A Very Plain Young Man by Christina Dudley
#2 Hapgoods of Bramleigh
Historical Romance
Publisher: BellaVita Press
Published: 5.26.14
Pages: 382
Rating: 4 stars
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Synopsis:
The anticipated follow-up to THE NATURALIST, a Regency romance described by Austenprose.com as "a literary feast for any Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer fan...If you read one Traditional Regency this year let it be The Naturalist." Book One of the series The Hapgoods of Bramleigh, THE NATURALIST was also a finalist for Best Romance in the 2013 PNWA Literary Contest.
In Book Two of the series, A VERY PLAIN YOUNG MAN takes up the story of Elfrida, the most beautiful of the Hapgood sisters, as well as the most practical. If she must marry eventually, she intends to choose a husband not with her eyes, nor even with her heart, but with her common sense. He must be respectable and steady--not given to gambling or wenching or idling like her scapegrace uncles. So naturally, Frederick Tierney, the rakish brother of her new brother-in-law, will never do. Not only is his chequered past not entirely in the past, but he is too handsome for his own good and takes delight in unsettling her. But when another offer comes her way which meets all of her supposed requirements, Elfrida finds choosing duty over desire not as simple as she imagined.
Sophia Rose's Review:
A few years back, I was delighted to enter the world of The Hapgoods of Bramleigh and enjoy the sparkling Regency romantic comedy of a serious-minded naturalist and the whimsical woman who was enthralled by the subject and the man. I always meant to return to the series and read more about the eccentric Hapgoods and their romping road to romance.
A Very Plain Young Man picks up during the closing evens of The Naturalist, but is told from Elfrida Hapgood and Frederick Tierney’s (elder siblings to the Naturalist’s romance pair) alternating point of view.
Beautiful, dutiful, and myopic Elfie has seen plenty of examples of what she doesn’t want in a marriage and she’s certain not even deep love will entice her. The flirtatious and handsome Frederick Tierney’s wiles and smiles are bestowed in vain. She knows rakish men like him and her uncles can’t be steady or trusted.
Frederick has set London society ablaze with his idle pursuits and his latest light of love’s drama has made him end it. His brother’s wedding in Somerset into a poor, but good family introduce him to a woman of beauty whose calm, forthright behavior shows him how hollow his past flirtations have been. He’s determined to win her and, in the process, he starts changing his ways. But, is the lady’s short-sightedness able to see it before she chooses a good, steady fellow instead.
A Very Plain Young Man had a light and amusing tone with a few laugh out loud moments among the Hapgood sisters while tackling a good girl- (reforming) bad boy romance trope. I enjoyed this for a light and entertaining romp. Elfrida is a nearly perfect lady- she’s had to be responsible early since neither parent or siblings and even her uncles show much common sense. I was glad to see Frederick had the ability to discompose her because she needed someone livelier to challenge her and appreciate her for more than her looks. Now, Frederick, on the other hand, was a little more problematic for me. I liked him and rooted him on getting his life straightened out and taking his responsibilities more seriously. However, this story goes from thought of reform to the point where he meets Elfrida once and is ready to settle down and marry- even half-way into love. I would have loved to have gotten a few more transformation moments between to buy completely into the romance. I was glad she gives him a run for his money and forces him to work for what he wants especially since he has a very worthy rival.
The focus was on the characters, but the historical background, dialogue, and activities that surrounded the characters and plot were well-written giving readers a strong picture of a Regency country neighborhood and families. The style of the story harks back to Heyer and Austen for me.
All in all, A Very Plain Young Man hit the spot, didn’t try to do too much, and engaged as well as entertained just as a dazzling Regency Romp out to. I’ll be eagerly pressing forward with the series and recommend it to those who enjoy sweet historical romance and comedy.
Author Bio:
Christina Hwang Dudley is the author of clean historical and contemporary romance.
Her historical romances include the Hapgoods of Bramleigh and Ellsworth Assortment series of Regency romances, including THE NATURALIST and TEMPTED BY FOLLY.
In contemporary romance, her forthcoming PRIDE AND PRESTON LIN (Third State Books, 2024) riffs on Austen, but this time the story is set in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Asian American protagonists who hail from different ends of the economic spectrum.
Website: https://christinadudley.com/
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose
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