A Notorious Lady

by Catherine Blair

Book Overview

This is the hard copy of my popular ebook on eldergym.com which is available as a free download when you join our email list. It includes over 80 exercises with photos and instruction. 12 Upper body... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821775537
• ISBN13: 9780821775530
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Zebra Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Another great one for Blair

This was the first book I read by Blair and I loved it. She is very creative and keeps the story interesting. I loved the personalities of both Lady Eleanor and John Caldwell. I always like it when a child is involved too. This was another one I could not put down and handed around to a lot of friends to read. They loved it too!

very pleasant traditional regency with a slight twist

Here is a slightly different traditional regency from Zebra. Our heroine, the widowed Lady Eleanor, is indeed a woman with a past. Stifled in an arranged marriage, she dared to take a chance at love and was abandoned by the father of her child. She fled to a small town outside Cambridge and even though her husband claimed the child as his own, she has lived a secluded life with her son trying to live down her notorious past. John Caldwell is a sweet Beta guy. He's puzzled as to why this Lady is so cold towards him initially but since he's not a member of the ton, he doesn't know of her past. As John is a self made man and has to watch his step in Trinity College society, he soon learns that his growing friendship with the reclusive widow and her son could cost him dearly. Catherine Blair has written a sweet, gentle character centered love story. Since it's set outside of London and the Season, we get a refreshingly different look at regency society and a reminder that those who fell from grace did indeed have to worry about "what society would say." The main characters are people I felt happy spending more time with and for whom I rooted all the way. Especially nice is the relationship between John and Eleanor's son William who truly does act like an eight year old boy. The pace of the romance is slow and steady and never gave me the feeling I was watching 21st century people playing at dress-up. If I have a qualm, it is in how Eleanor is suddenly accepted by a large section of the female society around Cambridge and in her small village after having spent eight years there feeling as if she would be shunned if she dared poke her head outside. The resolution of the outside conflict also felt a bit fairy tale like, even if it was nice to see the minor villain get his comeuppance.

Different, in a good way.

John Caldwell, now a professor at Cambridge, is a man of humble beginnings. He grew up in Cheapside, and he has little tolerance for London gentry. When he meets Eleanor Whitcombe ("Lady" Whitcombe, a widow), he expects her to radiant and uppity. However, she is not what he expected. She aloof, not flashy, and overprotective of her son. Professor Caldwell is intrigued. The more he gets to know her, the more he wants to unravel her mystery. Why would any lady of society choose to tuck herself away in a small town? Wherever Eleanor goes, her scandalous past seems to follow her. She made bad judgements in the past, and she desperately seeks a new beginning. Her long-time friend, Lord De Vaux, introduces her to Professor Caldwell, whose endless questions are sometimes infuriating. Lady Whitcombe didn't want to let any man into her life... but Mr. Caldwell makes it difficult. Bottom line? Catherine Blair delivers another enjoyable story. It is bold and romantic, and very easy to read. While the characters were not always loveable (they have their faults--especially Eleanor), you find yourself rooting for them in the end. As Caldwell unravels the mystery, so does the reader. There are little surprises the whole way through. Overall, very enjoyable!