The Incorrigible Lady Catherine

by Elena Greene

Book Overview

Book #1 in the "Three Disgraces" Regency series Lady Catherine Harcourt, daughter of a duke, tries to escape her cold, repressive family by eloping with a rake. She is exiled to her aunts' cottage in the Lake District, where she meets Philip Woodmere, a gentleman farmer as kind as he is ruggedly attractive. She is drawn to Philip's strength and warms to his lively family, but a secret from her past threatens their chance for happiness. THE INCORRIGIBLE...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1480279684
• ISBN13: 9781480279681
• Release Date: November 2012
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 218 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

a heroine that is easy to empathise with

"The Incorrigible Lady Catherine" is a retelling of that age-old story of how a young girl, told over and over again by her family that she's wild and wanton, begins to believe her own bad press, and seems poised to make the biggest mistake of her life. Elena Greene took such great care to paint Catherine's plight in such a sympathetic manner, that my feelings of compassion and empathy were easily aroused on Catherine's behalf, and I rooted for her to find the love and understanding that was so absent for her within her own immediate family before she did something totally rash that would blight her life forever.When Catherine's father foils her attempt to elope with Lord Vernwood, Catherine little expects (eventhough she realises that he has little love for her) that he would exile her to her grandaunts' home in the Lake District. And in order to ensure that she does not runaway from them, he even provides her with two jailers in the form of two rather burly and surly servants. However, Catherine is determined to runaway to Vernwood. Apparently her 'nearest and dearest' have done a very good job of convincing her that she is a very wild and wanton young girl, and she's sure that only marriage to a rake could save her from becoming a "fallen" woman. A rake like Vernwood, although she doesn't love him, should "save" her. Unfortunately, her plans fall through when Catherine comes across a young child who has fallen into a fast moving stream. Catherine saves the child's life; but before she can effect a quick getaway, her jailers turn up and grimly escort her back to her grandaunts' home. The next day, the child's brother, Philip Woodmere, turns up at her grandaunts' home to thank her properly for her gallant rescue of his sister. Philip is drawn to Catherine's beauty and defiant air, and senses that there is more to this complex young woman than meets the eye. With her grandaunts' approval, he attempts to become her friend, and to entertain her during her stay at the Lake District. It doesn't take too long before the pair begin to fall in love with each other. However there are several obstacles to their blossoming relationship. To begin with everyone expects Philip to marry his childhood friend and neighbour, Charlotte. Furthermore, Catherine is the daughter of a duke, and Philip is only a gentleman farmer. Her father would never countenance such a match no matter that he wants Catherine off his hands. And then there is Catherine's notion that the love of a good man would not be enough to keep her from straying. Can true love prevail against such overwhelming odds?The one thing one must keep in mind when reading "The Incorrigible Lady Catherine" is that Catherine is quite young, and has never really had the benefit of an affectionate and older woman's counsel, so that she easily believes what everyone tells her about her wildness. Add to that the stifling and loveless atmosphere in her father's house, and you get a young girl ripe to commit the bi