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Keeping Up with the Cavendishes #2
Chasing Lady Amelia
In the second novel of Maya Rodale’s enchanting Keeping Up with the Cavendishes series, an American heiress finds her reputation—and heart—in danger when she travels to London and meets a wickedly tempting rake
Terribly Improper
Lady Amelia is fed up with being a proper lady and wishes to explore London, so one night she escapes…and finds herself in the company of one Alistair Finlay-Jones. He’s been ordered by his uncle to wed one of the American girls. How lucky then, that one of them stumbles right into his arms!
Totally Scandalous
Alistair and Amelia have one perfect day to explore London, from Astley’s Amphitheater to Vauxhall Gardens. Inevitably they end up falling in love and making love. If anyone finds out, she will be ruined, but he will win everything he’s ever wanted.
Very Romantic
When Amelia finds out Alistair has been ordered to marry her, he must woo her and win back the angry American girl. But with the threat of scandals, plural, looming…will he ever catch up to the woman he loves?
Terribly Improper
Lady Amelia is fed up with being a proper lady and wishes to explore London, so one night she escapes…and finds herself in the company of one Alistair Finlay-Jones. He’s been ordered by his uncle to wed one of the American girls. How lucky then, that one of them stumbles right into his arms!
Totally Scandalous
Alistair and Amelia have one perfect day to explore London, from Astley’s Amphitheater to Vauxhall Gardens. Inevitably they end up falling in love and making love. If anyone finds out, she will be ruined, but he will win everything he’s ever wanted.
Very Romantic
When Amelia finds out Alistair has been ordered to marry her, he must woo her and win back the angry American girl. But with the threat of scandals, plural, looming…will he ever catch up to the woman he loves?
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2016
About the author
Maya Rodale
45 books1,616 followersMaya Rodale is the best-selling and award-winning author of funny, feminist fiction including historical romance, YA and historical fiction. A champion of the romance genre and its readers, she is also the author of Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels, Explained. Maya reviews romance for NPR and has appeared in Bustle, Glamour, Shondaland, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post and PBS. She began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence and has never been allowed to forget it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
June 26, 2016
This was quite possibly-nay, definitely, absolutely-the worst scrape she'd ever found herself in, and Amelia wasn't a stranger to terrible predicaments.
In which I am pleasantly surprised.
I had to control myself there I wanted to add an exclamation mark so badly! Chasing Lady Amelia, is the second book in the Keeping Up With the Cavendishes series by Maya Rodale. I really should have read Bridget's book first because I feel like it would have made my reading experience even better but with tight schedules and all, a bookworm has to make do. Subsequently I found that I didn't feel lost at all while reading this gem of a book.
In which I am overcome by fits of giggles.
A country Jon in a village of late.
Courted a young Dorothy, Bridget and Kate.
He went up to London to pick a lass.
To show what a wriggle he had in his as...
The song that started it all.
This book was filled with in your face humor and all round cuteness. Our heroine, Amelia Cavendish is probably the more adventurous and unruly out of the 3 Cavendish sisters. Every effort the Duchess has made to mold her into a lady fit for English Society has failed. I loved Amelia with her modern outlook at life and her thirst for independence and freedom... see what I did there? She's American and from the "colonies". Now some may cry insta-love but somehow this book worked for me. Amelia and Alistair meet one night and spend an entire day together. They form an immediate connection, and while reading this book I found that I would forget that their interaction was all taking place in one day. Very well done.
Not that I'm an angst addict or anything but I do love it when the author doesn't make it easy for the characters to be together. I love self torture and our hero Alistair did not disappoint, while on the outside he shows the calm exterior of an English gentleman, inside he tries to deal with feelings of unworthiness, pain and guilt because of his dark past.
It was because of that moment when he'd opened the door to his flat and found her there waiting. It was because of the way his heart beat faster with the appearance of her dimple when she smiled, because of the sparks of delight when she laughed, and the feeling of connection when her fingers were intertwined with his.
It might be something like love.
In which I will be reading the rest of this series.
I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book, I loved the humor and Lady Amelia and Alistair's whirlwind relationship was the best part. Yes there were some terribly modern instances or phrases that might not have been authentic to the period but I found that I enjoyed the book even more because of them. On another note I read the exclusive sneak peak to the next book and YES PLEASE!
ARC kindly provided by publisher via Edelweiss in return for an honest review
May 17, 2016
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Chasing Lady Amelia by Maya Rodale
Book Two of the Keeping Up with the Cavendishes series
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
Terribly Improper
Lady Amelia is fed up with being a proper lady and wishes to explore London, so one night she escapes…and finds herself in the company of one Alistair Finlay-Jones. He’s been ordered by his uncle to wed one of the American girls. How lucky then, that one of them stumbles right into his arms!
Totally Scandalous
Alistair and Amelia have one perfect day to explore London, from Astley’s Amphitheater to Vauxhall Gardens. Inevitably they end up falling in love and making love. If anyone finds out, she will be ruined, but he will win everything he’s ever wanted.
Very Romantic
When Amelia finds out Alistair has been ordered to marry her, he must woo her and win back the angry American girl. But with the threat of scandals, plural, looming…will he ever catch up to the woman he loves?
What I Liked:
My true rating is 3.5 stars. I liked this one enough to want to round up to 4 stars, but it wasn't quite a 4-star read. I LOVED Lady Bridget's Diary (it got a rare 5 stars from me), but I didn't love this second book quite as much. You can read these books in the series as standalone novels, so if I had to skip one in the series (so far), it might be this one. Still, it was good!
This story is told concurrently with Lady Bridget's Diary - meaning, we start this story with the same ball in which Amelia takes her shoes off (if you read book one, you know the scene). Basically, this story does NOT follow after the end of book one. Rather, it is told simultaneously! Which makes a lot of sense, if you have read book one and was wondering what Amelia had gotten up to, for those couple of days when she disappeared. Well, this book goes into those few days, in detail.
Amelia doesn't want to fit in to London's polite society. She loves horses and horse-riding, not stuffy balls and flouncy dresses. After a disastrous night at a ball, her family spikes her water with laudanum so that she'll calm down. Except that the laudanum has addled her brain, and she goes out in the middle of the night like a drunk. And runs into Alistair Finlay-Jones. Alistair isn't going to leave a helpless (and possibly drunk) noblewoman outside in the middle of the night, so he takes her to his residence. The next morning, he sees the paper (with Amelia's shoe scandal at the ball that previous night), and realizes that the woman is Lady Amelia. And thus begins the pair's adventures together. But all good things must come to an end - right? Amelia can't go gallivanting around London unchaperoned forever, and Alistair was called back to London for a reason: marry an heiress.
Book one took place over weeks. But the majority of this book took place over two days. These two days were the ones in which Amelia disappeared (causing another Cavendish scandal, if you recall in book one). When Amelia wakes up in Alistair's house, he gives her money and sends her on her way... but Amelia has no plans of going back home, not yet. She and Alistair go to the market, the theater, back to his house... anywhere but Durham House.
So the time period was short, which was weird at first. Amelia and Alistair have this instant connection that begins as friendly camaraderie and whatnot, but develops into hardcore lust, all in one day. They know each other for two days, but it would seem that they fell for each other, in lust and in love. But as improbably as this sounds, Rodale definitely sells the romance. You can feel how much these two want to stay together.
Amelia is so wild and uncouth, totally not fit for polite society, in my opinion. She is the youngest Cavendish sibling, and she tries the least. For the most part, I like her. She has relapses and judgment every now and then, but I like her sense of adventure.
Alistair has been touring the world for six years, and he's been called back by his uncle, who wants him to marry an heiress. Alistair isn't a fortune hunter, but his uncle is, and because Alistair is his uncle's heir, Alistair will do as his uncle bids. Tragedy struck the family years ago, and Alistair and his uncle do not get along anymore. I feel for Alistair! He feels like he is not good enough to be in society, for several reasons. He is quite a nice gentleman, and very sweet and patient. I like him! So different from Lord Darcy (from book one) - sweeter and less uptight. I do prefer Darcy (sorry, Alistair!), but I like Alistair a lot.
Their romance was fast, and not slowly progressing like I'm used to experience in historical romance. But the chemistry was there, as was the development of feelings and such. There was a little angst associated with their relationship - both hid things from each other. But I liked how things worked out!
The ending surprised me a little, but somehow, subconsciously, I totally saw it coming. A great HEA for sure! Just a bit surprising. I think it works for Amelia and Alistair very well! I think this book was a good addition to the series, and I am definitely interested in reading Claire's book next.
What I Did Not Like:
I thought the fact MOST of this book takes place over two days was a little two fast for me. Meaning, Alistair and Amelia get to know each other and feelings of love and lust develop in those two days. Rodale spends a ton of page-time fleshing out these two days, so that the two days takes like, 50% of the book. But logically, it felt too short.
And then the proposal and the scandal and the surprise - it just seemed very fast to me. This book took place over a shorter time than book one for the most part; the last, hmmm, one fourth of this book takes place over a few weeks. But the majority of Alistair and Amelia's interactions come from two days of interactions.
More steamy scenes, please! At this point, after reading many Rodale books, I've come to expect less steamy scenes than usual. But that doesn't stop me from wanting more.
Would I Recommend It:
So if you liked book one in this series, this book is worth the read. At the same time, book one was a lot better and more enjoyable. You could skip this one (and in general). It's not entirely necessary to read in the series. While it clears up a lot about what Amelia had been doing over the days she disappeared, and we learn all about Alistair's tragic past, I wouldn't necessarily fall over myself trying to read or recommend this book two someone.
Rating:
3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I think this series is hilarious! Rodale has such a distinctive and creative writing style, in the series. I much preferred Lady Bridget's Diary, but this book was satisfying in the series. I can't wait to read Claire's book next!
Chasing Lady Amelia by Maya Rodale
Book Two of the Keeping Up with the Cavendishes series
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
Terribly Improper
Lady Amelia is fed up with being a proper lady and wishes to explore London, so one night she escapes…and finds herself in the company of one Alistair Finlay-Jones. He’s been ordered by his uncle to wed one of the American girls. How lucky then, that one of them stumbles right into his arms!
Totally Scandalous
Alistair and Amelia have one perfect day to explore London, from Astley’s Amphitheater to Vauxhall Gardens. Inevitably they end up falling in love and making love. If anyone finds out, she will be ruined, but he will win everything he’s ever wanted.
Very Romantic
When Amelia finds out Alistair has been ordered to marry her, he must woo her and win back the angry American girl. But with the threat of scandals, plural, looming…will he ever catch up to the woman he loves?
What I Liked:
My true rating is 3.5 stars. I liked this one enough to want to round up to 4 stars, but it wasn't quite a 4-star read. I LOVED Lady Bridget's Diary (it got a rare 5 stars from me), but I didn't love this second book quite as much. You can read these books in the series as standalone novels, so if I had to skip one in the series (so far), it might be this one. Still, it was good!
This story is told concurrently with Lady Bridget's Diary - meaning, we start this story with the same ball in which Amelia takes her shoes off (if you read book one, you know the scene). Basically, this story does NOT follow after the end of book one. Rather, it is told simultaneously! Which makes a lot of sense, if you have read book one and was wondering what Amelia had gotten up to, for those couple of days when she disappeared. Well, this book goes into those few days, in detail.
Amelia doesn't want to fit in to London's polite society. She loves horses and horse-riding, not stuffy balls and flouncy dresses. After a disastrous night at a ball, her family spikes her water with laudanum so that she'll calm down. Except that the laudanum has addled her brain, and she goes out in the middle of the night like a drunk. And runs into Alistair Finlay-Jones. Alistair isn't going to leave a helpless (and possibly drunk) noblewoman outside in the middle of the night, so he takes her to his residence. The next morning, he sees the paper (with Amelia's shoe scandal at the ball that previous night), and realizes that the woman is Lady Amelia. And thus begins the pair's adventures together. But all good things must come to an end - right? Amelia can't go gallivanting around London unchaperoned forever, and Alistair was called back to London for a reason: marry an heiress.
Book one took place over weeks. But the majority of this book took place over two days. These two days were the ones in which Amelia disappeared (causing another Cavendish scandal, if you recall in book one). When Amelia wakes up in Alistair's house, he gives her money and sends her on her way... but Amelia has no plans of going back home, not yet. She and Alistair go to the market, the theater, back to his house... anywhere but Durham House.
So the time period was short, which was weird at first. Amelia and Alistair have this instant connection that begins as friendly camaraderie and whatnot, but develops into hardcore lust, all in one day. They know each other for two days, but it would seem that they fell for each other, in lust and in love. But as improbably as this sounds, Rodale definitely sells the romance. You can feel how much these two want to stay together.
Amelia is so wild and uncouth, totally not fit for polite society, in my opinion. She is the youngest Cavendish sibling, and she tries the least. For the most part, I like her. She has relapses and judgment every now and then, but I like her sense of adventure.
Alistair has been touring the world for six years, and he's been called back by his uncle, who wants him to marry an heiress. Alistair isn't a fortune hunter, but his uncle is, and because Alistair is his uncle's heir, Alistair will do as his uncle bids. Tragedy struck the family years ago, and Alistair and his uncle do not get along anymore. I feel for Alistair! He feels like he is not good enough to be in society, for several reasons. He is quite a nice gentleman, and very sweet and patient. I like him! So different from Lord Darcy (from book one) - sweeter and less uptight. I do prefer Darcy (sorry, Alistair!), but I like Alistair a lot.
Their romance was fast, and not slowly progressing like I'm used to experience in historical romance. But the chemistry was there, as was the development of feelings and such. There was a little angst associated with their relationship - both hid things from each other. But I liked how things worked out!
The ending surprised me a little, but somehow, subconsciously, I totally saw it coming. A great HEA for sure! Just a bit surprising. I think it works for Amelia and Alistair very well! I think this book was a good addition to the series, and I am definitely interested in reading Claire's book next.
What I Did Not Like:
I thought the fact MOST of this book takes place over two days was a little two fast for me. Meaning, Alistair and Amelia get to know each other and feelings of love and lust develop in those two days. Rodale spends a ton of page-time fleshing out these two days, so that the two days takes like, 50% of the book. But logically, it felt too short.
And then the proposal and the scandal and the surprise - it just seemed very fast to me. This book took place over a shorter time than book one for the most part; the last, hmmm, one fourth of this book takes place over a few weeks. But the majority of Alistair and Amelia's interactions come from two days of interactions.
More steamy scenes, please! At this point, after reading many Rodale books, I've come to expect less steamy scenes than usual. But that doesn't stop me from wanting more.
Would I Recommend It:
So if you liked book one in this series, this book is worth the read. At the same time, book one was a lot better and more enjoyable. You could skip this one (and in general). It's not entirely necessary to read in the series. While it clears up a lot about what Amelia had been doing over the days she disappeared, and we learn all about Alistair's tragic past, I wouldn't necessarily fall over myself trying to read or recommend this book two someone.
Rating:
3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I think this series is hilarious! Rodale has such a distinctive and creative writing style, in the series. I much preferred Lady Bridget's Diary, but this book was satisfying in the series. I can't wait to read Claire's book next!
February 13, 2018
What we have here, my friends, is another crazy Regency romance by the very talented Maya Rodale. I read the first book in this series, Lady Bridget's Diary, which introduced me to the shockingly unconventional American Cavendish siblings- 3 sisters and 1 brother- who unexpectedly find themselves part of British nobility and must take their place among the Bon Ton.
I freely admit that I'm hooked. Each book follows one Cavendish in particular during the same period of time, so even though each is stand-alone, there is some overlap with hints dropped about what the other siblings are up to. Historical purists will point out numerous inaccuracies, which are surely present, and dialogue sometimes sounds a little too modern, but these books are obviously intended as tongue-in-cheek entertainment and, goshdarnit, they're just plain fun to read!
This volume tells the youngest sister's story, which is heavily influenced by the classic 1950s film Roman Holiday. (It stars Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, and if you've never watched it, you're missing a gem.) After having grown up on a horse farm in Maryland, Amelia chafes at all the limitations imposed by the Duchess (her Aunt Josephine Cavendish) and the stuffy London society she and her siblings now inhabit. At age 19, Amelia is an impulsive, rebellious, stubborn ball of fire who doesn't understand why her brother and sisters are bothering to try to fit in among these snooty Brits with all their stupid rules of etiquette. Having caused a scene and created a minor scandal at a ball by removing her excruciatingly painful shoes and later pretending to faint, exposing her bare feet and ankles (*gasp*), she pitches a fit when she feels her own family's disapproval. Her aunt's response is to have a servant bring Amelia something to drink that is spiked with laudanum, hoping this will calm her, eventually make her fall asleep, and perhaps be more reasonable in the morning.
It might have worked, too, but before she conks out she finds herself drawn outside when she hears a gentleman walking by singing. She's not thinking clearly and appears drunk to Alistair Finlay-Jones, the aforementioned singer, who's just a little tipsy himself. He's not able to make much sense out of what Amelia tells him before she passes out, and he has no idea of her name or where she lives. He has only recently returned to England after many years away and has no place appropriate to bring her, but they're not far from his flat so he takes her there to sleep it off.
By the time she awakens the next day, Alistair has figured out who she is on his own and has received orders from his uncle (to whom he feels he owes a great debt) to marry one of the Cavendish girls. Now he has the perfect opportunity to distinguish himself from every other fortune hunter lining up for her generous dowry. Meanwhile, Amelia wants to take full advantage of her escape from her ivory tower, and Alistair first watches over her and then "bumps" into her, pretending to believe the fictitious name and story she gives him and accommodating her wishes to see the town.
I love these characters, who are endearingly flawed. Amelia is spirited, funny, fearless, irreverent, and enthusiastic about living life to the fullest. She's also naive, selfish and a bit of a spoiled brat. Alistair is more complex, because he's dealing with several issues. One has to do with his parentage and his upbringing, and the other is a tragedy he feels responsible for, which is the reason he's been away from England for so long. He feels like a misfit now rather than a gentleman. Amelia reminds him of the way he used to be before he learned how serious the consequences of impulsive actions can be. He's also feeling guilty about manipulating her to fall in love with him.
The reader spends a wonderful day with these two characters as they share simple London tourist experiences while eluding the bobbies and Row Street runners looking for the missing Lady Amelia. Not surprisingly, Alistair and Amelia are in love before they are discovered and she returns home. The romantic scenes are very touching and sweet.
Naturally, her day out creates many repercussions. The story progresses with a few more twists (some more predictable than others) before bringing the couple together for good at the end. The HEA includes credible changes in the attitudes of both the main characters. Be warned that contents include premarital sex, which is a significant factor in driving the story.
The scenes where the Cavendishes interact always grab me, because they sound like a real family. James, Claire, Bridget and Amelia each has a distinct personality, and their teasing, banter and baiting one another come across as very natural, as does their affection for each other. Their formidable Aunt Josephine shows more warmth here than in the previous book.
The last two books in this series are yet to be published. The next one features Claire, the eldest sister. Based on the excerpt included here, it looks like it will be loosely based on Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. I can't wait!
I freely admit that I'm hooked. Each book follows one Cavendish in particular during the same period of time, so even though each is stand-alone, there is some overlap with hints dropped about what the other siblings are up to. Historical purists will point out numerous inaccuracies, which are surely present, and dialogue sometimes sounds a little too modern, but these books are obviously intended as tongue-in-cheek entertainment and, goshdarnit, they're just plain fun to read!
This volume tells the youngest sister's story, which is heavily influenced by the classic 1950s film Roman Holiday. (It stars Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, and if you've never watched it, you're missing a gem.) After having grown up on a horse farm in Maryland, Amelia chafes at all the limitations imposed by the Duchess (her Aunt Josephine Cavendish) and the stuffy London society she and her siblings now inhabit. At age 19, Amelia is an impulsive, rebellious, stubborn ball of fire who doesn't understand why her brother and sisters are bothering to try to fit in among these snooty Brits with all their stupid rules of etiquette. Having caused a scene and created a minor scandal at a ball by removing her excruciatingly painful shoes and later pretending to faint, exposing her bare feet and ankles (*gasp*), she pitches a fit when she feels her own family's disapproval. Her aunt's response is to have a servant bring Amelia something to drink that is spiked with laudanum, hoping this will calm her, eventually make her fall asleep, and perhaps be more reasonable in the morning.
It might have worked, too, but before she conks out she finds herself drawn outside when she hears a gentleman walking by singing. She's not thinking clearly and appears drunk to Alistair Finlay-Jones, the aforementioned singer, who's just a little tipsy himself. He's not able to make much sense out of what Amelia tells him before she passes out, and he has no idea of her name or where she lives. He has only recently returned to England after many years away and has no place appropriate to bring her, but they're not far from his flat so he takes her there to sleep it off.
By the time she awakens the next day, Alistair has figured out who she is on his own and has received orders from his uncle (to whom he feels he owes a great debt) to marry one of the Cavendish girls. Now he has the perfect opportunity to distinguish himself from every other fortune hunter lining up for her generous dowry. Meanwhile, Amelia wants to take full advantage of her escape from her ivory tower, and Alistair first watches over her and then "bumps" into her, pretending to believe the fictitious name and story she gives him and accommodating her wishes to see the town.
I love these characters, who are endearingly flawed. Amelia is spirited, funny, fearless, irreverent, and enthusiastic about living life to the fullest. She's also naive, selfish and a bit of a spoiled brat. Alistair is more complex, because he's dealing with several issues. One has to do with his parentage and his upbringing, and the other is a tragedy he feels responsible for, which is the reason he's been away from England for so long. He feels like a misfit now rather than a gentleman. Amelia reminds him of the way he used to be before he learned how serious the consequences of impulsive actions can be. He's also feeling guilty about manipulating her to fall in love with him.
The reader spends a wonderful day with these two characters as they share simple London tourist experiences while eluding the bobbies and Row Street runners looking for the missing Lady Amelia. Not surprisingly, Alistair and Amelia are in love before they are discovered and she returns home. The romantic scenes are very touching and sweet.
Naturally, her day out creates many repercussions. The story progresses with a few more twists (some more predictable than others) before bringing the couple together for good at the end. The HEA includes credible changes in the attitudes of both the main characters. Be warned that contents include premarital sex, which is a significant factor in driving the story.
The scenes where the Cavendishes interact always grab me, because they sound like a real family. James, Claire, Bridget and Amelia each has a distinct personality, and their teasing, banter and baiting one another come across as very natural, as does their affection for each other. Their formidable Aunt Josephine shows more warmth here than in the previous book.
The last two books in this series are yet to be published. The next one features Claire, the eldest sister. Based on the excerpt included here, it looks like it will be loosely based on Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. I can't wait!
June 30, 2016
2.5/5
I read Lady Bridget's Diary, the first book in this series and a loose P&P retelling, and was very charmed by Maya Rodale's characters and writing. As much as I adored Bridget, I was more intrigued by the wild and rebellious sister, Amelia, so I was thrilled to dive into Chasing Lady Amelia. Unfortunately, this book was off for me and I ended up not liking it as much as I expected to.
As an American who grew up around horses and basically no rules, Amelia is struggling to fit into English society and she feels like she needs one chance to go wild and do her own thing. She leaves her house one night drunk on laudanum, and stumbles upon Alistair, who takes her back to his own place because he doesn't want to leave a drunk girl on the streets. What ensues is a day spent between Amelia and Alistair as they go around London, and by the end of the day, they've fallen in love. I liked that Amelia was so different from your typical historical romance heroine with her wildness, independence and ferociousness. At the same time though, she frustrated me in this book because she deliberately chose not to send words to her family, who were worried sick about her well-being. Still though, I liked that she went after what she wanted and wasn't afraid to be different.
I liked Alistair a lot though, maybe even better than Amelia. He's been on quite the adventure and has only now returned home to England because of a summon from his uncle. He was a genuinely sweet guy who has been tormented by an accident in his past that cost the life of his best friend. I felt for the guy, but I did wish his emotions and feelings when it came to his past were explored more - it came across as quite flimsy to me. I was a little wary when he set out on a path to seduce Amelia into marriage because he was being forced by his uncle, but he dealt with it with care and I liked watching him fall hopelessly for her.
But here's the thing though, the romance was so so rushed. Amelia and Alistair fall in love after that one day they spend together. Listen, I'm sure insta-love exists in some cases in real life, but I just don't like reading about it in my books. It's right up there with love triangles for me. It pains me because they had so much chemistry and banter together and had the romance been over a couple of weeks or more, I would have loved this book. Also, the one and only sexy times scene was kind of a disappointment. I wanted so much more! What I did like were the family dynamics in this book. Amelia and her siblings shared a great relationship, and I loved the scenes between them teasing each other.
Overall, Chasing Lady Amelia was a bit of a let-down for me and wasn't the book for me. I'm really hoping the next book will be stronger.
I read Lady Bridget's Diary, the first book in this series and a loose P&P retelling, and was very charmed by Maya Rodale's characters and writing. As much as I adored Bridget, I was more intrigued by the wild and rebellious sister, Amelia, so I was thrilled to dive into Chasing Lady Amelia. Unfortunately, this book was off for me and I ended up not liking it as much as I expected to.
As an American who grew up around horses and basically no rules, Amelia is struggling to fit into English society and she feels like she needs one chance to go wild and do her own thing. She leaves her house one night drunk on laudanum, and stumbles upon Alistair, who takes her back to his own place because he doesn't want to leave a drunk girl on the streets. What ensues is a day spent between Amelia and Alistair as they go around London, and by the end of the day, they've fallen in love. I liked that Amelia was so different from your typical historical romance heroine with her wildness, independence and ferociousness. At the same time though, she frustrated me in this book because she deliberately chose not to send words to her family, who were worried sick about her well-being. Still though, I liked that she went after what she wanted and wasn't afraid to be different.
I liked Alistair a lot though, maybe even better than Amelia. He's been on quite the adventure and has only now returned home to England because of a summon from his uncle. He was a genuinely sweet guy who has been tormented by an accident in his past that cost the life of his best friend. I felt for the guy, but I did wish his emotions and feelings when it came to his past were explored more - it came across as quite flimsy to me. I was a little wary when he set out on a path to seduce Amelia into marriage because he was being forced by his uncle, but he dealt with it with care and I liked watching him fall hopelessly for her.
But here's the thing though, the romance was so so rushed. Amelia and Alistair fall in love after that one day they spend together. Listen, I'm sure insta-love exists in some cases in real life, but I just don't like reading about it in my books. It's right up there with love triangles for me. It pains me because they had so much chemistry and banter together and had the romance been over a couple of weeks or more, I would have loved this book. Also, the one and only sexy times scene was kind of a disappointment. I wanted so much more! What I did like were the family dynamics in this book. Amelia and her siblings shared a great relationship, and I loved the scenes between them teasing each other.
Overall, Chasing Lady Amelia was a bit of a let-down for me and wasn't the book for me. I'm really hoping the next book will be stronger.
December 21, 2020
- they go on this 'just one day' by gayle foreman trip and travel across London
- she's very strong-willed and does not want to marry because she wants to be her own independent woman and not be binded by marriage
- he recognized her from the very beginning as the one to woo to marry for her fortune but he's more intrigued by her spirit than money
- Darcy from the first book makes an appearance and takes her back to high society where she thinks she'll never see him again
- only to realize he's one of the high society people and has motives to bed her for her money
- not that much groveling but dramatic/cute ending with a sweet surprise
- surprise pregnancy and twins at the end!!
- she's very strong-willed and does not want to marry because she wants to be her own independent woman and not be binded by marriage
- he recognized her from the very beginning as the one to woo to marry for her fortune but he's more intrigued by her spirit than money
- Darcy from the first book makes an appearance and takes her back to high society where she thinks she'll never see him again
- only to realize he's one of the high society people and has motives to bed her for her money
- not that much groveling but dramatic/cute ending with a sweet surprise
- surprise pregnancy and twins at the end!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2016
I wholeheartedly enjoyed the fist book in this series and was looking forward to Chasing Lady Amelia as a fun and light continuation. Although the style of Maya Rodale is entertaining and frothy, the plot was riddled with silliness and the characters lacked dept and failed to enchant. I'll get the next one, because I would like to see Clair, Darcy, Josie and Bridget again, but this offering was a little disappointing.
April 19, 2021
3.5 stars Amelia and Alister.
July 31, 2016
Review posted on Got Fiction?
Original Review:
I know this author's style is more modern, but I just don't think it always works with her historicals. I had such a hard time with this story. I liked the idea, the plot, the hero, but I really didn't like Amelia. I enjoyed Bridget's book, but Amelia was so childish I just couldn't like her. I look forward to Clare's, hopefully she'll be less childish.
Full review:
This is the second book in the Keeping Up With the Cavendishes series, and while I liked Lady Bridget's Diary, I had a very hard time with this one from the get-go.
This book runs concurrently with Lady Bridget, and that's cool because we get to see what happened when Amelia went missing during Bridget's story. But then we find out more about her and boy I just didn't like her. I take that back, if I'd been reading about a teenager, maybe I would've liked her. But she's not. She's an adult.
Series premise: The Cavendishes' father was brother to the late duke. He married a commoner and ran off to America. The duke died, with no heirs, so their brother is next in line. The girls and their brother move to London. This is a fun series idea full of wild American girls who don't know the rules, are crazy wealthy, and need to get married to fully secure the dukedom (duchy?). But this one wasn't fun for me.
I get where Amelia is coming from. We've all had a moment in our lives where we are forced to conform or change in some way. It's natural to rebel against the change. But you adapt. You grow up. You move on.
I feel like with Amelia, the whole book I was reading a sullen teenager. She acted out. She threw tantrums. She flaunted the fact that she didn't care about following the rules. At no point did I feel as if I were reading about an adult.
At first she takes off her shoes at a ball because they pinch her feet. Okay fine, fairly innocent. But it just snowballs from there. And I think we're meant to find her funny, impulsive, and endearing. Personally I found her immature, reckless, and not just impulsive, but almost mean. Like she was being brash and careless on purpose. I know she's headstrong and angry she's had to up and leave her life. But I don't know, I guess I felt that at some point in the book we should have seen her realize how her actions affected her family. And there were several scenes where that looked like it would happen, but her behavior stayed the same.
I liked the hero just fine. Unfortunately what I'm sure the author meant as a thirst for adventure in her heroine, came off as impulsive and immature to me. So, I kind of wondered why he liked her.
I really am looking forward to Lady Claire's book, though, because I like this author, and I like this series. I will say that if you can look at Lady Amelia as being impulsive and adventurous rather than immature, I think you'll like this.
***ARC courtesy of Avon Books
Original Review:
I know this author's style is more modern, but I just don't think it always works with her historicals. I had such a hard time with this story. I liked the idea, the plot, the hero, but I really didn't like Amelia. I enjoyed Bridget's book, but Amelia was so childish I just couldn't like her. I look forward to Clare's, hopefully she'll be less childish.
Full review:
This is the second book in the Keeping Up With the Cavendishes series, and while I liked Lady Bridget's Diary, I had a very hard time with this one from the get-go.
This book runs concurrently with Lady Bridget, and that's cool because we get to see what happened when Amelia went missing during Bridget's story. But then we find out more about her and boy I just didn't like her. I take that back, if I'd been reading about a teenager, maybe I would've liked her. But she's not. She's an adult.
Series premise: The Cavendishes' father was brother to the late duke. He married a commoner and ran off to America. The duke died, with no heirs, so their brother is next in line. The girls and their brother move to London. This is a fun series idea full of wild American girls who don't know the rules, are crazy wealthy, and need to get married to fully secure the dukedom (duchy?). But this one wasn't fun for me.
I get where Amelia is coming from. We've all had a moment in our lives where we are forced to conform or change in some way. It's natural to rebel against the change. But you adapt. You grow up. You move on.
I feel like with Amelia, the whole book I was reading a sullen teenager. She acted out. She threw tantrums. She flaunted the fact that she didn't care about following the rules. At no point did I feel as if I were reading about an adult.
At first she takes off her shoes at a ball because they pinch her feet. Okay fine, fairly innocent. But it just snowballs from there. And I think we're meant to find her funny, impulsive, and endearing. Personally I found her immature, reckless, and not just impulsive, but almost mean. Like she was being brash and careless on purpose. I know she's headstrong and angry she's had to up and leave her life. But I don't know, I guess I felt that at some point in the book we should have seen her realize how her actions affected her family. And there were several scenes where that looked like it would happen, but her behavior stayed the same.
I liked the hero just fine. Unfortunately what I'm sure the author meant as a thirst for adventure in her heroine, came off as impulsive and immature to me. So, I kind of wondered why he liked her.
I really am looking forward to Lady Claire's book, though, because I like this author, and I like this series. I will say that if you can look at Lady Amelia as being impulsive and adventurous rather than immature, I think you'll like this.
***ARC courtesy of Avon Books
Shelved as 'avoid'
November 12, 2016Note to self: This is an American heiress HR, a trope I passionately hate.
Also, MC takes her shoes off at a ball and sticks her feet in a plant pot! --see Caz's review.
Bk 1, heroine is overweight.
Avoid this author--period! Not for me.
Also, MC takes her shoes off at a ball and sticks her feet in a plant pot! --see Caz's review.
Bk 1, heroine is overweight.
Avoid this author--period! Not for me.
September 24, 2016
I've given this a B- at AAR, so that's 3.5 stars rounded up.
Maya Rodale is one of the authors I turn to when I want brain candy; a well-written, frothy, light-hearted read that doesn’t get too bogged down in angst, has a fair bit of humour and attractive characters. And she certainly delivers all that in Chasing Lady Amelia the second book in her Keeping Up With the Cavendishes series, featuring four American siblings who are thrust into the midst of English society when James Cavendish unexpectedly inherits a dukedom.
James has three sisters; bespectacled Claire, who is something of a bluestocking, Bridget, whose story is told in the previous book, Lady Bridget's Diary, and who is very, very keen to become a proper English Lady – and Amelia. Who isn’t. In fact, Amelia has no patience whatsoever with the restrictive mores of English society or with the equally restrictive clothing she is forced to wear. I admit here to heaving a big sigh at the prospect of reading about yet another stereotypically “fresh” American heroine who is so much more lively and independent of mind and spirit than her stodgy, stuck-up English counterparts.
Fortunately, Ms. Rodale is a good enough writer to be able to make Amelia a more engaging character than she probably sounds from that description, but she still displays a degree of immaturity that is annoying rather than endearing. Such as when, in the middle of a ball, she decides her shoes are pinching her feet so much that she must, she absolutely MUST take them off right this minute. So she does. And sticks them in a plant pot. But that is just the start of her troubles, because the moment she’s divested herself of her shoes, she is invited to dance. Of course a young lady with no shoes on is nothing short of scandalous, so to avoid revealing it, she fakes a faint, which ends up having a domino effect involving her prospective dance partner, a buxom countess, a footman and a tray of champagne.
Shortly after this, enter our hero, one Alastair Finlay-Jones, despised nephew of and heir to Baron Wrotham. Alastair is Anglo-Indian, something which is mentioned but is never explored and seems to have no real purpose other than to show that, like Amelia, he can only ever exist on the fringes of good society – and has recently returned to England following an absence of almost six-and-a-half-years. Summoned by his uncle, he is told in no uncertain terms to marry one of the newly arrived American heiresses. Alastair, who has no other family and longs for his uncle’s approval, finds it difficult to say no because of the guilt he still feels over the death of his cousin – so he doesn’t, well, say no.
As luck would have it, one of those very heiresses has – almost literally – fallen into Alastair’s lap. While wending his way home from an evening at his club the night before, he was accosted by a young lady who seemed to be somewhat the worse for wear. As she was unable to tell him where she lived, Alastair took her to his flat after she passed out, and it’s only after he sees the scandal sheets the next morning that he realises who the lady is. Things could be worse; she’s pretty, she’s young and she’s got a hefty dowry, but Alastair knows a man of little fortune or reputation such as he isn’t going to stand a chance with her once he is just one of a crowd of men seeking her hand. But if he doesn’t let on that he knows who she is, maybe he will have the chance to gain the advantage; if they can spend some time together then when she meets him again in a ballroom, she will recognise him and, hopefully, they will have some happy, shared memories that will single him out from everyone else.
The first half of the story takes place over roughly a twelve-hour period as Amelia and Alastair embark on a once-in-a-lifetime day out, which reminded me somewhat of the plot of Roman Holiday (even down to the scandalous hair cut!), in which Audrey Hepburn’s princess spends a day out-of-time with handsome reporter, Gregory Peck. Ms. Rodale writes the evolving relationship between her protagonists very convincingly so that, in spite of the short time-frame, the romance doesn’t feel rushed, although I did have to give a sideways glance to the fact that things turn physical shortly before they part. I know Amelia is supposed to be free-spirited and reckless, but one would have thought, given her brother is a horse-breeder and she’s grown up around animals, she’s have given a thought to possible consequences.
Anyway, following that magical day, things start to fall apart. Realising that Alastair had known who she was all along, Amelia feels hurt and betrayed and wants nothing to do with him. Thus, it’s down to our hero to do a bit of grovelling and to prove to Amelia that in spite of the lie, he’s true of heart and that he has no intention of compromising her into marriage. And then his brain thinks dumb things in a last minute attempt to inject some unnecessary angst and I could have smacked him.
Apart from that, Alastair is the best thing about the book. He’s funny, charming and self-deprecating; his guilt at having caused his cousin’s death (which he didn’t, really) is perhaps rather overdone though, and his last minute volte-face really is a switch too far. He’s said to be a reprobate, although I saw nothing in him that one doesn’t find in all of the young gentleman heroes in historical romances; he’s not averse to the odd wager or card game, likes women and enjoys a drink with his mates – all things which usually earn back-slaps, not censure!
Amelia becomes more likeable as the book progresses, but although I did understand her desire to get out from under the weight of expectation, she never really rises above your stock-in-trade rebellious heroine. Perhaps “it’s not you, it’s me”; she’s not an unattractive character, but she never really took on a life of her own in my imagination and wasn’t someone I found myself wanting to know more about or spend time with.
Chasing Lady Amelia is, as I said at the outset, exactly the sort of book I expect from this author, and it’s the type of thing she does very, very well. I’m sure it will prove too insubstantial for some tastes and there’s no doubt that she once again plays fast and loose with historical accuracy and social convention; but fans of hers are sure to enjoy it and it’s certainly worth consideration by anyone who is in the mood for an angst-free (mostly) piece of well-written fluff.
Maya Rodale is one of the authors I turn to when I want brain candy; a well-written, frothy, light-hearted read that doesn’t get too bogged down in angst, has a fair bit of humour and attractive characters. And she certainly delivers all that in Chasing Lady Amelia the second book in her Keeping Up With the Cavendishes series, featuring four American siblings who are thrust into the midst of English society when James Cavendish unexpectedly inherits a dukedom.
James has three sisters; bespectacled Claire, who is something of a bluestocking, Bridget, whose story is told in the previous book, Lady Bridget's Diary, and who is very, very keen to become a proper English Lady – and Amelia. Who isn’t. In fact, Amelia has no patience whatsoever with the restrictive mores of English society or with the equally restrictive clothing she is forced to wear. I admit here to heaving a big sigh at the prospect of reading about yet another stereotypically “fresh” American heroine who is so much more lively and independent of mind and spirit than her stodgy, stuck-up English counterparts.
Fortunately, Ms. Rodale is a good enough writer to be able to make Amelia a more engaging character than she probably sounds from that description, but she still displays a degree of immaturity that is annoying rather than endearing. Such as when, in the middle of a ball, she decides her shoes are pinching her feet so much that she must, she absolutely MUST take them off right this minute. So she does. And sticks them in a plant pot. But that is just the start of her troubles, because the moment she’s divested herself of her shoes, she is invited to dance. Of course a young lady with no shoes on is nothing short of scandalous, so to avoid revealing it, she fakes a faint, which ends up having a domino effect involving her prospective dance partner, a buxom countess, a footman and a tray of champagne.
Shortly after this, enter our hero, one Alastair Finlay-Jones, despised nephew of and heir to Baron Wrotham. Alastair is Anglo-Indian, something which is mentioned but is never explored and seems to have no real purpose other than to show that, like Amelia, he can only ever exist on the fringes of good society – and has recently returned to England following an absence of almost six-and-a-half-years. Summoned by his uncle, he is told in no uncertain terms to marry one of the newly arrived American heiresses. Alastair, who has no other family and longs for his uncle’s approval, finds it difficult to say no because of the guilt he still feels over the death of his cousin – so he doesn’t, well, say no.
As luck would have it, one of those very heiresses has – almost literally – fallen into Alastair’s lap. While wending his way home from an evening at his club the night before, he was accosted by a young lady who seemed to be somewhat the worse for wear. As she was unable to tell him where she lived, Alastair took her to his flat after she passed out, and it’s only after he sees the scandal sheets the next morning that he realises who the lady is. Things could be worse; she’s pretty, she’s young and she’s got a hefty dowry, but Alastair knows a man of little fortune or reputation such as he isn’t going to stand a chance with her once he is just one of a crowd of men seeking her hand. But if he doesn’t let on that he knows who she is, maybe he will have the chance to gain the advantage; if they can spend some time together then when she meets him again in a ballroom, she will recognise him and, hopefully, they will have some happy, shared memories that will single him out from everyone else.
The first half of the story takes place over roughly a twelve-hour period as Amelia and Alastair embark on a once-in-a-lifetime day out, which reminded me somewhat of the plot of Roman Holiday (even down to the scandalous hair cut!), in which Audrey Hepburn’s princess spends a day out-of-time with handsome reporter, Gregory Peck. Ms. Rodale writes the evolving relationship between her protagonists very convincingly so that, in spite of the short time-frame, the romance doesn’t feel rushed, although I did have to give a sideways glance to the fact that things turn physical shortly before they part. I know Amelia is supposed to be free-spirited and reckless, but one would have thought, given her brother is a horse-breeder and she’s grown up around animals, she’s have given a thought to possible consequences.
Anyway, following that magical day, things start to fall apart. Realising that Alastair had known who she was all along, Amelia feels hurt and betrayed and wants nothing to do with him. Thus, it’s down to our hero to do a bit of grovelling and to prove to Amelia that in spite of the lie, he’s true of heart and that he has no intention of compromising her into marriage. And then his brain thinks dumb things in a last minute attempt to inject some unnecessary angst and I could have smacked him.
Apart from that, Alastair is the best thing about the book. He’s funny, charming and self-deprecating; his guilt at having caused his cousin’s death (which he didn’t, really) is perhaps rather overdone though, and his last minute volte-face really is a switch too far. He’s said to be a reprobate, although I saw nothing in him that one doesn’t find in all of the young gentleman heroes in historical romances; he’s not averse to the odd wager or card game, likes women and enjoys a drink with his mates – all things which usually earn back-slaps, not censure!
Amelia becomes more likeable as the book progresses, but although I did understand her desire to get out from under the weight of expectation, she never really rises above your stock-in-trade rebellious heroine. Perhaps “it’s not you, it’s me”; she’s not an unattractive character, but she never really took on a life of her own in my imagination and wasn’t someone I found myself wanting to know more about or spend time with.
Chasing Lady Amelia is, as I said at the outset, exactly the sort of book I expect from this author, and it’s the type of thing she does very, very well. I’m sure it will prove too insubstantial for some tastes and there’s no doubt that she once again plays fast and loose with historical accuracy and social convention; but fans of hers are sure to enjoy it and it’s certainly worth consideration by anyone who is in the mood for an angst-free (mostly) piece of well-written fluff.
Read
June 16, 2017Oh man. That book was soooo promising... But I just couldn't get attached to the characters. Stopped reading at 1/3 of the book.
The main male lead is just too deceiving. Also, his behaviour is not realistic with that of a gentleman in Regency England. I mean even rakes show some sort of regard to Society rules and how you're supposed to behave with a lady. I don't believe for one second that he could have gotten away with having her spend the night at his place (even though she had fainted) and then spend the day with her unchaperoned.
Just not buying the story.
The main male lead is just too deceiving. Also, his behaviour is not realistic with that of a gentleman in Regency England. I mean even rakes show some sort of regard to Society rules and how you're supposed to behave with a lady. I don't believe for one second that he could have gotten away with having her spend the night at his place (even though she had fainted) and then spend the day with her unchaperoned.
Just not buying the story.
February 20, 2018
This book manages to be more anachronistic than its predecessor, Lady Bridget's Diary, and is one of the reasons why I did not enjoy this book. I was busy checking off a list of things that could or couldn't have occurred during the regency era to focus on much else.
Word Usage
Telling one's sibling to shut up - did they use that word back then?
Describing a debutante as popular - does the author mean "comparable" (however you spell that word)?
"Well, I'll be damned."
Proper Etiquette
A dowager duchess, schooling her nieces in proper etiquette, throwing her hands in the air in frustration - I doubt it
A valet being informal and sarcastic to his employer (no matter how long he's served the hero) - hmm...
The other reason I didn't enjoy the book: the heroine, Amelia (age 22), is too childish for me. Maya Rodale probably wanted to portray Amelia as an independent woman who refused to conform to English society's expectations of her, but all I saw was a whiny, self-centered adult, who did not even send home a note to let her worried family know that she was all right. I don't like that she keeps reading her older sister Bridget's diary, an invasion of privacy, (I have younger sisters, so, yeah) and why doesn't Bridget do anything to prevent her from reading it in the future?
How is it possible that she is out and about town with our hero, Alistair, without a chaperone and no one (but two or three servants) takes notice?
Since Lady Bridget's Diary is inspired by Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary, this book is based on the movie Roman Holiday (but I saw the remake, Chasing Liberty with Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode). The third book in the series, Lady Claire Is All That, is obviously based on the movie She's All That with Rachel Leigh Cook and Freddie Prince, Jr. The last book It's Hard Out Here for a Duke in the series is based on Princess Diaries and Derek and Meredith's relationship from Grey's Anatomy. Hence, why the heroine is named Meredith Green.
On another note, Number of times the word "whilst" appeared: 14. Number of times this reader has seen this word in an HR: 2.
This book would have been better as a young adult or contemporary romance. I knew I wouldn't enjoy it, but I wanted to read this series in order since the events occur concurrently and didn't want to miss any references to Claire's storyline. There were none, so I could have easily skipped this book in the series.
Word Usage
Telling one's sibling to shut up - did they use that word back then?
Describing a debutante as popular - does the author mean "comparable" (however you spell that word)?
"Well, I'll be damned."
Proper Etiquette
A dowager duchess, schooling her nieces in proper etiquette, throwing her hands in the air in frustration - I doubt it
A valet being informal and sarcastic to his employer (no matter how long he's served the hero) - hmm...
The other reason I didn't enjoy the book: the heroine, Amelia (age 22), is too childish for me. Maya Rodale probably wanted to portray Amelia as an independent woman who refused to conform to English society's expectations of her, but all I saw was a whiny, self-centered adult, who did not even send home a note to let her worried family know that she was all right. I don't like that she keeps reading her older sister Bridget's diary, an invasion of privacy, (I have younger sisters, so, yeah) and why doesn't Bridget do anything to prevent her from reading it in the future?
How is it possible that she is out and about town with our hero, Alistair, without a chaperone and no one (but two or three servants) takes notice?
Since Lady Bridget's Diary is inspired by Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary, this book is based on the movie Roman Holiday (but I saw the remake, Chasing Liberty with Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode). The third book in the series, Lady Claire Is All That, is obviously based on the movie She's All That with Rachel Leigh Cook and Freddie Prince, Jr. The last book It's Hard Out Here for a Duke in the series is based on Princess Diaries and Derek and Meredith's relationship from Grey's Anatomy. Hence, why the heroine is named Meredith Green.
On another note, Number of times the word "whilst" appeared: 14. Number of times this reader has seen this word in an HR: 2.
This book would have been better as a young adult or contemporary romance. I knew I wouldn't enjoy it, but I wanted to read this series in order since the events occur concurrently and didn't want to miss any references to Claire's storyline. There were none, so I could have easily skipped this book in the series.
December 15, 2016
I am new to Maya Rodale, having started with Lady Bridget's Diary earlier this year. I liked the premise of this series, with the first book being a light-hearted historical take on modern books/cinema a la Bridget Jones' Diary and Mean Girls. I didn't get the same modern cinema vibe with this story, but it was still good fun. This story is told concurrently with Bridget's, so you could probably read them out of order if you were so inclined.
If you haven't read Bridget's Diary, then you will want to know that series follows the Cavendish family, American horse farmers were thrust upon London when the James Cavendish inherited one of England's most-respected dukedoms. Only the bon ton looks upon Americans with disdain, seeing them as little better than the savages they share land with across the pond. Our heroine, Lady Amelia, may be the most hoydenish of them all.
As the youngest of the Cavendish siblings, Lady Amelia is the least mature and used to getting away with most of her scandalous behavior with indulgence and pats to the head. Now that she has arrived in London and is under the thumb of the Duchess of Durham, Amelia is feeling hemmed in by all the rules she must follow in polite society. One mustn't use crass language, one mustn't remove their uncomfortable shoes at a ball, and one definitely mustn't disappear to explore all of London with a scoundrel. Amelia is just so tired of seeing ballroom after ballroom every night with the same uppity women and leering men. I liked Lady Amelia, even though she was a tad immature, it was more fun than annoying. She displayed an honest joy and enthusiasm for life that was endearing, and I can see how that would have been infectious to those around her.
Alistair Finlay-Jones sees himself as a half-breed, orphaned, fortune hunter, who is nearly alone in the world. The only family remaining to Alistair is a stodgy old uncle who treats him with disdain and drove him away from home after a tragic accident. Since that time, Alistair has been traveling in search of... something. He yearns for his uncle's approval to such an extent that he scurries home as fast as possible when his uncle summons him after six years with no word. When Alistair discovers that his uncle wants him to marry one of the scandalous Americans, Alistair agrees readily hoping that this will finally win his uncle's approval. I liked Alistair when he was with Amelia... she brought out the fun and flirty side of him. Their time together let me forget about how much of an omega male Alistair really was - he had no back bone whatsoever when dealing with his crass uncle. That drove me a little bit crazy.
This was a bit of a whirlwind romance where our H/h meet and fall in love within a period of about 24 hours. Although it was instalove, I didn't feel like it unfolded too fast. Rodale did a good job to make you feel like you were racing the clock with them... they had to fit everything into one day before going back to the real world and facing the consequences of their actions.
I continue to like the Cavendish siblings and how close-knit and down-to-earth they are. I really hope they all end up thumbing their nose at the bon ton and quit giving a fig about what the society matrons think. I felt like the Duchess of Durham softened a bit in this installment, particularly toward the end of the story. I am now interested to see if the remaining books of the series take place concurrently or if all the siblings will be married off this season. Stay tuned for the review of Lady Claire Is All That later this month.
February 21, 2017
Sometimes I wish a historical and/or regency romance would be just that -- a historical and/or regency romance. I don't understand why authors insist on imposing modern day sensibilities on a historical era.
Suffice to say -- the anachronisms are strong with this one!
In fact...anachronisms might just be "a thing" with Maya Rodale. Sure, her books are entertaining and that's a good thing. But if it bothers you to read about modern women in historical eras then this book (and the other two of Rodale's books that I've read) may throw you out of the story.
And...I shudder to think of how many of her readers consume this book and others and think this is historical fact embedded within the historical fiction. I think this is one of the ways "alternate history" gets spread...be it intentional or unintentional.
Here's a VERY spoilery example (seriously -- super spoilery so don't open if you don't want to read about the big plot point):
Did I enjoy the book? Yeah, I guess. I do like that Rodale puts an actual plot into her books as that element is sometimes hard to find It's always hard to find good regency romances that aren't full of "Insta-Lust" and this author is definitely is strong on the "Insta-Lust" (at least from what I've read so far). I am always on the search for authors that focus on the "love" rather than the "lust"...but that's getting fewer and farther between apparently.
Suffice to say -- the anachronisms are strong with this one!
In fact...anachronisms might just be "a thing" with Maya Rodale. Sure, her books are entertaining and that's a good thing. But if it bothers you to read about modern women in historical eras then this book (and the other two of Rodale's books that I've read) may throw you out of the story.
And...I shudder to think of how many of her readers consume this book and others and think this is historical fact embedded within the historical fiction. I think this is one of the ways "alternate history" gets spread...be it intentional or unintentional.
Here's a VERY spoilery example (seriously -- super spoilery so don't open if you don't want to read about the big plot point):
Did I enjoy the book? Yeah, I guess. I do like that Rodale puts an actual plot into her books as that element is sometimes hard to find It's always hard to find good regency romances that aren't full of "Insta-Lust" and this author is definitely is strong on the "Insta-Lust" (at least from what I've read so far). I am always on the search for authors that focus on the "love" rather than the "lust"...but that's getting fewer and farther between apparently.
January 2, 2017
The first book in Rodale's Keeping Up with the Cavendishes was an unexpected delight, though it shouldn't have been so unexpected based on the subject matter to which the story gave tribute to; subject matter I love dearly.
However CHASING LADY AMELIA, though it held much of the same fun and cheeky delights, didn't wow me as much. I don't know if this is the plot of Chasing Amy or if the author just liked the parallel of the title, because I never did watch that movie, but I did wonder if that's why I wasn't as invested as I'd been for the P&P/Bridget retelling.
"Is this the moment where we, uh, say something, professing, uh fondness for one's friends?"
"God no, we're English gentlemen. We'll raise a glass instead."
That being said, I liked seeing what Amelia was getting upto during some of the events of book one, and while the issues and conflicts for this couple were a little up and down -- I had a few concerns about the beginning, adored the middle where the hero is trying to make up for his wrongs, snd was mostly satisfied by the ending -- making it feel less solid and consistent than LADY BRIDGET'S DIARY, I did still enjoy it.
"I'm a simple man. I like horses. Women. A good whiskey. And yet I constantly find myself besieged by sisters. And female problems."
"My heart bleeds for you. But I came to discuss MY problems. My problems with men."
"When I look at you, I see a girl of eight who fell out a tree trying to rescue a kitten. That she had placed there in the first place." Ah, Mille. Turns out she was not a climber. "She is too young to have men problems.."
The writing is quippy and a little modern and I had many laugh out loud moments. I really do love the Cavendish family as a unit and am excited to see what's in store for Claire. The bluestocking spinster has often been my favourite romantic couple trope just because, hello, who doesn't love it when the smart, overlooked, girl finds love? So, yes, here's me.. excited for book three.
3.5 "look at you with the devastatingly romantic line, shall I swoon now?" stars
However CHASING LADY AMELIA, though it held much of the same fun and cheeky delights, didn't wow me as much. I don't know if this is the plot of Chasing Amy or if the author just liked the parallel of the title, because I never did watch that movie, but I did wonder if that's why I wasn't as invested as I'd been for the P&P/Bridget retelling.
"Is this the moment where we, uh, say something, professing, uh fondness for one's friends?"
"God no, we're English gentlemen. We'll raise a glass instead."
That being said, I liked seeing what Amelia was getting upto during some of the events of book one, and while the issues and conflicts for this couple were a little up and down -- I had a few concerns about the beginning, adored the middle where the hero is trying to make up for his wrongs, snd was mostly satisfied by the ending -- making it feel less solid and consistent than LADY BRIDGET'S DIARY, I did still enjoy it.
"I'm a simple man. I like horses. Women. A good whiskey. And yet I constantly find myself besieged by sisters. And female problems."
"My heart bleeds for you. But I came to discuss MY problems. My problems with men."
"When I look at you, I see a girl of eight who fell out a tree trying to rescue a kitten. That she had placed there in the first place." Ah, Mille. Turns out she was not a climber. "She is too young to have men problems.."
The writing is quippy and a little modern and I had many laugh out loud moments. I really do love the Cavendish family as a unit and am excited to see what's in store for Claire. The bluestocking spinster has often been my favourite romantic couple trope just because, hello, who doesn't love it when the smart, overlooked, girl finds love? So, yes, here's me.. excited for book three.
3.5 "look at you with the devastatingly romantic line, shall I swoon now?" stars
February 22, 2018
Lady Amelia Cavendish was first introduced in Lady Bridget's Diary (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...). This book details what happened when following a disgrace at Almacks Lady Amelia runs away.
She spends the day exploring London with an attractive young gentleman Mr. Finlay-Jones; disguised as Miss Amy Dish finishing school student. The author does a splendid job of capturing the feeling of freedom and adventure I was almost jealous I couldn't experience this version of London. After she is thoroughly and satisfactorily compromised (Yes there's some adult content) Lord Darcy finds her at the theater returns her to her concerned family.
Now Mr. Finlay-Jones need to figure out how to 'meet' Lady Amelia and convince her to marry him. When the rumor of Lady amelia's day out begins to spread she is soon inundated with every poor eligible man in London insisting that he was the man who compromised her..
This is just a wonderful, enjoyable, romp of a regency romance.
Reread to remind myself of the plot before reading the 4th book
She spends the day exploring London with an attractive young gentleman Mr. Finlay-Jones; disguised as Miss Amy Dish finishing school student. The author does a splendid job of capturing the feeling of freedom and adventure I was almost jealous I couldn't experience this version of London. After she is thoroughly and satisfactorily compromised (Yes there's some adult content) Lord Darcy finds her at the theater returns her to her concerned family.
Now Mr. Finlay-Jones need to figure out how to 'meet' Lady Amelia and convince her to marry him. When the rumor of Lady amelia's day out begins to spread she is soon inundated with every poor eligible man in London insisting that he was the man who compromised her..
This is just a wonderful, enjoyable, romp of a regency romance.
Reread to remind myself of the plot before reading the 4th book
October 23, 2016
If you want to escape from the present world and forget your worries then CHASING LADY AMELIA by Maya Rodale is the perfect adventurous book to help you do so. Fast-paced writing, an engaging plot and a well-rounded cast of characters will vie for your attention. Spectacularly vivid and beautifully crafted, this historical romance will take you on a spellbinding ride. So strap on your seatbelts and prepare to be swept away!
Highly Recommended
5 Stars
March 17, 2016
Following one's heart becomes very literal in this romantic romp through the scandal sheets...as well as other *ahem* sheets!
Stay tuned for my review of Chasing Lady Amelia closer to publication.
Stay tuned for my review of Chasing Lady Amelia closer to publication.
May 14, 2019
The youngest Cavendish sibling Amelia's story that's happening more or less at the same time as Bridget's story.
Amelia has always been reckless and can't stand the strict rules of the British aristocracy that she's had to abide by. After a huge fight with her family after yet another scandal that she's caused, she decides to do something just for herself, not caring about any rules or consequences and simply enjoying the day.
Her initially unwilling companion, Alistair, rescues what looks like an intoxicated young lady alone at night and with no other choice takes her to his flat where he leaves her the next morning to answer the summons of his uncle to whom he feels beholden to. His uncle wants him to marry one of the American girls to save their estate, and Alistair can't believe his luck when he realizes that his damsel is actually one of them.
Hating lying to her but unwilling to waste the opportunity to gain her favor, he shares with her a day full of wonder exploring London as she always wanted, and they both end up falling half in love while both keeping their secrets.
The two must overcome the mistrust that comes between them when the truth is revealed and Alistair has to deal with his demons before they can eventually reach their happy ending.
Enjoyable story but I'm looking forward to Claire's story next in Lady Claire Is All That, that has one of my favorite tropes, a bluestocking heroine against a rake hero.
Previous book reviews:
✦ Lady Bridget's Diary (Keeping Up with the Cavendishes, #1)
Amelia has always been reckless and can't stand the strict rules of the British aristocracy that she's had to abide by. After a huge fight with her family after yet another scandal that she's caused, she decides to do something just for herself, not caring about any rules or consequences and simply enjoying the day.
Her initially unwilling companion, Alistair, rescues what looks like an intoxicated young lady alone at night and with no other choice takes her to his flat where he leaves her the next morning to answer the summons of his uncle to whom he feels beholden to. His uncle wants him to marry one of the American girls to save their estate, and Alistair can't believe his luck when he realizes that his damsel is actually one of them.
Hating lying to her but unwilling to waste the opportunity to gain her favor, he shares with her a day full of wonder exploring London as she always wanted, and they both end up falling half in love while both keeping their secrets.
The two must overcome the mistrust that comes between them when the truth is revealed and Alistair has to deal with his demons before they can eventually reach their happy ending.
Enjoyable story but I'm looking forward to Claire's story next in Lady Claire Is All That, that has one of my favorite tropes, a bluestocking heroine against a rake hero.
Previous book reviews:
✦ Lady Bridget's Diary (Keeping Up with the Cavendishes, #1)
March 10, 2017
Amusing.
September 5, 2016
4.5 stars
I would have to agree with other reviewers who found Amelia immature. Thus a 4.5 star rating vs what could have been a 5 star read.
After causing a major scene at Almacks, Amelia has a major meltdown and her family slips her some laudanum to calm her down.
While under the effects of the drug she hears Alistair Finlay-Jones singing a bawdy tune and decides to investigate.
After a self imposed exile of 6 years Alistair has returned to England at the request/demand of his uncle. While walking home from a night of catching up with his friends at his club he is accosted by what he believes is a drunk young lady. As she is in no condition to tell him who she is or where she lives, he takes her home with him.
The next morning he leaves her at his house and goes to see his uncle. His uncle demands that he marry one of the Cavendish heiress' to save the family from ruin. At first Alistair resists, but his guilt makes him agree and then he realizes that the girl at his flat is one of the girls his uncle wants him to woo. Alistair figures fate is smiling on him and rushes home with a plan to get a leg up on the completion.
He returns home and Amelia is still there. She tells him that her name is Amy Dish and that she has run away from finishing school. He gives her money to get a hack home and follows her when she leaves. He then "accidentally" runs into her and they spend the day together.
One thing leads to another and they make love. Alistair knows he wants to marry her, but knows that when she realizes his deception she will never be happy with him.
Alistair is torn between between his growing affection for Amelia and the debt he feels he owes his uncle. When Amelia is "found" by Darcy and they separate, she fears it will be forever.
She is delighted and mortified when they meet again. But her happiness is quickly dashed when she finds out that Alistair knew who she was along and that he was just using her.
Alistair is desperate for Amelia's forgiveness and really makes as effort to woo her. These two definitely have to work for their HEA!
The writing was great, the story interesting and entertaining, the love scenes warm and the ending was very sweet. If Amelia hadn't been so annoying and immature - I would have given the book 5 stars.
I would have to agree with other reviewers who found Amelia immature. Thus a 4.5 star rating vs what could have been a 5 star read.
After causing a major scene at Almacks, Amelia has a major meltdown and her family slips her some laudanum to calm her down.
While under the effects of the drug she hears Alistair Finlay-Jones singing a bawdy tune and decides to investigate.
After a self imposed exile of 6 years Alistair has returned to England at the request/demand of his uncle. While walking home from a night of catching up with his friends at his club he is accosted by what he believes is a drunk young lady. As she is in no condition to tell him who she is or where she lives, he takes her home with him.
The next morning he leaves her at his house and goes to see his uncle. His uncle demands that he marry one of the Cavendish heiress' to save the family from ruin. At first Alistair resists, but his guilt makes him agree and then he realizes that the girl at his flat is one of the girls his uncle wants him to woo. Alistair figures fate is smiling on him and rushes home with a plan to get a leg up on the completion.
He returns home and Amelia is still there. She tells him that her name is Amy Dish and that she has run away from finishing school. He gives her money to get a hack home and follows her when she leaves. He then "accidentally" runs into her and they spend the day together.
One thing leads to another and they make love. Alistair knows he wants to marry her, but knows that when she realizes his deception she will never be happy with him.
Alistair is torn between between his growing affection for Amelia and the debt he feels he owes his uncle. When Amelia is "found" by Darcy and they separate, she fears it will be forever.
She is delighted and mortified when they meet again. But her happiness is quickly dashed when she finds out that Alistair knew who she was along and that he was just using her.
Alistair is desperate for Amelia's forgiveness and really makes as effort to woo her. These two definitely have to work for their HEA!
The writing was great, the story interesting and entertaining, the love scenes warm and the ending was very sweet. If Amelia hadn't been so annoying and immature - I would have given the book 5 stars.
October 1, 2016
Lady Amelia is tired of trying to a proper young lady and following all the stuffy English rules imposed upon her. So she escapes. At least for a day and finally gets to experiencing all the attraction of London that seem out of bounds to a proper English lady escorted by the handsome and dashing Alistair Finlay-Jones. Alistair fortunes seem to be looking up when one of the infamous American Cavendish's stumbles into him, especially as his uncle has recently ordered him to marry one of them. But, he never expected to fall in love with the mischievous Amelia making the situation far more complicated...especially when she finds out.
I adored the first book of Maya Rodale's Cavendish series, how could anything top my enjoyment of Lady Bridget's Diary? It was funny, oddly familiar with its references to some very well known and loved books and more importantly it held the trump card; Lord Darcy. It all looked rather Doomed. But, my dire predictions were completely fallascious, Chasing Lady Amelia managed to engage me right from the first word.
Before the characters of the love story, what drew me in was Rodale's writing style. It was so engaging, as if she's talking directly to the reader, it really felt like she was weaving me a tale; A tale full of humour, romance and family. By the end of the first chapter I already knew that I would be giving this a high rating.
The second thing I noticed about this book? Amelia. That's right, not the hero, the heroine. As much as I love a fantastic hero, let's be honest they are a dime a dozen, having a heroine you love? That's a little rarer. Amelia's energy and zest for life really came through and gave the book life. I did like Alistair, he had the good taste to fall in love with Amelia after all, as well as ticking all those other hero tick boxes; handsome and smart.
I am really enjoying this series and I eagerly await the third book in the series. Rodale has created a funny, romantic, family based historical romance series that leaves you with a smile on your face and your heart warmed.
July 3, 2016
3.5/4 Stars | Hot Steam
Having met and adored Amelia in Maya Rodale’s sublime LADY BRIDGET’S DIARY, I couldn’t wait to discover all of the luscious details of what exactly happened during the brief time that she had run away. And, though not as page-turningly perfect as I found Bridget’s story to be, Amelia’s whirlwind adventure is a fun and frisky tale filled with charm, sunny thrills, and moments of toe-curling passion.
This second novel in the series delivers a pleasing Regency London spin on the 1953 classic, ROMAN HOLIDAY, reimagining various famous scenes from the film—making the familiar fresh and decidedly sexier than the original—to my great delight! But, as much as I loved that movie—Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn are unforgettable—I found that this novel truly began to sparkle when it fully diverged from the film's plot and led the couple and the reader into the unpredictable and deliciously angsty waters of morning-after heartbreak, scandal, and betrayal. Such yummy stuff! Of course, after some very heated conversations, a few stolen kisses, and a whole lot of forgiveness, Amelia and Alistair get the blissful happily ever after that I craved, and they rightfully deserved. :)
Cheerfully written, playful, and nicely sensual, this romantic romp makes a great afternoon escape!
Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
Having met and adored Amelia in Maya Rodale’s sublime LADY BRIDGET’S DIARY, I couldn’t wait to discover all of the luscious details of what exactly happened during the brief time that she had run away. And, though not as page-turningly perfect as I found Bridget’s story to be, Amelia’s whirlwind adventure is a fun and frisky tale filled with charm, sunny thrills, and moments of toe-curling passion.
This second novel in the series delivers a pleasing Regency London spin on the 1953 classic, ROMAN HOLIDAY, reimagining various famous scenes from the film—making the familiar fresh and decidedly sexier than the original—to my great delight! But, as much as I loved that movie—Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn are unforgettable—I found that this novel truly began to sparkle when it fully diverged from the film's plot and led the couple and the reader into the unpredictable and deliciously angsty waters of morning-after heartbreak, scandal, and betrayal. Such yummy stuff! Of course, after some very heated conversations, a few stolen kisses, and a whole lot of forgiveness, Amelia and Alistair get the blissful happily ever after that I craved, and they rightfully deserved. :)
Cheerfully written, playful, and nicely sensual, this romantic romp makes a great afternoon escape!
Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2016
This novel has the usual sparkling wit, tongue-in-cheek humor, and capital letters for dramatizing amusing situations that have become Maya Rodale’s signature stamp on historical romance. If you’re a historical romance purist, however, her liberties with language may be off putting. But if you want to laugh out loud, then she’s the writer for you! I personally am impressed and pleased when an author can make me genuinely laugh but not when it’s trying too hard, and Ms. Rodale succeeds with me.
For my full review on Romantic Historical Reviews: http://www.romantichistoricalreviews....
For my full review on Romantic Historical Reviews: http://www.romantichistoricalreviews....
July 11, 2016
Fun and adventurous with two great, well written characters, but it didn't hold me quite as well as Lady Bridget's Diary. Enjoyed the parts that were only hinted at in LBD such as Darcy's discovery of Amelia and their subsequent conversation. All in all, pretty good, but not amazing.
January 3, 2020
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions.” -Amelia, probably at some point
The word I keep coming back to when I try to describe Maya Rodale’s “Chasing Lady Amelia” is frustrating. This is a frustrating book because so many of the elements are my jam, but it ends up not working for me as a reader.
So to recap, “Chasing Lady Amelia” happens more or less during the same time as the events as the first book in the series, “Lady Bridget’s Diary.” And parts of this book are so, so much fun and I enjoyed them. And if you’re a reader who doesn’t think too hard about it, well, you’ll probably enjoy this book. As for me, well, I do think too hard about stuff and that’s why we’re in this mess.
Amelia is an American and an heiress in England. The unlikely string of events is explained earlier, but basically, she’s supposed to be a proper lady now even though she grew up in America (specifically Maryland and among horses). And Amelia rails against all the rules of being a lady and while she’s not wrong…she’s bratty and frustrating. She causes a scandal when she takes off her shoes and then fakes fainting to get out a dance (thus revealing no shoes) and then there’s a big fight with her family.
Shortly after this she inadvertently takes laudanum and drinks brandy (she doesn’t know about the laudanum) and hears a beautiful baritone singing outside her window. Amelia doesn’t have many inhibitions to begin with, so without any she jumps outside and finds the singer.
Alistair Finlay-Jones is the bawdy singer and has about the appropriate response to finding a drunken woman meeting him in the street. He’s fascinated but wants to return her home. Amelia, being a smartass even while hammered, gives him unhelpful answers and then passes out. Not knowing what else to do, he takes her to his apartment to sleep it off.
Meanwhile, Alistair is supposed to meet his uncle for an important discussion. Turns out the baron uncle wants Alistair to court one of the Americans (they’re impoverished but have a title, the scandalous but rich family could do a lot to help their situation!) and whoa! That’s the girl in his apartment! Zomg!
Alistair doesn’t tell the baron this and the baron orders him to meet Amelia at a ball and court her. He intends to return her home straight away, but that doesn’t happen.
NOPE.
Instead, Amelia wants to raise hell and have a fun day in the city doing all the things she’s not supposed to do. Alistair gets roped into this partly for selfish reasons, but also because he just likes her. It’s cute. However, she gives a fake name and it’s such a ridiculously transparent lie it is kind of pathetic. (But she thinks she pulls it off! The audacity.)
Normally, I’m all about screwing the rules and having fun and doing whatever the fuck. I’m for it! Make your choices! But we’re also taking about a society wherein these choices not only affect Amelia’s future, but her family’s. And like, big time. Like this could ruin them, damage their finances and who knows what else.
She does this for ONE SINGLE DAY OF FUN.
GIRL.
And it’s not even for a “Hey, I wanna go to school to learn to become (thing),” or “I want to create (big dream thing.)”
It’s just generic fuckery.
Amelia is in dire need of a mom friend. And some goals. And some common sense and ability to see consequences of her own actions. Even more frustrating, when she returns home, she doesn’t really give her loved ones (who have been extremely worried) a straight answer.
YEP. Amelia is an asshole. She doesn’t work for me as a heroine for all those reasons.
That being said, Rodale does make some interesting choices in the story and I liked parts of it a lot. We see more of the duchess’s soft side. Alistair is mixed race (his mom is Indian, his dad is English) and while this isn’t explored in detail, I thought it was interesting. I liked that the hero and heroine just have a ton of time talking, which is nice. The pacing and how the story unfolds isn’t quite what I thought would happen, which again, was nice.
I liked Alistair as a hero a lot. He’s got some very understandable angst and he has a solid emotional arc. And I liked that he just admires and likes Amelia. Not a fan of him enabling some of her destructive behaviors, though.
Again, I point out these issues because they bothered me personally as a reader, not because they’re “bad” or that this is a “bad book.” Amelia just doesn’t work for me as a heroine, but the other stuff was a lot of fun.
The word I keep coming back to when I try to describe Maya Rodale’s “Chasing Lady Amelia” is frustrating. This is a frustrating book because so many of the elements are my jam, but it ends up not working for me as a reader.
So to recap, “Chasing Lady Amelia” happens more or less during the same time as the events as the first book in the series, “Lady Bridget’s Diary.” And parts of this book are so, so much fun and I enjoyed them. And if you’re a reader who doesn’t think too hard about it, well, you’ll probably enjoy this book. As for me, well, I do think too hard about stuff and that’s why we’re in this mess.
Amelia is an American and an heiress in England. The unlikely string of events is explained earlier, but basically, she’s supposed to be a proper lady now even though she grew up in America (specifically Maryland and among horses). And Amelia rails against all the rules of being a lady and while she’s not wrong…she’s bratty and frustrating. She causes a scandal when she takes off her shoes and then fakes fainting to get out a dance (thus revealing no shoes) and then there’s a big fight with her family.
Shortly after this she inadvertently takes laudanum and drinks brandy (she doesn’t know about the laudanum) and hears a beautiful baritone singing outside her window. Amelia doesn’t have many inhibitions to begin with, so without any she jumps outside and finds the singer.
Alistair Finlay-Jones is the bawdy singer and has about the appropriate response to finding a drunken woman meeting him in the street. He’s fascinated but wants to return her home. Amelia, being a smartass even while hammered, gives him unhelpful answers and then passes out. Not knowing what else to do, he takes her to his apartment to sleep it off.
Meanwhile, Alistair is supposed to meet his uncle for an important discussion. Turns out the baron uncle wants Alistair to court one of the Americans (they’re impoverished but have a title, the scandalous but rich family could do a lot to help their situation!) and whoa! That’s the girl in his apartment! Zomg!
Alistair doesn’t tell the baron this and the baron orders him to meet Amelia at a ball and court her. He intends to return her home straight away, but that doesn’t happen.
NOPE.
Instead, Amelia wants to raise hell and have a fun day in the city doing all the things she’s not supposed to do. Alistair gets roped into this partly for selfish reasons, but also because he just likes her. It’s cute. However, she gives a fake name and it’s such a ridiculously transparent lie it is kind of pathetic. (But she thinks she pulls it off! The audacity.)
Normally, I’m all about screwing the rules and having fun and doing whatever the fuck. I’m for it! Make your choices! But we’re also taking about a society wherein these choices not only affect Amelia’s future, but her family’s. And like, big time. Like this could ruin them, damage their finances and who knows what else.
She does this for ONE SINGLE DAY OF FUN.
GIRL.
And it’s not even for a “Hey, I wanna go to school to learn to become (thing),” or “I want to create (big dream thing.)”
It’s just generic fuckery.
Amelia is in dire need of a mom friend. And some goals. And some common sense and ability to see consequences of her own actions. Even more frustrating, when she returns home, she doesn’t really give her loved ones (who have been extremely worried) a straight answer.
YEP. Amelia is an asshole. She doesn’t work for me as a heroine for all those reasons.
That being said, Rodale does make some interesting choices in the story and I liked parts of it a lot. We see more of the duchess’s soft side. Alistair is mixed race (his mom is Indian, his dad is English) and while this isn’t explored in detail, I thought it was interesting. I liked that the hero and heroine just have a ton of time talking, which is nice. The pacing and how the story unfolds isn’t quite what I thought would happen, which again, was nice.
I liked Alistair as a hero a lot. He’s got some very understandable angst and he has a solid emotional arc. And I liked that he just admires and likes Amelia. Not a fan of him enabling some of her destructive behaviors, though.
Again, I point out these issues because they bothered me personally as a reader, not because they’re “bad” or that this is a “bad book.” Amelia just doesn’t work for me as a heroine, but the other stuff was a lot of fun.
May 5, 2020
3.25 stars.
In the previous book, Lady Amelia, Lady Bridget’s younger sister gets “lost” in chapter 10 so this book, Chasing Amelia, begins.
I found the storyline kind of boring, even though everything happened in 24 hours and during a tour around London. I felt the plot dragged too much until the main conflict took place.
However, I felt for Amelia and how difficult it was for her to adjust to a new life in England. She was rebellious of the many conventions of the Ton and how women couldn’t be their true selfs because that it’s just not done while being around society.
Even though insecure and kind of following his uncle’s plan, Alistair was not a bad guy at all, he actually cared and fell in love with Amelia’s true self. He was her stability and support. I felt for him too because he just wanted to belong and couldn’t believe Lord Darcy and the rest of his friends liked him for what he was and not what material possessions he had.
The ending was unexpected but cute and everything resolved nicely!
In the previous book, Lady Amelia, Lady Bridget’s younger sister gets “lost” in chapter 10 so this book, Chasing Amelia, begins.
I found the storyline kind of boring, even though everything happened in 24 hours and during a tour around London. I felt the plot dragged too much until the main conflict took place.
However, I felt for Amelia and how difficult it was for her to adjust to a new life in England. She was rebellious of the many conventions of the Ton and how women couldn’t be their true selfs because that it’s just not done while being around society.
Even though insecure and kind of following his uncle’s plan, Alistair was not a bad guy at all, he actually cared and fell in love with Amelia’s true self. He was her stability and support. I felt for him too because he just wanted to belong and couldn’t believe Lord Darcy and the rest of his friends liked him for what he was and not what material possessions he had.
The ending was unexpected but cute and everything resolved nicely!
July 4, 2016
Originally posted on the blog What the Cat Read
This was a delightful read though there were times where I found myself getting frustrated with the characters and I had a bit of a problem with the timeline of some of the events in the book. I shall admit that I had a bit of a high expectation with this story because I loved the first book in the series immensely, so I am a bit sad that I can’t give this book a full five paws. But this isn’t to say that it is not an enjoyable read or that I wouldn’t recommend that fans of Rodale’s novels or historical romance give this a read. In fact I would encourage you to read it, especially if you’ve read the first book in the series!
So let me start this review off by saying that Amelia’s book takes place during and a bit after events in Lady Bridget’s Diary. By this I mean, in Lady Bridget’s Diary the reader is told that Amelia disappears for an entire day, but no explanation is given to where she was and what she did during her time away from Durham House. This book details Amelia’s adventures during that day as well as covers other events that happen to Amelia during her time in London. As such, I would suggest that newcomers to the Cavendish series start with the first book. Though you could read this one first since the primary focus is on Amelia, be prepared for some minor spoilers from the first book if you do.
Out of all of the Canvendish siblings, Amelia was the only one who I had problems connecting with in the first book, so while I was looking forward to continuing the series because I loved Bridget’s story so much, I went into this one with some expectations while also prepared to possibly grit my teeth where Amelia was concerned. It isn’t that I don’t like Amelia, it’s more that I found her attitude and behavior to be exhausting after a while. I like that she refuses to conform to London society standards, that she’s not afraid to be outspoken or eschew proper behavior. Her rebellious nature is tempting on many levels, but it can also be tiresome and gets old really fast. As a result, I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with her in this book. On the one paw I wanted her to be able to live her life the way she wanted, but on the other I wanted her to grow up and see things from her siblings points of view. In the end I really wanted her to find a balance between being the wild girl that she is at heart and being a well-mannered young woman in London society.
Alister also had a tendency to drive me crazy at times. While I understand that he feels responsible for what happened in his past and as such is driven to make amends, I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and give him a good shake while telling him to man up where his uncle was concerned. There’s doing something because it is what you want to do and then there is doing something because you feel like you have to in order to please someone else, and in the case of Alister, his actions were based primarily on the latter rather than the former. Despite this, Alister is a likeable character. He’s got a mischievous side which compliments Amelia’s and he knows how to be responsible, even if it is to a fault sometimes. He’s just enough of a wild card to guarantee that life wouldn’t be dull between him and Amelia while also being a stable influence for them both. He strikes me as one who would let Amelia do what she pleases provided it doesn’t bring harm to her or anyone else and isn’t too crazy.
I really liked how Rodale tied this book in with the previous novel in the series. The set up was perfect and it was great to find out what it was that Amelia had gotten up to when she disappeared from the house that day. It was also enjoyable to see previous events and scenes from Lady Bridget’s Diary through Amelia’s eyes. I ended up having a greater appreciation for the Cavendish siblings and all that they went through in that book after reading this one, and I am now curious to seeing how Rodale is going to tie in Claire’s story with these novels.
Now as I mentioned, this book runs parallel with Lady’s Bridget’s Diary. However, while I liked that there was this connection between the two books, I found myself getting confused as to the passage of time within this particular novel toward the end. There is a realization that happens to Amelia later in the story and the passage of time between when the book starts and when this realization happens doesn’t quite work from what I understand of this particular issue. Much of the book details the day that Amelia was missing, I’d say a good half of the novel covered this. That’s all well and good, but the passage of time for the remainder of the book felt like only a few days had gone by before this particular issue happens, and from what I understand of this it takes a few weeks rather than a few days to happen. Course, I could be wrong, and it’s no fur off my nose if I am, however, it did seem like there was some uncertainty in the timeline while I was reading the book. Rodale, if you happen to read this, I’d love to hear your perspective on this.
Overall this was a wonderful addition to a series that I am growing to love more and more with each installation. I am greatly looking forward to Claire’s book which releases in December, and I truly hope that Rodale allows James to have a book as well, or at the very least a chance to share his story with fans in some format. That’s one thing I missed with this story: we didn’t really get much of James this time around and I just know that there is a story where he is concerned just waiting to be shared. Please, Rodale, promise that you’ll tell James’s story at some point! If not in Claire’s book then in a novella or a full book of his own, murr!
This was a delightful read though there were times where I found myself getting frustrated with the characters and I had a bit of a problem with the timeline of some of the events in the book. I shall admit that I had a bit of a high expectation with this story because I loved the first book in the series immensely, so I am a bit sad that I can’t give this book a full five paws. But this isn’t to say that it is not an enjoyable read or that I wouldn’t recommend that fans of Rodale’s novels or historical romance give this a read. In fact I would encourage you to read it, especially if you’ve read the first book in the series!
So let me start this review off by saying that Amelia’s book takes place during and a bit after events in Lady Bridget’s Diary. By this I mean, in Lady Bridget’s Diary the reader is told that Amelia disappears for an entire day, but no explanation is given to where she was and what she did during her time away from Durham House. This book details Amelia’s adventures during that day as well as covers other events that happen to Amelia during her time in London. As such, I would suggest that newcomers to the Cavendish series start with the first book. Though you could read this one first since the primary focus is on Amelia, be prepared for some minor spoilers from the first book if you do.
Out of all of the Canvendish siblings, Amelia was the only one who I had problems connecting with in the first book, so while I was looking forward to continuing the series because I loved Bridget’s story so much, I went into this one with some expectations while also prepared to possibly grit my teeth where Amelia was concerned. It isn’t that I don’t like Amelia, it’s more that I found her attitude and behavior to be exhausting after a while. I like that she refuses to conform to London society standards, that she’s not afraid to be outspoken or eschew proper behavior. Her rebellious nature is tempting on many levels, but it can also be tiresome and gets old really fast. As a result, I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with her in this book. On the one paw I wanted her to be able to live her life the way she wanted, but on the other I wanted her to grow up and see things from her siblings points of view. In the end I really wanted her to find a balance between being the wild girl that she is at heart and being a well-mannered young woman in London society.
Alister also had a tendency to drive me crazy at times. While I understand that he feels responsible for what happened in his past and as such is driven to make amends, I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and give him a good shake while telling him to man up where his uncle was concerned. There’s doing something because it is what you want to do and then there is doing something because you feel like you have to in order to please someone else, and in the case of Alister, his actions were based primarily on the latter rather than the former. Despite this, Alister is a likeable character. He’s got a mischievous side which compliments Amelia’s and he knows how to be responsible, even if it is to a fault sometimes. He’s just enough of a wild card to guarantee that life wouldn’t be dull between him and Amelia while also being a stable influence for them both. He strikes me as one who would let Amelia do what she pleases provided it doesn’t bring harm to her or anyone else and isn’t too crazy.
I really liked how Rodale tied this book in with the previous novel in the series. The set up was perfect and it was great to find out what it was that Amelia had gotten up to when she disappeared from the house that day. It was also enjoyable to see previous events and scenes from Lady Bridget’s Diary through Amelia’s eyes. I ended up having a greater appreciation for the Cavendish siblings and all that they went through in that book after reading this one, and I am now curious to seeing how Rodale is going to tie in Claire’s story with these novels.
Now as I mentioned, this book runs parallel with Lady’s Bridget’s Diary. However, while I liked that there was this connection between the two books, I found myself getting confused as to the passage of time within this particular novel toward the end. There is a realization that happens to Amelia later in the story and the passage of time between when the book starts and when this realization happens doesn’t quite work from what I understand of this particular issue. Much of the book details the day that Amelia was missing, I’d say a good half of the novel covered this. That’s all well and good, but the passage of time for the remainder of the book felt like only a few days had gone by before this particular issue happens, and from what I understand of this it takes a few weeks rather than a few days to happen. Course, I could be wrong, and it’s no fur off my nose if I am, however, it did seem like there was some uncertainty in the timeline while I was reading the book. Rodale, if you happen to read this, I’d love to hear your perspective on this.
Overall this was a wonderful addition to a series that I am growing to love more and more with each installation. I am greatly looking forward to Claire’s book which releases in December, and I truly hope that Rodale allows James to have a book as well, or at the very least a chance to share his story with fans in some format. That’s one thing I missed with this story: we didn’t really get much of James this time around and I just know that there is a story where he is concerned just waiting to be shared. Please, Rodale, promise that you’ll tell James’s story at some point! If not in Claire’s book then in a novella or a full book of his own, murr!
November 5, 2019
3.5/5 stars due to a boring section of the book. I felt like just skipping through that particular part and just moving on to the complication and ending bit. Luckily those 2 sections saved the whole book. I feel like this series may not be a keeper as the Gilded Age series. But I’m still looking forward to Claire’s and James’ stories, which are books 3 & 4 of the series and hope the whole thing ends on a good note.
September 10, 2023
I thought this book was really cute and witty, but that the pacing left something to be desired. I wished that their first day together was shorter and that the MMC had had to spend more time winning her back than he did. I also thought the unplanned pregnancy was completely unnecessary and added nothing to the story. Overall though, I really liked the author’s writing style and am looking forward to reading more from her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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