Ayoh - Shop now
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$4.99 with 69 percent savings
Print List Price: $15.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Christina Dudley
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

A Very Plain Young Man: A Traditional Regency Romance (The Hapgoods of Bramleigh Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Christina Dudley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,390 ratings

She’s beautiful but practical. He’s charismatic and disreputable. When duty conflicts with love, will their hearts win?

Somerset, England, 1808. Elfrida Hapgood keeps her eyes on the prize. Born to a penniless squire, she’s determined to follow common sense and marry an upstanding and steadfast gentleman. So when her brother-in-law’s handsomely rakish sibling attempts to woo her, she rigidly ignores the flutter in her chest.

Frederick Tierney enjoys a flippant and frivolous life. But when he needs to escape a vengeful former mistress, the lovely older sister to his sibling’s bride strikes him as an apt solution. Yet despite his efforts, he’s shocked to discover the oh-so-proper lady is impervious to his charms.

In spite of herself, Elfrida begins to like the well-dressed man-about-town until an unsavory encounter reignites her doubts. And when Frederick realizes he has truly fallen for the alluring woman, he struggles to prove there’s more to him than his reputation.

Will this unlikely pair take a chance at forever?

A Very Plain Young Man is the enchanting second book in The Hapgoods of Bramleigh clean Regency romance series. If you like heroes with chequered pasts, playful tales, and clever turns of phrase, then you’ll adore Christina Dudley’s comedy of manners.

Buy A Very Plain Young Man to choose happiness today!

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 2 of 6
    The Hapgoods of Bramleigh
  2. Print length
    309 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    May 26, 2014
  6. Reading age
    13 - 18 years
  7. File size
    3.1 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 6 books in this series.

Customers also bought or read

Page 1 of 1Start over
Previous page
Next page
Loading...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Enchanting' and 'sparkling'...The characters were unique and had depth, and the novel overall was both a witty comedy of manners and a beautiful love story." -- Austenprose.com
"[5 stars.] I simply cannot decide what I love most about this second installment to the Hapgoods of Bramleigh series - the brilliant characters with so much personality and depth, the playful tone and witty banter the author deftly commands, or the thoughtful and riveting plot that was far from predictable." -- Austenesque Reviews

About the Author

Clean Regency romance author Christina Dudley's books have been called "enchanting," "sparkling" and "swoon-worthy" by reviewers like Austenprose and Austenesque Reviews. Her award-winning series The Hapgoods of Bramleigh contains six books: The Naturalist, A Very Plain Young Man, School for Love, Matchless Margaret, The Purloined Portrait, and A Fickle Fortune. Watch for her next series The Ellsworth Assortment in later 2022!

Dudley also wrote The Beresfords, a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, which the Seattle Times praised as "ingenious and entertaining," and of which Austenprose's Lisa Galek declared, "I would rank The Beresfords with some of the best Austen updates I've ever read or seen."

To join her mailing list and receive a FREE copy of a Hapgoods of Bramleigh novella, visit her at christinadudley(dot)com.

She and her family live in Bellevue, Washington.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KLHX88S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ BellaVita Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 309 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 2 of 6 ‏ : ‎ The Hapgoods of Bramleigh
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,390 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Christina Dudley

Christina Dudley

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

When a Charles Dickens Final Jeopardy question saved her from total humiliation on the game show, Christina Dudley decided her degrees in English Literature and lifelong reading obsession might actually come in useful, and she sat down to write her first novel.

Now, twenty books later, she is the author of three series of sparkling Regency romances and the contemporary Jane Austen adaptation PRIDE AND PRESTON LIN (Third State Books, March 2024), which was named to the 2024 Best Romance lists for Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and Library Journal.

Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area on a diet of classics and Regency romance, her tastes have grown to include sci-fi with robots, survival epics, and doorstop-sized histories, but love stories will always be her favorite.

She and her family live in Bellevue, Washington.

To join her mailing list and receive a FREE copy of a Hapgoods of Bramleigh novella, visit her namesake website.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,390 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book humorous with many laugh-out-loud moments, and appreciate its historical romance elements, with one comparing it to Downton Abbey. The story receives positive feedback for its believable plots and wild ending, while customers enjoy the characters and find the book beautiful. They praise its readability, with one noting it's better than the first book in the series, and appreciate its enlightening content, with one describing it as a welcome break from modern craziness.

Select to learn more

HumorStory qualityCharacter developmentReadabilityBeautyEnlightened content
29 customers mention "Humor"29 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous with many laugh-out-loud moments, and appreciate how it serves as a fun way to learn vocabulary.

"A new favorite author for me. A good story with lively dialogue. The protagonists were a joy to read about." Read more

"...The writing is good, the characters are well written and if the story lacks any real dash, it doesn’t detract from a cozy love story...." Read more

"...There were many laugh-out-loud moments, along with true pathos in a few places, and the very clear attraction between the two would-be lovers......" Read more

"Giving it a three and a half. The book was humorous, the minor characters all well done...." Read more

27 customers mention "Story quality"27 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, describing it as a traditional Regency romance that is very enjoyable to read.

"A new favorite author for me. A good story with lively dialogue. The protagonists were a joy to read about." Read more

"...and if the story lacks any real dash, it doesn’t detract from a cozy love story. Three and a half stars rounded up to four for this clean romance." Read more

"...There were many laugh-out-loud moments, along with true pathos in a few places, and the very clear attraction between the two would-be lovers......" Read more

"...I never quite found the romance believable, but it was a cute story nonetheless" Read more

24 customers mention "Character development"24 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book, with one noting the author's finely honed talent.

"...A good story with lively dialogue. The protagonists were a joy to read about." Read more

"...The writing is good, the characters are well written and if the story lacks any real dash, it doesn’t detract from a cozy love story...." Read more

"Giving it a three and a half. The book was humorous, the minor characters all well done...." Read more

"Filled with intriguing and fun-filled characters, this is truly a historical romance worthy of a good read...." Read more

14 customers mention "Readability"12 positive2 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one customer noting it's better than the first in the series and another mentioning its great world building.

"The first book was a great read and this second one was even better. I am now off to buy the rest of the series...." Read more

"Although I was unfamiliar with this author, I very much enjoyed reading this book. I am definitely a fan of historical romance...." Read more

"...Great world building with the town folk, the family and the gentry." Read more

"...Worth the read." Read more

8 customers mention "Beauty"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful, with one mentioning the lovely covers in the series and another noting its great portrayal of the time period.

"...of stress to Elfrida, a sensible, smart young lady...that she's also beautiful, kind, and smart just adds to the mix...." Read more

"...of winning the heart of the unassuming, kind, dignified and exceptionally beautiful Miss Hapgood has caused him to shed his previous life and turn..." Read more

"...family I was already somewhat familiar with, from the first book, was charming and teasing and obvious that he would be our hero...." Read more

"This Regency is a great look at the time period. The Heroine is very prim, serious, and determined to remain stoic. Her hero is just the opposite...." Read more

7 customers mention "Enlightened content"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the enlightening content of the book, with one customer noting it provides a welcome break from modern craziness, while another mentions its many twists and turns.

"Elfrida Hapgood is most sensible and a woman gifted with a quiet and gentle spirit...." Read more

"...a sensible, smart young lady...that she's also beautiful, kind, and smart just adds to the mix...." Read more

"...Her hero is just the opposite. Their adventures are enlightening and such fun." Read more

"...Even laughed aloud a few times A welcome break from 21st century crazy times." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Charlotte (Susie) Cox Bishop
    5.0 out of 5 stars (Delightful)
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A new favorite author for me. A good story with lively dialogue. The protagonists were a joy to read about.
    Helpful
     Report
  • LynnS77
    4.0 out of 5 stars Plain People
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Elfrida Hapgood is most sensible and a woman gifted with a quiet and gentle spirit. Mr. Frederick Tierney is a boisterous peacock of a man who thinks quite well of himself and is shocked when Miss Hapgood doesn’t fall all over him.

    This was not an exciting story by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a comfortable book to read before bed.

    The writing is good, the characters are well written and if the story lacks any real dash, it doesn’t detract from a cozy love story. Three and a half stars rounded up to four for this clean romance.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Barb Caffrey
    5.0 out of 5 stars Elfrida and Frederick for the Win!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    After reading Christina Dudley's MATCHLESS MARGARET and adoring it, I quickly devoured Dudley's A VERY PLAIN YOUNG MAN. Here, the young man in question is a guy named Frederick; he's far from plain, and while he's not quite a member of the dandy set, he leans closer to it than not. The heroine is Elfrida, a young, short-sighted woman who lives in (and with) a very unusual family. They're distinctly middle-class but of course want to be more than that, and her family, the Hapgoods, has two disreputable uncles that keep spending too much money and causing trouble for everyone else. This has added a great deal of stress to Elfrida, a sensible, smart young lady...that she's also beautiful, kind, and smart just adds to the mix.

    Now, you might be wondering this: "Barb, how did Ms. Dudley avoid making Elfrida into a 'Mary Sue' wannabe character?" I think Ms. Dudley avoided such a problem by giving Elfrida several flaws. She is hotheaded at times, for example; she also closes her mind too quickly to possibilities, among other things. Because of Elfrida's multi-layered personality, and because of her witticisms -- calling Frederick, her eventual suitor, "a very plain young man" is among them (though she said this originally due to not being able to see him very well due to being nearsighted, she kept it up later because she thought Frederick was so pretty he needed to be taken down a peg or two) -- I just couldn't help but keep rooting for her, though sometimes I wanted to shake her. (This is how I knew Ms. Dudley's writing was top-notch, BTW. I bought into Elfrida's worldview, easily.)

    At any rate, Frederick starts off this book as a flat-out rake. He sleeps with widows, discontented wives, actresses, and pretty much anyone he feels like, though his family has told him he needs to stop doing that and really should settle down. (They didn't talk much about STDs back then, but if they did, I bet that would've been an argument toward getting Frederick to stop being so loose with his ways. But I digress.) He's in his mid-20s (Elfrida is maybe a bit younger?) and he really needs to stop behaving like a child. So, when his latest mistress (a discontented wife) throws some unnecessary drama in Frederick's face, he decides he's going to marry -- or at least say so, to get rid of the mistress for good.

    So, there's the typical "meet cute" going on, with the added fillup being that Frederick is a brother-in-law to a different Hapgood sister (his brother is a clergyman; that story isn't one I've read yet, but I believe is told in THE NATURALIST). This means Elfrida and Frederick meet partly due to the elder sister's wedding to Frederick's brother the clergyman...and it's also one reason Elfrida isn't too impressed with Frederick as she's heard all about Frederick's licentious ways.

    Anyway, I really don't want to give away more of the plot, so I'll stop there. I will say, though, that if you enjoy Regency romances, especially clean or "traditional" ones, you should absolutely adore A VERY PLAIN YOUNG MAN. There were many laugh-out-loud moments, along with true pathos in a few places, and the very clear attraction between the two would-be lovers...though they'd best learn to get out of their own way, first.

    Five stars plus, highly recommended.

    Barb Caffrey
    12 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • CathyAnn
    3.0 out of 5 stars Much better than the first The Hapgoods of Bramleigh Book 1
    Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Giving it a three and a half. The book was humorous, the minor characters all well done. The ending was a little too unbelievable, though and felt rushed. Still a fun, quick read it you are looking for light entertainment.
    Helpful
     Report
  • dtluvs2read
    5.0 out of 5 stars As good as the first book, and it was wonderful!the
    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The first book was a great read and this second one was even better. I am now off to buy the rest of the series. I am just sorry that Richard Hapgood only had four daughters. I will definitely keep these books in my "books to be reread" bookcase, and in my kindle! Love the books!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Bldgdiva
    4.0 out of 5 stars nicely done romance.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A bit of unbelievable story, but quite entertaining to read the determined young woman and the rake who wishes for some inexplicable reason , to have her to wife. I never quite found the romance believable, but it was a cute story nonetheless
    Helpful
     Report
  • Maria Isabel Escarda
    5.0 out of 5 stars All that is excellent in a historical romance
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Filled with intriguing and fun-filled characters, this is truly a historical romance worthy of a good read. The author, Miss Dudley, has her exemplary way of writing so close to those times; as if reading a Georgette Heyer offering.

    The romance is not sappy and forced, as the author took her time to establish how true love can be for a degenerate such as Mr. Tierney. Only the knowledge of winning the heart of the unassuming, kind, dignified and exceptionally beautiful Miss Hapgood has caused him to shed his previous life and turn the good leaf. When faced with losing her from his grasp, he desperately takes drastic measures to make her see that they are meant for each other.

    To become a very plain young man for the most worthy lady is all worth the effort in obtaining true love.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Mary C
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Although I was unfamiliar with this author, I very much enjoyed reading this book. I am definitely a fan of historical romance. This book is quite well written.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Dory
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful as the first
    Reviewed in Italy on February 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Mi è piaciuto molto anche questo secondo libro della serie. Nonostante il tema di fondo, quello del libertino ravveduto sia un po' scontato, l'autrice è riuscita a renderlo accattivante e divertente, senza scadere mai nel volgare.
    Report
  • Georgette Heyer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A delightful Regency romance
    Reviewed in Australia on March 28, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Wonderful characters and fascinating storyline.
    Report
  • dr b farmanbar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely delightful!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I’m so happy to have come across Christina Dudley’s books ! After having tried a lot of regency novels just to put them aside because of appalling quality , it was a real joy to go through pages of this book - well written, with lot of humour and well developed characters. The romance - clean and yet full of passion ! Thank you Christina Dudley !
    Report
  • Sarah G
    4.0 out of 5 stars Complete foil to the first one
    Reviewed in India on August 25, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The author has really exceeded herself in this second novel of the series. The heroine has been portrayed very interestingly. The hero is so witty and charming. All the characters play their share in making a muddle of things before things are sorted. Like the first novel the plot is a really novel one.
    Report
  • Christiane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read
    Reviewed in Canada on September 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book. The characters were so well created and developed, they seemed like real people. It was so enjoyable. The writing is well done and the dialogue was thoroughly entertaining. Very few typos and grammatical errors. I highly recommend.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report