Formidable Lord Quentin: Rebellious Sons, #4

Took me awhile to get into the story. A few times I had to go back and reread a part to get the full meaning. By the end of the book I was interested in the characters and was curious about the others.

A very entertaining look at two strong-willed characters. She, still reeling from a non-attentive spouse, and he, sees her as the easy way out to solve a family problem with his father. She plays difficult and he does not give in easily. Their families provide interference and meddle with the Lord Quentin's desires. Just slightly steamy and very charming. My thanks to the author and LibraryThing for a complimentary copy.

I was not enamored with this book, which is odd because I am very fond of books that take place during this period. I found the storyline simple and predictable. There were not enough plot twists to keep me wanting more. That said, I read the entire book and it did entertain me. I found it good "beach reading". But I skimmed through much of it because it was repetitive and I just wanted to see how the story ended.

It took me a long time to figure out why I was struggling so much with this book. The characters weren't clicking for me, and I was just vaguely irritated with everything for no reason I could pin down. The sex was hot, but I found myself skimming even that to get to the end.Maybe three quarters of the way through, the heroine makes a comment about her uncle's doxy making her living on her back, and it finally clicked for me: I felt like I was reading about the villains in someone else's story. She's a snobbish widowed marchioness who puts her childhood pet above her long lost siblings, and he uses his wealth to exact control over his poor relatives, holding the promise of, quite literally, a roof over their heads in order to get his own way. Both are obsessed with money, titles, and control. Though the novel explores why, it never explores whether this is a good thing, and there's very little character development for either of them. The long lost siblings are meant to be funny, but I cringed every time they were on page - frankly, they should be packed off to school in order to learn how to interact with their peers without killing them. They abuse the staff, the animals, other people, and think being wild and Irish excuses them from social conventions. The final scene includes the small boy bringing a stolen firework around inside a packed building; it's not charming, it's alarming.In addition, 'Irish' and 'Scottish' are treated as personality types, not nations, and none of the complex political ramifications of their nationalities (the regency not being a good time to be either Scottish or Irish in England) are even touched on. It's a real missed opportunity: since the book seems determined to play everything very straight (under other authors, two sparring villain characters would be a witty romp) it might have benefited from the extra heft having a Catholic or Jacobite character would have leant it. Instead, we get comments about making Bruges lace and Chinese fans fashionable.This novel was, overall, deeply frustrating. None of the main cast were likeable, the roadblocks thrown up in the way of the romance were confusing and seemed like they could have been overcome with one long talk, and it lacked depth. I went through a horsey phase, I don't mind the animals, but I just couldn't get behind a character who was willing to risk her family's safety and security for an animal she hadn't seen in a decade. I was baffled and bored.

I enjoyed this regency romance. There was plenty of things going on and I liked how Lord Quentin was was a real friend to Lady Bell and was there for her when she needed him. Their falling in love was a sweet read.

This was an enjoyable Regency Romance that had some interesting twists in the typical plot. While there was the rebellious heroine and the remote hero, the plot that brings them together involved actual issues and problems (new found family, guardianship, crumbling estates, and some mystery) to be resolved as opposed to the endless hand-wringing that can plague this genre. The book was a fun read but I found some historical inconsistencies - there were parts that seemed a bit too casual, based on what I understand of that period. It was well written and the story did not become bogged down. All in all a fun read.

This is about 248 pages in e-pub format. I enjoyed this very much. The characters are well-developed, and their challenges are believable.

A romance novel with Lord Quentin and Lady Bell. Both subjects are very stubborn until they both break down at the end of the book. Lady Bell gets her family back from America. Both Lord Quentin and and Lady Bell are in London. I would recommend it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I absolutely LOVED the dynamic between Bell and Quentin. It was fun seeing their relationship grow. I also loved the family dynamic throughout the story and seeing just how important family was to the characters. I recommend this book and this author. I will definitely be reading more and I really want to read the other books in the Rebellious Sons series so I can see where some of the other characters fit into the whole story that Patricia Rice has created. I received this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Took me awhile to get into the story. A few times I had to go back and reread a part to get the full meaning. By the end of the book I was interested in the characters and was curious about the others.

This is book 4 in the regency Rebellious Sons series. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Bell and Quentin. Bell is alone and independent, and thinks she's happy that way, until her loud, large family shows up at her door.

I liked family dynamic of this book. I liked the rambuctious family.

I enjoyed the semi-complexity of this story and I loved the at-odds independence of each of the main characters. The only problem I had with story was the occasional confusion when some of the interesting events popped up (I'm not sure if this confusion was because I was reading this book while I was tired, or if there were some inconsistencies between what the author intended and what I was reading). Regardless, I enjoyed the storyline, I enjoyed the characters, and despite the story seeming to be slightly drawn out in particular instances, I very much enjoyed the overall book. I liked it enough that I think I'm going to have to search out the rest of the series. While this book didn't need any of the other books for it to for it to make sense and be ultimately enjoyable, I'm suddenly very curious about the relationships that developed in the last three books.Fun book and I suspect I'll find myself reading it again someday!

This was the wrong place to jump into this series, but as it was an ARC I gave it a shot. The characters arrived in the first chapter assuming the reader already knew their back stories, and as I didn't I had a very hard time following the action. This was a busy book! Lots of major characters rushing in and out of the story. I did enjoy the author's voice, and some of the characters seemed like they may have been interesting in a slightly less chaotic novel--but it was too difficult to keep track of everyone. I might try this series from the beginning...perhaps by the time I hit book 4 for the second time, I'd have an easier time keeping track of all the scandalous action!

It took me a while to get into it. The characters did grow on me.

Received for an honest review. I totally enjoyed this historical romance. This book is Volume 4 in the Rebellious Sons series. Lord Quentin has it really bad for the "virgin widow" Lady Isabelle Hoyt. He has loved her from a far for the last ten years. She has been the proper Marchioness in London Society; living a fairly quiet life with no children or family. He has left the chaotic life of his large Scottish family for the quiet existence of London making money. Until one day, her life gets turned upside down with a family she hasn't seen she was married. life becomes much more complicated and chaotic. Great book. Can't wait to read more from this author.

A quick and engaging read! The heroine keeps you guessing and is so easy to relate to. This was a very well-written book with great flow. Comedy and romance mixed into a historical story are always a plus in my opinion!

In the beginning of the book I was not sure that I was going to like it but it turned out to be really enjoyable. I had not read the other books in the series like I normally like to do but I am not sure if that even played a part in this story. I liked the characters of Bell and Quent and the sisters and brother. If you are looking for a good historical romance I suggest giving this one a try!!! I am going to search out the others in this series.

The Formidable Lord Quentin by Patricia Rice is a great beach book being fairly fast-paced and an easy read, following the typical regency romance format.

I was given a copy for a honest review.Bell was married to Edward Marquees of Belden at the age of eighteen. Being the daughter of the Earl of Wexford and of Edward's advanced age this was a marriage of convenience by society standards since this book starts up after Edwards death we learn Edward wasn't the man Bell thought he was he kept her family from her and he shunned his poor relations when they were in need. I assume even if he didn't love Bell he at least cared for her because he left her all of his money but being the bitter widow she sets out to right all Edwards wrongs by helping his poor relations and searching his papers for any clue about where her own family was. Bell might have got all Edwards money but Lord Quentin' s father inherited the title and so their story begins. I liked this book it had everything I like in a good romance likeable characters, a few laughable moments and a villain or two. A+ for editing by the way, pulling out my soap box now I got to say I like all the forums out there putting out books for book lovers to read but as said reader nothing disappoints me more then a author who doesn't embrace the art of editing. Bravo Patricia this book was free of those little annoyances that drive me crazy. I hope others find this review helpful.

This was a very fun romance novel. I really enjoyed Bell and Quent. I thought that there relationship showed great maturity and growth.

Loved it! The characters were so entertaining. Quentin and Bell are so good together, but she just has to realize it. They both have been burned by love, but can they really put all that aside and love each other? They both have crazy families and so much chaos in their lives.

I received a free copy of this book through the Early Reviewers scheme.Bell's younger sisters (Tess and Syd) were taken to America by their father 10 years ago and they are suddenly returned to Bell after his death, along with a new half-brother and the widowed Tess' daughter. As all are under the age of 25 they are under the guardianship of the marquess of Belden. Bell's husband (Edward) was the intended marquess, but he has died and the current marquess lives in Scotland and is generally grumpy and unreasonable. In an attempt to keep her family with her, Bell agrees to marry the marquess' son, Lord Quentin, in the hopes that, as a compromise, guardianship can be passed to him, giving her effective control. Quent and Bell have been attracted to one another for years, but Bell has resisted forming attachments after being disappointed in her first husband and by her drunkard father who gave away her beloved horses and married her off to save the family from ruin. Quent has just enjoyed living alone, apart from his despotic father and many relatives.I have to say that some of the characters' motivations, even when explained, remained a bit murky for me. Did Bell marry Edward because she loved him or to save her family? We are told both that she loved him very much at first and also that it was a marriage of convenience... Why did Bell stop riding for 10 years? As far as she knew, Dream, her favourite horse, and all her father's other horses were safe with him in America. Why not just get another one? The big family quarrel towards the end, when Quent's father turned up out of the blue was very bewildering to me. I could not work out who was meant to be on whose side and why they were all quarrelling with each other at once. The logic of the various arguments made no sense. (Also, I felt we heard far too frequently how iniquitous it was that only men could be guardians and that Bell would lose her wealth to her husband if she remarried. I do agree that it is iniquitous, but I don't need it pointed out every chapter...)Tess and Syd never really became fully actualized characters for me and the scene where they decide to compromise Quent was unconvincing and a bit off somehow (until redeemed by Bell). I assume that Tess and Syd will get novels of their own in due course, as Nick and Fitz clearly already did. This novel does stand alone, but cleverly on the part of the author, I am now curious to read about Fitz and Abby.On the other hand, there was a lot of humour in this novel, which I greatly enjoyed, provided especially by Kit and his antics and the relationship between Quent and Acton. I liked the way Bell put down the awful Camilla verbally and the trick where she got Dream to throw her rider. Overall, a lot of fun.

A very atypical historical romance set in London and Scotland. As this is fourth book in the series and I have not read the prior ones, the heroine , Bell is a strong woman. I am assuming the prior books showed more of her maturing into this type of character. The book is about her relationship as a more mature woman and not a girl from the school room as typical of many historical romances. Bell is more a today's woman. The book is very enjoyable to read. The characters are different in personalities and names and easy to follow without getting them mixed up in the story. A lot of dialogue and not enough visual and background descriptions for the time period. I think more descriptions of the actual foods served, room settings with chaises and draperies, and clothing pieces worn would let the reader see it more vividly when reading. I am glad the author did not skip on pages on the main plots as too many romance novels are very light on pages and character development. A very enjoyable and entertaining read! A modern character in a Historical romance novel. I would definitely read Patricia Rice's novels again.

Another jolly romp and I enjoyed reading it. The plot was nicely twisted though there was never any real doubt how it would end! I skimmed some bits and it all went on a bit too long for me, but it was well written and if you like this sort of story you’ll probably enjoy this one. It’s the fourth in a series but I think it stands alone well enough.

Although this title is the fourth in the series, it stands alone very well—so much so, I look forward to reading the other titles, all now waiting for me on my ereader.Married to a neglectful, dismissive, much older husband, the Lady Belden, Bell to those close to her, feels not much more than relief at her husband’s death. Having spent the years of her marriage growing into her title, she is known as the Virgin Widow Lady Belden and she has no intention of ever becoming any man’s chattel again. The recipient of her late husband’s fortune, she has become a champion to those young women she sponsors into society and happily manages her own affairs.Until her long-lost family shows up, that is.Her father, having fled London for America to avoid debtor’s prison, has died, and so come his daughters and son back to England. Bell is overjoyed, until she learns their guardianship has fallen to the disreputable Marquess of Belden, a man who immediately sees Bell’s siblings as a means to extort money from Bell, and nothing more.Bell’s friend, and the Marquess of Belden’s son, Lord Quentin Hoyt, is a man who has shunned society in favor of making his way in trade. And he’s good at it. He lives a luxurious life in London, exploring investment opportunities in new technology and racing his yacht at every opportunity. He’s also been silently in love with Bell since he first set eyes on her ten years before. He wants Bell, but he doesn’t want a family. His connection to her is far stronger than their tenuous family connection through marriage. His father expects Quent to help in his plans to divest Bell of as much of the family fortune as he can. But Quent has other ideas.Bell is determined to keep her siblings under her own roof, realizing straight away that the crusty old Marquess would ruin them all at the first opportunity. So she turns to Quent, and soon finds herself in his bed, exactly where she never realized she wanted to be.Whether they stay together remains to be seen. First they have to dispose of the guardianship problem, rescue some horses, and send a gang of thieves, not to mention the Marquess, packing. In true Rice fashion, the story gallops along at breakneck speed, racing faster and faster in the run-up to the conclusion. Filled with pathos and humor, Formidable Lord Quentin is a fine addition to Ms. Rice’s huge body of work.Patricia Rice is so good at what she does, creating unbelievable stories so well-crafted one forgets this is the 21st century and men like Quentin Hoyt are few and far between. My only disappointment in every Rice book is that it must, inevitably, come to an end.

Having read some of Patricia Rice’s books in the past, I was thrilled to receive a new book by this author through one of Library Thing’s book giveaways. This regency romance is written around the lives of Quent and Bell. Quent is the younger son of a younger son and in charge of his father’s attempt to right the monetary situation that was inherited after inheriting an unexpected title. Bell has been a widow for a while and counts Quent as a friend as they have known each other since her father gave her in marriage to a much older titled gentleman that is related to Quent. When Bell’s younger unmarried sisters, an infant niece and six year old stepbrother show up on her doorstep after her father’s death in the USA the stage is set for chaos, fun and adventures that range from a misbehaving spoiled boy to dealing with horse thieves. Bell and Quent thought they were settled into their own comfortable single lives but find that events may have conspired against them. This is an entertaining delightful read that I would recommend to anyone who likes period romances with a happily ever after.

I received a copy of this book as part of the Early Reviewers program in exchange for an unbiased review. Brief plot spoilers may follow.Summary:Lady Bell, a widowed marchioness, has carved out a comfortable life of independence and freedom for herself as she helps various young women get the financial and social help they need to create better lives for themselves. That tranquility is disrupted when her siblings, who she hadn’t seen since her father whisked them off to America, end up on her doorstep and promptly turn the household upside down. Before her father passed away, he appointed a marquess as wards over them, and since the marquess is money and power-hungry, he now wants to ship off his newest cash cows to boarding schools and titled marriages. Bell, however, is having none of it and will resort to any measures necessary to keep her family together now that she has them back. The marquess’ son, Quentin Hoyt, is a friend of Bell’s and a businessman under enormous pressure from his father to force Bell’s hand. Quent has secretly wanted Bell for years, and he finally sees his opening to keep Bell’s family together and get his father off his back, but with the added bonus of maybe getting the Virgin Widow in his bed. But with greedy relatives in both families, rebellious siblings and other obstacles to contend with, will the two be able to face all of those problems and still get the endings they desire?What I liked:To be honest, it took me awhile to get into this book. The first couple of chapters moved a little too slowly for me but even still, I wanted to find out how everything played out. Even though she began to irritate me towards the end, I appreciated Bell’s courage and how headstrong she was in all matters concerning her family. She gave up all of herself to a man who did not appreciate it, then was widowed at such a young age. She could have gone in a completely different direction than she did, but she not only gave herself a sense of purpose, she became a helpful resource for others who needed assistance. She was fierce and determined when she set her mind to something but still managed to be sophisticated and tactful when necessary. Being able to see underneath her ever-present public mask gave me a hint into who Bell really was, who she often pretended wasn’t really there underneath the hurt, anger and indifference she’d stacked on top of it, and I found that I liked that Bell much more than the person she presented to the world. She had a lot of spirit underneath the dour outer disposition, and not only was she very capable at being presented as an equal, she had a feminist side to her that I could appreciate. I think the time period she lived in helped to reinforce how important such a view was to have, since women already had so much stacked against them. I liked Quent as well; even though he had alpha male traits, for some reason the thing I liked about him most was his poker face and his ability to let people reveal their entire hand before saying anything. He was incredibly observant and not quite as “off with their heads” as Bell, but when he did talk people had no choice but to comply with his wishes. “Gentle giant” was a very accurate description of Quent’s character. Falling in love with Bell gave him the ability to see that there was more to life than simply obeying his tyrant father’s wishes. I liked that the action in the book didn’t go overboard, didn’t result in the typical kidnapping of the heroine in which the hero has to swoop in and save her. The drama that did take place was somehow fitting for how the entire Boyle family operated; it made sense for everyone in the situation to handle things as they did. What I didn't like:As for things I did not like so much, while I enjoyed Bell’s character overall, the haughty mentality grew a little thin on me after awhile. Despite the fact that she said she saw herself as ordinary, I always got a bit of the feeling that she began to think she was at least slightly better than some. Kit, the little brat, my goodness he irritated me to no end. Perhaps that is because I have four younger siblings who, despite being in their teens now, still remind me of this rambunctious, spoiled little boy. Either way, I was too done with the kid but he totally redeemed himself at the end when he helped Bell. That was when I saw that there was a light at the end of the tunnel for him after all. Lol I don’t think the story would be the same without him and his shenanigans though, so that’s not a complaint about the book itself. I wouldn't mind checking in on him as an adult to see how Quent and Bell raised and prepared him for his eventual earldom. The only real problem that I had with the book was that it started a little slower than I wanted and took awhile to heat up, so for those like me who need to be pulled in from jump, that can be a little hard to push through. This is more of a minor note, but even though this book was called Formidable Lord Quentin, it focused a bit more on Bell. Formidable Lady Bell…and Quentin too was sort of how I felt lol. I didn’t mind because I liked them both and absolutely love them together, but a book named after Quentin seemed to give Bell a longer moment in the sun.Overall:Overall, I enjoyed Formidable Lord Quentin. It didn’t exactly follow the typical format of Regency-era romances in some ways, even with the liberties Bell was afforded as a widow. Never before have I heard the Virgin Widow until this book, because in other novels set during the same period, widows behaved differently than Bell did. I think the author did an amazing job of creating characters who were flawed but still had redeeming qualities, weaving a story with these individuals that made sense for who they were rather than placing them in plot molds, and staying true to these characters throughout the book. Some of them drove me crazy, but that was what they were supposed to do and they did it well. If you like Regency-era romances that are a bit different from others you’ve read, want a peek into what it’s like to deal with a family that makes you crazy, or have a love for watching how a stubborn man and equally stubborn woman finally come together, Formidable Lord Quentin might be a book for you.