What do you think?
Dukes & Desires #4
The Sins of Lady Dacey (Regency Royal, #15)
WHAT ARE A VICAR'S WIFE AND A YOUNG INNOCENT DOING WITH SUCH AS LADY DACEY?
The ton could only speculate how a pair of turtledoves would cope as the guests of the scandalous Lady Dacey. Surely she would attempt to corrupt them an act that both Pamela Perryworth and Honoria Goodham would welcome in their rigid, joyless lives.
Though Mrs. Perryworth is married most unhappily and the young Honoria has a cloying tendency to read scripture, the purity and loveliness of both ladies inflame the senses of two notorious rakes.
Mr. Sean Delaney loses his heart at first sight of the fair Mrs. Perryworth, while the disreputable Duke of Ware is quite disturbed by the innocent Honoria, who dares to tempt his jaded heart....
The ton could only speculate how a pair of turtledoves would cope as the guests of the scandalous Lady Dacey. Surely she would attempt to corrupt them an act that both Pamela Perryworth and Honoria Goodham would welcome in their rigid, joyless lives.
Though Mrs. Perryworth is married most unhappily and the young Honoria has a cloying tendency to read scripture, the purity and loveliness of both ladies inflame the senses of two notorious rakes.
Mr. Sean Delaney loses his heart at first sight of the fair Mrs. Perryworth, while the disreputable Duke of Ware is quite disturbed by the innocent Honoria, who dares to tempt his jaded heart....
199 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 2, 1994
About the author
Marion Chesney
150 books769 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 9, 2018
A tongue in cheek portrayal of romance, courting and upper class intrigue in this regency tale that sometimes borders on parody because it is just so damn amusing ! This is my first novel by Marion Chesney ( aka M.C. Beaton ) and it won't be my last. This didn't have hot sex or bodice ripping action but it was well written and it kept my interest throughout. And, the eponymous Lady Dacey was not the heroine ( thank you Lord ! ) of the story; she was the villain. Chesney tended to portray her characters as if they're a bit stereotypical.
The heroine Honoria Goodham is the 18 yr old daughter of a middle class country gentry couple who are very staid, religious, money hungry and hypocritical. Honoria is the epitome of the pure, innocent ingenue; she even says her prayers a couple times a day and makes a daily effort to read her Bible verses. She's such a sweet girl that I wondered whether she'd been adopted because her parents are horrible. The novel begins on a sad note because poor Honoria has just been told that's been betrothed to a vile, obese, ugly and old rich, mill owning widower called Mr. Pomfret. Honoria immediately starts praying to God for a means to escape this horrible marriage. This is Honoria:
This is the lecherous and mean old Mr. Pomfret:
Mr. and Mrs. Goodham turn a deaf ear to Honoria's objections because Mr. Pomfret is wealthy enough for them to overlook the fact that he is a businessman and not a member of the gentry. The heroine gets a bit of luck, though, when a letter arrives from her aunt Lady Dacey. This aunt is her mother's younger sister who has been estranged from the family since before Honoria's birth. Lady Dacey has led a rather scandalous, promiscuous lifestyle which has made her persona non grata in the Goodham household. This letter changes things because Lady Dacey offers to pay for Honoria's debut season in London. She adds that she's sure that her young niece will be able to get a marriage proposal from a duke. The Goodhams are so easily impressed that they immediately forget all about Lady D's scandalous lifestyle and about Honoria's betrothal to Mr. Pomfret:
The fact that Clarissa, now Lady Dacey, had never been mentioned to Honoria because they did not want the girl to know she had such a scandalous aunt was forgotten. A title and wealth had washed all Lady Dacey's sins as white as snow in the minds of the Goodhams.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 67-69). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
I was further intrigued by this storyline when the letter provided some shady information about Lady D's inability to offer her hospitality to Honoria's parents:
“Clarissa is, however, most insistent that we do not accompany our daughter to London,” said Mrs. Goodham. “She says we would cramp her style. Really! But the quality will have little foibles.”
She gave an almost girlish giggle. “Just think, Mr. Goodham, our little Honoria a duchess.”
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 69-71). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
The heroine's parents decide to ask the local vicar's wife to be Honoria's chaperone in London. Mrs. Pamela Perryworth is a wonderful character. She's a 29 yr old virgin wife to a stuffy, puritanical vicar who treats her like a servant and refuses to have to sex with her. Poor Pamela is one of Honoria's few friends in the village. She's also depressed and unhappy wife who dreams of visiting London to see her sister but has been unable to do so because Mr. Perryworth refuses to allow her to leave the village. This is Pamela:
The women start off their journey with a bang ! At their first stopover at an inn, they decide to enjoy themselves for the first time in their lives by drinking wine. This was just the beginning of the funny adventures that these 2 new best friends embark upon. The author also tends to indulge in a bit of humorous storytelling by poking fun at the women's staid religious background: the women are soon trapped in a broken carriage whose axle has been bent due to heavy snowfall. Honoria and Pamela think that God's punishing them for drinking all the wine so they immediately repent and decide to double up on the Bible verses ! They're fortunate to be near to the Duke of Ware's hunting lodge ( which actually turns out to be a country mansion ! ). The Duke of Ware is the 33 yr old hero:
He was an exceptionally handsome man in a saturnine way with hair as dark as midnight, odd-colored tawny eyes, and the figure of an athlete.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 299-300). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
He is a playa to beat all playas ! But, he's sick with the flu and has just sent his mistress and his fellow rake buddies back to London, so the last thing he wants is some company from a couple of rural females. He allows them to stay but tells his servants that he is not to be bothered. Honoria ignores these warnings because she's a kind, Christian girl and thinks that all the ill, lecherous man ( the maids had revealed everything about the duke's licentious habits and party hearty lifestyle ) needs is for her to tend to him and read Bible verses to him. Lol. This was one of the funniest scenes in the novel !
He was about to protest, but her touch was gentle, and the warm water and cologne soothing. Then she ordered him to sit up and plumped up his pillows and then settled him against them. Half-amused, half-exasperated, his eyes glinted feverishly in the candlelight as he watched her take out a book of sermons.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 312-314). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
The storyline continued with the women making another stopover at another inn and this time it is Pamela who manages to catch the eye of a guy ( who also happens to be friends with the hero ), called Sean Delaney. This is Sean Delaney:
Sean falls into insta-love with Pamela and hopes he sees her again, even though she's married. When Honoria and Pamela finally arrive at Lady Dacey's townhouse, they're shocked when they finally meet the woman, because she's wearing garish make up, a huge red wig and is dressed in a gown more suited to courtesans. Lady D is also very uncultured and rude. This is Lady Dacey:
Lady D has a scheme up her sleeve; she's only invited Honoria to London because she thinks that she will have more gentleman callers at her townhouse if her sweet, virginal niece is allowed to play the patsy during the season. Lady D is hoping to snare herself a husband and the hero is at the top of her list. When the 2 women tell her about their short stay at the duke's hunting lodge, Lady
D rushes off to find him and seduce him. The H's butler warns him that Lady D is at the gate so he informs them to wait a few minutes before telling her that he's in Paris. The H then uses the back gate to leave and Lady D is left to plot and plan. She then decides that she's going to follow him to Paris; she conveniently forgets about Honoria and Pamela waiting for her at her townhouse in London.
The novel's romantic storyline begins at this point because Sean Delaney and the duke start to escort Pamela and Honoria to many dinners, dances, the opera etc. The H soon starts to fall for Honoria but he keeps telling himself that it's just a novelty because she's a pretty country girl who's the opposite of the type women with whom he's acquainted. Honoria, like the purest of all Mary Sue heroines, is oblivious to the duke's growing feelings. In fact, she finds him irritating at times and heeds Pamela's warnings that he's a lecherous rake. The 2 women also go on huge shopping sprees at Lady D's expense and I loved this part because the awful aunt had completely abandoned them, so she deserved to pay all the bills and more. Honoria gets a makeover and soon becomes diamond of the season when the rest of the Ton think that she's an heiress. This misunderstanding creates a lot of extra comedy when the mercenary Lord and Lady Buchan decide that Honoria's perfect for their stupid, dimwitted son. The dimwit dullard son starts to court Honoria and she thinks she might actually be able to fall in love with him. Then everything falls apart when the Buchans discover that she's not an heiress. They then start to ignore her and their son starts to suck up to a couple of more genuine heiresses. There's a funny laugh out loud dinner scene where the duke seeks a bit of vengeance on Honoria's part: he informs Lady Buchan that Honoria is indeed an heiress and the woman immediately writes a note on a napkin and gives it to him to send to her son. He opens the note and sees that Lady Buchan has commanded her son to start ass kissing Honoria again. The hero alters the note to state that the heroine is not an heiress and the son infers that his mother wants him to be the rudest he's ever been to Honoria.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel was the way Honoria was able to wrap the duke around her little fingers, while being totally oblivious to the effect she's having on him. The duke, for his part, pretends that he is not besotted and then decides to make her jealous by paying attention to Lady Dacey when the latter returns from Paris. The other romantic storyline with Pamela and Sean was a bit bittersweet because they're in love and can't do anything about it due to her marriage. Pamela's an honorable woman and is unwilling to break her marriage vows even though she's still a virgin. Lady Dacey also throws a huge jealous tantrum when she realizes that the duke is enraptured by the charms of her nubile and beautiful niece. She threatens to send Pamela back to country but the smart heroine saves her friend by devising an amusing scheme of her own. Honoria was definitely a very smart heroine. Lady D then schemes with a rakish Earl called Lord Herne; this guy wants to marry Honoria and informs Lady D that he will give her a huge diamond if she can manipulate the situation to force the heroine to marry him. The greedy Lady D takes things to an evil level when she lies to the MC's; she tells each of them that the other has no romantic feelings and this creates a bit of sadness and angst during this part of the story because the duke had been about to propose marriage to Honoria.
Things take a dangerous and criminal turn when Lady D and Lord Herne scheme to drug Honoria so the vile man can rape the heroine. The 2 villains think that if Lord Herne rapes Honoria then the duke will not be willing to propose marriage to the heroine. The smart heroine is filled with suspicion so she pretends to imbibe the drugged drink. At the very last minute, Lady D's conscience steps in and she saves her niece, but Lord Herne ends up dead. Lady D is filled with remorse ( for a few minutes ) and even thinks that she ought to go and live in a nunnery where she can repent her sins. Her remorse fades when she sees the diamond that had fallen out of Lord Herne's pockets:
On its side lay that morocco box, and a little way away, practically hidden by a fold in the long hall curtains, lay the diamond. It must have tumbled out of Lord Herne's pocket when he fell. Her fingers closed over it. The wages of sin, said a voice in her head. She rose to her feet, still clutching the diamond. The fire from it seemed to warm her blood. She gave a little fatalistic shrug. It was always better to sleep on things.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 1934-1937). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
The MC's get their HEA and so do Sean and Pamela ! There's another minor storyline that involved the vicar ( Pamela's husband ). Mr. Pennyworth had become a bit obsessed with a lusty widow called Mrs. Watkins and he he ran away with her to America, but not before applying for an annulment from Pamela. The silly Mr. Pennyworth didn't get his HEA with the avaricious Mrs. Watkins because he saw how much of a nymphomaniac she was during their voyage to America, when she kept flirting and having rendezvous with the sailors on the ship. I laughed a lot when the vicar started to regret leaving his sweet and decent wife for this tart; he did however plan to abandon Mrs. Watkins ( without giving her any money, since he figured out that that's all she was really interested in anyway ) as soon as the ship docked in America. The one part that did annoy me at the end was that Lady Dacey didn't really get her comeuppance. Her big secret ( that Lord Herne had used to blackmail her ) didn't come out. The secret was:
Lady D even managed to get an admirer at the MC's wedding and this guy was actually in her age group. There's a funny scene where Lady D meets her new suitor, Sir Frederick:
“The bride is your niece, I believe,” said Sir Frederick. “You must be very fond of her.”
“I am crying because the minx stole Ware away from me,” said Lady Dacey waspishly.
“Now how could that happen?” he said gallantly. “What man would set eyes on another after having seen you?”
She looked up at him. He had silver hair and bright blue eyes that held a wicked twinkle. Her large eyes began to sparkle.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 1986-1987). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
There's only an off page sex scene at the end of the novel and it happens at the very end after the MC's are married and Honoria is feeling shy the morning after their wedding:
“It is now daylight and ... and I feel ... shy lying here naked. Do you mind if I put something on?”
“Not at all,” he said. “Try this,” and he rolled his naked body on top of hers, and Honoria forgot about Pamela and Mr. Delaney and wicked Lady Dacey for at least the next hour.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 1998-2000). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
This was a funny, old fashioned romp that's guaranteed to entertain anyone who loves this type of romantic tale.
The heroine Honoria Goodham is the 18 yr old daughter of a middle class country gentry couple who are very staid, religious, money hungry and hypocritical. Honoria is the epitome of the pure, innocent ingenue; she even says her prayers a couple times a day and makes a daily effort to read her Bible verses. She's such a sweet girl that I wondered whether she'd been adopted because her parents are horrible. The novel begins on a sad note because poor Honoria has just been told that's been betrothed to a vile, obese, ugly and old rich, mill owning widower called Mr. Pomfret. Honoria immediately starts praying to God for a means to escape this horrible marriage. This is Honoria:
This is the lecherous and mean old Mr. Pomfret:
Mr. and Mrs. Goodham turn a deaf ear to Honoria's objections because Mr. Pomfret is wealthy enough for them to overlook the fact that he is a businessman and not a member of the gentry. The heroine gets a bit of luck, though, when a letter arrives from her aunt Lady Dacey. This aunt is her mother's younger sister who has been estranged from the family since before Honoria's birth. Lady Dacey has led a rather scandalous, promiscuous lifestyle which has made her persona non grata in the Goodham household. This letter changes things because Lady Dacey offers to pay for Honoria's debut season in London. She adds that she's sure that her young niece will be able to get a marriage proposal from a duke. The Goodhams are so easily impressed that they immediately forget all about Lady D's scandalous lifestyle and about Honoria's betrothal to Mr. Pomfret:
The fact that Clarissa, now Lady Dacey, had never been mentioned to Honoria because they did not want the girl to know she had such a scandalous aunt was forgotten. A title and wealth had washed all Lady Dacey's sins as white as snow in the minds of the Goodhams.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 67-69). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
I was further intrigued by this storyline when the letter provided some shady information about Lady D's inability to offer her hospitality to Honoria's parents:
“Clarissa is, however, most insistent that we do not accompany our daughter to London,” said Mrs. Goodham. “She says we would cramp her style. Really! But the quality will have little foibles.”
She gave an almost girlish giggle. “Just think, Mr. Goodham, our little Honoria a duchess.”
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 69-71). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
The heroine's parents decide to ask the local vicar's wife to be Honoria's chaperone in London. Mrs. Pamela Perryworth is a wonderful character. She's a 29 yr old virgin wife to a stuffy, puritanical vicar who treats her like a servant and refuses to have to sex with her. Poor Pamela is one of Honoria's few friends in the village. She's also depressed and unhappy wife who dreams of visiting London to see her sister but has been unable to do so because Mr. Perryworth refuses to allow her to leave the village. This is Pamela:
The women start off their journey with a bang ! At their first stopover at an inn, they decide to enjoy themselves for the first time in their lives by drinking wine. This was just the beginning of the funny adventures that these 2 new best friends embark upon. The author also tends to indulge in a bit of humorous storytelling by poking fun at the women's staid religious background: the women are soon trapped in a broken carriage whose axle has been bent due to heavy snowfall. Honoria and Pamela think that God's punishing them for drinking all the wine so they immediately repent and decide to double up on the Bible verses ! They're fortunate to be near to the Duke of Ware's hunting lodge ( which actually turns out to be a country mansion ! ). The Duke of Ware is the 33 yr old hero:
He was an exceptionally handsome man in a saturnine way with hair as dark as midnight, odd-colored tawny eyes, and the figure of an athlete.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 299-300). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
He is a playa to beat all playas ! But, he's sick with the flu and has just sent his mistress and his fellow rake buddies back to London, so the last thing he wants is some company from a couple of rural females. He allows them to stay but tells his servants that he is not to be bothered. Honoria ignores these warnings because she's a kind, Christian girl and thinks that all the ill, lecherous man ( the maids had revealed everything about the duke's licentious habits and party hearty lifestyle ) needs is for her to tend to him and read Bible verses to him. Lol. This was one of the funniest scenes in the novel !
He was about to protest, but her touch was gentle, and the warm water and cologne soothing. Then she ordered him to sit up and plumped up his pillows and then settled him against them. Half-amused, half-exasperated, his eyes glinted feverishly in the candlelight as he watched her take out a book of sermons.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 312-314). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
The storyline continued with the women making another stopover at another inn and this time it is Pamela who manages to catch the eye of a guy ( who also happens to be friends with the hero ), called Sean Delaney. This is Sean Delaney:
Sean falls into insta-love with Pamela and hopes he sees her again, even though she's married. When Honoria and Pamela finally arrive at Lady Dacey's townhouse, they're shocked when they finally meet the woman, because she's wearing garish make up, a huge red wig and is dressed in a gown more suited to courtesans. Lady D is also very uncultured and rude. This is Lady Dacey:
Lady D has a scheme up her sleeve; she's only invited Honoria to London because she thinks that she will have more gentleman callers at her townhouse if her sweet, virginal niece is allowed to play the patsy during the season. Lady D is hoping to snare herself a husband and the hero is at the top of her list. When the 2 women tell her about their short stay at the duke's hunting lodge, Lady
D rushes off to find him and seduce him. The H's butler warns him that Lady D is at the gate so he informs them to wait a few minutes before telling her that he's in Paris. The H then uses the back gate to leave and Lady D is left to plot and plan. She then decides that she's going to follow him to Paris; she conveniently forgets about Honoria and Pamela waiting for her at her townhouse in London.
The novel's romantic storyline begins at this point because Sean Delaney and the duke start to escort Pamela and Honoria to many dinners, dances, the opera etc. The H soon starts to fall for Honoria but he keeps telling himself that it's just a novelty because she's a pretty country girl who's the opposite of the type women with whom he's acquainted. Honoria, like the purest of all Mary Sue heroines, is oblivious to the duke's growing feelings. In fact, she finds him irritating at times and heeds Pamela's warnings that he's a lecherous rake. The 2 women also go on huge shopping sprees at Lady D's expense and I loved this part because the awful aunt had completely abandoned them, so she deserved to pay all the bills and more. Honoria gets a makeover and soon becomes diamond of the season when the rest of the Ton think that she's an heiress. This misunderstanding creates a lot of extra comedy when the mercenary Lord and Lady Buchan decide that Honoria's perfect for their stupid, dimwitted son. The dimwit dullard son starts to court Honoria and she thinks she might actually be able to fall in love with him. Then everything falls apart when the Buchans discover that she's not an heiress. They then start to ignore her and their son starts to suck up to a couple of more genuine heiresses. There's a funny laugh out loud dinner scene where the duke seeks a bit of vengeance on Honoria's part: he informs Lady Buchan that Honoria is indeed an heiress and the woman immediately writes a note on a napkin and gives it to him to send to her son. He opens the note and sees that Lady Buchan has commanded her son to start ass kissing Honoria again. The hero alters the note to state that the heroine is not an heiress and the son infers that his mother wants him to be the rudest he's ever been to Honoria.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel was the way Honoria was able to wrap the duke around her little fingers, while being totally oblivious to the effect she's having on him. The duke, for his part, pretends that he is not besotted and then decides to make her jealous by paying attention to Lady Dacey when the latter returns from Paris. The other romantic storyline with Pamela and Sean was a bit bittersweet because they're in love and can't do anything about it due to her marriage. Pamela's an honorable woman and is unwilling to break her marriage vows even though she's still a virgin. Lady Dacey also throws a huge jealous tantrum when she realizes that the duke is enraptured by the charms of her nubile and beautiful niece. She threatens to send Pamela back to country but the smart heroine saves her friend by devising an amusing scheme of her own. Honoria was definitely a very smart heroine. Lady D then schemes with a rakish Earl called Lord Herne; this guy wants to marry Honoria and informs Lady D that he will give her a huge diamond if she can manipulate the situation to force the heroine to marry him. The greedy Lady D takes things to an evil level when she lies to the MC's; she tells each of them that the other has no romantic feelings and this creates a bit of sadness and angst during this part of the story because the duke had been about to propose marriage to Honoria.
Things take a dangerous and criminal turn when Lady D and Lord Herne scheme to drug Honoria so the vile man can rape the heroine. The 2 villains think that if Lord Herne rapes Honoria then the duke will not be willing to propose marriage to the heroine. The smart heroine is filled with suspicion so she pretends to imbibe the drugged drink. At the very last minute, Lady D's conscience steps in and she saves her niece, but Lord Herne ends up dead. Lady D is filled with remorse ( for a few minutes ) and even thinks that she ought to go and live in a nunnery where she can repent her sins. Her remorse fades when she sees the diamond that had fallen out of Lord Herne's pockets:
On its side lay that morocco box, and a little way away, practically hidden by a fold in the long hall curtains, lay the diamond. It must have tumbled out of Lord Herne's pocket when he fell. Her fingers closed over it. The wages of sin, said a voice in her head. She rose to her feet, still clutching the diamond. The fire from it seemed to warm her blood. She gave a little fatalistic shrug. It was always better to sleep on things.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 1934-1937). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
The MC's get their HEA and so do Sean and Pamela ! There's another minor storyline that involved the vicar ( Pamela's husband ). Mr. Pennyworth had become a bit obsessed with a lusty widow called Mrs. Watkins and he he ran away with her to America, but not before applying for an annulment from Pamela. The silly Mr. Pennyworth didn't get his HEA with the avaricious Mrs. Watkins because he saw how much of a nymphomaniac she was during their voyage to America, when she kept flirting and having rendezvous with the sailors on the ship. I laughed a lot when the vicar started to regret leaving his sweet and decent wife for this tart; he did however plan to abandon Mrs. Watkins ( without giving her any money, since he figured out that that's all she was really interested in anyway ) as soon as the ship docked in America. The one part that did annoy me at the end was that Lady Dacey didn't really get her comeuppance. Her big secret ( that Lord Herne had used to blackmail her ) didn't come out. The secret was:
Lady D even managed to get an admirer at the MC's wedding and this guy was actually in her age group. There's a funny scene where Lady D meets her new suitor, Sir Frederick:
“The bride is your niece, I believe,” said Sir Frederick. “You must be very fond of her.”
“I am crying because the minx stole Ware away from me,” said Lady Dacey waspishly.
“Now how could that happen?” he said gallantly. “What man would set eyes on another after having seen you?”
She looked up at him. He had silver hair and bright blue eyes that held a wicked twinkle. Her large eyes began to sparkle.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 1986-1987). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
There's only an off page sex scene at the end of the novel and it happens at the very end after the MC's are married and Honoria is feeling shy the morning after their wedding:
“It is now daylight and ... and I feel ... shy lying here naked. Do you mind if I put something on?”
“Not at all,” he said. “Try this,” and he rolled his naked body on top of hers, and Honoria forgot about Pamela and Mr. Delaney and wicked Lady Dacey for at least the next hour.
Marion Chesney. The Sins of Lady Dacey (Kindle Locations 1998-2000). www.Fictionwise.com. Kindle Edition.
This was a funny, old fashioned romp that's guaranteed to entertain anyone who loves this type of romantic tale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2019
Rating: 4 stars
There is nothing like a h who takes on the H and puts him in his place. I love it! Honoria is innocent to the point of seeing only the good in others but she is no fool. Even in the midst of vicious schemers, she is a sharp cookie. There is nothing worse than seeing a h who is taken by everyone and is TSTL.
I quite enjoyed the witty, fun romp and wasn't too pleased to see it end.
There is nothing like a h who takes on the H and puts him in his place. I love it! Honoria is innocent to the point of seeing only the good in others but she is no fool. Even in the midst of vicious schemers, she is a sharp cookie. There is nothing worse than seeing a h who is taken by everyone and is TSTL.
I quite enjoyed the witty, fun romp and wasn't too pleased to see it end.
June 18, 2019
A scandalous Aunt
Honoria received a request for a season in London in the Nick of time! Her parents were going to betrothed her to an old lecher in the village! Honoria needs a chaperone and who better than the young beautiful mistreated Vicars wife Mrs Pamela Perrywith! The Duke of Ware is jaded and makes changes without realizing he is deeply attracted to this young puritan Miss who read him scripture! Can a jaded Duke and a country miss find a HEA! Several misadventures later absolutely yes!
Honoria received a request for a season in London in the Nick of time! Her parents were going to betrothed her to an old lecher in the village! Honoria needs a chaperone and who better than the young beautiful mistreated Vicars wife Mrs Pamela Perrywith! The Duke of Ware is jaded and makes changes without realizing he is deeply attracted to this young puritan Miss who read him scripture! Can a jaded Duke and a country miss find a HEA! Several misadventures later absolutely yes!
February 16, 2020
Two romances for the price of one
There are two co-heroines in this Regency romance novel, 18-year-old Honoria and 29-year-old Pamela. That's unusual for an MC book. She has definitely provided a secondary romance in some of her other historical romance novels, but not two romances that are of equal importance. For my taste, that's far better than her typical secondary plot which, especially in her earliest novels, tends to be a sudsily melodramatic murder plot.
Pamela's romance is far more compelling than that of Honoria because Sean Delaney goes all out to win her love. In comparison, the Duke is a passive wimp who multiple times pulls away from Honoria to nurse his hurt pride.
There are two co-heroines in this Regency romance novel, 18-year-old Honoria and 29-year-old Pamela. That's unusual for an MC book. She has definitely provided a secondary romance in some of her other historical romance novels, but not two romances that are of equal importance. For my taste, that's far better than her typical secondary plot which, especially in her earliest novels, tends to be a sudsily melodramatic murder plot.
Pamela's romance is far more compelling than that of Honoria because Sean Delaney goes all out to win her love. In comparison, the Duke is a passive wimp who multiple times pulls away from Honoria to nurse his hurt pride.
September 28, 2021
3.5 out of 5 stars
March 24, 2018
It is one of the better Marion Chesney novels, but I don't think it has held up particularly well in the past 20 years since it had been written.
I mean it is very silly and sometimes funny but it feels kind of preachy even though Chesney's novels make the point over and over that people don't change unless they are in love maybe? (see the whole cast of The House for the Season or The Poor Relations series). Maybe I'm just spoiled for choice, since the more contemporary novels would (I think) give more backstory that would resolve my issues with Honororia. Or maybe I'm just too persnickety with such a light novel.
I mean it is very silly and sometimes funny but it feels kind of preachy even though Chesney's novels make the point over and over that people don't change unless they are in love maybe? (see the whole cast of The House for the Season or The Poor Relations series). Maybe I'm just spoiled for choice, since the more contemporary novels would (I think) give more backstory that would resolve my issues with Honororia. Or maybe I'm just too persnickety with such a light novel.
August 18, 2019
What happens when a young country miss and a vicar's wife head to London to be ensconced in the home of a lady of the ton, whose reputation is not the shiniest? This was a fun Regency novel in which a rake of a duke was sermonized by Honoria, said country miss. While she missteps throughout the novel, the duke can't help but protect her, and then fall in love with her. Meanwhile, the vicar's wife, who loves to dance and sing, but never did in her own home because of the stern vicar, begins to fall in love with a young buck who is completely taken with her. How will all of this end? Read on to find out!
July 22, 2017
I really like the main character in this book. She tries to see the good in everyone, even when it is hard. And most of the people around her are seriously crazy so that definitely makes it harder.
October 17, 2023
This sweet Regency has two ladies who are rescued from their dull lives by going to London for a season. A confirmed bachelor changes his mind and a rake has his ended in a startling way. It was a fun re-read.
December 11, 2017
I would give this book 4 1/2 stars for the author's misuse of the expression "immaculate conception."
July 4, 2020
Audible Romance Package
AUDIOBOOK: Read 3 & 4 July 2020
5hrs 14min
Narrator: Mia Chiaromonte does a good job
It was ok. Fun fast read, predictable.
AUDIOBOOK: Read 3 & 4 July 2020
5hrs 14min
Narrator: Mia Chiaromonte does a good job
It was ok. Fun fast read, predictable.
September 13, 2021
Very good.
April 16, 2023
Honoria Goodman and Pamela (Vickers wife) go to London for a season sponsored by a notorious aunt Lady Dacy. Both ladies are devout Christians.
March 13, 2025
Exact what one likes in a Marion Chesney! Haha.
June 9, 2026
I wish the side character's story was the main story. Pamela was my favorite character.
October 8, 2013
Honoria Goodham is invited to London for the season by her aunt, Clarissa Dacey. She travels to London with the vicar’s wife, Pamela and together they settle down in Clarissa’s house after an eventful trip which includes the carriage breaking down outside the Duke of Ware’s house.
Honoria and Pamela are soon popular in society which makes Clarissa jealous as she is looking for a husband herself. I enjoyed this story with its interesting characters and plot. Honoria is a heroine who grows on the reader and the way she becomes more confident enabling her to deal with most of the situations thrown at her makes amusing reading.
I liked Pamela too and could understand how she was tempted to leave her dull cold and priggish husband. Even the unpleasant Clarissa had some redeeming features. If you want a light romance to read which will keep you entertained for an evening then try this one.
Honoria and Pamela are soon popular in society which makes Clarissa jealous as she is looking for a husband herself. I enjoyed this story with its interesting characters and plot. Honoria is a heroine who grows on the reader and the way she becomes more confident enabling her to deal with most of the situations thrown at her makes amusing reading.
I liked Pamela too and could understand how she was tempted to leave her dull cold and priggish husband. Even the unpleasant Clarissa had some redeeming features. If you want a light romance to read which will keep you entertained for an evening then try this one.
September 29, 2011
I have to say, this is a higher rating than I typically give Marion Chesney's romances, for all I greatly enjoy them, but this one managed to have a slight bit more depth than the others. Not in a "meaningful" way, but it a way that rounded out the story nicely. We see a very innocent, but willfil young Recency miss encounter a peer of dubious background in an unorthodox manner. They initially dislike each other. Confusion and hijinks ensue before the end up happily married and in bed. Exactly the sort of somewhat silly, fun read I needed after finishing Gravity's Rainbow.
October 15, 2013
This is one of Marion Chesney's more memorable novels. It's a delightful read. The heroine, Honoria, reminds me a bit of Minerva from her self-titled novel. Honoria is a sermon-reading, prosy little beauty. Of course she manages to catch the rakish Duke of Ware. This book stands out because it has a married character (Pamela) who falls in love with another man. Also, Lady Dacey is a disgusting but fascinating character. Overall, a good read!
March 12, 2008
Altogether kind of creepy. The heroine is 18 and the hero is 33. I know it's Regency England but still.....ew.
Especially considering how she's a wide-eyed innocent girl who reads sermons and he's a famous "rake." You can really never tell *why* they like each other. On the girl's part, it seems like a naive crush, but on his part, it's just plain pervy.
Especially considering how she's a wide-eyed innocent girl who reads sermons and he's a famous "rake." You can really never tell *why* they like each other. On the girl's part, it seems like a naive crush, but on his part, it's just plain pervy.
January 31, 2015
I enjoy reading any and all of Marion Chesney's books, and this one was no exception. The story was very good and the characters were not the usual prim ladies. Lady Dacey had quite the reputation and when her niece (her very TALL niece) came to stay with her, it was assumed that the niece was also morally lax.
A very enjoyable story, I would recommend it to all Regency fans.
A very enjoyable story, I would recommend it to all Regency fans.
April 23, 2014
simple. think "see spot run" regency romance. Mrs. Perryworth story could have been written in two lines (what did Sean Delaney see in her?) Honoria was inconsistent and her story boring. I pity Lady Dacey and was glad to see she got her own hea
January 14, 2014
Not terribly realistic or as amusing as the other books I've read in this series, but not completely awful either.
Read
December 16, 2015Enjoyed works of this author a long time ago. Trying to read some newer books by her. They proved to be disappointing though. But this one was quite enjoyable.
October 3, 2016
Though the story is about the Duke of Ware and his child bride, the heroine for me was Pamela the vicar's wife. She and her most correct Mr Delaney were so sweet, their love so real.
August 13, 2023
S'alright, its fluff.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews