Product Description

Dear Reader:
You met Heatherington in The Sherbrooke Bride and Helen Mayberry in Mad Jack. Now the two get together to track down a mystical treasure that Helen calls King Edward's Lamp.

Helen is a big girl - only two inches shorter than Heatherington - a resolute taskmistress, owner of her own inn. She adores her father, Lord Prith, and wants to find the lamp more than anything. It is her only passion - until she meets Heatherington.

Spenser Heatherington, Lord Beecham, enjoys Helen's pursuit of him. He is a renowned womanizer, a resolute bachelor, and really enjoys his life. When she throws him to the ground and sits on him, and he finally admits that he will succumb to her, she informs him, to his chagrin, that she doesn't want a lover, she wants a partner.

But things work out a bit differently than either of them expect. Indeed, Heatherington, unused to being thwarted, takes drastic steps to change his "big girl's" mind.

Do they find Helen's lamp? Is there more to this treasure than either of them knows? Listen and find out . . .

I hope you enjoy visiting the Sherbrookes when they stick their oars into the treasure hunt.

Write me and tell me how you liked The Courtship at P.O. Box 17, Mill Valley, CA 94942 or email me at ReadMoi@aol.com.

Catherine Coulter

Product Details

• Published on: 2006-06-20
• Released on: 2006-06-20
• Formats: Abridged, Audiobook, CD
• Original language: English
• Binding: Audio CD

From Amazon.com
Whoever said eavesdroppers never hear anything good was never privy to the titillating conversation Spenser Heatherington, Lord Beecham, overhears at a party. But then, there's nothing retiring or at all usual about Helen Mayberry, daughter of eccentric Lord Prith. Helen is a statuesque blue-eyed, blond Aphrodite who owns her own inn and has read everything academic and otherwise on the art of discipline. An inveterate womanizer, Heatherington determines--based on a conversation he wasn't supposed to hear--that he would love to teach Helen what he knows about the subject and maybe learn something new in the process. When Helen tells Heatherington that she wants him for her partner, he wholeheartedly agrees but is dismayed when she further explains that she needs his skill to help locate a mythical golden lamp rumored to make its possessor all-powerful. But both are overwhelmed by their responses to each other--a passion that cannot be denied--in the middle of a fox hunt, in a rundown shack, on the floor of her father's study.... Marked by The New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter's trademark wit and sensuality, The Courtship is a keeper! --Alison Trinkle

From Publishers Weekly
Set in Regency England (though not a Regency romance), Coulter's latest historical novel describes, with delectable humor and sexuality, the romance between the beautiful Lady Helen and the Spenser Heatherington, Lord Beecham. A libertine, Spenser has vowed that he won't marry and produce an heir until just before he's ready to meet his maker. But his resolve wavers when he meets Helen, an inn-keeper who enchants every man she meets. At first, Helen would rather have Spenser as her partner than her lover, but she soon changes her mind. Helen's powerful discipline not only engenders great enjoyment for her and Lord Beecham in the bedroom, but in less steamy situations provides levity for the reader. In addition, a mystery subplot--concerning what might have happened to Aladdin's Lamp had the Knights Templar brought it back to England during the realm of Edward I--is intermixed with the love story. The novel reintroduces several beloved characters from Coulter's The Sherbrooke Bride and The Hellion Bride, who add to the droll good times. Coulter's romances may sometimes miss the mark, but she's in top form here, with a good-guy hero in pursuit of a worthy heroine. Readers will wish them years of delightful torment, silk cravats and all. (Jan.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Spenser Hetherington of The Sherbrooke Bride (1992) and Helen Mayberry of Mad Jack unite in their own romping romance. Overhearing Helen's conversation about "discipline," Spenser is fascinated with this "big girl," who is almost as tall as his strapping 6'3" . Meeting her at the Sherbrooke's home, he discovers that she was plotting to meet him to lure him into partnership on her quest to unearth Aladdin's lamp by interpreting an ancient scroll. A scholarly cleric helping them with the translation of the scroll is found murdered, and soon it seems that they are in grave danger. Their incessant sexual encounters are put on standby when the rakish Spenser decides to withhold his favors from Helen until they are wed, even though a seemingly insurmountable obstacle stands in their way. This is a sexy but average Coulter Regency-era romance, which holds appeal for readers who relish the subgenre, but is unlikely to win her new fans. Diana Tixier Herald

Customer Reviews

Terrific Book!
The Courtship by Catherine Coulter was a terrific book that I enjoyed very much. I think most people that enjoy this writer will like it too.

Not impressed!
The only discipline lacking in this story, is the author's.

hilarious and sexy
I absolutely loved this book. When I read the excerpt that amazon.com provides, I knew I had to read it because it was just so funny. I wasn't disappointed! Helen is a very nice change from the usual romance novel heroine, which I am a little sick of since I read an average of 4 romance novels a week. Instead of being very delicate, not too bright, and needing a man, Helen is built like an Amazon and is extremely capable and self-confident, even physically strong too. Spenser is hilarious with his over-active imagination (something he and Helen share) and ability to laugh at himself. In a lot of romance novels, it seems like one of the pair can be replaced with someone else and it would still work, but it's obvious that Spenser and Helen are absolutely made for each other. I especially love how they have absolutely no control when one is around the other.

Secondary characters have their quirks as well and are interesting, yet don't detract from Spenser and Helen. For instance, Helen's father is constantly experimenting with champagne, while Helen's maid, Teeny, doesn't know how she can marry either of the two male servants who want her due to unfortunate last names ("Teeny Flock" or "Teeny Nettle"). As for the whole discipline thing, I found it made for extremely interesting situations and overall hilarity, and it made this book special.

As for plot... well, one thing that could have been improved on is that there is never any reason given for Helen's obsession with finding the lamp. She wants to find it, okay, but why? I kept waiting for a reason, but none ever came. Otherwise no complaints. Kudos on definitely not following the big misunderstanding formula, which I hate. Spenser and Helen always communicated and were extremely, extremely open with each other from the beginning, which I found refreshing.

Basically this book has very interesting and lively characters, great chemistry and love scenes, and very funny moments. Read it!