Great book -- I liked the characters, the romances, the twist on the usual kind of plotline. Most of all, I really loved the kindness throughout, and the sense of humor. ( )

I generally liked the characters alright, but overall it was kind of middling. ( )

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. ( )

Lady Alice Paton is widowed and wants to settle into a quiet life when she is blackmailed into taking on Lucy Bramber to sponsor for the season and find a husband. Lucy isn't any happier about the arrangement, but Alice's nephew Gerald is recruited to find suitable men. He asks his former commanding officer James Lord Tarrant for help in finding the blackmailer. It's one of those convoluted plots that I enjoy reading, somewhat like a Shakespearean comedy with the couples finding difficulties everywhere. There are some funny and tender moments on the road to romance for all in a lovely read. ( )

This delightfully romantic and entertaining book has it ALL! Wonderful characters, wit, laugh-worthy humor, a despicable, shrewish harpy who definitely gets her comeuppance, TWO swoon-worthy romances, three adorable little girls, and it is all set a very realistic and well-described Regency London. I can hardly wait to see what the other books in the series bring.

Widowed Lady Alice Thornton, dowager Countess of Charlton, had a hard childhood and was then thrust into an abusive marriage to a man who didn’t want to marry her. She suffered for eighteen long years before her wretch of a husband finally kicked-the-bucket while in his mistress’s bed. However, more shame and strife were to come. Her husband left nice bequests for his mistress and his baseborn son, but all he left her was debts. If it weren’t for her wonderful grandmother having left her a home, she wouldn’t even have a place to live. Finally, she is almost through paying off his debts and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Until … a blackmailer, Octavius Bamber, appears and makes demands – demands Alice must accommodate. She has no choice.

Lucy Bamber has been left to fend for herself almost her entire life. Her father is a scoundrel of the first order – a con man, a blackmailer, a card sharp, you name it and it applies to him. He arrives at wherever she is staying, whisks her off to someplace new, and then leaves her – to make her own way. Then, he does it again – and again – and again. She never knows where he is or even how to contact him. This last caper he has pulled is beyond the pale though. He has blackmailed a beautiful, kind, caring woman into sponsoring Lucy for a London Season. She MUST marry a lord of some sort, or he will execute his threat with the blackmail. Lucy hates the aristocracy – with good reason – and has no intention of marrying anyone with a title. She was resentful of Alice and thought she was just another in the long line of women with whom her father left her – until she learned the truth – and learned what a lovely, lovely person Alice was.

Gerald Paton, Viscount Thornton, is Alice’s nephew. His father inherited Alice’s husband’s earldom. His entire family is a scurvy lot – except for Gerald himself. His mother, Almeria, has always hated Alice and takes great delight in belittling and treating her with disdain. Gerald, on the other hand, loves his aunt Alice and will do all in his power to help her when she asks. Can Gerald track down the blackmailer and steal the letters from him? He’ll do his best, but he’s sure he’ll need help and he knows just who to ask.

Lord Tarrant has been a widower for the last four years. His marriage was a loving and happy one that produced three wonderful little girls. Tarrant hasn’t seen those little girls in over four years – he’s never even met the youngest one because his wife died while giving birth. Now that he’s sold his commission and inherited a title, it is his intention to collect his children and make a home with them. He’ll never marry again, but he can provide plenty of love for his girls. He fully believes that until he sees the most elegant, beautiful woman across a ballroom. Oh! It turns out she is the aunt of his friend Gerald – who served in the wars with him.

I absolutely adored these characters. I loved watching Alice loosen up and come to realize that Lord Tarrant wasn’t at all like her now-deceased husband. Can she come to trust? Lucy and Gerald dance around each other – neither liking nor trusting the other – yet they are strangely attracted. Can they overcome that distrust?

I hope you’ll love this book as much as I did. It has some of the best put-downs I’ve ever read. If you want to learn how to handle a verbal bully, just pay attention to Alice and Almeria. The girls are delightful and you’ll love getting to know them. I can hardly wait for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )