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Drury Lane Darling
Pamela Comstock's semi-engagement to the weak, cowardly Nigel Raleigh is happily circumvented when Pamela encounters Fleur, an actress, and Lord Breslau, her noble but naughty manager
Mass Market Paperback
First published September 12, 1988
9 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Joan Smith
359 books155 followersJoan Smith is a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and the Ontario College of Education. She has taught French and English in high school and English in college. When she began writing, her interest in Jane Austen and Lord Byron led to her first choice of genre, the Regency, which she especially liked for its wit and humor.
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 5, 2023
I added this romance to my to-read list because of 'Pyang' on Amazon. (I built a tag with her favorites.) Both my GR friend, Lyuda, and I have respected her ratings and reviews for a long time.
Sadly, this story missed the mark. My words to describe Drury Lane Darling would be: very little romance until the last pages.
The entire story covered a few days. I never understood Lord Breslau's (a lifetime bachelor) attraction and, eventually, a proposal. There were some moments of drollness weaved between some very mild suspense, but any chemistry? No.
I would only recommend it if you were a die-hard fan of Joan Smith.
Sadly, this story missed the mark. My words to describe Drury Lane Darling would be: very little romance until the last pages.
The entire story covered a few days. I never understood Lord Breslau's (a lifetime bachelor) attraction and, eventually, a proposal. There were some moments of drollness weaved between some very mild suspense, but any chemistry? No.
I would only recommend it if you were a die-hard fan of Joan Smith.
November 4, 2022
Amazon has a good review outlining the basic plot, so my only comment here is that, if like me, you prefer a sensible heroine, this is a book you'll enjoy regardless of the plot. I constantly wondered what it would be like to have a heroine who, not only does not fall for the hero right away, but is unimpressed or uninterested in him until he proves himself worthy. I'm not talking about the traditional "I don't like him, but I feel something when I see him despite of it." I'm talking full on no feelings whatsoever. This is the book I'd been waiting for. I loved the fact that the H would try to flirt with the h but she was completely unresponsive and was more interested in the "adventure" than on him. The only problem with it is that I was also not that impressed with the H. It was still very entertaining, particularly the dialogue, as most Joan Smith's books are.
January 20, 2017
"The famous Lord Breslau proved to be a tall, slender gentleman who needed no title to tell the world he was an aristocrat. He fairly reeked of it. Nothing but years of inbreeding could produce a nose so razor-thin, eyes so bored, a mouth so cynical, and an air of such perfect disinterest that it avoided arrogance by a hair"
OMG she went there lol
OMG she went there lol
July 23, 2013
Fun little mystery with the love story. I thought the love story reminded me of heyer's cotillion because it wasn't obvious from the beginning, at least not to me. Maybe I'm enjoying joan smith a little too much right now...
June 20, 2022
A fast paced and fun mystery with a side of romance!
The ending becomes a bit obvious at 60% but it will keep you hooked.
Plus, Pamela was the kind of female lead I like best - intelligent and straightforward!
Five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The ending becomes a bit obvious at 60% but it will keep you hooked.
Plus, Pamela was the kind of female lead I like best - intelligent and straightforward!
Five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 18, 2024
A mystery, unfortunately
I thought i was choosing a book that wasn't a mystery, but it turned out to be one. I don't like the mysteries as well. Some parts of this were good but other parts got too bogged down with the mystery.
I thought i was choosing a book that wasn't a mystery, but it turned out to be one. I don't like the mysteries as well. Some parts of this were good but other parts got too bogged down with the mystery.
March 12, 2020
Oh, such promise! But unable to maintain the heights reached early on.
May 30, 2024
Another fun romp. It's always good to pick up a Joan Smith Regency if you are looking for a mood lightener.
July 19, 2024
A comedy tonight! An actress goes missing and a seemingly proper young lady joins. with a rakish lord to search for her.
November 29, 2024
Fast and witty
A good romp leading up to a satisfying conclusion. Lots of flirtatious banter and witty asides keep the pages turning.
A good romp leading up to a satisfying conclusion. Lots of flirtatious banter and witty asides keep the pages turning.
May 5, 2025
This book is fun and a little bit silly, but I enjoyed it. I like the main characters of Pam and Breslau. I enjoy their scenes together and find them fun. Some of the side characters are a bit annoying (but they’re supposed to be… Nigel), but in the end, I appreciated their motivations and had a good time reading this.
The mystery plot isn’t super engaging and I could have done with a little less running around looking for murderers, but the interactions between the characters, and Pam in particular, makes this worth reading.
Pam Comstock is one of Joan Smith’s traditional “country misses” but she’s one of the good ones. She’s innocent but spunky and likeable. She’s intelligent and witty, and is not one to swoon over the dashing hero. Breslau starts off like one of those uptight, stuffy heroes that I didn’t think I was going to like, but you quickly realize that he’s got a pretty lively sense of humour and fun, and he appreciates those same qualities in Pam. I like that he has to work a bit to gain her favour.
In fact, I think I enjoy this book because of Pam and how she’s legitimately not impressed by the hero, without being unlikable or uptight about it. It’s NOT a case of enemies to lovers or anything like that. It that neither of them thinks that much about the other at the beginning, and Breslau notices and wants to befriend Pam long before she tweaks to the fact that she might like him too.
Light, a bit silly, good fun… it’s a nice Sunday afternoon read.
The mystery plot isn’t super engaging and I could have done with a little less running around looking for murderers, but the interactions between the characters, and Pam in particular, makes this worth reading.
Pam Comstock is one of Joan Smith’s traditional “country misses” but she’s one of the good ones. She’s innocent but spunky and likeable. She’s intelligent and witty, and is not one to swoon over the dashing hero. Breslau starts off like one of those uptight, stuffy heroes that I didn’t think I was going to like, but you quickly realize that he’s got a pretty lively sense of humour and fun, and he appreciates those same qualities in Pam. I like that he has to work a bit to gain her favour.
In fact, I think I enjoy this book because of Pam and how she’s legitimately not impressed by the hero, without being unlikable or uptight about it. It’s NOT a case of enemies to lovers or anything like that. It that neither of them thinks that much about the other at the beginning, and Breslau notices and wants to befriend Pam long before she tweaks to the fact that she might like him too.
Light, a bit silly, good fun… it’s a nice Sunday afternoon read.
March 18, 2021
2.5 stars. What to say? Not bad, but I encountered two problems:
- Homophone errors. Unfortunately, this is one of my hot buttons. Good copy editors are worth what you pay them.
- I found myself having to force myself to read through much of it, skimming a lot.
- Homophone errors. Unfortunately, this is one of my hot buttons. Good copy editors are worth what you pay them.
- I found myself having to force myself to read through much of it, skimming a lot.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews