Picture of author.

Louise Allen (1) (1949–)

Author of The Lord and the Wayward Lady

For other authors named Louise Allen, see the disambiguation page.

115+ Works 1,679 Members 83 Reviews 2 Favorited

About the Author

Louise Allen is the author of more than forty historical romances set in the Georgian and Regency period (www.louiscalIenregency.co.uk). She is also a collector of Regency prints and ephemera, a wide selection of which appear in this book.
Image credit: © A.J.Hilton

Series

Works by Louise Allen

No Place for a Lady (2007) 45 copies
The Earl's Intended Wife (2004) 44 copies
The Outrageous Lady Felsham (2008) 41 copies
The Shocking Lord Standon (2008) 41 copies
Pleasurably Undone! (2010) — Contributor — 40 copies
The Dangerous Mr. Ryder (2008) 38 copies
The Society Catch (2004) 38 copies
Married to a Stranger (2011) 37 copies
The Viscount's Betrothal (2006) 35 copies
The Notorious Mr Hurst (2009) 35 copies
Seduced by the Scoundrel (2011) 31 copies
Ravished by the Rake (2011) 30 copies
Forbidden Jewel of India (2012) 30 copies
Tarnished Amongst the Ton (2013) 20 copies
A Model Débutante (2005) 19 copies
From Ruin to Riches (2013) 19 copies
Rumors (2013) 19 copies
A Lady in Need of an Heir (2018) 15 copies
One Night With a Rake (2003) 15 copies
A Marquis in Want of a Wife (2020) 14 copies
The Duke's Counterfeit Wife (2021) 14 copies
Not Quite a Lady (2006) 13 copies
Disrobed and Dishonoured (2009) 13 copies
A Rose for Major Flint (2015) 13 copies
The Earl's Marriage Bargain (2020) 12 copies
Convenient Christmas Brides (2018) — Author — 11 copies
The Earl's Mysterious Lady (2022) 10 copies
The Bride's Seduction (2006) 9 copies
The Marriage Debt (2005) 8 copies
His Convenient Duchess (2022) 6 copies
Seduced by Love 4 copies
Loving the lost Duke (2017) 3 copies
Desert Rake 1 copy
Syndigt samvete (2018) 1 copy
Önskning till jul (2017) 1 copy
Efter snöstormen (2017) 1 copy

Associated Works

Loves Me, Loves Me Not (2009) — Contributor — 36 copies
Snowbound Surrender (2019) — Author — 9 copies
Virgin Slave, Barbarian King 1 (2013) — Original Text — 2 copies
The Marriage Debt, Vols. 1-2 (2014) — Original Text — 1 copy
Married to a Stranger (2017) — Original Text — 1 copy
A Mistletoe Masquerade (2018) — Original Text — 1 copy
Virgin Slave, Barbarian King 2 (2013) — Original Text — 1 copy

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Legal name
Hilton, Melanie
Other names
Shaw, Francesca (in collaboration)
Birthdate
1949
Gender
female
Nationality
UK
Birthplace
Norfolk, England, UK
Places of residence
Norfolk, England, UK
Occupations
romance novelist
Organizations
Romantic Novelists Association
Short biography
Melanie Hilton has been immersing herself in history, real and fictional, for as long as she can remember, and her first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle. Some considerable time later she joined forces with a friend and became one half of the writing partnership Francesca Shaw -- what began as a decidedly tipsy storytelling session in a Burgundian vineyard led on to a series of Historical Romances, all but one set in the Regency period. Career changes meant that the partnership had to end and she now writes as Louise Allen about her favorite historical period alone -- which means she can keep all her gorgeous heroes to herself.

She lives in England in a village in Bedfordshire with her long-suffering husband who is not only a wonderful cook, but also the perfect inspiration for every romantic hero imaginable. All their spare time is spent at their Norfolk cottage on the coast where, although they have no pets, they are permitted to share the garden with a very bossy pheasant called Percy.

Members

Reviews

 
Flagged
BooksInMirror | 2 other reviews | Feb 19, 2024 |
When I saw there was a romance that took place in INDIA, I was so excited. I love reading stories in different countries and time periods, and I know very little about British Imperial rule in India. The saving grace to this book was the way Allen described the countryside and way of life in India. That was interesting. I felt like she crammed a lot in, and it worked.

However, I was super disappointed with the heroine, Anusha. As a mixed race individual, she doesn't feel like she belongs anywhere. Fair. She's adamant that she is both English and Indian, and that's a constant struggle, which is interesting and relatable. That was all thrown away at the end because Anusha was just sooooo happy to be with Nick that she didn't care if people cut her hair, changed her clothes, or made her walk a certain way. By the end of the novel, we lost Anusha, and her most defining feature was that she loved Nick. Bor-ing. I don't have a problem with a woman who really loves her man, but it is problematic when she sacrifices everything to be with him and he's just along for the ride. The ending was such a letdown, that it ruined the book for me, and it didn't deliver overall.… (more)
 
Flagged
readerbug2 | Nov 16, 2023 |
Good second chance story. Guy and Cressida (then known as Viola) were set up in an arranged marriage when she was seventeen. They had seen each other only a few times before their wedding day. Just as the priest got to the part of "if anyone knows a reason..." she took off running down the aisle and disappeared, leaving Guy flabbergasted.

Five years later, Cressida is back in the same village, using her new name and living with her cousin. The last person she expects to see as she arranges the church flowers is Guy. Now out of the army, he has been sent by his father to fix up his neglected estate and consider looking for a bride. She's surprised that he does not recognize her and counts herself lucky that she escapes before he can. Though she hopes he is just passing through, Fate has other plans.

They meet again the next day, as Cressida takes a picnic and her paints into the estate park as she is used to doing. She's again startled by Guy, who calls her out on trespassing. Cressida isn't particularly intimidated and, when he asks, tells Guy why she loves his land so much. She is a gardener and landscaper at heart, telling him how she envisions the land. He and his steward, Arthur, later prevail upon her to advise them on what needs to be done.

There are sparks of attraction between Guy and Cressida that both try to resist. Cressida has the secrets of who she is and why she ran from him before that keep her from believing they have a future together. Guy knows he's expected to marry well, and a country miss isn't acceptable to his father. But the more time they spend together, the closer they grow. I enjoyed their times together and seeing how right they were for each other. I especially enjoyed watching Guy worry about her when she got sick after the fall into the lake.

Things become awkward when she tells him the secret that sent her running, but not that she was his bride. When Guy hires a detective to track down his former bride, he also asks the detective to look into Cressida's background. To say that Guy is shocked and angry to discover they are one and the same would be putting it mildly. Their confrontation was eye-opening for both as they argued over the right and wrong of Cressida's actions. I liked that they came out the other side stronger in their relationship, and I had high hopes their troubles were over.

But Fate wasn't done with them, and an unexpected twist put the subject of Cressida's secret front and center again. This was a much more complex issue, and I ached for both as it tore them apart. I wanted to shake Guy for not prioritizing his feelings for Cressida and giving into the fear of scandal. Fortunately, his niece had a better view of what was important and made excellent points while talking to Guy about the problem. I loved seeing what Guy did to make things right with Cressida. The ending was terrific, and I loved seeing the truth come out.

I enjoyed the various secondary characters and their influences on the actions of Guy and Cressida. My favorite was Arthur, Guy's friend and fellow soldier, who became Guy's steward. I loved the friendship between the two men and how Arthur was one of those who helped bring Guy and Cressida together. Cousin Henrietta was lovely with her support of Cressida and belief in the relationship between Guy and Cressida. Finally, I loved Guy's niece, Penny, whose confidence in her Uncle Guy's ability to solve her problem helped him see how to fix his.
… (more)
 
Flagged
scoutmomskf | Jun 8, 2023 |
When Lord Henry Cary and Melissa Taverner meet they get on really well. He's finding himself more and more attracted to her but he's worried about spoiling the friendship. Meanwhile she's finding herself more attracted too. Things get complicated when rumours start so what can they do.

It was a blast, a fun romp of a book.
 
Flagged
wyvernfriend | 1 other review | May 22, 2023 |

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