This was a little too overly sweet and dramatic for my tastes, but talk about an insecure heroine! St. Claire seemed like kind of a jerk and then did an about-face, which felt a little random. But overall I did like it.

On re-read, bumping it up from 2.5 to 3 stars. It’s defin saccharine, but that comes with the territory (Clean Romance). If you’re looking for odes to love and whatnot, and no sex, this is for you. I did like the characters more than on first read, particularly the secondary characters who are the heroines of the next two books, so I may end up reading those (one heroine is plump and the other is plain, but nothing from their book descriptions indicate that factors into their stories, so we’ll see). I still could have done with a bit more angst though - there were a couple good setups, but they weren’t really well utilized, leaving me feeling that the hero is a jerk and the heroine absurdly naive. ( )

Enjoyed it ( )

This was a little too overly sweet and dramatic for my tastes, but talk about an insecure heroine! St. Claire seemed like kind of a jerk and then did an about-face, which felt a little random. But overall I did like it. (2.5 stars) ( )

LORD ST. CLAIRE'S ANGEL by Donna Lea Simpson is an exciting Regency Historical Romance. #5 in the "Classic Regency Romance" series, but can be read as a stand alone. *A Re-release*

Meet Celestine Simons, a lady of good bred but forced to work, due to funds, as the governess of Lord Langlow and his wife. And Lord Langlow's scandalous brother, Lord St. Claire Richmond. He is a rogue of the first water and a seducer of many a woman.

While, Celestine is either beautiful or rich, but considered plain, and comely, she is intelligent, older than most young women, smart, and witty. Oh and a challenge for St. Claire! But what St. Claire soon learns is Celestine is more than expected. She is what he wants. Follow passion, love and a sweet romance as these two unlikely couple learn to deal with their feelings. If you enjoy classic Regency as Miss Jane Austen wrote it, than this is a story for you to pick up, I promise you will not regret your choice.

Fast paced and filled with learning about yourself as well as falling in love with more than seduction but with life. A wonderful tale of a notorious nobleman and an older governess. Not some debutante. I enjoyed this story!

Received for an honest review from the publisher and Net Galley.

RATING; 4

HEAT RATING: MILD

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More ( )

A New Look at a Familiar Genre

This is a wonderful take on the popular storyline of the plain governess and the handsome nobleman. If you want to read a Regency romance with some weight to it instead of going through the standard plot lines of the genre than get this book. The lead characters are drawn with a realism that goes beyond the usual stereotypes. This includes letting the hero, St. Claire be very unlikable for a large part of the story and lets the heroine, Celestine, occasionally verge on martyrdom. What draws you to them is realizing how the era they live in plays such a part in who they are and watching as their developing love for each other inspires them to be more than they thought they were capable of.

St. Claire doesn't have a dark secret or wounded psyche hiding behind his rakish ways. He is a wealthy second son, his brother is the Marquise and has two young sons. At 32, St. Claire has never been responsible for anything or anyone. He is not a fool or a wastrel but he's made a lifestyle of having a good time, particularly with women, which is why his snobbish sister-in-law has hired Celestine several months earlier as a preemptive strike against her brother-in-law's usual flirtations with her staff when he visits at Christmas.

Celestine is genuinely plain, (not just a hidden beauty waiting to be revealed) and her hands are gnarled with the severe arthritis she has suffered from since childhood. From a good family, the death of her father leaving her penniless but refusing the help of her wealthy aunt, Celestine takes the position of governess with a friend of her aunt's because she is determined to earn her own way in the world while being useful to others. She has no experience or interest in the superficial upper level Polite Society of the time. She loves working with children and at 28, Celestine sees this as the only way she'll ever have the chance to be near children as she has long ago realized her age, looks, health and lack of fortune will most certainly add up to spinsterhood for her. Still Celestine is intelligent, generous, open and has a positive attitude towards those around her. She refuses to dwell on the negatives of her life and finds happiness in the children she cares for and participating in life in the local village.

When the two first meet it is not love or hate at first sight. St. Claire realizes the plain little governess has been put in place by his sister-in-law and is determined to ruin her scheme by starting a flirtation with Celestine anyway obnoxiously rationalizing that a few kisses from a handsome lord like himself will brighten the years of spinsterhood ahead for her. Celestine, however, is aware of her employer's intent and while finding St. Claire quite handsome has no intention of losing a job she loves for his amusement.

The story steps up as after hearing Celestine's angelic singing voice during a choir practice, St. Claire finds himself unusually moved by the beauty of her voice and in her spirit and begins to question himself and how he leads his life. The more he gets to know Celestine, the more he, unknowingly, is falling in love with her. The reader gets to go along with St. Claire as he finally starts to grow up and learn to think of someone else's comfort and happiness besides his own. Love truly makes him a better man.

Celestine is not unaffected either. We cheer her on as her own self confidence builds and she stands up for herself, physically as well as verbally. It is a joy to watch Celestine stop being a shrinking violet and learn to broaden her own horizons by broadening her own expectations of what she is deserving of.

The story and characters are so well written and strong that it has the reader wondering how these two characters so far apart in every way can realistically overcome themselves as well as Society mores to be together. Yet, the author manages to show each of them changing for the better through their feelings for the other even when they aren't ready to admit the depth of their feelings even to themselves. This is definitely worth reading for a change of pace in a often duplicated genre.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )