What can you look forward to when your only relatives call you ugly, unbalanced, and a scandal? What would you do if your only friend was threatened? Dependent on her half brother, the Earl of Lamburne, Adelaide knows. She wants to escape.
Gervase Ducane, invited to Lamburne’s home to court his daughter, is torn. He needs to marry well and soon but not this spiteful chit. Should he buy a commission instead? Seek a wealthy merchant’s daughter? As a marquess’s brother, he has at least a noble connection to offer an heiress apart from his good manners. And why is he only now meeting the earl’s delightful half sister?
Ordered to stay away from the house party, Adelaide rebels. She will make her unwelcome, embarrassing presence known to avenge herself and her pet. Sometimes when you least expect it, magic happens.
When she was three years old, Kathleen Buckley’s father bought a set of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Big books! With all kinds of words (and pictures) in them! By the age of twelve, she knew she wanted to write fiction (she also wanted to be a journalist, a spy and a spaceperson—but NASA wasn’t accepting female spacepersons then. She never became a journalist because she hates asking pushy questions, nor a spy, because she’s not good with foreign languages, has bad eyes and is not athletic. In semi-retirement, she began to write full-time, at least when not pursuing her other hobbies: reading, cats, cooking, and costume.
Princess Fuzzypants here: I don’t read a lot of romances but with a black kitty on the cover, I was willing to give it a try. I am glad I did. Whilst the title and the cover might make you think there is some paranormal aspect, it is just a fresh look at the Cinderella story set in Georgian England. Adelaide lives with her half brother and his family. To say she is mistreated would be an understatement. The best she can expect from them is negligence.and dismissal. The worst is cruelty and malicious intent. When her beloved cat Tabby is catnapped, she stumbles over a stranger- literally- who is there to meet her niece, a spoiled nasty piece of work.
Meet her he does and he is not impressed but as he gets to know Adelaide, the two discover they have much in common and she helps him avoid a trap the niece has set to ensure her betrothal to him. Adelaide rescues him from the clutches of her niece and he rescues Adelaide from her family. Little did they know, when they first made plans, but Adelaide’s fortunes had changed for the good. The reader might be forgiven for wondering which one is the real “”Prince Charming””. Well matched and likely to make each other very happy after a serious of trials and tribulations, it would be hard not to cheer them on.
I enjoyed the book thoroughly. Five purrs and two paws up. .
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Looking at the beautiful cover art, I was initially expecting the book to fall into the fantasy genre, but this was more like a Regency romance. Having said that, it was very charming. I thought the writing was excellent, and stimulated my imagination. I found myself relating to some of the characters ' attitudes and values, for example, the importance of "good conversation".
I read a lot of crime novels, but occasionally I enjoy a romantic book as a change, and this seems like something I might choose for those moments.
Thank you to the author and Book Sirens for a free copy to review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Georgian tale of a bullied woman, her cat and the impoverished younger brother in need of a rich wife. Yes, nothing world-challengingly new, but really embedded in the time period, with strongly defined, wonderful characters. Georgette Heyer-ish, no spice.
This is not my favorite subcategory. I prefer contemporary style of writing, and that’s why it has taken me awhile to get through this.
Miss Buckley though has magic in her writing. Despite not favoring the time frame she uses, her connection with the characters gives even this stubborn Gen-X-Millenial brat a want/need to know what is going to happen next, and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t skip ahead to make sure I’d like the ending. Miss Buckley is just that good. She keeps me enraptured with Adelaide and Ducane’s story.
And since I’m better as a film casting producer, I have to admit, I pictured a particular Colin Firth as Ducane… especially when he “begs” (Tabby’s) “pardon” (surprisingly in more a Bridget Jones’s Darcy way, not a Pride and Prejudice’s) but if we need someone younger Tom Hiddleston will do in a pinch (doing this as a favor to... Lol). Adelaide - maybe Jessica Chastain as she is so versatile, who can go from a shy recluse to an engaging lady? I hate to give Margo Robbie Sophie, but there’s not a doubt in mind on that one... I mean, the girl plays Tanya Harding, Harley Quinn AND Barbie.
In short, once the two start engaging more often, I got into the book more and more. So I have no qualms giving this a 4.8 with the -.2 only for personal preferences not entirely related to the book at all.
Thank you, Miss Buckley, for opening up my peripheral mindset to their story! It is quite entertaining!
Goodness, Kathleen Buckley has really delivered a treat for romance fans with "A Peculiar Enchantment".
With her choice of words and pacing, she channels the best of Jane Austen or the fluffy Regency romance tales. The reader is quickly whisked away into the 1700s and the days of marriages arranged for class and financial considerations. Adelaide, the heroine, is living with her half-brother at Lamburne Castle and being greatly mistreated. She is thirtyish and beyond her expiration date as a marriage partner (in those days) and just wasting away in the Castle when Lord Gervase comes to stay for a summer, with the unspoken plan being for him to meet the younger Sophia, the niece of Adelaide.
But that isn't meant to be and one thing leads to another, resulting in sparks flying between Adelaide and Gervase. The rest, as all this plays out, is what makes this an enjoyable book to read, whether you are a romance fan or not. The narrator's voice is calm and soothing and one almost hears that voice from Masterpiece on PBS intoning the story for us. To be honest, there isn't a tremendous amount of action that occurs in this story, but that's not which this is about. It is about people, relationships, conversations, feelings and settings from another era, all of that. And at that, Buckley succeeds masterfully.
I hope the author will consider expanding her future tableaux beyond just historical romances. She has the gift. Five stars. Don't miss this one.
Lady Adelaide is the half sister of the Earl of Lamburne, and lives with him & his family, who treat her unkindly, as do their servants. Rumours are spread that she is ugly and unbalanced, so she chooses to stay away from social situations, and makes the best of things with her cat as her only friend.
Lord Gustave Ducane is the the second son of a Marquess, and needs to make a match with a lady who is well dowered as soon as possible due to family circumstances changing.
He becomes a guest of the Lamburne family, having been advised by his Mother to try and make a match with their eldest daughter.
The best laid plans are not always carried through, though, and “worms” can turn, causing all sorts of problems.
I’m not giving away spoilers, but I will say that this is a wonderful story, with lots of well plotted moves.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Regency Romances with a great plot, and a cast of characters that are so well described that I could see them in my minds eye.
I didn’t want to put the book down, and was sorry when it ended. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I really don't have many negative things to say about this book. It got a bit long winded, and I wish there was a bit more centered in magic and whimsey but not a bad read at all. I enjoyed the resiliency of the fmc. She never appeared weak even though her family was absolutely terrible to her. She proved to be cunning, witty, and found strength within herself before the tale ended. This was really her story to win or loose. With historical romances it is common to see the mmc as the strong, wealthy, bodice ripping, alpha hero. I certainly cant accuse Gervais of being most of those things. He was also cunning, and witty, he could easily have been a villain in different circumstances with his ability to sneak and manipulate, but those characteristics served as a benefit to the fmc and her escape from her dreadful existence. I think the real hero in this novel is Tate, in my opinion he saved them both and I applaud his character. This was a very traditional romance, the author captured the emotions of the characters falling in love so sweetly. Don't expect any steam to tarnish the beauty of this sweet story. Which is really fine for all ages. So cozy up by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate and engross yourself in to this long past time. Story:4 out of 5 stars Spice: 0 out of 5 peppers
First off, I admit I am not a big fan of romance novels. I liked the cat on the cover so I decided to read it. There have been a lot of bumps along the way and it took me awhile to finish (so sorry!) but on the whole I liked the book. It is set in the 1700s which I don't see often in this genre. Most writers prefer 18th century, Jane Austen inspired or the civil war and now WWII. So it was nice to be in a different century . I also liked that the main character Adelaide was not some brainless twit, but a woman in her 30s,warm, intelligent and a caring women who was hidden away by her family because she was considered "odd". The only concern I had was her age might be a little too old for the time as most people only lived to about 45 and childbearing was pretty risky, even more for Adelaide. Her neice Sophia at 20 would have veen considered almost old.
As I said, I got the book because of the cat on the cover but I was crushed her name was Tabby. While it is true that all cats have a little tabby marking on them, with such a beautiful black cat, there are plenty of great names for them. Sill, Tabby was a great character in her own right as companion to Adelaide and her magic in bringing the lovers together. I really think this was a great romance and different from the usual romance.
Thank you to Book Sirens, author Kathleen Beckley and Wild Rose Press for giving me a free copy of the book and I give my opinion of A Peculiar Enchantment voluntarily and with genuine enthusiasm.
For any admirers of Georgette Heyer, this is the book for you. Almost a Cinderella like story, but with more interest, the heroine, Adelaide lives with her half brother and his family, leading a very down trodden life. Along comes Gervase Ducane, a younger brother to a Marquess and in need of a dowry. He has been directed to Sophie, one of Adelaide’s nieces, and Adelaide is kept well out of the way, not that she has the type of dowry Ducane needs. However, fate has a different path for them all. Add a quirky cat and you’ve got a really good read.
Having grown up reading about this period of history, with simpering ladies, dashing men and over worked and downtrodden staff, it is the sort of book I find an easy and entertaining read. It is nicely written, gives a flavour of the era, the lives that women lived who were treated as chattel for their fathers, husbands or brothers and rarely finding a love match, certainly not amongst the society ladies. I found myself rooting for Adelaide all the way through, and, no spoiler, I love a happy ending. Recommended read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you Book Sirens for this free ARC. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily. This book is a historical romance. It takes place at a house party and then later at a different manor. There is no involvement in the London court, which is a nice change from the other historical romances I have been reading. The first few chapters were very confusing. The characters were introduced in a weird way. It was hard to keep track of them at first. Thankfully it didn't take long to figure everyone out. I liked Addie as a character. She gained more courage throughout the book and how she did was realistic. The one thing I was confused about was why she suddenly decided to start being around her family. Gervase was a great character. He was smart, decisive, strong, and protective. He knew what he wanted and wouldn't settle for less. When he cared for someone he would protect them the best he could. It felt like the book dragged on. It could have been split into two books.
What can you look forward to, when your only relatives call you ugly, unbalanced, and a scandal? What would you do if your only friend was threatened? Adelaide, forced to live as her half brother’s dependent, knows. Replaced as a marquess’s heir presumptive, Gervase Ducane should have taken up some career or married well, or both. He has wasted his chances and now his time is running out. At the house party Ducane was meant to court a well-dowered young lady. Adelaide was ordered to stay away. Sometimes when you least expect it, magic happens. This is an amazing love story. Ducane and Adelaide are meant to be together . I never read a book by this author before but I think I will look forward to more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really loved this period romance! I have always been fan of the Austen or the Bronte sisters' novels so when I read the summary for 'A peculiar Enchantment', it was a sure thing that I would pick it up.
This is a choice that I do not regret. To be honest, I wasn't swept off my feet by a burning romance but the story was really solid. I really liked the main character and the whole plot and the relationship that developed all felt sound and real. I enjoyed this book and thought it deserved 5 stars as I could easily pictured such a story to be true.
Of course, like in all romance novels, all's well that ends well but I was truly charmed by the writing of the author. I was really glad to have discovered her and I will certainly pick up some other novel she wrote.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There wasn’t much to this book. The plot was very slow, and nothing really happened of note. The wait for the romance to develop was interminable. Sadly, there wasn’t chemistry between the main characters, and their interactions were quite dry and awkward.
I wish there had been more shenanigans with the cat, since the cover seemed to imply that Tabby played a large part in the book. I thought the novel would have more humor, but unfortunately, the book generally wasn’t particularly funny or sweet. The only part of the story that I really enjoyed was the very end. The last few pages were rather heartwarming.
Overall, this was a slow, dry book. I do not recommend it.
*I received an ARC of this novel. This is my complete and honest review.*
I really enjoy reading books written during this time period when it wasn't okay for women to be "tomboys," as there were so many rules and gender expectations applied to both men and women. The descriptions of the clothing and behaviors made me think of my own mother and father who lived in the early 1900's. My mother told stories of getting in trouble because she was a tomboy who liked, much to her parents' dismay, to climb trees and roughhouse with her brothers. I must commend Adelaide, the main character, for retaining her grace and charm following her treatment by family. I admit that the cover made me think that the cat was going to add a "magical" component to the story - it does not. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Peculiar Enchantment By Kathleen Buckley Is A Charming Tale Of One Lord Gervase Ducane Invited To A House Party Hosted By The Earl of Lamburne… The Half-Brother Of Lady Adelaide… Rumored To Be A Crazy Unbalanced Chit Who Prefers The Sole Company Of Her Feline To Mixing With Proper Regency Society….Lord Ducane Needs A Match With Money & Lady Adelaide Desperately Needs To Escape Her Circumstances… Can Ducane & Adelaide Find Happiness & A Happily Ever After With Each Other ?!? Can A “Fairygodmother” Of A Feline Magically Arrange Such Occurrences?!? Read and See. Much Enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I Voluntarily Reviewed An Advanced Copy Of This Book.
It was a bit slow to get into and I felt a bit lost but soon found myself enchanted. The author draws you into the story and the time period of the book. I felt so bad for Adelaide until she met Gervase. I love a happy ending. This book was so realistic and yet magical. I loved the way Tabby was such an integral part of the tale. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes historical romances with a touch of magic.
I received this book as an Arc from BookSirens and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Peculiar Enchantment is a novel by Kathleen Buckley. I enjoyed this novel set in 1741 London. Adelaide is the spinster 1/2 sister of an Earl who along with his wife treated her badly. I thought the characters were outstanding and Adelaide's cat, Tabby, was charming. When Lord Duncan Gervase came to meet Lady Sophia with the possibility of courting her, it is Adelaide who catches his eye. I found this interesting and the story has a sprinkling of surprises. I found the book to be a wonderful romance. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
Author Buckley puts a fresh face on the usual staid rules driven Regency romance by introducing two unique and out of the ordinary characters Gervase Ducane and Adelaide Setbury. If barriers are suddenly erected to their careful plans, they each employ unique and inventive ways to overcome them. Subterfuge abounds in this story—as do multiple layers to their personalities as these two tackle each new threat to their happy ever after ending. Well done!
On a scale of 1-5, A Peculiar Enchantment deserves a 5.
I was given a review copy of this book and thought it enjoyable. It had a fairytale quality to it mixed with the Georgian setting. The language suited the 'time' as did the plot.
The characters were typical of that era as were 'conditions', whereby women were ruled by the whims of men and the law dictated their place. I liked Adelaide's determination, rebelliousness and intelligence and how she and Ducane further the plot.
A Peculiar Enchantment was a very written story. I really enjoyed reading this book since Kathleen Buckley put many of my favorite elements in it! I immediately liked both Adelaide and Gervase together. Having Tabby be such a big part of the story was great for me as a cat lover. Watching Addie’s character grow and come into her own made for good reading. It is a story that I recommend happily and will probably read again at some point. I read an ARC and this is my honest review.
This was an excellent book, I really enjoyed reading it. Adelaide was not well treated by her family, as a result she kept to herself to avoid them save for her cat tabby which kept her company and ultimately which made her to meet Ducane who later became her husband. The story is so thrilling with some twist and turns that leaves you wondering and fearing how it will end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Slow going at first but Kathleen through a surprise twist in about midway though and I was wondering how Addie was going to escape from her half brother. The entire book I was wondering if Tabby wasn't somehow supernatural but that reveal never came. I enjoyed "watching" Adelaide and Gervase fall in love and make their home at Dale Tower. An adorable "clean" read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I absolutely loved this book. It's romantic in every sense -- the elegant flow of the narrative, the beautifully described settings, the slow, sweet romance. Author Buckley spares us exaggeration and unnecessary drama. Instead, she drops us gently into eighteenth-century England. I forgot where I was, absorbed in the story and the era. I enjoyed the English countryside as if I was there.
The main characters aren't perfect -- which is perfect. They are loveable. They have depth. They also have problems. I kept turning pages, anxious to learn how they would get past each hurdle. I didn't want to stop reading.
It's a book I will read again -- and probably several times over.
This author puts a unique spin on the classic historical romance. I really enjoyed the story and the characters and it kept me turning the pages to find out how the couple was going to fare. Will be reading more books by this author.
I enjoyed this book. It was a well written enjoyable sweet, clean romance. It it did take awhile for the main characters, who were likeable, to realize they loved each other.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
He is drawn to her the more he knows her. But not only that, he is enachanted at other levels as well. It’s also a story about how one copes with mistreatment, specially from family, whether unwittingly or not. How the couple dealt with their specific situation is a masterpiece of strategy as well. Enjoyable read and hard not to finish in one sitting.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.