jjares reviewed Desperate Daughters: A Bluestocking Belles Collection With Friends on + 3297 more book reviews
This is a different story because the Earl of Seahaven died before having a son. However, he had multiple wives and left nine daughters and his fifth wife. The ten women were reduced to poor subsistence in a small cottage when someone else inherited the Earl's title and property. However, Patience, the fifth wife, is resourceful.
LADY DOROTHEA'S CURATE (Caroline Warfield) -- 5 Stars
Because Lady Dorothea Bigglesworth was firmly on the shelf, she got a job at a hotel (not mentioning her title). She volunteered weekly at the soup kitchen run by Ben Clarke (Honorable, but he eschewed his title too). When Patience gathers the stepdaughters together to go to York for a Season (for the three most beautiful of the daughters), Doro reluctantly leaves. Ben and Doro meet again at a York ball some months later. Short and delightful.
CONCERTO (Mary Lancaster) -- 4 Stars
Barbara is another of the older daughters earning money for the family. She teaches music. One day, while teaching students, Barbara encounters the piano tuner, Mr. Jack. Unbeknownst to her, Jack is an up-and-coming pianist of some repute. Jack left home years ago to pursue his dream. Now that he's back, does he accept his family's role for him or continue roaming Europe with his music?
THE BUTLER AND THE BLUESTOCKING (Rue Allyn) -- 4 Stars
Honorable Malcolm K. Marr arrives at his godmother's house, which is empty and locked. Exhausted, he breaks into a window and falls asleep. He's awakened the next day by Lady Bess, holding a gun. He convinces her he's the no-longer employed butler and would be willing to work for room and board. Since the Seagraves are just about penniless, they accept his offer. Malcolm soon learns that Lady Bess is a noteworthy researcher of Egyptian artifacts. When Bess finds out he is a famous Egyptologist, she fires Malcolm. He realizes he loves her and tries to make things right. Not very likely, but a charming story, nonetheless.
THE FOUR-TO-ONE FANCY (Elizabeth Ellen Carter) -- G+
This is Iris and Ivy's story; they are the twins in the story. They are also two of the three that the family is betting their all on making good marriages. Through the good offices of a relative, the family uses a fancy house in York for the Season. The twins soon meet the male cousins, who are starting up a horse training facility. It is a long shot, but the men are enthusiastic. It's not very likely, but it's a pleasant story.
LORK CUCKOO COMES HOME (Jude Knight) -- 4 Stars
Cloe Tavistock has been mentioned previously; she lives with her brother in York. She has been on the shelf for a long while and doesn't expect to marry. She has a monkey that gets her into trouble. Dom Finchley goes to the same meeting as Chloe and Dora (from the first story). When trouble erupts, Dom Finchley saves Chloe and her monkey from the melee. Although he is there to do a favor for his half-brother, he decides to stay because he is instantly smitten with Chloe. This is a pleasant story.
I'LL ALWAYS BE YOURS (Ella Quinn) -- 2 Stars
Oddly enough, Miss Harriett Staunton is related to the Bigglesworth's females; she is the Earl of Seahaven's illegitimate daughter. The female Bigglesworths do not know about her. Lord Sextus Trevor needs to marry, but he wants his choice, not his father's. I thought this story was ridiculous. The other Bigglesworths are near penury, but this one inherits 50,000 pounds. Ridiculous.
LADY TWISDEN'S PICTURE PERFECT MATCH (Alina K. Field) -- 3 Stars.
Lady Twisden is an aunt to Patience Bigglesworth. She is a widow with a stepson, Wes. Obviously, the marriage was unhappy, and Lady Twisden has moved to a small cottage and is enjoying her painting. When Wes arrives at his mother's house, he brings his former officer. Augustus Kellborn is immediately attracted to Lady Twisden (who is thirty-three years of age). He is also a distant relative. Thinking the widow was an elderly woman, he agreed to Wes' entreaty to stay with her. He's shocked to find she is younger than himself. He is immediately smitten and offers for her after only a few days in her company. Ridiculous.
A DUKE FOR JOSEFINA (Meara Platt) -- 4 Stars
Lady Josefina's interest is in the healing arts with herbs. However, the family has gathered to live in a borrowed house in York for the Season. This is for Josefina, Iris, and Ivy, the three prettiest of the Earl of Seahaven's daughters. He left them small dowries and Patience is trying to help them get a good start in life. Josefina meets a man in the apothecary shop who wants to hire her to help his sister, who has no interest in walking after a horse accident. He offers her a scandalous amount of money. Then, he offers to marry her. They go to his estate with this sham arrangement. It is an endearing story, and the characters are wonderful. However, it isn't realistic.
A COUNTESS TO REMEMBER (Sherry Ewing) -- 3.5 Stars
In this story, Patience, the twenty-two-year-old dowager Countess of Seahaven meets her match. Unfortunately, this took place too quickly. However, Richard Viscount Cranfield is an unusual man. He isn't shocked by the bevy of stepchildren he will inherit by choosing Patience. Richard's past mistress tries to gum up the work, and the couple has to work through the mess she made at the Bigglesworth's Ball.
LADY DOROTHEA'S CURATE (Caroline Warfield) -- 5 Stars
Because Lady Dorothea Bigglesworth was firmly on the shelf, she got a job at a hotel (not mentioning her title). She volunteered weekly at the soup kitchen run by Ben Clarke (Honorable, but he eschewed his title too). When Patience gathers the stepdaughters together to go to York for a Season (for the three most beautiful of the daughters), Doro reluctantly leaves. Ben and Doro meet again at a York ball some months later. Short and delightful.
CONCERTO (Mary Lancaster) -- 4 Stars
Barbara is another of the older daughters earning money for the family. She teaches music. One day, while teaching students, Barbara encounters the piano tuner, Mr. Jack. Unbeknownst to her, Jack is an up-and-coming pianist of some repute. Jack left home years ago to pursue his dream. Now that he's back, does he accept his family's role for him or continue roaming Europe with his music?
THE BUTLER AND THE BLUESTOCKING (Rue Allyn) -- 4 Stars
Honorable Malcolm K. Marr arrives at his godmother's house, which is empty and locked. Exhausted, he breaks into a window and falls asleep. He's awakened the next day by Lady Bess, holding a gun. He convinces her he's the no-longer employed butler and would be willing to work for room and board. Since the Seagraves are just about penniless, they accept his offer. Malcolm soon learns that Lady Bess is a noteworthy researcher of Egyptian artifacts. When Bess finds out he is a famous Egyptologist, she fires Malcolm. He realizes he loves her and tries to make things right. Not very likely, but a charming story, nonetheless.
THE FOUR-TO-ONE FANCY (Elizabeth Ellen Carter) -- G+
This is Iris and Ivy's story; they are the twins in the story. They are also two of the three that the family is betting their all on making good marriages. Through the good offices of a relative, the family uses a fancy house in York for the Season. The twins soon meet the male cousins, who are starting up a horse training facility. It is a long shot, but the men are enthusiastic. It's not very likely, but it's a pleasant story.
LORK CUCKOO COMES HOME (Jude Knight) -- 4 Stars
Cloe Tavistock has been mentioned previously; she lives with her brother in York. She has been on the shelf for a long while and doesn't expect to marry. She has a monkey that gets her into trouble. Dom Finchley goes to the same meeting as Chloe and Dora (from the first story). When trouble erupts, Dom Finchley saves Chloe and her monkey from the melee. Although he is there to do a favor for his half-brother, he decides to stay because he is instantly smitten with Chloe. This is a pleasant story.
I'LL ALWAYS BE YOURS (Ella Quinn) -- 2 Stars
Oddly enough, Miss Harriett Staunton is related to the Bigglesworth's females; she is the Earl of Seahaven's illegitimate daughter. The female Bigglesworths do not know about her. Lord Sextus Trevor needs to marry, but he wants his choice, not his father's. I thought this story was ridiculous. The other Bigglesworths are near penury, but this one inherits 50,000 pounds. Ridiculous.
LADY TWISDEN'S PICTURE PERFECT MATCH (Alina K. Field) -- 3 Stars.
Lady Twisden is an aunt to Patience Bigglesworth. She is a widow with a stepson, Wes. Obviously, the marriage was unhappy, and Lady Twisden has moved to a small cottage and is enjoying her painting. When Wes arrives at his mother's house, he brings his former officer. Augustus Kellborn is immediately attracted to Lady Twisden (who is thirty-three years of age). He is also a distant relative. Thinking the widow was an elderly woman, he agreed to Wes' entreaty to stay with her. He's shocked to find she is younger than himself. He is immediately smitten and offers for her after only a few days in her company. Ridiculous.
A DUKE FOR JOSEFINA (Meara Platt) -- 4 Stars
Lady Josefina's interest is in the healing arts with herbs. However, the family has gathered to live in a borrowed house in York for the Season. This is for Josefina, Iris, and Ivy, the three prettiest of the Earl of Seahaven's daughters. He left them small dowries and Patience is trying to help them get a good start in life. Josefina meets a man in the apothecary shop who wants to hire her to help his sister, who has no interest in walking after a horse accident. He offers her a scandalous amount of money. Then, he offers to marry her. They go to his estate with this sham arrangement. It is an endearing story, and the characters are wonderful. However, it isn't realistic.
A COUNTESS TO REMEMBER (Sherry Ewing) -- 3.5 Stars
In this story, Patience, the twenty-two-year-old dowager Countess of Seahaven meets her match. Unfortunately, this took place too quickly. However, Richard Viscount Cranfield is an unusual man. He isn't shocked by the bevy of stepchildren he will inherit by choosing Patience. Richard's past mistress tries to gum up the work, and the couple has to work through the mess she made at the Bigglesworth's Ball.
