Traditional Regency Romance
Amazon | Smashwords
Harlan Dawnay, Lord Davenham, handsome and dashing heir to an earldom, offers a marriage of convenience to a suitable young lady he scarcely knows, only to discover she has no intention of being ignored in favor of his friends or his mistress.
Lady Sarah Ainsworth, age seventeen, is not yet interested in marriage. She accepts Lord Davenham's offer solely because she secretly admires him and has high hopes for the future. But when Davenham steadfastly ignores his young bride, including not coming to her bed, Sarah embarks on a series of adventures guaranteed to drive any young husband wild. From unsuitable friends to unsuitable flirtations, from gambling to calling on Davenham's mistress, Sarah forces him to pay attention. Until one final adventure almost ends their marriage before it's really begun.
Reviews:
I had a great time reading this very engrossing and funny Regency Romance. The two main characters grew up a lot during the course of the story. Most of the problems seemed to be Harlan's fault. In his quest for more money, he either ignores Sarah or treats her like a child. Gradually he gets to know her as a person, since she is determined to get his attention at all costs. Some of her pranks are funny and others are touching. She has great intentions and a lot of heart. The subplot of her friend Esmeralda's introduction to the Ton adds a dimension to the story not often found in this genre. The author is very well versed with the era and its environs from London to Brighton, and the people and customs as well. This is the kind of Regency that I love to read.
"This novel is filled with witty dialogue and plenty of amusing moments. I found myself laughing out loud several times. I especially loved the interactions between Sarah and Harlan and the interactions between them and their family and friends. This story left me feeling good."
"I really loved this book. . . . [It] reminded me of why I started to read romance to begin with. Boy has to get married. Boy then ignores girl. Girl gets back at boy by being as outrageous as possible and leads him for a 'Steeplechase' with all kinds of obstacles in his way to get his attention. Boy realizes that, yes, he does love the girl! And a happy ending. Enjoy!"