The Charm School

Rating:
Summary: Imaginative, surprising tale utterly enchants
Review: A 19th century shipping schooner would seem an unlikely charm school and the daughter of one of Boston's 100 families an equally unlikely student, but such is the case in this rollicking story read by Lillian Stanford.

Isadora Peabody personifies "plain"-- from her rimless spectacles to her mousy brown hair. She's approaching old-maidhood, shy and ungainly; "the picture of youth drying up like a fig." In short, the Black Sheep of her family.

When lovely Lily Raines Calhoun appears on the scene searching for Ryan Calhoun, whom Isadora assumes to be her husband, they find him at The Swan, the schooner owned by shipping scion Able Easterbrook. Turns out the rakish, red-haired, inhumanly handsome Ryan is her son and the Black Sheep of the Calhoun family.

When Isadora learns that Lily will sail to Rio with the ship and that Easterbrook desperately needs a Spanish translator (Isadora speaks 6 languages), she persuades Easterbrook to sign her on as translator, against Ryan's strongly expressed wishes. It is on this adventurous voyage that Isadora learns, from the most unexpected sources, how to be a real lady. This imaginative tale mixes The Ugly Duckling with Pygmalion into a Pandora's Box of delight.

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite story Of all Time!!!
Review: I Simply loved It. Isadora was shy she always felt awkard around people and I understand, but when she joined the crew of the Swan I knew that she was fed up of being treated like a freak just because she didn't fit in like the rest of her family. Isadora had a crush on a guy named Chad Eastbrook or something but he only used her to send messages to debutantes he had a eye for. So she finally signed up for a job on the Ship (how she did that you'll just have to read the book) Captain Ryan Calhoun is a scoundrel at least Isadora think he is He and the crew help her become more cofindant in hersel Ryan teaches her how to be charming and how it feels to be love (Only She doesn't figure that out until later) So when she returns to Bosto Society And Chad wants her she figures out how shallow her "prince charming"and her mother too. The Ryan Comes bak from the dead and carrys her into the night. I guess the reason I love this story is because I can relate on some form we have all felt Like Isadora did at the beginng of the book at least once in our life but reading it just makes feel less alone. This story Can cheer you up If your feeling down even though it's fiction. Can't Wait to Read The Horse Masters Daughter the sequel to Charm School.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad....but not the best
Review: I would only give it 3 1/2 stars, if half stars were allowed. The story was very sweet, and a great idea, but I usually get into my books, and never put them down, once I start a (good) book...and I have to say, I took a week to read this one.

I read the above reviews, and expected more in the book. I was waiting for more detail in her schooling, but that is where it dried up for me. Not enough detail about the sailors teaching her. It was more about her feeling sorry for herself, almost every page of the book. And that got very old... very quick.

If you want to read a better Susan Wiggs, choose Hostage and that series of three books (they are the only ones I have read so far, until The Charm School, and read all three ....in 4 days) They were so entertaining.

I think the story of the Ugly Duckling, she used in reference... with her pages in this book were more heart felt. I loved reading the sayings she had, before each chapter.

Rating:
Summary: Charming
Review: The Charm School is the first book that I've read by Susan Wiggs, and I must comment that she is an wonderful author.

Isadora Peabody is a brilliant spinster with dreams of marrying a certain young man who doesn't even know she exists. Overweight, wearing spectales, shy and smarter than any man Isadora has little chance of ever marrying or fitting into society. When she hears of a ship leaving for Rio that is owned by the father of the man she is infatuated with, she jumps at the chance to go on board and learn the ways of the shipping business.

Captain Ryan Calhoun isn't happy about Isadora's appearance on board his ship. He'll do anything (and does!) to make her miserable. He's surprised when he finds himself attracted to dowdy Isadora.

A wonderfully written novel, The Charm School is one of those romances that must be read over and over again!

Rating:
Summary: It's pretty charming
Review: Wigg's makes no bones about the fact that this is an "Ugly Duckling becomes a Swan" story. The good news is that she does theme well. Isadora isn't flourishing in her setting. The theme of the book is that the freedom of a new setting and the love of a good man can make a girl beautiful both inside and out. Wigg's does it in an entertaining way. Isodora liberation in the course of the sea voyage (complete with a charming cast of characters in the crew) and in 1850's Rio (by definition liberating?)makes for a fun read with lots of great images.

The romance is also very nicely paced with growing attraction and tension between the two -- leading to some pretty sexy scenes that are guaranteed to make the reader forget everyday life.

The critics agree. The book was nominated for both a Reviewer's Choice and Francis awards. It was also selected in a readers' poll as one the ten favorites of the year.