Mostly a Lady

This one was by far the best of the three, next was "Mostly Married". Eliza was so real and heartrendering in her sorrows. She caught you right away with her "Bugger It"..."Bugger All Of It". She was someone the ordinary person could relate to. There were times I would have liked to shake her but it all turned out in the end. A series worth reading. Looking forward to more books by this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in Lisa Manuel's delightful regency "Mostly" series but this, the third, is the best of all! Maybe it's because Eliza is so delightfully human (what other regency heroine would say "bugger it" when she's having an especially bad day?), or maybe it's because the sinister subplot is so, well, sinister. Or maybe it's because Dylan is a man worthy of any woman's dreams... Who cares why? Just read it!

MOSTLY A LADY by Lisa Manuel May 13, 2005 (Edited May 16, 2005) Eliza Kent is a widow who finds that life isn't worth living until fate gives her a second chance, in Lisa Manuel's MOSTLY A LADY. In chapter one, she is attempting to commit suicide but not succeeding. While she is still trying to get the gun to work, she hears the sound of a carriage and runaway horses. The carriage crashes and she finds that the driver is dead, but there is a lady of wealth who is heavily injured. The dying woman exclaims, "Don't let them... have... it". Eliza goes through the woman's belongings to find out who she was, and discovers her identity as Elizabeth Mendoza de Leone, and she too was a widow, if the letter upon her person tells the truth. This twist of fate takes Eliza on a journey, in which she masquerades as Elizabeth Mendoza, in the hopes of finding a new life for herself. And things do work out, as Dylan Ferguson "saves" her from the wreckage and takes her home with him. She now lives the life of the upper class, in the home of the Duchess and Duke of Wakefield, Dylan's sister and brother-in-law. Deception and lies continue to pile up on top of each other, until Eliza cannot stand it anymore. She loves Dylan, and he loves her, but will he still want her after she tells him the truth? And when she finds her life is in danger, because she is now thought of as Elizabeth Mendoza, she can't seem to convince anyone that she is really a farmer's wife, Eliza Kent! Read as a pure escape novel with a happily-ever-after ending, this is the perfect novel to take on a vacation or a beach weekend. Some may feel that parts of the plot may be a bit far-fetched, but all in all it was an enjoyable read. This reviewer recommends MOSTLY A LADY and would gladly read other books by Lisa Manuel.

In a heavy rainstorm, Lord Dylan Fergusson comes across the disheveled and soaked woman who had remained inside the broken coach for the most part for two days waiting for assistance. She informs her rescuer that she is the wealthy Lady Elizabeth Mendoza de Leone and that her companion and driver, respectively Eliza and Nathan Kent lie dead nearby. The woman feels guilty because she is Eliza, the recently hired help, but she sees this masquerade as her only means to save her life. Dylan takes Elizabeth to the home of his sister, Charity in nearby Wakefield. There he believes he found the woman he wants to spend his life with in Elizabeth, but though she secretly reciprocates his feelings of love, she refuses his kisses. She knows that she owes him the truth, but that would end his trust of her and ultimately his feelings. MOSTLY A LADY, the third "mostly" historical romance (see MOSTLY MARRIED and MOSTLY MAYHEM), is a fine tale starring two amiable protagonists and the return of support players from the previous stories like the hero's sister. The concept behind the well written story line, the masquerade, is two edged, as it makes for a fine comedy of errors compounded by love, but leaves the reader to wonder too long why Eliza needed to hide behind Elizabeth's identity that kept this reviewer thinking of a nineteenth century WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING. That is minor as sub-genre fans will appreciate this fine courting caper. Harriet Klausner

Eliza Kent was beyond despair losing her husband, the farm they'd worked, then the babe in her belly one after the other. Finally, finding a position in a stately home, she'd refused the advances of the master and then was turned away from her position with no references. Cold, hungry, no where or anyone to turn to she set out to the Yorkshire moors with a rusty musket, thinking to at least end the misery that had become her life. It seemed as though God laughed again at her predicament as the musket wouldn't fire so she set down to wait for the elements to take her and witnessed a barouche racing too fast along the road and watched helplessly as it crashed before her. There was nothing Eliza, could do for the driver nor the beautiful passenger who clung to her hand and soon died as well. Reading a letter the woman carried, Eliza discovered she was a widow on her way to meet a family she'd never met before. Eliza decided to assume the woman's identity and travel to London to be welcomed as the bereaved widow - that was, of course, as soon as someone discovered her in the wrecked coach. Two days later, Dylan Fergusson, restless after his latest romantic fiasco, left his sister and brother-in-law's Ducal estate at Longfield Park - heading back to Scotland. Coming upon the wrecked coach and the lone survivor, Dylan at once took charge arranging in the next town for someone to retrieve the bodies of the `lady's' coachman and companion for their burial. Dylan couldn't help but be attracted to the lovely widow, and brought her back to Longfield where he knew she would be embraced and pampered by his family after her ordeal. Soon after Dylan had to admit feeling a lot more than just an attraction to the Lady Elizabeth, and agonized that after he brought her to the Ducal estate of Longfield Park, she'd think him a gentleman when he knew, though Oxford educated, he was but a prosperous farmer. Deeply entrenched into her new identity, Eliza knew that she had to confess her identity, but would she lose the love of the most remarkable man when she did? *** This story was a fabulous addition to a most original series. The sheer poignancy of Eliza's turmoil over the trials fate dealt her as she assumed another's life brought many a lump to my throat. Dylan was divine, though not of noble lineage he was every bit a prince, and these two protagonists were ideally suited as a couple. This stands alone and while not necessary to read the previous novels for continuity, revisiting memorable characters from them as they played significant parts in this story was wonderful. This talented author depicts emotional tenderness, passion and inserts mystery in a most refreshing and delightful style that will entertain you from start to finish in a book (and series) I highly recommend. --- Marilyn, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---