"fun regency romance"

In 1813, when her odious cousin Reginald demands she marries him Emily Barnett was going to do her duty and wed him though she did not like him until she learns he plans to ship her blind widow sister Mary to an asylum and do who knows what to her nine years old niece Rose. Emily fakes her references and visits a rake, Earl Michael Farrow, who needs a governess for his two wards. While waiting her interview she drinks too much spiked punch and though she is not in red as he expected he interviews her for the position of mistress, which he has had plenty of hands on applicants.

After realizing his error, Michael hires Emily as a governess and allows her sister and niece to live with her. As he tries to persuade Emily to fill two jobs, he falls in love with her; she fell in love when they first met while she was intoxicated. However, he does not believe he deserves the happiness she offers him as everyone except his only friend believes he is a killer who got away with murder.

This is a fun regency romance that starts off with a comedy of errors and turns into a wonderful amusing battle of the sexes. Emily is terrific as a courageous individual going after what she believes is right whether it is protecting her relatives or trying to persuade the man she loves they belong together. Michael is stubborn, unable to accept that anyone even the woman he loves will believe he killed no one. Cheryl Holt provides a delightful historical with a slight twist as to whom really killed poor Pamela.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 27, 2005

Summary

Emily Barnett is happy to be who she is: a country-bred old maid at 26, with a blind sister and niece to care for. But her pompous, stuffy cousin Reginald wants her to also be his wife--he inherited her family home and needs her dowry to run it properly. When Emily refuses to marry him, he kicks the three women out. Emily goes to London, determined to find work as a governess. At her first interview, in the home of Michael Farrow, Earl of Winchester, she discovers that working for a rake can be dangerous. Michael is interviewing potential mistresses, and he mistakes Emily for one of those candidates. After he realizes his error, he insists that she take the job as governess to his wards--an offer Emily can't refuse when he also allows her sister and niece to move into his house. Emily's days are filled with teaching, but her nights are full of teasing, as Michael tries to convince her to take on a dual role as his mistress. With scheming females waiting in the wings, can Emily and Michael learn in time that only true love is too hot to handle?