The passion of red—the sweetness of white. Together they may create a love for the ages.

When Henry Bradley, sixth of that name, is suddenly elevated to Duke of Roseleigh, he finds the responsibilities almost outweigh the privileges. Beset by litigious neighbors, needy tenants, and nagging relatives, he also endures pressure from all sides to make sure Roseleigh’s brilliant red roses best the Earl of Edgecote’s white ones at the York Rose Show in the spring. When the Earl’s daughter Margaret pays an unexpected visit to offer her condolences on the death of the old duke, he finds an unexpected ally in the long-standing family feud—and a balm to his lonely heart.

Can the two of them come up with a proposition—or perhaps a rose—to ambush all comers in the Rose Society and turn the competition upside down?

Dear Ms. Warfield, 

I was looking around for what to read next and saw this novella. I’ve enjoyed several  of your other stories and I liked the blurb for “The Sixth Henry” so Rose Wars it was.

Henry had never expected to succeed to the family Dukedom given that he was the son of the second son but we all know how these inheritance things play out. Henry loved his grandfather who, bless him, was a conscientious man. One to look after his tenants, see to his duties, try to make things easy for Henry as Henry took up the responsibilities, and above all, make sure the gardener had all he needed to win the annual rose competition. The family name is Roseleigh, after all. 

The night of his grandfather’s funeral, Henry writes out a list of practical things he needs to accomplish with number six being “find a wife.” The next day he begins to tick off a number of them but when Lady Margaret appears a day later, things get in a bit of an uproar. Lady Margaret is the daughter of their chief rival for top rose honors but her reason for journeying to the estate of the Roseleighs is to offer her sincere condolences.

Okay so probably an unmarried woman of that day and age would never have done this journey but Margaret also wants to end this silly feud. Henry’s family might be suspicious of her but Henry is enchanted. The woman is lovely, intelligent, and knows her agriculture. If he had to make a list, Margaret would take the top 12 spots out of 10. She obviously feels the same but with a feud to bed down, these two are going to have to take their time before going courting. 

Despite this novella being right under the 100 page mark, it covers a lot of ground and does it nicely. Henry is a good guy but one who grows into his stature as a Duke while still managing to adroitly handle lots of people who are making demands on his time. I love that he places the welfare of his dependents/tenants first rather than being a puffed up popinjay who is all about “I’m a Duke.” 

Margaret is gobsmacked by the wonder of the Roseleigh library (gotta love a woman who loves books) and glasshouse. She does do something a little shady but her reasons are good and when Henry finds out, he’s totally on board. Also for a novella, and despite having the two MCs fall fairly quickly for each other, time is allowed before the “I do’s.” Henry adores Margaret’s superior qualities and he knows good things will come to those who give their heroines free rein. As he tells her once she’s explained her plan and how she got there, “Devious as well as clever. I’m a lucky man.” B

~Jayne      

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He is imprisoned. She is cast out. But neither will give up on their love.

When the Earl of Spenhurst declares his love for a merchant’s niece, he is locked away in a tower. Spen won’t get out, the marquess his father says, until he agrees to an arranged marriage.

After the marquess unceremoniously ejects Cordelia Milton from his country mansion, she is determined to rescue her beloved, but it all goes horribly wrong.

She needs time to recover from her injuries, and Spen has been moved across the country under heavy guard. It seems impossible for two young lovers to overcome the selfish plans of two powerful peers, but they won’t give up.

CW/TW – parental beating/abuse of a child. potential sexual non-consent, thwarted attempted rape, description (by villains) of an intellectually disabled character as “simple” 

Dear Ms. Knight, 

It’s been a while since I read and enjoyed some of your historical novellas but the cover caught my attention. I’m also partial to a fairy tale or retelling of such especially when it’s an unusual take on the original. So a hero who needs to be saved from imprisonment by his heroine? Yes, that’s refreshing.

Miss Cordelia Milton is helping a young woman when she comes to the attention of Lord Spenhurst who is lurking in the proverbial London garden at a ton ball. As the eldest son of a marquess, he knows he can’t allow himself to be trapped into marriage so he is careful when he calls on Lady Daphne and then Miss Milton the next day. Lady Daphne treats him as a friendly playmate while Miss Milton impresses Spenhurst with her ability to deflect some of the nastier males who are after that woman’s money or virtue. 

While his father is putting pressure on Spen to marry and sire an heir, he spends his time among several young ladies at balls and routs before realizing that Miss Milton has slowly captured his interest and his heart. But when his imperious father catches wind of the fact, he orders Cordelia off his property and imprisons his son meaning to force a marriage with Lady Daphne, a thought that repels Spen as he’s already in love with Cordelia and knows that Lady Daphne is unable to consent to any such union. 

Can Cordelia and Spen manage to thwart two ruthless peers and save some innocents caught up in the machinations?        

Yay and huzzah that Spen and Cordelia do not immediately fall in love nor are they enemies who fall in love. Spen and Cordelia are well aware of their differing social stations and that society would most likely frown on such a romance/marriage. Spen also knows it would anger his father who is so aware of his station as a Marquess and what is due the family. As well, Cordelia is reluctant to consider such a match because of her reception by the ton who call her (not in her hearing but darn close) an encroaching mushroom among other things.  

Instead first there is respect between them that leads to growing feelings. However, although we are told that their feelings are changing, we don’t actually see this unfold very much. We’re told that Spen divides his time between certain debutantes for a specific reason – to protect them against the hellcats, the rakes, the fortune-hunters, and to lend countenance to Cordelia. It is while doing this that he sees how well Cordelia handles these unsavory people, how intelligent she is, and how kind she is – especially to Lady Daphne. Cordelia has never expected to find a match during her Season. Her pragmatic plans are to appease her Uncle by participating then find a husband from her own class. It is only gradually that she comes to feel that Spen is The One and for similar reasons to those he feels for her.   

All this is just the beginning of the story as Spen and Cordelia must fight for their HEA. A little of what they are subjected to might be excused because this is a fairy tale retelling but sadly some might be actually not too far from what might have happened when powerful men, in an age when powerful men were all powerful and control their children, set about getting what they want. Watching the two lovers scheme to overcome the obstacles between them is entertaining as they put their minds and their kindness to work to do so. It also doesn’t hurt that Cordelia’s Uncle is a wealthy man who knows how to pull strings and weave nets to catch the villains. The ultimate setup of the situation that wins the day is clever and seems legit as well. 

It is at this point that the plot slowed down and dragged a bit for me. There is a last second hitch that I felt was unneeded as well as two epilogues — two?? And a marriage occurs that I found distasteful and also unnecessary. I’m just going to pretend that I didn’t read this bit and remember the quick and clever way that Cordelia and Spen win the day. B       

~Jayne

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When the Duke of Stanmere’s will reveals a nasty secret, London Society is shocked—and so is his widow, Joan. Humiliated by the scandal, Joan flees to Inverley in disguise. Surely the quaint seaside town would be the last place anyone would look for a duchess on the run.

After her mother’s remarriage, fashionable spinster Miss Maeve Balfour must make a living with hands whose only labor has been arranging her hair into the latest style. With nowhere to turn and nothing to lose, she persuades mysterious newcomer Joan to let her stay in her manor house.

Although entranced by worldly and seductive Maeve, Joan doesn’t know if she can trust again. As Maeve learns Joan’s secrets, she yearns to protect her from the men who have sought to destroy her. But can a spinster and a widow dare to defy a dukedom—and win each other’s hearts?

Dear Ms. Walsh,

I had hoped that the next book in this series would feature Maeve whom I met when reading “The Accidental Bride.” It does and it also has the MCs from the first book “The Accidental Heiress.” New readers need not worry though as Caroline and Arabella are in this book to support it rather than hawk their own.

Joan, Duchess of Stanmere is flabbergasted to learn that her late husband, the odious Duke, has only left her £200 per year in his will. Her protests are met with scorn from the new Duke, his uncles, and his aunt. Threats are made against Joan that if she raises a stink, the late Duke’s bastards will be attributed to her even though the oldest one is only five years younger than she is. Retreating to London, she learns that all her clothes and jewels have been confiscated. When she remembers the property in Inverley she bought with money gifted to her by her late father, she knows where she can go.

Maeve Balfour is shocked when her mother remarries and leaves Maeve behind with six months worth of living expenses and advice to find a rich husband to support her. Sapphic Maeve has no intentions of doing that but how can she support herself in a world with little use for spinsters? Events cause Joan to allow Maeve to rent a room in her house and soon Maeve begins to wonder if this woman might be the love she’s always longed for but Joan has secrets that are about to upend everything.

Maeve and Joan both have flaws that actually made them well rounded if at times frustrating. Maeve has always lived in genteel society but with her means of support – her now remarried mother – gone, she realizes she’s going to have to learn to earn her own keep. Easier said than done as Maeve likes how she’s lived and doesn’t initially want to start working. Her friend’s suggestion for Maeve to sell some of her better clothes dismays Maeve as being well dressed is a part of who she is but she soon realizes that needs must. Joan is the daughter of an Earl and now a Dowager Duchess. She’s had men taking control of her life from day one and even when she did question her father about anything, he did the usual dad/man thing of that day and told her not to worry and leave details to a man. To her later regret, she did. Unused to making plans, Joan does stumble a bit.

Yes, I wanted to shake Maeve but it’s also understandable that she’d like to continue living high on the hog. Who wouldn’t? She does face reality and try gainful employment before finding a niche only to face facts about how this affects others. When Maeve is offered a position for which she’d be perfect, she’s finally embraced her new status and goes for the opportunity. Joan also has missteps as she slowly realizes what she faces from the Dukedom and how her choices could end up harming others. But she does begin to act and make decisions on her own.

When I’d finished the book, I decided that I actually believed the Sapphic historical aspect more than the general historical one. Maeve has known her sexual preferences for a long time and acted on them when she could. She is friends with two lesbian couples (Books 1 and 2 of the series) and longs to find her “someone.” Joan was sheltered and married off then endured her husband’s matter-of-fact visits to her bed but she heard other debutantes discussing things so is not surprised when Maeve carefully hints at what she wants. Joan isn’t that experienced in any type of sexual relationship but Maeve takes it slowly and I can believe that they’d be able to carry on a relationship in private. No, there’s no hot and heavy public displays of affection but women walking arm in arm was common then plus a generation of women missed out on marriage due to the Napoleonic Wars so two women living together was also accepted. Besides the two other couples, there is a male character who is described in a way that leads me to think he’s asexual.

Some of the historical aspects of the book caused me the most problems. Joan does own her home but on a mere £200 annual budget the idea that she’d be able to employ the size household she does – plus maintain a carriage and horses – stretches belief. The Dashwood women lived in what appears to be a smaller house with two (?) servants and pinched pennies on £500 per year. Then there are the issues that Joan deals with from her in-laws. As much as I hate to say it, I think they’re correct in what they say about what she owns. Still the way that Someone intervenes and gets the new Duke to call off the dogs is in keeping with how that person is written and what they know. Okay, I’ll go along with how things work out. These parts of the book are also a bit of a downer even if they do free Joan from her past and set her loose to fashion the rest of her life. So there is that.

I liked the real character growth displayed by both Maeve and Joan. Past characters don’t crowd the story. And if the Found Family, “we’re all equals” parts seem more modern than historical, they make up for the darkness to which Joan is subjected until All is Righted in the End. B-

~Jayne

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The Ladies Rewrite the Rules is a “proper,” traditional Regency novel that reminds me of something I might have read years ago from a category line. The heat level stops at smooching and we don’t get a ton of angst or conflict. If you’re looking for a more modern voice (like Sarah MacLean vs Georgette Heyer) this isn’t the book for you.

Maxwell Dean is a second son who publishes a booklet identifying wealthy widows and spinsters to help other second/third/fourth sons court women of means. He doesn’t intend for this to be predatory; he genuinely thinks he’s making matters more transparent for everyone, so he’s surprised when Diana Boyle shows up on his doorstep to chew him out over it.

Since the publication of his booklet, Diana has had suitors show up at her door now that they know she’s a rich widow. Diana married a much older man she didn’t love and has no intention of marrying again. She invites the other women listed in the booklet to a meeting to make them aware that fortune hunters might be calling on them, and a few of them decide to flip the situation to their advantage. They’ll enjoy the attention of the men calling on them with no intention of marrying, similar to how young women are expected to impress and attract men of the ton who offer no guarantee of marriage in return.

Diana meets a rich spinster named Regina (her reputation was sullied so she never married) and the two of them enjoy the sights of London while entertaining the attentions of suitors who found them through the booklet.

The conflict over the booklet and how mercenary it is pretty much vanishes immediately, leaving the novel with very little tension. Max and some of the suitors who called on Diana essentially form a friend group with her, Regina, and some of the other ladies and go on group dates and to balls. Any hard feelings are forgotten almost instantly. The vast majority of this book is spent dating, basically.

Eventually Max and Diana develop feelings for each other, and the only real obstacle they face is the fact that she said she didn’t want to get married again. We also don’t get a lot of Max’s POV, and as a result he doesn’t really grow or change at all through the book. He feels bad about publishing the booklet, but he felt bad about it in chapter two.

I did enjoy Regina and Diana’s blooming friendship, and how they each helped each other get out and enjoy society. Female friendship though wasn’t enough to save the novel. The lack of character growth and conflict made this one a slog for me; I kept putting the book down and then picking it back up hoping for something to happen. I struggled with the fact that there was potential for a lot of tension between the two main characters–he publishes a list that commodified her–but all of that dissolved into nothing. It’s one thing to have a low conflict book, but another to present the reader with a problem and then more or less just forget it so the characters can date.  I can say someone who is looking for a very low conflict Regency in the classic style might enjoy it for nostalgic reasons, but overall The Ladies Rewrite the Rules was a miss for me.

Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich

Sometimes it’s the most unlikely meetings that give us life’s greatest gifts.

1970s, Southern Alabama. Sixty-two-year-old Jeremiah Lewis Taylor, or “Nub,” has spent his whole life listening to those he’s loved telling him he’s no good—first his ex-wife, now his always-disapproving daughter. Sure, his escapades have made him, along with his cousin and perennial sidekick, Benny, just a smidge too familiar with small town law enforcement, but he’s never harmed anyone—except perhaps himself.

Nub never meant to change his ways, but when he and fifteen-year-old Waffle House waitress Minnie form an unlikely friendship, he realizes for the first time that there may be some good in him after all. Six-foot-five Minnie has been dealt a full deck of bad luck—her father is a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, her mother is dead and buried, and she has a Grand Ole Opry–worthy singing voice with no place to perform. Oh, and there’s the small fact that she’s unexpectedly pregnant, courtesy of a no-good high-school boy.

Gradually, Nub realizes the gift he’s been given: a second chance to make a difference.

Beloved Southern writer Sean Dietrich, also known as Sean of the South, once again brings people and places to life in this lyrical song-turned-story about found family, second chances, country music, and the poignant power of love and forgiveness.

My Review

Somehow all of the plot threads come together in the end. It’s wild but what else should I have expected from this book? As I mentioned earlier, I laughed my ass off at times and blinked back a tear at others. Some things cut close while many, many others brought me good memories as I know the South and I lived through 1972. Boomers and Gen Xers will know a lot of these things first hand. The book has sass, heart, and people triumphing over the odds against them. It will not be for everyone but I inhaled the 400 pages in two days and loved it. It will break your heart and then put it back together. A-

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Mrs. Porter Calling by A. J. Pearce

London, April 1943. A little over a year since she married Captain Charles Mayhew and he went away to war, Emmy Lake is now in charge of “Yours Cheerfully,” the hugely popular advice column in Woman’s Friend magazine. Cheered on by her best friend Bunty, Emmy is dedicated to helping readers face the increasing challenges brought about by over three years of war. The postbags are full and Woman’s Friend is thriving.

But Emmy’s world is turned upside down when glamorous socialite, the Honorable Mrs. Cressida Porter, becomes the new publisher of the magazine, and wants to change everything the readers love. Aided by Mrs. Pye, a Paris-obsessed fashion editor with delusions of grandeur, and Small Winston, the grumpiest dog in London, Mrs. Porter fills the pages with expensive clothes and frivolous articles about her friends. Worst of all, she announces that she is cutting the “Yours Cheerfully” column and her vision for the publication’s future seems dire. With the stakes higher than ever, Emmy and her friends must find a way to save the magazine that they love.

My Review

We’ve been through ups and downs with Emmy, Bunty, and the staff at the newspaper Woman’s Friend. Emmy’s oft repeated thought, “You are safe and you are loved” got me through. I need the next book in my hands now. A

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Ghost 19 by Simone St. James

Is there something wrong with Ginette Cox? It’s what everyone seems to think. When a doctor suggests that what she might need is less excitement, she packs up and moves from New York City to a house in suburban NY: 19 Howard Ave.

The town offers Ginette little in the way of entertainment in 1959, but at least she has interesting neighbors. Whether it’s the little girl with her doll or the couple and their mother-in-law, Ginette watches them from her window and makes up names and stories for them.

But it’s not all peaceful in suburbia. Ginette finds it hard to sleep in her new house. There are strange and scary noises coming from the basement, and she is trapped, either by a ghost or her own madness.

But when Ginette starts to think a murder has taken place and a mysterious man starts making terrifying appearances outside her window, it’s clear she must deal with whatever isn’t allowing her to escape this house…

My Review

This one does take its time getting started – and doesn’t hesitate to make Gin a bit unlikeable and give her some affectations – but then I was literally holding my breath and my fingers were flying as I raced through the last part of the story. What had happened?! Who was wailing from the basement? What did sweetheart Andrew see when he scoped out the house across the lane that he and Ginette were watching? Where did Mother-in-Law go? Who was the man in black who stood in front of Ginette’s window? Was Detective Ian Challis married or not? And how was Ginette going to finally get away. That is if she got away. A-

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Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo

The wandering Cleric Chih returns home to the Singing Hills Abbey for the first time in almost three years, to be met with both joy and sorrow. Their mentor, Cleric Thien, has died, and rests among the archivists and storytellers of the storied abbey. But not everyone is prepared to leave them to their rest.

Because Cleric Thien was once the patriarch of Coh clan of Northern Bell Pass–and now their granddaughters have arrived on the backs of royal mammoths, demanding their grandfather’s body for burial. Chih must somehow balance honoring their mentor’s chosen life while keeping the sisters from the north from storming the gates and destroying the history the clerics have worked so hard to preserve.

But as Chih and their neixin Almost Brilliant navigate the looming crisis, Myriad Virtues, Cleric Thien’s own beloved hoopoe companion, grieves her loss as only a being with perfect memory can, and her sorrow may be more powerful than anyone could anticipate. . .

My Review

I started and finished this novella in one day. As soon as I ended it I thought, I’m not quite sure what that all was but it was brilliant. My book notes state “A story of Singing Hills, young novices, justice, and the way life changes.” Chih has returned thinking that everything will be the same. Many things are, which is comforting, but not everything. New realities must be navigated and accepted. Life is change, after all. In the end, a new normal is coming into being while a pathway to maintaining good relations with those who command massive mammoths is found. Justice will be done and a grieving neixin will find some peace. A

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Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn’t her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

My Review

Oh, what a lovely story. I can easily see how this flowed (pun intended) into being. The heroine is delightful and just the kind of self-effacing person who I enjoy watching save the day. And Toadling saves so many, most of whom have/had no idea of what she did. I wasn’t quite sure how things would end up. I pondered this as I read to the end and realized that I would have been happy either way Toadling decided to do things. But I think she made the right choice. This is the sort of story I want to flip back to the beginning and start reading again the minute I finish it. And I agree. It is sweet, dammit. A 

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Everything’s Coming Up Beatrix by Georgia Dunn

Stop the presses: The news crew at BCN is back for more adventures and laughs!

Join Elvis, Puck, Lupin, Tommy, Beatrix, and the whole team for spooky tales around the space heater, daring hairstyles, not-so-hilarious sweaters, an Easter egg hunt disaster, new cat foods, “Heck on the Deck!”, something called a papasan, and the first ever celebration of St. Catty’s Day! Tune into a ghostly broadcast when Puck makes a harrowing journey to the attic and gets in over his head. . . . Can Elvis and Tabitha work together to save him?

Learn how to make your own bookmark, your own little book, and a reading fort!

My Review

I fell in love with the news crew of Breaking Cat News years ago, read it everyday online, and eagerly await my pre-ordered paperback copies of the books. Georgia Dunn perfectly captures so much of the behavior that cat servants know – both what we love and what we don’t (hairballs, anyone?). One of the delightful newer characters added over the years is young cub reporter Beatrix. With her polydactyl paws, she easily manages the station’s social media accounts while her outgoing, yet also thoughtful, personality charms all. A

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Madeline Finn and the Blessing of the Animals by Lisa Papp

When Madeline Finn attends the Blessing of the Animals with Bonnie and Star, she learns that everyone has a gift inside, which they can share with the world. And one way that Madeline Finn can share her blessing is with the animals at her local shelter.

It’s a special day! Madeline Finn is taking Bonnie and Star to the Blessing of the Animals. When they arrive, they see dogs and cats. There’s even a goat!

Madeline Finn watches closely as the Reverend Mary Alice spends time with every animal, giving each one their very own blessing.

“How do you know what to say?” Madeline Finn wants to know.

“Everyone has a blessing inside,” Miss Mary explains. “A special gift to share with the world.”

When Madeline Finn receives a blessing all her own, she has a new mission: finding the blessings in others. Surely, the furry and feathery residents at her local animal shelter have lots of special gifts to share. They just need someone to believe in them—someone to set those blessings free.

My Review

Yes, I had to stop numerous times to wipe my eyes. Yes, I was crying. But they’re happy tears and hopeful tears for the animals Madeline blesses with things that might help the animals find homes. The illustrations are lovely and the message is heartfelt. We’re all special and have something to offer. A

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The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair

Murder once again stalks the proprietors of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in the surprisingly dangerous landscape of post-WWII London.
In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture – The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous – and never discussed – past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Mostly their clients are people trying to start (or restart) their lives in this much-changed world, but their new client is something different. A happily married woman has come to them to find a new wife for her husband. Dying of cancer, she wants the two to make sure her entomologist, academic husband finds someone new once she passes.

Shortly thereafter, she’s found dead in Epping Forest, in what appears to be a suicide. But that doesn’t make sense to either Sparks or Bainbridge. At the same time, Bainbridge is attempting to regain legal control of her life, opposed by the conservator who has been managing her assets – perhaps not always in her best interest. When that conservator is found dead, Bainbridge herself is one of the prime suspects. Attempting to make sense of two deaths at once, to protect themselves and their clients, the redoubtable owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau are once again on the case.

My Review

I finished the book reading flat out and punching the air at the way Gwen and Iris handle one suspected criminal confession and how Gwen’s knowledge of single malts helps her in another. The final scenes of dealing with grief almost had me tearing up – okay, okay yes I was tearing up – but one character has had this coming and desperately needed it while another has only just begun to confront his loss – the depth of which we realize from a conversation Iris has with a former Army commando. I was wrung out and satisfied at the same time and I can’t wait to see what happens next. A

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The Country Gentleman by Dinah Dean

When he’s mistaken for her husband-to-be, is that prophetic?

Miss Lucinda Calvert’s quiet life as a rector’s daughter is turned topsy-turvy by the arrival of a gentleman new to the area. Mr John Harris seems respectable, but sets the village gossips wagging with speculation about his past—on which topic he is very private indeed.

He pays her particular attention, and his mysterious papers and odd habits confuse her almost as much as his unexpected kiss! Then speculation of a French spy in their midst, taking advantage of the nearby military encampment, sets Lucinda worrying. Could the man she has grown so fond of—perhaps even loves—be a traitor?

My Review

Lucinda finds herself starting to fall for him, and Fred certainly approves of him – though Fred has never approved of Lucinda’s other male friend Monsieur Roland, the poor French emigree who fled France because of the Revolution – and Lucinda’s father has always said that Fred is an excellent judge of character though Lucinda’s mother sniffs at that saying “(Mr. Harris) must be a paragon if the cat likes him!” A-

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Worth More than Rubies by Grace Burrowes

All the Duke of Dunfallon wants this holiday season is a respite from the machinations of the matchmakers. When pursued by a particularly determined would-be duchess, he ducks into the West Bartholomew Street Lending Library. Librarian Emerald Armstrong sees a dapper gent in a bit of a hurry and mistakes Dunfallon for a curate overdue for his assignation with West Bart’s theological collection.

Dunfallon is intrigued by Emmie’s love of books, her disdain for society’s games, and her ferocious generosity of spirit toward all of the library’s patrons. She has no patience with posturing, and thus he takes the risk of admitting his true identity. To his surprise, Emmie doesn’t mind all that much that he’s a duke—some things cannot be helped—but she is far less willing to keep silent about Dunfallon’s other secret, the one he has been guarding from even his fellow peers.

If an honorable woman is worth more than rubies, what will a duke sacrifice to earn her love?

My Review

What a delight. Another book loving couple and more cats! And what a silly widgeon I’ve been to not have been reading your books up until now. I wondered when Emmie would learn the truth behind Dane’s identity, thinking this would probably lead to the proverbial Third Act breakup only to discover the story would unfold quite differently. Huzzah for something unusual and some quality intimacy that even includes heaving bosoms. This was lovely. A-

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All the Duke of Dunfallon wants this holiday season is a respite from the machinations of the matchmakers. When pursued by a particularly determined would-be duchess, he ducks into the West Bartholomew Street Lending Library. Librarian Emerald Armstrong sees a dapper gent in a bit of a hurry and mistakes Dunfallon for a curate overdue for his assignation with West Bart’s theological collection.

Dunfallon is intrigued by Emmie’s love of books, her disdain for society’s games, and her ferocious generosity of spirit toward all of the library’s patrons. She has no patience with posturing, and thus he takes the risk of admitting his true identity. To his surprise, Emmie doesn’t mind all that much that he’s a duke—some things cannot be helped—but she is far less willing to keep silent about Dunfallon’s other secret, the one he has been guarding from even his fellow peers.

If an honorable woman is worth more than rubies, what will a duke sacrifice to earn her love?

Note: This story was half of Yuletide Gems, a novella duet originally published as a web store/library exclusive in 2022.

Dear Ms. Burrowes,

What a delight. Another book loving couple and more cats! And what a silly widgeon I’ve been to not have been reading your books up until now. 

I hope that Miss Minerva Peasegill gets an invitation to the wedding of the Duke of Dunfallon and the Hon. Emerald Armstrong because Minerva is the cause of their romance. If he hadn’t ducked into the West Bart. Street Lending Library, to avoid her and her mama and been mistaken for the budding curate in need of Welsh language skills, would these two have found each other? 

Dunfallon’s best hope lay in the fact that Bellefonte, being as tall as a lighthouse, would hold the ladies’ attention. Dunfallon himself could steal away unseen if he moved with the purpose and stealth of a border reiver beneath a quarter moon.

Dane, or Mr. Dunn, or the Duke of Dunfallon and Emmie, or the Honorable Miss Armstrong have much in common. They both love to read, they can interact well with children, and they’re hiding. Dane, the second spare who ended up inheriting after his elder brother died of the cliched “tragic accident” and the spare died of consumption, has been husband-hunted by marriage minded misses and their mamas. Emmie was guilted into entering the London marriage mart, didn’t take for five years and then when a second son did offer for her, she allowed intimacies (common among even the upper classes?) before her betrothed threw her over for a woman with a larger dowry. Then her brother, along with Society, viewed her as being the problem. 

They both have had family issues. Dane’s father was a tyrannical martinet who belittled his son, forced him into the Army, and then ultimately did something Dane found unforgettable. Emmie’s father (very) quickly remarried after her mother’s death in order to get his heir and Ambrose was willing to believe his school chum rather than his sister about their broken betrothal. 

Not all the things they have in common are dire. They both enjoy discussing books, debating finer points, cats, and reading aloud – which the street children and pensioners who routinely inhabit the library also enjoy. Ah, yes. The story is full of street children but rather than find them cloying or overdone heartstring tuggers, I enjoyed them, too. They are not plot moppets either. Little bits of information here and there reveal the tough life they lead and though they’re canny about survival, they can gather to hear the beloved books written by one Mr. Christopher Dingle about four kittens who work together and think their way through problems on the mean streets of London. 

“You mustn’t blame them for trying,” Mr. Dunn said when Emmie reshelved the book. “You have a way with a tale.”
 “Mr. Dingle has the way with a tale,” she said. “The children love his kittens, and what they love, they can learn from. Do you enjoy fiction, Mr. Dunn?”
He paused in his dusting. “As a lad, I did.”

There are also some wonderful secondary characters who have had their own book which I want to read.  

As (initially) Emmie and Dane don’t know the particulars about each other, they can ignore the dictates of Society and sit together, enjoying lunch or tea in Emmie’s office. This also gives them time to get to know each other far more than if they had merely waltzed together at Almacks. 

Miss Armstrong set down her sandwich and bestowed on Dunfallon a smile of such delighted sweetness that had she shot him in the bum with an arrow, he could not have been more astonished. When she smiled like that, Miss Armstrong barreled right past beguiling and galloped into the nearer reaches of fascinating.
The slight detachment that she carried around like a banner when executing her librarian’s duties was exchanged for the pennant of the prettiest lady in the shire, the most warmhearted, intelligent, alluring, unexpected…
God have mercy, he wasn’t the only one dissembling. Miss Emerald Armstrong wasn’t what she appeared to be, not at all, and that pleased Dunfallon as spirited debate, hot soup, and bachelor freedoms never had.

They are widely read and take delight in a rousing debate (not mansplaining) – something Emmie tells her friend Leah with wonder. Her (boorish) betrothed had boasted about having never finished a book (so we know he’s a caddish clod from the get go). She and Dane also discuss the Dingle book felines and how those kittens teach the children valuable life lessons. There is also a delightful discussion about the differences between men and women and societal expectations. 

Miss Peasegill and her ilk could pursue only the Dunfallon tiara, because they had not bothered to acquaint themselves with the man who could offer it to them. They had not paid attention to the subtle effect of mood on his burr. They had not wondered if he liked animals or disdained to allow them into his domiciles. They had never inquired about his literary tastes.
To them, those aspects of the man were irrelevant beside the shining wealth and consequence of the duke.
To Emmie Armstrong, the ducal trappings probably wouldn’t matter all that much even if she knew of them.

I wondered when Emmie would learn the truth behind Dane’s identity, thinking this would probably lead to the proverbial Third Act breakup only to discover the story would unfold quite differently. Huzzah for something unusual and some quality intimacy that even includes heaving bosoms. No, the third section of the novella makes Dane and Emmie learn some hard truths about themselves. Listening, really listening is vital. Supporting someone’s truths and being willing to apologize when wrong make a relationship work better.   

“I never want you to feel the misery that I did when my only sibling turned a deaf ear on my misfortune. I will tell you when you are wrong, Dunfallon, but I will also listen to you. Truly listen, not simply hoard up ammunition for my next volley in the argument. We can both be right, and we can both be wrong, all at the same time. 

Dunfallon’s fingers stroked Emmie’s hair from her temple to her nape, a deliciously soothing touch. “You propose a sound bargain. I promise you both honesty and kindness, and that means listening to each other even when we are disappointed or dismayed, but it also means we don’t lie to ourselves.”

      
So all’s well that ends well. Each is now seen, loved, and cherished. I did note a few probably anachronistic decorations and “plaid” was used where “tartan” maybe ought to have been but darn it, I don’t care. This was lovely. A-
~Jayne 

“I found Mr. Dingle’s stories and his unrelenting faith that there is always a way home, if only we are resourceful and true to ourselves and to our loved ones.”

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Previously published in Virtues of Christmas. Henrietta Whitlow is leaving behind the life of a very successful courtesan in hopes of making peace with her family in the shires. Michael Brenner’s family all but ignore him, despite his shiny new baronial title, and his errand along the Oxford road isn’t half so benign as Henrietta’s. While trying to settle a debt of honor involving Henrietta, Michael instead loses his heart and comes to understand the true meaning of holiday spirit.

Dear Ms. Burrowes,

Of course I’d heard of your name but for some reason I’ve never read one of your books before despite other DA reviewers liking them. When I was searching for novellas to read for Christmas, my library had this one and I was intrigued about the courtesan aspect. Frankly, I wasn’t sure but thought what the heck, why not? Within a few pages I was hooked.

Henrietta Whitlow is on the road in December, trying to reach home. She’s been trying to get back home for ten years now and been rebuffed but this is her one last effort. First, she needs to somehow get an uppity inn keeper to let her rest for a while as her coachman seeks a blacksmith to see to a horse’s shoe. Michael Brenner hears the hubbub and intervenes, inviting Henrietta to share his parlor and a meal. Like the innkeeper, he knows who she is – one of the most celebrated and sought after courtesans in London. Michael also has another reason for being at the inn; he’s trying to get something from Henrietta and knows she’ll travel this way.

Eating with this beautiful woman is an experience for Michael. Henrietta is beautiful, poised, intelligent, and nobody’s fool. She lets drop the tidbit that she has retired and is traveling home. Michael can easily see why men of wealth and power sought a contract with this woman as she mesmerizes him while casually telling him she’d only had six protectors – a ghastly word, Michael comes to feel, as none of these men protected her, only made use of her.

The more they talk, the more they discover they have in common. Henrietta loves to read, something her father sought to withhold as later we learn he didn’t want her to turn into a bluestocking. Michael grew up poor, somehow (I was a bit hazy about this) ended up in a public school where he inhaled learning before eventually (also hazy) becoming a spy before ending up a newly minted baron. A (frankly delightful) discussion between their coachmen (both Scottish and they know each other) reveals that both Henrietta and Michael are well thought of by their servants who hatch some plot to bring them together. But Michael’s word of honor requires him to carry through with his plan which – of course – will come to light at the worst time. Is the budding attraction between these two doomed before it even gets going? Or can they help each other while helping themselves?

I think it’s important to note that Henrietta isn’t the only one looking for respect. Michael is Irish and has had his own battles to fight for respect from the English. Both have some degree of estrangement from family. Henrietta’s father has been unbending in refusing to talk to her and we learn that she did write and plead to return home after being seduced and ruined. Her brothers and their families accept her but not papa. Michael has been trying to get his sisters to visit him at his (fairly) newly purchased estate but so far, nothing. Now I don’t equate their different issues. Henrietta has, by far, been treated the worst by society so the most effort is expended on getting her the respect she deserves from her father who was the driving factor behind what put her at risk in the first place.

There is a lot of emotion in the book but it doesn’t get emotional if that makes sense. There are no scenes of fiery showdowns. Michael and Henrietta are slightly older (both mid to late 20s). Michael has been a spy and can control what he shows the world while Henrietta has been paid well to act a part and let men see only what they want to see. The scene where these two come together because they want to rather than because they have to is a revelation to both. Henrietta finally gets to demand what she wants and enjoys from sex and Michael is enthralled by this. So when she discovers what he’s done, well … Michael realizes fully what he’s done and lost. I did like that this scene didn’t go quite as I’d expected it would.

Then comes making amends. Bravo that Michael has listened to what Henrietta really wants and he sets about helping make that happen. Even more though, Henrietta has already begun the campaign and fired the first few salvoes rather than waiting on someone else to help her. I liked Henrietta. A lot. Henrietta has also done something to help Michael get what he wants and the fact that she did it before knowing what he did lets me know that he has become important to her. They act independently for the other, all without expecting that this will heal the break between them. The reconciliation is one that fits the two of them.

My complaints are for Henrietta’s father who seems a bit of an ass at times in the way he treated his daughter and the high handed manner in which he meant to marry her off. Also, the more serious nature of what happened to Henrietta – no matter how skillfully she eventually managed this – makes the insta-love harder to swallow for me. Now, do I believe that all the neighbors are going to forget Henrietta’s background? No, not really but I like that her background isn’t ignored either. Michael has a title but it’s not a high ranking one and Henrietta is from gentry rather than aristocracy so thinking that they will be able to live in the country and be happy is something I can believe. B

~Jayne

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A Chance Christmas Connection

Tired of dealing with legalities relating to his father’s unexpected death, new baronet Sir Philip Selbourne is ready to leave London and head home for Christmas. But having spent a boyhood rescuing strays, he’s unable to resist helping a desperate young woman with speaking brown eyes and a kitten in her pocket.

Young French seamstress Nicole Chambord is in dire straits after being wrongly fired by her dreadful employer. Then chance brings her together with Philip Selbourne. His kindness leads her to accept when he offers to take her to his family estate so she can become a companion to his French-born mother.

But the roads are icy and an accident forces Philip, Nicole (and the kitten!) to seek refuge at the cottage of a lonely widow—and creates a Christmas miracle for them all.

Dear Ms. Putney,

As you yourself said, “The Christmas Tart” is fluff but what charming fluff. And it has actual fluff in the form of one ghastly scarlet cloak (with ostrich feathers) and a lucky cat named Merkle who is named after (and I agree with you here) a wonderful historical author Judith Merkle Riley – gone from us too soon.

So girl loses job, girl on the street finds kitten, girl gets propositioned by boy’s friends as a “Christmas present” for him, girl weighs her options and money in hand, girl makes practical choice, boy meets girl and then – ah, the magic happens.

No, no not that magic. Boy in the form of Philip is a very decent chap who quickly deduces that Nicole is not the lady of the evening his friends (they meant well and actually did pick The Right One for him) thought she is. I mean come on! She has a cat with her. Nicole, who is honest to a fault, spills everything and tries to give Philip the £10 advance she’d been given so he could return it. Philip wisely decides that Masterson could stand the money loss and this young woman truly needs it. But what is he going to do with her now?

No, no no. No hanky panky ensues. Instead Philip has a brainstorm! And manages to talk Nicole into going along with it although along the journey she decides that she will have to come clean about her true identity and circumstances. Merkle is along for the ride and happy to have an inside home again.

Is this a novella which must pack in backstories and the first introduction of our MCs? Yes, so things move quickly but what a delightful subplot gets included which also gives Philip and Nicole more of a chance to see the other’s true worth. Mrs. Turner is a love as well as a dispenser of shrewd advice. Luckily there is a reason that will delay any actual (though already decided) announcement between Nicole and Philip plus a distant family connection that makes it all right. Yay for those historical family connections. Hopefully Merkle is alright with her green ribbon. B+

~Jayne

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His dashing days are behind him – until an old flame dances back into his life.

A hero of Trafalgar and many battle since, Captain Julius Vale, has retired from the Royal Navy and moved himself and all his siblings back to the family home near Blackhaven. Here, wounded and disillusioned, he seeks peace for himself, and happiness for his troubled brothers and sisters. He does not expect to encounter the woman who broke his heart ten years ago, and he certainly does not mean to make the mistake of falling for her again.

Antonia, now an impoverished widow and mother, is the paid companion of eccentric spinster, Miss Talbot, who is taking a course of the Blackhaven waters. Meeting Julius again is a shock. So is the fact that he clearly blames her for their parting when it was he who sailed away without a word of goodbye. And yet after only one dance, she begins to feel alive…

Amidst the tangle of anger, hurt and reigniting passion, they gradually realize the truth. But it seems that the same forces that parted them ten years ago are determined to do so again.

Unless they are strong enough this time to trust in each other.

Dear Ms. Lancaster,

It’s been years since I read “An Endless Exile,” but that book plus Jennie’s review of another book a few years ago made me think it was time I read another of yours. This one sounded like a nice, gentle second chance romance. Well, it did have that trope but it wasn’t quite what the blurb led me to expect.

There were actually several things that didn’t work for me about the story. It’s the first in a new series and tacks onto another long one set in this same area. Still it wasn’t the characters from the previous series who were the issue. The hero is one of nine children so all of them had to be introduced with little bits of information that I assume will play out in their own books. I can manage large casts of characters but I hate having them all dumped on me in one chapter especially if many of them have similar sounding names.

My preference for historicals is that they be as historically accurate as possible. “The Captain’s Old Love” turned out to seemingly be a weird mish-mash of accurate and historical-lite. One minute I was sinking into details and the next minute my fur was being rubbed the wrong way. The Vale family is also a mix of legitimate children plus two if not three illegitimate ones who boldly announce to almost total strangers that they are bastards. And despite having plenty of servants, the family always seemed to be meeting visitors’ carriages at the door, saddling their own horses, etc. I was astonished that the heroine’s father allowed her first marriage settlement to be bungled as badly as he did. But then her parents are a bunch of losers so being such idiots shouldn’t have surprised me. Although they began as strong characters, the heroine’s son and her employer faded into a plot moppet and a placeholder before too long.

Another issue for me was the number of plot threads going on. Second chance romance, smuggling, family issues, and abduction were the most prevalent with added hints of what might occur for other family members in future books. The romance actually started as enemies to lovers with convenient interruptions just as the hero and heroine might have cleared up their misunderstandings. Then things progressed from “let’s court and get to know each other as they are now” to (in the course of one day) “marry me” which was quickly (within minutes) finished up with “my bedroom is right down the hall.” It was all way too fast for me to buy into.

I might look into some other series or books and see if they work better for me but I don’t think I’ll be continuing with this one. C-

~Jayne

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How can they discover the private man behind the public façade?

London 1817
The primary aim of every young lady embarking on the Spring frenzy that is the Season must be to make a good match. Or must it? And what is a good match? For cousins Cynthia, Chloe and Ann, well aware that the society preux chevalier may prove to be a domestic tyrant, these are vital questions. How can they discover their suitors’ true character when all their encounters must be confined to the highly ritualised round of balls, parties and drives in the park?

As they define and refine their Husband Criteria, Cynthia finds herself unwillingly attracted to aloof Rafe Marfield, heir to an earldom, while Chloe is pleased to find that Thomas Musgrave, the vicar’s son from home, is also in London. And Ann must decide what is more important to her, music or marriage.

And what of the gentlemen who consider the marriage mart to be their hunting grounds? How will they react if they realise how rigorously they are being assessed?

A light-hearted, entertaining look behind the scenes of a Season that takes a different course with unexpected consequences for all concerned.

Dear Ms. Kullmann, 

I’ve seen your Regencies and pondered reading one but this blurb caused me to pull the trigger and say, “This one.” I had the impression that all three young women would find their match by the end of the book but in truth, only one does though the other two talk about marriage and about the men to whom they are introduced. 

One review I read rated the story lower because of the wedding night scene at the end and how surprised she was by it given the fact that the rest of the book is a usual “Trad Regency” which typically had no sex scenes. Had I not read that, the inclusion of the scene might have surprised me but it didn’t bother me. Other reviews mentioned the number of characters. This seems to be a mingling of characters from the first two books of this series as well as possibly one or two of the other series. Yeah, it’s a lot. I spent the first third of the book awash in people and desperately trying to keep the tangled familial and social relationships straight. Several times some characters would attempt to explain a cousinly connection from their grandmother’s being cousins or some such but it didn’t really stick until I’d read the names enough times. It did seem realistic though and at one point someone pondered that if one goes back three generations or so, most of the ton would be able to find some kinship. 

The reason behind Chloe, Ann, and Cynthia being worried about what a man might really be like outside of social engagements among the beau monde is mainly, I believe, due to Chloe’s parents. I read the blurbs for the other books and her parent’s marriage was acrimonious. Ann’s mother apparently also didn’t have a happy marriage. Cynthia, the one in her second Season, has happily married parents but her marital prospects are dimmed somewhat due to the fact that her grandfather was a Nabob. The three young women have discussed marriage and hit upon the idea of listing the characteristics of what type of man they’re looking for. Looks and money are a factor as no one wants to be married to someone who physically repulses them and who wants to live in poverty but the most important things they’re looking for are compatibility, kindness, someone who listens to them, and respects them. 

Cynthia’s first meeting with Marfield (or Rafe as she finally learns his Christian name after they are tentatively edging into a relationship) is at Gunter’s (the book makes good use of the standard “Season” events and places). Something makes her maintain eye contact with him instead of dropping her eyes with maidenly blushes which makes him decide to saunter over. When he is asked a question to which he replies a bit dismissively (he honestly didn’t have an answer to it), Cynthia springs to her friend’s defense and firmly puts him in his place. Intrigued he later asks her to dance at a ball and the two find themselves beautifully matched while waltzing. As this is her second Season, Cynthia knows the rules and doesn’t seek to snag his attention unlike other debs in the hunt for his (future) title. She also doesn’t simper nor bat her eyes at him. Rafe finds this refreshing, thinks Cynthia is unique among women, and begins to seek her out. But with the ton watching, how can they truly get to know each other and be sure they’ll match for life?

There are many things I enjoyed about the book. We get Cynthia’s brother’s and Rafe’s PsOV on how the men see the Season. At first Rafe isn’t looking for a bride but after his father indicates that he wants Rafe to take over a family property, Rafe begins to change his mind thinking that having a wife would help that. Neither his parent’s nor Cynthia’s met during a Season so they don’t have first hand knowledge of trying to court and be courted in public. Cynthia advises another deb to try and develop topics for conversation as her brother has told her that when a deb says little beyond “yes” or “no” it appears to others that she thinks him a dull fellow. There’s also the intimidation of approaching a young woman across a dance floor. 

Cynthia and Rafe actually talk. At first he’s surprised by her frankness and honesty but soon finds he looks forward to hearing what she has to say. They astonish their parents by stating they want to spend time together before entering into any agreement and that either one should be able to back out. This shows readers how hampering the rules of Polite Society were. The darker sides of the London events are shown by how Cynthia’s mother’s request for vouchers to Almacks is capriciously denied while those for Chloe and Ann are approved. The three are determined to stick together and various family members of them all send theirs back after a discussion of how this could affect the young women’s popularity and invitations. Newspaper gossip threatens reputations as well but once Rafe and Cynthia are sure (to the delight of their parents) Rafe’s mother has the perfect polite revenge for the Patronesses. 

There is no plot other than the Season and how marriage and prospects affect the lives of the ton. What is shown is how people navigated this important Social event, how reputations needed to be protected, how eyes were watching everything to sniff out intentions and tittle-tattle, and how important finding your feet and having friends were to enjoying the balls, routs, drives in the Park, and musicales. The Rules were paramount and flouted at risk. I didn’t feel, despite the discussions the debs have about women being able to support themselves or Cynthia and her brother have about social order, that these are twenty-first century people dressed in period costume. This felt like a refreshing return to the type of historical books that pay attention to detail and being authentic. I enjoyed it so much that I’m looking into acquiring and reading the first two books. B 

~Jayne

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Their chemistry creates a chain reaction . . . but will love be the final result?

Dorothea Grantham has always been fascinated by chemistry and spends most days conducting experiments in her laboratory at Grantham Place, staining silk with gold, silver, and other metals using chemical processes.

Thea embroiders the beautiful gold and silver silk shawls she creates and enjoys wearing them, but her grandmother, Lady Longmore, advises her not to reveal to anyone outside the family circle that she has created the fashion items herself, concerned her granddaughter might be seen as an oddity.

When Thea enters Society, her shawls attract a great deal of attention and become the talk of the town. James, Lord Castleroy, takes a particular interest in her work, having inherited a share in his grandfather’s silk mill in Macclesfield.

Eager to invest in the ailing silk industry, the baron studies Miss Grantham’s silks with an admiring—and increasingly suspicious—eye, believing the fabrics to be smuggled imported silk. As he spends more time with the enterprising young lady, however, his interest in her quickly extends beyond his business affairs to engulf his guarded heart.

But Lord Castleroy isn’t the only person in London interested in Thea’s exquisite creations. And when a silken web of intrigue entangles her in real danger, Thea must trust the devotion of a man she never expected—or intended—to fall in love with.

Dear Ms. Baxter 

When reading the blurb, what caught my eye and my interest is the fact that heroine Thea isn’t just a dilettante about chemistry – no, she is making practical use of her interest and talent in the field. True, some of her family members aren’t thrilled with her interest and try to keep what she does hushed up because they don’t want the ton to think Thea is weird but her love of the science isn’t merely a soon-dropped hook to get readers to try the book.

Thea and James’s first meeting isn’t the best but thankfully Thea isn’t made out to be an awkward, stumbling idiot. The fire is doused and all’s well. No, James’s interest in Thea initially appears to be due to what Thea’s wearing rather than the way they met. Thea dyes and then beautifully embroiders silk and she does it with her chemical knowledge. James has a reason to be concerned about what he sees as his mother’s father owns a silk mill in England and times are hard. English silk makers are still not in the same league with those on the European continent or India, contraband importation is rampant, the Crown is losing revenue, and English silkweavers are on the ropes. 

When he learns what is behind the beautiful shawls Thea wears, James has another proposition. He wants to patent her chemical process and use it to create silk at his grandfather’s mill thus helping the destitute workers. Thea comes back at James and says the process isn’t hers but that of a female chemist and if that woman is alive, James needs to get her permission. But the shawls and other items Thea has created have attracted the attention of others and some of them will go to any lengths to control or end what she’s doing. 

Thea is a bluestocking but the societal interest in the science lectures in London make this acceptable and even fashionable which is a welcome change in my reading. Several men, our hero included, think nothing of taking their sisters, sweethearts, and family to these events. Thea’s interest in chemistry might not be seen as too odd but what she does with it? Yeah, that could smack of (gasp) trade. James is a Baron but his mother was married for her trade dowry and this caused James some issues at Eton. Luckily James and the hero from the previous book in the series (which it isn’t necessary to read before this one) became fast friends.

This is mainly a character centered book and I love the fast friendship that Thea and James’s sister Anne develop. James also carefully helps Thea with some issues of PTSD (not referred to that way, of course) which are the result of a horrible event

It’s refreshing that Thea is the one initially unconvinced of seeking a Grand Passion in marriage. Her parents were deeply in love and Thea saw how the death of her mother shattered her father. Thea wants nothing like that. Even after feelings have started, both James and Thea have moments of introspection and the realization that the needs and wants of the other person must be considered. Just feeling that they’re in love isn’t enough. A final act doubt on the part of one person was a drag but the way the other person convinces the doubter of their sincerity is sweet.    

The tidbits and information about the silk industry are interesting and don’t come across as too much like a history lesson. They’re also important to the story rather than merely being stuffed into the book to show off research. What disappointed me is a penultimate act that too closely mirrors the first book which can only take place because Thea loses any hint of her intelligence. And also how the heroine’s grandmother reacts. No, This Person in book one didn’t abduct your eldest granddaughter because he loves her so why should you briefly think this time would feature a besotted swain?? Sigh …

I liked many aspects of this book but caution readers that it is definitely slow burn and no sex. But it does have a STEM heroine whose passion is actually pertinent to the plot and a lovely, gentle hero willing to gently woo her. I’m just going to forget the whole bit at the end that annoys me and give this one a B

~Jayne  

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