Shall We Dance?

By Kasey Michaels

Book Overview

Shall We Dance? by Kasey Michaels released on Feb 22, 2005 is available now for purchase.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373770383
• ISBN13: 9780373770380
• Release Date: February 2005
• Publisher: Hqn
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

well, I liked it...

I wonder if I read the same novel that the previous two reviewers did? Because I found Kasey Michaels' "Shall We Dance?" to be a rather witty and humorous read, and actually liked it a lot better than quite a few of her previous Regency-era romance novels! I suppose that this does prove the adage right: there's no accounting for (personal) taste. George III of England is (finally) dead, and the corpulent, dissolute, spendthrift and much despised Prince of Wales is soon be crowned king -- something that the Prince has dreamed of and longed for for a very long time. Unfortunately, for the Prince, this much looked forward to turn of events is quite marred because of the realisation that his much hated wife, Princess Caroline of Brunswick, would be entitled to be crowned Queen of England as well. The Prince cannot bear this and has instructed his government to find a way for him to divorce Princess Caroline. The Tory (Conservative) government, quite tired of the blowzy and coarse Princess of Wales and her scandalous ways eagerly cooperate, particularly as a newly divorced King would be able to marry again and father another heir (Princess Charlotte, the Prince and Princess' Caroline's only child, had died in childbirth some time back). In order to ferret out some outrageous scandal concerning Princess Caroline, Sir Willard Humphrey, retired Minister of the Admiralty, has decided to coerce his nephew, Perry Shepherd, the Earl of Brentwood, into helping the government. The plan is for Perry to seduce the Princess' young companion, Miss Amelia Fredericks, into revealing a "naughty" tidbit or two about the Princess that would effective ruin her in the eyes of all her many supporters. A dangerous man, who had done some rather unpleasant things for his country during the Peninsula Wars, Perry is nevertheless appalled at the lengths that his uncle and the government are prepared to go in order to satisfy their Prince in order to stay in power. And Perry is resolved to contain whatever excesses his uncle and his cronies are capable of unleashing by pretending to do their bidding. A resolve that becomes all the more palatable once he meets Miss Amelia Fredericks, and recognises in her a heart so steadfast and loyal and true, that it is almost a balm to his much jaded soul. Determined to protect the Princess and his Amelia, Perry nevertheless quickly realises how doubly risky his plan is -- for what should happen if Amelia were to learn of his connection to Sir Willard? Will he be able to stomach losing the woman he has fallen deeply in love with for the sake of duty? "Shall We Dance?" starts off strong -- Perry's sardonic wit really makes for a very entertaining read. Also adding to the entertaining faction was the humorous manner in which the author presents the very many eccentric and colourful characters who have all marshaled their resources in order to either help or hinder the Princess. It is true, however, that things do sag a little somewhere in the

entertaining Regency romance

In 1820 the King is dead and George IV inherits the throne. However, George wants to rid himself of his estrange wife Princess Caroline before his coronation insisting she does not deserve to be queen. Caroline has returned to England after several years on the continent in exile planning to sit on the throne whether her spouse wants her or not. The retired Minister of the Admiralty Sir Willard Humphrey orders his worthless nephew Perry Shepherd to use the undercover skills he learned during the Napoleonic wars to find dirt to discredit Caroline. To gain entry, Willard suggests Perry use loyal princess follower Amelia Fredericks, one of Caroline's orphans. If Perry fails to perform his duty for his king, Willard says he will enlist odious Jarrett Rolin who will do anything to regain his lost status amidst the Ton. Reluctantly, feeling like it is the less of two evils, Perry leaves his hedonistic pastime behind to uncover regal scandal. Instead he falls in love with his ticket but worries how his beloved will react to his treachery of using her to get at her cherished Princess. This entertaining Regency romance in many ways is more a political historical tale than a love story. Readers obtain a taste of the Whig-Tory rivalry accentuated by who the support the king or the wannabe queen. The enticing romance enhances the competition for power as Kasey Michaels provides a refreshing look at the machinations and skirmishes between the Regent and his wife as well as the two political parties prior to the coronation. Harriet Klausner