Cat and the Countess

by Casey Claybourne

Elizabeth Langham is a widowed countess with a questionable past--and a secret penchant for picking pockets. After an undeniably provocative encounter with the regal Elizabeth, Wildcat MacInnes... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425173356
• ISBN13: 9780425173350
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 324 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Very Pleasant

I'm torn when it comes to this book. The Pros: completely unique characters with an equally unique plot. A fat kleptomaniac lady of the court hooking up with a hottie Native American? Dang, count me in! Could she BE more creative? I'm so impressed that not only did she make this an interacial couple, but she also made the heroine full-figured, and that alone would make me fall head over heels in love with Casey Claybourne. On top of this the love scenes are nothing less than inspired. I actually have them underlined for the occasional erotic pick-me-up or simply to make me feel good about my own body. The Cons: It pains me to admit that the author's writing style is weak and wishy washy. The character developement, as fascinating as the characters were, was especially bad in the case of Cat, the hero. In addition, the relationship between the two stars of the book was shallow. The boundless potential of this book, in both it's characters and plot line, fizzled. To be fair, it would be difficult to pack these larger-than-life characters into a regularly sized romance novel. Regardless, it's on my top bookshelf proudly displayed and it was worth the price and time to read, so I do recommend it.

Pleasant Little Romance

I picked up this book because of the cute cover. I kept reading to see how the story could ever end happily with these odd characters staying true to themselves. It did end happily for all concerned.This is just average little Regency romance with a couple of little twists. The heroine is a kleptomaniac. The hero is a Native American/Scottish in full native costume. In London, this draws a few stares & causes him a few problems along the way. The two meet because she tries to pickpocket him. How do an heiress & a man from a totally different culture & part of the world melt their worlds together? That is what I wanted to find out....

A different lady

"Round and full and plump..." With these words, Casey Claybourne lets the reader know that Lady Elizabeth Pemsley is not your average heroine. But if you are a little weary of stories populated by lean, brave women, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this gently flawed, but lovable, Countess, and her reluctant protector, American "half-breed" Wildcat MacInnes. As the story opens, Lady P's hands are - literally - in Wildcat's pants, though not in search of erotic release. Elizabeth, you see, is bedevilled by keptomania. Married at an early age to a man old enough to be her father, she has been left to fend for herself in London society after his death. Elizabeth has lots of secrets and is beset with terror at the prospect of having to function on her own and on behalf of her young son, amongst London's elite. She is turning too quickly to another marriage with the noble, uninspiring, Marquess of Cresting, Peter Ballatine; she is also turning to food, to the detriment of her stays, and to the unconsious comfort of "pinching" things. She has amassed a veritable treasure trove of useless items filched from one person or another over the months since her husband's death. When her path crosses with MacInnes, however, she is in trouble: she takes his most valued possession, a bandolier bag made for him by his Delaware mother. Wildcat is intent on retrieving it, and Elizabeth is dead-center in his crosshairs as he single-mindedly pursues his goal. To go any further in a description of the plot, would be to reveal too many delightful surprises. Suffice it to say that CC develops an ingenious subplot involving Elizabeth's future in-laws and MacInnes, who ultimately has to make several choices about what's really most important to him. The surprises at the end leave the reader feeling sympathetic to ALL the characters, which is also quite a feat.The dialog is just plain funny in an un-self-conscious way; the sexual scenes are understated but provocative; and all the characters are developed with empathy and depth (even the dragon mother-in-law-to-be). I especially found staid Peter Ballantine to be a kind, thoughtful, and ultimately generous man. This is a different kind of story, and I recommend it without reservations - for me, it's definitely a keeper.

Funny and Entertaining

This was my first Ms. Claybourne book. I found Elizabeth's "Vice" to be original and quirky, and her hero to be strong and sexy. But the best part was that Elizabeth wasn't your typical Barbie Doll figure that are in most books. She was a normal, full figured woman with flaws like the rest of us. And she manages to snare a hunky Half Indian with a personality any woman would love. If you love a fast paced, wonderful read, then this book is for you!