CBR17 Bingo: Free (- Thank you for the extension! I’d given up on hitting blackout this year, but LOOK AT ME NOW.)
Lady Suspicious – 4.25 stars
It’s the turn of Lady Winsome, the sixth of the ironically named Nicolet sisters, to make her debut on the marriage mart. Armed with her knowledge of rogues from rumor sheets and gothic romances, she’s determined to make a good match – but the only man she’s interested in sets off all her warning bells.
This is the sixth book in A Series of Senseless Complications, and the series title gives you a good sense of the tone of the books. As usual, the romance is sweet, the hijinks are high-spirited, and the villains (dastardly and otherwise) meet their deserved ends. I never really thought much about how convenient it is to be able to look your date up on the internet until I read this book, but I’m sure Winsome would have greatly appreciated the option.
I would have liked to see a little bit more of Winsome and Leland hanging out on the page, but the other characters are so delightful you don’t mind much. And while the latest failed butler is amusing, I did think the way he’s disposed of is a little lacking compared to how it went in previous books.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
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Convince Me, Viscount – 3.25 stars
After seeing all his sisters safely wed, Charles is eager to escape the marriage mart – but when he starts fake-courting the dutiful Marianna to appease his family, he starts considering marrying her for real.
This is the final book in the Very Fine Muddle series, and true to the name, despite the more sensible nature of Charles compared to his sisters, he ends up in a muddle anyway. Kate Archer’s become a reliable author for me when I’m in the mood for a light-hearted historical romcom, and this book’s another. I was very excited to finally get my hands on the real story of Miss Mayton’s travails on the Continent, which was as good as I’d hoped.
However, I did feel a little underwhelmed by the romance, especially since in the second half of the book Marianna goes to ground and so we don’t see her with Charles much. As such, this book was more fun as a wrap-up to the series than as a standalone romance.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.