The Butler Did It (Hqn Books)

Rating:
Summary: a wonderfully entertaining frolic
Review: After 5 years of self imposed exile, Morgan Drummond, the Marquis of Westham, has decided to leave his country estate and return to London for the season so that he can find a suitably demure and even tempered wife. By now, he's sure that 1) the scandal that he had precipitated by challenging his best friend to a duel while drunk would have been forgotten, and 2) that he is able to control his easily raised short temper. But when he arrives at his London house, he discovers that his enterprising butler, Thornley, has for the past two years, been leasing rooms to those who want to partake in the season. And currently, the marquis is (unknowingly) 'hosting' a colourful group of people from a con artist out to pull his last con, to a might be murderess, to the almost penniless Clifford family that's come to London in order to net the beautiful and fiery Emma Clifford a rich husband. When Morgan discovers what's going on, he doesn't know if he should murder his butler or throw out his 'guests' first. That is until he meets Emma who tries (and fails) to blackmail him; and grandmother Clifford (Fanny), a woman with a highly colourful past who successfully blackmails him into letting them all stay on, and into squiring Emma about town. Soon Morgan finds himself at every fashionable do with Emma on his arm, only to make the startling discovery that he's more occupied with keeping an eye on the infuriating termagant instead of finding a proper wife for himself! Could Morgan (horror of horrors) be falling in love with Emma?

"The Butler Did It" definitely can be classified as a Regency-era romp, and what a fun read it was too. Kasey Michaels was one of the first authours I started off with when I discovered Regency-era romance novels -- light, funny and fast paced, her early books were a joy to me back then. And "The Butler Did It" really fits into this mold of her earlier works. I finished the book before I even knew it. Morgan and Emma were a joy to read about: their interaction was witty, humorous and fiery -- definitely a pair that was meant for each other. And I rather enjoyed Emma's mother (who tends to think in Capital Letters) and her romance with the butler, Thornley as well. However, I did think that Ms Michaels may have gone overboard with her quirky characters and funny incidents. Even though they contributed magnificently to the confusion and profusion of goings-on, I really didn't think that Cliff (Emma's idiot brother), Riley (the rascally footman), Claramae (the somewhat simpleminded housemaid with big breasts whom Riley lusts after) or Mrs. Olive Norbet (the might-be murderess) was all that essential to the story (ditto the entire subplot where grandmother Clifford, Fanny decides to join the con-artist in his con). Since I was enjoying Morgan and Emma and Daphne and Thornley, these other characters and the things they got up to were real distractions at times. However, that is just my opinion. All I'll note is that if you're looking for a funny, light read which possesses an intelligent and quick witted heroine and a plain speaking and masterful (but not stuffy) hero, and lots of hilarious goings-on, this is definitely the book for you. Also, I forgot to note: the funny introduction and the neat epilogue in themselves make for fantastic reading, and sets the tone and mood of "The Butler Did It" wonderfully.

Rating:
Summary: The Butler Did It
Review: After being away for five years, it would be reasonable to find some changes in his home, but Morgan Drummond, Marquis of Westham did not expect to find a pack of assorted strangers using his residence as a hotel, nor that he would be obligated to let them stay. Thanks to a blackmailing old lady, Morgan is saddled with the aforementioned blackmailer, her daffy daughter-in-law who is romancing his butler, an obese woman with few, if any, social graces, an erstwhile alchemist/conman, a foppish youth who keeps fighting roosters in his room, and an altogether too charming young lady in search of a husband, Miss Emma Clifford. Morgan sets himself up as Emma's guardian, ostensibly to help her find a husband and thus rid his home of all of the lot who has invaded. Then, he begins to realize, he wants that role for himself.

**** With a very British flavor, this longer regency packs a strong comedic punch. The multi faceted plot blends into a cohesive whole, with several stories going on concurrently. ****

Rating:
Summary: feels like a historical British You Can't Take It With You
Review: Five years ago, Lord Morgan Drummond lost his temper over an insult to a lady love and fought a duel of honor. Afterward, when he reflected back on his stupidity he thought he almost killed someone over nothing or he could have died as his father Mad Harry had when he was young. Feeling ashamed that he could have left his mother mourning and all alone, Morgan exiled himself from London to control his temper and make things right.

Now Morgan feels ready to return to high society so he travels to London only to finds his home has been invaded by strangers. He tries to toss these weirdoes out, but instead is blackmailed by an elderly lady to allow these squatters to remain. Morgan cannot believe he is a hotelier to lunatics who belong in Bedlam. However, the worst of the lot of maniacs is Miss Emma Clifford, seeking a husband amongst the Ton. Morgan decides that if he finds her a spouse, he rids himself of her and her pesky kooks until he realizes he loves Emma and wants to play host to her and her brood permanently.

This amusing Regency romance feels like a historical British You Can't Take It With You or the Adam's Family joins early nineteenth century aristocratic London. The story line never takes itself seriously as Morgan plays straight man to a bunch of nice nutty folks. Even the romance plays second fiddle to the top banana, Kasey Michael's humorous historical escapades.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I liked the title, I liked the blurb, I liked the premise, I like Kasey Michaels, I love historical romances, but I hated this book.

The premise was wonderful - a butler realizes his master, the Marquis of Westham, isn't going to be in London indefinitely, so why not trade on his master's name and the location of the townhouse, and let it out like a hotel for the season? The staff gets some extra money, and the guests get to say they're staying at an exclusive location, with a marquis. What a story to sink one's teeth into!

The book starts when the marquis decides he needs to find a wife and makes the trip to London, just after an assortment of eccentrics settle into his house. There're the impoverished Cliffords, including heroine Emma, her mother who Speaks in Capitals, her wastrel brother, and a sly grandmother; there's a newly-rich seamstress, out to enjoy her money, and a conman itching to dupe Londoners.

That's seven main characters, just way too many for an enjoyable romance, and that's without counting the marquis' valet, the butler and the rest of his staff, the marquis' friends, the suitors for Emma, as well as the people everyone meets in the course of the season - all of whom seem to have their own completely independent subplots.

First off, the story would have worked better if Ms Michaels had included fewer major characters, or concentrated more on the plot of boy-meets-girl, relegating the other characters to much more minor roles. It might also have worked better if there was more synergy across characters.

With almost everyone in a major role, there seemed to be extraneous dialog and unnecessary introspection, and a lot of jarring shifts between plots, which had me skipping pages from the 2nd third of the book. Worse, the choice of words didn't seem to set the proper mood. Typical is "Morgan felt about as welcome in his own house as a rat catcher showing up with his sack at the front door.."

I found it impossible to finish the book, even skipping pages just to read what happened to Morgan and Emma. The problem was that the plot was completely unbelievable. You have grandmother Clifford who is completely amoral. The hero's staff seem utterly uninterested in doing a good job, and Morgan just sighs and lives with it.

There are successful historicals with the craziest premises, but they have fewer characters and better writing. Ms Michaels might be able to get away with making this a screenplay for a TV movie, but it didn't work as a book.

This is the second recent Kasey Michaels which I've not liked, the other being one of the Maggie books. Her older historicals are nice reading, but "Butler" just didn't cut it for me.

Rating:
Summary: Seriously quirky
Review: I read this one at the right time; I needed something very different so that it did not compare unfavorably with the wonderful book I just finished solely because it came next.

The voice and tone of this one was definitely different, unique (to me). It had funny moments; much of it was farce. The romantic leads are strong and well-suited to each other, there's a host of quirky individuals serving as secondary characters (Perry, whose book is next, was my favorite).

On the down side, there were too many secondary characters and too many subplots; these took away from the main romance. In some ways the book sort of made fun of the genre, or at least of the historical period. Michaels kept the unusual voice & tone throughout the piece and managed to keep all the people and shenanigans separate, individually interesting to varying degrees, and neatly wrapped them up. However, it's not my favorite way to approach a romance, and I found it sometimes slow and frustrating because there was too much going on, much of it very silly indeed. I like my romances with more emotional power.

So it was a good read, especially of you're looking for something different, but it's not on my favorites list.

Rating:
Summary: Premise is charming, but . . .
Review: It took me a good five chapters to decide if I was utterly charmed by the writing, or completely put off. Sadly I had to settle for the latter. If only the prologue had been written in the omniscient voice, the book might have been entirely entertaining, and a real winner. Unfortunately, Ms. Michaels wrote the entire book in that slightly saccharine voice, which tells you far too much about what the secondary charters are thinking, and doesn't allow you get any where near close enough to the hero and heroine. The eccentricities of the large cast of characters were interesting (and got me through the book), but the voice grated (more and more the further I got into the book). If you don't find random omniscient intrusions bothersome, then I highly recommend this book (it's funny), but if you prefer deep POV, where you really get to get inside the hero and heroine, skip this one.

Rating:
Summary: Laugh out loud read
Review: Kasey Michaels has a delightful sense of humor, whether 'Regency' or contemporary. In this absurd romance, we not only have the handsome hero and beautiful heroine, but her randy, blackmailing grandmother, dotty mother, stupid brother, a con artist, a murderous seamstress, a buxom maid, assorted lords and ladies as well as the downstairs staff, and, of course, the very correct butler who, albeit unwittingly, set the whole amusing chain of events in motion. There are several story lines in addition to the main event. I laughed out loud several times, and could hardly put the book down. The only reason this isn't a 5 is because there isn't much emotional depth - even the hero's angst over almost killing his best friend is handled lightly.

Rating:
Summary: Highly Amusing!
Review: This novel is more of a farce than a romance, but in any event, it is very entertaining. The secondary characters, some of whom are engaged in nefarious schemes, are just as interesting as the primary ones, and Michaels very cleverly weaves the many threads of her tale to a satisfying conclusion.

Well done!