Lady Fortescue Steps Out

The Poor Relation, Book 1

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Life is not easy for the poor relations of England’s upper crust, but fate and clever schemes bring them together. Lady Fortescue and Colonel Sandhurst hatch a plan: What if they were to transform her decrepit Bond Street home into a posh hotel, offering their guests the pleasure of being waited upon by nobility? With the help of other down-and-out aristocrats, they do just that, and London’s newest hotel, The Poor Relation, is born.

The establishment is an immediate hit with London’s most illustrious citizens, save the Duke of Rowcester, Lady Fortescue’s nephew. Rowcester believes that his aunt’s entry into the trade will denigrate their family name and is determined to shut the hotel down - until he meets Miss Harriett James, the lovely young woman who accepts Lady Fortescue’s offer to become The Poor Relation’s chef after the death of her parents and the loss of her fortune. Rowcester moves into The Poor Relation for the season - ostensibly to keep an eye on his aunt’s business.

©1992 Marion Chesney (P)2012 AudioGO

Amusing little story

I enjoyed this little story well enough. I like M. C. Beaton - well some of Beaton anyway and this first book in the Poor Relation series was gently and genteelly amusing. I can listen to Davina Porter recite a phone book, so my enjoyment may have been in part due to her skill.

The plot is a bit predictable, but the buildup is handled well and the characters have some depth, although not as much as I would have liked. I haven't decided if I'll continue with this series.

A fun little trifle. Unexpected premise.

I mistakenly bought this thinking it was a mystery. It turned out to be a romance novel, superficial, slight but entertaining. The only way for an unmarried woman to survive in a patriarchal society with the cruel strictures of class is to be beautiful and lucky. It is, after all, a Regency romance. Very, very far from the early 19th century of Jane Austen. Another planet, in fact. But some of the lessons of the limits of gender and class are similar. I wouldn't have bought it if I knew what it was but it was fun. Now that I know what a regency romance is, I'll get back to sharp mysteries with complex characters from Australia to Scotland to Botswana,, the Roman Empire and the Medieval World, the mid-20th century and contemporary south-central LA.

Cute story

It's a good book to break up some really dense, heavy listens. I enjoy books of this time period, and the characters are interesting enough, so I liked it. It was rather predictable, but pleasant enough that I didn't mind that much. I grabbed it on the daily deal because Davina Porter is one of the best female narrators I've come across, and she was excellent as always. For $1.95, this purchase was worth it; however, I'd have been less pleased if I used a full credit.

Predictable but entertaining

I could happily listen to Davina Porter reading the phone book and while there wasn't much in this book that wasn't according to formula, it was a very enjoyable listen.

Great fun!

I'll be wanting more lighthearted stories of the plucky "poor relations" bucking the conventions of the day!