Comments on: REVIEW: Scandalizing the Ton by Diane Gaston

By: Kalen Hughes

Kalen Hughes — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:23:17 +0000

[S]he did the â€œLord C_â€ and â€œLady W_â€ thing that you see in old English newspapers (or at least in romance novel recreations of old English newspapers).

This was exactly how the Tete-a-Tete column (which I think was in the Morning Post if I'm remembering correctly) reported all the gossip of the day. They even had drawings at the top of the post of men and their mistresses/wives/etc. from which the reader could infer a comment on the state of the relationship (who was looking at, or away from, whom). So it's not an invention of Romancelandia, it's historically based and perfectly accurate. I have no idea how badly the reporters hounded their prey during the Regency-era, but this is very much in keeping with what went on during the later Victorian period so it doesn't seem totally out of the question.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:52:00 +0000

DS, she did the “Lord C_” and “Lady W_” thing that you see in old English newspapers (or at least in romance novel recreations of old English newspapers). I still thought that scads of reporters hanging around her door for months at a time seemed unlikely.

I’d forgotten that England had (and has) such strict libel laws. Those papers would’ve gotten sued for sure!

By: Sunita

Sunita — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:47:18 +0000

I liked her first book, which she wrote as Diane Perkins. I didn’t read the one that followed, but I got The Reputable Rake as part of a Harlequin historical bundle. That one was a DNF for me; it had the virtuous heroine starting a school for courtesans. It was just WTF? After that I haven’t gone back. It’s too bad, because there are aspects of her writing that appeal to me.

By: DS

DS — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:39:22 +0000

I think it’s pretty much a given that early 19th century reporters would not act like that. For one thing England had a well developed action for defamation and libel in place. If something that is potentially defamatory is published it is generally a blind item. Here’s a few items from a Google search. Note the heiress and the army officer.

A few days since the Rev. Mr. John Whittington, rector of Orford in Suffolk, was married to Mrs. Brett, of Westminster.

We hear an officer in the army, of family and fortune, and a young heiress of upwards of 200,000l. fortune, are gone into Scotland to be married there. Public Advertiser.

We hear from Birmingham, that on Thursday fe’nnight Mr. Ruston, merchant, of that town, was married to Miss Eaves.

Yesterday the Lady of Thomas Potter, Esq; was safely delivered of a daughter, at his house in Cleveland-Row, St. James’s.

By: Janine

Janine — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:53:04 +0000

I had the same reaction to Gaston's first two books -- liked The Mysterious Miss M very much, but wasn't too excited about The Wagering Widow. I remember the buzz on various romance boards when The Mysterious Miss M came out; there was such good word of mouth that some readers even ordered the book from the UK before it was published here. The Mysterious Miss M itself was quite original. I haven't seen the same kind of excitement surrounding her other books, though, so I'm sorry to hear that Scandalizing the Ton didn't work as well for you, Jennie.

By: Keishon

Keishon — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:50:11 +0000

I never caught onto her writing.