Nowhere Books Bingo 25: Book by an author you’ve never read
Thank you to Netgalley and Joy Revolution for this ARC. My opinions are my own.
Lady Zenobia “Zia” Osborn and several of her female friends have started a secret society, calling themselves Lady Knights, and at night, they dress up as highwaymen and rob the carriages of Lady Zia’s brother’s rich friends. They need to collect enough money to ensure the survival of their boarding school, not to mention the orphanage next door to the school. The rents keep being raised, and if the nuns who run the orphanage can’t pay, they and all the helpless children will be evicted.
One of Lady Zia’s teachers is a progressive young woman who allows her charges to read controversial literature, like Mary Wollstonecraft or Frankenstein. She also encourages the young women’s intelligence and critical thinking and encourages Zia’s interest in music. Despite their best efforts to disguise themselves, someone recognises Zia, and can’t for the life of him figure out why the daughter of a duke would risk her life at night, robbing noblemen.
Mr. Rafi Nasser, nephew to the unscrupulous nobleman who wants to evict the orphans, also happens to be the best friend of Zia’s older brother. As such, he’s had plenty of opportunities to observe Zia, and he can recognise her distinctive perfume and her voice, even when she’s dressed up and robbing him at gunpoint. Even when he finds out why Zia and her friends (none of them from families as rich and influential as herself) are doing their dangerous nighttime raids, he encourages her to stop, before anyone gets hurt.
Even Zia’s daytime pursuits are enough to make her father upset with her, wanting her to settle down and find a suitable husband. Rafi has a vested interest in keeping an eye on Zia, Zia needs someone her parents like as a suitor, so they agree to a fake courtship to get Zia’s parents to calm down. As is always the case with fake courtships, it doesn’t take very long before the feelings are all too real.
Full review here.