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A House for the Season #5
The Adventuress
With Each London Season, an enchanting Romance Moves into the Fashionable Townhouse at Number 67 Clarges Street. And There Below Stairs the Staff Has a Special Mission--to Arrange a Match...to Hatch a Scheme ... to Bring Love Home to
A HOUSE FOR THE SEASON
Beauty is a powerful magnet, and every man in the ton is drawn to the exquisite loveliness of Miss Emily Goodenough, who has rented the Clarges Street house with her rather peculiar old uncle. Only Rainbird, the butler, suspects that Miss Goodenough's origins might be less than genteel--in fact, that the beauteous Emily may be a runaway chambermaid and her "uncle" a fellow butler! But Emily has fallen desperately in love with the handsome, haughty Earl of Fleetwood, and since the bogus upstairs couple quickly wins the downstairs' servants' hearts... Rainbird and his friends are determined to make a lowly maid the catch of the Season for high society's most desirable Lord!
A HOUSE FOR THE SEASON
Beauty is a powerful magnet, and every man in the ton is drawn to the exquisite loveliness of Miss Emily Goodenough, who has rented the Clarges Street house with her rather peculiar old uncle. Only Rainbird, the butler, suspects that Miss Goodenough's origins might be less than genteel--in fact, that the beauteous Emily may be a runaway chambermaid and her "uncle" a fellow butler! But Emily has fallen desperately in love with the handsome, haughty Earl of Fleetwood, and since the bogus upstairs couple quickly wins the downstairs' servants' hearts... Rainbird and his friends are determined to make a lowly maid the catch of the Season for high society's most desirable Lord!
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
93 people are currently reading
373 people want to read
About the author
Marion Chesney
144 books753 followersMarion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 11, 2019
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Another rollicking good time with the servants of 67 Clarges St. and household patriarch butler, Rainberd at the helm. Little scullery maid Lizzy surprised me in this one. Her character development evolved in a truly cool way. I can't wait to see what happens next in her journey.
The heroine, Emily Goodenough, is feisty yet vulnerable and eccentric enough that her extraordinary beauty is not a deterrent. The H, Lord Fleetwood, is quite likable and interesting. His intelligence and willingness to make fun of himself was refreshing.
The final chapter of this delightful series has the best title, Rainbird's Revenge which sounds promising considering the denouement of this book. If it involves the vile Mr. Palmer getting his just desserts then it will be a thrill.
Another rollicking good time with the servants of 67 Clarges St. and household patriarch butler, Rainberd at the helm. Little scullery maid Lizzy surprised me in this one. Her character development evolved in a truly cool way. I can't wait to see what happens next in her journey.
The heroine, Emily Goodenough, is feisty yet vulnerable and eccentric enough that her extraordinary beauty is not a deterrent. The H, Lord Fleetwood, is quite likable and interesting. His intelligence and willingness to make fun of himself was refreshing.
The final chapter of this delightful series has the best title, Rainbird's Revenge which sounds promising considering the denouement of this book. If it involves the vile Mr. Palmer getting his just desserts then it will be a thrill.
August 31, 2013
I have to admit to having grown a little bored by the series by the time I reached this book. It is good to see the servants grow and change a little in the books but I do find that the characters are simply not deep enough to keep my interest in them.
abbandonato
September 27, 2017fa parte di una serie. Letto uno è poco, due è troppo.
[audiolibro]
[audiolibro]
July 23, 2016
Booktubeathon book #6
- book only read at night
- book older than me
- book only read at night
- book older than me
February 29, 2016
un'altra stagione mondana per i domestici della casa di clarges street- questa volta alle prese con una misteriosa e ricchissima signora dal passato oscuro, che cerca di farsi strada nell'alta società londinese. solito piacevole intrattenimento che mi ha fatto compagnia in una giornata di pioggia battente.
August 4, 2016
67 Clarges Street is again let for the season to the Goodenoughs. This family has quiet a secret and it will take the staff to keep them safe and send another young lady to the altar. Formulaic but charming I enjoy this series
April 26, 2023
A promising idea (characters). Both, Emily and Fleetwood had thrilling backgrounds. But, I was disappointed I didn't enjoy it more. I am inclined to believe that the convention this time spoilt a story. It needed more pages, perhaps even a deeper (serious) approach.
June 17, 2017
This is a review of "A House for the Season":
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 8, 2021
Written in 1987, the 5th book in the series, the staff at 67 Claridge St again has a tenant for the season. Emily Goodenough was once a chamberlain who inherited a fortune and moved to London for the Season. My library actually had a hardback first edition! This series is a sweet Regency, (Prinny actually shows up) and there is one more to go. I hope the servants finally get their wish in the last book!!
October 3, 2018
Another fun book in the series! Not sure how it's going to end, but I'm glad things are starting to look up for the servants of the house!
May 19, 2023
You really can reinvent yourself. But be careful! Someone will find out. I enjoy this series of the mishaps in A House for the Season.
January 9, 2024
A charming story, short but sweet. It's interesting seeing so much from the servents' perspective and the 'help' they provide.
March 5, 2021
Uno dei Regency romance ambientati al n° 67 di Clarges Street. Questa volta la protagonista è Emily Goodenough, una ex-cameriera che, grazie a un'eredità, è riuscita a innalzarsi socialmente, nascondendo però le sue origini. Incapperà in un conte che ha delle velleità di scrittore e che ha appena pubblicato un romanzo che parla di Emilia, una ex-cameriera che tenta la scalata sociale... Che coincidenza!
Nel frattempo il personale del n° 67 Clarges Street ha raggiunto la somma per aprire il sospirato pub... Cosa accadrà nel prossimo romanzo della serie (che è anche l'ultimo)? Rainbird e compagni riusciranno finalmente a liberarsi dal giogo di Palmer, l'agente immobiliare che li ricatta?
Nel frattempo il personale del n° 67 Clarges Street ha raggiunto la somma per aprire il sospirato pub... Cosa accadrà nel prossimo romanzo della serie (che è anche l'ultimo)? Rainbird e compagni riusciranno finalmente a liberarsi dal giogo di Palmer, l'agente immobiliare che li ricatta?
November 28, 2016
Ma quanto mi piacciono le avventure di 67 Clarges Street, oh quanto mi piacciono!
La servitù capitanata da Rainbird è spettacolare, gli inquilini sempre insoliti e divertenti, i dialoghi perfettamente regency ed i finali sospiratamente rosa!
Il fatto poi che sia una serie in 6 episodi, con una trama generale lungo tutta la serie e trame specifiche per ogni episodio me la fa amare ancora di più.
L'ultimo capitolo si preannuncia perfetto. Non vedo l'ora!
La servitù capitanata da Rainbird è spettacolare, gli inquilini sempre insoliti e divertenti, i dialoghi perfettamente regency ed i finali sospiratamente rosa!
Il fatto poi che sia una serie in 6 episodi, con una trama generale lungo tutta la serie e trame specifiche per ogni episodio me la fa amare ancora di più.
L'ultimo capitolo si preannuncia perfetto. Non vedo l'ora!
December 9, 2021
The Number 67 crew delivers again!
This has continued to be one of the most engaging and entertaining series I've read in this genre. I'm sure there are period errors, but for me the characters and story more than make up for any such flaws. I too busy laughing and being delightedly engaged in the goings on at Number 67 to let minor slips bother me.
This has continued to be one of the most engaging and entertaining series I've read in this genre. I'm sure there are period errors, but for me the characters and story more than make up for any such flaws. I too busy laughing and being delightedly engaged in the goings on at Number 67 to let minor slips bother me.
August 14, 2022
One of the best in the series. Two stories run concurrently, that of little Lizzie and Emily. I enjoyed them both. "The course of true love never did run smooth." So it is with both Lizzie and Emily. There are trials to be worked through and villains. Emily gets her HEA with the Earl of Fleetwood, but we will have to wait for the last book in the series to find out if Lizzie gets one.
January 19, 2021
3.5 stars. Servant girl and butler inherit a fortune. Change their names and go to London to become "quality".
December 9, 2021
Enjoyable ,delightful and fun book. I would recommend
This book to everyone. Love MCBeaton. Terrific writer. I gave this book a 10. Loved it. Buy it for enjoyment.
This book to everyone. Love MCBeaton. Terrific writer. I gave this book a 10. Loved it. Buy it for enjoyment.
July 23, 2022
The Earl was unreasonable, and then converted completely to being reasonable with no reasonable explanation. Additionally, the mirroring between Emily's story and the Earl's novel was too unlikely.
May 18, 2023
This one was pretty good. I’m looking forward to the next and last in the series.
April 5, 2022
The premise of this book reminded me of the first book of the series: Miser of Mayfair. Both Fiona in Miser of Mayfair and Emily in this book pretended to be a lady even though they came from a lower-class background.
Emily was more realistic, more naive and not as good at pretending as Fiona.
I like women who use their wits to get what they want (but not to the extent that their attempt hurts others, of course). So, I liked Fiona and Emily. They did some stupid things, but tried hard to achieve their dreams. I admire them for it.
Fleetwood was okay. He was a cynic and had a strong bias against servants. But it was understandable, considering that he had had a hard time after his wife's death. Besides, it wasn't like he treated his servants badly because of his bias.
And most importantly, I praise him for it.
But I wish there were more exchanges between Fleetwood and the servants.
Emily was more realistic, more naive and not as good at pretending as Fiona.
I like women who use their wits to get what they want (but not to the extent that their attempt hurts others, of course). So, I liked Fiona and Emily. They did some stupid things, but tried hard to achieve their dreams. I admire them for it.
Fleetwood was okay. He was a cynic and had a strong bias against servants. But it was understandable, considering that he had had a hard time after his wife's death. Besides, it wasn't like he treated his servants badly because of his bias.
And most importantly, I praise him for it.
But I wish there were more exchanges between Fleetwood and the servants.
July 15, 2019
The fifth book in the A House for the Season sees Marion Chesney attempting to place more focus on the servants and perhaps suggest that the ending isn’t as set in stone as we may have suspected and though I appreciated this, it did make me squirm a bit at times.
While we still retained the romance plotline between a woman endeavouring to find their place in society and a member of the ton realizing romance exists where you find it, the attention was squarely on the servants and I think this was perhaps a little detrimental to the traditional romance. As the title suggests our heroine was an Adventuress on this occasion and this was used as a parallel to some of the actions of the staff.
In particular attention focused on Miss Middleton, Angus McGregor and Lizzie, all characters I have enjoyed but it was Lizzie’s plotline which made me wince. Lizzie has, for me, become the darling of the series, and to throw mud at the character, even for a short period of time, was a bit disconcerting.
In all I did enjoy the book but it wasn’t a favourite by a long shot.
While we still retained the romance plotline between a woman endeavouring to find their place in society and a member of the ton realizing romance exists where you find it, the attention was squarely on the servants and I think this was perhaps a little detrimental to the traditional romance. As the title suggests our heroine was an Adventuress on this occasion and this was used as a parallel to some of the actions of the staff.
In particular attention focused on Miss Middleton, Angus McGregor and Lizzie, all characters I have enjoyed but it was Lizzie’s plotline which made me wince. Lizzie has, for me, become the darling of the series, and to throw mud at the character, even for a short period of time, was a bit disconcerting.
In all I did enjoy the book but it wasn’t a favourite by a long shot.
November 23, 2024
recensione completa qui: https://www.lunaticamente.com/recensi...
E' difficile esprimere a parole cosa mi ha regalato questa Saga che ho letto d'un fiato. Difficile anche dire quale di questi sei è il mio preferito. Un consiglio solo: se comprate il primo, assicuratevi di avere anche gli altri a portata di mano.
Ho riso molto, mi sono affezionata ai personaggi, mi sono commossa e ho trovato degli amici che porterò per sempre nel mio cuore. Tra queste pagine c'è ironia, amore e speranza. E' impossibile staccarsi dalla lettura e allo stesso tempo si desidera che la fine arrivi il più tardi possibile. Ho amato la sua scrittura e la capacità di rendere familiari ambientazioni e personaggi.
Il finale è glorioso e anche se ti lascia un pizzico di malinconia, nel cuore sai che è giusto così.
Se amate Downton Abbey, questa saga non può mancarvi. E se invece non avete mai letto nulla di simile, allora vi spalancherà le porte a un mondo meraviglioso.
E' difficile esprimere a parole cosa mi ha regalato questa Saga che ho letto d'un fiato. Difficile anche dire quale di questi sei è il mio preferito. Un consiglio solo: se comprate il primo, assicuratevi di avere anche gli altri a portata di mano.
Ho riso molto, mi sono affezionata ai personaggi, mi sono commossa e ho trovato degli amici che porterò per sempre nel mio cuore. Tra queste pagine c'è ironia, amore e speranza. E' impossibile staccarsi dalla lettura e allo stesso tempo si desidera che la fine arrivi il più tardi possibile. Ho amato la sua scrittura e la capacità di rendere familiari ambientazioni e personaggi.
Il finale è glorioso e anche se ti lascia un pizzico di malinconia, nel cuore sai che è giusto così.
Se amate Downton Abbey, questa saga non può mancarvi. E se invece non avete mai letto nulla di simile, allora vi spalancherà le porte a un mondo meraviglioso.
April 25, 2025
21/2⭐️
Adoro i romance di ambientazione regency ( che rispettano l’epoca storica senza “modernizzazioni”salvo qualche eccezione ) e difficilmente do meno di 3 stelline.
Questa serie è una coccola, leggera e spensierata che non ha mai disatteso le aspettative.
Questi preamboli sono necessari perché devo dire che questo quinto appuntamento con Rainbird e gli altri domestici non mi ha convinta del tutto.
Non è brutto ma insipido, frettoloso e poco avvincente.
Sottotono tutti i protagonisti sia gli “storici” domestici che gli inquilini.
In questa nuova avventura è mancato qualcosa, mi sembra più un libro di passaggio che vuole traghettarci al capitolo finale e per quel che mi riguarda poteva anche non esserci.
Adoro i romance di ambientazione regency ( che rispettano l’epoca storica senza “modernizzazioni”salvo qualche eccezione ) e difficilmente do meno di 3 stelline.
Questa serie è una coccola, leggera e spensierata che non ha mai disatteso le aspettative.
Questi preamboli sono necessari perché devo dire che questo quinto appuntamento con Rainbird e gli altri domestici non mi ha convinta del tutto.
Non è brutto ma insipido, frettoloso e poco avvincente.
Sottotono tutti i protagonisti sia gli “storici” domestici che gli inquilini.
In questa nuova avventura è mancato qualcosa, mi sembra più un libro di passaggio che vuole traghettarci al capitolo finale e per quel che mi riguarda poteva anche non esserci.
November 9, 2018
The staff at 67 Clarges Street are not excited for the season. The Goodenoughs, an uncle and niece, are renting the home for the season. But they quite negotiated the price down on an already inexpensive house and the staff fears that means they will not be generous. Not like the Earl of Fleetwood who tries to take the house but is disappointed.
However, they are all surprised to find out that Emily and her uncle are not quite in the way of the normal ton. And the more they discover, the more they are wanting to help her.
This one in the series was a little less believable but still a good listen.
However, they are all surprised to find out that Emily and her uncle are not quite in the way of the normal ton. And the more they discover, the more they are wanting to help her.
This one in the series was a little less believable but still a good listen.
July 7, 2021
Caruccio, con alcune scene assurde e ironiche. Gli equilibri interni alla combriccola dei domestici di 67 Clarges Street stanno leggermente cambiando, e si preannuncia il libro finale, dove vedremo se riusciranno ad avere la loro rivincita sul cattivo e spilorcio agente del duca, e come riusciranno ad organizzare il loro futuro. La coppia formatasi in questo libro è totalmente irreale e di nuovo piuttosto insapore, come buona parte di quelle dei precedenti titoli.
December 30, 2023
I find this series very amusing. The Earl secretly writes romance novels in which a scullery maid remakes herself as a diamond of the ton, and meanwhile, the Clarger Street new tenant is a woman and her uncle who turn out to be servants, remaking themselves as diamonds of the ton, and changing their own stars.
Of course, the two fall in love. Ably assisted by the servants.
4 stars
So far this year, my library saved me A$3983.82
Of course, the two fall in love. Ably assisted by the servants.
4 stars
So far this year, my library saved me A$3983.82
March 12, 2024
Questa serie continua a divertirmi e sorprendermi! Mi sono affezionata ai personaggi: i simpatici domestici del 67 di Clarges Street.
Come ogni volta, ho sposato la causa dell’inquilino di turno ma, a differenza delle altre volte, avverto lo slancio verso il gran finale… non vedo l’ora di leggere il romanzo conclusivo.
Come ogni volta, ho sposato la causa dell’inquilino di turno ma, a differenza delle altre volte, avverto lo slancio verso il gran finale… non vedo l’ora di leggere il romanzo conclusivo.
November 2, 2017
As always, I love the quotes that begin each chapter. They're from a variety of sources and so funny and interesting. I also liked the characters and the continuing trials of the hired servants. A funny adventure/ romance.
July 17, 2019
Not one of your best, Ms. Beaton. The last three in the House for the Season have not had good character development for the aristocracy. The servants below stairs continue to be the most interesting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews