing. Sometimes their quarrels are laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes they are merely heated disagreements, and still other times they actually say things that are emotionally hurtful, occasionally deliberately although usually not. Whatever they happened to be wrangling over though, it all seemed to be a carefully choreographed dance to keep each other close while still holding each other at arms length and stubbornly denying their feelings. Although there were times that I wished that one or the other would lighten up a little, I strangely still understood them for the most part which is how I know that this novel was so well-written.
Jack isn't quite as intensely tortured as some heroes I've read, but he does have a tendency to brood a lot and drink too much. He was severely wounded during the Peninsular Wars and came home with his once handsome face now seriously scarred and a bum leg that prevents him from dancing or riding. Jack's father died just before his return having disinherited him for his choice of fiance, leaving Jack with only a run-down country estate and 500 pounds to his name. Then his shallow fiance broke off their engagement because of his scars and near-penniless state. All of this has left him understandably cynical, so when Jack's grandmother brings Kate to his home, he is trying to hide away from the world and drink himself into oblivion.
Kate is orphaned and penniless herself, with her father having been a poor vicar. He and her brothers were all killed in the war. Kate is considered by society to be a gently bred lady, but having traveled with the army on the Peninsula, she has seen and experienced the darker side of life. In fact, some unfortunate things happened to her during that time which make her believe that she is un-marriageable and have made her prefer a reclusive life away from society as well. I liked the dichotomy of her struggling to face what she believed was the reality of her future and still dreaming of getting a Cinderella-style HEA. Her father had also resented her, because of her mother dying while giving birth to her, so Kate never had her father's love, nor was she as well-educated as most ladies would have been. Her education was more one of experience, but she was a strong young woman who didn't shy away from hard or difficult work. When Jack's grandmother, who was godmother to Kate's mother, hears of her plight and comes to whisk her away, Kate resists, only to find herself thoroughly tricked and kidnapped by the old lady. Once she is safely ensconced in Jack's country home, she energetically throws herself into righting not only Jack's household but Jack himself. Of course, she initially doesn't realize that she's having a desirable effect of a different sort on Jack.
In all honesty, I'm not really used to both the hero and heroine being so emotionally damaged. Usually, when one character is severely battered in body and/or spirit, the other one is a little lighter. While it often takes a wounded person to understand a wounded person, I think I tend to prefer that one character be strong and understanding while also being less angsty. Jack and Kate carry about equal baggage, so they are both very emotionally intense while also both being incredibly stubborn. I will admit that it made them perfect for one another in some ways, because they were both willing to say what needed to be said when the other one needed a kick in the pants. On the other hand it was that angst and stubbornness which made them butt heads so often. It also kept them apart until the very end of the story, and diminished some of the emotional connection for me.
The one good thing about Jack and Kate's obstinate natures was that it created a situation that was ripe for sharp, witty bantering. I loved how sometimes Kate would verbally bait Jack, and then he, the military man who was used to ordering people around, would suddenly become flustered and not know what to say. These exchanges had me in stitches, and I have to say that I haven't had a book make me laugh like that in quite a while. I also liked Jack's grandmother, Lady Cahill. She was one of those really feisty old ladies who could definitely go toe-to-toe with both Jack and Kate, and without the support and behind-the-scenes manipulation of her and Jack's friend, Francis, I'm not sure they ever would have given in to their feelings for one another. In my opinion, the book could have used a little more dialog, especially of the non-combative type. I think that having three, prominent, hardheaded, alpha-type characters in one story was perhaps a bit too much, but fortunately, I still liked them all anyway. Also, as a side note, this story has no love scenes at all or any other particularly objectionable elements which should make it suitable for a wide range of romance readers. It was obvious that Jack and Kate both had very passionate natures, so I was slightly disappointed by this, but not overly so. Readers who like a good love/hate romance between two willful but likable characters that lead to both funny and emotional moments, should really enjoy this one. Even though I tend to like my romances a little more on the softer side, I actually enjoyed it too, which I think is mainly owing to Anne Gracie's superb writing skill. This was my first book by Ms. Gracie, but I will definitely be checking out some of her others as soon as I can.
April 3, 2017
It was a 3.5 until That One Scene, o mannnnnn my eyes just liquified and exploded!
You just knew an epic humiliation was coming for our gallant Kate; she was just too good and nice and humble to escape a horrible public degradation. Yet when it actually happened, it was worse than I'd dreaded...
And ended up so incredibly beautiful! More amazing than I could have imagined! The most beautiful rescue ever, actually. And I've read plenty of romances! Ohhhh what a lovely scene, it really moved me.
The romance was cute and funny. Kate's history was uniquely interesting/appalling. The Ballroom Scene was the best ever.
You just knew an epic humiliation was coming for our gallant Kate; she was just too good and nice and humble to escape a horrible public degradation. Yet when it actually happened, it was worse than I'd dreaded...
And ended up so incredibly beautiful! More amazing than I could have imagined! The most beautiful rescue ever, actually. And I've read plenty of romances! Ohhhh what a lovely scene, it really moved me.
The romance was cute and funny. Kate's history was uniquely interesting/appalling. The Ballroom Scene was the best ever.
June 10, 2023
Read: 6/10/23
3.5 stars
Though not AG's best book, this was still a pretty good story!
3.5 stars
Though not AG's best book, this was still a pretty good story!
June 6, 2013
Oh God oh God oh God, I absolutely loved this book, loved loved loved it. It was such a sweet, slow and angst-y romance, I can honestly say that I enjoyed every MINUTE of it. It's exactly the kind of story I like, with a grumbling, bad-tempered cynical hero and a persistent, sweet heroine who does everything in her power to make him better.
I fell for Jack from the beginning, when we first come to know about the scar on his face and the bad leg. *sigh* Disabled/scarred heroes FTW!!
I loved Jack's cynicism, I loved how he still didn't give up on riding and I loved his hard-headed stubbornness (even though it sort of irked me once or twice. But hey, I'm not complaining! I'm all for asshole heroes, they're my favourite kind!).
As for Kate, she herself was absolutely wonderful <3 She was such a sweetheart, and she never gave up on Jack! I loved how she was always true to him, even when she thought she didn't want her. And how she never looks at any other man that way but him.
What I also loved was their constant bickering and banter. I have to admit, Kate knew how to give it to him, and give it good ;) It was one of the best parts of the story. Anne Gracie now has my admiration.
If I loved it so much, why four stars then? Well, a couple of reasons.
Firstly, I didn't very much like the fact that Kate wasn't innocent. Actually, cross that - it was more the fact that she'd enjoyed whatever she did with the French admiral/soldier guy. I'd have wanted Jack to be her first, y'know. Yup, I have hang-ups about that sort of stuff. (That's why historicals suit me so much more than contemps.) But bleh, that was a minor thing.
The MAIN thing was that THERE WAS NO PASSION WHATSOEVER!!!! Sure, the boickering built up the longing and the couple here-and-there kisses were not-so-satisfactorily okay, but I HATED that there was NO sex, none whatsoever!! It just left me high and dry!!!
But seriously, it was a great book, one that had me squealing and fangirling throughout. A fantastic read <3
I fell for Jack from the beginning, when we first come to know about the scar on his face and the bad leg. *sigh* Disabled/scarred heroes FTW!!
I loved Jack's cynicism, I loved how he still didn't give up on riding and I loved his hard-headed stubbornness (even though it sort of irked me once or twice. But hey, I'm not complaining! I'm all for asshole heroes, they're my favourite kind!).
As for Kate, she herself was absolutely wonderful <3 She was such a sweetheart, and she never gave up on Jack! I loved how she was always true to him, even when she thought she didn't want her. And how she never looks at any other man that way but him.
What I also loved was their constant bickering and banter. I have to admit, Kate knew how to give it to him, and give it good ;) It was one of the best parts of the story. Anne Gracie now has my admiration.
If I loved it so much, why four stars then? Well, a couple of reasons.
Firstly, I didn't very much like the fact that Kate wasn't innocent. Actually, cross that - it was more the fact that she'd enjoyed whatever she did with the French admiral/soldier guy. I'd have wanted Jack to be her first, y'know. Yup, I have hang-ups about that sort of stuff. (That's why historicals suit me so much more than contemps.) But bleh, that was a minor thing.
The MAIN thing was that THERE WAS NO PASSION WHATSOEVER!!!! Sure, the boickering built up the longing and the couple here-and-there kisses were not-so-satisfactorily okay, but I HATED that there was NO sex, none whatsoever!! It just left me high and dry!!!
But seriously, it was a great book, one that had me squealing and fangirling throughout. A fantastic read <3
July 31, 2015
I took this book out from the library while on a read-Regencies kick that I was having. I read it in one day between housecleaning and running errands. I am a sucker for the hero who doesn't look perfect and Jack Carstairs was it. He returned from commanding troops under Wellington on the Peninsula to wed his betrothed. With a physically scarred face and leg, his fiancee no longer wants him. To add to this injustice, he went to war because of his future-wife and was disowned by his father. He is a broken man.
Drowning in both self-pity and drink he comes to the attention of his grandmother. A headstrong woman, she decides to do something. Situations occur, she becomes involved with the heroine, Kate, and she decides to kidnap her. Kate has her own demons; her mother died while giving birth to her and her vicar father never seemed to forget that. At twenty she has visited many places and seen more things happen to last her a lifetime. Little does she know how her life is intertwined with what has happened to Jack.
To say they don't get along when they first meet is to put it mildly. Butting heads at every turn they slowly realize they love one another. The bantering and what happens because of it is funny in many respects. I love a romance with humor so this was a big plus.
I would have rated it higher but there were several times in the last quarter of the book for them to communicate their love and they didn't. Also, the story ran a little too long. Still, plan on spending some time to visit this couple and their story; you will be glad you did.
Drowning in both self-pity and drink he comes to the attention of his grandmother. A headstrong woman, she decides to do something. Situations occur, she becomes involved with the heroine, Kate, and she decides to kidnap her. Kate has her own demons; her mother died while giving birth to her and her vicar father never seemed to forget that. At twenty she has visited many places and seen more things happen to last her a lifetime. Little does she know how her life is intertwined with what has happened to Jack.
To say they don't get along when they first meet is to put it mildly. Butting heads at every turn they slowly realize they love one another. The bantering and what happens because of it is funny in many respects. I love a romance with humor so this was a big plus.
I would have rated it higher but there were several times in the last quarter of the book for them to communicate their love and they didn't. Also, the story ran a little too long. Still, plan on spending some time to visit this couple and their story; you will be glad you did.
July 11, 2017
3.75 stars.
A lovely story with a likeable hero and a wonderful heroine:)
May 13, 2017
One star Lost for the push-pull.
I know a lot of people like angst, but this story had SO much potential that the push-pull was not necessary.
And the 4 stars, because of the beautiful adaption of the beauty and the beast. And the hero isn't necessarily the beast here, neither is the heroine beauty. They both had their fair share of beast in them, and their fair share of beauty, and it was wonderfully brought together.
Heroine had a tortured past, who was a war heroine with history of assault, which society has frowned upon rather than be sympathetic or even proud of her.
Hero, also victim of war, his loss quite visible as the damages are physical and is actually broke financially and has been jilted.
The beauty doesn't love the beast despite his ugliness simply because he's a billionaire living in a catle like the very recent film has portrayed. This guy is broke, and with a vile temper is a cripple. So she ACTUALLY actively found his redeemable quality, which he DID possess and fell in love with him for those.
He didn't fall in love with her virginal beauty. He was mad at everyone, the society and even himself for failing to save the heroine the pains she suffered, for her having to work for himself, who he realised wasn't very pleasant to begin with, however he fell in love with the woman who is strong and kind, and brave. Who looks beneath the scars. Who looks behind the facade of ugliness, in his case the temper. Who has nursed thousands back to life in war fields and has nursed him back life from his mental refuge. Who is worth loving. He didn't care about the lack of virginity, or didn't judge his woman's character by the status of the hymen. However, he DID care that it's not what she wanted, and she was hurt. But whether she was a virgin or not, was NOT a QUALITY he was looking for in his wife.
I laughed out loud when i read his awesome statement "my very firm belief, that virginity has absolutely no place in marriage.”
So this is where I felt this book was one of the most acceptable successful adaption of the beauty and beast tropes for me personally.
I know a lot of people like angst, but this story had SO much potential that the push-pull was not necessary.
And the 4 stars, because of the beautiful adaption of the beauty and the beast. And the hero isn't necessarily the beast here, neither is the heroine beauty. They both had their fair share of beast in them, and their fair share of beauty, and it was wonderfully brought together.
Heroine had a tortured past, who was a war heroine with history of assault, which society has frowned upon rather than be sympathetic or even proud of her.
Hero, also victim of war, his loss quite visible as the damages are physical and is actually broke financially and has been jilted.
The beauty doesn't love the beast despite his ugliness simply because he's a billionaire living in a catle like the very recent film has portrayed. This guy is broke, and with a vile temper is a cripple. So she ACTUALLY actively found his redeemable quality, which he DID possess and fell in love with him for those.
He didn't fall in love with her virginal beauty. He was mad at everyone, the society and even himself for failing to save the heroine the pains she suffered, for her having to work for himself, who he realised wasn't very pleasant to begin with, however he fell in love with the woman who is strong and kind, and brave. Who looks beneath the scars. Who looks behind the facade of ugliness, in his case the temper. Who has nursed thousands back to life in war fields and has nursed him back life from his mental refuge. Who is worth loving. He didn't care about the lack of virginity, or didn't judge his woman's character by the status of the hymen. However, he DID care that it's not what she wanted, and she was hurt. But whether she was a virgin or not, was NOT a QUALITY he was looking for in his wife.
I laughed out loud when i read his awesome statement "my very firm belief, that virginity has absolutely no place in marriage.”
So this is where I felt this book was one of the most acceptable successful adaption of the beauty and beast tropes for me personally.
September 29, 2021
What a fun read! I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Extremely likeable MCs. The MCs were scarred (hero was scarred physically and the heroine was scarred mentally due to the Napoleon war). The banters between the MCs were very good. The only reason this book is not a 5 star for me is due to the last 20% where the MCs kept misunderstanding each other. It happened a wee bit too often for my liking. Other than that, this was a jolly good read.
July 4, 2012
This is what I'd call a sweet romance. A lighter fare but it does have some darker elements. Major Jack Carstairs is back from the war, wounded and scarred. His fiance dumped him and his father disowned him. And so Jack shuts himself off from the world at his country estate. Lady Cahill, Jack's grandmother, discovers her godchild had a daughter and is in dire straits. But Kate Farleigh wants no charity and refuses the woman's kind offer of presenting her to London society. So Lady Cahill kidnaps her. Kate then meets Jack and the sparks fly. Plenty of humor and a few heart-wrenching moments made this an enjoyable read.
October 17, 2021
A grumpy H, and a very capable h. The scene was set for a wonderful book but unfortunately their constant miscommunications became tedious. There was a cast of other characters who were wonderful, and an evil OM. I really liked the h's background, she was definitely not raised as a lady and her life skills were so useful. I loved the scene where her sacrifices acknowledged and returned by those she had helped. Just too many misunderstandings but a good book.
July 20, 2011
The mark of a keeper book for me is when I am laugh out loud, cry and sigh for the troubles and triumphs of the main characters. This book has a valiant, fierce little heroine whom I could not help but love and root for. I felt her pain and understood her fears. Dubbed a hoyden by her father who blamed her for the fact that his beloved wife died giving birth to her, Kate survives by finding ways to be useful, not bitter at the role she is assigned. When tragedy and hardship and then a dreadful betrayal falls on her, she picks herself up and moves on, never looking for someone to rescue her. Her loneliness touched me, not as neediness but as deeply moved sympathy.
Our hero Jack, has had much and fallen far. A handsome man, disfigured and disabled in the war, disowned by his father and subsequently abandoned by his fiance, he has retreated from the world. He is a honourable and protective fellow who sees the valour and courage in Kate. These two lonely hearts cannot help but fall in love, though neither believes they are good enough for the other. Thankfully a curmudgeonly grandmother and an interfering friend nudge our hero into action, despite some very obvious misunderstandings on both parts.
I truly enjoyed the author's humorous prose, her straight up style and truly well developed characters. I could see each character's POV clearly, and so often they were on a completely opposite track. It was these snafu's that lead to most of my out loud laughs. I couldn't quite suspend my skepticism on the amnesia story line, but it is fiction after all! Although the main characters didn't get beyond kissing throughout the story, I felt their passion very clearly.
One of the most touching moments in the book came when Jack was driving her away and had deliberately hurt her..."he couldn't get the memory of her eyes out of his mind. For a moment, before she had taken in what he had said, he had glimpsed the shyest, sweetest glow in her eyes as they had blinked up at him...(he) would never forget the way that tender glow had died, replaced by anguish and deepening hurt." And of course I felt like cheering when at other times she hauled off and slapped him or threw a coffee pot at his head for his crass stupidity.
Anne Gracie tells Kate and Jack's story in such an engaging, humorous and insightful way that I have no doubt I will read this again. Ms. Gracie is definitely one of my "must buy" authors.
Our hero Jack, has had much and fallen far. A handsome man, disfigured and disabled in the war, disowned by his father and subsequently abandoned by his fiance, he has retreated from the world. He is a honourable and protective fellow who sees the valour and courage in Kate. These two lonely hearts cannot help but fall in love, though neither believes they are good enough for the other. Thankfully a curmudgeonly grandmother and an interfering friend nudge our hero into action, despite some very obvious misunderstandings on both parts.
I truly enjoyed the author's humorous prose, her straight up style and truly well developed characters. I could see each character's POV clearly, and so often they were on a completely opposite track. It was these snafu's that lead to most of my out loud laughs. I couldn't quite suspend my skepticism on the amnesia story line, but it is fiction after all! Although the main characters didn't get beyond kissing throughout the story, I felt their passion very clearly.
One of the most touching moments in the book came when Jack was driving her away and had deliberately hurt her..."he couldn't get the memory of her eyes out of his mind. For a moment, before she had taken in what he had said, he had glimpsed the shyest, sweetest glow in her eyes as they had blinked up at him...(he) would never forget the way that tender glow had died, replaced by anguish and deepening hurt." And of course I felt like cheering when at other times she hauled off and slapped him or threw a coffee pot at his head for his crass stupidity.
Anne Gracie tells Kate and Jack's story in such an engaging, humorous and insightful way that I have no doubt I will read this again. Ms. Gracie is definitely one of my "must buy" authors.
November 30, 2014
DNF
The only romances I read these days are those by Georgette Heyer. I read them for the first time in my teens, and I’m re-reading them again now.
This book was a GR recommendation, based on my reading and reviewing of Heyer’s books, so I decided to give it a go. I really wish I hadn't.
The story is set in 1811, Regency England, but the only reason I know is because we are told.
Whereas Heyer has the gift of bringing to life the people, the clothes, the jewels, the carriages, the balls, the opera, and the day-to-day life of the wealthy aristocracy of that era, Annie Grace doesn’t have the same ability. It’s almost as if she used the information available on the “Regency Era” on Wikipedia.
I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, and I could see that Jack and Kate were going to be at loggerheads for the whole book, which just made me feel tired and uninterested.
Also, things like these just didn’t ring true of that time:
“The reality was this vain, beautiful, callous little bitch.”
Jack Carstairs grandmother using words like “gel” and “demmed” which make her sound common instead of a member of the “ton”.
Jack Carstairs walking into his grandmother’s bedchamber bare-chested.
Reviewer _inbetween_ noted:
Gracie was remarkable in managing to copy the spirit of Heyer without stealing everything from her books.
I can’t agree. For those fans of Heyer’s Regency Romances, this just doesn’t compare.
DNF at 25%
April 2, 2018
Even though a more appropriate title for this book would be: The One Where Misunderstandings Abound Since No One Communicates About Anything Important, (it's a mouthful, I know) this was a decent read. It started out strong, with adorable banter and misunderstandings. I appreciate a beauty and beast story as much as the next reader, and this one certainly delivered.
However, as much as I admired the h for her strength of character in the first quarter of this story, her character quickly devolved into a woman who couldn't control her body whenever in the presence of the H. I lost count of the number of times she would steel herself against him only to melt into a puddle of goo in the next paragraph. On behalf of women, I felt equally frustrated by and embarrassed for her.
Then there was the H. I did like his character in the beginning, with the exception of the fact that he felt it was all right to talk about the lowly female help as play things, but would never extend that belief to women of quality. He was grumpy and I didn't mind it much until his grumpiness turned to meanness. And of course the meanness was because he loved the h but was unable to express his love since he knew what was good for her and wanted to make her hate him. Again, cue the frustration. There were some sweet bits but the push and pull outweighed them.
I did appreciate the lack of physical intimacy in this book. For those who require sex scenes, please note that there isn't one in this book. The fact that the MCs got to know each other before jumping into bed together, whether on the page or off it, was a nice departure from most HR nowadays. Indeed, this fact alone had me adding a star to an otherwise two star read. Had the h fallen into bed with the H just because she couldn't resist his body would have had me yelling at my Kindle.
Overall, this was an engaging albeit angsty way to pass the time. It was sweet enough and a safe read to boot. I will continue to work through Anne Gracie's backlist.
However, as much as I admired the h for her strength of character in the first quarter of this story, her character quickly devolved into a woman who couldn't control her body whenever in the presence of the H. I lost count of the number of times she would steel herself against him only to melt into a puddle of goo in the next paragraph. On behalf of women, I felt equally frustrated by and embarrassed for her.
Then there was the H. I did like his character in the beginning, with the exception of the fact that he felt it was all right to talk about the lowly female help as play things, but would never extend that belief to women of quality. He was grumpy and I didn't mind it much until his grumpiness turned to meanness. And of course the meanness was because he loved the h but was unable to express his love since he knew what was good for her and wanted to make her hate him. Again, cue the frustration. There were some sweet bits but the push and pull outweighed them.
I did appreciate the lack of physical intimacy in this book. For those who require sex scenes, please note that there isn't one in this book. The fact that the MCs got to know each other before jumping into bed together, whether on the page or off it, was a nice departure from most HR nowadays. Indeed, this fact alone had me adding a star to an otherwise two star read. Had the h fallen into bed with the H just because she couldn't resist his body would have had me yelling at my Kindle.
Overall, this was an engaging albeit angsty way to pass the time. It was sweet enough and a safe read to boot. I will continue to work through Anne Gracie's backlist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2010
Gallant Waif was a charming and sweet romance. It kind of reminded me of the books I used to read back in the beginning of my fascination with romance. It was a very quick, emotionally satisfying, and "tame"(couple do not consummate relationship)...at least not that the reader can tell.
Jack Carstairs has been scarred and lamed from war, has been jilted by his fiance, and disowned and disinherited by his father...things are not going well for him.
Kate Farleigh is starving, broke, reeling from the loss of her family, and has been kidnapped by her godmother....things are not going well for her.
These two wounded (physically and emotionally) characters charge onto the scene and the sparks, and coffee pots, fly. Kate storms into Jack's life and starts cleaning up....his house, his physical pain, his emotional pain...she just starts cleaning up. I really liked her. Jack is so sweet and protective of her...right from the start. These two can fight...but they also challenge each other to become better than what they are by themselves. Now that is romantic!
Jack Carstairs has been scarred and lamed from war, has been jilted by his fiance, and disowned and disinherited by his father...things are not going well for him.
Kate Farleigh is starving, broke, reeling from the loss of her family, and has been kidnapped by her godmother....things are not going well for her.
These two wounded (physically and emotionally) characters charge onto the scene and the sparks, and coffee pots, fly. Kate storms into Jack's life and starts cleaning up....his house, his physical pain, his emotional pain...she just starts cleaning up. I really liked her. Jack is so sweet and protective of her...right from the start. These two can fight...but they also challenge each other to become better than what they are by themselves. Now that is romantic!
March 19, 2016
I can't seem to warm up to either Jack or Kate. Kate is a bit too "lively" for me. Maybe Jack loved her spunk. I find it tiring. Not poorly written but I am just not in the mood for a heroine who throws "how dare you" around as if it was "hello".
September 26, 2018
Weird book, ridiculous set up that beggars belief. I did enjoy the accounts of war featured, the characters were… not fully developed. Female a bit annoying, male whiny,can't make up his darn mind. Germs of a better book in here, must be an early author work before a style was achieved.
December 31, 2022
https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
Kate Farleigh está en una situación bastante difícil y se ve arrastrada por Lady Cahill a la casa de campo de su nieto Jack Carstairs donde tendrá que lidiar con un hombre herido de guerra, repudiado por su padre y abandonado por su prometida.
Tenemos una novela romántica blanca de corta extensión, una especie de versión de “La bella y la bestia”, últimamente me ha dado por los protagonistas con heridas físicas.
Me inicio con la autora y no me ha importado que la novela sea de romance blanco, la forma de desarrollar la historia me ha atrapado, y no se trata de nada fuera de lo normal, no original, pero la manera de contarnos este romance engancha y creo que ha tenido todo lo que me gusta.
Kate Farleigh es una muchacha con orgullo, fuerte y decidida. Vivió junto a sus padres y sus hermanos en un campamento durante la guerra, tras ese episodio de su vida se ve atraída a una vida precaria, es ahí cuando aparece Lady Cahill, una mujer decidida a darle una mejor posición.
Jack Carstairs es un hombre recluido en su casa de campo, destrozado física y emocionalmente. Rechazado por las personas que ama, tanto su padre como su prometida pasa los días emborrachándose y lamentándose.
La novela me ha parecido divertida tanto por parte de Kate, a la que no se le caen los anillos y trabaja como la que más, como también por Jack, ese hombre solitario y afectado, pero todo un caballero. A lo largo de la novela tienen leves disputas con encuentros donde se palpa la tensión sexual.
Y como personaje secundario me ha gustado mucho Lady Cahill con sus enredos y tretas.
La relación entre los protagonistas se desenvuelve con fluidez, se va creando una complicidad y surgirá el enamoramiento, entre medias tendremos muchos enredos y su parte de intriga.
La autora ha desarrollado bien el pasado de ambos, quizás no le hubiese ido mal más extensión, pero me he quedado satisfecha con las reacciones de Kate y Jack por las verdades desveladas. Quizás me faltó explicar mejor la parte de Kate y su cautiverio.
Kate es una protagonista que me ha gustado, pero Jack no se queda atrás por su lado dulce y sobre todo caballeroso, como el título de la novela define. Entre los dos curarán sus heridas y surgirá un amor sin condiciones.
En general, la novela es ágil y entretenida, con todo lo que me gusta encontrar en una novela y pese a ser romance blanco ha cumplido con todas mis expectativas.
Kate Farleigh está en una situación bastante difícil y se ve arrastrada por Lady Cahill a la casa de campo de su nieto Jack Carstairs donde tendrá que lidiar con un hombre herido de guerra, repudiado por su padre y abandonado por su prometida.
Tenemos una novela romántica blanca de corta extensión, una especie de versión de “La bella y la bestia”, últimamente me ha dado por los protagonistas con heridas físicas.
Me inicio con la autora y no me ha importado que la novela sea de romance blanco, la forma de desarrollar la historia me ha atrapado, y no se trata de nada fuera de lo normal, no original, pero la manera de contarnos este romance engancha y creo que ha tenido todo lo que me gusta.
Kate Farleigh es una muchacha con orgullo, fuerte y decidida. Vivió junto a sus padres y sus hermanos en un campamento durante la guerra, tras ese episodio de su vida se ve atraída a una vida precaria, es ahí cuando aparece Lady Cahill, una mujer decidida a darle una mejor posición.
Jack Carstairs es un hombre recluido en su casa de campo, destrozado física y emocionalmente. Rechazado por las personas que ama, tanto su padre como su prometida pasa los días emborrachándose y lamentándose.
La novela me ha parecido divertida tanto por parte de Kate, a la que no se le caen los anillos y trabaja como la que más, como también por Jack, ese hombre solitario y afectado, pero todo un caballero. A lo largo de la novela tienen leves disputas con encuentros donde se palpa la tensión sexual.
Y como personaje secundario me ha gustado mucho Lady Cahill con sus enredos y tretas.
La relación entre los protagonistas se desenvuelve con fluidez, se va creando una complicidad y surgirá el enamoramiento, entre medias tendremos muchos enredos y su parte de intriga.
La autora ha desarrollado bien el pasado de ambos, quizás no le hubiese ido mal más extensión, pero me he quedado satisfecha con las reacciones de Kate y Jack por las verdades desveladas. Quizás me faltó explicar mejor la parte de Kate y su cautiverio.
Kate es una protagonista que me ha gustado, pero Jack no se queda atrás por su lado dulce y sobre todo caballeroso, como el título de la novela define. Entre los dos curarán sus heridas y surgirá un amor sin condiciones.
En general, la novela es ágil y entretenida, con todo lo que me gusta encontrar en una novela y pese a ser romance blanco ha cumplido con todas mis expectativas.
April 28, 2021
This is a bit middle of the road for one of my favorite authors. The heroine followed her father and brother to the peninsula war only to fall into the hands of the enemy when her father and brothers are killed in action. On return to England she is ostracized and penniless. In the eyes of the British Ton she is a French whore and a traitor. Her mother's godmother comes to her rescue and she agrees to be the housekeeper (with appropriate chaperones) to her grandson who was badly wounded in the same war, disinherited by his father, and dumped by his fiancee.
The set-up was perfect for a great story, but it lacked execution. The plot stalled in several places and the characters were too one dimensional. This is one of Gracie's first endeavors and it is evident how she has grown in her writing.
It is not a bad read, but if you have never read Anne Gracie before, I would recommend starting with The Perfect Rake. It's one of my favorites.
The set-up was perfect for a great story, but it lacked execution. The plot stalled in several places and the characters were too one dimensional. This is one of Gracie's first endeavors and it is evident how she has grown in her writing.
It is not a bad read, but if you have never read Anne Gracie before, I would recommend starting with The Perfect Rake. It's one of my favorites.
October 16, 2021
Je n'ai pas eu de coup de cœur pour cette romance, mais j'ai assez bien aimé l'univers des personnages que nous dépend l'auteure.
J'en ai eu quelques fois des papillons dans le vendre lors des joutes verbales de protagonistes. Ces derniers sont assez attachants, même si j'ai mis un peu plus de temps que d'habitude. Mais l'histoire n'en a pas pâtis. J'ai terminé ma lecture en quelques heures à peine. On peut voir facilement évoluer les personnages.
Je recommande cette romance à tous ceux qui aime les romances historiques évidemment, mais également ceux qui aime voir une évolution flagrante dans le caractère des protagonistes.
J'en ai eu quelques fois des papillons dans le vendre lors des joutes verbales de protagonistes. Ces derniers sont assez attachants, même si j'ai mis un peu plus de temps que d'habitude. Mais l'histoire n'en a pas pâtis. J'ai terminé ma lecture en quelques heures à peine. On peut voir facilement évoluer les personnages.
Je recommande cette romance à tous ceux qui aime les romances historiques évidemment, mais également ceux qui aime voir une évolution flagrante dans le caractère des protagonistes.
February 19, 2019
There was some nice writing in this and some instances of good/amusing banter.
This book is pretty big on angst at least when it comes to the male lead – at times he felt a little too petulant and broody – feeling this way may just been the mood I was in but at times it got a bit much.
When Kate Farleigh is kidnapped by Lady Cahill, her deceased mother’s godmother, and brought to a dilapidated, dirty house owned by Lady Cahill’s grandson she doesn’t quite know what to make of this turn in circumstances. Trying to make the best of things and feel like she is contributing, Kate cleans the filthy kitchen and cooks the first real meal she’s had in ages only to find it being eaten by the man of the house – grumpy Jake Carstairs. To say the first meeting isn’t smooth sailing would be no exaggeration, they butt heads quite a bit.
I can understand Jack’s anger – he has been injured in war, disinherited and jilted by his heartless and vapid fiancée. And I usually love myself a tortured, scarred hero but ugh after the zillionth time I just wanted Jack to stop with the petulance, insults and stomping off, getting drunk and then mumbling an apology once he’d sobered up a bit.
Kate I really liked she never gives up, and has a lot of fire. Although I did feel she always forgave Jack a tad too quickly.
This book is pretty big on angst at least when it comes to the male lead – at times he felt a little too petulant and broody – feeling this way may just been the mood I was in but at times it got a bit much.
When Kate Farleigh is kidnapped by Lady Cahill, her deceased mother’s godmother, and brought to a dilapidated, dirty house owned by Lady Cahill’s grandson she doesn’t quite know what to make of this turn in circumstances. Trying to make the best of things and feel like she is contributing, Kate cleans the filthy kitchen and cooks the first real meal she’s had in ages only to find it being eaten by the man of the house – grumpy Jake Carstairs. To say the first meeting isn’t smooth sailing would be no exaggeration, they butt heads quite a bit.
I can understand Jack’s anger – he has been injured in war, disinherited and jilted by his heartless and vapid fiancée. And I usually love myself a tortured, scarred hero but ugh after the zillionth time I just wanted Jack to stop with the petulance, insults and stomping off, getting drunk and then mumbling an apology once he’d sobered up a bit.
Kate I really liked she never gives up, and has a lot of fire. Although I did feel she always forgave Jack a tad too quickly.
December 26, 2022
I nearly read this in one sitting, if only it wasn’t 6am and I needed to sleep.
I devoured this book, and even though it has its problems I can’t say I didn’t absolutely enjoy it. This very well could’ve been a 5 star read, but I have to bring it down because of Jack and his immaturity. Even though it added to the angst and tension, my mind was going tsk tsk. This is almost a guilty pleasure because his behavior goes against everything I believe in how a man should treat a love interest, or a person in general, but oh lord I loved the tension it built… There is nothing more I love in romance than a good push and pull.
I devoured this book, and even though it has its problems I can’t say I didn’t absolutely enjoy it. This very well could’ve been a 5 star read, but I have to bring it down because of Jack and his immaturity. Even though it added to the angst and tension, my mind was going tsk tsk. This is almost a guilty pleasure because his behavior goes against everything I believe in how a man should treat a love interest, or a person in general, but oh lord I loved the tension it built… There is nothing more I love in romance than a good push and pull.
December 4, 2019
Just as a note/general comment, here is a link to a more general complaint of mine regarding romance novels (this novel was cited as an example of the problems I discuss in my complaint).
-----------------------
DNFed this sucker.
I've actually enjoyed other books by this author. I didn't enjoy this one.
The point where I gave up on this one came when the main (male) character threatened the beat the main (female) character and was then offended that she took him seriously.
...Physical violence is sooooo attractive!!!
I think I'm quickly reaching a point where this kind of crap gives me an ulcer. I just can't anymore...
-----------------------
DNFed this sucker.
I've actually enjoyed other books by this author. I didn't enjoy this one.
The point where I gave up on this one came when the main (male) character threatened the beat the main (female) character and was then offended that she took him seriously.
...Physical violence is sooooo attractive!!!
I think I'm quickly reaching a point where this kind of crap gives me an ulcer. I just can't anymore...
August 7, 2020
DNF
TSTL heroine and asshole hero. Quite a pair. Heroine wants to be a servant but slaps the hero and throws coffee on him. The hero lusts for her, says men have needs, but then projects that maybe the heroine is trying to trap him into marriage.
They circle around the same conflict over and over again and even the mystery of what happened to the heroine in Spain couldnt get me to continue this misery.
TSTL heroine and asshole hero. Quite a pair. Heroine wants to be a servant but slaps the hero and throws coffee on him. The hero lusts for her, says men have needs, but then projects that maybe the heroine is trying to trap him into marriage.
They circle around the same conflict over and over again and even the mystery of what happened to the heroine in Spain couldnt get me to continue this misery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews