This is a good old-fashioned (clean) Regency romance. It's got Bath, an earl, an impoverished companion with a practical bent, a wicked uncle, and a ball. Not to mention an abduction. Candice Hern always writes straightforward well-crafted books, and this is no exception. I ought to like it more than I did, though, and I think I've marked it down because it did all feel a little formulaic. Writers like Eloisa James are taking the same ingredients and introducing a degree of realism to the relationships that means that Hern's approach now comes across as a bit artificial. I'll carry on reading what she writes, but I find myself not re-reading her books. This is absolutely the worst book I've ever started to read. I will admit to not completing the story but nothing could help the banality and dullness of the writing. Maybe it had a wonderful ending... that doesn't help if I can't wade through the dullness of the first half.Will I give the author another try? Probably not, unless I'm on a deserted island with only this to read, I might approach another book of hers with caution.I'm more likely to write my own book.
What do You think about A Proper Companion (1995)?
Hern captures the Regency period perfectly. This eBook was a delightful, enjoyable read.
—Jan12137
Clean and cute with enough storyline and plot to keep me entertained.
—jimmyboy686