Lady Fortescue Steps Out

The Poor Relation, Book 1

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

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

Napoleonic Fawlty Towers

think of Fawlty Towers, but in Regency England and in the middle of the Napoleon Era. who is the villain : Duke of Rochester , Lady Stanton, or the Rogue miscreant Sir Phillip? hmmm, just when you think you hate any of these three and figured it out. you have not.

Fun and entertaining

I so much enjoyed this book it was fun and entertaining I can't wait to read book 2 of the poor relations club

Loved it !!!!

Witty , charming, and whip smart! Brimming with humor and satire! . It held my attention from beginning to end.

I really enjoyed this book.

The characters were really terrific. I enjoyed the humor. The story was something that made me realize how far we've come. Davina Porter did a wonderful job. I swear every time I listen to one of these books I find it hard to believe it isn't a full cast of characters. Thank you all for always doing such a wonderful job.

Lady Fortescue steps out

I have read some of the comments about this book. I almost passed it by but my curiosity was peeked to hear it.
If you like “pride and prejudice”then this book is for you! The setting is in old England and the characters are themselves are distinctive of the era. I have to admit that I have not thought much of the aristocracy that have fallen but still kept their titles. This is a store well told and how they overcome their poverty. Read it

Much better than I expected

The story is entertaining, believable, humorous, and heartwarming. I was surprised at how thoroughly I enjoyed it. Most characters are well developed and likeable, even the irascible curmudgeon. I'm ready for the next in the series.

fabulous

unsure if I would enjoy boy was I wrong a comfy read to ease a weary mind

surprisingly good!

It was so good! I laughed out loud several times! I was surprised. This was not what I thought it would be and was even better!

Very creative and well done

I really liked; it has it all. Drama, romance, humor and reality. It just a heartwarming easy book. Well done!

A sweet story

Would you listen to Lady Fortescue Steps Out again? Why?

Probably not--once was enough.

What did you like best about this story?

It had a charm to it--and promoted ideas that people who are traditionally unseen in society (the old, the poor, etc) have truly creative ways to make their lives "work" (for one thing), but even beyond that, to "work" in ways that are outside the box, so to speak, because to survive they must think that way. The characters each had very well-drawn out personalities, and each was certainly a part of the whole--the idea that together they would do okay--but individually, they might not have, meant that the author had to be certain that each person was made real enough that the reader could see how they each contributed something that brought them all a new way of being safe and even having dignity in life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

It was charming, my mother and grandmother would have loved it--especially my grandmother who had always loved Dickens--it has a slight hint of that in its story. I liked it, but felt it lacked a little something that all through it I was unable to give a name to. I might listen to another in the series, but I haven't decided yet. I do believe the characters have room to grow and become even more interesting in the future. What I DO believe--and definitely would pay attention to, however, and oddly perhaps--since this is all about books--is that it would make a delightful TV series (possibly a movie). I found myself being quite visually engaged in my mind--seeing a lot of this more than I often do in books.