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Dorothy Mack
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The Counterfeit Widow (Dorothy Mack Regency Romances) Kindle Edition

by Dorothy Mack (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,043 ratings
Deception and disguise in Regency England! Perfect for fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Jane Aiken Hodge and Jane Austen.

Can Charity give her sister a chance for happiness?

Regency England

When their mother dies, Charity and Prudence Leonard hatch a plan to escape from their tyrannical stepfather.

Determined to give her beautiful sister a chance to marry, Charity disguises herself as a young widow and takes Prudence to London for the season.

But when the sisters cross paths with the shrewd and cynical Earl of Tyndale, it seems that they are in danger of being discovered.

And as the earl’s fascination with Charity intensifies, she must fight to outwit the man who could unravel her careful plans…

The Counterfeit Widow by Dorothy Mack is a classic Regency Romance with a bold and courageous heroine.
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  1. Part of series
    Dorothy Mack Regency Romances
  2. Print length
    269 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    February 26, 2020
  6. File size
    2.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Determined to protect her younger sister from the lecherous advances of their stepfather and to see her well married, fiery Charity Leonard embarks on a daring scheme: Posing as a recent widow, she takes her sister, Prudence, to London for the Season. However, Charity is faced with the devastating possibility of having her charade exposed by a dangerous, attractive, and observant rake, the Earl of Tyndale. Well-drawn, and nice sympathetic characters; descriptions and dialog that provide both a good sense of the period; and some nice writing recommend this traditional, thoughtfully written Regency. Mack (A Temporary Betrothal, Signet, 1995) lives in Virginia.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Dorothy Mack is a native New Englander, born in Rhode Island and educated at Brown and Harvard Universities. While living in Massachusetts with her husband and four young sons, she began to combine a longtime interest in English history with her desire to write, and emerged as an author of Regency romances. The family now resides in northern Virginia, where Dorothy continues to pursue both interests.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0857GZYK1
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 26, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 269 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913518660
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Dorothy Mack Regency Romances
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,043 ratings

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Dorothy Mack

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,043 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this regency romance book delightful, with a clever plot and likable characters. The pacing receives positive feedback, with one customer noting it's an excellent reflection of Jane Austen's style.

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PlotEnjoymentCharacter developmentPacing
9 customers mention "Plot"7 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, finding it clever and entertaining.

"...Charity and Tyndale were interesting and likable characters and much of the book is spent in their thoughts...." Read more

"...The story is clever and enjoyable...." Read more

"Another charming book by Dorothy Mack. Believable characters, interesting plot, as usual this is hands down finer than the vast majority of..." Read more

"...You will find engaging characters and a compelling plot (I have no relationship with the authors, I just liked their books)." Read more

8 customers mention "Enjoyment"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book delightful and enjoyable, with one customer noting that the first part was particularly great.

"This 4 1/2 stars. This isn’t a quick read, but it’s quite satisfying...." Read more

"...The story is clever and enjoyable...." Read more

"...going, but those of us that are Regency purists will find this a delightful book...." Read more

"...And I would of like an epilogue, nevertheless a wonderful book." Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book, with one noting their mannered, old-fashioned voice.

"...Charity and Tyndale were interesting and likable characters and much of the book is spent in their thoughts...." Read more

"...Mack's characters are well crafted and logical in their required deception. I am eager to read more of Dorothy Mack's books." Read more

"Another charming book by Dorothy Mack. Believable characters, interesting plot, as usual this is hands down finer than the vast majority of..." Read more

"...Charity has enough character to be interesting, and the sister, Prudence, while not very filled out, manages to be innocent without being..." Read more

4 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, with one customer noting it's an excellent reflection of Jane Austen and another describing it as a thoughtful romance.

"...the selection of language and sentence structure was an excellent reflection of Jane Austen...." Read more

"Clean, sweet and refreshing, I totally enjoyed this book it had all the things I like in my regency romances, a spirited h and a sensible H who knew..." Read more

"Another charming book by Dorothy Mack...." Read more

"Really enjoyable and thoughtful romance...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Deb-57
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyable and thoughtful romance.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This 4 1/2 stars. This isn’t a quick read, but it’s quite satisfying. Charity and Tyndale were interesting and likable characters and much of the book is spent in their thoughts. They reason things through in their mind, in fact, it’s like a stream of consciousness as they walk or attend a ball or try to sleep. The reader gets to know when and how the characters figure out their dilemmas and make their decisions. I enjoyed this but some readers might not, because the story moves at quite a deliberate pace. The story is only PG.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Montana Mackay
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good Story -- I love Dorothy Mack's Writing
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is the tale of two sisters escaping a scoundrel of a stepfather after their mother dies of a lingering illness. They head for London, where the elder sister (Charity) launches her exquisitely beautiful younger sister on a successful season. Romance ensues, of course, although Charity does her utmost to remain dull and aloof, as a chaperoning elder sister should. Lord Tyndale is intrigued by Charity and eventually smitten.

    The story is clever and enjoyable. I must add that I smiled at another reviewer's observation that Mack's prose is awkward, because I tend to agree, but it is only awkward in its intensely crafted and somewhat complex sentences. I'd rather read an intelligently composed sentence (even if it's long & complex) than some of the other drivel out there.
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  • Jean Anne Jenkins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid characters, a well crafted book.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    From the very beginning, the selection of language and sentence structure was an excellent reflection of Jane Austen. Some modern readers find it slow going, but those of us that are Regency purists will find this a delightful book. Mack's characters are well crafted and logical in their required deception. I am eager to read more of Dorothy Mack's books.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Observant1
    3.0 out of 5 stars Too familiar
    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2014
    This book was only OK. I felt like I had read it before only because the plot was so similar to other regencies where the sisters and a maid run away from a brutal father figure and the oldest sister pretends to be a widow to sponsor the younger. Found myself interested in the development of the primary relationship but did skim a lot of redundant paragraphs.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Granny
    5.0 out of 5 stars The counterfeit Widow
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Clean, sweet and refreshing, I totally enjoyed this book it had all the things I like in my regency romances, a spirited h and a sensible H who knew what he wanted and went after it I was a little disappointed in the h sister for being such naive wimp. And I would of like an epilogue, nevertheless a wonderful book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Anne in Seattle
    4.0 out of 5 stars Utterly charming
    Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Another charming book by Dorothy Mack. Believable characters, interesting plot, as usual this is hands down finer than the vast majority of traditional recency romances. While no one can equal Georgette Heyer, Dorothy Mack has her own unique style: a mannered o!d fashioned voice that is immediately recognizable. Immensely enjoyable and hard to put down.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • snowbird
    5.0 out of 5 stars Strong big sister
    Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Protective and very brave, our heroine saves her sister and herself, with her carefully detailed plans to live in London for the season.
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  • Caroline Lamb
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Sweet Heroine
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    Dorothy Mack's prose is clumsy. Sample sentence: "Her lips parted, then clamped together to prevent the utterance of sentiments that could only add to her sister's distress." I nevertheless look forward to her books because her characters tend to be nice folks, and I enjoy hanging out with them. Charity, the counterfeit widow, is a girl concealing all her natural fire in order to be an appropriate chaperone for her lovely and innocent younger sister. Charity has enough character to be interesting, and the sister, Prudence, while not very filled out, manages to be innocent without being excessively stupid.

    Young Philip Marsh is interested in Prudence. Lord Tyndale, his guardian, is investigating the sisters, to determine whether Prudence is a worthy match for his cousin. He finds himself more and more interested in Charity. Do I need to tell you that it all ends happily?
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Dr Dragonlady
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful
    Reviewed in Australia on May 1, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    SPOILER ALERT : It may be strange to say that a book with incest as the act upon which the plot turns is delightful, indeed i found it so. The courage and ingenuity and intelligence of Charity, the fundamental decency and Kindness of Tyndall, and the sweet romance of the ingenues as they triumph of the perpetrator to find their HEA makes it so. There is no downplaying of the damage of horror of the plot’s lynchpin, but it forges a remarkable character in Charity. There are no detailed descriptions of the attempts. The writing is excellent, the dialogue witty and Mack does not ignore her cast of supporting actors.
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  • Copeland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 29, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    As always, Dorothy Mack continues to enthral. There are several writers, some American, who are at least as good as Georgette Heyer - if not better - and Ms Mack is one of them. While it’s impossible for anyone who writes Regencies, and is a Heyer fan, to not be a little influenced by Heyer, one has to say that only the very best writers keep in period, yet succeed in making their heroines believably strong characters. Some other authors write well, but give their heroines 21st century attitudes, something not even the most forward thinking females of 200+ years ago could have conceived.
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  • Kat
    5.0 out of 5 stars Charming
    Reviewed in Canada on March 26, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Beautifully written in true period style. Characters were likeable. I really enjoyed it and will read more by this author.
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  • Sm
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in India on March 4, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent enjoyed good book . Like dorothy macks writing. Don’t feel tedious reading the book. Recommend for other regency romance lovers.
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  • lornaA
    4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Simple, heartfelt pure love. Not a bad story, though it tended to become too wordy and descriptive in some parts. All in all an enjoyable one.
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