Her Master and Commander

Um. Not sure about this one. Well-written (aside from a couple of chapters where everyone, including the crusty sea-captain, constantly used the adjective "horrid"), interesting characters, the first of a series (I love family series). However, the basic premise is highly implausible, to the point where I kept stopping to say "But they wouldn't have done it that way!", which kind of throws me out of the story. The characters' actions were also rather implausible at times - she may be a widow, but that doesn't excuse her from everything. I don't know. I liked many parts of it, but in the end I'm unsatisfied. I may read the next one (because Christian is an interesting idiot - why in God's name would he attack the coach? Just stupid), but show more I don't think I'll reread this one. Oh, and the climactic scene with the trustees isn't shown at all - it's reported after the fact and very skimpily. It might have made the book longer, or shown "the trustees" as actual people...I don't know why she left it out. That's part of why I found it unsatisfying overall. show less

So tempted to check this out from my library, just because the title cracks me up for some reason...

First I just smiled to myself about the title while looking for that Patrick O'Brian book, then I put it on hold, took it off hold again, thought about it and sought out a synopsis...

It sounds so funny! A Butler going to collect an illegitimate child, grown up and rebellious? Is it queer? No? He plays matchmaker?! It sounds too good.

It sounds better than it will be, so I'm going to content myself with a chuckle and imagine what could be, and not actually read this.

Tristan Llevanth’s life changed when he was 10 years old, his mother was taken to prison on a false charge of treason, he was separated from his twin brother Christian and he was impressed for a life at sea.

The Duke of Rochester has not been able to father legitimate children and now that he is dying he needs to find his illegitimate twin sons so that he has someone to inherit his title. He concocts a plan to legitimise them and sets his butler extraordinaire, Reeves, the task of finding them and notifying them of their inheritance but it comes at a price – he must make gentlemen of them.

We meet Tristan again when he is 35 - he has been a pirate and is now a wounded war hero who can no longer sail because of his injury. He has show more settled on a property in Devon with men who had been part of his crew, just waiting for life to pass him by.

Unfortunately his bothersome neighbor, the delectable widow Prudence Thistlewaite has other ideas. When Reeves meets her he hires her to teach Tristan the manners of a gentleman, it is a hard task, especially as passion takes over on more than one occasion.

He eventually is reunited with his brother who lives life alternatively as a gentleman farmer and a highwayman. I have already read Christian’s story and this ties them together nicely. It was a good read. show less

The book is set in rural Englandin the early 1800s. Tristian is an injured sailor (and hero) and has retired to the countryside. Prudence is a widow who has recently moved to the countryside with her mother to set up a school for young ladies. Soon after the story begins, Tristian finds out that he has inherited the title of earl, but to receive the money that goes with the title, he has to pass a 'test' proving that he is a gentleman and worthy of the title. Prudence is hired to help him learn to be a gentleman. During the course of their lessons, Tristian and Prudence find friendship and love. This was a fun book. I came to care about the characters and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to them. The secondary show more characters were a hoot (a couple laugh out loud moments). I'm looking forward to picking up the next book (it's about Tristian's brother). show less

really enjoyed this book. I of 2 (Just Ask Reeves). I just can't resist when a bad boy turns good for love and the good girls are just a little bad too.

A stand alone but part of a 2 book set about twins. I don't think 2006 works in 2024. The plot is fine but the wording is very out of date. It must have been fine in 2006. This is the oldest of the twins, Tristan.