BOOK REVIEW: The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig is a new release that is the start of a new Regency Romance series: Goode’s Guide to Misconduct.

Daphne Burke is a sensible young woman who suffers a bit from middle child syndrome. Her large family is peopled by originals and she is left feeling ordinary. But she gets her chance to shine, albeit anonymously, when she stumbles upon a meeting of the staff of a new sensational publication, Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses. Its intended purpose is to inspire women to think for themselves and be more independent. Daphne is all for that. And when she is invited to write an advice column, she dives right in. The first letter she answers is from a young lady who must marry a rake but doesn’t want to. She’s certain he is unfaithful and knows the only reason he proposed is to win a bet. Daphne’s advice is simple. Don’t marry him.

It turns out the rake is Miles, Viscount Deveraux. He did make an impetuous bet that he would be married by the end of the month. Knowing his reputation, his friends all bet against him. Now he’s even more determined to marry. Miles’ reasons are deeper than he lets on; it’s not just pride and/or money spurring his drive to win the bet. Still, he is guilty of pretty much everything that is said about him in London.

Miles discovers that it was Daphne who wrote the advice column that will lose him the bet. Since she is desperate to keep her identity a secret, and he is desperate to win that bet, he extracts from her an agreement to marry. But she wants him to woo her to make it convincing.

So, the fake courtship. Except that Miles doesn’t realize it’s fake. He feels guilty for blackmailing her, but thinks he can win her over. She, on the other hand, is using the opportunity to study the behavior of a “rake” in order to write an essay for the magazine to warn other young women what to guard against.

It’s no surprise that over the course of the wooing, they fall in love. They come to appreciate one another’s strengths and understand one another’s weaknesses. They also discover an intense physical attraction that they indulge. Fans of moderately steamy romance will find all the usual elements of slow-build seduction. But there is more to the development of the relationship than sex.

There remains the essay for Daphne to complete. And the bet to be won. And this conflict keeps the story interesting until its happily ever after.