REGENCY ROMANCE REVIEW: IN THE COMMODORE'S HANDS BY MARY NICHOLS

In the Commodore's Hands 
Mary Nichols
Publisher: Mills & Boon
ISBN:-10: 0263898490
Price: £4.99
Reviewed by: Sandra Scholes


Blurb:

Stowaway…or wife!

Commodore John Drymore's mission is clear. Sail to France, rescue Comte Giradet from prison and bring him and his daughter back to England safely. But Lisette Giradet defies the Commodore at every turn and soon gets under his skin more deeply than the bullet in his arm.


Desperate to rescue her brother from the guillotine, Lisette smuggles herself back on board ship. With her life in jeopardy, she's given no choice—she must assume the role of the commodore's wife! 

Review: It is the time of the French Revolution and the Comte has to get used to his new life while outer aristocrats are being taken to Madame Guillotine. He fears he may be next as he is a third-generation aristocrat and many of his kind had fled France for England and a new life out of the threat of execution, and like them, the Comte wants to leave with his daughter. When her father tries to calm the angry mob outside his estate, they condemn him for not paying them what they think they are due. They have fallen on hard times, yet only John James Drymore, known to his friends as Jay can help them. As the Comte has been thrown into prison by the mob, he has to help free him.

Lisette is wilful and doesn't take John giving her orders, though he isn't against a woman who has her own mind. She reminds him of his former wife, Marianne who had bore him Edward and Anne and died in an accident. He hopes that the same fate will not befall Lisette if she does not take heed of his words. Their attraction to each other grows even though she knows little of his past. The problem he has is moving on into the future with Lisette as his beloved.

Juicy bits:
*The Commodore's offer to escort Lisette home.
* Staying at the Black Horse does have its perks.
*Jay's telling Lisette of his plans to break out the dear Comte.

After thoughts:The novel comes with a nice Author's Note about her Piccadilly Gentleman's Club series and her short list for the Romantic Novelists' Association Love Story of the Year Award. This novel is her way of continuing the tradition of gentlemen rescuing damsels in distress in Revolutionary France. The Comte starts out in a difficult situation made harder by a peasant's revolt and imprisonment. The Commodore does his best to help Lisette get back to England, but not before he enjoys the pleasure of her company. I found the setting well-written and the scenery realistic, as were the characters. Drymore is a character many will be familiar with, Captain James Drymore , later Lord Drymore was in The Captains' Mysterious Lady.