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

What a charmer of a story

How six "gentle" people left in dire circumstances dare to circumvent society and succeed. With wit, a bit of humor, a strong sense of historical England's snobbish upperclass and a lovely touch of romance, Ms. Beaton fully entertained me for the afternoon. The narration by Davina Porter fit the tale perfectly.

Complex and delightful!

This was a surprisingly complex and delightful story for such a short volume! Having fallen in love with these uniquely drawn characters I look forward to the rest of the series!

Certainly A Light Hearted Treat

Definitely a winner made even more so by the narration of Davina Porter!! The premise of this book is hilarious: a bunch of misfits gather together and with what little they have (and can steal) they thrive! And if their family members are embarrassed by it all, the better for it! The characters are delightful (plenty for future adventures as well). Enjoy.

Read well, especially considering it’s such a silly story

I guess I expected more from M.C. Beaton, as I’ve read and heard so many things, but this was just not up to par. It was shallow, silly, and in that awful manner of romance novels. I was expecting to hear “his turgid member”, but luckily, was spared that, at least.
It was read well, thank you.

good 📚 read

Mc C Beaton never disappoints with this series. i just wish there were more titles!

very enjoyable

it was surprising how many twists and turns were fit into this short book. the characters were fun and so was the story.

Fun story

This is a fun story with entertaining characters.
Very entertaining narration I love the voices she does.

Good start to the series…

Loved the book…can’t wait to listen to the next book! Narrator, Davina Porter, is one of my all time favorites.

Fun new slant on the aristocracy

Enjoyed this book and the new way of preserving their lifestyles and adapting to their new realities.

Easy listen - worth getting if on sale

Where does Lady Fortescue Steps Out rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The series is a fun read. This is book 1 and in this book Lady Fortescue, widowed and alone save for two loyal, unpaid servants, has sold off almost all of the furnishings in her large Bond Street home and faces a grim future. To the rescue comes Colonel Sandhurst - and many other impoverished aristocrats. The characters are likeable and well developed.
The book shines the light on real problems during those days, many historic facts and some funny happenings.

Who was your favorite character and why?

In book 1 my favorite character was Colonel Sandhurst as he compliments the more opinionated Lady Fortescue.

What does Davina Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ms. Porter just knows how to read, act, and draw you in - she is superb.

Any additional comments?

I would highly recommend this series IF books are on sale - a credit better reserved for something a bit more deep and longer in audio hours. But overall I would recommend the book(s).