Miss Westlake's Windfall

Rating:
Summary: a rollicking good read
Review: Barbara Metzger has definitely made it onto my list of favourite Regency romance writers. Her novels have all proved to be well written, funny, and peopled with interesting and captivating characters. And with this latest novle,"Miss Westlake's Windfall," Barbara Metzger has struck gold again with this wonderfuly light hearted and charming romp.

After having been rejected yet again by his childhood friend, Ada Westlake, Chas, Viscount Ashmead, proceeds to get blindingly drunk. And whilst in the throes of alcohol, he comes up with the brilliant plan to provide Ada with a dowry. That way, he reasons, Ada will have some form of financial security and will thus be better able to decide her own future. For Ada is burdened with caring for her somewhat eccentric and rather penniless family -- first there is her rapacious and grasping widowed sister-in-law Jane, and Jane's snakelike uncle and nephew; then there is Ada's eccentric older sister, Tess, who is very artistic and is in the middle of composing her grand opus; and then is the fact that her dead elder brother had all but bankrupted the family coffers, and that her other brother has not yet sold out of the army, but has left the care of the family and estate to Ada. Chas would like very much to take all these burdens off Ada's shoulders, but his very stubborn lady love refuses to allow him to do so. Hence the drunken plan to secret a bag of coins in Ada's apple orchard -- a plan which made so much sense at the time but which proves to be more trouble than it is worth!

Ada has her own good reasons for refusing Chas: she feels that her very best friend deserves to marry for love and to a beautiful and gracious young lady that would not be so burdened as she is. And so she rejects Chas's latest proposal even though it might damage their friendship. And being a very honest young woman, when she finds the bag of money, instead of using it to ease the family hardship, Ada goes about trying to return the money, much to Chas's horror. The novel follows Ada as she tries to return the bag of money to it's 'rightful' owners; and Chas trying valiantly to keep one step ahead of her, as he bribes, blackmails and threatens everyone into assuring Ada that the money is rightfully hers.

"Miss Westlake's Windfall" is a highly entertaining romp that will definitely bring forth a chuckle or two as you follow Ada trying to return the money and Chas trying to ensure that the money remains with her. It was also satisfying following Ada and Chas slowly come to realise that the warm affection that each has for the other is actually love. "Miss Westlake's Windfall" is a great read, and I recommend that if you buy this novel you keep it as it will definitely make for great rereading as well!

Rating:
Summary: LOL'd all the way!
Review: Barbara Metzger is one of my favorite Regency authors because of her witty writing style and oddball characters. I found myself laughing out loud several times while reading this one. Definitely recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Not her best, but still great.
Review: Every month Charles Harrison Ashford, Viscount Ashmead, would ask Ada to marry him. Every month Miss Ada Westlake would decline. Being neighbors for so long, Ada thought of "Chas" as a brother. Ada thought Charles saw his proposals as rescuing a damsel in distress. He was overflowing in money. She was impoverished. However, that was not the case! He loved Ada deeply and had no idea how to make her see it. Her most recent declining of his marriage proposal had him drowning his sorrows in a local tavern. By morning, he had an awful headache and he could not find the sack containing Prelieu's coins.

Leo Tobin was Charles' illegitimate brother. They were as close as brothers could ever hope to be. Leo and Charles did missions for the government. Leo did his mainly by sea. In fact, many thought he was the ring leader for a smuggling group. Prelieu was a Frenchman who was to give valuable information to Charles for the Crown and then use the coins for a new start on life. But Prelieu had not shown up and the sack of coins somehow ended up high in one of Ada's apple trees.

While shaking the tree for apples, coins rained down. Thinking smugglers were using her land and set the money there as payment, she was determined to return it! It was blood money! Her sister could care less for anything but making her opera and paintings. Her sister-in-law, Jane (widowed), and Jane's freeloading uncle wanted to spend it on luxuries. Charles begged her to use it for debts and kept harping about marriage. And poor Ada was having her blinders jerked off, due to the commotions, and was seeing Chas (thanks in part to Leo) in a totally new and confusing way!

*** This one is set in one of England's most uncertain and dangerous times of history. It was a bit slow to begin, but once started the story flowed smoothly. (I wanted to whap Ada on the head a few times though.) The co-characters were just as great to watch as the main ones were! I was utterly charmed by Leo! ***

Rating:
Summary: One of the best regencies I have read in a very long time!
Review: I have not enjoyed a regency this much in a while. I devoured each word to the very last and grinned throughout. My initial fear that this was one of those forced funny ha-ha laugher kind of regencies were for naught. Miss Westlake's Windfall is an enchanting story that is clever and witty and oh-so-refreshing.

I loved this story. I loved that Chas loves Ada from the very beginning of this book and his feelings for her never changes. Sigh, I LOVED the fact that he had no problems declaring his love for her first. Even his sexy hunk of a half-brother went ga-ga for Ada's sister and didn't try to fight his feelings.

What also endeared me to this well-told story were the secondary characters all the way down to Chas's dog. They were written with charm and drawn with humor. I loved them all. Even the evil characters were interesting. I was spellbound with Ms. Metzger's writing. Each chapter ended so...well, right, tight. Witty and clever writing like this is what separates the great story tellers from the wanna-be or not quite polished writers. This story was so shiny and polished it gleamed.

I loved every aspect of this book. The story, the dialogue, and ALL the characters. This book will definitely go on my keeper shelf.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best regencies I have read in a very long time!
Review: I have not enjoyed a regency this much in a while. I devoured each word to the very last and grinned throughout. My initial fear that this was one of those forced funny ha-ha laugher kind of regencies were for naught. Miss Westlake's Windfall is an enchanting story that is clever and witty and oh-so-refreshing.

I loved this story. I loved that Chas loves Ada from the very beginning of this book and his feelings for her never changes. Sigh, I LOVED the fact that he had no problems declaring his love for her first. Even his sexy hunk of a half-brother went ga-ga for Ada's sister and didn't try to fight his feelings.

What also endeared me to this well-told story were the secondary characters all the way down to Chas's dog. They were written with charm and drawn with humor. I loved them all. Even the evil characters were interesting. I was spellbound with Ms. Metzger's writing. Each chapter ended so...well, right, tight. Witty and clever writing like this is what separates the great story tellers from the wanna-be or not quite polished writers. This story was so shiny and polished it gleamed.

I loved every aspect of this book. The story, the dialogue, and ALL the characters. This book will definitely go on my keeper shelf.

Rating:
Summary: Laugh on every page! Great Metzger!
Review: I was surprised to see a negative review for this book since I loved it. Had to add my two cents.

Everything I love in Barbara Metzger novels was even better in this book. Metzger has a whole cast of quirky side characters who are worth at least a laugh for every page. The heroine is, yes, spunky and pretty, but delightfully strong-willed in her absurdities. And she seems to know it. There's nothing more fun than feeling like you are in on the inside joke throughout the novel.

And another essential Metzger ingredient: our hero is devoted to his mutt Tally. (Barbara Metzger must be an animal lover. More stars for her.) Between rambling to Tally and his brother about his "Addled Ada" you get to know our hero Chas in all his charming, caring, and steadfast country gentlemanliness. And then you get a happy ending (actually more than one)! What more could you ask for?

Rating:
Summary: Laugh on every page! Great Metzger!
Review: I was surprised to see a negative review for this book since I loved it. Had to add my two cents.

Everything I love in Barbara Metzger novels was even better in this book. Metzger has a whole cast of quirky side characters who are worth at least a laugh for every page. The heroine is, yes, spunky and pretty, but delightfully strong-willed in her absurdities. And she seems to know it. There's nothing more fun than feeling like you are in on the inside joke throughout the novel.

And another essential Metzger ingredient: our hero is devoted to his mutt Tally. (Barbara Metzger must be an animal lover. More stars for her.) Between rambling to Tally and his brother about his "Addled Ada" you get to know our hero Chas in all his charming, caring, and steadfast country gentlemanliness. And then you get a happy ending (actually more than one)! What more could you ask for?

Rating:
Summary: not her best at all
Review: No - not another regency with the plain, spunky girl who wins the heart of the rake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Story was very slow and I too wanted to knock Ada on the head for being such a nitwit. Chas was a decent man and Ada was plain annoying in how she kept turning away his help and love and marraige offer. Someone as desperate as her would have married him if nothing else but for her family. That is how it was done back them, wasn't it??

Rating:
Summary: Money brings about problems in Regency England.
Review: When Miss Ada Westlake discovers an unusual windfall, she is determined to do something constructive with the money. Charles Ashford, Viscount Ashmead, would like to help Ada out of her tough situation, but that help comes with a price. He would like to marry Ada, but she would have nothing to do with a marriage of convenience. Barbara Metzger shows very clearly what money can do to a relationship if one is not careful. The contrasts between frivolous and practical sisters are quite amusing, and they can teach us principles and morals with which we can live today.