Finally, Jasmine Fitzpatrick gets her turn at the Debutante Ball in New York. She sets her cap for a titled Englishman, but her heart belongs in his barn, with the stableboy.
It’s Jasmine Fitzpatrick’s year to shine at this season’s Cotillion and men will be throwing themselves at her. But she sets her sights on a man she’s never met, the Viscount of Foxborough. He’s wealthy and has an English title. Only a few things stand in her way: a wealthy, young, beautiful widow who captures the viscount’s attention immediately, her fear of riding horses when he owns a breeding stable and racetrack, and the viscount’s stableboy, Parr.
Parr O'Shaughnessy loses his heart to Jasmine the moment he meets her. However, he has no title to interest her. He left behind an impoverished existence in Ireland when the viscount offered to bring him and his famous horse to America to build a dynasty together. He believes Jasmine barely noticed him when she was introduced--she only had eyes for the viscount. He struggles with his loyalty to the viscount and his love for Jasmine. But winning her love might mean losing all he has worked for.
Excerpt
This was it.
The one.
The dress that—with a few of her embellishments—would make her, Jasmine
Fitzpatrick, the belle of the cotillion ball.
Of course, after last season’s debacle, she’d need all the help she could get.
Jasmine picked up her copy of Godey’s Lady’s Book and bounced down the staircase
of the family brownstone, stopping at the first-floor landing to take a deep breath. Today
was the day she would confront her parents. Each time she had tried to broach the subject
of the ball during the past couple weeks, they had studiously avoided it or given her
excuses about needing to cut out extraneous expenses. Her mother had even cancelled a
planned shopping trip for the two of them last week. But time was growing short. After
all, the ball was only three months away.
She moved from the hallway to the front parlor, where her parents usually relaxed on a
Saturday afternoon. Her mother, Charlotte, was sitting on the loveseat and stitching a
piece of embroidery while Jasmine’s father, George, sat nearby in a tan leather chair,
reading his daily newspaper. There was a low buzz of conversation between them that
Jasmine couldn’t quite make out, but she did catch an expression of worry on her
mother’s face. Undeterred, she plunged into the room, waving the fashion book.
“Look what I just found! The perfect debutante gown for the cotillion ball in April.
Look, Mother. Don’t you think it’s delightful? Or at least it will be when I add some
glass beads to catch the light, and maybe some lace trim . . .” She laid the open book in
her mother’s lap and then took a seat opposite them.
Jasmine caught the quick wrinkling of her father’s brow and began to get an uneasy
feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was not right.
Her mother ran a hand down the front of her throat. “We were just talking about the
upcoming season, dear.”
Jasmine let out the breath she’d been holding. “Well, good. We’re thinking along the
same lines, then. It’s imperative we begin assembling my wardrobe, and I need to get
some new slippers to replace the treacherous ones Monsieur Louboutin made for me last
year.”
Her mother reached over and patted Jasmine’s hand. “We may both have had the same
topic on our minds, but we are definitely not thinking along the same lines. To begin
with, you don’t need a white debutante gown, since you were introduced to society last
year.”
Jasmine’s uneasy stomach turned over. “But . . .but . . .no!” She leapt to her feet and
began to pace the room. “I was a debutante for all of fifteen minutes last season, before I
fell and broke my ankle. I demand to start over. There are other nineteen-year-olds who
are among those to be introduced this year.”
Jasmine sensed moisture beginning to form at the back of her eyes. Two fat tears slid
down her smooth cheeks.
Her mother was oblivious to her tears, though. “You know I’m sorry your season
came to such an abrupt end last April, but the rules of the debutante ball are exacting, and
must be followed to the letter. Annie Schemerhorn thought of everything when she
introduced the ball to New York society a few years ago. You made your debut last year,
so now you will be a returning debutante. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it must be.”
Jasmine’s tears fell in earnest now as she wrung her hands. “But you know ‘returning’
debutantes are those who are too plain to have captured a husband during their season. I
cannot be one of those ‘poor unfortunates.’”
“My darling daughter, everyone knows about your accident just as the ball was
beginning last year, so they won’t think anything of it if you are a returning debutante. It
will be fine. And wherever did you come up with the phrase ‘poor unfortunates’?” Her
mother smiled and patted Jasmine’s hand again before tucking a new stitch into her
embroidery.
“Amanda Phillips came up with the name to distinguish those girls from us new debs
last year.” Jasmine sat for a moment, making certain her father was watching as she
wiped away her hot tears. She took a deep breath. “Well, regardless, we must discuss my
wardrobe for the season. If I’m to be relegated to the poor unfortunates, it’s even more
essential that my wardrobe be better than everyone else’s.” She peeked at her father
hopefully.
He folded his paper with a snap and fastened his eyes on his daughter. “You may have
one new gown for the cotillion ball and a new pair of slippers. But other than that, you
already have an armoire filled with dresses and riding habits that you didn’t get to wear
last season, so you have no need of new clothing.”
“I have no need of new clothing?” Jasmine added stomping to her pacing, for effect. “I
think I have even more need, since I’ve just been told I’m not to have my moment at the
top of the stairs. With all those new debutantes stealing the attention, I’ll need to look
especially beautiful in order to fill up my dance card, and that means new dresses for
every ball. Amanda, Heather, and I all laughed at Cecily Montgomery and her old, tired
dress last season. I simply cannot be seen in last year’s styles.”
Her father’s mouth twitched into a smile as he reached up and caressed Jasmine’s
cheek. “Your beauty has nothing to do with your clothes. Don’t you know that by now? I
realize it’s not what you were expecting, but we must all embrace austere measures. I am
sorry, daughter, but the banks are suffering. Our investments out west have started to fail,
and the state of the European economy has me a bit concerned. I’ve shielded the family
from my troubles as long as I could, but I’m afraid we all must do our part.”
He ran a finger around his starched collar and then went through the ritual of lighting
his pipe. He inhaled the fragrant tobacco before turning to his wife. “Charlotte, I think we
should make a trip to St. Louis in the next few months. I want to go over our client list at
the bank branch there with our son, Basil.”
Jasmine stopped her pacing and whirled around. “You have the means to go to St.
Louis, but not enough to buy me new outfits? I don’t understand. You were more than
willing to shower clothing on Ginger for her season. Why are you being so unfair?” Her
father had always been a soft touch when it came to his daughters’ emotions, but it
wasn’t working this time. Maybe she needed to put a halt to the tears and pout prettily
instead. He had never been this unrelenting before.
I didn’t like her when I first met her in "The Reluctant Debutante" and I didn’t like her when I began reading "The Tempestuous Debutante," Author Becky Lower’s newest installment of her Cotillion Ball series.
I’m familiar with the Fitzpatrick clan and their battles for survival in the 1800s. And I’ve been waiting since last year to see how Jasmine would overcome her broken ankle and her resentment of her siblings, who have found love and happiness with wonderful spouses. Her sole goal in life is to one-up them. Yes, Jasmine is that shallow.
So it is a tribute to Ms. Lower’s storytelling capabilities that I kept reading late into the night to find out if Jasmine could redeem herself. She is surrounded by a cast of characters who can help her do that, if she lets them.
I quietly cheered when dad said no new dresses for the debutante season and Jasmine faced wearing last year’s wardrobe. I felt as smug as the “poor unfortunates” whom Jasmine looked down her nose at – the still-single women from last year.
But in the face of adversity, Jasmine shines. It is apparent when she tackles last year’s fashions, elevating them to this year’s haute couture. It shows when she outwits a competitor by establishing her own successful business, and it is evident when she risks her life to save the man she loves, propriety be damned.
Ms. Lower uses several story twists to demonstrate that beneath Jasmine’s shallow exterior is a smart businesswoman and a good person.
I still don’t like Jasmine. But I’m glad that she is happy with a man who shatters her triviality and I loved this book. Bravo, Ms. Lower!
Reviewed by Sharon Lee Fernberg
9/9/2013
This being the 4th book in the Cotillion Ball Series that I have read, I couldn't wait to see how the author would present a side to Jasmine Fitzgerald that I would even like. In "The Abolitionist's Secret", I cheered for her twin sister Heather. I could wait for her to stand up against Jasmine and when she did, I felt that Becky Lower knew how I felt being an identical twin and having gone through similar growing-up situations.
Jasmine is as spoiled as she is beautiful and clever. When her parents inform her there will be no new gowns for the season due to changing conditions in the States, it is then he tells of a prospective business partner, Alistair Wickersham, Viscount, who has arrived from England. Immediately, Jasmine and her mother concoct a scheme for Jasmine to win this older man over and become engaged to him so she will have a title, a guaranteed place in society, and not be on of the "poor unfortunates" attending the ball. But, a young stable boy by the name of Parr O'Shauhgnessy has come with the Viscount and slowly enters Jasmine's dreams. Will Jasmine continue to listen to her mother so her daughter will have a title, or will Jasmine realize attaining certain goals are not all they're cracked up to be?
Through trials and tribulations, Jasmine becomes a strong heroine who this reader grows to adore - not only because of her determination to make a career in fashion since she has altered her last season's gowns, but because we see her develop into a mature, caring person who learns the meaning of true love.
Kudos to Ms. Lower for bringing us another wonderful novel in the Cotillion Series. I smiled, I gulped, I laughed and cried with this book and recommend it highly. Even though it is #4 in the series, it also is a stand-alone book. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, and all of Becky Lower's future novels, whether historical or contemporary romance. Sharon Lee Fernberg
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