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Rags to Riches Romance
Diamonds and Dreams
Love’s Masquerade
Newly settled in Hallensham, England, petite American beauty Goldie Mae stands to lose the first real home she has ever known-thanks to her disreputable uncle's drunken boast of friendship with the long-departed Duke of Ravenhurst. Now, unless the Duke himself-or a convincing imposter-supports the old man's lies, the angry townsfolk will drive Goldie and her kinsman from their village.
With luck--and Goldie's infallible "duke lessons"-the secretive stranger she encounters while bathing might fool the doubting locals. But little does the feisty, determined miss realize that handsome Saber West is, in fact, the very lord she wants him to impersonate-or that his gentle virility will awaken in her a passion beyond measure, embroil her in a danger beyond imagining…and fulfill the rapturous promise of a love beyond dreams!
Newly settled in Hallensham, England, petite American beauty Goldie Mae stands to lose the first real home she has ever known-thanks to her disreputable uncle's drunken boast of friendship with the long-departed Duke of Ravenhurst. Now, unless the Duke himself-or a convincing imposter-supports the old man's lies, the angry townsfolk will drive Goldie and her kinsman from their village.
With luck--and Goldie's infallible "duke lessons"-the secretive stranger she encounters while bathing might fool the doubting locals. But little does the feisty, determined miss realize that handsome Saber West is, in fact, the very lord she wants him to impersonate-or that his gentle virility will awaken in her a passion beyond measure, embroil her in a danger beyond imagining…and fulfill the rapturous promise of a love beyond dreams!
425 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1991
58 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Paisley
21 books63 followersI wanted to write things ever since I learned to write my name. I started with letters to my grandmother like: “Der Grammey, I went on the ralerode trax today and finded a big pees of gum by the raleing. I piked it up and ate it. It was bananna. I chwed it till it did not have inymor flaver in it. Aftr I swaloed it I kind of thot I had sum majic in me frum the persen who first ate it. Mama sayed wat I did was veree nasty but I beeleeve in that majic.”
To this day, I remember that gum and the way it made me feel. I continued to write about things that happened to me. Sometimes they were pure non-fiction. But other times they were invented, like when I wrote a one page story about my father being Superman. He was an Air Force Fighter Pilot and often had to leave on secret missions he was forbidden to tell us about. He told us his Superman costume was hidden in the flight bag he always took with him when he left. So I wrote a page about how he didn't need his jet on that mission. No, he flew in the plain air and directed the other pilots where to go. Because of his instructions, all the enemies scattered and were never seen again.
And then I grew up and became a woman, but not before I wrote hundreds of stories. When I was about 28 or so, I wrote a very long historical romance…with my 2 year old son hanging on my leg the whole time. I sent that manuscript to every publishing house in NYC, and the editors rejected it every single time. You want to know why? Because I was writing what I thought the publishing houses wanted to buy. I was copying other authors’ styles. I didn't know any better.
After 17 rejections, I decided to write the book I wanted to read. Not a book for an editor or even readers. Freedom, at last! Freedom to invent characters that made sense to me. Characters whose thoughts mirrored mine, whose ways of doing things were my ways of doing things.
Whose hearts were offspring of mine.
I never thought to submit that manuscript to anyone. It was going to be mine, all mine, and no one else’s business because the heroine was so wild, so outrageous and different. She was not a romance heroine, Chickadee McBride. She defied every romantic heroine in the publishing rules.
But I did end up sending her and story in, and Avon Books bought her. The editor told me Chickadee McBride was a gamble, but Avon was willing to try her out. That book was THE BAREFOOT BRIDE.
After that sale, I never again wrote what other authors wrote. I stayed true to what I loved, what made me cry and laugh and be surprised. I never knew what my characters were going to do or why. I just wrote.
And eventually I became a Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling Author, which gained me a place on Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll and the accomplishment of becoming a RITA finalist. I won Romantic Times’ Lifetime Achievement Award and Career Achievement Award as well as a Reviewers’ Choice Award for Historical Romance Fantasy and a Best Love and Laughter Award.
None of these things would have happened for me had I not decided to write a book that appealed to my quickness to laugh, my love for the outrageous, my deep sensitivity. . .
. . . or the belief that if I can dream it up, it can happen.
To this day, I remember that gum and the way it made me feel. I continued to write about things that happened to me. Sometimes they were pure non-fiction. But other times they were invented, like when I wrote a one page story about my father being Superman. He was an Air Force Fighter Pilot and often had to leave on secret missions he was forbidden to tell us about. He told us his Superman costume was hidden in the flight bag he always took with him when he left. So I wrote a page about how he didn't need his jet on that mission. No, he flew in the plain air and directed the other pilots where to go. Because of his instructions, all the enemies scattered and were never seen again.
And then I grew up and became a woman, but not before I wrote hundreds of stories. When I was about 28 or so, I wrote a very long historical romance…with my 2 year old son hanging on my leg the whole time. I sent that manuscript to every publishing house in NYC, and the editors rejected it every single time. You want to know why? Because I was writing what I thought the publishing houses wanted to buy. I was copying other authors’ styles. I didn't know any better.
After 17 rejections, I decided to write the book I wanted to read. Not a book for an editor or even readers. Freedom, at last! Freedom to invent characters that made sense to me. Characters whose thoughts mirrored mine, whose ways of doing things were my ways of doing things.
Whose hearts were offspring of mine.
I never thought to submit that manuscript to anyone. It was going to be mine, all mine, and no one else’s business because the heroine was so wild, so outrageous and different. She was not a romance heroine, Chickadee McBride. She defied every romantic heroine in the publishing rules.
But I did end up sending her and story in, and Avon Books bought her. The editor told me Chickadee McBride was a gamble, but Avon was willing to try her out. That book was THE BAREFOOT BRIDE.
After that sale, I never again wrote what other authors wrote. I stayed true to what I loved, what made me cry and laugh and be surprised. I never knew what my characters were going to do or why. I just wrote.
And eventually I became a Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling Author, which gained me a place on Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll and the accomplishment of becoming a RITA finalist. I won Romantic Times’ Lifetime Achievement Award and Career Achievement Award as well as a Reviewers’ Choice Award for Historical Romance Fantasy and a Best Love and Laughter Award.
None of these things would have happened for me had I not decided to write a book that appealed to my quickness to laugh, my love for the outrageous, my deep sensitivity. . .
. . . or the belief that if I can dream it up, it can happen.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 12, 2018
Great day, Miss Agnes ! ( as our heroine would say ) this was a helluva lot of fun. It cheered me up when I was feeling down and it made laugh:
And laugh...
And laugh until I couldn't laugh anymore...
This book was filled with refreshing, ridiculous hilarity and a unique romantic sweetness that's uncommon in many romance novels.
This novel is for readers with a wacky sense of humour, who love a good old laugh and are also fans of the type of comedy that made THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES one of the most famous, cult classic sitcoms of all time. If you’re a reader who is too serious to appreciate the unique, unworldly, countrified/hillbilly heroine Goldie Mae and the comic nuances in this novel, then it’s best to stick to straightforward historicals and don’t put this on your reading list. Me ? Well, I am one of the biggest fans of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES sitcom. I’ve got all 9 seasons and I’ve watched them at least 3 times ! I don’t know why but the slapstick silliness in that lovable sitcom never fails to make me laugh. There’s just something so hilarious about misfit characters transplanted suddenly, from a simple, rural culture into an uppity world of high society.
In THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, a sweet, humble rural Tennessee family suddenly become oil millionaires and are shocked to find themselves living in a Beverly Hills mansion, complete with a fancy “cement pond” ( aka the swimming pool ! Lol ). In this novel, the riotous humour stems from a scheme put forward by our intrepid but innocent and unworldly heroine Goldie Mae. Poor Goldie is a 19 year old orphan who lives a hand to mouth, nomadic existence with her loser drunken uncle Asa and their good friend Big Mann ( who happens to be a midget ). His full name is actually Beauregard Irwin Grover Mann but Goldie thinks it's funny to call him Big Mann.
Goldie's alcoholic uncle Asa always gets himself in trouble wherever he goes and this causes frequent, recurrent chaos when he ( and Goldie and Big ) are kicked out of each town for one silly reason or another. At the beginning of the novel, Goldie, Asa and Big have run out of little towns in America, so they’ve landed up in England at the cottage of a late relative called Daisy. They’ve not even been in Hallensham for 2 weeks, when Asa’s drunken loud mouth gets them into trouble again. This time, Asa has gone too far: in his drunken state, he boasted to the villagers that the Duke of Ravenhurst was a personal friend of his and that the duke was also romantically interested in Goldie.
The villagers have been angry at the duke for a long time because it’s been 20 years since he’s visited the village or stayed at his Ravenhurst estate. The duke had left his estate at the age of 10, after his parents died and vowed never to return. The villagers are so angry that they threaten to kick Asa, Goldie and Big out of the village unless the newcomers can prove that they know the duke and can convince him to return to his Ravenhurst estate. Nobody has seen what the adult duke looks like so this is where the plot gets interesting. The duke also happens to be the H of the novel. Goldie has never met the H and she thinks, based on the writings in her late aunt's journals that the duke will never return to Hallensham. That's when she comes up with her "grand" plan:
“You’re going to find a plain man and turn him into a duke?” Big repeated incredulously.
“Goldie, you’re an American, and you’ve only been here in England for nine days! What do you know about the English nobility? How can you possibly make some commoner into this…this Royal Lordship Duke Tremayne, or whatever the hell it is he’s called! You’ve never even seen the fellow!”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 99-102). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
Big Mann tries to talk Goldie out of the scheme but even he gets caught up in the silly plan after the bullying Dora Mashburn gloats that the 3 Americans will soon be kicked out of Hallensham, because nobody believes they're friends with the H:
With that, Dora turned and began to walk away.
“Oh, yeah?” Big stood and shook his fist at Dora’s back. “Well, when Goldie brings back His Dukeship, we’ll just see who has the last laugh, you...you—”
“Great day Miss Agnes, Big, calm down. Dora doesn’t bother me,” Goldie lied.
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 256-259). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
The funniest thing about Goldie's plan to find a commoner and "teach" him to be a duke, is that the heroine actually thinks she can pull it off. Goldie's not a stupid young woman; she's just, like the characters in THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, extremely unworldly. There's a huge difference between being stupid and just being unworldly. And, just like the lovable eccentric know it all Granny from the sitcom, Goldie thinks that she can pull off any scheme she puts her mind to. The heroine also believes that all her information about high society, uppity folks, dukes, kings, the aristocracy is 100% accurate because it's been told to her by the "wise" and "learned" Mildred Fickle from Sparrow Nest, South Carolina. It's obvious to the reader, however, that Mildred Fickle was just the town's biggest gossip who loved to make up stupid exaggerated stories and that only an ultra naive person like Goldie would actually believe all that dumb crap. LOL:
“Wonder when I’ll get to visit Queen Victoria? Wonder if anyone ever calls her Vicky? I bet you a trillion dollars that’s her nickname. Mildred Fickle back in Sparrow Nest, South Carolina, made it her business to know everything there is to know about royalty, and she said Queen Vicky has a special crown for everything she does. An eatin’ crown, a walkin’ crown, a bath crown…she even has a soft crown to wear to bed. I’ll swannee, I bet the poor woman spends half the day tryin’ to remember which crown she’s supposed to wear.”
Big kicked a rock across the yard and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
“Goldie, I don’t know a thing about Queen Vicky or England. Neither did Mildred Fickle, and neither do you. This idea of yours about making a duke out of a commoner is the craziest thing I’ve heard in my entire life.”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 150-157). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
In spite of Big Mann's warnings, the heroine loved to repeat all of Mildred Fickle's "wise" sayings and even used that lady's ridiculous stories as her template for her "duke training program." This novel is set during the Victorian era in England. The author never specifies a year but we're given a general timeline hint when the heroine meets the British Prime Minister, Lord John Russell. Lord Russell had been the PM during 1846-52 and then 1865-66. Goldie is a very naïve heroine, who has been bullied by uncle Asa, and mocked by strangers who make fun of her cheap, patched up clothing and her petite size. She hasn’t had many friends in her life and no one to confide in, except Big. As a result, she’s extremely unworldly and knows nothing about the world, beyond the many small towns she’s lived in throughout her short life. Her only female friend seemed to have been the weird but domineering gossip Mildred Fickle and so she’s grown used to believing every stupid, far fetched story and explanation that that lady had told her.
This is the heroine, Goldie Mae:
And this is the H, Saber ( aka Marion Tremayne, the Duke of Ravenhurst )
And this is Big Mann:
The whacktastic festival of fun gets started when Goldie meets up with the H, Saber and decides that he's the ideal candidate to undergo her "duke training program". Saber is at one of his lavish country estates but he is there in the guise of a servant because he's lost a bet to his best friends. Our H had made a silly bet with his friend Addison, that he'd be able to make the most dour man in the Ton ( Horatio ) laugh for the first time in that man's life. Saber had been drunk while he'd made that bet and so, when he'd failed to amuse the grouchy Horatio, he's forced to spend 3 weeks playing a servant to his friends. That's why Goldie thinks he's just a poor commoner in need of funds who will be agreeable to her plan. Saber wants nothing to do with Goldie's scheme but his friend Addison is so amused by the American girl's enchanting and hilarious manner, that he uses the terms of the bet to force the H to undergo this "duke training program."
It's not long after this that Saber becomes besotted with Goldie and the best ( and ironic ) part of the story occurs when the H has to adapt to Mildred Fickle's stupid and ridiculous "duke rules" in order to please the heroine. I couldn't stop laughing ! Goldie's ideas of what a duke is supposed to look like, walk like, talk like etc are OTT hilarious ! Anybody who's seen THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES knows how silly Jethro Bodine behaved whenever he dressed up as a "cool cat" studly Romeo, because his ideas of what this sort of guy looked like were exaggerated and borderline caricatures. Goldie's ideas, based on Mildred Fickle's font of wisdom, were similarly hilarious and silly. And, the poor long suffering H cannot even tell Goldie that's she wrong and he knows it because he is, after all, the real Duke of Ravenhurst. His friends ( and this reader ) had a lot of fun with the fact that Goldie was training him to pretend to be himself !
I can go on forever talking about this wonderful book because everything about it was fabulous, humorous and beautifully romantic in a sweet and innocent manner. The romantic storyline between the MC's developed along the lines of a Cinderella fairytale. I enjoyed how the tough and cold H fell in love with Goldie and how she taught him to embrace his long forgotten childish innocence and lose his cynical outlook on life. Saber has become disenchanted with life after the deaths of his parents and his fiancee Angelina. But Goldie opens his heart again and soon he finds himself doing whatever it is she needs, because he just wants to make her happy. There was a lovely scene where the childish Goldie convinces him to play like a kid again; she persuades him to do like he used to do as a little boy, and make "dandelion stew" in a bucket of mud and water. It might seem weird and unromantic but it was a defining turning point for the MC's relationship.
Some highlights of the story:
1. Goldie's many hilarious, entertaining stories about all the eccentric folks she'd encountered during her travels through small towns in America.
2. Goldie's toothless old horse called Dammit, who had to be spoon fed mushy oats by the heroine.
3. Goldie's hyperactive, greedy, mongrel dog called Itchie Bon. This is Itchie Bon:
4. The H's aunts' lovable, queenly spaniel dog called Margaret who lived in the lap of luxury. This is Margaret:
5. The minor storyline that focused on the solving of the H's fiancee's murder and the unfolding plot that dealt with the activities of the 2 main villains, who had been embezzling funds from the H for years. The villains had been able to do this because they were aware that Saber would never return to the Ravenhurst estate in Hallensham. His steward Hutchins used this opportunity to fleece all the tenants in Hallensham and to start living in the Ravenhurst mansion as if he himself was it's owner !
6. The H's kind and generous maiden aunts who took it upon themselves to train Goldie for life as an aristocrat. This part was hugely entertaining because the heroine knew nothing about high society and life in the Ton. It was funny when Goldie started to realize that the "wise" teachings of Mildred Fickle were not quite so correct or appropriate.
7. Goldie ended up being the first person who made the dour, unsmiling Horatio laugh for the first time in his life ! She did this at a fancy Ton dinner party, where she regaled everyone with funny stories from back home in America:
Horatio could contain his laughter no longer. In a great loud burst, it exploded from him. He doubled over, his body shaking violently. His paper boat floated to the floor. His wife, Lady Alders, jumped from her chair, frantically fanning her husband. “Oh, my! He’s having an attack!”
“Looks to me like he’s laughin’,” Goldie commented.
“Send for a doctor!” Lord Chittingdon barked at a young maid.
“He’s just laughin’,” Goldie said again. “He must’ve really liked the story about Able Poots.”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 7592-7598). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
8. The sweet proposal scene where Saber announces to all the villagers, in Hallensham, that Goldie is to be his new duchess. All the villagers cheered because Goldie is so lovable and they're all excited that she actually had been able to make the duke return to Hallensham after 2 decades of absence.
9. My favourite scene occurred when the nasty evil, conniving lying OW ( the H's former mistress Jillian ) got her comeuppance from the H. Lady Jillian was a widow who had hoped that Saber would promote her from penis polisher to duchess. When she realized that he was not interested in her and was in love with a simple American commoner, she lied and caused Goldie to run away from the H.
This made the H so vengeful that he not only ruined Jillian socially, but he also gave her one of the sweetest verbal lashings I've ever encountered in a romance novel !
“You were but a willing body. Someone into whom I could pump my frustration and rage. You were a temporary and physical remedy, Jillian. And if you were really gentle-bred...if you were a true lady, you never would have done what you did tonight. You are no lady, Jillian. You are little more than a fortune-hunting doxy. A bitch who will spread her legs for any man wealthy enough to satisfy your boundless greed.”
Molten rage sluiced through her.
“If I cannot have you, no other woman will either. I swear to destroy any future relationship you might ever hope to have with anyone else.”
Saber drew himself up to his full height.
“There will never be anyone else for me but Goldie. And you, Jillian Sommerset, are not fit to utter her name. God willing, I’ll find her tonight and mend what damage you have done. And if I am successful, you will never have the opportunity to hurt her again. I am going to use every possible means at my disposal to make certain that you are immediately and permanently banned from society. You will never be welcome among the nobility again. And don’t doubt for a moment that I cannot do it, for you know full well that I can.”
His sharp gaze crucified her to her seat.
She couldn’t move. “You wouldn’t,” she whispered, horror stealing her voice.
“Consider it already done.”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 7848-7859). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
I am a total hater of the evil OW who never get comeuppance in romance novels, so this scene made me ecstatic !
Anybody who loves to laugh and adores an underdog heroine will enjoy this novel because Goldie was one of the nicest, funniest, kindest and most endearing underdog heroines ever ! I totally enjoyed following her journey from the impoverished hillbilly American to the rich but humble new Duchess of Ravenhurst. The heroine's bullying, alcoholic uncle Asa also mended his ways, stopped drinking and became a nicer human being to his niece and to everyone in the village.
Safety: No OM, a wannabe OW who had been the H's former mistress and no cheating. Both MC's were celibate during their short separation.
And laugh...
And laugh until I couldn't laugh anymore...
This book was filled with refreshing, ridiculous hilarity and a unique romantic sweetness that's uncommon in many romance novels.
This novel is for readers with a wacky sense of humour, who love a good old laugh and are also fans of the type of comedy that made THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES one of the most famous, cult classic sitcoms of all time. If you’re a reader who is too serious to appreciate the unique, unworldly, countrified/hillbilly heroine Goldie Mae and the comic nuances in this novel, then it’s best to stick to straightforward historicals and don’t put this on your reading list. Me ? Well, I am one of the biggest fans of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES sitcom. I’ve got all 9 seasons and I’ve watched them at least 3 times ! I don’t know why but the slapstick silliness in that lovable sitcom never fails to make me laugh. There’s just something so hilarious about misfit characters transplanted suddenly, from a simple, rural culture into an uppity world of high society.
In THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, a sweet, humble rural Tennessee family suddenly become oil millionaires and are shocked to find themselves living in a Beverly Hills mansion, complete with a fancy “cement pond” ( aka the swimming pool ! Lol ). In this novel, the riotous humour stems from a scheme put forward by our intrepid but innocent and unworldly heroine Goldie Mae. Poor Goldie is a 19 year old orphan who lives a hand to mouth, nomadic existence with her loser drunken uncle Asa and their good friend Big Mann ( who happens to be a midget ). His full name is actually Beauregard Irwin Grover Mann but Goldie thinks it's funny to call him Big Mann.
Goldie's alcoholic uncle Asa always gets himself in trouble wherever he goes and this causes frequent, recurrent chaos when he ( and Goldie and Big ) are kicked out of each town for one silly reason or another. At the beginning of the novel, Goldie, Asa and Big have run out of little towns in America, so they’ve landed up in England at the cottage of a late relative called Daisy. They’ve not even been in Hallensham for 2 weeks, when Asa’s drunken loud mouth gets them into trouble again. This time, Asa has gone too far: in his drunken state, he boasted to the villagers that the Duke of Ravenhurst was a personal friend of his and that the duke was also romantically interested in Goldie.
The villagers have been angry at the duke for a long time because it’s been 20 years since he’s visited the village or stayed at his Ravenhurst estate. The duke had left his estate at the age of 10, after his parents died and vowed never to return. The villagers are so angry that they threaten to kick Asa, Goldie and Big out of the village unless the newcomers can prove that they know the duke and can convince him to return to his Ravenhurst estate. Nobody has seen what the adult duke looks like so this is where the plot gets interesting. The duke also happens to be the H of the novel. Goldie has never met the H and she thinks, based on the writings in her late aunt's journals that the duke will never return to Hallensham. That's when she comes up with her "grand" plan:
“You’re going to find a plain man and turn him into a duke?” Big repeated incredulously.
“Goldie, you’re an American, and you’ve only been here in England for nine days! What do you know about the English nobility? How can you possibly make some commoner into this…this Royal Lordship Duke Tremayne, or whatever the hell it is he’s called! You’ve never even seen the fellow!”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 99-102). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
Big Mann tries to talk Goldie out of the scheme but even he gets caught up in the silly plan after the bullying Dora Mashburn gloats that the 3 Americans will soon be kicked out of Hallensham, because nobody believes they're friends with the H:
With that, Dora turned and began to walk away.
“Oh, yeah?” Big stood and shook his fist at Dora’s back. “Well, when Goldie brings back His Dukeship, we’ll just see who has the last laugh, you...you—”
“Great day Miss Agnes, Big, calm down. Dora doesn’t bother me,” Goldie lied.
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 256-259). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
The funniest thing about Goldie's plan to find a commoner and "teach" him to be a duke, is that the heroine actually thinks she can pull it off. Goldie's not a stupid young woman; she's just, like the characters in THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, extremely unworldly. There's a huge difference between being stupid and just being unworldly. And, just like the lovable eccentric know it all Granny from the sitcom, Goldie thinks that she can pull off any scheme she puts her mind to. The heroine also believes that all her information about high society, uppity folks, dukes, kings, the aristocracy is 100% accurate because it's been told to her by the "wise" and "learned" Mildred Fickle from Sparrow Nest, South Carolina. It's obvious to the reader, however, that Mildred Fickle was just the town's biggest gossip who loved to make up stupid exaggerated stories and that only an ultra naive person like Goldie would actually believe all that dumb crap. LOL:
“Wonder when I’ll get to visit Queen Victoria? Wonder if anyone ever calls her Vicky? I bet you a trillion dollars that’s her nickname. Mildred Fickle back in Sparrow Nest, South Carolina, made it her business to know everything there is to know about royalty, and she said Queen Vicky has a special crown for everything she does. An eatin’ crown, a walkin’ crown, a bath crown…she even has a soft crown to wear to bed. I’ll swannee, I bet the poor woman spends half the day tryin’ to remember which crown she’s supposed to wear.”
Big kicked a rock across the yard and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
“Goldie, I don’t know a thing about Queen Vicky or England. Neither did Mildred Fickle, and neither do you. This idea of yours about making a duke out of a commoner is the craziest thing I’ve heard in my entire life.”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 150-157). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
In spite of Big Mann's warnings, the heroine loved to repeat all of Mildred Fickle's "wise" sayings and even used that lady's ridiculous stories as her template for her "duke training program." This novel is set during the Victorian era in England. The author never specifies a year but we're given a general timeline hint when the heroine meets the British Prime Minister, Lord John Russell. Lord Russell had been the PM during 1846-52 and then 1865-66. Goldie is a very naïve heroine, who has been bullied by uncle Asa, and mocked by strangers who make fun of her cheap, patched up clothing and her petite size. She hasn’t had many friends in her life and no one to confide in, except Big. As a result, she’s extremely unworldly and knows nothing about the world, beyond the many small towns she’s lived in throughout her short life. Her only female friend seemed to have been the weird but domineering gossip Mildred Fickle and so she’s grown used to believing every stupid, far fetched story and explanation that that lady had told her.
This is the heroine, Goldie Mae:
And this is the H, Saber ( aka Marion Tremayne, the Duke of Ravenhurst )
And this is Big Mann:
The whacktastic festival of fun gets started when Goldie meets up with the H, Saber and decides that he's the ideal candidate to undergo her "duke training program". Saber is at one of his lavish country estates but he is there in the guise of a servant because he's lost a bet to his best friends. Our H had made a silly bet with his friend Addison, that he'd be able to make the most dour man in the Ton ( Horatio ) laugh for the first time in that man's life. Saber had been drunk while he'd made that bet and so, when he'd failed to amuse the grouchy Horatio, he's forced to spend 3 weeks playing a servant to his friends. That's why Goldie thinks he's just a poor commoner in need of funds who will be agreeable to her plan. Saber wants nothing to do with Goldie's scheme but his friend Addison is so amused by the American girl's enchanting and hilarious manner, that he uses the terms of the bet to force the H to undergo this "duke training program."
It's not long after this that Saber becomes besotted with Goldie and the best ( and ironic ) part of the story occurs when the H has to adapt to Mildred Fickle's stupid and ridiculous "duke rules" in order to please the heroine. I couldn't stop laughing ! Goldie's ideas of what a duke is supposed to look like, walk like, talk like etc are OTT hilarious ! Anybody who's seen THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES knows how silly Jethro Bodine behaved whenever he dressed up as a "cool cat" studly Romeo, because his ideas of what this sort of guy looked like were exaggerated and borderline caricatures. Goldie's ideas, based on Mildred Fickle's font of wisdom, were similarly hilarious and silly. And, the poor long suffering H cannot even tell Goldie that's she wrong and he knows it because he is, after all, the real Duke of Ravenhurst. His friends ( and this reader ) had a lot of fun with the fact that Goldie was training him to pretend to be himself !
I can go on forever talking about this wonderful book because everything about it was fabulous, humorous and beautifully romantic in a sweet and innocent manner. The romantic storyline between the MC's developed along the lines of a Cinderella fairytale. I enjoyed how the tough and cold H fell in love with Goldie and how she taught him to embrace his long forgotten childish innocence and lose his cynical outlook on life. Saber has become disenchanted with life after the deaths of his parents and his fiancee Angelina. But Goldie opens his heart again and soon he finds himself doing whatever it is she needs, because he just wants to make her happy. There was a lovely scene where the childish Goldie convinces him to play like a kid again; she persuades him to do like he used to do as a little boy, and make "dandelion stew" in a bucket of mud and water. It might seem weird and unromantic but it was a defining turning point for the MC's relationship.
Some highlights of the story:
1. Goldie's many hilarious, entertaining stories about all the eccentric folks she'd encountered during her travels through small towns in America.
2. Goldie's toothless old horse called Dammit, who had to be spoon fed mushy oats by the heroine.
3. Goldie's hyperactive, greedy, mongrel dog called Itchie Bon. This is Itchie Bon:
4. The H's aunts' lovable, queenly spaniel dog called Margaret who lived in the lap of luxury. This is Margaret:
5. The minor storyline that focused on the solving of the H's fiancee's murder and the unfolding plot that dealt with the activities of the 2 main villains, who had been embezzling funds from the H for years. The villains had been able to do this because they were aware that Saber would never return to the Ravenhurst estate in Hallensham. His steward Hutchins used this opportunity to fleece all the tenants in Hallensham and to start living in the Ravenhurst mansion as if he himself was it's owner !
6. The H's kind and generous maiden aunts who took it upon themselves to train Goldie for life as an aristocrat. This part was hugely entertaining because the heroine knew nothing about high society and life in the Ton. It was funny when Goldie started to realize that the "wise" teachings of Mildred Fickle were not quite so correct or appropriate.
7. Goldie ended up being the first person who made the dour, unsmiling Horatio laugh for the first time in his life ! She did this at a fancy Ton dinner party, where she regaled everyone with funny stories from back home in America:
Horatio could contain his laughter no longer. In a great loud burst, it exploded from him. He doubled over, his body shaking violently. His paper boat floated to the floor. His wife, Lady Alders, jumped from her chair, frantically fanning her husband. “Oh, my! He’s having an attack!”
“Looks to me like he’s laughin’,” Goldie commented.
“Send for a doctor!” Lord Chittingdon barked at a young maid.
“He’s just laughin’,” Goldie said again. “He must’ve really liked the story about Able Poots.”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 7592-7598). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
8. The sweet proposal scene where Saber announces to all the villagers, in Hallensham, that Goldie is to be his new duchess. All the villagers cheered because Goldie is so lovable and they're all excited that she actually had been able to make the duke return to Hallensham after 2 decades of absence.
9. My favourite scene occurred when the nasty evil, conniving lying OW ( the H's former mistress Jillian ) got her comeuppance from the H. Lady Jillian was a widow who had hoped that Saber would promote her from penis polisher to duchess. When she realized that he was not interested in her and was in love with a simple American commoner, she lied and caused Goldie to run away from the H.
This made the H so vengeful that he not only ruined Jillian socially, but he also gave her one of the sweetest verbal lashings I've ever encountered in a romance novel !
“You were but a willing body. Someone into whom I could pump my frustration and rage. You were a temporary and physical remedy, Jillian. And if you were really gentle-bred...if you were a true lady, you never would have done what you did tonight. You are no lady, Jillian. You are little more than a fortune-hunting doxy. A bitch who will spread her legs for any man wealthy enough to satisfy your boundless greed.”
Molten rage sluiced through her.
“If I cannot have you, no other woman will either. I swear to destroy any future relationship you might ever hope to have with anyone else.”
Saber drew himself up to his full height.
“There will never be anyone else for me but Goldie. And you, Jillian Sommerset, are not fit to utter her name. God willing, I’ll find her tonight and mend what damage you have done. And if I am successful, you will never have the opportunity to hurt her again. I am going to use every possible means at my disposal to make certain that you are immediately and permanently banned from society. You will never be welcome among the nobility again. And don’t doubt for a moment that I cannot do it, for you know full well that I can.”
His sharp gaze crucified her to her seat.
She couldn’t move. “You wouldn’t,” she whispered, horror stealing her voice.
“Consider it already done.”
Rebecca Paisley. Diamonds and Dreams (Kindle Locations 7848-7859). Teresa Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
I am a total hater of the evil OW who never get comeuppance in romance novels, so this scene made me ecstatic !
Anybody who loves to laugh and adores an underdog heroine will enjoy this novel because Goldie was one of the nicest, funniest, kindest and most endearing underdog heroines ever ! I totally enjoyed following her journey from the impoverished hillbilly American to the rich but humble new Duchess of Ravenhurst. The heroine's bullying, alcoholic uncle Asa also mended his ways, stopped drinking and became a nicer human being to his niece and to everyone in the village.
Safety: No OM, a wannabe OW who had been the H's former mistress and no cheating. Both MC's were celibate during their short separation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2011
Rebecca Paisley please start writing again! This book is a favorite of mine because of Goldie Mae.
February 16, 2016
Since her parents died Southern Belle Goldie Mae has been dragged from one town to another after her drunken Uncle has had them run out of town. They have found their way to Hallensham, England (no explanation how they came up with funds for the voyage) where Goldie's great aunt lives. Sadly, the aunt died shortly before they arrived, but Goldie finally has a home- until her uncle's drunken boasting about knowing the Duke of Ravenhurst has the townsfolk ready to drive them out. Goldie and her friend Big, a midget, concoct a plan to turn a stranger into a fake duke. The stranger she picks out, is actually the real Duke who is determined never to return to Hallensham. The verbal abuse she has been subjected to most of her life has her believing she is ugly and doesn't deserve anything. Saber on the other hand has lost too many people he loves in Hallensham and vows never to love again. Aside from this being a romance so you know there will be a HEA, there is also mystery and murder.
January 5, 2026
Diamonds and Dreams
Rebecca's debut novel captivated me from the start, offering a delightful blend of humor, mystery, and romance. Initially skeptical of the protagonist Goldie's narrative voice, I found myself quickly drawn into the story. The author's witty writing style and engaging plot kept me thoroughly entertained, often eliciting genuine laughter. This book is a perfect read for those seeking a lighthearted yet compelling mystery that seamlessly weaves together multiple genres. I'm eagerly anticipating exploring more of Rebecca's work after this impressive introduction to her writing.
Rebecca's debut novel captivated me from the start, offering a delightful blend of humor, mystery, and romance. Initially skeptical of the protagonist Goldie's narrative voice, I found myself quickly drawn into the story. The author's witty writing style and engaging plot kept me thoroughly entertained, often eliciting genuine laughter. This book is a perfect read for those seeking a lighthearted yet compelling mystery that seamlessly weaves together multiple genres. I'm eagerly anticipating exploring more of Rebecca's work after this impressive introduction to her writing.
May 29, 2022
Very Different But very sweet.
With many of these "between class" romances, it is hard to suspend disbelief, as this would almost have never happened. This one, however, uses the vast difference of a very unusual American innocent to smooth over this difficulty - she's just so sweet! Even if you still have a sense of unreality about the plot, the relationship between the couple is adorable. It really does read like a sexy fairy tale. I definitely recommend becoming immersed in this diamond dream.
With many of these "between class" romances, it is hard to suspend disbelief, as this would almost have never happened. This one, however, uses the vast difference of a very unusual American innocent to smooth over this difficulty - she's just so sweet! Even if you still have a sense of unreality about the plot, the relationship between the couple is adorable. It really does read like a sexy fairy tale. I definitely recommend becoming immersed in this diamond dream.
March 10, 2021
I Loved It! From the first page to the last you will be spellbound by Diamonds and Dreams. Rebecca Paisley has given readers a book that has passion, is well-written, filled it with great cast of characters that come off the pages and pull you into this emotional ride, numerous and witty dialogue that will having you laughing out loud but other parts will bring tears to your eyes and with a plot that gave you such a exultant feeling that keeps you reading until the very end.
November 22, 2021
To me story seemed dragged 😬Hero knew heroine has trust issues still he decited her in majority of the story even his friends and aunts also decited heroine. Too some extent it was fun to read but sometimes I found heroine's chatter annoying and ridiculous🙄
January 28, 2022
Great book
I'm so glad I stumbled upon this author. Her books carry my mind of humor. The story is great the characters are great and it's a hard book to put down. I can't wait to read another of her master pieces!
I'm so glad I stumbled upon this author. Her books carry my mind of humor. The story is great the characters are great and it's a hard book to put down. I can't wait to read another of her master pieces!
December 8, 2018
I kept waiting for that moment of confrontation and it was just swept under the rug like old news. It took too long to get there and mot enough time in it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2021
Delightful
Delightful and so funny. I laughed out loud. This book is very entertaining but so truthful how careless words and actions can hurt . I highly recommend this book.
Delightful and so funny. I laughed out loud. This book is very entertaining but so truthful how careless words and actions can hurt . I highly recommend this book.
August 12, 2023
i'd love to study goldie's brain
February 24, 2014
True Rating: 4.5 Stars
The mixture of the hidden identity alongside an overly innocent character could have pushed the plot completely over the top, but there were enough great characterizations that I just fell into the story. While Goldie will never be one of my favorite heroines, her sweetness and naiveté played very well against a completely jaded man who needed a woman who could accept every part of him. Saber’s heart had become so shut off that only a woman with such openness would allow him the freedom to become himself once again. By the end of the story I could see every step of their journey together and how it had changed them both into the better versions of themselves.
This story is a testament to how some romantic themes will never get old and how much fun it can be to revisit some of the books that we may have forgotten were so good.
The mixture of the hidden identity alongside an overly innocent character could have pushed the plot completely over the top, but there were enough great characterizations that I just fell into the story. While Goldie will never be one of my favorite heroines, her sweetness and naiveté played very well against a completely jaded man who needed a woman who could accept every part of him. Saber’s heart had become so shut off that only a woman with such openness would allow him the freedom to become himself once again. By the end of the story I could see every step of their journey together and how it had changed them both into the better versions of themselves.
This story is a testament to how some romantic themes will never get old and how much fun it can be to revisit some of the books that we may have forgotten were so good.
May 10, 2014
This should have been a good book. The main character was very original and not at all the cookie cutter heroine that one sometimes sees in historical romance novels. It was occasionally funny. But I found it one of the most boring books I've read in ages. The story didn't seem to get started until the last chapter, by which time I was pretty numb and didn't really care anymore.
March 14, 2014
Loved it
Loved it
my first book I have read by this author and can definitely will not be the last. this had everything. love, humor, romance, everything
Loved it
my first book I have read by this author and can definitely will not be the last. this had everything. love, humor, romance, everything
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