Foxing the Geese

It has been many a day since I read a Regency romance and I had no idea of what to expect, therefore I'm glad to say I enjoyed this one. I don't know if the genre as a whole has moved forward in the concept of what readers are willing to accept, but I think the author (Janet Woods) succeeded in producing a novel with a lighter, slightly more modern feel while keeping the novel within the historical period. There are not all that many plot variations available to maintain the Regency place in history but this one relies on the slightly plain, twenty-four year old spinster daughter of a clergyman in a small Kent village. Vivienne Fox is also likely to speak her mind and allow her intelligence to peep through, two things her father assures her men don't like in a single woman. Vivienne comes into an enormous legacy (yes, it really is enormous) and vows this London season she will convince any suitor that she has no legacy and will only marry for love. On the opposite side of this coin we have Alex LeSayres who has recently become the earl on the death of his father. The estate of King's Acres has always been in dire straights because of the deceased earl's bad gambling habit, but now notes are due and the holder is not willing to wait any longer for his money. In the past Alex has pretty much lived his life as he wanted and doesn't believe in love, but he certainly does see the necessity of marrying a wealthy heiress since keeping the estate intact means everything to him. So here we have the spinster and the rake.

The plot may be a familiar one but the author has written situations into the story which kept it fresh and interesting. To begin with, neither of the two main characters was a paragon. Vivienne has a habit of thinking she alone knows what's best and gets herself into trouble with her headstrong ways of handling situations. Alex can't seem to make up his mind which way he wants to go and confused himself and me on more than one occasion. The rules separating servant and upper classes are often very blurry so the author can make use of the two servant characters in unconventional ways. Because of dire financial circumstances Alex and his brother have grown up pitching a hand in to do all kinds of menial jobs necessary to run an estate and a household. It was interesting to see an earl with that kind of past. The entire storyline runs along Vivienne's decision to keep her legacy secret and the consequences of that action.

My overall impression of this novel was of one I enjoyed spending time with. The story is light but not fluffy. The characters are all given problems in their lives which are actually serious and worthy of exploration. There was no point when I thought about not finishing the book or even putting it aside while I picked up a different book. I liked it and I see this author has many other novels to choose from if you - and I - want to continue reading her work.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Severn House.

What an absolutely fantastic Regency romp! Vivienne has unexpectedly come into a fortune, which could elevate her chances on the marriage mart. However, strong-willed woman that she is, she decides to keep it a secret and go on as a poor relation and find a husband who loves her for herself. Alex is an impoverished Earl who must take a wealthy wife to save his family's estate. When the two meet they are instantly attracted but realize the futility since she won't reveal her secret and he can't give up his legacy no matter how well suited they are. What follows is a fun, sweet, and sometimes edge of your seat story filled with love of all kinds. Woods' voice is so fluid and pleasing, it felt almost as if she was writing in that era. I am a huge fan and look forward to more from her.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review,*

Marry for money or marry for love--what to do?

Spinster, Vivienne Fox had no expectations, until a cousin died and left her his fortune.
Impoverished Earl, Alex LeSayres needed to marry money to save the family's lands.
'Vivienne Fox had decided not to marry.' She hated being trotted out by her Aunt Edwina, coiffured within an inch of her life to impress a motley group of local swains and hopefuls, all because she now had money. Vivienne definitely did not want 'to gain the attention of a pack of brainless, chinless ... braying fools!'
A challenge for both Vivienne and Alex. Of course there's confusion as Vivienne hides the fact she's wealthy. She wants to marry for love. Meanwhile Alex knows he must save his family by seeking out a wealthy wife. The relations between the two become more tortured and confused as the two run in counterpoint to each other Then there's Vivienne's fairy godfather who interferes in all sorts of subtle ways.
I liked the two main characters and couldn't stand some of the secondary ones like Vivienne's cousin and aunt, which of course is the plot's purpose.
An enjoyable Regency read.

A NetGalley ARC

All reviews appear on Amazon, Goodreads plus Gr Facebook, LibraryThing plus LT Twitter, eyes.2c review blog Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Foxing-Geese-Regency-Janet-Woods-ebook/dp/B01BKNLPEU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1459599656&sr=8-1 (Apr 1, 2016) LibaryThing plus LibraryThing Twitter http://www.librarything.com/work/17549064/summary/128796336 (Apr 1, 2016) Goodreads plus Gr FB https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1599227269 (Apr 3, 2016) eyes.2c reviews blog http://eyes2creviews.blogspot.ca/2016/04/marry-for-money-or-marry-for-love-what.html (Apr 3, 2016)

Kent England - 1812

Vivienne Fox, age 24, the eldest daughter of the Reverend Ambrose Fox, has become quite wealthy when a distant cousin dies and leaves her a sugar plantation worth a fortune. Never having enjoyed attention from society before, now she is in demand. Even though her windfall is not public knowledge and she wants to keep it that way, there is speculation that she is now a rich heiress. Angered at this duplicity, she refuses to accept the invitations that start pouring in. In addition, Vivienne states that she does not wish to marry. But her father wants to see her wed and urges her to not make such a hasty decision. Therefore, she feels that if she must wed, she will be the one to choose and propose to the man. So, they depart for London where her uncle, John Howard, can advise her on investing her inheritance. In addition, she and her cousin. Adelaide, will be chaperoning one another for the season. Both women are vastly different in looks and personality.

Alex LeSayres is an Earl who needs to marry a wealthy woman. He is in dire need of money to cover his deceased father’s gambling debts and save the family estate. Therefore, he and his brother Dominic decide that Alex will head to London for the season in search of a wealthy bride to become the new Countess LeSayres. His requirements for a bride are numerous.

Alex and Vivienne knew each other as children. She used to hang around with the boys and one day, Alex threw her in a pigsty. After that, he kissed her and promised to marry her only to never see her again…until now during season.

When Alex and Vivienne see one another again, they enjoy each other’s company. While Vivienne continues to keep her inheritance a secret, there is gossip saying that she is, indeed, an heiress.

However, she has to put up with coarse insults from her cousin and aunt. This is difficult for her but she works hard to persevere. Some of the men she meets are quite crude in the way they approach her asking her to marry them to which she responds with a NO! When asked if she is an heiress, she denies it. Some of these men are desperate for a wealthy woman to marry and will stop at nothing to get her to marry them.

When she receives a summons from home that her father is ill, she leaves immediately only to be attacked by a man who wants her money and is trying to make her marry him. When Alex finds out that she has been injured and rushes to her side, he asks her to marry him, but she refuses. How long can she avoid her attraction to him and deny their love for one another?

This was a good story. There are lots of humorous and even scary events happening and I’m sure readers will enjoy the book. You will be fascinated with the desperate men after Vivienne and the antics of her cousin and aunt.

Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Kent England – 1812

Vivienne Fox, age 24, the eldest daughter of the Reverend Ambrose Fox, has become quite wealthy when a distant cousin dies and leaves her a sugar plantation worth a fortune. Never having enjoyed attention from society before, now she is in demand. Even though her windfall is not public knowledge and she wants to keep it that way, there is speculation that she is now a rich heiress.

Angered at this duplicity, she refuses to accept the invitations that start pouring in. In addition, Vivienne states that she does not wish to marry. But her father wants to see her wed and urges her to not make such a hasty decision. Therefore, she feels that if she must wed, she will be the one to choose and propose to the man. So, they depart for London where her uncle, John Howard, can advise her on investing her inheritance. In addition, she and her cousin. Adelaide, will be chaperoning one another for the season. Both women are vastly different in looks and personality.

Alex LeSayres is an Earl who needs to marry a wealthy woman. He is in dire need of money to cover his deceased father’s gambling debts and save the family estate. Therefore, he and his brother Dominic decide that Alex will head to London for the season in search of a wealthy bride to become the new Countess LeSayres. His requirements for a bride are numerous.

Alex and Vivienne knew each other as children. She used to hang around with the boys and one day, Alex threw her in a pigsty. After that, he kissed her and promised to marry her only to never see her again…until now during season.

When Alex and Vivienne see one another again, they enjoy each other’s company. While Vivienne continues to keep her inheritance a secret, there is gossip saying that she is, indeed, an heiress.

However, she has to put up with coarse insults from her cousin and aunt. This is difficult for her but she works hard to persevere. Some of the men she meets are quite crude in the way they approach her asking her to marry them to which she responds with a NO! When asked if she is an heiress, she denies it. Some of these men are desperate for a wealthy woman to marry and will stop at nothing to get her to marry them.

When she receives a summons from home that her father is ill, she leaves immediately only to be attacked by a man who wants her money and is trying to make her marry him. When Alex finds out that she has been injured and rushes to her side, he asks her to marry him, but she refuses. How long can she avoid her attraction to him and deny their love for one another?

This was a good story. There are lots of humorous and even scary events happening and I’m sure readers will enjoy the book. You will be fascinated with the desperate men after Vivienne and the antics of her cousin and aunt.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher

Connie for b2b