Perfecting Fiona

The School for Manners, Volume 2

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

When Fiona Macleod is sent by her guardian aunt and uncle to spend a London season with the Tribble sisters, it is something of a last resort. At nineteen, Fiona is a beautiful and wealthy Scottish heiress, yet for some mysterious reason, her several proposals of marriage over the past few years have all fallen through at the last moment.

Amy and Effy Tribble, professional chaperones whose School for Manners has recently made them the talk of fashionable London society, are always short of cash and gladly take on Fiona as a new client. They promise to reform the girl, train her in proper comportment and the feminine arts, and can guarantee a mutually profitable marriage by the end of the season, taking Fiona off her guardians' hands forever. But when Fiona arrives at the Tribble sisters' shabbily genteel London townhouse, she shocks them by behaving perfectly. They are thoroughly puzzled by their seemingly demure new client, until they take Fiona to her first ball, and realize that their charge is an incorrigible flirt.

Face to face with Lord Peter Havard, the season's most unattainable rake, Fiona loses her composure, betraying her real feelings - and the Tribbles are forced to confront the truth about her past. It may be too late to salvage Fiona's reputation, but the Tribbles - who have never claimed to be perfect - must also consider their own reputations in this delightful Regency.

©1989 Marion Chesney (P)2013 AudioGO, Ltd.

Funny, Entertaining - Good story

Easy to listen to, several little unexpected turns of events, and a satisfying listening experience

Fun little romance

Fiona is a rich orphaned heiress whose relatives are trying to marry off. She is sent to the Tribble sister because for some reason men won’t commit to her after meeting her. The mystery is unraveled as the sister are met with a challenge to find her a match.

Disappointing Sequel

What disappointed you about Perfecting Fiona?

Messy character development, the sisters were fun and believable in the first book of this series. In this book they come across as crude. The other characters were flat. They never really came to life.

Has Perfecting Fiona turned you off from other books in this genre?

M.C. Beaton is both a fun listen or read. I doubt that I will continue this series as an audiobook.
I will continue listening to this genre

Have you listened to any of Anne Flosnik’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Anne Flosnik is a wonderful performer. I have found some of my favorite books by searching her name.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Excellent narrator

Fantastic

M. C. Beaton / Marion Chesney writes lovely books. i have done nearly all of them and am planning to purchase those not in the romance package.

Sweet

All of MC Barton’s books have been fun and delightful. Sometimes I burst out laughing. They are a treat.

good story

the story was good. no unwarranted anger or attempted rape like some of beaton's books. the reader was not great, and the recording seemed kind of static-y or something, but it was still enjoyable.

Narrator wasn’t for me

Ugh…narration ruined it for me. Had to stop about 30m in. Voices so pompous and negative. Sounded like everyone was frowning.

Fair

This is one of my least favorite narrators. It’s hard to explain her style. She can do characters, but has somewhat of an odd whispery, nasally, monotone, staccato combination.

Not as enjoyable as book 1 in the series

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed book 1 in this series, Refining Felicity so found Perfecting Fiona a bit disappointing. The elderly Tribble sister's antics were a bit much and their language can be coarse. The other main characters, Felicity and her beau Lord Peter were not interesting at all. Right from the beginning, these two lovers want to be wed, but are constantly kept apart by ridiculous actions. It became quite tedious for me and I was happy when the book was over. I am going to continue on to the next book in the series though because overall, Chesney writes good, clean, funny historical romances.

Fun and clean!

Fun and clean. Plus excellent narration. Each in the series has a similar theme, but are different enough to keep things interesting. I definitely recommend this series. This is also an excellent narrator! Great voices! Each man sounds different, so does each woman, so you always know who is speaking.