“Readers will savor every page.”–Publishers Weekly on The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen, STARRED review “(an) exceptional start to the author’s sparkling new Lady Travelers Society series”–Booklist Embark on the breathtaking romantic adventures of The Lady Travelers Society in the brand-new series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander Really, it’s … Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander Really, it’s too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders’s favorite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived–and possibly fraudulent–Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what’s a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he’s escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative. While India Prendergast only suspects his organization defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart. Free bonus story included in this volume Don’t miss The Proper Way to Stop a Wedding (in Seven Days or Less), a The Lady Travelers Guide novella.
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India Prendergast begins the story by entering the Explorers Club where meetings of the Lady Traveler Society are held. India wants to find out what happened to her Aunt Heloise Snuggs who disappeared while traveling using the Lady Traveler Society and Assistance Agency. While at the Society India sees a man she suspects is behind what she thinks is the society’s fleecing of members. Little does she know but this man, Derek Saunders, the future Earl of Danby will begin a trip of a lifetime with her and perhaps gain her trust.
India, Derek, and two chaperones travel to Paris where introductions of other characters are all part of a captivating story. Though the main story is the search for Heloise, India’s character grows and changes in a positive way while she and Derek travel throughout Paris together. Of course what is a romance without love? You will enjoy the characters added to the storyline and even cheer for the inevitable love conquers all. The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen is an easy-read and even has a surprise or two. I look forward to the future series books which will hopefully include the scoundrels and gentlemen of this one.
3.5 stars
India Prendergast is organized, methodical, and always right. Derek Saunders has recently discovered that his elderly aunt and her two best friends have created The Lady Travelers Society and Assistance Agency, and it’s not totally above-board. He wants to put a stop to their somewhat nefarious reasons for creating the society, and somehow legitimize it. However, before he can do that, India arrives in search of her elderly aunt, who is supposedly traveling all over the world as a result of her association with The Society. Her letters have recently stopped arriving, and that India is worried that she is in danger or has been harmed. She hasn’t heard from her aunt in about six weeks, and she wants them to find her aunt. As a result, India and Derek and a couple of chaperones take off for Paris during the World Exposition of 1889, as Paris is her last known location. Things are a mess in Paris, with tens of thousands of tourists clogging the streets and other popular destinations, making their search even more difficult. India and Derek both have to face some painful and unpleasant observations about themselves; the acceptance of these observations adds a level of interest to the story that otherwise might not be there.
There are times when the story drags a bit, and the pacing slows. The tension is pretty moderate throughout, until the very end when it picks up. Fortunately, the ending is a delight, and makes up for some of the slower parts. The banter between India and Derek, and between some of the other peripheral characters, is interesting as well. The beginning and the ending—focusing on Derek’s aunt and her two dearest friends—is also well done. In the end, they take credit for what occurs between Derek and India.
The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels by Victoria Alexander
Read by Marian Hussey (Chirp)
India Pendergast had no desire to travel. She never dreamed of anything more than what she had. Content or at least she accepts her life just as it is, that is until her cousin goes missing. India cannot imagine any place better than England, anyone smarter than herself and anyway but her own. Before believing you would not like a character so narrow minded, wait, India’s beliefs are limited by the narrowness of her experience and the fact that she has been thrust into managing her cousin’s household since she was a young girl and forced to go to work.
Derek Saunders is ordered by his uncle to shape up and start taking his responsibilities seriously. He is tasked by his mother to take care of his elderly aunt. The two responsibilities threaten to derail each other when he learns his aunt and her friends have been taking money for a Lady’s Travelers Society with no knowledge of how to plan a trip and having never traveled themselves. The threat of fraud is bad enough, but Derek believes he can keep the little old ladies out of prison, or he could have if one of their members hadn’t gone missing. The woman’s cousin blames the Lady Travelers Society and threatens to bring charges against them if they don’t do something to find the missing woman.
Derek and India team up, unwillingly, to search for her cousin. They head to Paris that last place she was known to have visited. Using the letters India received, they search all of the places mentioned. Her cousin’s dream of adventure soon envelopes her and opens India’s heart and mind to new possibilities, among them friendship and love.
This was a great adventure and had a lot of twists and turns. I love the strength and growth of the characters.
A good read. Enjoyed the travel of India to Paris and the mystery involved. Thought provoking at times. We all need to re-evaluated our attitudes sometimes. Thank you.
If you love reading Regency romance, this is an enjoyable book. India Prendergast is a prickly spinster who is always right. When her Cousin Heloise goes on a travel adventure, proposed by the Lady Travelers Society, India is surprised. However, when the letters from Heloise stop coming, India imagines the worst and takes matters into her own hands.
Enter Derek Saunders, a rouge, a scoundrel, and a man who cannot be trusted. His Aunt, Mrs. Blodgett, and her friends are the ones who run the Society and Derek is determined to keep them out of trouble.
India is definitely not a likeable character for the first part of the book, but the beauty and allure of Paris soon work its magic on her. You know from the beginning that Derek and India will get together, but the fun is the trip to getting to this obvious conclusion.
The reason that I love this genre is because of the misunderstandings that always arise before the lovers can finally get together. This book does not disappoint in other aspects as well: there is a ball (of course), great fashions, more than one roguish gentleman, and an unexpected suitor or two.
The dialogue between India and Derek is very entertaining and well-written. Since I have been to Paris, I enjoyed the descriptions of the city as well. There is one steamy scene, but nothing too graphic.
A good way to sum up this book: “My dear friend, you now as well as I that the end of the road is never as important as the journey taken to get there.”
Loved it! Relatively clean, wholesome, romantic and hilariously funny!
I just don’t care – about the characters, to finish the book. Boring. Really disappointing effort from this author.
Loved loved loved this book. It was well written with, humour, adventure and mystery. I loved main characters , the hero was strong with a very tender heart and a great sense of humour and the heroine was a stubborn stuck up spinster who was never wrong until she reached Paris the city of love and discovered there is more to life than always being right. The support characters where very easy to relate to and would love to see them in another book as you felt you got to know them as friends. I am looking forward to the next in the series. The only warning I have is you will have trouble putting it down.
Boring, pace was so slow it was painful.
Set in 1889. I liked that our fearless heroine is not a teenage debutante. At 29, Miss India Prendergast is an independent, intelligent woman, certain she’ll never marry and not really interested in doing so. She’s found employment as Sir Martin’s secretarial assistant, organizing not only correspondence and scholarly works, but also his household. Until she sets out with Mr. Derek Saunders and a chaperoning couple for Paris to search for her missing cousin. There is a lot of good dialog, a battle of wits between India and Derek, which is often amusing. There are some unexpected twists and the expected romance and happy end. All around nice characters, I especially liked Derek’s stepbrother, Val. With their (step)mother involved, I can see – and hope for – a second story to marry off Val coming!
Enjoyed the adventure in the story. One of my favorite authors who came through with another great read. Thoroughly delightfull.
Novel idea but rather laborious. It doesn’t leave me wanting to read any more of the series.
It was okay, somewhat slow in parts and plot rather unbelievable.
Enjoyed this easy read. Couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. Delightful read with period details, interesting characters, and whitty plot turns.
This book was a predictable romantic read. While I enjoyed it, plain vanilla is an accurate description.
Fun read with believable characters and a plot that kept my interest.
Loved the brothers—
And the heroine who
Changes gracefully as
The plot evolves
Entertaining
This is good read. The setting adds significantly to the story. I found myself really envisioning the setting – Paris, the World’s Fair, and the Eiffel Tower. The hero, Derek, is a rogue trying to reform. The heroine, India, is a modern woman who supports herself by working as an assistant. The secondary characters were very interesting themselves. The relationship between Derek and his mother and brother was refreshingly supportive and loving.
India is an uptight individual who always thinks she is right, so I had a bit of trouble with her change in character. It seemed too sudden and too far in the other direction. Even so, I liked that she was independent and didn’t hesitate to voice her opinion.
Treat yourself ! You won’t regret it.