Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this two-for-one romance. Alice is ready to enjoy her freedom. Eighteen months after her domineering husband's death, she has finally paid off the last of his debts. Now she can live the quiet life she craves with no need for a husband controlling every move. Then a blackmailer arrives on her doorstep with letters from her husband to his mistress - letters that could ruin her if made public. Too gain possession of the letters, Alice must present his daughter Lucy to Society and find her a noble husband. Having no choice, Alice reluctantly agrees.
When Lucy arrives, she is sullen and uncooperative. She's spent her life being shuttled from one school to another while her con-man father plays his games, and she's looked down on by her noble classmates. When h runs out of schools to take her, she's left with various women he coerces into housing her. Lucy thinks Alice is just another one of his women, making their initial time together awkward and uncomfortable for both of them.
It doesn't take too long for Alice and Lucy to realize they were wrong about each other and are on the same side. Before long they've formed a close friendship as they try to find a way for both to get what they desire. Their "getting to know you" scenes were both funny and heartbreaking as each struggled to play their required part. I especially enjoyed the scene at the dressmaker's (loved seeing Daisy from The Summer Bride again!) as Lucy realizes that Alice truly does want to help her.
Enter the men of the story. Alice asks her nephew Gerald to help by introducing Lucy to some eligible men. He soon recognizes Lucy as the "goose girl" who cost him a race, though she denies the charge in several hilarious scenes. Gerald responds by introducing Lucy to men who are eligible but leave much to be desired. The sparks between Gerald and Lucy are evident but neither will admit to them as they continue to push each other's buttons. Meanwhile, Gerald's obnoxious mama makes her opinion of Lucy known, which encourages him to spend more time with her. They devise a scheme that's meant to draw out Lucy's father but doesn't turn out quite as they expected. I loved their "aha" moment and look forward to seeing more of them in future books.
When Gerald learns that Alice is being blackmailed, he asks his recently returned army commander, James, Baron Tarrant, to help him track down Lucy's father and retrieve the letters. James is a widower with three young daughters who, thanks to the war, have been with his in-laws for years. James, who deeply loved his wife, wants nothing more than to settle on his newly inherited estate and raise his girls. He has no plans to marry again. Then he meets Alice and is immediately smitten. He's willing to do anything to win her heart but convincing Alice is a battle he is ready to fight. I loved James's patience with her fears while Alice seemed to fall for his daughters first. Seeing him with the girls helped her see him in a different light, and I loved seeing Alice learn to trust him enough to give him her heart.
After all of the trouble caused by the letters and the threat against Alice, I found the resolution to be somewhat anti-climactic. All's well that ends well, but I would like to have seen the blackmailer face the consequences of his actions.
The secondary characters provide some of the funniest moments of the book. Gerald's mama Almeria, who is Alice's sister-in-law, has never liked Alice and takes every opportunity to belittle and demean her. Gerald, on the other hand, loves his aunt and has no problem standing up to mom when it comes to his aunt. Almeria is also the worst kind of snob. There is a terrific scene where she calls on Alice with the express purpose of insisting that Lucy be kept away from Gerald. Lucy deals with Almeria's dramatics in a way that had Alice watching in awe and me laughing out loud.
James's daughters are adorable. Having been without him for the last four years, their reunion is a little awkward at first. But once they realize he is home to stay, their joy is undeniable. I loved seeing them get to know each other again. The scenes with the youngest, Debo, are especially fun. She is a little girl who knows her mind and doesn't forget anything. Her fascination with cats creates some hilarious incidents, leaving James speechless and me gasping with laughter. I liked their part in bringing Alice and James together.
When Lucy arrives, she is sullen and uncooperative. She's spent her life being shuttled from one school to another while her con-man father plays his games, and she's looked down on by her noble classmates. When h runs out of schools to take her, she's left with various women he coerces into housing her. Lucy thinks Alice is just another one of his women, making their initial time together awkward and uncomfortable for both of them.
It doesn't take too long for Alice and Lucy to realize they were wrong about each other and are on the same side. Before long they've formed a close friendship as they try to find a way for both to get what they desire. Their "getting to know you" scenes were both funny and heartbreaking as each struggled to play their required part. I especially enjoyed the scene at the dressmaker's (loved seeing Daisy from The Summer Bride again!) as Lucy realizes that Alice truly does want to help her.
Enter the men of the story. Alice asks her nephew Gerald to help by introducing Lucy to some eligible men. He soon recognizes Lucy as the "goose girl" who cost him a race, though she denies the charge in several hilarious scenes. Gerald responds by introducing Lucy to men who are eligible but leave much to be desired. The sparks between Gerald and Lucy are evident but neither will admit to them as they continue to push each other's buttons. Meanwhile, Gerald's obnoxious mama makes her opinion of Lucy known, which encourages him to spend more time with her. They devise a scheme that's meant to draw out Lucy's father but doesn't turn out quite as they expected. I loved their "aha" moment and look forward to seeing more of them in future books.
When Gerald learns that Alice is being blackmailed, he asks his recently returned army commander, James, Baron Tarrant, to help him track down Lucy's father and retrieve the letters. James is a widower with three young daughters who, thanks to the war, have been with his in-laws for years. James, who deeply loved his wife, wants nothing more than to settle on his newly inherited estate and raise his girls. He has no plans to marry again. Then he meets Alice and is immediately smitten. He's willing to do anything to win her heart but convincing Alice is a battle he is ready to fight. I loved James's patience with her fears while Alice seemed to fall for his daughters first. Seeing him with the girls helped her see him in a different light, and I loved seeing Alice learn to trust him enough to give him her heart.
After all of the trouble caused by the letters and the threat against Alice, I found the resolution to be somewhat anti-climactic. All's well that ends well, but I would like to have seen the blackmailer face the consequences of his actions.
The secondary characters provide some of the funniest moments of the book. Gerald's mama Almeria, who is Alice's sister-in-law, has never liked Alice and takes every opportunity to belittle and demean her. Gerald, on the other hand, loves his aunt and has no problem standing up to mom when it comes to his aunt. Almeria is also the worst kind of snob. There is a terrific scene where she calls on Alice with the express purpose of insisting that Lucy be kept away from Gerald. Lucy deals with Almeria's dramatics in a way that had Alice watching in awe and me laughing out loud.
James's daughters are adorable. Having been without him for the last four years, their reunion is a little awkward at first. But once they realize he is home to stay, their joy is undeniable. I loved seeing them get to know each other again. The scenes with the youngest, Debo, are especially fun. She is a little girl who knows her mind and doesn't forget anything. Her fascination with cats creates some hilarious incidents, leaving James speechless and me gasping with laughter. I liked their part in bringing Alice and James together.
