"A delighful tongue in cheek romance"

The male members of the Ton are outraged by the impact of the scandalous "A Ladies Guide to the Pursuit of Personal Happiness and Marital Fulfillment by some traitor calling himself Charles Brightmore. Wives are literally jumping the bones of their stunned husbands, who feel that the women need to display more decorum so that they can play with their mistresses instead. Feeling civilization is in peril of collapse, several lords hire Andrew Starter to uncover the identity of this rogue; some even go so far as threaten to kill the scoundrel.

Andrew has been in love with wealthy widow Catherine Ashfield long before she even married, but did nothing because of their respective stations. He has decided to pursue the merry widow with a passion that he does not feel in his inquiries into who is Brightmore. As he begins to court his beloved, he also gets closer to finding Brightmore not realizing yet that if he identifies the author he places his Catherine in peril from the angry male aristocracy.

This tongue in cheek Regency amateur sleuth romance is a strong tale due to the lead couple. Catherine has no plans to marry again while Andrew has made it goal in life to wed her. The reaction of the Ton to the self help book is amusing as the men are outraged and the women are assertive, taking what they now feel is their right. Jacquie D'Alessandro provides a fine tale that sort of stands Lysistrata on its head.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 16, 2004