A Proper Companion (A Regency Romance) [NOOK Book]

Characters that really come alive....

There is nothing better than a book that truly brings its characters alive, with full personalities, quirks, dreams and troubles. Candice Hern truly achieves that in A Proper Companion. Emily, the companion to a dowager, starts off with a properly demure personality as suits her station in life, but even at the beginning, you can sense a spark of fun in her. Certainly, she was witty and intelligent even from the start, yet you see her grow in confidence and really blossom over the course of the book. Robert, the dowager's nephew, is impossible not to like and you find yourself hoping that he can somehow untangle himself from his betrothal and find true happiness with Emily. But no honourable gentleman can break a betrothal. Emily wouldn't dream of interfering. Perhaps the crafty dowager has a trick up her sleeve? Well worth the read. You won't be able to put it down, and the characters will linger in your mind long after you read it.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Fun regency

A penniless companion gets a chance at a London season thanks to her generous matchmaking employer and possibly a path to her own happy-ever-after that rivals the heoines in the gothic novels that she enjoys. This is a fun, traditional regency which I enjoyed rereading. It's like comfort food, no great surprises, but an enjoyable experience nevertheless. What makes it stand out are the fun characters--the social-climbing Lady Windhurst, the tempermental French chef, the pug who must only be spoken to in French, and the list goes on. Definitely worth reading and rereading.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Loved this book -- well worth the time spent reading it!

I've been a fan of Ms. Hern's writing for quite some time, but had never read this, her first published work. I must say I was thoroughly enchanted.

Though this book has the typical romantic happenings -- they meet, fall in love, overcome obstacles, he rescues her from ... (can't tell or I'll spoil the book) - but the writing is far from typical. Ms. Hern has a way with her characters. I half fell in love with Robert myself. He's the dashing hero every girl dreams to meet. And his grandmother is a woman we'd all love to have as our own grandmother. Emily, the heroine, is smart, capable and beautiful. These were characters I'd want to get to know in real life, and the hero's friends, Sedgewick and Pemerton, have me surfing off to buy their stories.

All in all a very enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

what a treasure!

Once upon a time I read a lot of Regencies, but they pretty much disappeared. A friend pointed me to this book, by an author I'd heard of but never read. What a treasure! Loved every page, every character, every line of dialog. Can't wait to read her other books. And the cover! Maybe if those Regencies of old (especially the Signets, with those dreadful covers) had had covers like this, they'd still be publishing them, because more people would have bought them. I think I would have bought this book based on the cover alone. But what's inside is even better. What a great find!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Regency with great story line!

A Proper Companion by Candice Hern Book 1 of 3 Emily Townsend is determined to make it on her own. Her mother was disowned by her parents because she eloped after finding she was with child. When Emily's mom died her father turned to drinking and gambling and died leaving her nothing. So she has been a companion for older women the last few years. The dowager Bradleigh is who she has been with the past year. The seventy-eight year old woman lives in Bath and enjoys the escapades of her rakehell grandson. Until the day she reads the Gazette and sees that Robert is betrothed to the daughter of a woman she can't stand. How the dowager wishes he could have found someone like sweet Emily. Robert arrives at Bath to give the news to his Grandmother but he's too late. She has read the announcement and she is not happy. At thirty-five he decided he needed to marry for heirs, after weeding out all the traits he did not want, he chose Augusta Windhurst. She is somewhat quiet and beautiful. Her mother is a harridan but they could always move to the country. Once he gets to know Grandmother's companion though, Robert starts to realize how his life is already changing being betrothed. But Gentlemen did not break agreements, only the lady could. So he was stuck with his choice. The more time Emily and Robert spend together the more their friendship grows. When Grandmother wants to come to London to throw an engagement ball, she forces Emily to update her wardrobe. With new dresses and her hair styled, Emily's true beauty shines and she soon has many admirers. And some enemies. She meets her Uncle and he is quite cruel to her, and her cousin Hugh keeps trying to buddy up to her, what could they be up to? The next two books in this series are: A Change of Heart & An Affair of Honor.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Thoroughly delightful.

After reading this book, I went out and purchased all of her books and wasn't disappointed.

Good read

Good read for lazy days when you can curl up to read

Fantastic

Wonderful read, thoroughly enjoyed every page.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended

Great read

First candace hern book

As my first Candace Hern book this was pretty good. It was an easy read and kept me entertained but it was predictible. However i do feel a lot of romances are that way.

A Fun Read

This was a fun read. The author writes well and uses a good vocabulary. There are no graphic scenes.

Highly Recommended

I enjoyed the book. It was a light, fast read...a feel good book. Although one knew how it would end, it was still enjoyable getting there. I liked the book so much that I purchased all the other books available by the same author. There are several books that have some of the same characters.

Recommended for romantics

A Regency romance where the characters don't fall into bed to fall into love. I enjoyed the details of society and clothing as well as the character development. It is a sweet story with a happy ending, who could ask for more?

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Overplayed

Such a predictable, boring plot. Read this same story line about a dozen times. If you read historical romance, don't bother with this same old story that has nothing in it to make it an interesting read.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Fast and enjoyable read

I really enjoyed this book. It is an easy read and can be read in a day. I enjoyed the time in which the book took place and i always enjoy a happy ending. Too cute.

Excellent, as always

A good fast read!

Great Book!

Amazing book. I was interested from the first page. I will read more of this author.

Escape to another time

This book allows you to escape to a time when romance was romantic. One was asked for a dance, etc. However woman certainly did not have the independence of today. It is escape to another world another time. Quick read on rainy day when one is alone.

What a romanic time

It certainly takes you away from the hurry and fast pace of today. It makes you think of how those young women must have been so protected. Fast read and makes you want more.

Great book!

I had heard of Candice Hern but never read her books. A website directed me to this book and now I am hooked. The characters envelope you and you just don't want to put this book down.