"The Bridemaker sashays in style"

Hester Poitevant is dubbed the no-nonsense "Bridemaker" where she fashions awkward ladies of the ton to be sophisticated prized catch for the season's marriage cart. Employed by the snobbish Lady Ainsley to transform her daughter Dulcie, she steels her prim-and-proper matronly image to hide her ravishing beauty where no one would recognize her past. When Dulcie's choice is the devastating American merchant Adrian Hawke, she is forced to interact with him and finds her defense susceptible to his curious queries and wicked sexual innuendoes. Adrian is secretly mocked in the society for his less than illustrious birth and thinks Hester is another society's snob but later finds her concealing a deep secret and lusting after the prim mistress of Mayfair Academy.

Rexanne Becnel is guilty of portraying her characters with modern sensibilities in this Regency-era romance but it is a guilty pleasure as we indulge ourselves seeing Hester and Adrian in a forbidden tryst. They break the molds of the society while Hester is given a refreshing point of view of her cherished virginity by her astute friend and mentor Verna. The uncompromising characters reveal their dimension through several stunning revelations of secrets such as Hester's birthrights and an elopement.

Hester is enigmatic while Adrian is dark and brooding - and the handsome couple sizzles with palpable chemistry. Ms. Becnel has bestowed upon us entertaining Regency that strives to be passionate as it is elegant through the glittering balls and swooning waltzes. The banters and sharp humour; the trysts at Vauxhall is positively scandalous - yet utterly irresistible as the outrageous duo. All these allude to Ms. Becnel as a Regency maverick - sashaying in style.

Reviewed by Desmond CHan
Posted December 27, 2002