The Painted Lady

by Barbara Metzger

Book Overview

The more Lilyanne Bannister hears about the dashing, devilish Duke of Caswell, the more intrigued she becomes. And soon she wonders if it is time to give in to a dangerously irresistible... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451203682
• ISBN13: 9780451203687
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Good relationship drama.

Dukes did not paint, or did they? For Kennard (Kasey) Cartland, Duke of Caswell, painting was not merely a hobby, but a way of life. He would collect models as he would have collected priceless art objects, but there was a woman in his life who didn't consider herself an object at all. Miss Lilyanne Bannister dreamed of wearing finery and enjoying a London Season like many of her contemporaries. She had to put those dreams on hold when her parents were killed and she was placed in the care of a stern uncle. Could the images Kasey painted of bright scenes brighten Lilyanne's life? Barbara Metzger handles the give and take of a relationship deftly. Like the brilliant colors of Kasey's palette, this story also has its brilliance.

Barbara Metzger delivers another gem!

Ever wondered what Galatea would have said to Pygmalion before she came to life, especially if she also possessed a sharp wit and a caustic tongue to boot?Kennard Cartland, the Duke of Casewell, is very much a man of the ton. He's rich, good looking, a responsible duke, and has a reputation of being a very generous and excellent lover. He also has a deep, dark secret. He is a brilliant artist. Each night, he repairs to his house in Lonsdale Street, where he spends the night (after having indulged with the lady of the night, literally) painting nudes. One night, instead of painting his latest conquest, he creates a beautiful woman out of his imagination. In fact, she's so beautiful and perfect that he even finds himself drooling over her, for all that she's a figment of his imagination. So you can well imagine his shock when the lady in the painting starts talking to him and upbraiding him for everything from his many self indulgences, his casual use of women, and the cold manner in which he has chosen his future wife. The duke is fit to be tied -- could he be losing his mind?Afraid that this may be the case, he repairs promptly to the estate of a Dr. Bannister, who had at one time been King George III's physician. Dr. Bannister now runs a sort of sanitarium where the aristocracy send their difficult and wayward daughters and wives. Bannister is keen to take on the duke's case. However the duke soon finds that if the good doctor cannot cure him, Bannister's regime of boiled food and rigorous exercise and knitting, will soon drive the duke quite daft from boredom. Everything the duke takes pleasure in (reading, good food, painting, & conversation) seems to be on the doctor's forbidden list. Indeed the only bright spot in this very grim landscape seems to be Bannister's niece, Lilyanne. But Lilyanne is convinced that the duke is dangerous, and so keeps her distance. Stung that (for once) his rank, good looks and legendary charm seems not to be working on Lilyanne, the duke goes all out to win her trust and approval. And the more time he gets to spend with Lilyanne, the more she's proving to be just too irresistible a temptation. Surely he cannot be falling for a young woman of modest means and background?Lilyanne Bannister has all but given up hope of ever finding happiness and love. Orphaned at an early age, Lilyanne and her sister, are quite dependent on their uncle. And in order to give her sister a chance at some kind of life, Lilyanne has all but resigned herself to acting as her uncle's assistant at the sanitarium. She was quite resigned to her fate; and then one day, rich, charming and handsome Kennard Cartland enters her life. From the very start Lilyanne knew that she would have to arm herself against his charm. But it isn't too long before she's falling under his spell, esp since he actually seems to enjoy talking to her and listening to her opinions. Knowing that nothing can come from this friendship, Lilyanne is quite stoic about the f

Metzger at the top of her form!

This is Metzger at her very best. Witty, warm, and very funny, with charming characters in an original and captivating story. She pushes the Regency envelope while at the same time hewing to the best of the Regency genre with clever dialogue in a bright and breezy plot - which I won't spoil for you by describing too closely. But there's a handsome hero with a strange obsession, a beleaguered heroine with a growing obsession for him in spite of her best resolves, and a mysterious painted lady with pointed and perceptive commentary and.. Oh - read it for yourself! And then reread it. This one's a winner and a oner.

A magical regency romance

Duke Kennard "Kasey" Cartland prefers painting portraits to attending the acceptable and winked at events of the Ton though he has had mistresses. However, Kasey realizes that he needs a wife so he can have a male child because his current heir, his younger brother Junior, would gamble away the estate. His choice for a spouse is Lady Phillida Granleigh, who thinks his painting is childhood dabbling. However, his latest portrait of a phantom lover talks to Kasey. Feeling he is losing his mind, Kasey visits Sir Osgood Bannister, known for helping the Ton with their ailments. There Kasey meets Osgood's niece Lilyanne, who believes that the artistic aristocrat has seen a vision that wants to assist him in reconciling his secret life with his patrician life. As Lilyanne and a reluctant Kasey begin to fall in love, the weird other dimensional matchmaker continues to bring them together. THE PAINTED LADY is a well-written, amusing, but weird and different Regency romance. The story line is fun as the two lead characters struggle with their growing feelings for one another. However, what makes Barbara Metzger's novel distinct is the humorous lady in the portrait who serves as a matchmaking psychologist forcing the male protagonist to take a close look at his desires.Harriet Klausner