Blessing in Disguise (Signet Regency Romance)

Rating:
Summary: another chaste regency bride
Review: First, I think this author has considerable promise. This is not a bad book for a start, although not as good as some other firsts in Regency romances that I have read. I do *not* think that Jenna Mindel is going to be a Balogh, Kelly or even a Diane Farr. But I do believe that she has promise if she can work through a number of flaws, mostly in her writing but also in checking on facts.

First of all, the writing. Good writing helps even a faulty plot move along. A writer whose pen flows gracefully wins over readers who might not stop to wonder why a particular over-used plot device was chosen or why so-and-so behaved so unreasonably. Jenna Mindel, unfortunately, gave me plenty of time to think about all the things I detested in her plot, in her hero and her heroine, and in her facts.

Secondly, the facts. There are some twists and surprises, yes. But these stem mostly from a failure of the hero to find out more about the heroine (whom he intends to marry), and from an apparent lack of society gossip. There are no big secrets, apart from Winifred's ill-fated romance some years back. The facts are that the sisters Melanie and Winifred Preston are the daughter of a very rich man, son of a cotton-mill owner, who invested shrewdly in a key invention in cotton manufacture. With this greater fortune, he was able to marry the woman he wanted, the daughter of a duke. [The fact that the sisters' mother and aunts are daughters of a duke is not particularly clear for the first half of the book. You would think that more would be made of it, given their "appalling" paternal connections]. Unfortunately, not only is the father's background obscured (with dark references to "a smudge of trade") but the father never appears except when he suddenly and conveniently pops up in time to see his younger daughter (the heroine) being compromised. You would think that the hero and the heroine's father would meet earlier, wouldn't you, not to mention the fact that the father would know more about such an ardent suitor (and obvious fortune-hunter)?

And then there is the problematic hero and heroine. The hero likes to gamble, thinking that there is nothing else to do in life. Yet, he is unwilling to pay the price for his gambling, thinking instead that a rich wife will tow him out of difficulty (not to mention save his beloved estate). Since the estate did not appear very much in his memories or in the book, prior to the honeymoon, it was difficult to see whether the hero was really fond of the estate, or whether he wished to preserve it out of respect for his mother's memory, or (like a certain Heyer hero) he wanted to keep the estate merely to preserve his social status as a landowner. In the beginning, the hero Peter Blessing has his mistress (sorry, his ex-mistress) introduce him around to eligible young ladies. Rather amazing, wouldn't you think - not a tactic calculated to appeal to any sensible young lady (or their more knowledgeable chaperones and families)?

And then there is Winifred. A pill, if ever there was one. Inclined to think well of herself, speaking without thinking, and playing tricks (even on the hero who might have deserved them, but still..). A veritable hoyden who speaks loudly, yells out. And what kind of dowry do you think would overcome such disabilities of breeding and manners? We are never told - in an era where dowries were well-known, as was the fortune of gentlemen, where marriages were mainly economic and social transactions. Winifred, in fact, behaves more like a stereotypical newly-rich Cit heiress, vulgar and spoiled, than a lady of breeding. [I should add that most Cit heiresses were in fact educated in seminaries, in surroundings similar to young noblewomen]. Even towards the end, she acts without thinking.

I liked the hero's brother (a widower of long-standing) and his betrothed (the heroine's sister) far better. Yet this book focuses more on a true match if ever there was one - the hero, who acts spoiled and immature (and calculating), and the heroine who is essentially the same (without the calculation). Perhaps they are well-matched, but they certainly were not romantic to me. In my view, there is a difference in reading about a spoiled and immature hero who matures through the book (and who does *not* discuss his married life with his wife with an ex-mistress, nor stakes his future on a game of cards) and reading about a hero such as Peter. And Winifred changes so little through the book, that reading about her comments, her conversation and her antics is not particularly impressive.

I suppose that it is to Ms Mindel's credit that she makes the primary romance that between two "difficult" characters, rather than the easier romance between the far more likeable and mature John and Melanie. But I think that less conversation for the sake of dialogue, and more description of how the protagonists actually changed over their relationship (and learned to trust each other, and share crucial information) would have helped this book. Not to mention better research and fact-checking on titles (a baronet would be Sir John Blessing, not Lord John Blessing nor Lord Blessing; the daughter of an earl, unless illegitimate, would be "Lady" not "Miss"). Beautiful cover, interesting premise, but the book falls flat.

Rated 1.9 (mostly for the premise of a fortune-hunting gambler trying to win a know-it-all heiress, the effort to create a likeable romance between two unlikeable and immature people, and the beautiful cover).

Rating:
Summary: Zinged for terrible writing and smart-alecky heroine
Review: First, I think this author has considerable promise. This is not a bad book for a start, although not as good as some other firsts in Regency romances that I have read. I do *not* think that Jenna Mindel is going to be a Balogh, Kelly or even a Diane Farr. But I do believe that she has promise if she can work through a number of flaws, mostly in her writing but also in checking on facts.

First of all, the writing. Good writing helps even a faulty plot move along. A writer whose pen flows gracefully wins over readers who might not stop to wonder why a particular over-used plot device was chosen or why so-and-so behaved so unreasonably. Jenna Mindel, unfortunately, gave me plenty of time to think about all the things I detested in her plot, in her hero and her heroine, and in her facts.

Secondly, the facts. There are some twists and surprises, yes. But these stem mostly from a failure of the hero to find out more about the heroine (whom he intends to marry), and from an apparent lack of society gossip. There are no big secrets, apart from Winifred's ill-fated romance some years back. The facts are that the sisters Melanie and Winifred Preston are the daughter of a very rich man, son of a cotton-mill owner, who invested shrewdly in a key invention in cotton manufacture. With this greater fortune, he was able to marry the woman he wanted, the daughter of a duke. [The fact that the sisters' mother and aunts are daughters of a duke is not particularly clear for the first half of the book. You would think that more would be made of it, given their "appalling" paternal connections]. Unfortunately, not only is the father's background obscured (with dark references to "a smudge of trade") but the father never appears except when he suddenly and conveniently pops up in time to see his younger daughter (the heroine) being compromised. You would think that the hero and the heroine's father would meet earlier, wouldn't you, not to mention the fact that the father would know more about such an ardent suitor (and obvious fortune-hunter)?

And then there is the problematic hero and heroine. The hero likes to gamble, thinking that there is nothing else to do in life. Yet, he is unwilling to pay the price for his gambling, thinking instead that a rich wife will tow him out of difficulty (not to mention save his beloved estate). Since the estate did not appear very much in his memories or in the book, prior to the honeymoon, it was difficult to see whether the hero was really fond of the estate, or whether he wished to preserve it out of respect for his mother's memory, or (like a certain Heyer hero) he wanted to keep the estate merely to preserve his social status as a landowner. In the beginning, the hero Peter Blessing has his mistress (sorry, his ex-mistress) introduce him around to eligible young ladies. Rather amazing, wouldn't you think - not a tactic calculated to appeal to any sensible young lady (or their more knowledgeable chaperones and families)?

And then there is Winifred. A pill, if ever there was one. Inclined to think well of herself, speaking without thinking, and playing tricks (even on the hero who might have deserved them, but still..). A veritable hoyden who speaks loudly, yells out. And what kind of dowry do you think would overcome such disabilities of breeding and manners? We are never told - in an era where dowries were well-known, as was the fortune of gentlemen, where marriages were mainly economic and social transactions. Winifred, in fact, behaves more like a stereotypical newly-rich Cit heiress, vulgar and spoiled, than a lady of breeding. [I should add that most Cit heiresses were in fact educated in seminaries, in surroundings similar to young noblewomen]. Even towards the end, she acts without thinking.

I liked the hero's brother (a widower of long-standing) and his betrothed (the heroine's sister) far better. Yet this book focuses more on a true match if ever there was one - the hero, who acts spoiled and immature (and calculating), and the heroine who is essentially the same (without the calculation). Perhaps they are well-matched, but they certainly were not romantic to me. In my view, there is a difference in reading about a spoiled and immature hero who matures through the book (and who does *not* discuss his married life with his wife with an ex-mistress, nor stakes his future on a game of cards) and reading about a hero such as Peter. And Winifred changes so little through the book, that reading about her comments, her conversation and her antics is not particularly impressive.

I suppose that it is to Ms Mindel's credit that she makes the primary romance that between two "difficult" characters, rather than the easier romance between the far more likeable and mature John and Melanie. But I think that less conversation for the sake of dialogue, and more description of how the protagonists actually changed over their relationship (and learned to trust each other, and share crucial information) would have helped this book. Not to mention better research and fact-checking on titles (a baronet would be Sir John Blessing, not Lord John Blessing nor Lord Blessing; the daughter of an earl, unless illegitimate, would be "Lady" not "Miss"). Beautiful cover, interesting premise, but the book falls flat.

Rated 1.9 (mostly for the premise of a fortune-hunting gambler trying to win a know-it-all heiress, the effort to create a likeable romance between two unlikeable and immature people, and the beautiful cover).

Rating:
Summary: DELIGHTFUL!!
Review: I loved this book! I understand that BLESSING IN DISGUISE is this author's first book, and I can't wait for another. I love the characters and the author's voice. This is a gem of a story in the traditional Regency style. Jenna Mindel is an author to watch!

Rating:
Summary: Engaging warm Regency romance
Review: In 1813 London, Peter Blessing gambles more than he can afford to lose knowing his older brother John will bail him out if he loses as he has done so many times before. However, John is not only fed up with Peter's cavalier attitude, he fears his sibling's hedonistic habits are destroying him. Adopting tough love, he refuses to pay off Peter's debt. Peter decides what is common practice for his era and find a wealthy heiress to marry within three months or else.

At a soiree, the infamous rake's mistress introduces him to the two Preston sisters, the older kind Melanie and the younger way too tall termagant Winifred. Peter decides to woo Winnie because of her large dowry, but she is aware that he is a fortune hunter in desperate need of funding. Meanwhile Melanie begins to fall in love with John, a widower with demons to bury. Will Peter and Melanie obtain their goals?

BLESSING IN DISGUISE is a warm relationship Regency romance that stays within sub-genre guidelines, but provides a fun to read tale. The story line engages the audience as the two sets of siblings have interesting yet somewhat strained relationships that are tested further when the quartet meet. Though Winnie is a bit too much of a know it all, the audience will still enjoy her ability to rip the decadent Peter to shreds. Melanie and John play secondary roles, but their rapport provides an interesting counterpoint to the tumultuous scenario between Peter and Winnie. Jenna Mindel debuts with a warm novel that will provide much pleasure to sub-genre readers.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: DELIGHTFUL!!
Review: Peter Blessing liked to try his luck at the gaming tables, but when that luck ran out, he had to resort to desperate measures. After amassing a debt of ten thousand pounds, he had decided to search for a wealthy woman to marry. Winifred Preston, together with her sister Melanie, were to celebrate another Season. Both sisters found themselves catching the interests of the Blessing brothers, Peter and John. Though Melanie hoped for a husband, Winifred wanted nothing to do with the prospect of marriage. Jenna Mindel's fine story is actually two different love stories. When brothers meet sisters, all sorts of things can happen. This book proves those happenings can be very amusing and witty. Perhaps the blessing need not be disguised.

Rating:
Summary: another chaste regency bride
Review: Why is it that out of every 10 regencies written, 7 have brides who do not sleep with their husbands! It is so silly. And, frankly, boring. I don't read regencies for sex ala Susan Johnson's erotic stories, but it is silly to pretend that sex is not a component of marriage. Too victorian for me. At least allude to it. Out of the two romances in the book, the romance between John and Melanie is better. Peter and Win never really mature or jell as a couple. Peter, for all his looks (again, that other tried and true regency ploy - a too good-looking hero who can only redeem himself by loving a homely girl) is really dumb. He think the only thing he can do to earn a living is gambling? Many second sons went into the military or gov't work. He even has his own estate he could have worked with. His brother would probably have happily helped him with that instead of giving him 1000's of pounds to pay off gambling debts. Win is a bore - too ill-mannered you would think she was a Cit.