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The Earl and the Hoyden
APRIL 2010
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Mary Nichols
176 books44 followersBorn in Singapore to a Dutch-South African father and an English mother, Mary Nichols came to England when she was three and considers herself totally English. Her father, like many people who learn English as a second language, would have no sloppiness, either spoken or written, and Mary puts her love of the language down to him. He was also a great reader and there were always books in the house so that Mary learned to read at a very early age. She read anything that came to hand, whether it was suitable or not! By the time she was nine or ten, her one ambition was to be a writer.
Her first novel, handwritten in several school exercise books, was completed when she was fifteen. Not having any idea of how to go about finding a publisher, she wrapped it up and sent it to the editor of the woman's monthly magazine to which her mother subscribed. It says a great deal for that editor that she took the trouble to read it and sent Mary a long and very encouraging letter, which put her ambition into overdrive.
Finishing her education and finding a job took over in the next few years, followed by an early marriage and a family. When her children were all at school she joined her local writers' circle. Publication of articles and stories in a variety of periodicals and magazines followed, but the ambition to be a novelist never wavered and throughout the time she was writing and selling short pieces she was working on her novels.
Mary joined the Romantic Novelists Association in the 1960s. Her first novel was a contemporary one published by Robert Hale in 1981 and that was followed by nine more. Mary sent her first historical romance to Mills and Boon in 1985 and was delighted when a telephone call three weeks later told her it had been accepted. Since then she has been a regular writer for the historical series. Among these is a miniseries about a group of gentleman in the mid-eighteenth century who form a club to track down criminals, a sort of private detective agency, which naturally leads each of them into romance.
She is also the author of family sagas, published by Allison and Busby. She has also written a biography of her grandmother, entitled The Mother of Necton, who was the midwife and nurse in the village of Necton in Norfolk from 1910 until the advent of the National Health Service in 1948.
Apart from when her children were small, Mary always had a 'day job', being a school secretary, an editor of a house journal and an information manager for a database of open learning courses. Now writing full time, Mary spends part of every day at her computer producing her novels and divides the rest of the time between reading and research and gardening. Occasionally she gives talks about her writing to groups and societies. “Writing for me is an addiction,” Mary says. “I am not happy if I haven't got a book on the go and if my readers enjoy what I have written, then that is an added bonus.”
Her first novel, handwritten in several school exercise books, was completed when she was fifteen. Not having any idea of how to go about finding a publisher, she wrapped it up and sent it to the editor of the woman's monthly magazine to which her mother subscribed. It says a great deal for that editor that she took the trouble to read it and sent Mary a long and very encouraging letter, which put her ambition into overdrive.
Finishing her education and finding a job took over in the next few years, followed by an early marriage and a family. When her children were all at school she joined her local writers' circle. Publication of articles and stories in a variety of periodicals and magazines followed, but the ambition to be a novelist never wavered and throughout the time she was writing and selling short pieces she was working on her novels.
Mary joined the Romantic Novelists Association in the 1960s. Her first novel was a contemporary one published by Robert Hale in 1981 and that was followed by nine more. Mary sent her first historical romance to Mills and Boon in 1985 and was delighted when a telephone call three weeks later told her it had been accepted. Since then she has been a regular writer for the historical series. Among these is a miniseries about a group of gentleman in the mid-eighteenth century who form a club to track down criminals, a sort of private detective agency, which naturally leads each of them into romance.
She is also the author of family sagas, published by Allison and Busby. She has also written a biography of her grandmother, entitled The Mother of Necton, who was the midwife and nurse in the village of Necton in Norfolk from 1910 until the advent of the National Health Service in 1948.
Apart from when her children were small, Mary always had a 'day job', being a school secretary, an editor of a house journal and an information manager for a database of open learning courses. Now writing full time, Mary spends part of every day at her computer producing her novels and divides the rest of the time between reading and research and gardening. Occasionally she gives talks about her writing to groups and societies. “Writing for me is an addiction,” Mary says. “I am not happy if I haven't got a book on the go and if my readers enjoy what I have written, then that is an added bonus.”
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 26, 2018
This was a very nice story about a tom boy and a soldier earl. I love story's about strong women and this gal was a working woman, in charge of a mill, a mine and other enterprises her dad had left her. Enter a handsome post military Earl and sparks fly, it takes some time, but the ending is nice. Good clean read, only a few kisses. I would recommend this book.
February 16, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up. Enemies to lovers trope. Charlotte is carrying a grudge, and has for 6 long years against Roland, the Earl of Amerleigh. He doesn't really understand her problem. As circumstances slowly change for them so do their feelings for each other. There are several interesting side stories that add to the overall richness of their story. It slows down at the end which is why it loses half a star.
Recommended.
Recommended.
April 11, 2022
Hoopla
Completely clean and has a traditional hea although I liked that the Earl liked the hoyden BECAUSE of her business acumen and skills rather than expecting her to change.
Yet there are misunderstandings and arguments all throughout the book. Many many of them and they seem to be completely one sided after the first several chapters.
However,it was super nice to see people just being nice and good and basically decent to each other. The characters look out for each other, the rich care for the poor and afflicted and there's very little discord outside of the Earl and Charlie.
The narrator did fine.
Completely clean and has a traditional hea although I liked that the Earl liked the hoyden BECAUSE of her business acumen and skills rather than expecting her to change.
Yet there are misunderstandings and arguments all throughout the book. Many many of them and they seem to be completely one sided after the first several chapters.
However,it was super nice to see people just being nice and good and basically decent to each other. The characters look out for each other, the rich care for the poor and afflicted and there's very little discord outside of the Earl and Charlie.
The narrator did fine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2017
Dear Lord, this book made me anxious, big time.
So, how do I rate this book... 3,5 stars? 3,75? 3,95? ಥ‿ಥ
So, how do I rate this book... 3,5 stars? 3,75? 3,95? ಥ‿ಥ
December 28, 2020
This was a great read! I loved that both lead characters were strong, assertive but very not perfect humans beings. The flow of the story and the build-up of the romance is very real and mental rather than it being just physical.
Thanks for such a book! It made my day. And also got me off this slump of non-reading!!
Thanks for such a book! It made my day. And also got me off this slump of non-reading!!
June 29, 2023
He slagged her off as a boyish, plain, hoyden then joined the army to avoid marrying her. Six years later he's back and a changed man, and kinda obsessed with her - but she can't forgive him for being such a mega-shit. Five stars for him slowly winning her over and being a decent guy.
June 7, 2017
Pretty formulaic, but entertaining in it's own way.
August 22, 2022
This is a regency story that takes place almost exclusively in the country between two neighbors. Both fathers have died, but their feud has not died with them, not to mention the past insult that Charlotte overheard from Roland. There is a sweet deaf child that both neighbors try to take care of and that tends to bring these two together and encourage them to overcome the family feud. The titles in this book were all mucked up including referring to Wellington as a Viscount!
January 23, 2016
3.5 stars. Enjoyable enough.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews