Ebook545 pages7 hours
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
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About this ebook
“Alexander spins pure fun in the first full-length installment of her Victorian-era Lady Travelers Guide series . . . Readers will savor every page.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Really, it’s too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders’s favorite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what’s a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he’s escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative.
While India Prendergast only suspects his organization defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart.
“A delightfully humorous romantic adventure. Alexander enhances the missing person’s mystery with wonderful descriptions of London and Paris, but best of all is her cast of characters: three charming elderly ladies, two companions, an independent spinster and a swoon-worthy hero. Add to this several laugh-out-loud escapades and a surprising ending, and you have the fun read of the season!” —RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
“A brilliant and charming tale.” —Fresh Fiction
Really, it’s too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders’s favorite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what’s a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he’s escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative.
While India Prendergast only suspects his organization defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart.
“A delightfully humorous romantic adventure. Alexander enhances the missing person’s mystery with wonderful descriptions of London and Paris, but best of all is her cast of characters: three charming elderly ladies, two companions, an independent spinster and a swoon-worthy hero. Add to this several laugh-out-loud escapades and a surprising ending, and you have the fun read of the season!” —RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
“A brilliant and charming tale.” —Fresh Fiction
Author
Victoria Alexander
#1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award-winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was more fun than real life. She is the author of thirty-one novels, and her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Victoria lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her long-suffering husband and two dogs, in a house under endless renovation and never-ending chaos.
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Reviews for The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen
Rating: 3.62500003125 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
16 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/54.5 stars.
Brimming with humor and set against the backdrop of Paris, The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander is a highly entertaining historical romance. The Lady Travelers Guide series is off to a strong beginning with this first full-length novel that stars a marvelous cast of characters.
India Prendergrast is incredibly worried when she stops receiving letters from her cousin Lady Heloise Snuggs. Heloise booked her adventurous trip through the Lady Travlers Society and when her inquiries about her cousin go unanswered, India is convinced the society is defrauding its members of their money. She is also certain the widows who run the organization are a front for the real mastermind of the nefarious scheme. When she discovers Derek Saunders discussing Heloise with the club’s founders, Lady Guinevere Blodgett and her two best friends, India is convinced her suspicions have been confirmed. However, unbeknownst to India, Derek has figured out what the ladies are up to and he is determined to protect his aunt and her friends from any legal repercussions from their actions. India and Derek join forces to find Heloise and their first stop is Paris, but locating the missing woman amongst the crowd of visitors enjoying the World’s Fair is a daunting task. Will Derek be able to stall India long enough for his uncle’s detectives to locate her missing cousin?
India is a very independent and no nonsense young woman. Unlike most women of the time period, she has no interest in marrying so she works for Sir Martin Luckthorne as his secretarial assistant. She is extremely well-organized with a fairly rigid viewpoint of life. Convinced she is always right, India tends to rub people the wrong way with her propensity to speak her mind and her unbending attitude.
Derek is in line to inherit his family’s title and he has recently begun to change his rakish ways. In order to clean up his reputation, he has been working on his uncle’s estate and much to his surprise, he finds he is enjoying his new duties. Very protective of his great aunt, he will do whatever it takes to prevent the truth about her scam from becoming known.
Derek and India rub each other the wrong way right from their very first meeting. Derek thinks she is opinionated and unbending; India views him as an unrepentant scoundrel. As they begin their search for Heloise, they bicker endlessly as they trek from one hotel to another. Derek convinces India to take time to savor the beauty sights of Paris and slowly but surely, she begins to realize that she might have misjudged him. Over the next several weeks, India becomes much more self-aware once she recognizes how narrow her viewpoint is. Her once adversarial relationship with Derek gradually turns into a friendship as he challenges her to broaden her horizons. A mutual attraction also simmers under the surface but will Derek and India take their relationship to the next level?
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen is an absolutely charming historical romance with an eclectic cast of likable characters. The story’s premise is refreshingly unique and the storyline is quite engaging. Delightfully witty banter will keep readers laughing as Derek and India set off on an adventure that leads to a journey of self-discovery for the erstwhile heroine. This first installment in Victoria Alexander’s The Lady Travelers Guide series is an exciting and fun-filled romance that is sure to be a hit with fans of the genre. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I feel like this book took me forever to read. Some of that was life distractions. Some was the slow nature of the story. I'm still not certain I liked the overall arch of "unwind the spinster" in this case. The romance is definitely a slow burn. Good payoff, though. I don't know. I definitely have mixed feelings. I trust the author enough, though, to read the next one.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fun book. It opens with India, spinster and assistant to Sir Martin, on a mission to discover what has happened to her cousin Heloise. Said cousin departed on a Continental tour supposedly planned and facilitated by the Lady Travelers Society. But when India stops receiving letters from Heloise, and her increasingly frantic inquiries to the Society go unanswered, she begins an investigation. She quickly concludes that the Society is, in fact, a fraud, designed to bilk older ladies with a taste for adventure out of their money. Since the three older ladies who run it seem too flighty to be behind it, India's eagle eye falls on Derek.Derek is a young man who has enjoyed all the benefits of being the wealthy heir to an earldom. But when Derek's uncle makes it clear that it's time for him to grow up and take some responsibility, Derek turns over a new leaf. When he's asked to check on his favorite, though somewhat eccentric aunt, he's horrified to discover that she and her friends have formed a travelers society that has misplaced one of its members. In an attempt to keep the old dears out of jail and free of scandal, he's determined to track down the missing woman. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to take India with him.I have to admit that I didn't care for India at first. She is judgmental, convinced of her infallibility, and rather obnoxious. She arrives at a Society meeting already convinced that there is something illegal going on and nothing is going to change her mind. A partially overheard conversation makes her believe that Derek is the mastermind behind the whole thing. Even though he has promised to find out what has happened to her cousin, she makes it clear that she doesn't trust him.On the other hand, I liked Derek. He has buckled down quite nicely to becoming a more responsible man. He obviously cares quite deeply for his aunt and will do whatever he must to protect her, including taking the blame that India dishes out. I liked the way he immediately stepped up to find the missing Heloise and definitely felt his dismay at having to deal with the prickly India.I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their relationship. Though Derek has matured into a better man thanks to his uncle's efforts, he still knows how to have fun. He has made it a personal mission to get India to lighten up a bit. While taking the time to check at various hotels for any sign of Heloise, Derek also manages to insist on doing some sightseeing as well. I loved seeing the "why on earth would anyone want to leave England to visit a foreign country" India get her eyes opened to the wonders of Paris. India also makes some rather disturbing discoveries about herself, and I enjoyed seeing her evolution. The encounters between Derek and India are full of witty back and forth banter. She makes no bones about her distrust of him and her determination to reform him. Underneath it all is a growing attraction that takes them both by surprise. Just as things are looking really good for them, they receive some information about Heloise. The old India makes a return, parting the two with some harsh words. I liked that Derek gave India a little space, enabling her to get over her anger. I loved his big moment at the end - it was quite cleverly done.The mystery of Heloise's disappearance was a fairly mild one. I liked India's worry for her cousin and her determination to find her. I thoroughly enjoyed the Paris setting and how the sights and sounds were brought to life, from the cafes to experiencing the Eiffel Tower. Derek's deceptions are a little bothersome and I had a feeling they would come back to bite him. The story behind Heloise's disappearance was a bit of a surprise. I liked seeing Heloise confess the truth, but ached a little for India.The secondary characters all added extra life to the story. First were the three old ladies, whose desire for financial independence started the whole mess. They were delightfully naïve about the ethics of what they were doing. Their explanations to Derek were pretty funny. My favorite was Derek's stepbrother Percy, Marquess of Brookings. He was quite the unrepentant rake, charming and full of fun. His scene with India that first morning was hilarious. I loved how close he was to Derek; some of the advice that he gave was spot-on. The chaperones, Professor and Estelle Greer, were sweet. I loved Estelle's willingness to loan India clothes when India's trunk was lost. She was also especially kind considering India's early attitude toward her. India's boss, Sir Martin, was also quite interesting. He seemed like the typical absent-minded professor as India kept his life organized for him. His surprise arrival in Paris created quite a stir, especially with his attitude toward Derek. I did like India's way of dealing with him. I loved Derek's mother and the way she embraced India. Her method of convincing India to go shopping with her was really sweet.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was an amusing Victorian romance. The reader knows both sides of the story, except for the true mystery -- what happened to India's aunt. That is satisfactorily resolved by the end of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of froth with a touch of mystery. In fact, the sequel is on order now. If you enjoy light historical romances, you would probably enjoy this.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I L-O-V-E this new series!! It's so much fun with such cute, hilarious, refreshing unusual plot. With a trio of septuagenarians who could cause so much trouble and proud of it, whose hands could be found in all kinds of mischief; from match-making, wrecked a wedding, to losing member on the continent. This is one historical romance series I instantly adore, and can't wait to read more of them.
Book preview
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen - Victoria Alexander
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