Lavender Lady

When the Earl of Alton is injured in a carriage accident in the small Oxfordshire village of Henley, he finds himself recuperating in the lively Godric home. Run by the capable and kind-hearted Hester, who undertook to raise her young half-brothers and sisters when their father died, and Godric Manor had to be sold, it is as different from his lordship's own childhood home as could be. Helping shy Jamie with his Greek, keeping rambunctious Geoffrey happily occupied with the care of his horses, entertaining young Robbie with traveler's tales, and convincing pious Susan that cooking is more rewarding than self-conscious airs of virtue, the Earl is soon practically one of the family. But it is Hester herself, his "lavender lady," that wins show more his heart. Can an earl marry a woman whose grandfather was a shop-keeper? And will the Godrics' forgive him, when they learn that their plain Mr. Fairfax has been deceiving them...?

The third regency novel I have read from Carola Dunn, Lavender Lady was an engaging story, not at all marred by its reliance on tried-and-true narrative elements. I enjoyed watching the hero being gradually won over by the warm-hearted Godrics, and although I rolled my eyes at the misunderstandings - Hester thinks Alton is in love with her beautiful sister, Alton thinks Hester loves a clergyman - it was fun to watch such difficulties being smoothed out. I was quite struck by the similarities between the Godrics and the Merrivale family, from Georgette Heyer's Frederica: both managed by a capable older sister (Hester, Frederica), both include a gorgeous younger sister (Alice, Charis), both have adventurous younger brothers in need of saving. Dunn is no Heyer, despite her imitation, but although I thought the class issues were too easily resolved, and I could have done without the sub-plot involving Mrs. Stevens, this was still an entertaining entry in the Regency genre. show less

A broken leg leaves David Fairfax, Earl of Alton and rich man-about-town, at the tender mercies of the Godric family. Led by kind, sensible Hester, the large brood are orphans but full of love and merriment. Fairfax and Hester have an immediate rapport, but each are sure the other loves someone else. Misunderstandings and amusing hijinks continue until the novel abruptly ends.

Hester's family was in Trade, and one of the things keeping them apart is Fairfax's worry that the ton will never accept her. I really liked that he was aware of the real problems due to their social differences. It was solved a little too neatly, but on the whole it was a refreshingly believable issue--much better than the misunderstandings (Fairfax thinks Hester show more loves a parson! Hester thinks Fairfax loves her sister!). An enjoyable read. show less

Pretty good Carola Dunn regency. Far from her best. I have a feeling it's one of her very early ones. There is also what I think is a glaring historical error in it. The heir to an Earl is his sister's son. No mention of breaking the entail.

Good character development, entertaining story.