Taking place in the Regency Era and full of careless friends, cold-hearted relatives, and set dancing, Grace Hitchcock gives Jane Austen vibes, but she also adds a flourish of her own! With a lighthearted touch of silliness and ever-growing subplot with action, there were times I laughed and others that caught me off-guard. I loved main female protagonist Muriel for her fearlessness and the main male progagonist (Erik) for his kindness. Their adorable meet-cute added to the charm of their relationship. The book gave twists and turns I didn't see coming, and a plan at the climax was brilliant and powerful. Grace Hitchcock is a great author, and Regency Era books are my jam, so I'm thrilled to see them come together!

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I thoroughly enjoyed To Catch a Coronet by Grace Hitchcock, especially its clever title. This is the first of her novels I've read, but I understand setting this story in Regency England is a departure since most of her books take place in the Gilded Age.

This story has it all - friendship, romance, mystery, adventure, fashion, faith, and delicious descriptions of baked goods. Both the heroine Muriel and hero Erik are 'fish out of water.' She was raised in a small village as a baker, but when her mother married a man of wealth Muriel was thrust into an elite social circle without proper training in society's strict rules. Erik feels much more at home on the deck of a ship, but a recent injury has him on land while he heals.

I loved Muriel's fumbling but well-intended attempts to conform to aristocracy's rules and Erik's endless efforts to keep her safe. I was rooting for them from their hilarious and sweet meet-cute to their swoony kisses. The mystery/adventure plot line added dimension to the story and had me turning the pages of the last quarter as fast as possible.

I'm so glad this is the first book in the Best Laid Plans series - I'm eager to visit this world and these characters again and again.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

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