A fun romp through a fantasy Regency

This book has a lot of historical inaccuracies and anachronisms but if you can turn a blind eye to this then you have a pleasant and engaging way to spend a few hours. A story that is unlikely but keeps an internal integrity and a pace that trots along so you don't give it any real thought.
The narrator is pretty good: he keeps the characters distinctive and the narration flowing.
Overall 3.5 stars
Narration 4 stars
Story 2.5 stars

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A cut above the usual Regency Romances

Georgette Heyer is the queen of regency romance. Her skill and wit is supreme but of all the new writers embracing this genre Jane Dunn is a wonderful discovery and I hope she produces further books. Her story lines have unusual themes including homosexuality in the first and a woman’s role in society in the 2nd and her writing style is impressive in that nothing grates on the reader. You are not aware of the writing because it is so good. This is also due in part to the excellent narrator. A most enjoyable debut.

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Compelling

Having enjoyed the first book by Jane Dunn I was excited to listen to the next one. The narration is clear and successfully differentiates the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was gripped by how the "heroine" would overcome the position she had chosen to put herself in. Historically it made an interesting plot device to explore the attitudes and dangers of the time. Very well researched and using language of the day to give an authentic voice. There is enough danger to the heroine at various times to keep engaged and wanting to know how she will survive. Very much looking forward to the next one.

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Enjoyable

Enjoyable but full of anachronisms. I’m surprised the author not interested in researching the period more but perhaps, unlike me, she’s not read all of Georgette Heyer.

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Regency Romp full of honour, friendship and colour.

Brilliantly written, hard to put down. Like her first novel, Jane Dunn again fills the air with brilliant descriptions of dress, characters, London life, horses & carriages. Her previous books of this period were biographies so we are safe in the knowledge of accurate historical detail. Wonderful.

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Engaging and Enjoyable

There is something about the writing, and the narration that my wife and I found captivating for long periods of time. This is the second of this author’s books that has managed to do thus, when others haven’t. Many thanks.

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Nicely written and super performance

I liked this book by Jane Dunn but much preferred the other book by her about the two sisters going to London for the marriage season. Richard Attlee is great at bringing the characters to life and so easy to listen to.

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Hard Going

Quite good narration. Whether it is the material or the nuances given, I found myself lacking concentration and having to rewind to re-engage as the dull undertone of the reader saps life from the tale. As an afficionado of Georgette Heyer (I've had all the books in all the genres; I even deliberately live next door to one of her mentioned historic venues), I feel myself a suitable judge of the period, style, banter and venacular. The writer seems to be able to drop in and drop out of period language. This does not happen in The Marriage Season, which I enjoyed alot. I have just enjoyed The Prestige where the venacular is carried throughout the various time periods enhanced by the excellent narrator. So feel a bit cheated.

The slight Americanisms are jarring and wonder if these have been eased in by the editor as this book is aimed at that market ie the use of spunk. This is an ancient word, but it means sometimes totally different in England than America. Slaughterhouse is not a term I have ever encountered in Regency books by Heyer, rather she uses knacker or shamble or even butcher. The equine terms are dodgy too; having polo ponies and racehorses horses for over 50 years gives me enough knowledge on this subject to know. And anyone who ties a spirited 17hh stallion anywhere can expect damage to property or limb.

We get no full description of Corin'ah at the start, whereby we can contrast her and her assumed mannerisms in her male personage. (Personally I would've pronounced her name Coreena). The disquise meme was no milked to full effect.

There is no thrill or spark of passion between the "lovers", it's all quite cold and clinical. No boudices are ripped no bedroom doors breached. The heroine reaches the end of the book a virgin.

So many small things built to make me keeping shutting down and wondering if I will make it to the end. I was peruaded to get this book by all the glowing reviews, but after 3.5hrs, I found it hard going. I felt unsatisfied at the end. We heard about spirited horses, and playful dogs, wild boar charges, the antics at Vauxhall Gardens but the MCs are apart and unconsumated. There is no epilogue to settle matters in our hearts and minds.

UNSATISFYING

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Fabulous in every way

Superb narration and wonderful story. All the characters were so well realised and lovable I couldn’t bear it to end

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A delightful caper with a truly page-turning end!

Such a fun story with a band of compelling and interesting characters. I loved the set up of the main plot and various subplots that all came together at the end. Gorgeous period language and dialogue - such fantastic buckish slang - it really evoked the era and made this wonderfully performed audiobook such a pleasure to listen to.

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1 person found this helpful