Overall, The Earl and the Heiress is a light quick romance that amuses, and is worth the read.
I found Noelle to be a bit at odds with herself. One moment she's barging into Justin's house and telling him off and the next she's perfectly happy to do whatever he thinks is best.
From the inside jacket:
Noelle Armstrong never expected that she and her younger sister and brother, beautiful Ferne and young Winston, Viscount Sterling, would have the means to go to London for even one Season. But when Great-aunt Sylvia, an ancient, curmudgeonly lady, leaves her house and a modest inheritance to Noelle, that chance becomes a reality. Now, perhaps, an advantageous match can be made for Ferne - and possibly even Winston.
With their widowed Aunt Hattie, the Armstrongs take up residence in Aunt Sylvia's London home. But with no connections in the proper places, how are they to go about being accepted by the ton? Ingenious Nelly is undaunted. First, she engages the services and below stairs connections of Taylor, the former servant of their dead man-of-the-world father. And then, one morning, an advertisement appears in the London Gazette:
Loyal, intelligent, clean white dogs of the Maltese breed. Inquiries No. 4 Chauncey Square. Five only, one hundred pounds each.
The next day, the little dogs themselves make their public debut.
As Noelle has planned, the curiosity roused by the notice and the sight of the small pets brings the ton to their door - most particularly, one Justin, Earl of Wrenthe, who buys one of the puppies for his mistress - but soon replaces it with a farewell necklace and transfers the dog to his dowager mother. In the process, he and Noelle figuratively but intensely cross swords; Noelle on behalf of feckless Ferne, who has inadvertently gotten involved in a minor scandal which her sister blames on the earl; Wrenthe because he has never been challenged by a young lady he finds disturbingly attractive.
In this charming and unusual romance, whose characters - including the bouncy Maltese puppies - cannot fail to engage the reader, the author has provided another sparkling novel of Regency times.
I found Noelle to be a bit at odds with herself. One moment she's barging into Justin's house and telling him off and the next she's perfectly happy to do whatever he thinks is best.
From the inside jacket:
Noelle Armstrong never expected that she and her younger sister and brother, beautiful Ferne and young Winston, Viscount Sterling, would have the means to go to London for even one Season. But when Great-aunt Sylvia, an ancient, curmudgeonly lady, leaves her house and a modest inheritance to Noelle, that chance becomes a reality. Now, perhaps, an advantageous match can be made for Ferne - and possibly even Winston.
With their widowed Aunt Hattie, the Armstrongs take up residence in Aunt Sylvia's London home. But with no connections in the proper places, how are they to go about being accepted by the ton? Ingenious Nelly is undaunted. First, she engages the services and below stairs connections of Taylor, the former servant of their dead man-of-the-world father. And then, one morning, an advertisement appears in the London Gazette:
Loyal, intelligent, clean white dogs of the Maltese breed. Inquiries No. 4 Chauncey Square. Five only, one hundred pounds each.
The next day, the little dogs themselves make their public debut.
As Noelle has planned, the curiosity roused by the notice and the sight of the small pets brings the ton to their door - most particularly, one Justin, Earl of Wrenthe, who buys one of the puppies for his mistress - but soon replaces it with a farewell necklace and transfers the dog to his dowager mother. In the process, he and Noelle figuratively but intensely cross swords; Noelle on behalf of feckless Ferne, who has inadvertently gotten involved in a minor scandal which her sister blames on the earl; Wrenthe because he has never been challenged by a young lady he finds disturbingly attractive.
In this charming and unusual romance, whose characters - including the bouncy Maltese puppies - cannot fail to engage the reader, the author has provided another sparkling novel of Regency times.
In this book, Barbara Metzger brings forth a basket of Maltese puppies, a somber earl, and a young lady with spunk. This gift to readers is all wrapped up with a bow full of laughs. If you can find a copy of this delightful book, get it. You will have lots of giggles.
Noelle Armstrong's father was a charming Foreign Office diplomat, who gifted his wife with a pair of Maltese pups. When he died, he left the family with lots of debts. Noelle, as the eldest child, economized carefully and kept her family together. When an aunt died, leaving a townhouse in London and some funds to Noelle, she decided to spend enough money to take the family to London for a Season. Ferne is a ravishing blond and Noelle thinks she deserves a season to try to find a husband. She also thinks Winston, her brother, deserves some time in London to give him some polish.
Using the Maltese pups and a newspaper ad, Noelle creates a stir in London. The Earl of Wrenthe sends for one of the pups for his paramour but is rebuffed by Noelle. She only lets pups go to 'good homes' and must check out the buyer before turning over the pet. Well, Justin almost has a coronary when he's told that he might not be a good enough home. He arrives to be checked out and the fun begins.
I'm sure this was common, but Justin was 35-years-of-age and Noelle was only 22. I thought that was a big age-gap. He also was written as a stodgy Lord of Parliament, who simply didn't change his life to suit the whims of others. Because the romance of Ferne moved to the center of the book, Justin didn't get enough time to make it appear that he had really fallen in love with Noelle.
This is Ms. Metzger's second book (published in 1982). In time, she would write hilarious books about wild puppies (signature elements of her books) and charming lords. With this book, it is already obvious that the author has nailed the spunky heroine (who speaks her mind) to a T.
Noelle Armstrong's father was a charming Foreign Office diplomat, who gifted his wife with a pair of Maltese pups. When he died, he left the family with lots of debts. Noelle, as the eldest child, economized carefully and kept her family together. When an aunt died, leaving a townhouse in London and some funds to Noelle, she decided to spend enough money to take the family to London for a Season. Ferne is a ravishing blond and Noelle thinks she deserves a season to try to find a husband. She also thinks Winston, her brother, deserves some time in London to give him some polish.
Using the Maltese pups and a newspaper ad, Noelle creates a stir in London. The Earl of Wrenthe sends for one of the pups for his paramour but is rebuffed by Noelle. She only lets pups go to 'good homes' and must check out the buyer before turning over the pet. Well, Justin almost has a coronary when he's told that he might not be a good enough home. He arrives to be checked out and the fun begins.
I'm sure this was common, but Justin was 35-years-of-age and Noelle was only 22. I thought that was a big age-gap. He also was written as a stodgy Lord of Parliament, who simply didn't change his life to suit the whims of others. Because the romance of Ferne moved to the center of the book, Justin didn't get enough time to make it appear that he had really fallen in love with Noelle.
This is Ms. Metzger's second book (published in 1982). In time, she would write hilarious books about wild puppies (signature elements of her books) and charming lords. With this book, it is already obvious that the author has nailed the spunky heroine (who speaks her mind) to a T.
