Mutiny at Almack's
Grade : B-

The title of Mutiny at Almack's gave me grave misgivings. I'm about as tired of the Almack's setting as any reader of Regency Romance has a right to be. Too many Regency writers mistake setting for story and the title Mutiny at Almack's had me ready for a lot of forced repartee conducted in period jargon. What a nice surprise! Though obviously comfortable in the well known London Season, Judith Lansdowne's characters and their adventures take center stage in this book.

The story begins with Adam Gregory Attenbury, Viscount Stoneforth, returning from war, only to find his younger brother, Toby, suffering from a wound contracted in a duel. Toby is delirious and in his agony he calls for Melody Harriman, the young woman who was the cause of the fight. Stoneforth wastes no time in finding Melody and persuading her to sit with his brother. In the course of the visits and later when his brother recovers, Adam falls deeply in love with the woman his brother adores.

The cause of the duel was an insult that a ton wit named Wentworth had delivered about Melody's "dullness." After the comment had made the rounds, no one would dance with Melody. Now, upon Toby's recovery, Adam, Toby, and Melody's three beautiful cousins are determined to revive her reputation. The three cousins who become very much "the thing," require that all of their dance partners and callers pay court to the many wallflowers at Almack's. Soon Melody's life is livelier, but so are the lives of numerous other young ladies who were formerly ignored.

Adam was, hands down, my favorite thing about this story, and the reason it gets the grade it does. He dominates the first part of the book and when he is on stage, the book seems like a keeper. Adam makes a nice change from the standard arrogant romance hero. Although Adam is devastatingly handsome, he is kind, modest and still thinks lovingly of Nora, his delightful wife who died years ago. One very sweet passage has Adam flirting with a married woman who is shocked at her own attraction to him. Adam recognizes the attraction and strongly implies to the lady that he also finds her very attractive. With the utmost tact, he gently flirts and allows her to believe that it is only his unwillingness to fight a duel with her husband that keeps him from acting on his inclinations. I loved this part of the book and I can't remember the last hero who behaved in such a humane way.

Unfortunately, Melody Harriman, is a standard issue Regency Romance heroine. She is a bit older than is fashionable and seems ridiculously passive about the events that will determine her future. Here she is in love with one man and sure that his brother means to offer for her. Wouldn't that make you a bit anxious? Wouldn't you want to send some kind of a signal to ward off the disaster to come? Not Melody, who simply waits to see what will happen. In comparison to Adam's memories of the insightful, loving Nora, Melody seems rather dull.

Because Mutiny at Almack's begins with Adam, it gets off to a great start. Unfortunately, around the middle of the book, the story shifts to Melody's three cousins and their scheme to restore Melody's place in society. I had a big problem with this. The predicament of a twenty-three year old woman not being asked to dance because of silly insults reminded me strongly of my own junior high dancing class. Perhaps this portrayal is historically accurate (many of the ton did have too much time on their hands) but that doesn't make the players in such a story seem worth reading about.

The wrap-up of Mutiny at Almack's seemed far too pat. By that time much of the tension is derived from the Big Misunderstanding of who was in love with whom. It hardly seemed credible that these people, who were so madly in love, would not have suspected something about each other's feelings.

Nevertheless, I recommend Mutiny at Almack's to those who enjoy Regencies for its charming first half and for Adam. This is my first Judith Lansdowne Regency and I'm already combing the bookstores for more.

Reviewed by Robin Uncapher
Grade : B-
Book Type: Regency Romance

Sensuality: Kisses

Review Date : October 28, 1999

Publication Date: 1999

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Robin Uncapher

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