Book Description 

Description

In this hilarious second installment of a Regency romance series, a single lord is forced to settle down…and when a houseparty brings a happy-go-lucky lady’s companion his way, his grumpy heart is unexpectedly warmed.

Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington, was publicly humiliated by a failed and reckless romantic gesture. Despite this, his mother clings to the promise he made her then: that she would have a house full of grandchildren by his thirtieth birthday. Still single, embittered, and swiftly approaching thirty, Guy’s work is his life. In desperation, his mother blindsides Guy with a weeklong house party at his estate filled with annoying debutantes, all competing to be his wife.

After failing as a governess, Lottie Travers is struggling as a lady’s companion. Raised in an all-male household, she’s developed habits that get her dismissed. Even after years of Miss Prentice’s teachings of how to be a lady, she climbs trees better than she embroiders and can’t resist riding horses astride, in breeches. But with the family farm in trouble, and her father now in dire need of her wages, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all.

Even with his home full of eligible women, there is only one who catches Guy’s eye—though he tries to deny it. For Lottie, succeeding in her new role proves difficult when the Wennington estate is filled with horses, and a spark ignites between her and the grumpy lord. Will they remain stuck in their ways, or learn that they may just be the perfect match?

My Review 

I’ve read a few of Heath’s books; I find them to be mildly pleasant, which is probably why I keep coming back every year to read the latest installment. 

There were a few elements that bothered me about this book. 

First, Heath relies too heavily on idioms and folksy expressions that feel out of place in a Regency romance. I’m normally unbothered by characters using modern language and speech patterns, but “Not today, Satan!” and “my flabbers were gasted” took me right out of the story. 

Second, it is the year of our Lord 2025, yet we still have the “not like other girls” trope. Out of the group of debutantes, only two of them appear to have personalities, and it is the same personality: aggressively marriage minded. This sets up a juxtaposition between them and Lottie as the Mean Girls try to undermine her at every opportunity. 

Third, Guy is a Nice Guy—pun intended—on paper, but he has a couple of flaws: he gets disproportionately mad at Lottie when he finds out she has been helping his mother and aunt with his surprise birthday party. He flies into a rage, saying that she knew he hated this sort of thing and how could she ever betray him like that. 

Boy, what? 

She just met you. She doesn’t know you. Calm the heck down. Getting mad like that is a red flag. 

Guy also seems to spend a startling portion of the book walking around with an erection because he can’t stop thinking about Lottie. The effect is rather lurid– as the kids say, it’s giving creep. 

Overall, this book is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a few moments that are generally funny, but they are overshadowed by characterization that relies too heavily on stereotypes and dialogue weighed down by too many idioms. Despite all this, I’ll probably be back next year to read the next installment in the series. 

I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley