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Alicia Cameron
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Clarissa and the Poor Relations Kindle Edition

by Alicia Cameron (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,739 ratings
In Regency England Mrs Thorne's School for Young Ladies is about to close due to the death of young Clarissa's mother a year ago.This leaves eighteen-year-old Clarissa Thorne and her three school mistress friends no option but to return to the bosom of their families as despised 'poor relations' - at everyone's beck and call for all their lives.
But Clarissa has just inherited Ashcroft , a large crumbling estate, and she offers her companions an escape - run away with her to a life of independence and adventure. They must put the estate to rights with little money and less experience. Can sensible Miss Micklethwaite, aging romantic Miss Appleby and the beautiful Miss Oriana Petersham escape their fate? To keep the vivacious, impulsive Clarissa in check they must at least try.
However, their relatives may have other plans.
Meeting the Earl of Grandiston and his companion (a devotee of the divine Oriana) on the road sets hilarious events in motion. Perhaps to adventure the ladies must add romance...

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  1. Reading age
    10 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    237 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    January 15, 2016
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
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  7. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alicia Cameron is primarily a crime novelist whose alternate joy is the wit of Austen and Georgette Heyer. Her nom de plume allows her to indulge in a world where whatever tests ladies meet (and the Regency period offered many obstacles) they always come out smiling. Her whole family shared a love of Austen and Heyer and Clarissa and the Poor Relations was written at first as family entertainment, then shared.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B019YI0ZLW
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 15, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 237 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 1,739 ratings

About the author

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Alicia Cameron

Alicia Cameron

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Have a FREE short story! https://dl.bookfunnel.com/tsfshs0rs5

Alicia Cameron is a crime writer with another indulgence - I have always enjoyed the work of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, loving the Regency period and the romance, but especially the wit of the authors.

My interest in crime probably started with the awful kleptomania of my family, stealing these books from each others shelves.

I'm not to be confused with the other Alicia Cameron, who writes very raunchy things indeed - I'm sure excellently.

My Regency romances have very little raunch and a great deal of silliness. Regencies: Clarissa and the Poor Relations, Honoria and the Family Obligation, Delphine and the Dangerous Arrangement, Felicity and the Damaged Reputation, Angelique and the Pursuit of Destiny (the FREE short for sign up https://dl.bookfunnel.com/tsfshs0rs5),

The Edwardian series: Francine (a short story about an empowering woman) and Francine 2: Miss Philpott becomes the Fascinating Mathilde (a novella) There is more to come...

Keep in touch:

www.aliciacameron.co.uk

Twitter: @aliciaclarissa2

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,739 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this regency romance for its whimsical plot and happy endings, with well-realized characters who are easy to like. Moreover, the book features plenty of humor and laugh-out-loud moments, while maintaining a fast-paced narrative. Additionally, customers appreciate its heartwarming themes and consider it a delightful read. However, the writing quality receives mixed reviews, with some praising the author's skill while others note several typos and misspellings in the text.

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64 customers mention "Story quality"60 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the story's whimsical plot and happy endings, describing it as a thoroughly entertaining regency romance that moves along well.

"...The characters are varied and unique, the story plays out like a movie with well painted scenes, but not overly concerned with explaining details..." Read more

"...But the characters are so lively, the story so interesting and compelling, i give this one four and a half stars." Read more

"This is a charming story of four ladies trying to live without the control of men in their lives in the English Regency Period...." Read more

"...The plot is fun, somewhat predictable yet exactly as you'd wish it to go. An empowering story of women in a time where they had little control...." Read more

63 customers mention "Enjoyment"63 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable, particularly appreciating it as a clean read in the regency genre.

"...I thank my lucky stars daily right now for bringing me to these fun Cameron novels...." Read more

"...No sex, no bad language, lots of love and fun. I wish the author had more books like this. Apparently this was written under a nom-de-plume (sp?)..." Read more

"...It's so nice to read a Regency novel that appreciates the wit and maintains the veracity of the setting's characters and plots, without large,..." Read more

"...As well as a lot of of serendipity A really great read nondairy or nudity Just a lot of fun & a brother getting his come uppance" Read more

29 customers mention "Character development"29 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-realized characters in the book, particularly noting that the female characters are easy to like.

"...The characters are varied and unique, the story plays out like a movie with well painted scenes, but not overly concerned with explaining details..." Read more

"...But the characters are so lively, the story so interesting and compelling, i give this one four and a half stars." Read more

"...a Regency novel that appreciates the wit and maintains the veracity of the setting's characters and plots, without large, irritating anachronisms...." Read more

"...Great, well drawn characters, witty banter, and some laugh-out-loud moments made this a really fun read." Read more

18 customers mention "Wit"18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's wit, finding it lighthearted with plenty of humor and laugh-out-loud moments.

"...The dialogue was unexpected and funny and true to the period. I’m going to see if I can get my hands on anything else she’s written...." Read more

"...No sex, no bad language, lots of love and fun. I wish the author had more books like this. Apparently this was written under a nom-de-plume (sp?)..." Read more

"...It's so nice to read a Regency novel that appreciates the wit and maintains the veracity of the setting's characters and plots, without large,..." Read more

"...Great, well drawn characters, witty banter, and some laugh-out-loud moments made this a really fun read." Read more

13 customers mention "Pacing"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, describing it as fast-paced and well-drawn, with one customer noting its country setting.

"...are varied and unique, the story plays out like a movie with well painted scenes, but not overly concerned with explaining details that don’t move..." Read more

"...Overall, I'd say this author tried to write a witty, somewhat complex, and immulative..." Read more

"This was a litral Masterpiece of sneaky cunning & great planning As well as a lot of of serendipity..." Read more

"...A simple, fun read with multiple happy ever afters." Read more

6 customers mention "Heartwarming"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming, with one mentioning it provides a light-hearted escape from reality, while another notes it features true friendships and love.

"...No sex, no bad language, lots of love and fun. I wish the author had more books like this. Apparently this was written under a nom-de-plume (sp?)..." Read more

"...There are romantic attachments, certainly, but the whole is warmed by true friendships and alliances being formed...." Read more

"...Humor, intelligence, compassion, and friendship enrich a plot that also reveals there were reliable, lovable men in their lives !" Read more

"...A few heart tugs, some sweetness, a bit of drama, some well done characters, very nice...." Read more

5 customers mention "Sweetness"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book delightful.

"...A few heart tugs, some sweetness, a bit of drama, some well done characters, very nice...." Read more

"...Delightful and satisfying. I recommend it to you!" Read more

"This is a lighthearted romance with a plot that is delightful and unique. The female characters are easy to like and sympathize with...." Read more

"This story was well written, intriguing, and delightful. It was enjoyable from the first page until its last...." Read more

11 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some praising the impressive skill while others point out several typos and misspellings in the text.

"...It was really quite distracting to see the grammatical errors highlighted and there were many spelling auto-corrects and punctuation and word choice..." Read more

"...on, so it may’ve been a headache for her haha, but it was so excellently written...." Read more

"...future book , this author will pay head to misspellings, grammatical errors, and misplaced names for her characters" Read more

"I have to say this author can write! And her plots are so delightfully original...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • arteest
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such an entertaining book!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I absolutely loved this. It was clever and fast paced and joyful. I couldn’t help but think the author must have really enjoyed writing this. There was a lot going on, so it may’ve been a headache for her haha, but it was so excellently written. The characters are varied and unique, the story plays out like a movie with well painted scenes, but not overly concerned with explaining details that don’t move the story forward much. The dialogue was unexpected and funny and true to the period. I’m going to see if I can get my hands on anything else she’s written. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning because I stupidly started in the evening thinking I would be able to put it down. Will definitely read this again.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Editor in transition
    4.0 out of 5 stars Hugely fun story
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I have to say this author can write! And her plots are so delightfully original. After wading and skimming through so many lackluster, repetitive and weak Regency romances, I thank my lucky stars daily right now for bringing me to these fun Cameron novels.

    My only complaint is the editing which was even a little more haphazard in this novel than in her others. But the characters are so lively, the story so interesting and compelling, i give this one four and a half stars.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Pat. H
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun read
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This is a charming story of four ladies trying to live without the control of men in their lives in the English Regency Period. It is written a little tongue-in-cheek and meant to be lighthearted so you don't need to take the story too seriously. ;p)

    Clarissa is only 18 years old. Her mother owned a girl's school where girls were taught to be independent thinkers and had a similar curriculum to that of boys in that day. This did not go well with the views of many, especially of the ton, who felt women were only to have children and obey the men in their lives. Her mother has died and the school has closed. Clarissa and three other teachers from the school are packing up the books and teaching items, wondering what they will do now since they are all "poor relations" and will be expected to live as servants to their families in exchange for a roof over their heads and show gratitude for the "charity" of their families.

    Clarissa has learned her mother bequeathed her the family manor that had been in her mother's family for centuries. Up to five years ago it was a glorious mansion but her cousin inherited it from her uncle and ran it into the ground with his debauched lifestyle. After his unforeseen death it went to her mother and now her. She has invited the ladies to come live with her and together maybe they can save the manor and the estate. Each of them have gifts peculiar to them that will be needed to reclaim what has been ruined. They know Clarissa's brother is on his way to the school to force Clarissa to return home and they need to leave immediately to get a head start on him. They hope it will be a little more difficult for him to force her home if she is settled in the manor.

    As they rebuild their lives and the estate they meet new friends and form attachments that will help them stand up to their families. Clarissa's brother and his wife are the most evil of the families and it is great fun to watch them plot and manipulate trying to gain control over Clarissa. But even better is to see Clarissa and her friends manipulate the downfall of her brother and his greedy wife.

    It is all clean fun. There is a little problem with editing, several times the wrong name is used, and two word phrases get repeated quite often quite often. (My little joke there, he he) But it is a very fast read and once I get tripping along I don't even notice them anymore. No sex, no bad language, lots of love and fun. I wish the author had more books like this. Apparently this was written under a nom-de-plume (sp?) and the author normally writes mysteries. Too bad he/she can't share their real name, maybe we'd like their mysteries too?
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Bookmaiden
    5.0 out of 5 stars Charming
    Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    If you like a traditional, clean Regency romance a la Georgette Heyer, you'll like this. The characters were amusing and accurate to their setting while still appealing to modern readers. The plot is fun, somewhat predictable yet exactly as you'd wish it to go. An empowering story of women in a time where they had little control. Overall, I'd say this author tried to write a witty, somewhat complex, and immulative (meaning appreciative of the original genre versus the porn so often masquerading now) Regency romance, and she succeeded very well! It's so nice to read a Regency novel that appreciates the wit and maintains the veracity of the setting's characters and plots, without large, irritating anachronisms. There were a few moments when I thought the author was veering from historical plausibility, but she neatly repaired (or rather, only appeared to veer) so there were no glaring anachronisms, just minor, understandable ones, which I appreciate. The author clearly values the genre enough to understand and/or research it. There were a few grammatical and substitution errors that I would have loved to correct for her as a freelance editor, but they don't detract from the charm and quality of the book. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this novel and can't wait to read more! If only I could read instead of sleep, without ill effects...
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Intrepid Ladies
    Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was a litral Masterpiece of sneaky cunning & great planning
    As well as a lot of of serendipity
    A really great read nondairy or nudity
    Just a lot of fun & a brother getting his come uppance
    Helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    4.5stars. I enjoyed this book, the plot is good and flows nicely. The story was original, which can't be said for 80% of the historical romance novels that are currently being churned out. This was a pleasure to read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Tottenville
    3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of maneuvering not much romantic warmth
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This was a pleasant story, but i felt the romance lacking. Not even an ending kiss. Apparently there was a walk in the garden, but I didn’t get to see it. Ms Appleby also fell in love, but I was not there. In fact, I felt a little distant from most of the characters. I didn’t understand Orianna’s anger towards Grandiston.
    The great maneuvering plot hinged on someone putting a letter behind a clock instead of giving it to the person they see every day, getting it out months later, and instead of handing it to the person they still see everyday, packing it and then being so busy for months that she still couldn’t give it to the person she saw every day.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Rosemary e Walters
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clarks and the Poor relations.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is the third book that I have read by this Author. And have enjoyed every minute of each book. They are full of humour, and real characters. There is love a plots galore.
    Great read.
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  • Dr Dragonlady
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
    Reviewed in Australia on January 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I’ve just discovered Alicia Cameron, and I’m so glad I did. She is sheer delight Her wit, her characters and her excellent writing make her books a joy to read for traditional Regency fans. Indeed such are these books that I suspect most romance fans would enjoy them.
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  • emma
    5.0 out of 5 stars Köstlich
    Reviewed in Germany on April 11, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Das Buch ist sehr spannend, liebenswerte und hassenswerte Charaktere werden gleichermaßen gut dargestellt, viele Wendungen sind unvorhergesehen. Allerdings gibt es einen gewissen Mangel an Kommata was das Lesen manchmal erschwert und an anderen Stellen steht ein Punkt etwas unvermittelt was den Satz. Oder auch. (nur damit ihr eine Vorstellung habt)
    Trotz mancher Ungereimtheiten gibt es fünf Sterne, weil ich mich gar zu sehr amüsiert habe.
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  • irma
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fun, relaxing read
    Reviewed in Italy on June 8, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I really loved this book, and especially enjoyed the characters and the humour. And although it's set in the regency period, the female characters are surprisingly modern. I'm a fan of Georgette Heyer and similar writers and can warmly recommend Clarissa and The Poor Relations to others who enjoy this genre.
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  • BMillar
    5.0 out of 5 stars At delightful and different story well worth the read
    Reviewed in Canada on January 14, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    All the characters were treated kindly and you grew to love each one at least the ones that you were supposed to like. It was an interesting plot with the interesting beginning and kept one reading right through to the end which was with a smile
    Report

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