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The School For Manners - Book I
M C Beaton
Canvas (Constable and
Robinson)
16 August 2012 / ISBN 9781780333113
Regency Romance / 1810s / London
Amazon
Reviewed
by Rachel A Hyde
Amy and Effy Tribble are two ladies of a certain
age who have fallen on hard times. When an elderly relative dies
leaving all her money to somebody else their last hope of getting
hold of any money vanishes or has it? With some help from an old
friend the pair advertise that they can bring out the type of young
Miss other chaperones despair of. However wild, unruly, or undisciplined
is what they said, but are they prepared for Lady Felicity Vane?
Her father always wanted a boy so behaving like a hoyden is the
only way to win his approval but her mother has other plans, ones
that include the handsome marquess next door?
I was thrilled to discover that Constable and Robinson have made
yet another of M C Beaton’s delightful Regency series available
to UK readers. Originally published in the US back in 1988 this
is the first British printing and long overdue. Realizing nobody
can top Jane Austen or even Georgette Heyer when it comes to the
genre, Ms Beaton has wisely done something else and gone for humor.
There are plenty of laughs in this brief but nicely crammed little
book as the sisters try to tame their wild charge. I’ve read
more romantic books but this is not what this author is trying for
either and like all her other books this one hits the ground running.
There is no space for any elements that might be boring but fortunately
plenty of room for a good underpinning of period knowledge so despite
the laughs the reader can be assured of a remarkably authentic picture
of the time. If you like a sprightly historical romance look no
further, and there are another five!
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