BOOK REVIEW: A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin is a funny, closed-door Regency Romance that kept me delightedly turning pages.

Eliza Balfour, now Lady Somerset, is a 27-year-old widow who will be extremely wealthy as long as she obeys the morality clause in her deceased husband’s will. The late Lord Somerset was a miserly, much older curmudgeon, who wants to continue to control her from the grave. Eliza doesn’t expect this to be a problem. She has never misbehaved in her life. However, her cousin Margaret tempts her to live a little. What could go wrong if they spend a few quiet months in Bath?

Eliza is willing, mainly because she needs to get away from the new Lord Somerset, her husband’s nephew. Eliza and this handsome young man were in love, long ago, before she was coerced by her parents to marry for title and wealth. She’s still in love with him, but he accused her of dooming them both to unhappiness because of her lack of spirit and she’s sure he still despises her.

In Bath, she is thrown into the company of Lord Melville, a Byronesque figure who dazzles her with his charm, wit, and kindness. Unfortunately, he has a reputation as a rake, and by spending time with him, her reputation is likely to suffer. If it does, she risks losing her inheritance. Even worse, the new Lord Somerset gets to be the judge of her behavior, and he comes to Bath on a weak excuse to see her. It seems he isn’t over her, either.

Suddenly, Eliza finds herself the object of two men’s attentions. Who is the right man for her? Readers will form their own opinions pretty quickly, but Eliza has good reasons for her bafflement. Can she be in love with them both?

This novel is sweet, well-paced, and well-plotted, but even if it wasn’t, I’d recommend it for Melville’s witty conversation alone.

BOOK REVIEW: A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

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

I’ve been following Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby Mysteries since the beginning of the series. For fans of historical mystery, this is a series not to miss. A Tarnished Canvas is the thirteenth book, and there is also a novella tucked in there. While the latest novel can be read as a standalone, it would really be better to have read at least some of the earlier books to get the gist of the relationships. The mystery can stand alone, but you’ll lose out on a lot of the heart of the story.

Kiera Gage (Lady Darby) is an artist, a new mother, a skilled sleuth, and a devoted wife. That is a handful for anyone, but fortunately, she and her husband are wealthy enough to afford good help – a valet, lady’s maid, and nursemaid who also aid with the sleuthing. The valet and lady’s maid add a second element of troubled romance to the storyline.

Kiera is a sought-after portraitist amongst the members of high society, but she is currently working on material for an exhibition of the downtrodden populace. While she wants to make her peers see the subjects, she’s fearful of a negative response. (Her past has her very insecure about being attacked for her work.) As the book opens, Kiera receives an invitation and catalogue to an art auction. The effects of a deceased collector are being sold off. During the auction, calamity strikes. Part of the floor collapses, sending numerous attendees plummeting. Although at first it appears to be an accident, there are hints that it was intentional. Kiera and her inquiry agent husband, Sebastian Gage, are drawn into the investigation. They are aided, to Gage’s dismay, by the local crime lord Bonnie Brock (who is infatuated with Kiera.)

Once again, Huber crafts a well-plotted mystery that will keep you guessing until the end, and immerses it within ongoing complex family dynamics. This is an engaging series to follow!

BOOK REVIEW: Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath

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

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath is a delightful (moderately steamy) Regency Rom-Com.

Lottie Travers is a farmgirl whose family farm is failing, despite the efforts of her father and brothers. Lottie has been granted a great opportunity, education in Miss Prentice’s School, where she is to learn how to behave amongst wealthy aristocrats so that she can work as a governess, maid, or companion. She’s grateful for the opportunity because it allows her to earn wages to send home. Unfortunately, she is obsessed with fast horses, to the point that she can’t help flirting with stablehands in order to borrow mounts to go riding. And ultimately, in roundabout ways, getting herself fired. Fortunately, she is given the opportunity to be a companion to a crotchety old woman who seems amused by her escapades. Unfortunately, the lady is the aunt of a young lord with whom Lottie had collided in a park. The encounter was memorable for the lord’s rudeness and for his great good looks.

The lord, Viscount Wennington (Guy) is as grumpy as they come. Years ago, he made a fool of himself by making a very public proposal and being very publicly refused. Ever since, he has avoided female company, avoided polite society, and spent his time on his estate, taking care of his tenants. However, his 30^th birthday is approaching, and his grandchild-obsessed mother is plotting (along with her sister, Lottie’s employer, Lady Frinton) to throw him a birthday party filled with eligible ladies as guests. The party has to be kept secret because they know he’ll hate it.

While accompanying Lady Frinton, Lottie is repeatedly thrown into company with Guy. Their personality conflicts lead to a great deal of bickering and miscommunication, but the physical attraction is strong, and they are both good people at heart, so apologies follow the arguments and the two grow ever more enamored with one another. (Especially when Lottie is compared to the aristocratic competition!)

For fans of grumpy/sunshine romances, this one is fun!

BOOK REVIEW: The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman

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

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman will be released in 4 days. I’ve been waiting for this impatiently since reading book 1 in the series, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. 

Book 2 continues the Regency-Era adventures of Lady Augusta (Gus) Colebrook and her sister, Julia. They are 42-year-old twins of genteel birth and modest fortune. But they are spinsters, which puts them in an odd place in Society. They have some independence, but are not expected to use it.

They have already caused a stir by their rescuing of Lady Hester Belford from an insane asylum, where she had been imprisoned by her brother. Now they are hiding the lady so that her brother, Lord Deele, can’t try again to have her locked away elsewhere. (For the record, Hester is not insane.) The only reason Deele (a second son) has control over his sister is that their eldest brother, Lord Evan Belford, is supposed to be in exile for a murder he did not (he didn’t think) commit. Evan has sneaked back from exile to try to clear his name. In book 1, he and Gus met and fell in love. Unfortunately, he’s on the run from the law and they can’t be together. Awkwardly, the law includes Mr. Kent, a Bow-Street Runner, who is pursuing Evan, and who is enamored with Julia—the feeling is mutual.

Gus and Julia have to protect Lady Hester, Evan, and their own reputations while also dealing with their brother, Lord Duffield, who is mortified by their behavior and determined to make them behave so they’ll stop bringing shame upon the family name.

Along the way, they encounter a “thief-taker,” who is determined to catch Lord Evan and kill him. Someone, they don’t know who, wants Evan dead. They uncover a secret club devoted to sexual violence and depravity. And they become involved with government plots. All the while, they have to accept that their own sisterly relationship is changing.

This book is a worthy successor to book one. While entertaining in its own right, you should really read book one first to help keep all the players straight. If you enjoy historical adventure with a strong dose of romance, this series is not to be missed.

BOOK REVIEW: The Charmer Without a Cause by Katherine Grant

The Charmer Without a Cause by Katherine Grant is the fourth book in her Regency Romance series The Prestons. It brings together a sensitive hero (Benjamin Preston) and a passionate heroine (Lady Lydia Deveraux) in a marriage that Benjamin thinks is a love match, but Lydia thinks is a marriage of convenience.

Benjamin, who comes from a family that live their high principles, has just inherited ten thousand pounds from his uncle. He believes in helping the less fortunate, but wants to find his own cause, not simply follow the path forged by his father. More importantly, Benjamin wants to find true love. He’s known for repeated bouts of instalove, so his father is concerned that he’ll end up with a fortune hunter. In a way, he does.

Lydia’s family belongs to the Irish Protestant aristocracy. And while her parents and brother are glad of their top dog status, Lydia has more compassion for the Irish people who want their independence from Britain. She became a true fighter for Ireland when she fell for Seamus, an Irish Catholic activist who died for his beliefs. Now, Lydia wants only to continue the fight in his memory. She sees her role as marrying for money to funnel funds to the cause.

The first part of her plan succeeds quickly. Benjamin is easy to catch. And he is even more generous with his fortune than Lydia could have hoped. But the political situation is much more difficult to navigate than she anticipated. And it’s hard to keep Benjamin at a distance when he is so handsome and kind, and they are so good together in bed. 

This steamy romance brings together strong characters in a fascinating historical setting. I don’t usually jump into a series at book four, but this one stands very well on its own. However, now I have to go back and read books 1-3!

BOOK REVIEW: Evidence of Evil by Mary Lancaster

Constance Silver and Solomon Grey are reunited in Book 2 of the Silver and Grey Regency mystery series, Evidence of Evil, by Mary Lancaster. This can be read as a standalone for the mystery, but the evolving romance will make more sense if you first read book 1, Murder in Moonlight.

Constance Silver is the exceptionally beautiful owner of a high-priced London brothel, that also serves as a refuge and training school for women in crisis. Solomon Grey is a wealthy British businessman from a Jamaican background, who has risen in society because of his wealth but is nevertheless subjected to racism as an everyday experience. The two have met before and solved one mystery together. A friendship has evolved between them, but also a sexual attraction that is difficult to ignore.

When a friend of Constance’s, Lady Elizabeth Maule, asks her to visit her in the country because she is afraid she is about to be accused of murder, Constance is ready to leap to her defense. She knows Elizabeth is incapable of murder. A one-time resident of the brothel, Elizabeth moved on to a position as governess and then married the father of the children, Sir Humphrey Maule. One of Elizabeth’s neighbors, a beautiful young woman, was found dead in Sir Humphrey’s pond, and Elizabeth is supposedly the last person to see her alive. Moreover, they had a fairly public argument.

Rather than go alone, Constance enlists Solomon’s help. 

Together the two piece together the truth of what happened. And they grow closer. The novel delves into the psyches of the protagonists and also into that of the murdered woman, who was neither as angelic nor as evil as revelations about her would suggest.

Constance and Solomon make a perfect investigating team. They also make a perfect couple, except for the fact that Constance’s profession stands in the way. Book 3 comes out in May!

BOOK REVIEW: Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

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

Alexandra Vasti, author of Ne’er Duke Well, has a new book out today in the Belvoir series, Earl Crush. This is an entertaining romp of a Regency Romance, a fine follow-up to the first.

Lydia Hope-Wallace is intelligent, beautiful, and passionate about social justice. Unfortunately, she suffers from an almost crippling social anxiety. This leaves her unable to attract a husband in the usual way. So she focuses her attention on the cause of equality for all. Men and women. She writes inflammatory pamphlets that are published and distributed by her friend Selena (who readers will have met in book 1, the owner of Belvoir library and publishers.) She signs the pamphlets only as “H.”

One of her readers has written back to her, repeatedly, through her publisher. They discovered a true meeting of the minds. This reader signed his letters as Lord Strathrannoch, an impoverished Scottish earl. Lydia, the possessor of a substantial dowry, decides to go to Scotland and propose. Unfortunately, when she arrives, the earl has no idea who she is. He didn’t write the letters. That was his brother, assuming his identity.

Arthur Baird, the Fifth Earl of Strathrannoch, is a gentle giant of a man. He’s very conscientious, caring for his tenants, but a recluse. He hasn’t been looking for a wife. Arthur is also an inventor. And one of his inventions was recently stolen by the same brother who has been writing to Lydia and using his name.

The two join forces to track down this brother. During their adventures, they find themselves lusting after one another increasingly. However, Lydia can’t forget that Arthur rejected her when she first proposed marriage. And Arthur can’t forget that Lydia proposed to him thinking that he was his brother. The steaminess of the novel soon ratchets up to high, especially after they have to pretend to be man and wife.

Readers know they’ll end up together, but there are plenty of surprises along the way. The novel stands alone, but book one will introduce you to Belvoir and to Lydia’s female friends, and they are not to be missed!

BOOK REVIEW: Remember When by Mary Balogh

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

Remember When by Mary Balogh is the latest novel in The Ravenswood series. This warm, lovely Regency Romance is told in the signature Balogh style.

Clarissa Ware is the Dowager Countess of Stratton (met before in books 1-3). She has been a dutiful loving mother and had been a supportive wife up until her husband’s demise a few years earlier. She loved her husband despite his faults—which included serial infidelity. Now, at fifty, with her children grown, and for the most part, married off or otherwise settled, she wants time alone to rediscover herself. Who is she, besides a widow and mother?

She returns alone to Ravenwood, the estate where she was once the countess, a title that now belongs to her beloved daughter-in-law. She intends to enjoy her solitude. But one thing she is determined to do is to visit her old and once very dear friend, Matthew Taylor. They were children together and the most devoted of friends. They were both the offspring of respectable gentry, though Clarissa’s connections and expectations were somewhat better than Matthew’s, particularly since he was a second son. When she was 17, and Matthew 18, as the first sparks of possible romance were appearing between them, Clarissa had an offer of marriage from the Earl of Stratton. Excited by the possibilities and awed by the earl, she said yes. 

Matthew Taylor was a difficult child, understood only by Clarissa. When she wed the earl, he lost not just a woman he had begun to love, but also his only true friend. In quick fashion, he married another, but she died in childbirth. Matthew took himself away from the village and wandered (readers will discover where and why) for a decade, before returning to the village near Ravenswood to make his living as a carpenter and artist in wood.

Clarissa and Matthew renew their friendship. And despite their advanced ages (50! 51!) they discover their feelings go beyond platonic friendship. The problem is, now as it always was, Clarissa is socially above him. And much more so now. Moreover, they both value the lives they are leading, and aren’t sure what they are willing to risk.

The love story develops at a slow but steady pace, although it gets rather repetitive at times. There are no villains in this story, and in fact, little conflict, as everyone involved truly just wants what is best for the pair. It’s a soothing and angst free tale. The two deserve their happily ever after. 

BOOK REVIEW: Murder in Moonlight by Mary Lancaster

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

I love Mary Lancaster’s writing. I’ve read several of her historical romances and historical romance with elements of mystery. Her latest novel (book 1 of a new series) takes a different tack. It’s a mystery first and foremost (with elements of romance.) The detecting couple have met before but very briefly. Now, they launch a series of their own. I imagine we’ll find them growing closer and closer as the series progresses. I love this type of series!

Murder in Moonlight is book 1 of the Silver and Grey series. Constance Silver and Solomon Grey (hence the series name) meet again at Greenforth Manor out in Norfolk, home of the Winsom family. Constance, the owner of a high-priced brothel back in London, is masquerading as a respectable widow, Constance Goldrich. Both Constance and Solomon have been invited for social reasons, by different members of the family. Both are there for information-seeking reasons of their own. Solomon could give Constance away, but sees no reason to, so he keeps quiet. Constance knows that could change at any moment, but she has learned to keep a charming, give-nothing-away demeanor, which intrigues Solomon even more.

The two watch each other warily, knowing they are both there under false pretenses. But the game quickly becomes very real when one member of the family is found dead, stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife. 

In this “stuck-together” mystery, the protagonists, family, and other house guests must remain at the manor until the police investigation is completed, which is longer than anyone wants, considering the murderer is very probably one of them. Constance and Solomon work together to solve the mystery, understanding that they are considered suspects, and knowing that they don’t quite trust each other. The more information they uncover, the more it seems everyone there has a motive. And opportunity. 

Fast-paced, well-plotted, and with a wonderful budding friendship likely to turn into more, Murder in Moonlight is my favorite kind of mystery. I eagerly await book 2.

BOOK REVIEW: The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain

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

The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain is a Regency Romance take on The Prince and the Pauper.

The orphaned Arabella (Bella) and her heiress cousin Lady Isabelle (Issie) have been raised together since toddlerhood by Issie’s demanding, overbearing mother, Lady Strickland, who makes it clear that her daughter is a disappointment and Bella is an unwanted burden. So it is somewhat of a relief to both young ladies when Lady Strickland suffers a stroke and dies.

After a year of mourning, during which they stayed hidden in the countryside, the two emerge to go to London for Issie’s planned season. Issie, who is painfully shy, doesn’t want to go, but Bella is more eager. Unfortunately, when they get to London, they are to stay with Issie’s great-aunt, Lady Dutton, who is every bit as bad as Lady Strickland.

However, Lady Dutton has poor eyesight and it isn’t long before Issie launches a scheme: taking to her bed, she claims she is too ill and frail to be presented to the Queen. And since Lady Dutton has been mixing them up anyway, why can’t Bella pretend to be her?

Good-natured and manipulable, Bella agrees, even though she can foresee all the potential consequences. The one she doesn’t foresee is falling for a handsome, kindly lord who courts her, thinking he is courting Lady Isabelle.

This sweet mistaken-identity romance is a delight to read (even if the reader will figure out what is going on with the hero long before Bella does.)

BOOK REVIEW: The Spinster's Last Dance by Mary Lancaster

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

Although this is contrary to my usual practice, I read The Spinster’s Last Dance, Book 7 of Mary Lancaster’s Regency Romance series One Night in Blackhaven, after having only previously read Book One, The Captain’s Old Love. The books are centered on the Vales, a large family of siblings who have returned, after their father’s death, to the family estate in Blackhaven, which is a spa town. The youngest of the group, the twins Leona and Lawrence, play matchmakers for their older siblings. The stories take place simultaneously, so I think it doesn’t really matter to read them out of order, though I do recommend reading book one first.

The Spinster’s Last Dance focuses on the eldest sister, Delilah. She has always been something of a motherly figure to her siblings. She also played the role of hostess/secretary/traveling companion to their father, who was a diplomat. However, she is an illegitimate sibling and she has just turned thirty, so she now expects to fade away into genteel spinsterhood. Before she does, she wants one last waltz at a local ball. She chooses her partner, the handsome Denzil Talbot, Baron Linfield, who she vaguely recognizes. He also recognizes her. He’d been a young friend of her father.

Denzil is a spy for the Crown, and he has come to Blackhaven to investigate Delilah, who is suspected of being a traitor.

The two are made for each other. However, they have to get past Denzil’s initial mistrust and Delilah’s certainty that his only interest in her is as a suspect. They also have to solve the dangerous puzzle of who is the traitor in their midst, and there is a clock ticking.

The protagonists are sympathetic and the love story sweet. Additional viewpoint characters are brought in, which is unusual for historical romance but becoming more common. The main villain is sufficiently villainous to keep readers invested in his downfall.

The other siblings have fairly small roles, but their love stories are hinted at, and make me want to read more of the series.

BOOK REVIEW: Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux

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

Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux is a Regency Romance homage to Shakespeare, and particularly to Much Ado About Nothing. The main characters, Margaret Arden and Bridger Fletcher, resemble Beatrice and Benedick. The main trope is enemies to lovers.

Margaret has wanted all her life to write novels. After her father’s death, she becomes more frantically determined to be published. She needs money. As the eldest daughter and with two younger sisters and a mother to support, she is being coerced by her aunts to marry soon and well. She wants to do right by her sisters, but not at the cost of sacrificing herself. She has a manuscript that she knows will succeed, but when she sends it to a publisher, it is ignored. And when she thrusts a copy into the hands of the publisher at a party, he pushes it back and insults not only the book, but female authors in general. The publisher is Bridger Fletcher.

Shortly, they meet again at Margaret’s cousin’s wedding. The cousin is Bridger’s closest friend. Bridger is dealing with troubles of his own, a dying demon of a father and an alcoholic older brother bent on ruin. All three men have terrible tempers, which partly explains Bridger’s cruel response to Margaret. However, Margaret’s manuscript is accidently scattered by the wind, and Bridger finds a few pages. He discovers he was horribly wrong about the book, and wants to publish it after all. Can Margaret forgive him for his initial rudeness? 

Likely, yes. Especially since they are both strongly physically attracted to one another and both share a love of literature. Unfortunately, they are surrounded by ill-intentioned family, friends, and ex-fiancees and a wedding drama that plays with plot themes from Shakespeare’s play.

It’s an interesting premise and fun to pick out where the plot might reference Shakespeare. However, I wasn’t caught up by any chemistry between the hero and heroine, primarily, I think, because of the dialogues, which didn’t ring true for me.

BOOK REVIEW: The Captain's Old Love by Mary Lancaster

The Captain’s Old Love by Mary Lancaster is a lovely regency romance by one of my go-to historical romance authors.

Captain Sir Julius Vale has just retired from the Royal Navy in order to care for his younger siblings after the death of his father. (There are a lot of them!) Julius has lost an eye and injured his leg in the war against France, but he would still be sailing in spite of these maladies if not for his obligations at home. The familial solicitousness is not all one-sided. His siblings are equally worried about him. They want to see him happy. They want to see him married. But Julius is not looking for a wife. Years ago, he was jilted by a lady he loved desperately. He has never gotten over her, and he carries a grudge.

Antonia Temple is the lady. Julius has the misfortune (or good fortune?) of coming across her at the first ball he attends back in Blackhaven (the town where his home and family are located.) She is as stunned to see him as he is to see her. And she gives every appearance of being as hurt and as resentful.

Who jilted whom?

Julius and Antonia are delightfully level-headed and quick to seek out the truth rather than wallowing in self-pity and anger. They might be able to find their way back to one another if they can hold onto a tenuous trust. But whoever was responsible for their earlier estrangement is still determined to keep them apart. And tenuous trust might not be enough.

The hero and heroine make this an entertaining read. The villain is a bit over the top, but needs to be if he’s going to be able to drive a wedge between a pair so right for one another. This is book 1 in the One Night in Blackhaven series, and I have book 2 queued up on my kindle!

BOOK REVIEW: A Governess Should Never Tempt a Prizefighter by Emily Windsor

A Governess Should Never Tempt a Prizefighter by Emily Windsor is an engaging (and steamy) romp through the world of prize fighting in the Regency Era.

Mathilda Griffin is a young lady in trouble. Her parents are dead and her guardian means to marry her off to an elderly lecher. Although her life up till now has been sheltered, she has the gumption to run away to save herself from a miserable future. She applies for the position of governess to the 13-year-old daughter of a famous prizefighter.

Seth Hawkins is a self-made man who climbed out of the Rookery by means of prizefighting. He was a renowned champion, so when he opens a boxing academy he has no trouble attracting members from up and down the social scale, even including a number of dukes. Despite the violence of his younger days and his profession, he’s a soft-hearted man, particularly when it comes to his daughter. And when Miss Griffin confesses the real reason she’s applying for the position of governess, he can’t help hiring her. (Her physical attractiveness is another reason.)

Mathilda is thrilled by the introduction to the world Seth inhabits, which is nothing at all like the world she comes from. Seth is enchanted by her enthusiasm. The reader is also introduced to a side of Regency London that is not usually seen in Regency Romance.

The protagonists progress from intense physical attraction to an appreciation of each other’s other qualities. And when Mathilda’s guardian finds her, Mathilda and Seth have to band together to protect each other and the love they have found.

This is an interesting take on the trope of “falling for the governess.” Generally, the MMC is a lord and the governess is either a commoner or a lady down on her luck. A male protagonist from the Rookery finding love with an impoverished gentlewoman is a fun twist.

BOOK REVIEW: The Deserted Heart by Mary Lancaster

I took a dive into Mary Lancaster’s backlist and read The Deserted Heart, book 1 in her series, The Unmarriageable.

In this case, the “unmarriageable” is Charlotte, the second daughter of the Earl of Overton. Sandwiched between two very beautiful sisters, Charlotte is also disadvantaged by a small limp acquired during an illness, and a very slight stammer, that she is generally now able to control. However, she has gotten used to the idea that these deficits mean no man will pursue her, primarily because her parents and sisters constantly drive the point home. She is relegated to caring for her younger brothers, wearing hand-me-downs, and awaiting the day when she will be the spinster caring for her parents. Despite all this, she is good-natured, fun-loving, and devoted to her family.

The Overtons had been living abroad, but returned to London to salvage their poor financial state. The family is relying on the eldest daughter, Thomasina, a renowned beauty, to marry well and rescue them. Thomasina is prepared to do so, but none of her suitors has come up to scratch. Until, finally, the aloof Duke of Alvan makes his interest known. He is coming to the Overtons home to visit – and everyone knows what that means.

Alvan and Charlotte are both on their way to the Overton estate. They meet at an inn, under unusual circumstances, and find themselves confronting a mystery: the inn is entirely deserted. The staff has disappeared. They are unable to solve the mystery in their short time at the inn. But when Alvan later turns up at Charlotte’s family home to woo Thomasina, he is drawn instead to Charlotte. 

The two protagonists are genuinely interested in the mystery, but continuing to investigate also affords them an excuse to spend time together. Soon, Alvan is ready to offer for Charlotte, but she refuses him out of loyalty to her sister. Alvan leaves, devastated. He and Charlotte must then find their way back to each other.The protagonists make a great pair, and it’s a joy to see them solve the mystery and overcome the barriers keeping them apart. I’m going to have to keep going with this series!

Book Review: Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance by Catherine Lloyd

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

I love Catherine Lloyd’s historical mysteries. Her new series is the Miss Morton Mysteries. You can see my reviews for book 1: Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder and book 2: Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld, which were both thoroughly enjoyable. I’ve been looking forward to book 3: Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance, and was not disappointed.

Miss Caroline Morton was the daughter of a peer, but he gambled away the family fortune then killed himself rather than face the shame of bankruptcy. That left Caroline and her younger sister Susan in the lurch, dependent on the charity of relatives. Caroline took matters into her own hands and found a position as a companion to a wealthy businesswoman (a commoner), Mrs. Frogerton.

Mrs. Frogerton is a no-nonsense, outspoken woman who hired Caroline not only as a companion, but also to help launch her daughter into Society. Miss Frogerton is determined to snare herself a titled gentleman. Caroline’s connections and advice are invaluable.

Unfortunately, Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton keep stumbling upon murder victims and becoming embroiled in solving the who-dunnits.

In the current novel, Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance, Caroline learns that she and her sister have inherited tidy sums from her aunt (a fact which makes her sister prey to an unscrupulous relative) and that her father may have made a second will before he died. Although Caroline believes he had nothing to bequeath, others are far more interested in what the will has to say. The plot thickens when the clerk making a copy of the will is murdered. Caroline has another mystery to solve – with the help of Mrs. Frogerton and two men who have aided her in the past, Inspector Ross and Dr. Harris.

Both the Inspector and Dr. Harris are drawn to Caroline, but show their interest in very different ways, and I’m curious to see who (if either of them) will eventually win her. A third man enters the picture, Mr. DeBloom, who pays her aggressive attention, trying to win her over by confiding that his mother swindled Caroline’s father, and he is determined to repay her. And then, a fourth man shows up, Mrs. Frogerton’s son, who shares his mother’s bluntness, and also her commonsense – once he convinces himself that Caroline is not out to swindle his mother.

In addition to the murder, Caroline’s sister goes missing, and it is all-hands-on-deck to find and retrieve her.

The plotting is complex, but the story moves right along. The characters are well-drawn. The resolution is satisfying. And the ending sets us up for book four!

BOOK REVIEW: Eavesdropping on Jane Austen’s England: How Our Ancestors Lived Two Centuries Ago by Roy and Lesley Adkins

For readers interested in the social history of England in Jane Austen’s time, or for Regency Romance readers and writers who want to plump up their lore packets with information on the everyday lives of the not-so-rich-and-famous citizens, Eavesdropping on Jane Austen’s England: How Our Ancestors Lived Two Centuries Ago by Roy and Lesley Adkins is a perfect choice. 

The book uses not only quotes from Austen but also excerpts from letters and diaries of lesser known men and women to explore marriage, child-bearing and rearing, modes of transportation, what people ate and wore, where they worked and how they played. Although the prose is somewhat dry, there is a wealth of information to be found. Maps, a time-line, and an extensive bibliography provide an additional bonus. (This book is also sold under the name Jane Austen’s England: Daily Life in the Georgian and Regency Periods.) It’s a book I’ll likely refer back to again and again.

BOOK REVIEW: All About Genevieve by Shana Galen

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the newly released All About Genevieve, the third book in the Misfortune’s Favorites Series by Shana Galen. This Regency Romance series follow three lords, the closest of friends, as they find their true loves. (Book One is The King and Vi and Book Two is My Fair Katie.) The storyline unfolds best if the books are read in order.

Three men, the Marquess of Kingston (King), the Duke of Carlisle (Henry), and Emory Lumley, the Duke of Tralee (Rory), were all neglected and abused as children. Strong-willed and angry, they were sent to a boys’ school in Scotland to have their spirits broken. Instead, they continued to raise hell and rebel against mistreatment. One stormy night, they conspired to steal a keg of whiskey from two impoverished sisters who lived near their school. The theft went awry, and they ended up cursed by the elder sister–a very real witch. The curse stated they would lose what they loved most on their thirtieth birthdays.

By the time they reach thirty, they have mostly forgotten about the witch and the curse, until it comes true.

In Rory’s case, a carriage accident claims the life of his wife and infant son on his thirtieth birthday. Grieving and full of guilt, he spends the next several months on the continent, carousing with undesirable fellows. When he finally returns home, he is confronted with the fact that he has a seven-year-old daughter, Frances, whom he barely knows. (He and his wife were estranged, so he never spent any time with the girl.) Frances acts out (in the same way Rory used to) to such a degree that he decides at once to hire a governess who can control her. 

Genevieve Brooking has been a governess for many years (though she is still a young woman.) She presents herself as a candidate for the job and proves so competent she is hired on the spot. Genevieve can handle any crisis having to do with children. She can also handle Rory’s outbursts and missteps. But she has a harder time with her own reaction to Rory’s extreme handsomeness and the way his heart is quickly softened by Frances.

The novel is a lovely example of the lord-falling-for-the-governess trope. The story is unique in that Frances’ viewpoint is also shown in some of the chapters. And the real twist is the witch’s curse. Rory and his friends have been promised a chance to reverse the curse, but to do so, they must return to where it all began to confront the witch.

After following the series, I was looking forward to the reunion of these three men and seeing how/if the curse would be lifted. The stories walk a fine line between credible and infused with the supernatural, but it’s a Romance. Go ahead and suspend disbelief. The novels are fun!

BOOK REVIEW: Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti

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

Ne’er Duke Well is a recently released Regency Romance by Alexandra Vasti, a new-to-me author.

The hero, Peter Kent, had been abandoned by his father, a duke, and raised in Louisiana, far from the entanglements of London Society. However, two years earlier, upon discovering that he was the heir presumptive to the dukedom, he returned to England to learn the ropes. Now, he is the Duke of Stanhope. He wants to use his position for good. He has liberal ideas and is not hesitant to proclaim them. But there is a problem. He has two young half-siblings, Freddie and Lu, and he is determined to take custody of them and raise them in a caring environment. Unfortunately, he has made a bad impression on the judge who will rule on his case. Peter needs help.

The heroine, Lady Selena Ravenscroft, wants to provide that help. They are friends of a sort. She thinks his suit will be aided by his taking a wife with an impeccable pedigree. The children need a mother, after all. She has a few ladies in mind. But not herself. Definitely not. Because she has a secret that she knows will come out one day, and the scandal would be ruinous to her and to Peter’s chances. Selena is part owner of a well-known publishing company. The company is especially successful because of its “Venus” line, racy novels for ladies to help them learn a little of the world so they won’t be so disadvantaged when dealing with men.

Whenever one member of a pair in a Romance tries to help the other find a perfect match, readers know what to expect. But the journey to love—how they get to the point of realizing they are meant to be together—is what makes the novels fun. Peter and Selena are well suited, and the obstacle is a formidable one, making this a very enjoyable read.

This is a charming, moderately steamy Romance with likeable protagonists and a well-constructed plot. It’s a standalone novel, as far as I can tell, but I look forward to more from this author.

BOOK REVIEW: My Fair Katie by Shana Galen

My Fair Katie by Shana Galen is the second book in the Misfortune’s Favorites Regency Romance series. The first book, The King and Vi, was so much fun that I pre-ordered book two.

The set-up in this novel is the same as the first. Three 13-year-old sons of peers were sent to boarding school in Scotland after being kicked out of the usual boys’ schools for misbehaving. One night, the three (King, Henry, and Rory) decide to steal a barrel of whiskey from two impoverished sisters who live near the school. Making and selling whiskey is how they survive. The entitled brats take the whiskey and then drop the barrel as they are making their getaway. The sisters (known locally as “witches”) catch them. In convincing witchlike fashion, one of the sisters calls down a curse that when they are thirty years old, they will lose everything that they love.

The curse has seemingly come true for King in book one, and for Rory, who we will see in book three. But now, it’s Henry’s turn.

Henry is now a duke, but is already on the road to losing everything he loves. He is a compulsive gambler. What he loves most, it seems, is the thrill of the cards or dice. He has already gambled away his country home. On his thirtieth birthday, he loses his London townhouse in another unwise bet. Just as he is doing so, he sees an image of the witch from his past and recalls the curse.

Now, Henry is impoverished and disgraced. The winner of both bets (and new owner of both houses) is the vile Marquess of Shrewsbury, who seems determined to ruin Henry, though Henry has no idea why.

Katie (Lady Katherine Malfort) is the daughter of the marquess. He has sent her away to the country home he won from Henry, partly as punishment for showing a burst of independence, but also to hide her away. She has a port wine stain on her face that the marquess is ashamed of. He has convinced her she is ugly and marred and that no man will ever want her.

With nowhere else to go, Henry hies off to his mother’s home – the dower house on the property of the country home now occupied by Katie. The two meet. Sparks fly.

However, there are obstacles to their getting together. Henry is suffering from withdrawal from his gambling addiction. (This is realistically portrayed.) And Katie is convinced no man could ever love her because of her birthmark. Still they team up to figure out why the marquess hates Henry’s family so much.

This is a medium-steam romance with likeable protagonists. They earn their HEA, but there is still more to come. Henry, like King, is still under a curse. Book three promises a resolution, and I’ve already pre-ordered the novel!