$12.99
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, May 13 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Wednesday, May 8. Order within 22 hrs 29 mins
In Stock
$$12.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$12.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
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

Martha Keyes
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Battling the Bluestocking (The Donovans) Paperback – January 23, 2023

by Martha Keyes (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,604 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$12.99","priceAmount":12.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"85FSPzxQ%2Fg2ldLPh3rocC3IwiP01q4qeBaGRS%2FAmxdyuHhs%2BDnVGZBV7wScBow6ShoLQ1f%2Fbi%2BHZCJ4uW2MZxcY2t3G%2BFLNiFBtFSdHakeIKL1K0iVdGDKVvqd%2FZZmw6EZkXIZQ2PHu0vxmT%2Bjzvyw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Great minds do NOT always think alike.
Phineas Donovan is possessed of a sharp intellect. Fresh from Cambridge, he obtains a generous live-in position as tutor for the son of the wealthy Lord Bettencourt. If he can prove his value, he has hopes of being given the patronage of his employer, allowing him to take up a position as vicar. There, he can pursue his intellectual endeavors in peace and relative financial comfort.

In her humble but informed opinion, Lady Sarah Danneville is possessed of an even sharper intellect. If anyone should be tutoring her younger brother, it is she, not the reserved, bespectacled gentleman her father has employed to do the job. He is not fit to instruct a Danneville of Bettencourt Court.

But as Sarah works to undermine him, Mr. Donovan shows more pluck than she expects, not to mention harboring a secret hobby that would be laughable if it weren’t so dreadfully unsophisticated. If she can use this secret against him, she can finally persuade her father she is more than bait to lure a prosperous match.

Now, if only she can avoid being drawn into the unsophistication—and Mr. Donovan’s eyes—herself.

Previous page
  1. Book 4 of 4
    The Donovans
  2. Print length
    306 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    January 23, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.77 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    195865406X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1958654064
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Battling the Bluestocking (The Donovans)
$12.99
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
A Confirmed Rake (The Donovans)
$12.99
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Art of Victory (The Donovans)
$12.98
Get it as soon as Sunday, May 12
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by TX Starfish and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Paradigm Press (January 23, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 306 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 195865406X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1958654064
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.77 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,604 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Martha Keyes

Martha Keyes

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

Whitney Award-winning author Martha Keyes was born, raised, and educated in Utah—a home she loves dearly but also dearly loves to escape to travel the world. She received a BA in French Studies and a Master of Public Health, both from Brigham Young University.


Her route to becoming an author has been full of twists and turns, but she’s finally settled into something she loves. Researching, daydreaming, and snacking have become full-time jobs, and she couldn’t be happier about it. When she isn’t writing, she is honing her photography skills, looking for travel deals, and spending time with her family.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,604 global ratings
Historical bookworm romance
4 Stars
Historical bookworm romance
I love that Phineas and Sarah are both bookworms. It made their battle of wits so fun. The pranks that Sarah and her little brother do to try to get rid of Phineas were so funny. He breaks through their walls and they both end up liking him. What a kiss! I loved it. I’m also happy that the other Donovans made an appearance. I love this family!
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

@reading_past.bedtime
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful quiet love story
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
Martha Keyes does it again. I loved book one. Book two was amazing as well. I wasn’t sure if book three could measure up. It did.

Book lovers, goals, strong personalities, disappointments. A quiet love brought about for two book lovers and through beloved books. I loved the role Jane Austen’s books played in their love story. How they found their own strength to peruse love after debating her books. I love a good debate between characters.

There were so many emotions in this book as they face their futures and their roles in the world, while trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. I love that they helped each other become better and to see themselves more clearly. There were plenty of moments for laughs as well. The perfect balance of joy and seriousness for this quiet couple.

Don’t put off this book! It’s so beautifully written.
Helpful
 Report
MB
4.0 out of 5 stars Smart and cute, a sweet Regency romance.
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
With so many fun references to literature and the one and only Jane Austen, Battling the Bluestocking was a bookworm's dream. I really enjoyed how intelligent and witty both Sarah and Phineas were. Their conversations were highly elevated and I loved how they both became fans of novels as the story went on and the way the author tied their discoveries from Jane Austen in particular into their relationship and romance.
The dual POV allowed me to understand both Phineas and Sarah and their motivations (love dual POV). For some reason, though, I did not connect with them as much as I had been expecting and had a hard time feeling a distinct voice between the two with first person. I am pretty sure it was a me thing and my mood at the time of reading. It's a fabulous book though and I loved it so much I purchased a paperback copy already and fully plan to pick it up again.
There is a reason why Martha Keyes is an auto-read and auto-buy author for me. I highly recommend her books and really enjoyed this entire series. This is a clean/sweet Regency romance that will leave you with a smile on your face.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
eva45
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book by Martha Keyes!
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
The characters were so well developed. I loved all of them. The H/h were fantastic. George was quite the character. I adored the entire Donovan family! A very enjoyable read.
Helpful
 Report
Nik K
5.0 out of 5 stars Get end to a great series
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
BATTLE THE BLUESTOCKING by @authormarthakeyes

- She wants to be her little brothers tutor.
- He already is.
- Let the battle (and attraction) begin

Martha Keys is an auto-buy-author for me. If she writes it, I’m gonna read it, and I’m gonna love it. And this book (#3 in the Donovans series) doesn’t change that at all!

Phineas is a total bookworm with no sense of emotion or romance. He is so logical and precise I doubted he could ever fall in love. Then he receives employment to tutor the young Lord George Danneville, and he meets George’s older, beautiful, and equally bookworm-y sister, Lady Sarah Danneville.

Sarah wants nothing to do with marriage or romance and everything to do with books, study, and conquering the intellectual world as a single woman free from what she considers the chains of matrimony. The moment Phineas arrived she sets out to sabotage his job as tutor so she can get it herself.

You can see where this is going, right?! It’s adorable and fun to see their views of romance crumble to dust.

I love their meet-(awkward)cute! And then it just keeps going from there. They are equally matched as bookworms, logical thinkers, and as the least romantic people who - spoiler alert - end up completely smitten with each other (thanks in part to Jane Austen ☺️❤️)

I loved the banter, the pacing, the story - and as a plus - so many fun quotes about books 📚!!

This is a closed-door romance with some kisses and nothing more
________
#bookstagram #bookreview #reading #romcombooks #romcom #romcomreads #bookreviews #contemporaryromancebooks #bookstagrammer #bookstagrams #cleansweetromance #sweetromancebooks #booklover #bookcommunity #readingtime #ilovebooks #bookblogger #bookblog #bookobsessed #igreads #instaread #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict
Helpful
 Report
Michele
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, satisfying conclusion
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book serves as a fitting and satisfying conclusion to the series, so though it may not be necessary to have read the other books to follow the storyline in this one, I highly recommend doing so for the most enjoyable and fulfilling experience possible.

I have been looking forward to seeing Phineas get his happily ever after since his habit of taking refuge in the library put him in the position of reluctant chaperone, so I enjoyed seeing him meet his match, intellectually and otherwise. I also loved seeing how both Sarah and Phineas interacted with George. The last official chapter was from Sarah's point of view, and the last couple paragraphs were perfectly worded and hit the perfect emotional note. After that, the epilogue was the cherry on top of the sundae, a perfectly satisfying conclusion.

In addition, I was surprised and delighted to discover that this book was a love letter of sorts to the work of Jane Austen.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet Regency romance.
Helpful
 Report
love books
4.0 out of 5 stars Unrealistic but still a good read
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
If you’ve been reading the Donovan series you will want to read Phin’s story. Phineas is too intellectual & practical to think of ever finding love and Lady Sarah is of the same mindset. She the daughter of an Earl and he a third son and her brother’s tutor. She would rather not marry and if she ever does it will certainly be a marriage of convenience. He doubts he will ever marry - he having no real prospects and certainly not prone to emotion and frivolity. So what changes? Read and see!
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars I'm sorry, but Lady Sarah...
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
I pretty much hated Lady Sarah and the saboteur that she was. She was so selfish and inconsiderate of Phineas, even after she stopped trying to get him fired. I only read it to the end because I wanted to see Phineas happy. The other characters were enjoyable, but oh, what a terrible heroine!
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
SheReadsALot
5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
The fourth Donovan book was, like the others before it, a wonderful read. Keyes’ nuanced references to literature were perfectly done. Phineas and Sarah were both lovely.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Morgan Giesbrecht
4.0 out of 5 stars A satisfying conclusion!
Reviewed in Canada on April 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
It took me a bit to warm up to this book, but I ended up really enjoying it.

Phineas has intrigued me even since Duke & Diana’s story because I loved his interactions with his siblings. And he absolutely delivered in this book!

As for Sarah, I both loved her and felt frustrated by her. Possibly because our similarities (practicality)… possibly because of the eras we live in. Anyways, I ended up loving her journey of seeing marriage as more than a cage or business transaction but instead as a mutually supportive partnership.

Speaking of which, I loved how Phineas was so sweetly supportive of Sarah! And that ending was so heartwarming!

Honourable mentions go to George playing matchmaker & the inclusion of Jane Austen’s books and Valentine’s feigned abhorrence of them. 😂
Report
Anne Mammy
5.0 out of 5 stars The end of an entertaining trilogy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
A gentle, undemanding, clean romance novel. The main characters, Phineas and Sarah, at first, despise such books, particularly those written by Jane Austen, but as the story unfolds they come to appreciate them and often compare the way they feel to the state of mind of the main characters of Austen's books. This is done very well, obviously expecting some knowledge of the books and its heroes, but giving enough details so that readers who have not come across them will understand what is happening and even perhaps be encouraged to read them. As previously, the book is divided in chapters in the 1st person alternating Phineas and Sarah's point of view. Each chapter has the name of the speaker as its title and the device works well. It does not give us the same episode seen from 2 different points of view, rather it takes the story further along but seen through the eyes of one or the other.
Perhaps , it would have been better to have a really nasty character to spice up the story. As it is here, everyone is good, spurred on by the best of motives.
I particularly enjoyed Phineas' pedagogical approaches, obviously very much ahead of its time.
Thank you Martha for a few enjoyable hours.
Report
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely splendid
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2023
Verified Purchase
I would recommend this book to both my sisters who studied Jane Austin's books at school and are now considered classic literature and not 19C novels
There is enough romance to satisfy and enough poignancy in recalling that era of female disprivilege to
understand some of the characters' dilemmas, but it is so beautifully glossed over to make it a charming read.
Report
Elizabeth H
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet romance
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
I loved Theo and Sarah's sweet romance. Loved the illusions to Austen's novels. Don't start here - go back to Theo and Elena's story. I was charmed.
Report