Heather King: A Sense of the Ridiculous
Incredible comments from Susana Ellis!
About A Sense of the Ridiculous
When a prank goes wrong, headstrong squire’s daughter Jocasta Stanyon wakes up in the bedchamber of an inn with no memory of who she is. The inn is owned by widow Meg Cowley and her handsome son, Richard, who proves to be more than a match for the unconventional Miss Stanyon. Initial attraction leads, through various scrapes and indiscretions, to love, but their stations in life are far removed from each other and fate tears them apart with a cruel hand. Forbidden by her father to have any contact with Richard for six months, Jocasta is horrified when she is then summoned to receive the addresses of a fashionable stranger…
Susana Says
… a new favorite Regency author: 5/5 stars
The first time I read anything by Ms. King was a few weeks ago when I was copy-editing her story, Copenhagen’s Last Charge, for a Waterloo anthology we are both involved in*. I kept telling myself to slow down, since I was supposed to reading slowly and carefully to find errors. But I found myself so immersed in the story that I couldn’t seem to slow down. (Disclaimer: Copenhagen’s Last Charge was copy-edited by another person as well, so if anything was missed, it isn’t entirely my fault. However, the story itself is so compelling that not even the most draconian proofreader could fail to be captivated.)
A Sense of the Ridiculous had the same effect on me. This time, of course, I wasn’t copy-editing, since it was already published, but I have to admit I was hooked from the moment I met Miss Jocasta Stanyon. A more delightful hoyden heroine was never before invented, well, that I can remember, that is. She’s just as horse-mad as her creator (hi, Heather!), but is just as comfortable in a ballroom, and can sew her own clothes as well!
She has her faults. She’s stubborn, impulsive,a bit spoiled by her adoring father, and she doesn’t always tell the truth, although her untruths are more faults of omission than outright lies.Hey, she’s human.You can’t help liking her. She’s also daring, witty, and… ahem… sometimes wears men’s clothes.
Richard Cowley, the hero, is a cut or two above the average innkeeper. Well, at least half a dozen. Most of the innkeepers I’ve run into in my experience reading historical romances have definitely not been young, handsome, good-natured, fun-loving, and still loves his mother. And his grandparents too. No wonder our heroine takes a few liberties with the truth so that she can hang around a bit longer with the fascinating Mr. Cowley and his delightful family.
Read this story immediately. You’ll want to know
- if the squire’s daughter ends up becoming an innkeeper’s wife
- if the innkeeper decides to let convention hang and fly off to Gretna Green with his beloved
- if the squire’s daughter decides to get even with her father by running off with the stable boy
- if the squire’s son ever feels guilty about putting his passion for sport ahead of his responsibility for his sister
*Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles, to be released April 1, 2015, in celebration of the Waterloo bicentenary (June 18, 1815 – June 18, 2015). You are cordially invited to attend our Cover Reveal party on March 18th, from 12:00 noon – 9:00 p.m. EST. Prizes and fun to be had by all!
Breaking News:
My publisher, Musa Publishing, have closed their doors. I shall therefore be reissuing A Sense of the Ridiculous under a new cover in the next few weeks! I also hope to release it in paperback for the first time. ASOTR can be downloaded from Musa until 28th February for the bargain price of $1!!!http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=618
What are you waiting for?????
Very excited about the anthology, Beaux, Ballrooms and Battles, as well as a future anthology. It's all go at King Court, so WATCH THIS SPACE!!
All the best, Heather
