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Improper Ladies
Two classic regencies together for the first time The Golden Feather Young Caroline Aldritch is shocked to learn her late husband's only legacy to her is a notorious gaming establishment-where she must hide her face from all, including the dashing Lord Lyndon, who's determined to unmask the secretive beauty... The Rules of Love Rosalind Chase must endure her brother's friendship with the notorious rake Lord Morley. But when she can't stop thinking of the insufferable libertine, Rosalind wonders if his ways just might be the path to love...
448 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2010
1 person is currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Amanda McCabe
259 books167 followersaka Laurel McKee (Amanda Carmack)
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 8, 2018
I reviewed this book for Romance Reader At Heart website.
RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:
In The Golden Feather, we're introduced to Justin and Caroline.
Caroline Aldritch is the owner, by default, of The Golden Feather, a gaming house she inherited upon her wastrel husband's death. She's left with no choice but to run the place herself, put some money to the side, and eventually get rid of it and start living the life she always wanted--as a Lady. In order to do that, it was necessary for her to wear a disguise. After four years, she feels that the time has come to sell the place, pick up her sister Phoebe from school and start living her life as a respectable lady. On her last night at the club, she meets Justin and his rowdy younger brother, Harry.
Justin Seward is a middle son of the Earl of Lyndon, a rake and a scoundrel of the first order, who, upon getting shot at a duel, gets banished to India. Four years later, Justin's father and brother are both dead, and he becomes the new Earl. Upon his return, he finds out that his younger brother Harry is fast becoming a rake of the first order himself, so Justin decides to accompany him to The Golden Feather in order to keep an eye on him. This is where he meets Caroline, and the sparks start flying for both of them.
This is a fast paced, very sweet and delightful romance that grabs you from page one. Caroline was such a great character, strong and poised, while Justin complemented her with his charm and wit. I just fell in love with the secondary characters of Harry and Phoebe. His love of brightly colored attire, and his attraction to Phoebe and her fashion of the same, were priceless!
If you're in a mood for a lighthearted romance with very few complications and a lot of fun, you won't go wrong in reading this story.
In The Rules of Love, we're introduced to Rosalind and Michael.
Rosalind Chase, a widow and a headmistress of a school for girls, is supplementing her income with writing a book, A Lady's Rules for Proper Behavior. She's also a sister to Allen, an irresponsible young man who's been piling up gaming debts.
Michael Bronston, Viscount Morley, is a very well-known poet; a charming, laid-back rake and a rule-breaker.
All of London's Ladies, and especially the girls at her school, are reading, quoting, and following the rules. In order to help pay her brother's debts, Rosalind keeps coming up with more ideas for her books of rules.
Lord Michael Morley's sister, Lady Violet, is one of her students, and on the day when he arrives to pick her up for a holiday, Rosalind can't help but be brash with him as she believes that he's the one that is leading her brother to ruin. The encounter between the two leaves Michael confused as he glimpses a side of Rosalind that even she's not yet aware of. The chemistry between the two leads was electric.
Michael's a bit irritated by the whole "rule following" book, so he decides to break as many as he can, and here's where the fun begins. Misconceptions and misunderstanding are the order of the day through most of this witty and fun story.
Again, I got taken in by secondary characters of Michael's sister Violet, who was such a sweet girl; and Allen, Rosalind's brother, who cleaned up quite well.
Ms. McCabe had too much fun setting these two up, and I had to laugh out loud reading the antics of these two totally opposite personalities as they slowly come to realize that they're perfect for each other.
If you are looking for a romance filled with humor, wit and charm, IMPROPER LADIES is for you.
I loved both of these stories so much that I went and bought SPIRITED BRIDES, SCANDALOUS BRIDES and ROGUE GROOMS. All three feature two stories each, and I loved every one of them.
Melanie
RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:
In The Golden Feather, we're introduced to Justin and Caroline.
Caroline Aldritch is the owner, by default, of The Golden Feather, a gaming house she inherited upon her wastrel husband's death. She's left with no choice but to run the place herself, put some money to the side, and eventually get rid of it and start living the life she always wanted--as a Lady. In order to do that, it was necessary for her to wear a disguise. After four years, she feels that the time has come to sell the place, pick up her sister Phoebe from school and start living her life as a respectable lady. On her last night at the club, she meets Justin and his rowdy younger brother, Harry.
Justin Seward is a middle son of the Earl of Lyndon, a rake and a scoundrel of the first order, who, upon getting shot at a duel, gets banished to India. Four years later, Justin's father and brother are both dead, and he becomes the new Earl. Upon his return, he finds out that his younger brother Harry is fast becoming a rake of the first order himself, so Justin decides to accompany him to The Golden Feather in order to keep an eye on him. This is where he meets Caroline, and the sparks start flying for both of them.
This is a fast paced, very sweet and delightful romance that grabs you from page one. Caroline was such a great character, strong and poised, while Justin complemented her with his charm and wit. I just fell in love with the secondary characters of Harry and Phoebe. His love of brightly colored attire, and his attraction to Phoebe and her fashion of the same, were priceless!
If you're in a mood for a lighthearted romance with very few complications and a lot of fun, you won't go wrong in reading this story.
In The Rules of Love, we're introduced to Rosalind and Michael.
Rosalind Chase, a widow and a headmistress of a school for girls, is supplementing her income with writing a book, A Lady's Rules for Proper Behavior. She's also a sister to Allen, an irresponsible young man who's been piling up gaming debts.
Michael Bronston, Viscount Morley, is a very well-known poet; a charming, laid-back rake and a rule-breaker.
All of London's Ladies, and especially the girls at her school, are reading, quoting, and following the rules. In order to help pay her brother's debts, Rosalind keeps coming up with more ideas for her books of rules.
Lord Michael Morley's sister, Lady Violet, is one of her students, and on the day when he arrives to pick her up for a holiday, Rosalind can't help but be brash with him as she believes that he's the one that is leading her brother to ruin. The encounter between the two leaves Michael confused as he glimpses a side of Rosalind that even she's not yet aware of. The chemistry between the two leads was electric.
Michael's a bit irritated by the whole "rule following" book, so he decides to break as many as he can, and here's where the fun begins. Misconceptions and misunderstanding are the order of the day through most of this witty and fun story.
Again, I got taken in by secondary characters of Michael's sister Violet, who was such a sweet girl; and Allen, Rosalind's brother, who cleaned up quite well.
Ms. McCabe had too much fun setting these two up, and I had to laugh out loud reading the antics of these two totally opposite personalities as they slowly come to realize that they're perfect for each other.
If you are looking for a romance filled with humor, wit and charm, IMPROPER LADIES is for you.
I loved both of these stories so much that I went and bought SPIRITED BRIDES, SCANDALOUS BRIDES and ROGUE GROOMS. All three feature two stories each, and I loved every one of them.
Melanie
October 14, 2010
IMPROPER LADIES is two novels in one, both fantastically written and very entertaining.
The first book in IMPROPER LADIES is THE GOLDEN FEATHER. In this story Caroline Aldritch is left destitute after her husband dies. The only thing she has left is a gaming house – The Golden Feather. I loved Caroline and how strong she was. She is able to support herself and her younger sister in an unconventional way that would have meant a complete shunning in polite society. The hero of the story, Lord Lyndon, started out his youth visiting places like The Golden Feather on a regular basis. These two have an instant chemistry even though Caroline is in disguise and Justin, Lord Lyndon, no longer approves of gambling establishments.
This story is very tame compared to a lot of romances, but it is packed with tension. I kept waiting for Caro and Justin to make love. The story moves very quickly and the dialogue is witty. I loved that there were lots of other characters added into the mix. Caro’s younger sister and Justin’s younger brother gave the couple some common ground that made their relationship seem natural.
The only thing I didn’t love about the book was Caroline’s nature to put everything and everyone before herself. She is more concerned about how the world views her than what her heart is telling her.
The second book in IMPROPER LADIES is THE RULES OF LOVE, a sweet story about a schoolteacher and a rake. This was my favorite of the two. THE RULES OF LOVE is a tale of opposites attract. Rosalind Chase lives her life by the rules – in fact she wrote the book on following the rules. Michael, Lord Morley, lives to break the rules and started a club dedicated to rule breaking. These two argue with each other every time they see each other. I loved the verbal sparring between the two characters.
This story is also very tame. I loved the build-up between Rosie and Michael. His scheming in order to see her and be with her is very romantic.
Both of the stories had an element that I loved! The hero realizes his love first and instead of fighting it or pretending he doesn’t feel that way he is happy to be in love. He recognizes the rarity of finding that perfect person and immediately sets out to make the heroine his. In so many romances the heroine declares her feelings first (at least to herself) or the hero thinks about being in love, but denies it to himself and others. In both of these stories love is looked at as a gift.
This book is perfect for those who love their romances on the innocent side, but still with some sexual tension.
The first book in IMPROPER LADIES is THE GOLDEN FEATHER. In this story Caroline Aldritch is left destitute after her husband dies. The only thing she has left is a gaming house – The Golden Feather. I loved Caroline and how strong she was. She is able to support herself and her younger sister in an unconventional way that would have meant a complete shunning in polite society. The hero of the story, Lord Lyndon, started out his youth visiting places like The Golden Feather on a regular basis. These two have an instant chemistry even though Caroline is in disguise and Justin, Lord Lyndon, no longer approves of gambling establishments.
This story is very tame compared to a lot of romances, but it is packed with tension. I kept waiting for Caro and Justin to make love. The story moves very quickly and the dialogue is witty. I loved that there were lots of other characters added into the mix. Caro’s younger sister and Justin’s younger brother gave the couple some common ground that made their relationship seem natural.
The only thing I didn’t love about the book was Caroline’s nature to put everything and everyone before herself. She is more concerned about how the world views her than what her heart is telling her.
The second book in IMPROPER LADIES is THE RULES OF LOVE, a sweet story about a schoolteacher and a rake. This was my favorite of the two. THE RULES OF LOVE is a tale of opposites attract. Rosalind Chase lives her life by the rules – in fact she wrote the book on following the rules. Michael, Lord Morley, lives to break the rules and started a club dedicated to rule breaking. These two argue with each other every time they see each other. I loved the verbal sparring between the two characters.
This story is also very tame. I loved the build-up between Rosie and Michael. His scheming in order to see her and be with her is very romantic.
Both of the stories had an element that I loved! The hero realizes his love first and instead of fighting it or pretending he doesn’t feel that way he is happy to be in love. He recognizes the rarity of finding that perfect person and immediately sets out to make the heroine his. In so many romances the heroine declares her feelings first (at least to herself) or the hero thinks about being in love, but denies it to himself and others. In both of these stories love is looked at as a gift.
This book is perfect for those who love their romances on the innocent side, but still with some sexual tension.
October 12, 2010
Improper Ladies by Amanda McCabe
Historical Romance - Sept. 7th, 2010
4 stars
Amanda McCabe presents two different stories in 1 book -The Golden Feather and The Rules of Love.
The Golden Feather
31/2 stars
Caroline Aldritch has managed the Golden Feather, London’s premier gaming establishment, for four years. The Golden Feather was the only thing her husband left her. Since she has to support herself and her sister, Caroline re-invented herself as the alluring Mrs. Archer to run the club successfully. Justin Lyndon, recently back from India, finds himself mysteriously attracted to Mrs. Archer and is determined to discover the woman behind the mask. When he accompanies his mother to Wycombe for a seaside holiday, he meets Mrs. Aldritch and develops a tendre for her. But what will happen when he discovers the truth about Mrs. Aldritch?
The Rules of Love
4 stars
Rosalind Chase is the headmistress for a school for girls, and unbeknown to the world, the secret author of the book ‘A Lady’s Rules for Proper Behavior.’ Unfortunately, all the money she earned from her school and book sales are drained by her irresponsible younger brother’s gaming debts. Viscount Morley, whose sister attends the school, finds himself inexplicably drawn to Mrs. Chase. But trouble starts when she gives a copy of her etiquette book to him. Morley doesn’t care for what is proper and breaks all the rules in favor of following his own instincts. Due to his trend-setting behavior, Mrs. Chase’s book sales have dropped and she must now confront Viscount Morley, but can she fight her feelings for him?
These stories were fun and light-hearted reads. dDespite the current trend to have steamy love scenes, McCabe’s novels are PG fares liberally dosed with loveable supporting characters and sweet, happy endings that will please readers who prefer a light romance. In both books, McCabe’s heroines are both strong-willed and resourceful, women who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the family together. Similarly, the heroes in both novels are such good guys that you can’t help but like them. I personally prefer The Rules of Love over the Golden Feather as Rosalind and Morley’s clash of wills make the 2nd story much more exciting.
If you are looking for some good old-fashioned romance novels with happily-ever-afters, you will definitely enjoy McCabe’s stories!
Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Historical Romance - Sept. 7th, 2010
4 stars
Amanda McCabe presents two different stories in 1 book -The Golden Feather and The Rules of Love.
The Golden Feather
31/2 stars
Caroline Aldritch has managed the Golden Feather, London’s premier gaming establishment, for four years. The Golden Feather was the only thing her husband left her. Since she has to support herself and her sister, Caroline re-invented herself as the alluring Mrs. Archer to run the club successfully. Justin Lyndon, recently back from India, finds himself mysteriously attracted to Mrs. Archer and is determined to discover the woman behind the mask. When he accompanies his mother to Wycombe for a seaside holiday, he meets Mrs. Aldritch and develops a tendre for her. But what will happen when he discovers the truth about Mrs. Aldritch?
The Rules of Love
4 stars
Rosalind Chase is the headmistress for a school for girls, and unbeknown to the world, the secret author of the book ‘A Lady’s Rules for Proper Behavior.’ Unfortunately, all the money she earned from her school and book sales are drained by her irresponsible younger brother’s gaming debts. Viscount Morley, whose sister attends the school, finds himself inexplicably drawn to Mrs. Chase. But trouble starts when she gives a copy of her etiquette book to him. Morley doesn’t care for what is proper and breaks all the rules in favor of following his own instincts. Due to his trend-setting behavior, Mrs. Chase’s book sales have dropped and she must now confront Viscount Morley, but can she fight her feelings for him?
These stories were fun and light-hearted reads. dDespite the current trend to have steamy love scenes, McCabe’s novels are PG fares liberally dosed with loveable supporting characters and sweet, happy endings that will please readers who prefer a light romance. In both books, McCabe’s heroines are both strong-willed and resourceful, women who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the family together. Similarly, the heroes in both novels are such good guys that you can’t help but like them. I personally prefer The Rules of Love over the Golden Feather as Rosalind and Morley’s clash of wills make the 2nd story much more exciting.
If you are looking for some good old-fashioned romance novels with happily-ever-afters, you will definitely enjoy McCabe’s stories!
Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
June 26, 2012
I typically don't care for short-stories/books with more than one story in it because the stories usually just seem too short and rushed but that was not the case with this compilation. With both of these stories I stayed captivated. Neither story focused on the physical side of things but the plot and storyline made up for the lack of steaminess. I was pleasantly surprised with this book.
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May 12, 2017i love it
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