A Garden Folly

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: Contrary to many reviews, this is one of the best romances I've ever read. I thought the hero was fine. Imagine only ever being loved for your title and money and then see how you turn out. I thought this piece was well done. The descriptions are stunning and many passages made me laugh outright.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Hero; Not a feel-good book
Review: I have enjoyed all of Candice Hern's Regencies but was disappointed in this one. This novel revolves around a house party given by the Dowager Duchess of Carlisle to which she has invited an old schoolmate and her two nieces. Catherine and Susannah (sisters) believe this is a good chance to mingle with society and find husbands to lift them from their state of extreme poverty. The older sister Susannah, not wearing her glasses, mistakes the man pointed out as an acceptable (rich) husband with another man who of course turns out to be a respectable but poor cousin of the Duke of Carlisle. They fall in love. Catherine happens to be stumbled upon by a "gardener" who is the Duke in hiding. Since Catherine loves gardens, "Mr. Archibald," the gardener (the Duke incognito) enjoys showing them to her and they develop a rapport and eventually begin to fall in love.

I loved the premise; I loved the heroine (Catherine) and her sister. I hated the Duke!!! I disliked him for keeping his real identity a secret much too long. I disliked him further for believing Catherine was wrong in wanting to marry a gentleman with a fortune. Catherine was honest in her reasons - she had to provide for her sister Susannah and their aunt since they were left penniless by their father. Catherine even tells Stephen (the Duke) how they existed on water flavored with one onion for a week. Yet he continued to regard her as a cold hearted fortune hunter! He even tried to botch her plans for marrying his friend, Miles, the Earl of Strickland!

The Duke really wants Catherine to prove her love by choosing "the gardener" and a life of being snubbed by society, never fitting in anywhere and possible poverty (he would probably lose his job if he WAS the gardener for daring to mingle with the guests!). What a choice, huh??

Of course it ends happy but I think Catherine should have chosen the Earl of Strickland if you ask me. He seemed more sensible and solid. But catch the rest of Miles' story in "The Best Intentions" which is wonderful!

I did not have a good feeling when I finished this one --

Rating:
Summary: Not quite as bad...
Review: While not quite as bad as watching paint dry, the only thing that kept it from that (trite and true) phrase is the fact that I was exasperated enough and wincing enough to keep me awake.

The plot, let's see. Impoverished sisters visit dowager duchess' house party along w/ other young ladies and relatives (Duchess has unmarried son). Sister is the usual amiable beauty who heroine wants to marry wealthy so of course she falls in love with someone poor. Older sister (heroine) meets "gardener" in garden. They talk, spend time together. The gardener is the duke. This is where it bothered me a bit. I found it upsetting that the duke goes on fooling her (because he wants to be loved for himself- what, as a liar?) and not only that, but he tells the duchess that the heorine thinks he's a gardener. Then he sets out to basically test her. Will she marry a poor gardener (the family really needs money) or will she refuse him? Would he honestly like her better if she had no feelings at all for her family and thought only of herself and married the "gardener"? What a jerk. Of course all ends happily every after.

The writing was rather bad. But the characters were the worst. They were cardboard cutouts. They were not real people. The heroine came the closest, but I wouldn't remember what she was like a few years from now. The characters did not seem worthy of my concern and interest and neither did they get it. For pete's sake there was NOTHING to the duke. Nothing. Oops, wait a mintue. He liked flowers and was an insecure pretender. A really interesting hero.

Rating:
Summary: A Garden Delight
Review: Who could be more appealing for a hero than a man devoted to horticulture? Candice Hern has capitalized on the upper crust British penchant for gardening to create a lush setting for romance and a hero to die for.

Catherine Forsythe must find rich husbands for her older sister and herself if the pair and their Aunt Hetty are to escape crushing poverty in London. When a surprise invitation to a house party at Chissingworth Estate arrives, Catherine sees her chance. When her sister falls in love with a completely unsuitable young man, can Catherine salvage the situation by making a rich match for herself? Or will she succumb to the kisses of an equally impoverished fellow?

I especially loved the virtual tour of the gardens at Chissingworth Hern provides. Every scene serves as a portal to more beauty. Find your own garden bench and spend a few hours with this book. You won't be disappointed.