Faith Cook has done an incredible job on Selina, the Countess of Huntingdon, and weaving the characters of the 18th C revival into an understandable history. In doing so, she has not only allowed the realism of each character to be displayed (graces & faults!) but has provided the reader with a real exciting read! In presenting the life of the Countess she has provided a tremendous story of inspiration as we see that even one who experienced deep hardships, was on fire for the gospel, and undivided in her zeal to see men and women come to know Christ through the preaching of his Word. I recommend it highly!!

After reading the many differing reviews about "Lord Huntingdon's Legacy," I couldn't resist picking this Regency when I came across it at the library. And I'm glad I did as I'll have to admit, flaws and all, this novel did provide me with a couple of hours of pleasurably reading. I loved Emily Hendrickson's rich and lush descriptions of all the clothes that Charis (the eldest Huntingdon daughter) was provided with for her Season -- reading about the fashions of the Regency period is one addiction I'm always happy to indulge in, and I really do enjoy it when an authour goes into some detail about the dress patterns and colours and fabrics. Another thing I liked about this novel was the very close relationship that the sisters, Charis and Harriet, share. We don't see very much of this, but what little there is speaks of a deep and affectionate bond between the two. And the manner in which Hendrickson portrayed the villainess of this comedy of manners, the conniving Lady Alicia, was absolutely brilliant (esp as this allows us to see Charis at her interfering, yet well intentioned best). The reviewer at Huntress Books is quite right in her assessment of this character: here is someone that it would be an absolute pleasure to dislike immensely!

However this novel is not without flaws. The biggest one of which lies with the storyline where the dead Lord Huntington has cut out his wife and two daughters from his will, and left all his money to his nephew, Marcus, instead. I kept waiting for revelations as to why he did this, but this plot-line was just never developed at all. There were hints here and there that because his wife had only borne him daughters, he had transferred all his care and affection to Marcus. But I found it hard to credit that a father, esp one (who we can assume) did not hate his wife and daughters immensely, could leave things so very, very badly for his own daughters, mainly because they were not sons (esp given that things were not quite so rosy for women in the early 19th century anyway). Also, how did it come about that the appropriate marriage settlements had not been drawn up for the Dowager Lady Huntingdon when she married Lord Huntingdon? Surely her father would have seen that things were done properly when she married Lord Huntingdon?

And while I rather enjoyed all the tantalising tension between Charis and Marcus -- I enjoyed the sly tone that Hendrickson employed whenever she was commenting on how Charis keeps refusing to face her attraction for Marcus until it is almost too late -- I found Marcus's behaviour odd to say the least. Here, I think I'm at odds with a few of the other reviewers. I understood Charis's poking her nose into Marcus's affairs -- she is still in love with him, even if she refuses to admit it! And love, coupled with confusion and a healthy dollop of resentment, can make any young woman behave quite foolishly. Usually I dislike heroines who behave like nitwits, but I found myself feeling quite sorry for Charis, and wishing that Marcus would stop playing this strange manipulative game and woo her properly. For if you come down to it, the reason why these two have to play games is completely Marcus's fault. He's the one who withdraws from Charis when she probably needed him most, and that together with the shock of not being her father's heir, is what propels her to decide to hunt for a rich husband. And anyway, if he's truly been in love with her all this while, what on earth was he doing in London, flirting with the likes of Lady Alicia? And here we come to my next criticism of the novel: the manner in which Emily Hendrickson ties things together by having Marcus play a rather cruel joke on both his good friend and Charis. This, of course propels a grateful-to-be-rescued Charis into Marcus's arms, and allows for the pair to confess their love for each other. But I would love to be a fly on the wall when Charis finally discovers the merry dance that Marcus had led her through!

Flaws and all however, "Lord Huntingdon's Legacy" is still an enjoyable and entertaining read, and one that I would recommend if you're looking for a couple of hours of escapist fun.

Emily hendrickson is one of my favorite Regency authors. I appreciate the lack of jarring contemporary references, and her books are well-researched and written. *Lord Huntingdon's Legacy* was loads of fun to read, though I would have enjoyed hearnig more about her sister and her delightfully dim Mother.

Emily Henridckson is one of the finest Regency authors around, and her descriptions of gowns, etc. are mouth-watering. Her characters are always superbly drawn and sympathetic, except for the vilains and villainesses, of course, and they we LOVE to loathe. This book gives hours of enjoyment, and a completely satisfying ending. I'm now ready and eager for Hendrickson's next. May it not be long in coming.