In Regencies, there are two professions available to upper class impoverished girls; one is governess; the other is companion. In Noblesse Oblige, our heroine Marianne Noble is the latter, born a vicar's daughter and now a lady's companion to Mrs. Middleton, a somewhat vulgar, somewhat bleached, somewhat fortyish, somewhat promiscuous wannabe social climber. Mrs. Middleton is targeting the attentions of a Mr. Rivers. To her embarrassment, Marianne finds herself in the unenviable position of being Mrs. Middleton's tool and Mr. Rivers' buffer. Marianne's main consolation is music, a talent that Mr. River's appreciates significantly.

The initial set-up involves a borderline slight, wherein Marianne approaches Mr. Rivers on Mrs. Middleton's behalf. Marianne is rebuffed and rejected; but Rivers soon realizes who is the tacky opportunist and who is the inherent lady. The plot potential increases with the introduction of Rivers' arthritic mother the invalid former pianist, the dandy Sir Piers, cousin of Mr. Rivers, who brings tales of how Rivers' wife died of a fall from a horse, and the stodgy Mr. Blunt with his honorable intentions.

The story proceeds without the flash and humor of Amanda Quick, and without the Gothic darkness of Lady Caroline Lamb, but lives quite comfortably in the midrange allocated to the genre. To be fair, there aren't many Regencies that don't concern an impoverished artistic gal down on her luck, and a tragic but rich hero ready to swoop in and play Prince Charming to her Cinderella. It IS the format, after all. It is clear that Lynne Connolly knows and understands the format and the story unfolds easily, if somewhat predictably. Noblesse Oblige is a book that will gratify fans of Connolly's Richard and Rose series as well as Regency readers everywhere.

Reviewed by Allie
© March 2008