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Liked It “alistair carsington suffer from what we now know as PTSD. mirabel oldridge and her distracted father are just the prescrition he needs. very good secondary characters also” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“alistair carsington suffer from what we now know as PTSD. mirabel oldridge and her distracted father are just the prescrition he needs. very good secondary characters also”
victoria s wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Charming, funny heroine, and a hero with a deep flaw. I really enjoyed this novel and loved how everything worked together in the end. ”
RS wrote this review Sunday, July 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“ Although even mediocre Loretta Chase is better than most authors, I found myself disappointed after reading this, for there had been a very long break in which Ms. Chase wasn't gracing her world with excellently written romances. It was just on the dry side. I had to try really hard to get involved with Carsington and Mirabel, although they both were perfectly nice people and I didn't dislike them. I guess I just have very high standards for the author who wrote my favorite book of all time. So I'd give it three stars. If anything, it was a sign that Ms. Chase had not retired from writing romances forever. As Chase is a favorite, it's still a keeper for me.”
gatadelafuente wrote this review Friday, June 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“B”
Jenreads wrote this review Thursday, March 12 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“"As one of the few authors of historical romance of whom I have absolutely no experience, I have long been wanting to get started on the works of Loretta Chase. With her latest, Your Scandalous Ways recently reviewed by the Smart Bitches, I decided to wander down to the library to see what they had to offer.
M wrote this review Monday, February 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Miss Wonderful is the first in the Carsington Brothers series and tells the story of Alistair Carsington, the third son of the Earl of Hargate. Unfortunately, Alistair has the tendency to fall in love with incredibly inappropriate women. His last...entanglement, shall we say...ended up with him being shipped off to the Napoleonic Wars just in time for Waterloo.
And, of course, like all soldier heroes, he's scarred inside and out. He has a limp from battlefield heroics he can't remember, heroics which haunt him every day. For the heroine we have Mirabel Oldridge, a thirty-one year old spinster who abandoned her dreams of love to take care of her melancholic father. When business interests pit Alistair against Mirabel, sparks fly - both in the sitting room and the bedroom.
For those who like their heroes scarred and their heroines virginal - calling Ms. Bain - you will probably enjoy this book. Even if these aren't exactly your snifters of brandy, the characters are likable and it's pleasant enough to spend some time in their world. I very much enjoyed the first chapter, our introduction to the Carsington family and their exploits. Though Mirabel is a virgin, she's not a moron - after a decade of taking care of her father and her land, she knows more than a thing or two about how men work and what she wants from them.
Chase is well-known for her sex scenes, though many argue she lost her touch during the Carsington years. What few scenes there were - I have, after all, been recently pampered by the likes of Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Phillander - were, in fact, quite good and inventive. I look forward to reading her latest, which reviewers see as a return to the raunchier Chase of the past.
Unfortunately, there were some major holes in the story, which were all the more painful because the story started so well. Just as you really began to care about the various character plots, the were dropped for the sake of the (somewhat feeble) 'mystery/crime plot'. This is, quite possibly, one of my least favorite trends in romance writing (in case you couldn't tell from the last month or more of reviews). While I'm all for a good mystery, I don't understand the feeling that every romance needs one. Sometimes the mysteries of why people act the way they do are far more interesting than some hastily patched together crime story obviously fitted into the book at the request of the editor. While the business concerns that bring Mirabel and Alistair together are interesting (and related to the characters), I really wanted the villain who came in to ruin everything to just get the hell back out again. Sometimes we are our own villains, just as we must be our own heroes.
Ahem. That being said (or rather, ranted) the book was...enjoyable enough. It won't be making the list of books I've loved, but nor will it be in the list of books I've hated. If you have the time and the interest, go ahead and read it. Just don't spend any money for the experience."
http://travelingwithoutamap.blogspot.com/2008/07/sunday-book-club-volume-5.html”
“For the most part I really enjoyed this story. The conflict between the hero and heroine was amusing to watch unfold as was the little character traits they used to annoy one another in their "war". I did however loose interest a little towards the end due to an unexpected added plot element.”
Sam wrote this review Thursday, August 7 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Loretta Chase is a talented, amusing author. And MISS WONDERFUL is a delightful, humorous story. And with this kind of symmetry, reading is absolutely dandy!
MaryGrace wrote this review Monday, March 24 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Mini Synopsis:
The Honorable Alistair Carsington is in Derbyshire to convince its residents that a man-made waterway (a canal), would be in everyone's best interest. As his partner quickly points out, they need this project to transport coal quickly and cheaply to their eager customers. But Alistair also hopes such an achievement will provide a new purpose in his otherwise unimportant life.
Miss Mirabel Oldridge thinks such a proposed waterway would destroy the tranquil beauty of her countryside and she wants nothing to do it. She does not care that Mr. Carsington is a famous Waterloo hero; or that his father is a well-to-do member of the peerage; or that Mr. Alistair Carsington is a man . . . all man . . . from his immaculate boots, to his big, broad shoulders, to his beautiful, thick hair – hair that never, never seems to be out of place! No, she cares not! Why the wretched man even manages to make his limp appear brave and elegant!
But time is running out! Carsington has to make Mirabel understand! He has to stop her resistance! Along with his last hope, she will ruin his friend and his brothers! But it is his honor and pride that truly stops him from telling her that the great canal scheme, between them, is his only chance for economic independence – independence to offer for her!
Reviewer's Comments:
Loretta Chases makes it clear that her heroine needs the love of a good man and there is no finer man than Alistair Carsington to tender up some very good loving. But what is totally clear, Chase's MISS WONDERFUL is well worth reading. Loretta Chase’s ability to wrap two adversaries into one big, bright comical creation is sheer genius. Often, I chuckled aloud (at the bottom of page 188 (hardcover edition) begins Chase’s flawless, FUN seduction scene - probably one of the finest this reader has read); yet there were times, Ms. Chase managed to ravish my heart with remarkable sadness. There is little doubt Loretta Chase is one heck of an author – funny and poignant writing skills are not easily dismissed! With great anticipation, I look forward to Book 2, in the Carsington series, MR. IMPOSSIBLE.
Grade: A-
Sensuality: Warm
MaryGrace Meloche.”
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