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Title: Althea

Author: Madeleine Robins

Narrator: Lauren Irwin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-22-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Romance, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In her fathers household Althea Ervine was used to having the running of things - until her father disowned her (again) and Althea fled to her sisters home in London. For the first time in her life Althea gave herself up to the gaiety of a purely social life, to the theatre and parties and the admiration of young men.

The most ardent of these young men was Edward Pendarly, and Althea thought she could like him very much. But the infuriating, fascinating Sir Tracy Calendar hinted that Edwards intentions were not all they should be. But why did Sir Tracy care, and for that matter, what were Sir Tracys intentions?

Editorial Reviews:

In this modern society romance for young adults, Althea - narrated with genteel girl-like glee by Englishwoman Lauren Irwin - our plucky and pouty protagonist, Althea, is disowned by her overbearing father. With few options, she moves in with her wealthy sister in London, where she quickly takes to the towns high society scene and gay nightlife.

A frequenter of many engagements, Althea meets many fine gentlemen, yet Edward Pendarly is perhaps the most intriguing. But there are others, most notably Sir Tracy Calendar, who secretly pine for Altheas heart.

An homage to the classic Regency romances, the listener will perhaps stick with this mostly formulaic story simply to find out: "Who will end up with whom?"

Members Reviews:

Predictable romance with slightly more real characters

Althea runs away from her father, stays with her sister in Town, and tries to figure out the intricacies of Society.

The plot is extremely predictable, Althea's plottings get punished while those of her love interest don't, and it relies on Althea's naivete to the point of holding the idiot ball several times.

However. The characters are more fully realized than many romance novels, the secondary characters are wonderfully real (Althea's empty-headed married sister actually has a good head for society, and her troubles with her husband are the all-too-real troubles of a couple who let money run through their fingers in different ways and so blame each other), and I would rather read Madeleine Robins's combination of Regency and modern sensibilities than nearly any other romance novel.

The romance is of the PG/PG-13 variety, and while the plot is predictable, there are a few suspenseful moments. The biggest flaw is the abrupt ending, which is common in romance novels.

If you're a fan of straight Regency romance (no mystery plot, etc.), you wouldn't go wrong to pick this one up.

Complicated...

Althea was complicated, characters got picked up mid-way and got major story lines, the couple was fighting when I thought they were just bantering...he was a little arrogant I thought but generally likable. Frankly, I think the author could have made this into 2 books and it would have been a lot neater. I read 2 other of Ms. Robins' books at the same time and I enjoyed them thoroughly (Heiress Companion, Dear Jenny) but this one was a little work to get through.

Did not disappointe!

Totally enjoyed this book. Madeleine Robins is a favorite.

Her ealier books are worth reading as well as the current series.

just they way you expected

It was a nice story and easy read but no surprises or really any thing to make you want to get back to the story

A disappointing book

Ms Robins used the same words too many times: alacrity, fustian, tiger...

The action was always talked about among the characters.