A Certain Want of Reason

by Kate Dolan

Lucia Wright needs a holiday. After years of caring for her "eccentric" younger brother and sister in the country, she accepts a friend's invitation to spend a few weeks enjoying the season in London... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 141995055X
• ISBN13: 9781419950551
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Ellora's Cave
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Characters!

Kate has done a wonderful job developing the characters in this book. My favorite is Lucia, though I feel sorry for her most of the time. She has such a heart, but her charges are beyond control. Thank goodness for the humor throughout the book; it takes the edge off the suspense. Edmund is my next character to root for. Though he is quite inventive when it comes to getting out of his obligations, I do not think he deserves his consequences. Overall, I enjoyed the plot and characters and have recommended this book to friends.

A Wonderfully Different Regency

After several attempts to have Jeanne Newman break their betrothal, Edmund Rutherford comes up with a new plan. What better way to get rid of an unwanted fiancee than to pretend to go crazy? And yet, when Edmund starts his pretense, he runs into Lucia Wright. Edmund and Lucia are drawn to each other from the start. But one moment, Edmund is acting perfectly sane and the next minute he's a complete nut. Lucia keeps finding herself coming to his rescue but wondering if she's isn't making a big mistake. Dolan's lovable characters will drawn you into the story and keep you there. An entertaining and enjoyable book, I highly recommend A Certain Want of Reason.

Traditional Regencies are back

I love traditional Regencies and was horrified when most publishers stopped publishing them. Much to my relief, I've found the Cotillion line from Cerridwen Press and Kate Dolan's book is one of my favorites. The thing I have always like about Traditional Regencies is the sense of humor and sheer fun when reading them. When Lucia Wright and Lord Edmund Rutherford get together, it is hilarious and yet wonderfully romantic. Each character is well drawn and has their own "agenda" which makes for a terrific mess that poor Lucia must somehow handle. You really end up loving the characters and the Regency setting is brilliantly done in metciulous detail. This book has gotten rave reviews "around the web" in both e-book form and paperback and I heartily recommend either format. It's a great book when you're feeling a little down and need something to cheer you up.

A Comedy of Manners ... Or is it misbehavior

I really enjoyed this book. It's the story of Lucia Wright and Lord Edmund Rutherford. Lucia comes to London to visit her friend, but almost immediately she must leave -- for her younger brother and sister are unable to manage on their own. Her brother, though hale and exuberant, lives in a world of his own, populated by his latest delusions. Lucia's sister is like a wonderfully evoked Regency version of the character Monk from the popular detective series. Edmund has his own problems. As his mother's dearest friend was dying, she asked his mother to betroth Edmund to her daughter. For twenty years, as a result of that deathbed promise, he has been betrothed to a woman he can barely stand. He has tried everything to end the engagement with honor, but his betrothed covets his money and title far more than something as inconsequential (in her view) as love. Finally, in desperation, Edmund feigns insanity in the hopes that it will convince her to leave him without harm to her reputation. But things never go as you hope they will ... What follows is a delightful comedy of manners, some of them rather bad, as Lucia and Edmund are thrown together in the asylum where Edmund and Lucia's brother both end up committed. Kate Dolan is a pleasure to read. Her prose flows smoothly, and she has a knack for a good turn of phrase. Her good-natured humor is a lot of fun. My only "complaint" is that I wish the book had gone on longer! It was a good, strong read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Recommended highly.