"Reissue of 1988 Regency romance is a classic."

Despite having attracted the attention of the wealthy, handsome Lord Maitland, Georgianne Verney has no desire for love and marriage. She wants to be useful in the world, so she runs away and becomes Grace Vail, a teacher at a charity school. From the start, she's at odds with the overly pious Lady Ruckworth, the school's owner, because Georgy wants to truly educate the children rather than give them proverbs to memorize and teach them their "proper place."

Meanwhile, Lady Horatia, Georgy's mother, sends Georgy's brother, Jeremy, to search for her. Hot on the trail, Jeremy is shocked to find Georgy stealing something -- until he discovers the thief is not Georgy, but Peggy Birkin, who bears a striking resemblance to his sister. Rescuing her from life on the streets, he brings her home with him, where Lady Horatia hatches a scheme to pass Peggy off as Georgy, to continue pursuing Lord Maitland until the real girl can be found. But Lord Maitland is not so easily fooled and decides to track down the real Georgy, while Jeremy finds himself falling in love with his "sister."

This charming story has a little bit of everything: humor, drama, mystery, and of course, romance. Both Georgy and Peggy find themselves while traveling through unfamiliar territory, but they handle their situations with grace and courage. The roads are sometimes rocky, but ultimately lead to men who will love them for who they really are.

First released in 1988, this book is a reissue of one of my favorite Regency authors. If you enjoy Regencies and haven't discovered Elizabeth Mansfield, this is an excellent place to start. If, like me, you read her books long ago, treat yourself again!

Reviewed by Lenore Howard
Posted January 10, 2005

Summary

Georgiana Verney was a young woman with ideals, and one of them was that she would never marry for money. It was a principle her mother could not accept, for money was what the family needed most—and they could get some if Georgy would encourage the attentions of the attractive, wealthy Lord Maitland. But rebellious Georgy would not deny her principles. She disappeared from home just when his lordship seemed on the verge of an offer. She had no idea that her mother would attempt to keep Maitland interested by finding a replacement for her. Nor could she anticipate what her new life as a teacher in a charity school would mean to her. She only knew that, no matter what strange paths this new life would take, the secret hold that Maitland held on her heart would never ease.