Ianthe and the Fighting Foxes

The Fentons, Book 4

By: Alicia Cameron

Narrated by: Helen Taylor

Alicia Cameron's audiobooks should be prescribed for depression...

To the miserable atmosphere of the country house of Studham, home to the Fighting Fox family, Miss Ianthe Eames, a whirlwind, arrives.

Known in London as the Fighting Foxes, Lord Edward Fox is at odds with his stepmother, Lady Fox, and her spoiled son Curtis. Studham is hardly a joyful place to live.

As the Fighting Fox family await the arrival of a poor relation from France, Lady Fox is ready to berate her late arrival, Lord Edward Fox is resigned to ignoring her, Curtis is ready to patronise her - while the resident visitors, Lady Richards and her daughter Sally, are ready to sympathise.

In bursts Ianthe Eames - beautiful, richly dressed in the best Paris fashions, confident and joyous, not the pathetic supplicant they expected. Ianthe shocks and delights, and the whole household is upended in a half-hour.

Ianthe seems unaware of Lady Fox's disapproval, unable to be patronised by Curtis, and in need of no sympathy whatsoever. Her beauty and wit make it quite impossible for Lord Edward Fox to ignore her. Edward, wrapped in his defensive shell, finds that before long Ianthe invites him to join her schemes for a happier household than he has ever known.

When Ianthe's friend, the handsome Marquis of Audley meets Sally Richards, sparks fly. The marquis wants no wife, but Sally dents his pride. Soon they are dangerously entangled.

As the gentlemen of the area discover the charming new residents of Studham, the marquis and Lord Fox find themselves with rivals in pursuit of the two young ladies.

There are other mysteries to unwind. Who is the dashing Comte d’Emillion-Orsay? Why does a box of costly jewellery arrive? Who is Ianthe’s strange French maid.

©2020 Alicia Cameron (P)2021 Alicia Cameron

So very satisfyingly Heyer-worthy!

(Another delightful entry in the Fenton series!)

In a story affectionately reminiscent of Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy, we meet Ianthe - a poor relative forced to rely on the charity of distant relations upon her father's passing.

Except she's not at all what was anticipated and turns everyone's world upside down! There are expected, as well as unexpected, romances, humor and subterfuges.

Once Ianthe arrives, the story takes off and romps its way to the happily-ever-afters. There was no putting it down! It leaves you with a smile that lingers long after, & I thoroughly enjoyed it!

*Romance level: passionate kisses, nothing graphic

Delightful

Delightful, wonderful story with three romances and plenty of humor. Very good narrator adds to the enjoyment. The heroine is inspired by Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy, but this author creates a totally different and very enjoyable story.

Another good one

This is a lighthearted romance with the usual spunk and subtle humor. Narrated with an excellent tone, although there are so many characters frequently in a scene together that I’m sure it’s hard for the narrator to come up with enough variation at times. I love how these books are free from things like angst and misunderstandings. If there is any, it’s so light I hadn’t noticed. Thank goodness. Two things stand out in the authors books: multiple couple stories and a few overly quick attractions. That probably has to be the case in order to fit so many couples into each book, but it’s always a delight to see how they develop (as long as I can keep my brain firing fast enough to keep track of who’s saying what to whom in a room full of people). I truly hope Alicia Cameron keeps these books coming. I like her style combined with this upbeat narrator’s tone that captures the mood perfectly.

Great Regency

Loved this Regency — many Smile moments and some Laugh Out loud moments, too. Will listen to again. Very good narrator