THE DIAMONDS OF WELBOURNE MANOR - Diane Gaston, Deb Marlowe, Amanda McCabe
Harlequin Historical
ISBN: 978-0-373-29543-2
May 2009
Regency Anthology

Welbourne Manor, near London in the late Regency

Justine and the Noble Viscount - Diane Gaston
Welbourne Manor and London; Summer, 1818

It is Gerald, Vicount Brenner's duty to give his mother's illegitimate children by the Duke of Manning some terrible news. The duke and his new duchess contracted a fatal fever on the honeymoon to Italy that was to crown their twenty-year affair. The task his mother asked of Gerald is difficult. Since he was ten years old and his mother abandoned him and his father, Gerald, who hates his given name and prefers to be called Brenner, has tried, with some success, to erase all memories of his mother. He's never thought of her children by the duke as siblings. How could he with his father's bitterness poisoning him against the whole ramshackle family? As much as his father's harsh upbringing has made him disdain the Fitzmannings, Leo, Annalise, and Charlotte, his mother had appointed him their trustee and guardian, and he must do his duty. Brenner arrives at Welbourne Manor in the midst of a house party to find a rather loosely run household, but one filled with warmth and happiness...a happiness he must shatter.

Besides his mother's son and two daughters, the family includes Justine Savard, a daughter by the duke and an earlier lover. The duke's two legitimate sons, Nicholas and Stephen, are frequent visitors and are also present at the moment. So Brenner must break the sad news to the heir and the spare as well. This upright, dutiful, formal gentleman soon finds himself a mentor to six charming but thoroughly undisciplined young people. Well, that's not completely true of them all, for Justine is an isle of peace and responsibility who cares for all her half-siblings.

What a touching story is Justine and the Noble Viscount! It begins on a note sad enough to put a small lump in one's throat that doesn't completely go away until late in the tale. However, at the same time, it keeps eliciting smiles as we get to know and care about all the characters. A beautiful start to what I'm sure will be a totally engaging anthology.

Annalise and the Scandalous Rake - Deb Marlowe
Welbourne Manor, a year or so later.

Would-be artist Ned Milford takes out his frustrations by secretly satirizing the foibles of the haute monde in biting caricatures under the sobriquet, Prattle. If society found him out, he'd no longer be welcomed anywhere. He expects to find plenty of inspiration for his pen by attending one of the infamous house parties at Welbourne Manor. Ned will find the party not nearly as scandalous as reputed to be; in fact, it is high-spirited and fun.

Brenner takes the opportunity of the gathering to foster a match between Annalise and Lord Peter Blackthorne, which shows that Brenner cares for his new family but still has a few things to learn about them. But what about Ned? He's finding that Annalise Fitzmanning is not only a beautiful young lady and a true artist, but she touches something deep inside himself that he thought long dead.

In Annalise and the Scandalous Rake, two creative individuals meet under seemingly impossible circumstances. It's a moving dilemma that engages as it entertains.

Charlotte and the Wicked Lord - Amanda McCabe
Welbourne Manor, 1820

At eighteen, Charlotte is the youngest Fitzmanning sister. She's had a crush on her brothers' friend, Andrew Blessington, for years, but she hasn't seen him since he caught her up a tree spying on him swimming in the pond two years ago. How will she face him now that he's expected at their latest house party? The merry lad she remembers has responsibilities since his older brother died leaving his widow and young heir to his care. It's rumored he's thinking of going into politics and looking for a suitable wife. Charlotte must be on her best behavior to show him she's changed. So, of course, at their moment of meeting, her two pugs trip her up, he lunges to catch her, and they roll together on the drive.

Another charming tale, Charlotte and the Wicked Lord is nicely balanced between emotion and humor.

I was right! THE DIAMONDS OF WELBOURNE MANOR is a totally engaging read. The three talented Regency authors work together splendidly. Their major accomplishment is in the consistently excellent characterization of all those connected to Welbourne Manor, not just the three heroines and their heroes, but also the brothers, Leo Fitzmanning and the legitimate Nicholas (now a duke) and Lord Stephen. The whole family are characters any reader would be pleased to meet, though I've barely touched upon them above. Surely the boys have heroines to meet and stories to be told.

THE DIAMONDS OF WELBOURNE MANOR stays pretty much within the traditions of the classic Regency romance with sensuality added to the heart, humor, smooth plotting, and all-around fun of the three tales. It's an anthology that's a joy to read.

Jane Bowers