Belle of the Ball: The Three Graces

by Pam McCutcheon

Book Overview

Belle Sullivan is a tomboy seeking vengeance upon the men who mock her. With the help of an exotic seamstress, she transforms herself into a beautiful heartbreaker and promptly falls in love with the very man who taught her the art of flirtation.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821774565
• ISBN13: 9780821774564
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Zebra Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 3.8" x 3.8" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

A wonderful book, near perfection

I thought this writer, Pam McCutcheon, was very good. On a scale of 1-10, I'd give the book a solid 9.5. This story was so well thought out and done. I can't remember anything I didn't like about it. I thought the scenes with the fans where just hysterically funny. They talk about scenes in Julia Quinn's or Sabrina Jeffries books as being funny, well, these scenes, are every bit as funny as anything you'll read in either of these ladies' books.

A fun read!

Belle Sullivan is one of three sisters named after the Three Graces. But let me tell you, these sisters traits are far from their namesakes. They are invited to go out with three young gentleman to see the rock formations one afternoon. While there the sisters go to the rock formation from which they were named and at their mother's request make a wish. While there they overhear their escorts saying less than flattering things about them. They devise a plan to get revenge on the three. Belle wishes to become beautiful and will seek her revenge by making the three gentlemen fall in love with her--only for her to reject them. Belle puts her plan into motion and with help from some newfound friends sets out to get revenge. This book was very fun to read. Set in Colorado Springs, a.k.a. "Little London" it has the western feel with a bit of Regency romance thrown in. The characters were all very well written and the storyline was superb. It is hard to put this book down. While this is the first book in a trilogy it makes the reader want to rush out and get the other two to find out what happens to all three sisters. This book is just fantastic! It is a nice, fun read to spend an afternoon or evening with. This book should come with a guarantee that it won't leave you bored!

Great beginning to a new trilogy! Highly recommended

The Sullivan girls might have been named for The Three Graces, but none of the girls embodies the gift of the name she carries. Belle is rather homely, Grace is clumsy, and Charisma is blunt. Nevertheless, their mother strives to marry the girls into the upper reaches of society and raise her own status. Then the sisters overhear insults to their persons while escorted by three supposed gentlemen at the Garden of the Gods. The Three Graces hear their wishes, however, and decide to intervene and make their wishes come true. Of course the question remains if the wish to be granted is the spoken one, or the wish of the heart. Kit Stanhope misses England when his family banishes based on a false accusation. For a new businessman, reputation is everything, and Kit must pay blackmail to keep his name spotless, which makes it difficult to fulfill his father's charge of finding a sound investment. Now he feels guilty that Belle has overheard his unfortunate insult, and vows to make amends. When Belle asks him to teach her the ropes of society, he accepts the opportunity. He does not know that she intends revenge upon the "threescum" who spoke harshly of her and her sisters. Belle wants to be beautiful so she can make the three men fall for her, and then toss them aside as such scoundrels deserve.Author Pam McCutcheon kicks off the series The Three Graces with flair! With vivid characterizations and strong plotting, BELLE OF THE BALL demonstrates McCutcheon at her best. With a bit of help from above, Belle discovers her own beauty even as she learns the truisms that make plain women beautiful. With wounds that go equally as deep resulting from his family's rejection, Kit has his own lessons to learn about trust. The result is a surprising blend of comedy and romance that will have readers chuckling throughout. BELLE OF THE BALL once again demonstrates McCutcheon's gift for combining the unexpected with the enchanting in a unique voice that readers remember. Readers will eagerly anticipate the addition novels of the series including A TOUCH OF CHARM by Karen Fox and FALLEN FROM GRACE by Yvonne Jocks. BELLE OF THE BALL comes highly recommended.

4 1/2 Stars!

What fun! This is the comment that rang through my head as I sped through the pages of Pam McCutcheon's latest story, Belle of the Ball. Based in Colorado Springs in the 1800s, Belle of the Ball is the first in a series about the Sullivan sisters who have the misfortune of being the opposite of what their names imply. Belle possesses no beauty, Charisma manages tactlessness to a fault and Grace trips over everything in her path. Through the machinations of an ambitious mama, the three find themselves at the foot of the Three Graces monument in Garden of the Gods with three of the city's most eligible suitors. Unbeknownst to the sisters, their mama has paid the young men to be their escorts. Thanks to the carrying echoes within the formations, the girls soon learn of their mother's deceit and of the men's honest opinions of them.And this is where the fun begins. So much so I found myself laughing out loud. Belle, who is the star of this tale, vows vengeance upon the three ungentlemanly figures, and with the help of the Three Graces from Mount Olympus, Belle's antics come to life.Ms. McCutcheon provides a worthy hero in Kit Stanhope who grows from a cad to a gentlemen of the most gallant sort, while Belle emerges from homely to ... well, all that her name entails...both inside and out.The author does an outstanding job of bringing Colorado Springs history to the forefront, surrounding her fictional characters with many well-known and beloved figures of the era and weaves her plot to a wonderfully satisfying conclusion. With sexual tension paramount between Belle and Kit, I cheered at Madame Aglaia's subtle intervention, smiled as the antagonist received his comeuppance and loved the dynamics of the Sullivan family as a whole.Next in this series...Charisma's story. Can't wait to read her magical account.Ann at Author, Author!