"pleasant Eliza Doolittle Regency romance"

Gideon Cole paid off the debts his deceased father left him alphabetically; the barrister also drew up a master plan that he adheres to with no deviation. Part of his plan is to marry Constance Clary and use her father's aristocratic influence with the treasury and Gideon's success in court to become Chancellor of the Exchequer. Though he knows he competes for Constance and the treasury position with the wealthy titled Jarvis, Gideon will do what it takes including putting a down payment on an expensive London townhouse.

Gideon catches nimble pickpocket Lily Masters trying to steal his watch, but she escapes. Later Lily's bad luck continues when jostled trying to pick someone's pocket and is caught. Gideon rescues her by "buying" her from her captor at the cost of his townhouse down payment. He feels she owes him and since she speaks like an aristocrat he decides to use her to make Constance jealous. However, when he brought Lily and her ten years old sister Alice into his life, Gideon did not realize how they would pick apart his heart and plan through love.

Lily refreshes this pleasant Eliza Doolittle Regency

romance though readers will agree with Gideon that she is a pathetic thief. The hero is interesting as he struggles with his growing feelings to his "guest" and her sister that runs contrary to his master plan while the sacrificing for her sister Lily is great counterpoint to the selfish Constance. Though the coincidence of her failing twice with Gideon there on both occasions is a stretch, fans will accept this happenstance as the catalyst to a wonderful love story.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 23, 2005

Summary

Lily Masters has a gift for picking pockets and telling stories—skills that come in handy for surviving London's slums. She's proud of providing for herself and her lively young sister, Alice, and she's never been caught. Well, there's always a first time. Gideon Cole is a brilliant barrister with an unfortunate weakness for clients who can't pay. His latest charitable misstep: buying the freedom of a daring, beautiful thief. To repay the debt, Lily agrees to his proposition: pose as the object of his desire and help him snare a wealthy bride. All he has to do is transform the impudent Lily into a diamond of the first water. But the education of Lily could cost Gideon his carefully planned future. While she plays cards with his invalid uncle and Alice charms the servants, the honorable Gideon is harboring less than honorable thoughts. For sweet, stubborn, and sensual Lily has a way of slipping past a gentleman's defenses—especially when she's stealing his heart!