The Unsuitable Suitor

When an unsuitable gentleman appears to court a baron's daughter, it's an older sister's duty to stand in his way. And, of course, not fall in love with him herself. Matilda "Mattie" Rayment is a woman embroiled in a delicate mission: to ensure her vivacious younger sister, Beatrice, makes a prosperous match before the curtain falls on this Season. Their family's waning reputation and looming financial ruin add urgency to her quest. When Oliver Bolton, a newly minted gentleman and nephew to their family's steward, shows an interest in Beatrice, Mattie's plans teeter on the brink of unraveling. Oliver Bolton has harbored a distant infatuation for Miss Beatrice Rayment, but has always kept his feelings at bay, hemmed in by the limits of his social standing. Now the owner of a modest estate, Oliver finds himself in possession of a newly minted ticket to society's intricate dance. At last, he can pursue the woman of his dreams—except, it seems, his dreams may be outdated. As Mattie attempts to divert Oliver from what she deems would be an imprudent union with her sister, she finds her own heart increasingly ensnared by the charming steward’s nephew. Similarly, Oliver discovers that the woman who most captures his imagination is not Beatrice, but Mattie herself. As the Season draws to a close, Mattie and Oliver must confront an essential question: can they set aside societal norms and their own well-laid plans to listen to the quiet stirrings of their hearts? In this closed-door Regency romance, the anticipated dance of courtship takes unforeseen steps, forcing Mattie and Oliver to decide if their future happiness is worth the risk of an unconventional match. Originally published as part of An Evening at Almack's, a Regency Collection, this edition has been edited and expanded.

THE UNSUITABLE SUITOR is a clean, sweet, traditional Regency romance set in Regency London. The devastatingly handsome Lord Peterbloom is rumored to have kept as many as eight mistresses at once! But having grown weary of his dissolute ways, he now leads an exemplary life. His one regret is that despite his winning way with the ladies, he never once fell in love. Now, after meeting the lively Miss Miranda Frasier, Peterbloom is smitten. But, how to convince her that he is a new man? Miss Miranda Fraser and her sisters travel up to London to save their family home, only to discover that it is now owned by the devilish rakehell who once stole a kiss from a naïve Miranda! Although she was outraged then, and still is, the memory of Lord Peterbloom's lips on hers still makes her blush. The reprobate claims to have mended his wicked ways. Miranda fervently hopes so when she realizes the handsome scoundrel holds not only the deed to her house, but the key to her heart. “Well-conceived and beautifully written with wonderful details and terrific characters!” – Emily Hendrickson. “The Unsuitable Suitor is very well done and laugh out loud amusing! Not to be missed.”–Red River Reviews. “Regency romance fans will appreciate Ms. Clay’s fine craftsmanship and attention to detail.” –Romantic Times. If you enjoy the traditional Regency romances of Bree Wolf, Jenni James, Georgette Heyer, and Candice Hern, you'll enjoy Marilyn Clay's clean, sweet, and always clever Regencies. All of Ms. Clay's novels are suitable for teen readers with no strong language, or graphic scenes. Watch for THE WRONG MISS FAIRFAX, Marilyn Clay's most recent Regency romance that debuted on Amazon's Top 100 Best-Selling Ebooks list! “A delightfully amusing romp featuring eccentric Jane Austen-like characters. Two willful young ladies, Emma and Jemma Fairfax, lead the unsuspecting Lord Townsend on a merry chase! Not to be missed!” – Regency Romance Reviews. You will also enjoy all nine titles in Marilyn Clay's new Juliette Abbott Regency Mystery Series, MURDER AT MORLAND MANOR, MURDER IN MAYFAIR, MURDER IN MARGATE, MURDER AT MEDLEY PARK, MURDER IN MIDDLEWYCH, MURDER IN MAIDSTONE, MURDER AT MONTFORD HALL, MURDER ON MARSH LANE, and MURDER IN MARTINDALE, now available in print and ebook from all major online ebook retailers. Be sure to look for Marilyn Clay’s historical suspense novels: BETSY ROSS: ACCIDENTAL SPY featuring American icon Betsy Ross as the intrepid heroine. Set in 1776 Philadelphia, Betsy determines to expose the killer of her beloved husband John Ross but is quickly drawn into the dangerous underworld of spies and double spies. Can Betsy bring down the notorious spy before he kills her or her beloved sisters? DECEPTIONS: A Jamestown Novel (also in Ebook as DANGEROUS DECEPTIONS and THE LETTER), originally released in hardcover. Catherine travels to the New World colony of Jamestown in search of her betrothed, but what she finds there nearly destroys her. Who can she trust when the entire colony is in on the deception? SECRETS AND LIES, also originally released in hard cover. An inspirational story about four young English girls who travel to the New World on a Bride Ship in search of love, and a new life. Instead they find someone in the colony wants them all dead! (In Ebook as DANGEROUS SECRETS and A PETTICOAT AND LAMBSKIN GLOVES.) A respected historian of the Regency period in English history, for sixteen years MARILYN CLAY published The Regency Plume, an international newsletter containing well-researched articles useful to writers, historians and those interested in the English Regency. All back issues of The Regency Plume Newsletter are still available from The Regency Plume website. For more information on Marilyn Clay's novels, visit Marilyn Clay Author.

When an unsuitable gentleman appears to court a baron's daughter, it's an older sister's duty to stand in his way. And, of course, not fall in love with him herself. Matilda Rayment is determined to protect her sister's interest and her family from ruin, which means she must marry off her flirtatious younger sister before the Season ends. When the Rayments cross paths with Oliver Bolton, the nephew of their steward, his interest in Miss Beatrice threatens all Mattie's plans. For as long as he can remember, Oliver has dreamed of courting Miss Beatrice Rayment, but never dared reach above his station. He hasn't been a gentleman long, but owning his estate - however small in size - gives him access to new rungs on Society's ladder and finally, his chance has come. It is up to Mattie to steer Oliver away from making an unhappy match with her sister, but before long she finds herself losing her heart to the steward's nephew. Oliver finds he cares less and less about winning Beatrice the more time he spends in Mattie's company. Can such an unsuitable match take place, or will all their plans be ruined?

The Women of the WISE Enquiries Agency are back. When the village's prodigal son, Huw Hughes, returns and sets his cap at Annie Parker, village publican Tudor begs Annie's colleagues at the WISE Enquiries Agency to unearth the truth behind Huw having been widowed three times. With Christine enjoying a break at her family's Irish estate - where she and the brooding Alexander face a surprisingly dangerous case of theft ? Mavis and Carol have to work with dowager duchess Althea Twyst to ensure their unsuspecting friend Annie's safety, and possibly the lives of more villagers.

THE UNSUITABLE SUITOR is a Regency romance novel set in London England.Remarkably handsome, devastatingly charming, Viscount Peterbloom was rumored to have kept as many as eight mistresses at once! But five years ago, he became weary of his dissolute ways and has been leading an exemplary life. His one regret is that despite his winning way with the ladies, he never once fell in love, never once suffered the agony, or ecstasy, of a broken heart. Is he ready now to remedy the situation?Miranda Fraser has come to London to save her family home, only to discover that the estate is now owned by the devilish rakehell who stole a kiss from an innocent young Miranda five years ago! Outraged then, still, all this time, she has held onto the indelible memory of his lips on hers. Now, the reprobate claims to have mended his wicked ways. Miranda certainly hopes so, because she has come to realize that this unparalleled rake holds not only the deed to her house, but the key to her heart."Well-conceived and beautifully written with wonderful details and terrific characters!" - Regency author, Emily Hendrickson."Very well done and laugh out loud amusing! Not to be missed!" -Red River Reviews."Regency romance fans will appreciate Ms. Clay's fine craftsmanship and attention to detail" -Romantic Times.MARILYN CLAY is a multi-published author and respected historian of the Regency period. For sixteen years, she published and edited The Regency Plume Newsletter, an international newsletter containing well-researched articles useful to writers, historians and people interested in the 18th and early 19th centuries in English history.Historical essays by Marilyn Clay appear in Encyclopedia of Romanticism: Culture in Britain, 1780s - 1830s published by Garland Books.Ms. Clay recent historical suspense novels include DECEPTIONS: A Jamestown Novel and SECRETS AND LIES: A Jamestown Novel, both released in hardcover from Thomson/Gale in 2010 and 2012 and now available in print from major on-line retailers and as e-books. THE LETTER, also set in Jamestown was released in both print and e-book formats. BETSY ROSS: ACCIDENTAL SPY recently published by Mayfair Mysteries, was simultaneously released in print and e-book formats, and is also available from major on-line retailers and for various e-readers.

Lady Elizabeth Shelby has flung open the doors of Wellbourne Manor and has been hosting several mini seasons for friends and esteemed acquaintances. Young Peyton Hamilton believes she has been sent to Wellbourne to act as a chaperone for her marriage-minded sister. Therefore the warnings in the orientation pamphlets hold no truth for her. Immediately, Peyton begins to seek out the hidden magic and legends of the estate, putting her at odds with Lady Elizabeth. Her punishment is endless tutoring from Lady Elizabeth's rude nephew, Rupert Granville.Rupert no longer sees magic at Wellbourne. While hosting the seasons had proven lucrative for his aunt, he now sees the whole endeavor as a glorified slave auction. She must be out of her mind to think he would agree to become her successor. To say he has resisted her attempts would be an understatement. However, there is one thing he finds he can not resist. Miss Peyton Hamilton.Miss Hamilton's reckless nature has unwittingly drawn him in and he finds himself torn between tutoring the little hoyden or leading her further into the forbidden. It is during his struggles that Rupert discovers a deception that threatens everything; Wellborure, Aunt Elizabeth and Peyton, who has garnered the attentions of a most unsuitable suitor.

Molly Pohlig's The Unsuitable is a fierce blend of Gothic ghost story and Victorian novel of manners that’s also pitch perfect for our current cultural moment. Iseult Wince is a Victorian woman perilously close to spinsterhood whose distinctly unpleasant father is trying to marry her off. She is awkward, plain, and most pertinently, believes that her mother, who died in childbirth, lives in the scar on her neck. Iseult’s father parades a host of unsuitable candidates before her, the majority of whom Iseult wastes no time frightening away. When at last her father finds a suitor desperate enough to take Iseult off his hands—a man whose medical treatments have turned his skin silver—a true comedy of errors ensues. As history’s least conventional courtship progresses into talk of marriage, Iseult’s mother becomes increasingly volatile and uncontrollable, and Iseult is forced to resort to extreme, often violent, measures to keep her in check. As the day of the wedding nears, Iseult must decide whether (and how) to set the course of her life, with increasing interference from both her mother and father, tipping her ever closer to madness, and to an inevitable, devastating final act.