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HabO: These Two Are not Easily Led

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From Kate, who is looking for a historical she read, with some horses.

I’m trying to locate a romance story I read a couple of years ago. I can’t
remember the author or title nor do I remember all the details of the plot.

Here’s what I do remember: male lead has a ward (niece or daughter) and
ends up bring in the female lead. The female lead is trying to pass herself
off as respectable and keep her past a secret because I believe the father
was an accused thief (or maybe a swindler) and if I remember correctly the
female lead brings with her an older gentlemen who knows of her past and
what she is trying to do.

Ward wants to learn how to ride but male lead
doesn’t want to teach her and you later on learn the reason is because his
brother or best friend was killed in a horse race that the male lead was
supposed to do with him and the horse that killed the brother/best friend is
out of the male lead’s stable and he knows the horse is a fast/dangerous
ride. I don’t remember what happened to the mother. Female lead gets
permission to teach the ward to ride, although she really thinks the male
lead should do the teaching. Female lead doesn’t ride side saddle very well
(rides better astride) but refuses to admit that to the male lead.

At one point in the early on riding lessons the ward says to the female lead
she will race her back to the stables, the ward’s horse bolts back to the
stable (the horse apparently likes her feed), female lead tries to stop the
ward’s horse but I believe ends up falling off her own horse and hurting
her leg. The male lead ends up coming looking for the female lead who
apologizes about the ward’s horse bolting, male lead informs the female
lead he has reprimanded his ward but will still let her learn how to ride
but that he will be taking over the riding lessons.

I think at some other point during the book the ward disappears and all the
characters go out searching for her. The female lead I believe finds her but
the male lead blames the female lead for the ward’s disappearance and the
two leads have a fight. Throughout the entire book, there is a battle of
wills between the two leads.

It’s like a rule: just like the ancillary characters can’t show James Bond pictures of their kids without being killed in the next scene, a hero can’t keep his fears a secret because that is just the horse the heroine will choose to ride. Which sounds sort of dirty now that I’ve thought about it. Anyone remember this book?

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  1. Kim says:

    It’s The Corset Diaries by Katie Macalister I believe http://www.amazon.com/Corset-Diaries-Katie-MacAlister/dp/0451411129

  2. BethSmash says:

    OOh!!!  I’ve read this one!  I THINK it might be something by Joan Wolf, but I just checked out her booklist on amazon – and nothing quite matched.  Must think of this more.  By the way, about the ward missing scene.  I’m pretty certain that at first she goes to a spot near the lake.  But she sneaks back, and ends up in the woman’s house or barn or something – all safe and warm, which is where they end up finding her.  And there’s also a dog involved.

  3. Amanda says:

    All the horse stuff fits the Corset Diaries by Katie MacAlister, which is a contemporary set on a reality tv show ABOUT living in the late 1800s.  But nothing else fits it.

  4. Beth says:

    My first thought was, “that kind of reminds me of The Corset Diaries,” and, voila, there is the first comment claiming it is. So I suppose I agree, though 1) I don’t remember much about the book, and 2) it isn’t a historical.

  5. BethSmash says:

    Hmm… Maybe it’s The Soldier by Grace Burrowes?  It’s got the ward disappearing thing.  Don’t remember if it’s got the horses thing.

  6. Jessica E says:

    The ward part reminds me of A Little Scandal by Patricia (Meg) Cabot, but I don’t really recall the horse issue.  The heroine, Kate, has a male friend, Freddie, who ends up falling in love with the ward in the epilogue and he’s the only one who knows about her scandalous past.  Kate ends up running away near the end of the book because of the shady bad man from her past, Daniel.  The hero’s name is Burke.  I enjoyed it but I love all of Meg Cabot’s old romances.

  7. Diana says:

    I’ve read this too. But it is an actual historical. I’m pretty sure it’s not Katie’s novel. I have to think about this awhile and look over my books.

  8. Amy Lewis says:

    I SWEAR that sounds like a Barbara Michaels…Master of Blacktower maybe? No, no….Hrm. (I’m working at the Library now. I’ll check a couple of references)

  9. Heather Missey says:

    Try Lord Braybrook’s Penniess Bride by Elizabeth Rolls.

    These were part of the Harliquen freegive away during their 50th Ann.

    Stuck Lord hires poor girl to be governess and she turns his world upside down.  If I remember right the the horse thing is also part of the other two in the trilogy: his Lady’s Mistress and a Compromised Lady.

  10. Kate says:

    Thanks everyone!  The book I was looking for was the Corset Diaries.

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