Kim writes:
I’m looking for a book title and author. The book is set back in the 1700-1800’s in England or nearby and it’s about a girl not exactly accepted by the “ton” who is invited on a picnic auction (for charity). She hesitantly brings her basket to be auctioned off and as the auction takes place she watches the pretty ribbons blowing in the wind on the basket belonging to the “catch of the season” which is getting lots of bids… this girl’s (main character) basket was purposely getting no bids and one person(who was paid to) bid a humiliating low bid and he was the only taker.
She was so embarrassed…well the handsome man all the girls had eyes for caught on and bid an outrageous amount and had the picnic with her. They already knew each other and weren’t on good terms. I really want to know the author and title…Can anyone help me?
Charity picnic auction? Is that historically possible? And does anyone recognize that book?
Third Scandalous Love, Brenda Joyce.
Kimberly Anne, you weren’t the only one.
Don’t know the answer to the HaBo – but the whole picnic basket auction but made me immediately think of So Big by Edna Ferber…considered more an American classic than strictly romance, but still.
The whole thing sounds so completely American to me, anyway: we just don’t do this sort of thing, and I honestly don’t think we did in the 19th or 18th or earlier centuries.
I love, in Kim’s original description,
What’s ‘nearby England’? Scotland? Wales? France?
😀
Kimberly Anne, you definitely weren’t the only one!
I think it was Brenda Joyce. Like everyone else, I remember reading this scenario, though I think I only read an excerpt and not the book.
Uhm…do I get points for actually knowing all the words to “Oklahoma”….and the hand gestures used when it’s sung at Girls State?
Like everyone else, I know I’ve read this book but it’s been absolutely ages and I think it was something I picked up in a waiting room to read. When this gets figured out, I want to know so I can get it to read again.
This is one of those “universal themes” that gets recycled a lot, which is why I’m sure it triggers everyone’s memories.
It’s definitely not one of the Six Sisters books, and i’m quite sure it isn’t an Amanda Quick either.
Me too! I’ve read this book too!
But I can’t remember the name of it either. Or author. But I’m 99% sure it’s an American setting. Old West. Could be an early Linda Lael Miller, really early. Could be a LaVyrle Spencer, but I don’t think so. Or maybe a Jude Devereux?
Oh, it’s going to drive me NUTS!
I have also read this book and haven’t a clue!
Is it an old-school Christina Dodd?
Or that one author who writes about uncut wangs….oh, she wrote a bride trilogy….what was her name…
Feather! Jane Feather.
I second the Pam Morsi suggestion – either by her or very in her style. But that wouldn’t be in England. So I’m going to fourth the Brenda Joyce. Because I’ve read two like this, and in on the thing I recall most was that she’d made chicken. I really wanted chicken more than I wanted to finish the book at that point, and some BJ books are a struggle for me.
It has to be Scandalous Love, it has everything as described. And Fabio on the cover…
You know, it’s just my luck… I got so hooked by the premise that I got up from my spot in Barnes and Noble’s cafe and went to buy Brenda Joyce’s Scandalous Love.
Dangerous Love had 8 copies on the shelf. Scandalous wasn’t there.
Now I have to stop on my way home. LOL
pressure83 lol
Just searched the Jane Feather archive and didn’t come up with anything picnic-baskety. Have to close up the reading room and head to class, but if anyone else wants to search under Heather Graham, that might also be a possibility?
At this point, I’m willing to side with the Brenda Joycians. 🙂
Memorable novel if all we can remember about it is the peek-a-neek basket with a fluttery ribbon.
Like almost everyone else, I remember reading this one . . . no idea who it might be, but it sure does seem like an American sort of story, maybe in the South, doesn’t it seem like a southern thing to do?
Can’t wait till there’s agreement—I’ll go check it out of the library.
Lucia I heart you so for the Yogi moment.
Once I had the vision of The Quiet Man in my mind (and I can’t get it OUT) I was done guessing.
The mention of Pamela Morsi brought back some great reading moments, even if, or maybe because, they weren’t “rock your world” romances. She wrote some of the most interesting and unusual characters doing nothing special—- just being great characters in sweet romances. Her Simple Jess about a mentally slow hero was a heart-string tugger. And Wild Oats was another wonderful vere off the ordinary path.
AND: could I get more off topic? Sorry!
well if it is Brenda Joyce it’s going on my to be read list
damn you all, me without a public library and having to buy all my books now!
There are 5 copies of Scandalous Love (well, 4 now – I just mooched one) over at Bookmooch.com.
Can’t remember the title or the author of the one that happens in 19th century Texas, but I do remember the plot – it starts off with a group of men who are trying to hang the hero in the front yard of the school marm (I think that is who she is) but she goes out with a shotgun to save him because she doesn’t want a dead body hanging in her front yard. But hers is the only tree in the area!
Later on she brings her picnic basket to the charity picnic and he bids a great deal on it. Actually in this book, she is a very good cook – I can’t remember if others bid on it or he paid a hellacious amount for it- but she has to eat the picnic lunch with him (that’s the catch).
I hope this is solved! It sounds great… I love when there is antagonism between the h/h right off the bat!
Good luck
Picnic basket auctions were common in Victorian era. Here’s a description of a re-enactment put on by the American Civil War Society.
Sounds like a LaVyrle Spencer or Pamela Morsi book to me.
Doing a search inside at amazon of SCANDALOUS LOVE by Brenda Joyce –
p1 Dragmore, 1898
p 118, “Every year she holds an American-style picnic… The young ladies bring a box lunch, which the gentlemen bid on.”
p 119 “…picnic baskets all merrily painted and decorated in ribbons…”
p 127 “… I only bought her basket to save her from embarrassment…”
It’s in the de Warenne series. http://www.thedewarennedynasty.com/scandalous_love.htm
I remember the chicken too!
I’m pretty sure the one I’m thinking of isn’t a Brenda Joyce, ‘cause I never read any of her books except the Chicago amateur detective series.
I did read some Morsi…that’s sounding possible. Or maybe Spencer. Or…Jodie Thomas?
This one is “If My Love Could Hold You” by Elaine Coffman.
Could it be THE OUTLAW HEARTS by Rebecca Brandewyne(http://www.amazon.com/Outlaw-Hearts-Rebecca-Brandewyne/dp/0505523604/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210132257&sr=1-1 )
This was set in the Ozarks in the US, but there was definitely a picnic basket bidding scene and the hero paid a big sum for the heroine’s basket when no one else was bidding. It came out in the late eighties, but looks like it was reissued and given a new cover in 2000. I liked this book. It was one of the first romances I read where the heroine wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous, and she even had a limp from a horrible incident in her past.
If it isn’t your book, sorry, but this is the only one I remember with a picnic basket bidding war :).
I totally know this book….*thinking of title* I’m 99.9% sure it’s either a Rebecca Brandewyne book or something in that range. I’m dragging my mind. The heroine is a Plain Jane who has never fit in. And this book was based in the US, not England. It’s a daytime picnic & she’s not aware she’s supposed to have made her basket all pretty. Oh, it’s on the tip of my tongue…Crap!
I’m thinking it’s The Outlaw Hearts. The hero is a train robber who robs trains. The heroine is a schoolmarm w/ a bum leg. He shows up at the picnic & buys her picnic basket, even though a goober of a guy wants to buy it for a piddling amount. See, I knew I remembered this book.
Is it the right one? Here’s the blurb: http://www.brandewyne.com/titles/outlawhearts.html
I believe it is Brenda Joyce’s Scandalous Hearts. ^_^ I just read it.
But in America – not in England or even ‘nearby’. The original description suggested an English historical setting.
😉
From the replies, it would seem that there are scores of books with this plot point.
I loved that book (Scandalous Love) by Brenda Joyce. This scene was the highlight, especially when the hero bid $$$$ for it. It was also the first book I read where the “other woman” was a bitch.
I fifth or sixth the answer being Scandalous Love.
(indeed44!)
The problem is I’m fairly certain that I’ve never read a Brenda Joyce book in my life. I only read a limited number of historical authors, and more or less stopped in the mid-nineties. That’s why it was so easy for me to narrow it down. But I agree, apparently this is a plot device in a lot of books. Crazy frustrating because with my last move I lost all my keepers, and the keepers I’ve had since are packed up for my move. Otherwise I could at least identify the author of the book I’m thinking of.
I didn’t start singing it, but I definitely thought it. Of course, I also saw it twice last weekend as an usher.
Three words: John and Abby.
The book in which the heroine saves the hero from being lynched in her front yard (because she has the only tree in the area) is called If My Love Could Hold You. I don’t recall the author, but I saw it at the UBS a couple of days ago and thought about buying it. But I didn’t because I’ve already got about 500 books in my TBR pile. Spamword “include52”. No thanks!
I haven’t read Brenda Joyce either. I have read a book with chicken and a picnic basket auction I really thought is was Spencer but couldn’t find it. maybe it was a Linda Lail Miller, I’ll search there. I just remember the one I read as a sweet story. This is driving me insane!
HUMMINGBIRD by LaVyrle Spencer. Yes, she did use the plot.
Now, it takes place in Colorado, not England. Not even “nearby” England. The hero is a railroad owner who is mistaken for an outlaw and shot by a shoe salesman who thinks he’s holding up the train. The heroine is a rather prim spinster who volunteers to take care of the injured man until he’s well enough to be tried for his crime. They do not get on well at first. There is a charity picnic basket auction in it—but I think the shoe salesman and the railroad man bid each other up for hers… But maybe this isn’t the one she’s thinking of…
The book in which the heroine saves the hero from being lynched in her front yard ( because she has the only big tree in miles) is If My Love Could Hold You. I don’t recall the author’s name. I actually found it at the UBS two days ago, skimmed it, but didn’t buy it, because I already have 500 books in my tbr pile, and I’m trying to cut it down.
This is totally out of place, so I apologize in advance.
Where is Candy, why am I not seeing more of her? Candy, when will you be back? Are you working on that book of yours or do you not want to come and chat with us no more? Please, please come here more often or I will commit suicide very soon. We all miss you so much! ïŒ
I think I’m going to have to get out Scandalous Love by Brenda Joyce from the library!!! *grin*
Hmm I’ve studied history (just finished my bachelors, hoping to do a honours year at some point) and this by no means puts me off reading historical romances. In fact, they may be my favourite type. Maybe I’m just a hopeless romantic 🙂 🙂